The Korea Times

Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

A man enters a COVID-19 screening center in Yongsan District, Seoul. FridayOver 145,000 alerts sent during 3 years of pandemicBy Lee Hyo-jin It's no exaggeration to say that emergency text alerts have become a part of daily life in Korea since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early stages of the pandemic, local governments notified residents on a daily basis of the number of new cases in their area as well as contact tracing information on virus carriers. The alert system has also been actively used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency to inform the public about adjustments in the government's virus curbs and to encourage people to sign up for coronavirus vaccinations.Since being adopted in 2005, the nationwide mobile notification system has been used by various government agencies to issue warnings about disasters and to provide guidelines in emergency situations. The notifications are sent to people in affected areas to warn about infectious diseases, fine dust, torrential rain, typhoons, extreme weather conditions and

Feb 3, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

Law & Crime

Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun speaks to reporters during his visit to Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul on Wednesday afternoon. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin The police have vowed to introduce better measures to handle intoxicated members of the public on streets, following criticisms over their poor response which has recently led to a series of deaths.At about 8:10 p.m., Jan. 19, Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul received a report that a drunk man in his 50s was sleeping on the street. Two officers were deployed on-site, but after a failed attempt to wake him up ― which lasted for about six minutes ― they left him lying on the street without taking additional measures.About 40 minutes later, the man was struck by a van. He was pronounced dead while being transferred to a nearby hospital. CCTV footage showed that at the time of the incident, the officers were sitting in their car across the street. The officers are currently under internal investigation over their handling of the intoxicated individual.On Nov. 30 of last year, two police officers in Gangbuk Dist

Feb 2, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

Health

Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong announces his ministry's comprehensive plan to strengthen the country's essential medical services at Government Complex Seoul, Jan. 31. YonhapHealth ministry seeks to increase compensation for physicians in essential fieldsBy Lee Hyo-jin The Ministry of Health and Welfare will review reducing penalties for doctors accused of medical malpractice, as it views the risk of getting involved in medial law suits as one of the reasons why would-be physicians shun departments where complicated surgeries are performed.The plan was included in measures that were announced to strengthen the country's vital medical fields, such as surgery, emergency rooms, pediatrics and gynecology. These fields are grappling with a shortage of physicians.But civic groups believe the proposed measure will only make it easier for doctors to avoid liability in the case of medical negligence and malpractice. At a Jan. 31 briefing on its comprehensive plan to improve essential medical services, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said his ministry will review “various measures to reliev

Feb 2, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

Society

Is non-consensual sex not rape?

Gender ministry's policy U-turn ignites debate over rapeBy Lee Hyo-jin Rape is often defined as forcing someone to submit to sexual intercourse against their will. A question arises in cases when consent hadn't been established explicitly between individuals involved in a sex act: is it rape?Korea's Criminal Law defines the crime of rape as sexual activity against one's will involving “violence or intimidation.” As such, in order to secure a rape conviction, prosecutors must prove that the perpetrator had used or threatened violence against the victim. Sexual assault against a victim in a vulnerable state, such as under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is seen as “quasi-rape.”In recent years, women's rights groups and civic activists, who claim that the existing rape law is outdated and insufficient to protect the victims, have been strongly demanding the legal definition of rape to be expanded to include non-consensual sex.But the idea has drawn fierce backlash from some men who believe that a consent-based definition of rape may result in an increase of fa

Feb 1, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Society

Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

A platform at Sindorim Station on Seoul Metro Lines 1 and 2 is crowded with morning commuters wearing masks, Monday. Most people on subway platforms were seen wearing masks despite the relaxation of the indoor mask mandate. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-sukBy Lee Hyo-jin Monday marked the first day of the drastic easing of Korea's indoor mask mandate after it was enforced nationwide in October 2020. Starting midnight, wearing a mask in most indoor facilities has become optional with a few exemptions.People are no longer legally obliged to wear masks indoors, except at hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, welfare centers for people with disabilities, and public transportation. Masks are now optional at subway platforms, train stations, bus terminals and airports.Despite the eased rule, however, most people at subway platforms and gyms seemed reluctant to bid farewell to their years-long habit of wearing masks.Almost all subway users seen in the morning on the platforms at Sindorim Station on Seoul Metro Lines 1 and 2 were masked up. Even though notices were attached inside stations a

Jan 30, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

PHOTOS Scrapping of mask mandate

Health

Biohealth geared for growth

By Cho KyooHongOn Jan. 9, the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported to President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning its 2023 plan, of which the main tasks include leaping forward as a leading country in the field of biohealth through human resource cultivation, deregulation and export support. Noting that a large number of quality jobs can be created as the biohealth industry grows, President Yoon called for strong support from the government for domestic enterprises to be up to global standards, which requires a tax benefit corresponding to that of the semiconductor sector, capacity development and a solid industrial ecosystem.The global pharmaceutical and medical device markets are valued at roughly 1,400 trillion won and 600 trillion won, respectively. The emerging digital healthcare market is projected to reach 700 trillion won by 2027, which is equivalent to the Republic of Korea's top export industry, the semiconductor industry. As such, the global healthcare market presents a great opportunity we must take advantage of.Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hongGlobal supply chain re

Jan 30, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Society

Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

Students play at Seoul International School in Bokjeong Dong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Seoul International SchoolBy Lee Hyo-jin Seoul International School (SIS), one of the oldest international schools in Korea, is celebrating 50 years of its establishment this year. The educational institution in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, was founded in 1973 by Edward Ben Adams, who envisioned creating an international school independent of political and religious affiliations.Thanks to Adams' dedication and passion for education and the people of Korea, SIS was able to become one of the first international schools in the nation. It received the first-ever letter of authorization from the Korean government for the establishment of a foreign school on June 5, 1973. The school opened its doors later that year, becoming the first foreign school to be recognized by the Ministry of Education after Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.With the strong support of Yoo Il-yoon, then-chairman of Konkuk University, the school first opened its doors from a small building on

Jan 29, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

Health

Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

A notice attached at Sinchon Station on Seoul Metro line 2, Sunday, reads that the indoor mask mandate will be lifted inside stations and platforms from Monday, but that subway users will still be required to wear masks on trains. Yonhap66% of people choose to stick with masks despite eased rule: surveyBy Lee Hyo-jin An indoor mask mandate imposed nationwide comes to an end, Monday, with few exemptions such as hospitals and public transit. But it remains to be seen whether Koreans will immediately stop wearing masks, a practice they have gotten used to for the last three years.Following an announcement by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), people are no longer legally obliged to wear a mask indoors beginning at midnight, except at hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, welfare centers for people with disabilities, and public transportation. The decision to relax the mask-wearing policy was based on four metrics ― the number of new cases, hospitalization, medical capacity, and vaccination rate among the elderly, the KDCA said.People will still be required to wear m

Jan 29, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

Most people masked up on 1st day of lifting of mandate rules

Society

Temperatures to drop to minus 17 degrees next week

The Hantan River in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, is frozen on Friday due to snow and freezing temperatures in the region. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea is bracing for the coldest spell so far this winter as temperatures are expected to drop to as low as minus 17 degrees Celsius next week, contributing to harsh winter weather conditions for the Lunar New Year long weekend, which runs from Saturday to Tuesday.As millions of people are expected to hit the roads to visit their families early Saturday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has warned of difficult driving conditions due to snow and frigid weather.The state weather agency urged drivers to stay safe on the icy highways after snow fell between Thursday night and Friday morning in central inland regions. Though the regions received between one and three centimeters of snow, sub-zero temperatures have prevented it from melting quickly, it said.The KMA predicts that Seoul's temperature will fall as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius on Saturday, and the mercury is expected to dip further in the next few days foll

Jan 21, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Temperatures to drop to minus 17 degrees next week

Health

Relaxed mask-wearing rules unlikely to result in uptick in COVID cases: experts

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jee Young-mee speaks during a briefing on easing of the indoor mask mandate, held at the agency's headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Friday. Yonhap Indoor mask mandate to end from Jan. 30By Lee Hyo-jin An indoor mask mandate, which has been in place for two years and three months in Korea, will end from 12:00 a.m., Jan. 30, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Friday. But the authorities stressed that people will still be required to wear masks at high-risk facilities such as hospitals and on public transport. The announcement, which comes after three years since Korea confirmed its first case of the coronavirus, represents a major milestone in the government's shift in its pandemic response to living with the virus.The health authorities assessed that it is safe to remove the mask mandate considering the recent downward trend in infections and hospitalizations, al

Jan 20, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyo-jin

Read more

Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

Is non-consensual sex not rape?

Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

Biohealth geared for growth

Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

Temperatures to drop to minus 17 degrees next week

Relaxed mask-wearing rules unlikely to result in uptick in COVID cases: experts

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