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Lee Hyo-jin

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.

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Health

Worst infection cluster devastates ROK naval mission to Africa

Service members in protective clothes wait in front of an A330 MRTT aircraft after it arrived at an unidentified airport in Africa, Monday. Two multi-role tanker transport aircraft will bring back members of the 301-strong anti-piracy Cheonghae unit to Korea from aboard the destroyer Munmu the Great following a mass COVID-19 outbreak on the ship. Those returning to Korea will be replaced by a crew who arrived on the aircraft. Yonhap82% of Cheonghae unit members test positive for COVID-19By Lee Hyo-jin An infection cluster among members of Korea's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit in waters off Africa has drawn the criticism that the government and the military's negligence and mismanagement of the situation have resulted in the largest group infection in the military since COVID-19 reached the country. A total of 247 service members, or 82 percent of the 301-strong crew aboard the 4,400-ton destroyer Munmu the Great, have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Monday. All of the crewmembers are expected to be returned to Korea as early as tonight

Jul 19, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Worst infection cluster devastates ROK naval mission to Africa
  • New daily cases over 1,000 for 2 weeks
Health

Gov't to expand stricter gathering ban to non-capital areas

Vacationers have fun in the sun at Sokcho Beach in Gangwon Province, Sunday, with the new virus cases hitting a new record of 1,454 for Saturday. Amid the fourth wave of infections sweeping the country, the government has decided to expand its ban on private gatherings of five or more people nationwide from Monday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin The government has decided to expand its ban on private gatherings of five or more people nationwide, alarmed by the rise in COVID-19 cases outside the capital region amid the fourth wave of infections sweeping the country. “Starting Monday, the ban on private gatherings of more than five people will be expanded nationwide,” said Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum at a COVID-19 response meeting, Sunday.“Although the toughest distancing measures have been implemented in the metropolitan area for a week, the number of infections is not going down. All resources should be poured into curbing the spread of the virus.”According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the measure will be effective for two weeks until Aug. 1. Since last week,

Jul 18, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Gov't to expand stricter gathering ban to non-capital areas
  • New daily cases over 1,000 for 2 weeks
Health

COVID-19 healthcare workers struggling with burnout and fatigue

A healthcare worker wearing protective gear uses an air conditioner to cool down at a coronavirus testing center in Gwangju, July 12. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin As Korea grapples with a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in patients and long lines at testing centers are taking a toll on frontline medical workers who are suffering from burnout and exhaustion. During the past 18 months since the first coronavirus outbreak here in January of last year, healthcare workers have been hailed as heroes for their sacrifices and commitment, but little has been done to address their poor working conditions and heavy workloads.Medical personnel who have been working extra hours and many nights, risking their own health at COVID-19 treatment facilities, have been further put upon by a lack of manpower and substandard medical equipment, according to the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMWU).The union released a survey of its members working at 102 medical institutions nationwide, June 22. Their responses included: “We are provided with substandard and poorly fitting persona

Jul 16, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
COVID-19 healthcare workers struggling with burnout and fatigue
  • New cases tick down to 1,500s; nationwide resurgence still worrying
  • Gov't may strengthen distancing rules in non-Seoul regions: PM
  • '$0.88 doughnut' is breakfast for quarantine chief
Health

'Gender ministry's role essential in eradicating discrimination'

Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Young-ai speaks during a press conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, April 14. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Gender Equality and Family Chung Minister Young-ai said Wednesday that Korea needs her ministry, which is tasked with supporting women's rights and eradicating discrimination and legal violations against the socially marginalized.Chung's remarks came after several conservative politicians called for the gender ministry to be dismantled, accusing the organization of accomplishing practically nothing in the 20 years since its establishment.“We are aware of the recent public concerns surrounding the role and accomplishments of our ministry, but there seems to be some misunderstanding,” Chung said during an online press conference. “I believe we have been able to achieve meaningful results in improving women's rights which were significantly lacking in our society 20 years ago.”Tasked with solving many problems related to the socially marginalized, the gender equality ministry is essential for Korea, considering the

Jul 14, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
'Gender ministry's role essential in eradicating discrimination'
Society

New minimum wage draws backlash from both labor union, business

Park Jun-sik, head of the Minimum Wage Commission, leaves the commission's final meeting held at Government Complex Sejong, Tuesday, during which the minimum hourly wage for 2022 was set at 9,160 won. YonhapHourly minimum wage for 2022 set at 9,160 wonBy Lee Hyo-jinThe country's hourly minimum wage for 2022 has been set at 9,160 won ($7.98), a 5.1 percent increase from the current 8,720 won, which did not satisfy either the union or business sectors. Unions expressed anger over President Moon Jae-in's unfulfilled campaign pledge to hike the minimum wage to 10,000 won per hour during his five-year-term, as this year's negotiations were the last to be held during his term. Representatives from business were equally unsatisfied, as they had been calling for a virtual freeze of the minimum wage considering the problems facing small- and medium-sized enterprises due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Around midnight, Monday, the 27-member Minimum Wage Commission, a trilateral panel composed of nine members each from the union, business and public sectors, voted on the new wage during its final plen

Jul 13, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
New minimum wage draws backlash from both labor union, business
Health

Gov't reviews home treatment for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients

People stand in line to receive a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station, Monday. YonhapPresident apologizes for imposing strictest virus curbsBy Lee Hyo-jin The government is considering introducing a home treatment plan for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients amid growing concerns that the ongoing spike in infections especially in Seoul and its neighboring areas may lead to a shortage of hospital beds.Unlike during the third wave of infections last winter when Korea suffered a shortage of ICU beds for critically ill patients, the country is currently facing a potential shortage of beds in residential treatment centers where patients with mild symptoms stay. According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of Sunday, over 75 percent of beds in such treatment centers in the capital area are occupied as the number of COVID-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild symptoms has continued to increase especially among people in their 20s and 30s. A total of 33 residential treatment centers are being operated across Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province a

Jul 12, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Gov't reviews home treatment for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients
  • New infections above 1,000 for 6th day, cases start to rise in non-capital areas
Health

Korea imposes toughest social distancing measures in capital area

A platform at Sindorim station in Seoul is crowded with commuters during the morning rush hour, Friday. Yonhap'4th wave will be harder to curb than previous ones' By Lee Hyo-jin The government has imposed its toughest level of social distancing measures in Seoul and its surrounding areas starting Monday to tackle a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the port city of Incheon to the west will be placed under Level 4 distancing, the highest in the new distancing system, from Monday until July 25, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday. Medical experts said the stringent quarantine regulations may prevent the number of daily infections from expanding further.But at the same time, they believe the current wave of infections will be trickier to contain than previous surges, citing several factors such as the presence of the Delta variant, and increased travel during the summer vacation season.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 1,316 new cases for Thursday, including 1,236 local transmissions, raising the t

Jul 9, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea imposes toughest social distancing measures in capital area
  • Travel-related stocks threatened by 4th wave of COVID-19 infections
  • Semi-lockdown in Seoul drags down markets
  • 4th COVID-19 wave to have limited impact on financial markets
  • Daily COVID-19 cases hit new high
Health

Experts call for strongest quarantine measures

People stand in lines to receive a coronavirus test at a public health center in Gangnam District, Seoul, Thursday. YonhapKorea reports record high daily caseload of 1,275By Lee Hyo-jin Medical experts called for the strongest possible antivirus distancing measures Thursday after Korea began to grapple with another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the daily caseload for Wednesday hitting a new record high since the coronavirus outbreak was first reported here, they pointed out that this unprecedented situation is a result of the government's complacent response measures, and warned that the country may see a further increase in infections unless the toughest distancing rules are imposed. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 1,275 new cases for the day, including 1,227 local transmissions, raising the country's aggregate total of infections to 164,028.This is the largest daily tally since the coronavirus hit the country Jan. 20 last year, and it is the first time the figure has stayed above 1,200 for two consecutive days. KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeo

Jul 8, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Experts call for strongest quarantine measures
Health

Pfizer vaccines arrive from Israel

Israeli Ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor, facing camera, talks with Korean government officials as workers unload containers carrying 700,000 doses of Pfizer coronavirus vaccines from a chartered plane at Incheon International Airport, Wednesday. The vaccines were delivered from Israel through a vaccine swap deal with the Korean government. Joint Press Corps

Jul 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Pfizer vaccines arrive from Israel
Politics

Seoul mayor meets members of US congress

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, center, poses with members of the U.S. Congressional Study Group on Korea (CSGK) including co-Chairwoman Young Kim, fifth from left, during a meeting at Seoul City Hall, Wednesday. The meeting was held to discuss major policy issues between the United States and Korea. Yonhap

Jul 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul mayor meets members of US congress
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.