The Korea Times

Korea enters 4th wave of pandemic

People stand in line to receive a coronavirus test at a testing center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. YonhapPM warns of strongest social distancing measuresBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea is now experiencing a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the health authorities, with the daily caseload for Tuesday reaching the second-highest since the coronavirus outbreak here. In response, the authorities decided to keep the current social distancing level for Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, but warned that it may be raised to the highest anytime soon if the current upward trend prevails. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 1,212 daily new cases for Tuesday, the largest since Dec. 24 when they reached 1,240 at the peak of the third wave of infections.The increase is mainly concentrated in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where 85 percent of the 1,168 local transmissions were reported. By age group, the KDCA said the virus is spreading among people in their 20s and 30s who are socially active, and most of whom have not yet r

Jul 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Pandemic is not over yet

Health

Calls rise to strengthen quarantine measures for greater Seoul area

People stand in line to receive a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing center at an elementary school in Incheon, Tuesday. The health authorities are conducting a mass testing there after 23 students at the school have tested positive for the virus, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). YonhapKorea, Israel sign 'vaccine swap'By Lee Hyo-jin Calls are rising for the government to strengthen social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area, as the current level is failing to curb rapidly spreading new COVID-19 infections in the region. Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and Incheon were initially under Level 2 distancing under a new four-tier system adopted this month, but the central and local governments decided June 30 not to ease the distancing rules immediately, delaying the adoption of the new system for a week.The central government will announce, Wednesday, what level will be implemented for the metropolitan area from Thursday.Amid this situation, people are calling for a tightening of the current measures, as the current ones ― inc

Jul 6, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Calls rise to strengthen quarantine measures for greater Seoul area

Society

School teachers angered by mandatory drug screening

gettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin An elementary school teacher in her 20s surnamed Lee living in Gyeonggi Province recently had to undergo a drug test for the first time in her life, after it became a mandatory process for teachers at public schools. “It was unpleasant, being treated like a potential drug addict,” she told The Korea Times. She also experienced frustration due to a lack of guidance from the education authorities on the procedure. “I was only told to hand in the test results by July 17, without proper guidance on where I should take the test or whether I would be able to take a leave of absence.” She had to pay for the test, which cost around 40,000 won ($35), herself after being told that it wouldn't be covered by the government.“But a couple of days later, the regional education office changed its stance and said to keep the receipts and I'd be repaid later,” she said, pointing out that the ill-prepared policy is causing confusion among teachers.This year, 20,000 teachers at public schools nationwide are expected to undergo the tetrabr

Jul 6, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

School teachers angered by mandatory drug screening

Society

Gov't vows legal action against 8,000-strong labor union rally

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) stage a massive rally in central Seoul, Saturday, demanding law revisions to improve working conditions for irregular workers, a minimum wage hike and a safer working environment. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin The government has vowed to take legal action against a massive rally held by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on Saturday, which the umbrella union pushed ahead with despite the government's warning that it would be in violation of quarantine measures against the coronavirus pandemic. Health authorities and police have called the rally “illegal” and are reviewing what charges to file.“It was technically an illegal rally as the permit application was denied. It is highly disappointing. We will soon take the necessary legal action,” Sohn Young-rae, a spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a briefing, Monday. President Moon Jae-in also took a stern stance. “It is inevitable to take stern legal measures against collective actions that violate quarantine rules, such a

Jul 5, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Gov't vows legal action against 8,000-strong labor union rally

Society

Sporadic rain to continue this week

People holding umbrellas cross the road in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Sunday. Heavy rain that pounded most regions during the weekend stopped Sunday without any major damage to facilities, but sporadic showers are expected to continue nationwide throughout the week, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Yonhap

Jul 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Law & Crime

Calls rising to reinvestigate five death cases concluded as suicides

Calls are rising for the police to reinvestigate five cases in which the causes of death were concluded to be suicide, as some people suspect that the similarities among the cases indicate that they may be the work of a serial killer. Screen captured from Cheong Wa Dae websiteBy Lee Hyo-jinCalls are rising for the police to reinvestigate five cases in which the causes of death were concluded to be suicide, including a recent case in Daegu, as some people suspect the deaths may be work of serial killer given the similarities of the cases. According to Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency, two girls aged 18 and 19 were found dead near a construction site in Jung District, around 5 a.m., July 1. One of them was half-naked with bruises on her body.After conducting an initial investigation, the police concluded that the two, who met through a social media channel, jumped to their deaths from the roof of a nearby building. As they found no signs of foul play, officers concluded the deaths were a double suicide. Regarding the partially naked body, the police said, “Both were fully clothed

Jul 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Calls rising to reinvestigate five death cases concluded as suicides

Law & Crime

Ex-justice minister files 1-billion-won damage suit against conservative newspaper

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk arrives at Seoul Central District Court, June 11.YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk has filed a 1-billion-won ($890,000) damage suit against the Chosun Ilbo, a conservative daily newspaper, for using an illustration of his family in an article about soliciting a prostitute. The ex-minister filed the lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court, Wednesday, seeking 500 million won each, from the reporter who wrote the article and from the editor.In addition, Cho plans to file a separate lawsuit at a U.S. court against the Los Angeles Chosun Ilbo for publishing the same content.The newspaper is accused of using an illustration depicting Cho and his daughter, Cho Min, in a June 21 article about a trio convicted of soliciting a prostitute. That illustration was originally used in a Feb. 23 Chosun Ilbo column about the fabrication of Cho Min's academic records to gain admission into medical school.Following a flood of criticism, the newspaper changed the illustration several hours after the article was published. The daily also issued an apo

Jul 1, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Ex-justice minister files 1-billion-won damage suit against conservative newspaper

Health

Debate continues over cameras in operating rooms

This photo disclosed by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on Oct. 2, 2019, shows surveillance camera footage of an operating room at the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center's Ansung Hospital. Courtesy of Gyeonggi Provincial GovernmentBy Lee Hyo-jin The continuing debate over the need to have surveillance cameras inside hospital operating rooms has resurfaced after a series of alleged medical malpractice cases during surgery made headlines recently.In May, a hospital in Incheon west of Seoul, specializing in spinal surgery was found to have allegedly allowed administrative staff to perform surgical procedures such as incisions and sutures. In early June, a hospital in Gwangju specializing in spinal procedures made it on the news after a whistleblower employee reported to police that nurses, who weren't qualified as medical practitioners, routinely performed surgery there in 2018. Police raided the hospital, but are facing difficulties identifying how the “proxy surgeries” were conducted due to a lack of evidence as the operating room was not equipped with any surveillance

Jul 1, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Debate continues over cameras in operating rooms

Politics

INTERVIEW Korea launches electronic travel authorization system

Korea Immigration Service Commissioner Cha Gyu-geun speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Government Complex Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, June 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Pre-screening process to be required for visitors from visa-free countries By Lee Hyo-jin Border management has become one of the biggest challenges for countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, as strict control is needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, while the right to essential cross-border movement should also be guaranteed. Korea Immigration Service (KIS) Commissioner Cha Gyu-geun said that swift COVID-19 response measures have been a major task for the immigration authority over the past 18 months, since the coronavirus was first reported here in January 2020But now, as many countries around the world, including Korea, scramble to reopen borders in the coming months, the KIS is preparing for a possible surge in the number of inbound travelers. To

Jun 30, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

[INTERVIEW] Korea launches electronic travel authorization system

Health

Korea set to ease social distancing amid lingering concerns

Quarantine officers guide travelers from overseas at the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jinSocial distancing measures here will be significantly eased from Thursday as announced earlier by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, despite lingering concerns over a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and an increasing rate of infections by variants of the coronavirus. Concerns are mounting that the eased measures may lead to an increase in infections, especially among young and middle-aged people, most of whom have not been vaccinated.Also, a recent surge in cases due to new strains, including the highly-contagious Delta variant, has put the health authorities on alert. The government has so far confirmed 2,492 infections by variants ― among them, 2,075 were found to be from the Alpha strain after genetic sequencing, followed by 263 from the Delta variant. In spite of the concerns, the government is proceeding with its plan to allow more gatherings and eased mask requirements from July by introducing a new social-distancing system and vaccine incentives.Un

Jun 29, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyo-jin

Read more

Korea enters 4th wave of pandemic

Calls rise to strengthen quarantine measures for greater Seoul area

School teachers angered by mandatory drug screening

Gov't vows legal action against 8,000-strong labor union rally

Sporadic rain to continue this week

Calls rising to reinvestigate five death cases concluded as suicides

Ex-justice minister files 1-billion-won damage suit against conservative newspaper

Debate continues over cameras in operating rooms

INTERVIEW Korea launches electronic travel authorization system

Korea set to ease social distancing amid lingering concerns

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