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Lee Kyung-min

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South Korea

Two USFK generals may face probe

By Lee Kyung-min   A group of activists filed a complaint with the prosecution Monday against two U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commanders for their alleged involvement in the delivery of live anthrax samples to a military lab here from the United States.During a press conference near the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, the activists said the two ― USFK Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti and 7th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy ― should be held accountable for the unlawful delivery of the hazardous material.Earlier, the USFK admitted that live anthrax samples were delivered to its Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, for tests, triggering uproar here. The Pentagon apologized for the delivery, but said it was an “accident.”“The USFK failed to comply with the law here, thereby posing substantial public health risk. We demand a thorough investigation into the matter and due punishment for the two,” the activists said in a statement.The group claimed that they failed not only to report the delivery with the Minist

Jun 22, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Plastic surgery clinic ordered to compensate for patient's death

By Lee Kyung-min A district court ordered a plastic surgery clinic in southern Seoul, Monday, to pay 350 million won ($318,000) in compensation to the family of a woman who died due to medical malpractice.During an operation there in August 2013, the woman, whose identity was withheld, fell into a coma after being administered with propofol, which is used for anesthesia. She died four months later.  She was undergoing surgery for calf muscle reduction to make her legs slimmer.The family filed the suit in January last year claiming that the clinic was negligent in monitoring the woman’s condition during the surgery including blood pressure, breathing and other vital signs.The hospital failed to provide proper information about possible side effects prior to the surgery, the family claimed.The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the family saying the woman’s death resulted from the clinic’s negligence.“The medical staff failed to monitor and report irregularities of the woman’s condition during the surgery. The clinic is responsible fo

Jun 22, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

MERS quarantine lifted in Sunchang, releasing 226 in 14 days

A nurse checks a resident of Sunchang, North Jeolla Province for fever, Friday. The Ministry of Health and Welfare lifted a quarantine order on the region 14 days after a woman was confirmed to have been infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). / Yonhap  By Lee Kyung-min The government Friday the lifted quarantine order for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) on a village in Sunchang, North Jeolla Province, releasing 226 residents after 14 days.“We decided to lift the order as no additional confirmed case has been reported since the quarantine measure was introduced on June 5,” a Ministry of Health and Welfare official said. “The 14-day incubation period has safely passed.”The quarantine came a day after a female patient, 72, who died on June 12, was confirmed to have the disease on June 4.She was the first patient in North Jeolla Province to have contracted and died from the disease, according to the ministry.Before coming home to Sunchang, she had contracted the virus at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Provi

Jun 19, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
MERS quarantine lifted in Sunchang, releasing 226 in 14 days
  • Confidence rises over MERS containment
South Korea

MERS hits doctors, nurses hard

 Medical staff account for 20% of confirmed cases By Lee Kyung-min The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that medical staff account for nearly a fifth of confirmed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) patients.Of the 165 confirmed patients, 30 are medical staff, including five doctors, 11 nurses and 14 orderlies.  There are a variety of reasons why doctors and nurses failed to protect themselves from the virus. In the initial stages of the outbreak, they had no knowledge about the disease, and treated confirmed patients without wearing masks and gloves, according to ministry officials.  Of the three patients newly confirmed, Thursday, two were nurses, one working at Samsung Medical Center (SMC) and the other based at Asan Chungmu Hospital in South Chungcheong Province.The SMC nurse was the first case of a staff member confirmed with MERS who had not worked in the emergency room there. The ministry is looking into whether she wore protective clothing or not.“It is unclear whether she contracted the virus while taking her mask off, or whethe

Jun 18, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Ex-minister under corruption probe

By Lee Kyung-minKim YangFormer Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Kim Yang is under investigation regarding allegations that he accepted at least 1 billion won ($894,000) in bribes in exchange for exerting his influence on a defense contract.According to the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office, Kim is suspected of receiving the bribes from Agusta Westland of the United Kingdom. In return, he influenced defense officials to forge an evaluation report on the firm’s AW159 helicopters in order to help the firm win a 590 billion won ($540 million) contract in January 2013.Kim served as veterans affairs minister from March 2008 to February 2011 under the former Lee Myung-bak administration.At the time, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) chose Agusta Westland over Sea Hawk of the United States.There have been suspicions that the U.K. firm won the bid despite low performances of its products.  The prosecution suspects that Kim used his personal connections established while working at a defense firm in Europe from the early 1990s.The prosecution also sus

Jun 17, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
Ex-minister under corruption probe
South Korea

Gay parade to be held as planned

By Lee Kyung-minA local court granted a request from the organizers of the Korea Queer Festival and ordered police to withdraw their order banning the groups’ parade scheduled for June 28 in downtown Seoul.The organizers filed the petition with the Seoul Administrative Court after the Namdaemun Police Station rejected their request for a permit to allow the parade on May 30.Police issued the subsequent ban on their assembly citing possible traffic congestion in central Seoul and possible clashes with religious groups.The court said irrevocable harm would incur on the organizers in the event of the parade’s cancellation.“The parade has been held annually since 2000. The ban will discard the organizers’ yearlong effort for the event,” the judge said in its ruling.“Police banning the public rally should be reserved as the last resort, when all the possible options are exhausted.”The street parade will be held as planned as the final event of the celebration of sexual minorities.The annual event focuses on the local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual a

Jun 17, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Detention warrant for McDonald's protestor rejected again

By Lee Kyung-minA district court Tuesday rejected a second request filed by the prosecution for a warrant to detain an activist who staged rallies at McDonald’s outlets in Seoul.Gu Gyo-hyeon, president of Arbeit Workers’ Union (AWU), a group that represents part-time workers, was briefly detained last month for organizing protests at more than ten outlets of the fast food chain, demanding improvements in working conditions for part-time workers.Last month, a court rejected an initial request for a detention warrant on grounds that Mr. Gu did not pose a flight risk, nor had he caused any damage while on the property.  At the time, he was accused of trespassing, damaging property, and obstruction of business.Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday dismissed the warrant request for lack of a compelling need to restrict Gu’s physical freedom.“Since his last protest, he has not instigated a fight against police officers, nor did he stage violent rallies near McDonald’s stores,” the judge said. “He has kept his vow not to engage in violence at

Jun 16, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Two MERS patients get blood plasma injections

By Lee Kyung-minTwo confirmed patients of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) received blood plasma injection treatment, but have yet to show signs of recovery, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday.The two are a police officer surnamed Lee and a doctor surnamed Park who worked at the Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, aged 35 and 38 respectively.They received the blood plasma from a man, who had fully recovered as of June 11, surnamed Kim, 45, an Air Force chief master sergeant at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province.Kim was confirmed for infection on June 5, but was released from hospital after a week of treatment.  Park was diagnosed on June 4, and Lee on June 10. Both have been in critical condition since June 8 and 10 respectively.They reportedly exhibited no symptoms of MERS and had no history of chronic illness.“Blood plasma injection is not a medically proven treatment, but is often carried out in the absence of other treatments available,” an official at Hallym University Medical Center said.“The treatment was carried out in an attemp

Jun 16, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
  • Gov't quiet on expat MERS cases
  • 8 new MERS cases, total patients 162
South Korea

JTBC president grilled over alleged theft of poll results

By Lee Kyung-minSohn Suk-heePolice Tuesday questioned the president of cable channel JTBC, Sohn Suk-hee, over allegations that he used the results of exit polls conducted by three broadcasting companies without their permission in his news program.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), Sohn, who is also the anchor of the program, is suspected of using poll results from KBS, MBC and SBS while reporting on local elections in June of last year.Police will ask how he obtained the results of the exit polls and whether any illegality was involved in the process.Appearing before the SMPA, Sohn said he will cooperate fully with the investigation.“It is disputable whether questioning me about this matter is appropriate, but I will answer truthfully regardless,” he told reporters.His questioning came 10 months after the three broadcasting companies filed a complaint with the prosecution, claiming that their business rights were greatly violated due to Sohn’s unauthorized use of the data.“More than 2 billion won ($1.7 million) was spent conducting the

Jun 16, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Alert issued against 'MERS' voice phishing

By Lee Kyung-minThe Ministry of Health and Welfare issued an alert Sunday against voice phishing scams that exploit public fears about the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).According to a complaint filed with 109 MERS hotline, the scammers impersonate a ministry official making a call or sending text messages to those quarantined saying each receiver is eligible for an emergency government subsidy program.They cite the ministry’s emergency measures, effective since June 10 which provides up to 1.1 million won ($984) to households with income earners who are currently banned from going to work after being quarantined.  They then offer to make immediate cash transfers asking for bank account numbers and resident registration numbers, the ministry said.  Any text messages or attached files on cell phones should be deleted immediately without clicking to prevent the possible installation of malware such as remote control software, the ministry cautioned.In a worst case scenario, information of personal authentication certificate stored in the device might

Jun 14, 2015By Lee Kyung-min
Alert issued against 'MERS' voice phishing
  • Samsung stigmatized with MERS
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