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'Miracle shampoo' faces sale ban over toxic chemical claims

Moda Moda's “pro-change black” shampoo / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jinA shampoo introduced by a Korean cosmetics company which “miraculously” turns gray hair to black, is facing a major setback as the country's drug safety regulator seeks to ban the sale of the product citing the presence of toxic chemicals in its ingredients.The “pro-change black” shampoo manufactured by Moda Moda was first launched in the U.S. market in June 2021 through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter and hit the local market in August of that year.According to the company, when used over a period of several months, the shampoo gradually turns gray hair to black. The product was developed jointly with Lee Hae-shin, a chemistry professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).The developers took the idea from “browning reactions” of fruits such as apples and bananas when exposed to oxygen, caused by polyphenol (PPO). The company stressed that the shampoo is completely free of any materials that are toxic to the human body or allergy-

Mar 4, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
'Miracle shampoo' faces sale ban over toxic chemical claims

Korea becoming center of global bio-workforce training

By Kwon Deok-cheolThe World Health Organization (WHO) nominated Korea as the global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub on Feb. 23. The WHO is promoting two hub projects in order to resolve the inequality in vaccine supply between countries and regions; mRNA technology transfer hub and bio-manufacturing workforce training. The WHO designated South Africa as an mRNA technology transfer hub in June, 2021, and then in February of this year, 13 countries in Africa, Asia and South America are now recipients of the mRNA technology transfer hub. However, the WHO acknowledges that being equipped with trained professionals in the field of bio-manufacturing is a prerequisite for the building of manufacturing facilities and facilitating technology transfer so as to initiate the “global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub” project. The nomination as the hub signifies Korea's central role in training bio-workforce for low-and middle-income countries in vaccine and biologics manufacturing.Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and WelfareMany global

Mar 3, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea becoming center of global bio-workforce training

Daily COVID-related deaths hit new high

People wait in line to receive tests at a COVID-19 testing station in Gwangju, March 2. Yonhap Korea's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 200,000 Thursday, with health authorities staying on alert over the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 198,803 new infections, including 198,749 local ones, raising the total caseload to 3,691,488.Daily infections surpassed 200,000 for the first time Tuesday, the day the government suspended the enforcement of the vaccine pass system over the lack of staff to handle the pandemic. The daily caseload stayed above 130,000 for the ninth consecutive day as the Omicron variant shows no signs of slowing down. Virus-related deaths rose to 128 from 96 a day earlier, bringing the toll to 8,394 for a fatality rate of 0.23 percent, the KDCA said. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients rose to 766 from 762 during the same period. (Yonhap)

Mar 3, 2022
Daily COVID-related deaths hit new high

PM Kim tests positive for COVID-19 in rapid antigen test

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum / Yonhap Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid antigen test, his office said Thursday.He is currently waiting for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result at his official residence, the office added.Kim reportedly felt symptoms of the virus after visiting Daegu, Monday, to attend an event commemorating the 1960 democratic uprising in the city.Kim's Thursday schedule has been postponed, his office said. (Yonhap)

Mar 3, 2022
PM Kim tests positive for COVID-19 in rapid antigen test

COVID-19 daily cases surpass 200,000 as schools reopen

Students sanitize their hands as they enter Jiphyeon Elementary School, Sejong City, on the first day of the spring semester, Wednesday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinThe nation's daily COVID-19 case numbers have set a new record again, reporting an all-time high of over 200,000 new infection cases, Wednesday. The figure soared 80,248 over the previous day's number. The spread of the Omicron variant is proving to be faster and more dramatic than the public health authorities had originally predicted. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the country saw 219,241 new daily cases, Tuesday, and 138,993, Monday. The country's total caseload has now surpassed 3 million.The KDCA said that 15.1 percent (33,005) of the new cases are high-risk patients over the age of 60, while 23.8 percent (52,092) are under 18. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients rose to 762, greater than the previous day's 727, and has jumped nearly 50 percent from last week's numbers.On Tuesday, 96 deaths were reported, less than Monday's 112. The accumulated death toll has mounted to 8,226,

Mar 2, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
COVID-19 daily cases surpass 200,000 as schools reopen

Korea's daily COVID-19 cases surpass 200,000 for 1st time as Omicron rages

Korea's daily coronavirus cases surpassed 200,000 for the first time Tuesday. YonhapKorea's daily COVID-19 infections surpassed 200,000 for the first time Tuesday as the highly transmissible Omicron variant continues its frenetic spread across the country.The surge came after the government temporarily suspended the enforcement of the vaccine pass system the same day, citing the lack of staff available to handle the pandemic. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported a record high 219,241 new cases, including 219,173 local ones, raising the total caseload to 3,492,686.The daily caseload exceeded 100,000 for the first time in mid-February.Virus-related deaths fell to 96 from 112 a day earlier, bringing the toll to 8,266 for a fatality rate of 0.24 percent, the KDCA said. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients rose to 762 from 727 during the same period.The health authorities said the current wave is expected to peak at some 250,000 daily cases in mid-March. The government suspended its COVID-19 vaccine pass system from Tuesday for 11 types of public facil

Mar 2, 2022
Korea's daily COVID-19 cases surpass 200,000 for 1st time as Omicron rages

Vaccine pass temporarily paused ahead of election

A patron at a restaurant in January scans a QR code on the restaurant's mobile screen to verify proof of vaccination status. NewsisGov't lifts vaccine pass regulation on March 1 despite rising infectionsBy Ko Dong-hwanThe Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) shut down the COVID-19 vaccine pass system on March 1, allowing people nationwide to enter restaurants, malls, supermarkets and other public venues without proving whether they have been vaccinated by scanning their QR codes upon entry.It was one of the latest measures taken by the KDCA to mitigate the quarantine regulations that have been enforced so far. The relatively low rate of critical cases caused by the now dominant Omicron variant and its increased contagiousness, which make it harder for the available medical workers to keep monitoring all patients, had preceded the introduction of the new measures. The KDCA has shifted its quarantine strategy from “enforcing” to “advising” members of the public to stay safe, by continuing to wear KF-94 masks and adhere to the social distancing meas

Mar 1, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Vaccine pass temporarily paused ahead of election

New COVID-19 cases fall below 140,000 for 2nd day; deaths remain high

People wait in line to receive tests at a COVID-19 testing station in Seoul, March 1, when the country reported 138,993 new cases. YonhapSouth Korea recorded fewer than 140,000 new COVID-19 infections for the second consecutive day Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but virus-related deaths remained high due to the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 138,993 cases, including 138,935 local ones, raising the total caseload to 3,273,449.The country reported 112 more COVID-19 deaths, slightly down from the previous day when virus-related fatalities reached their highest figure to date at 114. (Yonhap)

Mar 1, 2022
New COVID-19 cases fall below 140,000 for 2nd day; deaths remain high

Korea becomes WHO's global vaccine training hub

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during an online conference, Feb. 23 (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare By Lee Hyo-jin While vaccines and treatments remain vital tools to combat the ongoing global health crisis triggered by COVID-19, inequitable access to medical resources has hindered pandemic responses in low- and middle-income countries.Unlike rich countries that are gearing up to return to normal life thanks to high vaccination rates and sustainable supply of treatments, low- and middle-income countries are still suffering from high fatality rates and surging infections, due to shortages of lifesaving treatments and vaccines. Not only is this unjust, but this situation poses serious threats to the world, as low levels of vaccine coverage could lead to an emergence of unexpected variants, prolonging the pandemic indefinitely.Against this backdrop, Korea, a lead

Feb 28, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea becomes WHO's global vaccine training hub

Parents on edge as schools brace for in-person classes

gettyimagesbankSchools from elementary to secondary level are bracing for full in-person classes for the upcoming spring semester, but parents are on edge over infection fears as the country's daily COVID-19 tally is expected to go up further down the road.With the new semester for most schools scheduled to start Wednesday, the education ministry is recommending all schools nationwide provide full in-person learning under its new four-tier attendance plan following a grace period for the first two weeks.Under the plan, schools will be recommended against shifting to full remote learning unless 3 percent of students test positive or 15 percent go into self-quarantine due to infections or close contact with patients. During the two-week grace period from March 2 to 11, it will be up to each school to decide for itself whether to give lessons in person or online ― many have opted for all classes at school. Parents have voiced anxiety over imminent in-person class gatherings at a time when the country's daily COVID-19 tallies are renewing records while young children have yet to be inocu

Feb 28, 2022
Parents on edge as schools brace for in-person classes
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