South Korea - The Korea Times

New virus cases slightly dip amid speedy vaccination campaign

A health worker takes samples for COVID-19 at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station, Oct. 19. YonhapSouth Korea reported fewer than 1,500 daily cases Thursday, continuing a downward trend since the fourth wave of the pandemic peaked in late September, due to the accelerating rate of vaccinations.The country reported 1,441 new cases, including 1,430 local infections, raising the total caseload to 347,529, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Thursday's tally is down by 130 from the 1,571 counted the previous day. It is also down by 498 from the number reported a week ago. The death toll came to 2,709, up 11 from a day earlier.Although the country has reported over 1,000 coronavirus cases a day since early July, the pandemic is believed to be relatively under control as the country has ramped up its vaccination efforts. Daily new cases have remained under 2,000 for 13 consecutive days. The average daily number of confirmed cases during the Oct. 10-16 period was 1,562, down 20.3 percent from the previous week, according to KDCA data released Wednesday.As

Oct 21, 2021

New virus cases slightly dip amid speedy vaccination campaign

Gov't aims to shift to 'Living with COVID-19' phase from Nov. 1

New virus cases rise on more testing

Social distancing signs on precautions against the coronavirus are displayed at the entrance of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 at the Seoul Military Airport in Seongnam, Oct. 18. AP-YonhapSouth Korea saw its new coronavirus cases rise by nearly 500 cases Wednesday, but the caseload stayed below 2,000 for the 12th straight day, as the country continued its vaccine campaign aimed at returning to normalcy.The country reported 1,571 new cases, including 1,556 local infections, raising the total caseload to 346,088, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Wednesday's tally is up by 498 from the 1,073 counted the previous day. The death toll came to 2,698, up nine from a day earlier. The coronavirus is believed to be relatively under control, with daily new cases under 2,000 for 12 consecutive days amid rising vaccination rates. As of Wednesday, 66.7 percent of the 52 million population were fully vaccinated, while 78.9 percent had received their first shot. In early July, the full vaccination rate stood at about 10.6 percent. Over 70 per

Oct 20, 2021

Controversy rises over booster shot for Janssen vaccine

A man receives a Janssen coronavirus vaccine at a medical clinic in South Gyeongsang Province, June 10. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Controversy is rising over the administration of booster shots for recipients of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, as they have reported the largest number of breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people. While some medical experts believe the government should immediately offer additional shots to the group, others advise that the plan should undergo a more prudent review.President Moon Jae-in ordered the health authorities Monday to swiftly come up with a plan to administer booster shots for people who received the single-dose regimen Janssen vaccine, as a recent study in the U.S. suggested that its protection drastically weakens after five months. According to the study which examined the vaccine's efficacy among 620,000 discharged service members in the U.S., the prevention rate plunged to 3 percent in August, from 88 percent in March. On Oct. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) expert panel recommended a booster dose

Oct 19, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Controversy rises over booster shot for Janssen vaccine

New virus cases less than 2,000 for 11th day amid rising vaccination rate

New virus cases less than 2,000 for 11th day amid rising vaccination rate

A social distancing sign on precautions against the coronavirus is displayed at the entrance of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 at the Seoul Military Airport in Seongnam, Oct. 18. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed below 2,000 for the 11th straight day Tuesday, as vaccine effects are taking hold with rising inoculations amid preparations for a gradual return to normalcy.The country reported 1,073 new cases, including 1,048 local infections, raising the total caseload to 344,518, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Tuesday's tally is up from the 1,050 counted the previous day, which marked the lowest daily number since July 7, but down from Sunday's 1,420 new cases. The death toll came to 2,689, up by 21 from a day earlier. The slowdown in virus cases came as the country has seen a steady increase in the national vaccination rate that experts say appear to be showing effects. As of Tuesday, 65.9 percent of the 52 million population were fully vaccinated and 78.8 percent had received their first shot. In early Ju

Oct 19, 2021

New virus cases less than 2,000 for 11th day amid rising vaccination rate

Controversy rises over booster shot for Janssen vaccine

New virus cases hit 3-month low

Health workers take samples for COVID-19 at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station in central Seoul, Oct. 18. YonhapSouth Korea's daily coronavirus cases dropped to the lowest level in more than three months on Monday as the country eased restrictions on private gatherings ahead of preparations for a gradual shift to the "living with COVID-19" scheme. The country reported 1,050 new cases, including 1,030 local infections, raising the total caseload to 343,445, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Monday's tally is the lowest daily number since July 7, when the country reported 1,211 additional virus cases on the onset of the fourth wave of the pandemic. The daily cases have since stayed in the quadruple digits, including the record high of 3,273 on Sept. 25. The country added eight more deaths, bringing the death toll to 2,668. The sharp decline in the daily cases came as the authorities eased restrictions for private gatherings and allowed longer business hours for cafes, diners and other multiuse facilities, ahead of the planned policy shift aimed at

Oct 18, 2021

Foreign parent can win child custody despite Korean language limitations: top court

gettyimagesBy Lee Hae-rinIt is wrong to deprive a foreign parent of child custody in a divorce settlement based only on the parent's lack of fluency in Korean, the nation's top court said, Sunday. The ruling states that language limitations cannot be a fair cause to take child custody rights away from a foreign parent who had been fully raising and economically supporting their child, and what matters more is which parent the child has lived with for longer and more stably.The Supreme Court recently overturned a lower court decision that granted parental rights and child custody to a Korean man in a divorce suit with his wife of Vietnamese nationality.The couple married in 2015 and had two children, but their relationship soured and they separated in August 2018, after which the daughter lived with the mother. After a year, they both filed for divorce, according to the court.The woman sought custody of her daughter after the divorce, saying although she is not fluent in Korean, she has had a job since the separation and has been taking care of the girl with help from the child's gran

Oct 17, 2021By Lee Hae-rin

Foreign parent can win child custody despite Korean language limitations: top court

New COVID-19 infections fall to 1,400s; eased virus curbs ahead

People wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at the makeshift testing center near Seoul Station in central Seoul, Oct. 17. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new COVID-19 cases fell to the 1,400s on Sunday, as health authorities plan to apply eased distancing rules for a gradual return to normal life.The country added 1,420 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,403 local infections, raising the total caseload to 342,396, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest tally fell from 1,618 cases reported on Saturday, and 1,684 on Friday and 1,940 on Thursday. The daily infection count has stayed in the quadruple digits since July 7 and in the 1,000s for nine consecutive days.The country added 16 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,660. The fatality rate was 0.78 percent. On Friday, the government announced a set of eased social distancing rules as South Korea prepares for a "living with COVID-19" scheme next month, in which the virus will be treated as an infectious respiratory disease, like seasonal influenza. Under the renewed plan that will ta

Oct 17, 2021

New COVID-19 infections fall to 1,400s; eased virus curbs ahead

New COVID-19 cases remain in 1,600s as authorities set to relax virus curbs

People pass by a banner giving information on COVID-19 testing in Itaewon, a popular tourism district in Seoul, Oct. 15. AP-YonhapDaily new COVID-19 cases stayed in the 1,600s for the second consecutive day Friday, as the government plans to relax social distancing rules, starting next week, ahead of a gradual return to “normal” life.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 1,618 more coronavirus infections, including 1,594 local ones, raising the total caseload to 340,978. The latest tally was down from 1,684 cases reported for Thursday and 1,940, Wednesday. The daily infection count has stayed in the quadruple digits since July 7 and in the 1,000s for eight consecutive days.The country added 18 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,644. On Friday, the government announced a set of eased social distancing rules as South Korea prepares for a "Living with COVID-19" plan next month, in which the virus will be treated as an infectious respiratory disease, like seasonal influenza. Under the plan that will take effect Monday, the greater

Oct 16, 2021

New COVID-19 cases remain in 1,600s as authorities set to relax virus curbs

Chinese hired by geriatric hospital after hiding virus infection

A medical worker guides people for COVID-19 testing at a public health center in Seoul's Songpa District, Friday. YonhapMan reported to police as his lie causes mass infectionsBy Jun Ji-hyeA new employee at a geriatric hospital in Korea caused an outbreak involving more than 50 patients and employees, after concealing the positive results of a COVID-19 virus test he took as part of the hospital's hiring process, according to health authorities, Friday.After another worker, a nursing assistant, tested positive on Oct. 10, an epidemiological investigation traced the source of the outbreak to the new employee, a Chinese national in his 60s hired recently as a hospital caregiver. Testing of all patients and employees at the hospital, located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, showed that the virus had spread to 39 patients and 15 employees there.Before being hired by the hospital, the Chinese national underwent two virus tests at a public health center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District on Oct. 5 and 6. He tested negative in the first test, but positive in the second. The public health cente

Oct 15, 2021By Jun Ji-hye

Chinese hired by geriatric hospital after hiding virus infection

Eased COVID restrictions unlikely to lead to sudden increase of cases

A coronavirus testing center in Songpa District of Seoul is crowded with people waiting to get tested, Friday. Yonhap Gov't eases regulations on private gatherings, operation of multiuse facilitiesBy Lee Hyo-jin Health experts believe that the government's latest decision to ease social distancing regulations, highlighted by a relaxed cap on group sizes at gatherings, would not lead directly to an abrupt increase in infections. On Friday, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures (CDSC) Headquarters announced the latest quarantine scheme, effective Monday for the next two weeks, as it prepares to take the first step toward adopting a “living with COVID-19” strategy next month, under which the country is expected to return gradually to normalcy.Although the current distancing levels ― Level 4 in Seoul and its surrounding areas and Level 3 in other regions ― will remain in place, the authorities have decided to ease regulations on private gatherings and the ope

Oct 15, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Eased COVID restrictions unlikely to lead to sudden increase of cases

President Moon, first lady receive COVID-19 booster shots

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