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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.

272 members of Cheonghae unit presumed to have contracted delta variant: authorities

A South Korean Air Force plane arrives at an unidentified African airport July 18, 2021, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. South Korea sent two KC-330 multipurpose aerial tankers to bring home all South Korean service members belonging to the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit deployed off the coast of Africa, after the unit reported a mass COVID-19 outbreak onboard the destroyer they were serving on. YonhapAll 272 sailors and soldiers serving in the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit who contracted COVID-19 are presumed to have come down with the highly transmissible Delta variant, as they were conducting missions in waters off Africa, the health authorities said Wednesday. The members of the 301-strong unit were airlifted home last month, cutting short their mission in Africa after 247 of them tested positive for the coronavirus.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said 64 of them have been confirmed to be infected with the variant that was first reported in India, with the others being highly likely to be infected with the same strain.The KDCA said there have been

Aug 4, 2021
272 members of Cheonghae unit presumed to have contracted delta variant: authorities

Experts call for preemptive measures against Delta plus variant

A medical worker works at a government-designated COVID-19 treatment hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. YonhapAuthorities to decide on whether to extend strictest social distancing FridayBy Lee Hyo-jin Medical experts here are calling on the government to take preemptive measures against the possible spread of the COVID-19 Delta plus variant, as they view that downplaying its threat may pose a serious risk to the country's efforts to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported Tuesday that it had identified the first two cases here of the Delta plus variant, a sub-lineage of the Delta strain first detected in India.One of the patients was a man in his 40s with no recent overseas travel history, while the other was a man in his 50s who returned recently from the United States, according to the KDCA.Both had been fully vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, raising concerns that the new strain may be resistant. “Though we should be vigilant about the Delta plus variant, we don't need to be overly concerne

Aug 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Experts call for preemptive measures against Delta plus variant

Social distancing at the beach

Safety workers remind people to wear masks at Hanagae Beach on Incheon's Muui Island, Tuesday. Under the heightened social distancing measures against COVID-19, vacationers are not allowed to set up tents or parasols, and are required to wear face masks at all times, except for when they are swimming. Yonhap

Aug 4, 2021
Social distancing at the beach

New cases spike to over 1,700, almost 40 percent of population gets 1st jabs

A driver gets tested for COVID-19 at a drive-thru testing center in Jungnang District in Seoul, Aug. 4. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases sharply bounced back to the 1,700s on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Delta variant weighs on the country's virus fight during the summer vacation season.The country added 1,725 COVID-19 cases, including 1,664 local infections, raising the total caseload to 203,926, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The latest tally marked a sharp rise from 1,218 cases Monday and 1,200 cases Tuesday.Daily cases usually fall over the weekend and rise later in the week as more people get tested.The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7 due to outbreaks centered in the greater Seoul area. It reached a peak of 1,895 on July 28.Two additional COVID-19 deaths were reported, raising the death toll to 2,106. The fatality rate came to 1.03 percent.The current wave of the pandemic has yet to come under control, as the growing number of travelers in the summer season and the more infectious Delta variant put

Aug 4, 2021
New cases spike to over 1,700, almost 40 percent of population gets 1st jabs

Gov't vaccine delivery system faces criticism

People receive coronavirus vaccines at a vaccination center in Gwangjin District, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Criticism is rising over inconsistencies in the government's COVID-19 vaccine delivery system based on different types of medical facilities, under which some smaller clinics are required to transport the vaccines on their own, raising concerns that this may spoil the temperature-sensitive vaccines. Under the current system, health authorities take responsibility for deliveries of 10 or more vials, whereas for smaller shipments, staffers of medical facilities themselves must transport the vaccines using their own containers.But many smaller medical facilities are not equipped to transport the vaccines that must be stored at low temperatures. This has prompted concerns that the vaccines may spoil especially quickly during the summer.A public petition was uploaded on the Cheong Wa Dae website, July 30, by a writer claiming to be a pediatrician who criticized the health authorities for shifting the responsibility for vaccine transport onto medical facilities.“Prev

Aug 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Gov't vaccine delivery system faces criticism

Korea on alert for future vaccine supply amid more variants, price hikes

Arriving passengers are guided by quarantine officials at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. YonhapKorea reports first 2 cases of Delta Plus variantBy Bahk Eun-jiConcerns are rising over possible future shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, as more and more countries are considering adopting booster shots amid growing cases of variants, which reduce the immune responses of even already vaccinated people. Some vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer and Moderna, also raised the prices of their products for Europe, a move that is likely to affect Korea in next year's procurement.According to media reports, many countries are seeking booster shots for elderly or vulnerable groups. Israel, which has one of the highest vaccination rates of any country, started offering booster shots on July 12 for vulnerable groups, and on July 30 for elderly people who had received their second jabs at least five months ago.The U.K. and Germany are planning to offer the shots from September, while the U.S. is also considering it.The need for booster shots has been raised, as the

Aug 3, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea on alert for future vaccine supply amid more variants, price hikes

'Abortion consultation' included in health insurance

Members of the Joint Action for Reproductive Justice, a coalition of pro-choice groups, participate in a press conference in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, calling on the government to include abortion in the public health care system, March 8. Korea Times photo by Hong In-kiBy Lee Hyo-jin Women are now able to receive medical consultations on abortion legally and at a reasonable price, as the medical service has been newly included in the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Monday. The health ministry announced the inclusion as a follow-up measure to a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court in April 2019 which found the ban on abortion was unconstitutional because prohibiting it in the early stages of pregnancy was a violation of women's right to self-determination.Although the so-called anti-abortion law has been abolished in Korea, due to an absence of revisions to related bills, women seeking an abortion have been left without access to accurate medical information and consultations within the public healthcare system. From

Aug 3, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
'Abortion consultation' included in health insurance

Pet sitting grows in popularity

Pet sitters send photos of their clients' pets to the owners to let them know their pets are fine. gettyimagesbankDemand for pet sitting services rises in vacation seasonBy Bahk Eun-jiYim Ji-hye, 30, an office worker, had to leave her cat at home for a week recently when she went on a business trip to Jeju Island. She was worried about her pet staying home alone ― especially during a heat wave ― but couldn't leave the air conditioner on for the whole week, or leave the window open as she worried about her cat's safety. None of her relatives or friends were available to take care of the pet due to having their own commitments or animal allergies.Yim learned about a pet care service, but was reluctant to use it as it would mean the sitter, a stranger, would come into her home while she was away.“But the sitter used an action cam on her body to record every step of the service from her entering my home to her playing with my cat. I was so relieved because I could check in real time,” Yim said.As the number of pet owners here has reached nearly 15 million, they have growing c

Aug 3, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Pet sitting grows in popularity

Korea reports 1st Delta plus variant cases

People wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Guro Station, Seoul, Aug. 2. YonhapSouth Korea on Tuesday confirmed two cases of the highly transmissible Delta plus variant of the novel coronavirus.It marks the first time that the country has reported the Delta plus version, considered a sublineage of the Delta variant that was first detected in India, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The KDCA said one of the Delta plus cases is a man in his 40's who has never been overseas.The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was first detected in India last October. The "subvariant" strain is considered to be even more contagious, possibly capable of infecting people even after inoculation.South Korea has so far confirmed 6,016 cases of four major contagious variants of the new coronavirus, including 2,983 cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant so far. (Yonhap)

Aug 3, 2021
Korea reports 1st Delta plus variant cases
  • Tougher antivirus measures unavoidable amid 4th wave of infections

New cases stay in 1,200s for 2nd day, no signs of letup amid 4th wave of pandemic

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks at the government meeting over COVID-19 at Sejong Government Complex in Sejong City, Aug. 3. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 1,200s for the second day in a row Tuesday due to fewer tests amid the fourth wave of the outbreak across the country.The country added 1,202 COVID-19 cases, including 1,152 local infections, raising the total caseload to 201,203, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The latest tally marked a decline from 1,442 cases Sunday and 1,219 cases Monday. Daily cases normally fall over the weekend and rise later in the week as more people get tested.The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7 due to outbreaks centered in the greater Seoul area. It reached a peak of 1,842 on July 22.South Korea added five additional COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,104. The fatality rate came to 1.04 percent.Authorities warn that the fourth wave of the pandemic is far from being under control, citing the growing number of travelers in the summer season and the more in

Aug 3, 2021
New cases stay in 1,200s for 2nd day, no signs of letup amid 4th wave of pandemic
  • Tougher antivirus measures unavoidable amid 4th wave of infections
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