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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.

Nearly 7 out of 10 Koreans willing to take vaccine: poll

gettyimagesbankNearly seven out of 10 South Koreans are willing to take vaccine shots to combat the coronavirus, a poll showed Monday.According to the survey conducted from April 25-27 jointly by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 69.2 percent of 912 unvaccinated respondents said they would like to get vaccinated, up by 7.8 percentage points from a month ago.About 16 percent answered they would not take vaccine shots, while 14.71 percent said they were not sure whether to take them or not.The health authorities attributed the rise in positive answers to vaccine eligibility expansion and various incentive programs.Of those who said they would get inoculated, 76.4 percent said they would do so to protect their family from getting infected, and 63.9 percent said they would like to contribute to the country reaching herd immunity as soon as possible. Around 55 percent said they were concerned about getting infected themselves, and 52.3 percent said they wanted to feel safe by doing so. The respondents were allowed

May 31, 2021
Nearly 7 out of 10 Koreans willing to take vaccine: poll
  • Korea reports 1st COVID-19 vaccine-induced blood clotting case

Korea reports 1st COVID-19 vaccine-induced blood clotting case

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken May 21. Reuters-YonhapSouth Korea has confirmed its first case of unusual blood clotting in a recipient of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, health authorities said Monday.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the man in his 30s working at a medical facility was confirmed to have the very rare but serious side effect called thrombocytopenia following inoculation on April 27.The patient showed symptoms of a severe headache on May 9, the KDCA said. He was admitted to a hospital after having muscle cramps and is now in stable condition.South Korea has reported only one side effect case out of 3.27 million AstraZeneca recipients, amounting to 0.3 case per 1 million people, the authorities said.The KDCA said the United Kingdom reported 9.5 cases of blood clotting per 1 million vaccine receipts of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the European Union recorded 10 cases per 1 million people.Earlier, the rollout of vaccines manufactured by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and

May 31, 2021
Korea reports 1st COVID-19 vaccine-induced blood clotting case
  • Nearly 7 out of 10 Koreans willing to take vaccine: poll
  • COVID-19 vaccines from US unavailable for young service members

New infections in 400s for 2nd day

Visitors wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus walk through a field of flowers at a park in Paju, May 25. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 400s for the second consecutive day Monday partly due to fewer tests over the weekend, while health authorities are grappling with sporadic cluster infections across the nation.The country reported 430 more COVID-19 cases, including 411 local infections, raising the total caseload to 140,340, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The daily caseload was down from 480 on Sunday, when the figure fell below 500 for the first time in 20 days partly due to fewer tests over the weekend. There were two additional deaths, raising the total to 1,959.New cases popped up in various settings, including workplaces, churches and bars, and the number of untraceable cases remained high, posing challenges to the country's virus fight.The proportion of untraceable cases stood at 28 percent over the past week, hovering over 20 percent since early December.As the vaccine rollout among the eld

May 31, 2021
New infections in 400s for 2nd day

Government's mask-free plan triggers concerns

Children wearing waterproof masks play at an outdoor swimming pool in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, in this May 23 photo. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiConcerns are mounting over the government's plan to allow people receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to remove their masks outdoors starting in July, with experts and citizens calling it premature.Last week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the plan as part of the government's efforts to encourage people who may be reluctant to receive their COVID-19 shots.Those who receive their first COVID-19 vaccine shot will no longer be required to wear masks outside and be exempt from the gathering ban of more than eight people among direct family members. Those vaccinated twice will be free from the gathering ban on five or more people.However, some online users expressed concerns on internet communities.“Many say the possibility of virus transmission outdoors is relatively low, but there are still many people without masks, with the country still being far from achieving herd immunity,” an online user said at a portal site.&

May 31, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Government's mask-free plan triggers concerns

20% of foreigners overstaying their visas amid pandemic

A quarantine official passes by entrants from abroad lined up for undergoing quarantine procedures at Incheon International Airport, in this April 17, 2020 photo. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-hoBy Bahk Eun-jiThe rate of foreigners illegally staying here has hit a record high this year, with migrant workers and travelers being held back due to the protracted COVID-19 pandemic, data showed Sunday. According to the data released by the Korea Immigration Service, the rate of foreigners overstaying visas in the country stood at 19.7 percent as of April, the highest ever recorded. Sitting at 16.3 percent last January when the first coronavirus patient was reported here, the rate has increased steadily, other than last July. It rose to 18 percent in April 2020, when the first wave of the pandemic hit the country, and exceeded 19 percent in November in the wake of the third wave of COVID-19.The number of foreigners staying in the country illegally has not shown any signs of decreasing as well. After reaching a record high of 396,700 people in July 2020, the number posted a slight decline unt

May 30, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
20% of foreigners overstaying their visas amid pandemic
  • 'It's not easy to live in Korea as foreigners'

Foreigners have no-mask parties on Busan beach amid pandemic: police

gettyimagesbankAround 2,000 foreigners, including U.S. soldiers in South Korea, set off firecrackers and held parties without wearing masks on and around a local beach amid the coronavirus pandemic, police said Sunday. The foreigners danced, drank and set off firecrackers on and around Haeundae Beach in the southern city of Busan from Saturday afternoon through early Sunday, with many of them not wearing face masks and violating social distancing rules, according to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency and witnesses.They appear to have visited the region to mark U.S. Memorial Day. Police received at least 38 reports of complaints from local residents overnight, who voiced concerns over such dangerous acts amid COVID-19 and grumbled over the noise and other disturbances.Dozens of police officers were dispatched to the scene, but they were unable to completely stop them, according to the agency and witnesses.South Korea is still struggling to stem the continued spread of the new coronavirus across the country and is enforcing strict antivirus schemes. Currently, the greater Seoul area

May 30, 2021
Foreigners have no-mask parties on Busan beach amid pandemic: police
  • New infections drop back to 400s
  • US Forces Korea cooperating with police over servicemembers' no-mask parties

New infections drop back to 400s

Workers wearing traditional guard uniforms and protective face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus walk in the rain at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, May 28. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back to the 400s on Sunday for the first time in 20 days amid continued cluster infections and growing fears over the spread of more virulent variants.The country reported 480 more COVID-19 cases, including 464 local infections, raising the total caseload to 139,910, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.It marks the first time that the new caseload fell below 500 since May 10 when 463 cases were reported. The drop is believed to be partly due to fewer tests conducted over the weekend.There were six additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 1,957. The fatality rate was 1.4 percent. Daily caseloads stayed between the 500s and the 700s last week. After soaring in December, they have not let up due to continued community infections.In a bid to contain the spread of the virus, the government plans to maintain bans on private gatherings of

May 30, 2021
New infections drop back to 400s
  • Foreigners have no-mask parties on Busan beach amid pandemic: police

New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day

Visitors wearing face masks as a precaution against COVID-19 arrive in the rain at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, May 28. AP-YonhapDaily new COVID-19 cases here stayed in the 500s for the second consecutive day Friday as the health authorities strive to contain infection clusters and the spread of virus variants.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 533 more coronavirus cases, including 505 local ones, raising the total caseload to 139,431.There were five additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 1,951, for a fatality rate of 1.4 percent. Daily caseloads have been going through some ups and downs between the 400s and 700s in recent months with no significant signs of a letup as infection clusters continue to be reported across the country.Of the 505 new local infections, 343 cases were in the greater capital area, with 190 in Seoul, 136 in Gyeonggi Province and 17 in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital. The southern port city of Busan, the country's second-largest city, reported 14 more cases. There were 28 additional imported cases, up 12 from a d

May 29, 2021
New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day
  • Moon upbeat about COVID-19 vaccination goal

New virus cases back under 600, potential uptick still worrisome

Children get tested for COVID-19 at an elementary school in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, May 28. YonhapSouth Korea's new daily coronavirus cases fell below 600 on Friday, but sporadic cluster infections traced to entertainment facilities still hampered the virus fight, sparking concerns over yet another uptick in additional cases.The country reported 587 more COVID-19 cases, including 571 local infections, raising the total caseload to 138,898, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The daily caseload stood at 629 cases the previous day after reporting a nearly two-week high of 707 on Wednesday.There were three additional virus deaths, raising the total to 1,946. The fatality rate came to 1.4 percent.Amid sporadic cluster infections nationwide, daily caseloads have been stuck in a tight range since late March with no significant signs of a letup, going through some ups and downs between the 400s and 700s.Cluster infections from entertainment facilities especially continued to disrupt authorities' efforts to flatten the curve.A hotel bar in Daegu, 302 kil

May 28, 2021
New virus cases back under 600, potential uptick still worrisome

Jeju to raise social distancing rules to Level 2 next week

A dol hareubang inside Jeju International Airport wearing a mask / Courtesy of Jeju Special Self-Governing ProvinceJeju Island, South Korea's most popular holiday destination, will raise its anti-COVID-19 social distancing measures by one notch to Level 2 at the end of this month to cope with growing local transmissions of the coronavirus, the provincial government said Friday.The Level 2 posture, the third highest in the country's five-tier COVID-19 alert system, will be enforced for two weeks beginning Monday, the government said, noting the operating hours of facilities used by the general public will be reduced and gathering limits will be imposed under the new rules.Jeju will become the nation's third region outside the greater Seoul area to be put under the Level 2 scheme against the coronavirus after Chuncheon of the northeastern province of Gangwon and the southeastern city of Ulsan.The island, increasingly favored by locals as an alternative to overseas travel amid the prolonged pandemic, has reported a daily average of 12.6 COVID-19 infections over the past week, raising it

May 28, 2021
Jeju to raise social distancing rules to Level 2 next week
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