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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.

Korea suffers COVID-19 vaccine shortages

gettyimagesbankSouth Korea may soon face a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines as less than 10 percent of the country's AstraZeneca vaccine doses are left, the health authority said Sunday, raising concerns over delays in the nation's immunization schedule. The nation has secured 2 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses so far, and 1.82 million have received their first jab of the two-shot regimen as of Sunday, the COVID-19 vaccination management task force said. There are only 166,716 shots left, or 8.8 percent of the total. They could be administered to about 200,000 people if low dead space (LDS) syringes, which are designed to maximize the number of recipients, are used. Considering over 100,000 people have been inoculated a day over the past few weeks, the leftover doses are expected to run out in less than two days unless additional bottles are delivered within several days. The health authority earlier said it will secure 8.67 million additional doses from AstraZeneca and via the World Health Organization's global vaccine COVAX Facility project by June, but it has not yet unveiled a deta

May 2, 2021
Korea suffers COVID-19 vaccine shortages
  • New virus cases above 600 for 4th day

New virus cases above 600 for 4th day

A medical worker takes test samples for COVID-19 at a testing center in Gwangju, April 30. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new virus cases stayed in the 600s for the fourth consecutive straight day Sunday as sporadic cluster infections popped up across the nation, complicating antivirus efforts. The country reported 606 more COVID-19 cases, including 585 local infections, raising the total caseload to 123,240, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The country added two more deaths, raising the total death toll to 1,833.The tally of new patients was down from 627 Saturday and 661 Friday, partly due to less testing over the weekend. Health authorities warned of a potential hike in new cases as people have increased activities during warm spring weather, raising concerns ahead of major holidays in May. The country decided Friday to extend its current social distancing rules and a ban on private gatherings of five or more people for three more weeks until May 23.Currently, the greater Seoul area, home to more than half of the country's 52 million people, is under Level 2

May 2, 2021
New virus cases above 600 for 4th day
  • Korea suffers COVID-19 vaccine shortages

New virus cases above 600 for 3rd day raise fears of another pandemic wave

Daily new COVID-19 cases in South Korea remained in the 600s for the third straight day Friday as sporadic clusters were reported nationwide amid concerns of another wave of infections. YonhapDaily new COVID-19 cases in South Korea remained in the 600s for the third straight day Friday as sporadic clusters were reported nationwide amid concerns of another wave of infections.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 627 more coronavirus cases, including 593 local ones, raising the total caseload to 122,634.The tally was down from 661 new cases for Thursday and 680 Wednesday; while the number of locally transmitted cases fell below 600 for the first time since April 11.The country also added three more deaths, raising the total death toll to 1,831.The health authorities warned of another wave as infection clusters at various facilities, including restaurants and workplaces, continued amid the warm spring weather.The number of new daily cases has shot up to near 800 in recent weeks after staying in the 300s to 400s in March.The government decided Friday to extend i

May 1, 2021
New virus cases above 600 for 3rd day raise fears of another pandemic wave

Appointments for 1st shot of Pfizer vaccines temporarily suspended

Elderly people aged over 75 wait to receive their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer at a vaccination center in Songpa District, Seoul, April 1. Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin The health authorities will temporarily halt giving first shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in May to more effectively carry out inoculation for those scheduled for second shots. Currently, the two-dose regimen vaccine is being administered to Korean over the age of 75 ― eligible recipients are advised to make appointments at their district offices and visit a vaccination center. Those who have received a first shot should schedule the second one for three weeks later.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Friday, it has issued an order to each district office to refrain from making new appointments for the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine from May, following a request from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Other local governments including Busan, Incheon, Daejeon and Ulsan have followed suit. Following concerns whether the decision is due to vaccine shortage, th

Apr 30, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Appointments for 1st shot of Pfizer vaccines temporarily suspended

Lax social distancing measures may worsen COVID-19 situation in May

People stand in line to get a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing center in front of Seoul station, Thursday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Lax social distancing measures may worsen the COVID-19 situation in May, which is the “month of the family” in Korea, according to medical experts, who warned that the country may see spikes in infections due to increased gatherings. The government announced Friday it will extend the current social distancing scheme ― Level 2 in the greater Seoul area and Level 1.5 in other regions ― for another three weeks until May 23. The current guidelines were initially scheduled to end at midnight May 2.Nationwide bans on gatherings of five or more people and limited opening hours of cafes and restaurants until 10 p.m., as well as a ban on nighttime entertainment facilities in Seoul and its surrounding areas, will also remain in place.Although the average daily number of local infections during the past week has exceeded the benchmark for Level 2.5 social distancing set by the government, health authorities decided against raising the level citing a

Apr 30, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Lax social distancing measures may worsen COVID-19 situation in May
  • Korea to extend current social distancing measures for 3 weeks: acting Prime Minister
  • New virus cases in 600s for 2nd day

Number of foreign visitors dips 10.7 percent in March

Foreign nationals arriving at Incheon International Airport on April 20 move to follow the airport's health procedure regarding COVID-19 and its variants. YonhapThe number of foreign visitors to South Korea dropped nearly 11 percent in March from a year earlier amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Friday.A total of 74,604 foreigners visited the country last month, down 10.7 percent from the same month a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO).Chinese arrivals were the largest number at 18,980, followed by Americans with 12,321 and citizens from the Philippines with 9,268.Visitors from China rose 14.4 percent on-year in March due to a base effect, while those from the Americas and Europe both shrank 16 percent due to travel restrictions in those areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Meanwhile, 73,999 South Koreans made overseas trips in March, down 48.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data. (Yonhap)

Apr 30, 2021
Number of foreign visitors dips 10.7 percent in March

Foreign ministry considering raising travel alert for India amid virus surges

A relative of a person who died of COVID-19 breaks down during cremation in Jammu, India, Sunday, April 25, 2021. APThe foreign ministry said Friday it is considering raising the travel alert for India amid a massive spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.The ministry is considering raising the alert by one notch to "red," recommending South Koreans leave India unless there are essential reasons, officials said."We are closely watching the situation in India and reviewing measures and what we can do," an official said when asked about the possibility of raising the travel advisory.The government has only issued the red warning once over coronavirus fears so far ― for China's Hubei province where the city of Wuhan, the original epicenter of the disease, is located. The measure was in effect from January to August.The ministry is also in talks with Indian officials and local air carriers about whether to increase non-regular flights to help South Koreans staying in India to return home, the official said.Currently, nearly 130 out of about 10,000 South Koreans staying in the virus-hit c

Apr 30, 2021
Foreign ministry considering raising travel alert for India amid virus surges
  • India's COVID-19 surge is worsening
  • India's COVID-19 deaths climb again as global aid flown in

Moon gets another AstraZeneca vaccine shot for summit with Biden, G-7 session

President Moon Jae-in receives his second dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a public health center in Seoul's Jongno District on Friday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in received his second dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine Friday, a few weeks earlier than initially scheduled, as he plans to visit Washington for talks with President Joe Biden in late May.He got the first shot at the Jongno Ward public health center in Seoul on March 23 in order to attend a Group of Seven (G-7) summit to be held in Britain from June 11-13. At that time, he was scheduled to get the second dose in May. Later, South Korea and the United States agreed to hold in-person summit talks between Moon and Biden in Washington on May 21. Moon received the second vaccine shot at the same center earlier than normal due to the planned summit with Biden, according to Cheong Wa Dae.The AZ vaccine requires at least two shots, usually with an interval of eight to 12 weeks. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) allows a four-week interval in cases that are urgent and foreign travel is inevitable.

Apr 30, 2021
Moon gets another AstraZeneca vaccine shot for summit with Biden, G-7 session
  • Moon to hold first summit with Biden on May 21: White House
  • Seoul, Washington still fine-tuning summit agenda

New virus cases in 600s for 2nd day

Lights are on inside a senior care center in Daejeon's Yuseong District on April 29 where 18 hospitalized patients were tested positive COVID-19 earlier that day. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new virus cases remained in the 600s for the second day Friday as the country extended its social distancing measures against the coronavirus amid concerns of another wave of the pandemic.The country reported 661 more COVID-19 cases, including 642 local infections, raising the total caseload to 122,007, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The latest tally was slightly down from 679 new cases the previous day, after reaching 769 cases on Wednesday on a growing number of untraceable cases.The country added three more deaths, raising the total to 1,828.Amid fears over another wave of the pandemic, health authorities decided to maintain the country's social distancing measures and ban on large private gatherings, originally set to expire Sunday, for three more weeks.Currently, the greater Seoul area, where more than half of the country's 52 million people reside, is under Level

Apr 30, 2021
New virus cases in 600s for 2nd day
  • Korea to extend current social distancing measures for 3 weeks: acting Prime Minister
  • Lax social distancing measures may worsen COVID-19 situation in May

Korea to extend current social distancing measures for 3 weeks: acting Prime Minister

Korea's acting Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks during Friday's COVID-19 safety measure meeting at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District. YonhapSouth Korea will extend its current social distancing measures for another three weeks, the acting prime minister said Friday, amid no clear signs of a letup in sporadic cluster infections and a continuous rise in untraceable cases."With 661 new cases reported on the previous day, we are in a situation where we cannot loosen our sense of alertness," acting Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki said as he announced the extension of virus curbs during a regular COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul.The greater Seoul area, home to around half of the nation's 52-million population, will remain under Level 2 distancing and the rest of the country will be subject to Level 1.5 distancing for an additional two weeks starting next week. Bans on gatherings of five or more people and restrictions on small businesses, such as restaurants and cafes, will also remain in place for another three weeks.Hong said the country will also extend its current weeklong spec

Apr 30, 2021
Korea to extend current social distancing measures for 3 weeks: acting Prime Minister
  • New virus cases in 600s for 2nd day
  • Lax social distancing measures may worsen COVID-19 situation in May
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