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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.

COVID-19 self-test kits ready for sale

Officials at SD Biosensor check COVID-19 self-test kits developed by the company, at its factory in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday, before they are sent to pharmacies or online sellers. The kits received conditional approval for use from the authorities last week. People can collect samples from their noses with the kits, and see the results of the test within 15 to 20 minutes. Yonhap

Apr 29, 2021
COVID-19 self-test kits ready for sale

New cases fall back to below 700

Medical workers take test samples for COVID-19 at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station in central Seoul, April 26. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new virus cases fell back to below 700 on Thursday, but sporadic cluster infections and the rising number of untraceable cases still indicate a further rise in infections.The country reported 680 more COVID-19 cases, including 650 local infections, raising the total caseload to 121,351, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The daily caseload was 775 the previous day, soaring from 500 cases and 512 cases tallied on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, which were largely attributable to fewer tests over the weekend.The country added four more deaths, raising the total to 1,825.Amid growing concerns over the fourth wave of the pandemic, South Korea has designated this week as the so-called special preventive period.Health authorities are set to announce later this week whether they will maintain the current level of social distancing. Currently, the greater Seoul area, where more than half of the country's 52 million pe

Apr 29, 2021
New cases fall back to below 700

Lee Pil-soo to lead Korea Medical Association

By Lee Hyo-jin Lee Pil-soo, vice president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), the largest doctors' group in the country, has been elected as the new president of the association.His three-year term as the 41st president will begin on May 1, replacing incumbent head Choi Dae-zip. Lee Pil-soo, 41st president of the Korea Medical Association / Courtesy of Korea Medical AssociationLee won the runoff vote which took place at the association's headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul, on March 26, by garnering 12,431 votes, or 52 percent of the 23,658 valid votes.“In this particular period that we are in, I feel a strong sense of responsibility as the new president. My mission is to lead the association in playing a pivotal role in overcoming the coronavirus pandemic, and at the same time, I will put all my efforts into protecting the rights of our 130,000 members,” he said during a speech at a KMA meeting, Sunday. Prior to the election, he appealed to the members by pledging to take the role of a negotiator and to represent the voices of local doctors better. “We hav

Apr 29, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Lee Pil-soo to lead Korea Medical Association

Vaccine jitters increase among younger Koreans

Soldiers wait to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine at a military vaccination center in Daegu, Wednesday. Yonhap Vaccinated people to be exempt from self-quarantine: gov'tBy Bahk Eun-jiA growing number of people in their 30s and 40s are becoming increasingly reluctant to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amid lingering concerns over safety, especially after some serious adverse side-effects such as blood clotting were reported. Such jitters are expected to grow following the government's recent announcement that it will bring in more doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which hasn't produced such adverse reactions so far, during the second half of the year.While Korea started vaccinations of around 176,000 civil servants aged over 30, such as police officers, firefighters and coast guard crew, Monday, only 58 percent agreed to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.In contrast, 91.1 percent of patients and 95.8 percent of staff at long-term nursing homes aged under 65 rece

Apr 28, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Vaccine jitters increase among younger Koreans
  • Fully vaccinated people can skip 14-day self-isolation: authorities

Fully vaccinated people can skip 14-day self-isolation: authorities

gettyimagesbankSouth Korean health authorities said Wednesday that fully vaccinated people will be exempted from the country's mandatory 14-day isolation period from early next month as the country is struggling to speed up the vaccination campaign.Health authorities said that, under the country's anti-infection measures, those who have been fully inoculated will no longer be required to self-isolate themselves after coming in close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering the country from overseas from May 5 if they test negative for the virus.South Korea currently requires those who come into close contact with virus patients to self-isolate for 14 days.The new rules will be applied to those who have been fully vaccinated in South Korea, regardless of their nationality, two weeks after receiving their final shot.Health authorities, however, said that such vaccinated people will still be monitored for 14 days and require two COVID-19 tests over the period.South Korea currently administers vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, which require two doses. The country's drug safety agen

Apr 28, 2021
Fully vaccinated people can skip 14-day self-isolation: authorities
  • Coronavirus self-test kits to hit pharmacy shelves in coming days
  • Vaccine jitters increase among younger Koreans

New cases bounce back to near 800

Police officers, wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus, stand near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, April 27. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases rose to the highest in four days on Wednesday, nearing 800, and the proportion of untraceable infections hit the highest point ever amid concerns of another wave of the pandemic.The country reported 775 more COVID-19 cases, including 754 local infections, raising the total caseload to 120,673, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The latest tally is the highest since Saturday, when the country recorded 785 cases, and marks a sharp rise after daily infections hovered near the 500s in the past two days.The average number of daily infections in the past week neared 700 on growing cluster infections and untraceable cases amid increased social activities due to warmer weather. The portion of virus cases with unknown transmission routes topped 30 percent, which means a further rise in virus cases is in store.There was one additional death from the virus, raising the total to 1,821. The fata

Apr 28, 2021
New cases bounce back to near 800
  • Coronavirus self-test kits to hit pharmacy shelves in coming days

Coronavirus self-test kits to hit pharmacy shelves in coming days

Humasis self-test kits for COVID-19 / YonhapSouth Koreans are expected to be able to purchase coronavirus self-test kits at local pharmacies or via online channels as early as this weekend or early next week, sources said Wednesday.South Korea's drug safety agency on Friday green-lighted two types of COVID-19 home test kits developed by biotech firms SD Biosensor and Humasis in an effort to boost its testing capacity amid rising cases. Anticipating its self-test kits to hit local pharmacy shelves as early as this weekend, Humasis said its product prices have yet to be finalized but will likely range from 10,000 won ($8.99) to 12,000 won.SD Biosensor said it will supply its rapid test kits through two distributors and are in discussions with them over the final price."We plan to announce the price of our self-test kits on Wednesday or Thursday," an SD Biosensor executive said. "They may be available at local pharmacies early next week."Health officials expected consumer prices of those self-test kits to reach around 10,000 won as their factory prices are said to be 7,000 won.Those sel

Apr 28, 2021
Coronavirus self-test kits to hit pharmacy shelves in coming days
  • New cases bounce back to near 800
  • Fully vaccinated people can skip 14-day self-isolation: authorities

Moon discusses vaccine cooperation with Novavax CEO

President Moon Jae-in poses with Novavax CEO Stanley Erck during the latter's visit to Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps By Kang Seung-wooPresident Moon Jae-in met Novavax CEO Stanley Erck, Tuesday, to discuss vaccine cooperation between Korea and the U.S. biotechnology company, including the supply of its coronavirus vaccine here and the expansion of their vaccine production partnership, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Their in-person meeting at Moon's office came three months after the two held a video conversation in January, during which they agreed to produce 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for the nation through Korean contract manufacturer SK Bioscience.The meeting also comes as the Korean government is going all out to secure as many vaccines as possible amid mounting concerns over supply challenges and slow progress of the vaccination program in the wake of the fourth coronavirus wave. “Korean people have high hopes for the Novavax vaccine as

Apr 27, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Moon discusses vaccine cooperation with Novavax CEO
  • New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day

Gov't pledges 'best measures' for safe return of citizens from virus-hit India

Health workers wearing personal protective equipment carry wood to prepare a funeral pyre for a coronavirus disease victim during a mass cremation at a crematorium in New Delhi, India, April 26. Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday that it would help Korean citizens in India return to Korea safely. Reuters-YonhapThe foreign ministry pledged "best measures" Tuesday for the safe return of South Korean citizens from coronavirus-ravaged India, dismissing worries that recent restrictions on flights from the country will hamper their return home.The ministry also plans to offer "considerable" support to India, including oxygen concentrators and COVID-19 diagnostic kits, to support the country gripped by surges in new COVID-19 infections, ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said."In some quarters, there are concerns that even non-scheduled flights to carry our citizens back home may be suspended. But that is not true," Choi told a regular press briefing."In cooperation with the community of South Korean residents, the aviation authorities and relevant authorities, our government will take be

Apr 27, 2021
Gov't pledges 'best measures' for safe return of citizens from virus-hit India
  • Situation in India 'beyond heartbreaking,' WHO chief says
  • SOS messages, panic as virus breaks India's health system

Children may be allowed to take mother's surname

Minister of Gender Equality and Family Chung Young-ai speaks during a briefing on a five-year-plan framework of healthy families, at Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Children may be allowed to take their mother's surname, as the government plans to change the current system prioritizing paternal roots when determining a child's family name, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Tuesday. Under South Korean law, children must take their biological father's surname, unless the parents had agreed at the time of marriage registration to use the mother's surname. The Minister of Gender Equality and Family released a statement Tuesday in which it indicated that such a system may lead to “discriminatory perceptions among children of various families, such as unmarried and single parents.”The gender ministry said it will improve the system through discussions with the Ministry of Justice to allow couples to choose their child's surname when applying for birth registration, so that it will be easier for them to use a maternal family name. T

Apr 27, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Children may be allowed to take mother's surname
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