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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.

Who will lead Celltrion after Seo Jung-jin?

Outgoing Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin speaks during a biotechnology industry conference in Incheon, Nov. 18. Hankook Ilbo photo by Wang Tae-seogBiotech developing cocktail treatment for variantsBy Nam Hyun-wooAfter Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin stepped down from his post at the biopharmaceutical giant, attention is being paid to the future shape of the company's leadership.According to Celltrion, Seo has not worked as chairman since Dec. 31, following an earlier promise that he would wrap up his stint at the company by the end of 2020. During a local investment forum in October, the Celltrion founder said he would start a venture company on “ubiquitous healthcare,” an emerging area of medical technology.Following his departure, he will also officially step down from other posts with Celltrion Group companies at each of their annual general meetings set for next month. Seo will hold an honorary chairman title without salary. He is Celltrion board chairman and an internal director of Celltrion Healthcare and Celltrion Pharm. “I will pass over all my duties to exe

Dec 31, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Who will lead Celltrion after Seo Jung-jin?

Rewards for reporting banned gatherings draws mixed reactions

Signs at a restaurant in Jongno District, Seoul, read that gatherings of five or more people are banned following the government's anti-coronavirus guidelines in this Dec. 23 photo. / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin Citizens are showing mixed reactions to a system rewarding people who report violations of social distancing rules to the authorities, whether to view it as an effective way of containing the COVID-19 spread, or an unnecessary policy violating privacy by making people spy on each other. Following the government's strengthened social distancing measures, private gatherings of five or more people have been banned nationwide since Dec. 24.In order to encourage public participation and cooperation, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced it will reward 100 people who make report violators with a gift voucher worth 100,000 won ($92), which can be used in traditional markets and local stores. Many local governments are following suit, with some offering bigger rewards. The reports can be made through the app “e-people” by attaching a photo or video. “

Dec 31, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
Rewards for reporting banned gatherings draws mixed reactions
  • Fight against coronavirus getting complicated

COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in Korea

A medical worker wearing protective gears stands at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. APSouth Korea's total COVID-19 caseload broke the 60,000 mark on Thursday as new cases have been rising at an alarming pace despite tougher virus curbs put in place ahead of the year-end holiday season.New cases stood at 967 earlier in the day to raise the total to 60,740, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), surpassing the threshold 11 months after the nation's first confirmed case on Jan. 20. A total of 900 people have died from the highly infectious virus.It took only 10 days for the number to rise from 50,000 to top 60,000, marking the fastest ever pace of the pandemic in the nation. The virus caseload rose from 20,000 on Sept. 1 to 30,000 on Nov. 20 and to 40,000 on Dec. 10. Daily cases have hovered around 1,000 for the past week due mainly to mass cluster infections involving several senior care centers and a Seoul prison.The daily number of cases first crossed 1,000 on Dec. 13 and hit a record high of 1,241 on Christmas Day, which was

Dec 31, 2020
COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in Korea
  • New virus cases under 1,000 for first time in 3 days
  • Korea imposes highest-tier social distancing rules on prison facilities

Korea imposes highest-tier social distancing rules on prison facilities

A man receives a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing center near the Yeoju Correctional Facility in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. YonhapSouth Korea on Thursday imposed the highest-tier social distancing measures on prison facilities nationwide, banning visits and canceling all work and classes to break the trend of mass coronavirus infections among inmates.The Level 3 restrictions will be in force for two weeks until Jan. 13 and aim to minimize contact between and among inmates, outside visitors and the prison staff. Meetings with lawyers will be restricted and all staff will work on a reduced schedule.The announcement follows an alarming increase in coronavirus cases tied to the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul. As of midnight Wednesday, a total of 807 cases were tied to the facility, most of them current and former inmates. Two prisoners -- one from the Dongbu Detention Center and the other from the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of the capital -- have died of COVID-19 complications. "The justice ministry tried to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in

Dec 31, 2020
Korea imposes highest-tier social distancing rules on prison facilities
  • New virus cases under 1,000 for first time in 3 days
  • COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in Korea

New virus cases under 1,000 for first time in 3 days

A visitor wearing a face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus walks near a banner emphasizing an enhanced social distancing campaign in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. APKorea's new coronavirus cases fell below 1,000 Thursday for the first time in three days as health authorities were set to decide whether to extend tougher virus curbs or raise the social distancing scheme to the highest amid no signs of a letup in the virus resurgence.The country added 967 more COVID-19 cases, including 940 locally transmitted infections, bringing the total caseload to 60,740, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Thursday's daily caseload is slightly down from 1,050 cases Wednesday and 1,045 Tuesday amid the stricter Level 2.5 virus curbs, the second-highest in the five-tier restrictions, in the greater Seoul area and other targeted curbs.Daily cases have hovered around 1,000 for the past week due mainly to mass cluster infections from churches, private gatherings and a correctional facility.Twenty-one people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, rais

Dec 31, 2020
New virus cases under 1,000 for first time in 3 days
  • Korea imposes highest-tier social distancing rules on prison facilities
  • COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in Korea

Nursing homes report increasing COVID-19 deaths amid shortage of sickbeds

A geriatric hospital employee in Seoul's Guro District pushes a wheelchair, Wednesday, wearing a protective body suit. The hospital said inpatients and medical staff there undergo COVID-19 testing every other day after multiple infections occurred there. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeContinuous COVID-19 infection clusters at geriatric hospitals and nursing homes across the country have led to an increasing number of deaths of elderly patients who are more vulnerable to the contagious disease.Among them, a considerable number of patients have died while waiting to be transferred to hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, as intensive care unit (ICU) bed shortages have worsened since the country was hit by the third wave of infections in mid-November. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Wednesday, the country added 1,050 more infections for Tuesday including 1,025 locally transmitted cases, raising the total caseload to 59,773. The daily infections fell slightly from 1,046 cases identified Monday, but stayed above 1,000 for a second straight day. Additionally, 20

Dec 30, 2020By Jun Ji-hye
Nursing homes report increasing COVID-19 deaths amid shortage of sickbeds

New infections above 1,000 for 2nd day; variant cases rise to 5

A medical worker wearing protective gear prepares to take a sample at coronavirus testing site in Seoul, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. APSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 1,000 for a second straight day Wednesday and variant cases rose to five amid tougher virus curbs across the country. The country added 1,050 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,025 locally transmitted infections, bringing the total caseload to 59,773, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The daily infections fell slightly from 1,046 cases a day earlier amid the stricter Level 2.5 virus curbs in the greater Seoul area, which were extended earlier by one week until Sunday.South Korea's daily cases have hovered around 1,000 for the past week due mainly to mass cluster infections.Twenty people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 879, with the fatality rate of 1.47 percent. Adding woes to the country's battle against the pandemic, the KDCA confirmed two coronavirus variant cases, bringing the Britain-originated virus cases to five.Of the two additi

Dec 30, 2020
New infections above 1,000 for 2nd day; variant cases rise to 5
  • Moderna in talks with Korea to supply about 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna in talks with Korea to supply about 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

A medical worker fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency healthcare personnel at the Chester County Government Services Center, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in West Chester, Pa. APModerna Inc said on Tuesday it was in discussions with the South Korean government to potentially provide 40 million or more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.Potential distribution of the two-dose vaccine in South Korea is expected to start in the second quarter of 2021, the company said in a statement. (http://refini.tv/3pzmkRf)Earlier on Tuesday, the Yonhap news agency citing the presidential office reported that South Korea will sign a deal with the vaccine developer to offer COVID-19 vaccines for 20 million people.This comes a day after officials vowed to speed up efforts to launch a public coronavirus vaccination programme as the country detected its first cases of the virus variant linked to the rapid rise in infections in Britain. (Reuters)

Dec 30, 2020
Moderna in talks with Korea to supply about 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
  • New infections above 1,000 for 2nd day; variant cases rise to 5

Government in hot seat over detention facility management

Buses transporting inmates infected with COVID-19 depart from Seoul Dongbu Detention Center to Cheongsong correctional facility in North Gyeongsang Province, Monday. / Yonhap.PM apologizes for mismanagement that resulted in massive infection clusterBy Lee Hyo-jinThe government is in the hot seat over a massive COVID-19 outbreak linked to a state-run detention center in Seoul, which may be attributable to lax management and belated responses. The Seoul Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul added 233 new confirmed patients for Monday after a third mass testing was conducted the previous day, bringing the total number to infected inmates and officers to 748, according to the Ministry of Justice, Tuesday.The number is approximately 25 percent of the total 2,419 inmates and 425 staff members at the facility. Although the source of the mass infection remains unknown, the facility reported its first confirmed case, a detention center officer, Nov. 27.The authorities can hardly avoid criticism over their belated response as they only launched massive testing three weeks later, following a

Dec 29, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
Government in hot seat over detention facility management

Celltrion to launch COVID-19 treatment soon

Celltrion's COVID-19 treatment CT-P59 / Courtesy of CelltrionBy Nam Hyun-wooCelltrion is expected to launch its COVID-19 treatment as early as next month, raising hopes that it will be able to combat the new coronavirus strain which is causing fear due to its high transmissibility.The company said it has applied for conditional approval for its CT-P59 treatment from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Conditional approval is given to a new drug that has finished Phase 2 clinical trials, if there is no other treatment for the disease. The drug developer is required to continue with and finish full clinical trials at the same time. Hours after receiving Celltrion's application, the ministry said it has begun its review. Earlier this week, the ministry said it will shorten the review period for drugs to treat COVID-19 from 180 days to 40 days. Given this, the treatment is anticipated to become available in late January. The Phase 2 trials were conducted on 327 patients in Korea, Romania, Spain and the U.S., and final treatment injections took place Nov. 25. Celltrion said it decided t

Dec 29, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Celltrion to launch COVID-19 treatment soon
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