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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.

More people drinking alone at home amid pandemic

gettyimagesbankBy Jun Ji-hyeThe prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes in drinking practices here, with more people opting to drink alone at home to avoid crowded bars or restaurants, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Friday.In the survey of 2,000 people ― conducted from Nov. 4 to 11 ― 35.7 percent of respondents said they have spent less time drinking since the coronavirus broke out in the country in January, while 36.2 percent said the pandemic has affected where they drink. An overwhelming number of people appear to be drinking at home instead of at bars or restaurants, as 92.9 percent of respondents said so.Those who chose to drink at friends' homes accounted for 62.9 percent when several answers were allowed, while 35.8 percent said they were still drinking at bars or restaurants. Around 82.4 percent said they used to drink at bars before COVID-19, according to the survey. About 20 percent of respondents said there have also been changes in who they drink with. Among this group, 81.9 percent said they opted to drink alone, while 76.

Dec 25, 2020By Jun Ji-hye
More people drinking alone at home amid pandemic

Seoul prison adds 288 COVID-19 cases in 2nd mass outbreak

Dongbu Detention Center in Seoul's Songpa District on Friday. YonhapThe Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul reported 288 new cases of the coronavirus in its second mass outbreak, bringing the total number of infections linked to the facility nationwide to 514, the justice ministry said Friday.In its second mass testing on Wednesday, the prison found 286 cases among prisoners and two infected staff members, according to the ministry.A total of 2,021 prisoners and 416 staff members took part in the tests. Former President Lee Myung-bak, who has been serving his prison sentence there on corruption charges, was not among those tested because he has been hospitalized for an underlying disease.Lee tested negative during the prison's first mass testing on Dec. 18, which produced 187 positive results. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), 15 buildings at the detention center have been placed under cohort isolation and additional medical staff have been sent to treat the patients.A minivan owned by the Ministry of Justice is parked outside Dongbu Detention Center.

Dec 25, 2020
Seoul prison adds 288 COVID-19 cases in 2nd mass outbreak
  • South Korea's daily coronavirus cases reach new high of 1,241
  • Temporary testing centers detect 121 new virus cases in capital area

Temporary testing centers detect 121 new virus cases in capital area

A visitor to a temporary COVID-19 testing center at a public square in front of Seoul Station in Jung District gives a sample to a health worker there on Dec. 24. YonhapTemporary testing centers in the greater Seoul area detected 121 asymptomatic coronavirus cases in a day, or 10 percent of all locally transmitted infections, the health authorities said Friday.According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, 60,931 tests were carried out at the temporary screening facilities Thursday, and 121 came back positive, equivalent to 10 percent of the day's 1,216 local infections.The facilities have detected a total of 1,025 positive cases since they first opened on Dec. 14.Anyone can take a test by providing only their cell phone number.The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is known to be the most accurate, accounted for 98.1 percent of all tests conducted Thursday at those sites.There were also 1,051 quick antigen tests and 102 saliva-based tests.The capital area currently operates 147 temporary testing centers. Officials plan to run them until Jan. 3. (Yonhap)

Dec 25, 2020
Temporary testing centers detect 121 new virus cases in capital area
  • South Korea's daily coronavirus cases reach new high of 1,241
  • Seoul prison adds 288 COVID-19 cases in 2nd mass outbreak

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases reach new high of 1,241

Visitors crowd streets of Myeongdong, a popular shopping area, in Seoul's Jung District on the evening of Dec. 24. The visitors were less in number than those from the last year, evidently due to the nationwide COVID-19 infection risks. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit a new record high on Friday, despite the most stringent social distancing rules to contain the winter wave of the virus.South Korea reported 1,241 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,216 local infections, raising the total caseload to 54,770, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The tally marked a hike from 985 on Thursday, according the public health agency.The hike is mainly blamed on 288 new cases at a detention center in eastern Seoul in one of the largest massive cluster infections in South Korea.South Korea has banned gatherings of five or more people across the country in the most stringent social distancing rules meant to contain the spread of the virus.The government warned that violators of the social distancing rules will face a fine of up to 3 million won (US$2

Dec 25, 2020
South Korea's daily coronavirus cases reach new high of 1,241
  • Temporary testing centers detect 121 new virus cases in capital area
  • Seoul prison adds 288 COVID-19 cases in 2nd mass outbreak

Where are we with COVID-19 treatments, vaccines?

Celltrion, a leading biopharmaceutical company based in Incheon's Songdo, unveiled to the public its potential COVID-19 antibody treatment known as CT-P59, Dec. 22. / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin While both vaccines and treatments are needed in order to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, Korea seems to be showing faster progress in developing treatments compared to its vaccine development and procurement plans. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has approved a total of 29 clinical trials of potential COVID-19 treatments from domestic drug companies, among which 21 trials were underway as of Dec. 23. As several firms have recently announced promising results from their clinical trials, hopes are rising that the treatments may be commercialized for actual use soon, with a goal of release as early as January. Among them, Celltrion, a leading biopharmaceutical company based in Incheon's Songdo, unveiled to the public, Dec. 22, its treatment candidate known as CT-P59 (regdanvimab), a monoclonal antibody treatment, which it has been working on since May.On Nov. 25, it finished its Phase

Dec 25, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
Where are we with COVID-19 treatments, vaccines?
  • Government struggling to quell outcry over late, insufficient vaccine procurement
  • South Korean stocks break 2,800 ceiling on vaccine deals
  • South Korea adds over 1,100 virus cases despite tougher distancing rules

No sunrise events

Fences are installed to ban entry to Sokcho Beach in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, Thursday, as the annual New Year's Day sunrise festival there has been canceled following toughened infection control measures imposed by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The beach will be closed from Thursday to Jan. 3. / Yonhap

Dec 24, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
No sunrise events

Government struggling to quell outcry over late, insufficient vaccine procurement

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a government meeting on its COVID-19 responses at the Government Complex in Seoul, Thursday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeGovernment officials and the health authorities are striving to quell growing criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration's alleged failure in its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, presenting more specific plans on the purchase of vaccines and when vaccinations will start.Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced Thursday the signing of deals with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer to buy COVID-19 vaccines, saying the government was aiming to start vaccinations in the second quarter of next year. The announcement came at a time when the government has been facing criticism that the country is lagging behind other nations in securing sufficient vaccines due to what the opposition parties claim was the Moon administration's “miscalculation” of the situation.Chung said the government will buy vaccine for 6 million people from Janssen and 10 million people from Pfizer.“We have secured more Janssen vaccine

Dec 24, 2020
Government struggling to quell outcry over late, insufficient vaccine procurement
  • Where are we with COVID-19 treatments, vaccines?
  • South Korean stocks break 2,800 ceiling on vaccine deals
  • South Korea adds over 1,100 virus cases despite tougher distancing rules

Temporary testing centers effective in detecting hidden infections

A health worker at a temporary COVID-19 testing center in front of Seoul Station in Jung District takes a nasal swab sampling from a visitor, Thursday. YonhapTemporary coronavirus testing centers now in operation throughout the greater Seoul area have contributed greatly to detecting hidden infections, officials said Thursday, announcing as many as 150 cases were confirmed through their testing the previous day alone.According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, 58,091 people were tested by the makeshift screening facilities Wednesday and 150 of them were diagnosed with COVID-19.Patients detected this way accounted for 15.7 percent of all new daily COVID-19 cases reported by Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi Province and Incheon on the day, the agency noted.As a result, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases detected by about 150 temporary testing centers, which began operations on Dec. 14 for three weeks, rose to 904, it said.Earlier this week, the Seoul city government said 1 in 4 new daily COVID-19 cases in the capital were confirmed through the street testing.Encouraged

Dec 24, 2020
Temporary testing centers effective in detecting hidden infections
  • South Korea to halt flights from and to Britain until Dec. 31 over new virus strain woes
  • US Forces in Korea to receive first shipment of Moderna vaccine as early as this week
  • South Korea deploys 5G tech in airport virus check
  • Opposition lashes out at Cheong Wa Dae's reassurance of vaccine readiness
  • Korea shows little progress in vaccine development
  • Seoul on alert over new COVID variant from UK
  • South Korea signs deals to purchase vaccines from Janssen, Pfizer
  • New virus cases under 1,000, tougher distancing rules in place

New virus cases under 1,000, tougher distancing rules in place

A health worker quenches thirst before taking blood samples from visitors at a makeshift COVID-19 infection test site in front of Seoul Station in Jung District, Thursday. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below 1,000 on Thursday, as the most stringent social distancing rules so far were in place ahead of the Christmas and New Year's holidays to contain the winter wave of the virus. The country added 985 more COVID-19 cases, including 955 local infections, raising the total caseload to 53,533, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The tally marked a decline from 1,092 cases Wednesday, 869 cases Tuesday, 926 cases Monday, 1,097 cases Sunday, 1,053 Saturday and 1,062 last Friday. Seventeen people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 756. Health authorities have been considering whether to raise the country's social distancing guidelines to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme. However, authorities said they are aiming to contain the current wave of the pandemic without raising virus curbs to Level 3

Dec 24, 2020
New virus cases under 1,000, tougher distancing rules in place
  • South Korea signs deals to purchase vaccines from Janssen, Pfizer
  • Temporary testing centers effective in detecting hidden infections
  • South Korean stocks break 2,800 ceiling on vaccine deals

South Korea signs deals to purchase vaccines from Janssen, Pfizer

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a COVID-19 counter-measure meeting at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, Thursday. YonhapSouth Korea has signed deals with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, with a goal of starting vaccinations in the second quarter of 2021, health authorities said Thursday.The government will buy vaccines for 10 million people from Pfizer and 6 million from Janssen, which was up from its initial plan for 4 million people, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The government formally struck a purchase deal with AstraZeneca in late November and made an advance payment of 85 billion won (US$77.6 million) in October to the World Health Organization's global vaccine project, known as COVAX.The government plans to sign contracts next month with Moderna and COVAX to secure vaccines for 10 million people from each, the KDCA said.Vaccines by AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna require two shots for immunization, and Janssen's vaccine requires one shot.The government has set a goal of securi

Dec 24, 2020
South Korea signs deals to purchase vaccines from Janssen, Pfizer
  • South Korea to halt flights from and to Britain until Dec. 31 over new virus strain woes
  • US Forces in Korea to receive first shipment of Moderna vaccine as early as this week
  • South Korea deploys 5G tech in airport virus check
  • Opposition lashes out at Cheong Wa Dae's reassurance of vaccine readiness
  • Korea shows little progress in vaccine development
  • Seoul on alert over new COVID variant from UK
  • New virus cases under 1,000, tougher distancing rules in place
  • South Korean stocks break 2,800 ceiling on vaccine deals
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