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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 falters in year-end COVID-19 fight

Citizens form a long line at a makeshift COVID-19 testing center in front of Seoul Station, Tuesday. YonhapGov't hit for inconsistent quarantine policiesBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which was once acclaimed both domestically and internationally, is losing its luster and the trust of people here because of its inconsistency in applying social distancing rules and lagging vaccination plan.In regular press briefings by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Monday and Tuesday, questions were raised why the health authorities were still hesitating to adopt Level 3 measures, the highest in the administration's five-tier plan, although the average daily rate of new infections nearly reached 1,000 over the past week. According to the plan, Level 3 is adopted when locally transmitted COVID-19 cases surge to between 800 and 1,000 a day, or the daily tally doubles from the previous day. The health authorities have acknowledged that the current social distancing, the second-highest in the greater Seoul area, has failed to flatten th

Dec 22, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea falters in year-end COVID-19 fight

Health minister nominee

Health Minister nominee Kwon Deok-cheol takes an oath before his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. The former head of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute said he would try to secure as many COVID-19 vaccines as possible, as soon as possible. Yonhap

Dec 22, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Health minister nominee

South Korea to close ski slopes, tourist sites in virus fight

Skiers and snowboarders wait for their lifts at a resort in Pyeongchang County in Gangwon Province, Dec. 21. The resort was previously shut down following a series of cluster infections of COVID-19 nationwide. YonhapSouth Korea will close ski slopes and other tourist attractions during the upcoming holiday season to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Tuesday.The new restrictions will be part of the government's special antivirus measures in effect from Thursday until Jan. 3, Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic response."We intend to break the force of the third wave with measures that are stronger than those under Level 3 social distancing," he said, indicating the government remains cautious about adopting the highest level due to its potential economic impact."The government will block transmissions in everyday life in practical ways rather than through the formality of adjusting levels," Chung said. The capital area is currently under Level 2.5, the second highest in a five-tier scheme, as authorities continue to

Dec 22, 2020
South Korea to close ski slopes, tourist sites in virus fight
  • Law proposed to deport foreign nationals for false virus test results
  • New virus cases under 1,000 for 2nd day

New virus cases under 1,000 for 2nd day

People queue up to receive a COVID-19 infection test in front of Seoul Station in Jung District, Tuesday. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below 1,000 for a second day on Tuesday, but the nation again record its highest daily death toll as health authorities tightened virus curbs to slow the spread of the virus. The country added 869 more COVID-19 cases, including 824 local infections, raising the total caseload to 51,460, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The tally marked a decline from 926 cases Monday, 1,097 cases Sunday, 1,053 Saturday and 1,062 last Friday. Twenty-four people died in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 722. It was the second day in a row that the nation reported its highest daily death total. The fatality rate was 1.4 percent.With one-day virus caseloads running at all-time highs last week, health authorities were 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 wav

Dec 22, 2020
New virus cases under 1,000 for 2nd day
  • South Korea to close ski slopes, tourist sites in virus fight

Seoul, Gyeonggi to ban gathering of more than 4 people

A street in Myeongdong, one of the busiest shopping districts in Seoul, is nearly empty, Monday, as people stay home to avoid infection by COVID-19. Gatherings of more than four people will be banned in the greater Seoul area as a stricter social distancing measure starting Wednesday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiGatherings of five people or more will be banned in the greater Seoul area in an effort to curb the ongoing spread of COVID-19 which has been showing no signs of abating.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and neighboring local governments in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, Monday, the stricter social distancing measure will take effect from Wednesday and last until to Jan. 3, the period when many Christmas and year-end gatherings and events are expected to take place.The ban on gatherings of more than four people is a stronger measure than restrictions that could be applied under the highest Level 3 social distancing, in which gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited.Since Dec. 8, Level 2.5 has been implemented in the greater Seoul area, which is the second-highest i

Dec 21, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Seoul, Gyeonggi to ban gathering of more than 4 people

Capital area bans gatherings of 5 or more people to stem COVID-19 spread

Protesters demanding South Korean President Moon Jae-in's resignation, led by former pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, crowd part of Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno District on Aug. 15, the National Liberation Day. YonhapGatherings of five or more people will be banned in the greater Seoul area, beginning Wednesday, in a new hard-line measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus, local governments said Monday.The governments of Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi Province and Incheon announced the strident assembly restriction measure in time for the upcoming peak season for year-end gatherings and events.The new administrative order for the restrictions on freedom of assembly will take effect at midnight Tuesday and end on Jan. 3.Under the new administrative order, only meetings of four or fewer people are allowed in the capital area regardless of whether they are held indoors or outdoors.The ban on gatherings of five or more people is stronger than under the highest Level 3 social distancing scheme, in which gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited.The greater Seoul area is currently

Dec 21, 2020
Capital area bans gatherings of 5 or more people to stem COVID-19 spread
  • Korea may begin COVID-19 vaccination in late January
  • ICU bed crisis hits Korea amid third COVID-19 wave
  • New virus cases under 1,000, daily death toll hits new high

South Korea ups disinfection operations at wild bird habitats on avian influenza

Health workers cull chickens at a farm in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on Dec. 17, where H5-type avian influenza pathogen was found. YonhapSouth Korea said Monday that it has expanded disinfection operations at major wild bird habitats and poultry farms to cope with the rising number of highly pathogenic bird flu cases."Due to the influx of migratory birds into the country, contaminants can get into local farms at anytime," the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said in a statement."As we are facing a grave situation, there will be zero tolerance of any violation of the quarantine guidelines," it added.Local authorities are using 958 units of vehicles and drones to carry out disinfection operations in surrounding areas of poultry farms.The agricultural ministry also advised farms to apply disinfectants around their farms and clean floors on a daily basis. They are also requested the changing of shoes when moving among sheds.The country has so far reported 18 highly pathogenic bird flu cases from poultry farms, including at a private park, since late November. No suspecte

Dec 21, 2020
South Korea ups disinfection operations at wild bird habitats on avian influenza

New virus cases under 1,000, daily death toll hits new high

Makeshift containers with sickbeds for COVID-19 patients were built at Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang District on Monday. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below 1,000 for the first time in six days Monday, mainly due to less testing over the weekend, as health authorities ramped up efforts to contain the faster spread of the virus. The daily virus death toll also hit a record high amid rising patients.The country added 926 more COVID-19 cases, including 892 local infections, raising the total caseload to 50,591, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The tally marked a decline from 1,097 cases Sunday, 1,053 Saturday and 1,062 Friday. In another grim milestone, the nation's total caseload exceeded 50,000. It took only 11 days for the total infections to surpass the 50,000 mark. South Korea's total caseload surpassed 40,000 on Dec. 10. To help find unconfirmed infections with no symptoms, authorities have expanded anonymous testing in the greater Seoul area since Dec. 14. A total of 479 infections have been confirmed through such testi

Dec 21, 2020
New virus cases under 1,000, daily death toll hits new high
  • Korea may begin COVID-19 vaccination in late January
  • ICU bed crisis hits Korea amid third COVID-19 wave
  • Capital area bans gatherings of 5 or more people to stem COVID-19 spread

ICU bed crisis hits Korea amid third COVID-19 wave

A man goes through COVID-19 testing at a temporary testing facility at Seoul Station, Sunday. In a bid to preemptively find asymptomatic carriers of the virus through random testing, the government has been installing temporary testing facilities at about 150 locations in the capital area since last week. / YonhapCountry's daily virus cases record new high at 1,097By Jun Ji-hyeHospitals in Korea are facing more serious intensive care unit (ICU) bed shortages for seriously ill COVID-19 patients amid the third wave of infections, with some having died of the disease while waiting to be admitted to hospitals.According to the health authorities, Sunday, a man in his 60s in the Seoul's Guro District died at about 10 p.m. Saturday, while waiting at home for hospitalization after being confirmed with the infection earlier in the day, at a time when the country's medical capability for treating coronavirus patients is reaching its limits amid an explosive increase in new cases day after day.The report came a few days after another man in his 60s in the capital's Dongdaemun District died, Dec

Dec 20, 2020
ICU bed crisis hits Korea amid third COVID-19 wave
  • New virus cases under 1,000, daily death toll hits new high
  • Capital area bans gatherings of 5 or more people to stem COVID-19 spread

'South Korea to begin COVID-19 vaccination in first quarter of 2021'

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a COVID-19 counter-measure meeting at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, Dec. 19. YonhapSouth Korea will be able to start the coronavirus vaccination of its people in the first quarter of next year on a limited basis, according to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun."Inoculation will begin as early as in February or March at the latest," he said in an interview with KBS, a Seoul-based broadcaster. But the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca would only be available in the first half of 2021 under a current contract, not shots made by such other foreign drugmakers as Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen, he added.His remarks came amid growing concerns that South Korea is lagging behind other nations in the procurement of coronavirus vaccines.The government earlier announced it has secured early access to the vaccines developed by the four pharmaceutical companies. The vaccines are slated to arrive in South Korea in stages, not en masse, starting in the first quarter, he pointed out.Despite the contracts, there's "no promise" on the specif

Dec 20, 2020
'South Korea to begin COVID-19 vaccination in first quarter of 2021'
  • Gov't urged to establish law on pre-purchasing of vaccines
  • New infection cases hit fresh high, virus response faces biggest peril
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