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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.

Ruling party raises coronavirus vaccine supply target to 44 million people

GettyimagesbankThe ruling Democratic Party has raised its coronavirus vaccine supply target to 44 million people, or 85 percent of the country's population, a key party source said Sunday.The figure is sharply higher than the 30 million target previously cited by health authorities.To secure the vaccines, the party plans to seek an additional 1.3 trillion won (US$1.18 billion) in next year's state budget, currently under deliberation at the National Assembly, according to the source."Wouldn't all citizens want a shot if a safe vaccine is developed?" the source said in a phone call with Yonhap News Agency.Next year's state budget proposal was drawn up without funding for a coronavirus vaccine because the government has yet to choose one. But recent vaccine developments at home and abroad have apparently led the ruling party to push for funding during the current parliamentary session.Together with a third round of disaster relief funds demanded by opposition parties, the total budget proposal for coronavirus relief is expected to reach around 5 trillion won. (Yonhap)

Nov 29, 2020
Ruling party raises coronavirus vaccine supply target to 44 million people

Infection tally below 500 for first time in 3 days

People wearing face masks walk through a market in Seoul, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. APThe daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea fell back to below 500 for the first time in three days on Sunday due apparently to less testing over the weekend, with health authorities mulling further raising virus curbs in the greater Seoul area to rein in further spread.The country added 450 more COVID-19 cases, including 413 local infections, raising the total caseload to 33,824, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It reported one additional coronavirus fatality, bringing the total to 523.The latest figure is down from 581 on Thursday, 555 on Friday and 504 on Saturday, the KDCA said. However, fewer tests are usually carried out on weekends compared with weekdays.The daily infection tally has stayed in the triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure hovering above 300 since Nov. 18 except for Monday. Amid deepening worries over the third infection wave, the government is expected to decide how to readjust social distancing curbs later in the day.The author

Nov 29, 2020
Infection tally below 500 for first time in 3 days
  • North Korea steps up virus control along inter-Korean border: state media

Number of deaths after flu shots at 108

GettyimagesbankSouth Korea's health agency said Saturday that a total of 108 people died after receiving seasonal flu vaccines this year, with the authorities concluding 107 of the deaths had no direct causal relations with their inoculations.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) added one more death to its running tally of those who died after getting flu shots, amid public anxiety over the safety of vaccines."As a result of epidemiological investigation and deliberations by a damage survey panel, we judged that no causal links between their deaths and inoculations were acknowledged in 107 of the 108 cases reported due to abnormal reactions following flu shots," a KDCA official said.The authorities are still investigating the cause of the one remaining death.Despite lingering concerns over the safety of flu shots, the agency said that it is "not a situation that calls for a re-approval of vaccines in question or the suspension of the state vaccination program." As of Friday, 13.37 million seasonal vaccinations had taken place in South Korea this year. (Yonhap)

Nov 29, 2020
Number of deaths after flu shots at 108

South Korea confirms this year's first case of avian flu in domestic poultry

Over 400,000 chickens and ducks have been culled in livestock farms within a 3 kilometer radius of a duck farm in Jeongup, North Jeolla Province, after H5N8 avian influenza was found during a pre-shipment test from the farm, Nov. 26. YonhapThe government confirmed the first case of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza among domestic poultry at a duck farm in a southwestern province, Saturday. The agriculture ministry said the virus was detected in ducks at a farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul, in a pre-shipment test conducted ThursdayAll previous cases reported so far this year involved wild birds. This is the first time in two years and eight months that the highly pathogenic bird flu has broken out at a local poultry farm. The Jeongeup farm was breeding about 19,000 broiler ducks; and there are six other poultry farms within a radius of 3 kilometers, and 60 within 3 to 10 kilometers.The ministry said it has already taken preemptive measures, including access control and preventive culling, after sending an emergency response team to the c

Nov 28, 2020
South Korea confirms this year's first case of avian flu in domestic poultry

Virus tally exceeds 500 for 3rd day; authorities under pressure to toughen social distancing

One of Seoul's largest downtown areas, Gwanghwamun Square, is noticeably less crowded with less traffic volume than usual, Saturday morning, as there have been over 500 new daily COVID-19 infections nationwide over the past several days, raising the central government's concern over protecting residents from the unrelenting global pandemic. YonhapThe daily number of COVID-19 infections here exceeded 500 for the third straight day Friday, as the health authorities face growing pressure to toughen social distancing restrictions amid continued sporadic infection clusters across the country. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), 504 more COVID-19 cases, including 486 local infections, were reported raising the total caseload to 33,375. It reported six additional fatalities, bringing the total to 522. The daily infection numbers have been in triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure hovering above 300 since Nov. 18, except for Monday. Amid deepening worries over the third infection wave, the government is expected to decide how to readjust social distancin

Nov 28, 2020
Virus tally exceeds 500 for 3rd day; authorities under pressure to toughen social distancing

1 in 4 fire fighters suffering sleep disorder due to stress

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at the Cheongnyangni Market in Seoul's Dongdaemun District, Sept. 21. / Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seokBy Jun Ji-hyeOne in four firefighters in Korea reported suffering from sleep disorders due mainly to work stress, a survey released by the National Fire Agency showed, Friday.The agency conducted the survey with Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from Feb. 20 to March 15, saying 92 percent of the country's 52,119 firefighters participated. In the survey, 23.3 percent of respondents said they have been suffering from a sleep disorder, while 3.9 percent said they were suffering from depression. The figures have decreased by 2 percentage points and 0.7 percentage points, respectively, from a year earlier. Those who reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) accounted for 5.1 percent.Firefighters needing hospital care for so-called “emotional labor,” or suppressing their emotions by smiling and expressing positive sentiments to others, accounted for 16.2 percent. The figure has decreased by 13.2 percentage points from a year ear

Nov 27, 2020
1 in 4 fire fighters suffering sleep disorder due to stress

Celltrion on path to introduce country's 1st COVID medicine

A researcher at a Celltrion lab conducts an experiment to develop COVID-19 medication. / Courtesy of CelltrionBy Kim Hyun-binAll eyes are on whether Cellltrion will become the first company in Korea to develop a medicine for COVID-19, after it recently began Phase 2 clinical trials of its antibody treatment CT-P59.Celltrion is analyzing data on the efficiency and safety of CT-P59 before applying for approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approval to commercialize the drug if the Phase 2 trials are successful.The antibody under development is similar to Regeneron produced by U.S. pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which received emergency use approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The treatment is manufactured by multiplying antibodies taken from patients who have recovered from the disease that demonstrate an ability to neutralize the coronavirus. These “new” antibodies can also stimulate a patient's own immune system to copy them and thus more effectively combat the disease.In order for a person to develop COVID-19, a spike protein on a viral cell

Nov 27, 2020By Kim Hyun-bin
Celltrion on path to introduce country's 1st COVID medicine

Korea facing shortage of hospital beds amid 3rd wave of infections

Students and teachers at a high school in Sejong City wait in line to go through COVID-19 testing, Friday, as several infections were reported there.By Jun Ji-hyeThe health authorities and experts here are raising concerns over a potential shortage of hospital beds to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients as new daily cases continue to surge amid a third wave of infections.Experts say the country could face a shortage of intensive care beds in a few weeks if the spike in the number of coronavirus patients continues. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Friday, the nation added 569 infections including 525 locally transmitted cases for Thursday, raising the total caseload to 32,887. The new daily cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day.Sohn Young-rae, a senior official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said the number of critically ill patients was 77 as of Friday, and among them, elderly patients accounted for about 20 percent.“There are still 100 hospital beds available for serious cases as of Friday. The situation is okay for now,

Nov 27, 2020By Jun Ji-hye
Korea facing shortage of hospital beds amid 3rd wave of infections
  • Military bans troops from vacationing, off-base trips over virus
  • Number of weekday moviegoers falls amid worsening pandemic

Will AstraZeneca vaccine trial affect SK Bioscience IPO?

An SK Bioscience researcher tests vaccine candidates in this undated handout photo. Courtesy of SK BioscienceBy Nam Hyun-wooGrowing questions over the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca are casting uncertainty over the initial public offering (IPO) _ scheduled for early next year _ of the vaccine's contract manufacturer SK Bioscience, as it could affect the market value of the company.Though the SK Group affiliate has a number of coronavirus vaccine candidates in its manufacturing backlog, and is developing its own COVID-19 vaccine, market watchers say a possible controversy over the clinical trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine may dent investors' high expectations for the company, which could affect its IPO price.The “good news” is that the vaccine is getting a warm response from governments around the world. The company signed a deal with Thailand and the Philippines to supply a million shots of the vaccine to each. Plus, the South Korean government also agreed to buy the AstraZeneca vaccine as the number of COVID-19 infections has been growing here. From SK

Nov 27, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Will AstraZeneca vaccine trial affect SK Bioscience IPO?
  • Korea signs agreement with AstraZeneca for COVID vaccine

Military bans troops from vacationing, off-base trips over virus

A bus to carry COVID-19 patients stands by in front of the boot camp of the Army's 5th Infantry Division in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 26 as nearly 70 infections were reported there. YonhapThe military enforced a tighter social distancing scheme on Friday banning troops from vacationing and taking off-installation trips as it is striving to stem the spread of the new coronavirus at barracks.Under the Level 2.5 social distancing guidance at barracks, all service members are not allowed to leave their bases for the next two weeks. Officers are restricted from having private meetings, while in-person religious gatherings and business trips are also banned. As for drills, necessary outdoor trainings will be conducted in a way to minimize contact with civilians, while indoor programs are to be limited, according to the defense ministry.It is far tougher than the current nationwide social distancing level, as the government has enforced Level 2 rules in the greater Seoul area since earlier this week, and most other regions are at lower levels. South Korea has a five-tier social

Nov 27, 2020
Military bans troops from vacationing, off-base trips over virus
  • COVID-19 cases over 500 for 2nd day
  • Korea facing shortage of hospital beds amid 3rd wave of infections
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