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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.

Gov't struggling to curb mass infections at hospitals

Seoul Grand Park, one of the biggest in the Seoul metropolitan area, is crowded with people, Sunday, on the first weekend after the government lowered social distancing guidelines from Level 2 to Level 1, Oct. 12. But concerns still remain as sporadic COVID-19 infection clusters have continued to be reported across the country. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe health authorities are struggling to cope with mass COVID-19 cases at hospitals, mindful of concerns that infections at medical institutions where there are many elderly inpatients and those with underlying conditions can lead to an increase in the number of critically ill patients and more loss of life.As sporadic infection clusters have continued to be reported across the country, the nation added 91 cases including 71 locally transmitted cases for Saturday, raising the total caseload to 25,199, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Sunday. The city government of Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province said that 51 people including inpatients and nurses at a rehabilitation hospital have tested positive over three d

Oct 18, 2020
Gov't struggling to curb mass infections at hospitals

With eased virus restrictions, first graders to return to classrooms

Children wearing face masks pose for a photo at the Deoksu palace in Seoul, Wednesday Oct. 14, 2020. APSouth Korean students will take in-person classes more often starting this week, as attendance cap restrictions in schools have been eased amid a recent drop in new coronavirus cases. The Ministry of Education raised the attendance cap, currently at one-third in elementary and middle schools, and two-thirds in high schools, to two-thirds for all schools last Sunday, in line with the government's relaxed social distancing rules nationwide. The new measure goes into effect on Monday.The ministry said schools in the greater Seoul area, where half of the country's 51 million people live, are required to strictly follow the new mandate, while those in the rest of the country will have more leeway to adjust attendance caps depending on the level of pandemic.First graders of elementary schools, including those in the greater Seoul area, are expected to attend in-person classes almost every day to help them get accustomed to school life, which has been largely absent since the start of the

Oct 18, 2020
With eased virus restrictions, first graders to return to classrooms
  • New virus cases in double digits for third day

New virus cases in double digits for third day

A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walks by a social distancing sign at a park in Seoul, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. APSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed in double digits for the third consecutive day Sunday, but sporadic cluster infections at nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals continued to put strain on the country's virus fight.The country added 91 more COVID-19 cases, including 71 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,199, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure marked a slight fall from 73 daily cases Saturday, but a series of sporadic mass infection cases are hampering the country's efforts to stem further spread of the virus.New virus cases fell below the 50 mark for the first time since Sept. 29 on Friday, but a steady rise in new daily cases indicates that cases with unknown transmission routes are still lurking.Last week, the country lowered its social distancing level to the lowest in the three-tier infection preventive measure as new daily virus cases showed a slight decr

Oct 18, 2020
New virus cases in double digits for third day
  • With eased virus restrictions, first graders to return to classrooms

Pfizer to seek approval for COVID-19 vaccine next month

A small bottle labeled with a "Vaccine COVID-19" sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken April 10, 2020. ReutersPfizer Inc said on Friday it could file in late November for U.S. authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing, suggesting that a vaccine could potentially be available in the United States by the end of the year. That timeline makes it unlikely, however, that a vaccine will be available before the U.S. election, as President Donald Trump has promised. Pfizer, which is developing the vaccine with German partner BioNTech, said that it may confirm if the vaccine is effective as soon as this month but that it also needs safety data from a 44,000-person clinical trial that will not be available until next month. The Pfizer news, published in a letter from its chief executive on its website, lifted the U.S. stock market and the company's shares. Shares fell slightly of rival vaccine maker Moderna Inc, which is close to Pfizer in its vaccine development. "So let me be clear, assuming positive data, Pfizer will apply for Emergency Authorization Use in th

Oct 18, 2020
Pfizer to seek approval for COVID-19 vaccine next month

New virus cases in double digits for 2nd day

Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is held for online viewers without audience at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in the city's Yeonsu Distirct, Oct. 16. Courtesy of Pentaport Rock Festival New COVID-19 infections here rose by double digits for Friday, the second straight day, but the health authorities remain on alert over an increase in sporadic infection clusters amid eased social distancing regulations. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported Saturday that it had detected 73 more coronavirus cases for the previous day, including 62 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,108.This marked a rise from the 47 reported for Thursday ― the first time it dropped below 50 since Sept. 29 ― but a decline from 110 cases the day before, when more than 50 reported cases were tied to an elderly care facility in Busan.The country has reported infection clusters tied to a nursing home, a hospital and other facilities following the latest Chuseok

Oct 17, 2020
New virus cases in double digits for 2nd day
  • Concerns grow over possible mass infections among young people

Catholic Church calls for unconditional ban on abortion

Bishop Mathias Lee Yong-hoon, new president of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Korea / YonhapBy Kang Hyun-kyungThe newly-elected leader of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Korea (CBCK) announced that there has been no change in the Catholic Church's pro-life stance, saying abortion is unacceptable.During a news conference held at the CBCK in Seoul, Bishop Mathias Lee Yong-hoon said “protecting the dignity of human life is a value that cannot be compromised.” Lee, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Suwon, was recently elected as the CBCK president.After reaffirming the Church's view on abortion, he went on to urge the government to introduce “conscience objection.”“Conscience objection allows doctors and nurses to refuse to perform abortions requested by their patients. Healthcare workers shouldn't be punished just because they refuse to perform an abortion procedure,” he said. The government recently pre-announced the implementation of revisions to the Criminal Law, and Mother and Child Health Law, which decriminalizes abortions conducted wit

Oct 16, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung
Catholic Church calls for unconditional ban on abortion

More young people suffer from hair loss

Gettyimagesbank By Lee Hyo-jin“I knew that my hair would start falling out one day, but not at the age of 26. I'm worried that being bald will hinder me in my career because it doesn't give a good first impression,” wrote an internet user in an online community for those concerned about hair loss.He shared his recent experience of discovering bald spots while dyeing his hair at home, asking for advice on how to regrow his hair or at least to slow down his hair loss “Not only am I losing my hair, but also the confidence and self-esteem that follows with it. I feel hesitant to take photos of myself and I've grown very conscious about people commenting on my hairstyle,” wrote a woman in her 20s.Imaban, one of the biggest online communities for people suffering from hair loss on Naver, has some 250,000 members, 45 percent of whom are aged between 25 and 35. In the group people open up about their experiences of balding and share reviews on various hair growth medication

Oct 16, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
More young people suffer from hair loss

Concerns grow over possible mass infections among young people

A street in Hongdae, one of the busiest entertainment districts in Seoul, is crowded with people after the government eased social distancing rules imposed to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, in this Oct. 12 photo. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiConcerns are growing again over possible mass COVID-19 infections in Korea as young people have started socializing more often in night clubs and other entertainment establishments amid the easing of social distancing rules, according to medical experts Friday.They pointed out that people in their 20s and 30s seemed to be displaying a more laid-back attitude regarding compliance with quarantine rules as many of them have begun to fill bars and clubs in nightlife districts in the Seoul metropolitan area such as Itaewon and Hongdae. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, a group infection was recently confirmed at a pub in Incheon, west of Seoul. After the first confirmed cases Wednesday, 12 additional cases were reported through contact tracing. The person who appears to be the source of the infection cluster works at the bar, and eight pat

Oct 16, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Concerns grow over possible mass infections among young people
  • New virus cases in double digits for 2nd day

Pastor suspended for giving blessing at LGBT festival

Rev. Lee Dong-hwan gives a prayer of blessing for the LGBTQ community at the queer festival in Incheon in this Aug. 31, file photo. Korea Times fileBy Park Ji-wonThe Korean Methodist Church has suspended Rev. Lee Dong-hwan for two years for holding a “blessing ceremony” at a queer festival in August last year, during which he gave a blessing to the LGBTQ community and scattered flower petals.In a secular hearing held in Yongin City, Thursday, the judicial committee of the Gyeonggi Province branch of the Korea Methodist Church ruled against the pastor, saying “Participation in the queer festival and the blessing itself can be seen as an approval of homosexuality.” According to the “regulations” of the Korean Methodist Church, any act seen as supporting homosexuality is considered breaking the tenets of the church.Lee vowed to appeal to a higher authority after the ruling.The hearing came after Lee was accused of violating church dogma by approving of homosexuality through the blessing. “It feels terrible to witness the reality of the Korean Me

Oct 16, 2020By Park Ji-won
Pastor suspended for giving blessing at LGBT festival

New virus cases drop below 50 amid eased social distancing

Entire employees of large-size supermarket Emart's Sangbong branch in Seoul's Jungnang District wait to have a COVID-19 test at the district office's COVID-19 checkup site, Friday, after three patients were discovered to have recently dropped by the store. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell sharply Friday, but health authorities are staying vigilant over possible cluster infections amid an eased social distancing scheme. The country added 47 COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,035, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily figure dropped sharply from 110 a day earlier when the country reported a new cluster infection at a nursing home in the southeastern port city of Busan with more than 50 cases. It is the first time since Sept. 29 that the daily tally of COVID-19 has dropped below the 50 mark. The country earlier suffered a major uptick in virus cases in mid-August, mostly traced to a conservative church in northern Seoul. The daily figure shot up to 441 on Aug. 27 and stayed in th

Oct 16, 2020
New virus cases drop below 50 amid eased social distancing
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