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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.

Church blamed for mass infections to sue government

Seen above is Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, Sept. 2. / YonhapA Protestant church blamed for a recent spike in coronavirus infections in the country threatened Tuesday to file a lawsuit against the Moon Jae-in administration over what it called harm to the public done by "COVID-19 fraud."The announcement by Sarang Jeil Church came one day after its controversial pastor Jun Kwang-hoon was put in custody again after his bail was canceled for attending last month's anti-government protests in violation of his terms of release.The rallies in central Seoul led to 539 new cases of coronavirus, while a total of 1,167 cases have been traced to the church, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The court's decision to cancel his bail proves that South Korea is severely impaired," lawyers for the church said in a news conference at the church.They accused President Moon of passing the responsibility for the resurgence of COVID-19 to the pastor while exaggerating the church's contribution to the spread of the virus. "The government is suppressing freedom and Christian

Sep 8, 2020
Church blamed for mass infections to sue government

Trainee doctors return to work

Doctors greet each other at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Tuesday, as hundreds of trainee doctors resumed work, ending their 18-day strike over a government medical reform plan. Medical trainees nationwide went on strike Aug. 7, calling for the government to scrap its plan to expand the medical student quota, establish a new public medical school and to give medical insurance coverage to Oriental medicine treatment. Yonhap

Sep 8, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Trainee doctors return to work

Gov't to curb spread of 'corona blues' amid prolonged pandemic

A baby cries while receiving a flu vaccination shot at a children's hospital in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. YonhapGov't to decide this weekend whether to extend level 2.5 distancing rulesBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government is urging people having trouble dealing with “coronavirus blues” amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic to use suicide and crisis hotlines, health officials said Tuesday.According to data collected by the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the daily number of calls for counseling through the hotlines temporarily run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare was 4,424, Sept. 4, nearly double the 2,457 received Aug. 14. The government provides in-depth counseling up to three times through private experts for high-risk groups with severe symptoms such as depression and anxiety.Experts include mental health specialists recommended by the Korean Neuropsychiatry Association, the Korean Psychological Association, and the Korean Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and those who have Level 1 qualifications for mental health specialists.The Korea Centers for

Sep 8, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Gov't to curb spread of 'corona blues' amid prolonged pandemic

Korea to mass-produce antibody treatment of COVID-19 this month

GettyimagesbankSouth Korea plans to mass-produce an antibody treatment of the novel coronavirus later this month, health authorities said Tuesday.The country's drug ministry is currently reviewing phase 2/3 clinical tests for the antibody-based treatment and aims to mass-produce commercial antibodies for the novel coronavirus in September, according to Kwon Jun-wook, deputy chief at the Central Disease Control Headquarters.Health researchers are currently analyzing results of the phase 1 trial, which was approved by the drug ministry on July 17. They also earned approval for the phase 1 study of the treatment in Britain on July 29. For blood plasma-based treatment, health authorities said the drug ministry approved the phase 2 study of its development on Aug. 20, and six medical institutions, including Samsung Medical Center and Asan Medical Center, will verify its effectiveness and safety on COVID-19 patients. Health authorities added the blood plasma material for the phase 2 trial will begin being produce Tuesday and supply of the substance will be completed in mid-October. (Yonhap

Sep 8, 2020
Korea to mass-produce antibody treatment of COVID-19 this month

Gov't offers services to address 'corona blues'

GettyimagesbankThe government has been offering a range of services to help people cope with stress and depression amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Tuesday.The move comes as an increasing number of South Koreans are suffering from the "corona blues," which refers to depression caused by the coronavirus outbreak that began in the country in late January. "Many people seem to be suffering from the corona blues amid the prolonged outbreak of COVID-19," Yoon Tae-ho, a ranking health official, said in a daily coronavirus briefing. "There has been rising demand for counseling on depression and suicide prevention."The government currently operates a psychological counseling hotline for people suffering from the corona blues, with 17 municipal and provincial governments running support centers for mental restoration.According to government data, the number of psychological consultation cases came to more than 4,400 cases Friday, up sharply from about 3,100 on Aug. 14. South Korea has been striving to contain a resurgence of virus cases as daily infections have been in the triple

Sep 8, 2020
Gov't offers services to address 'corona blues'

Seoul to restrict access to Han River parks to curb spread of coronavirus

A Han River park in Seoul is crowded with people, Sunday, Sept. 6. The city government said it will restrict access to some areas of Han River parks to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. YonhapThe Seoul metropolitan government said Tuesday it will restrict access to crowded areas of Han River parks starting at 2 p.m. to help contain the spread of COVID-19.The affected areas are two squares at Yeouido Han River Park, parts of Ttukseom Park and two picnic zones at Banpo Han River Park.Across the Han River parks, 28 stores and seven cafes will end at 9 p.m. every day. Forty-three parking lots at 11 Han River parks will also deny entry from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.The measure follows a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the capital area, which has led to stricter social distancing guidelines and caused people to flock to the parks.Under the Level 2.5 guidelines, restaurants and smaller eateries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeout and delivery are permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.For franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors, only takeout and delivery are allowed."Even ou

Sep 8, 2020
Seoul to restrict access to Han River parks to curb spread of coronavirus

Will COVID-19 change Chuseok holiday?

An electronic signboard shows the cancellations of domestic flights at the Gimpo Airport in Seoul, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. APEvery autumn, Gu Mi-hoi gathers with her siblings and their families at her mother's house to celebrate the Chuseok fall harvest holiday. They cook delicacies like "jeon" ― meat, fish and vegetables dipped in flour and egg and fried ― and enjoy traditional games like "yut nori" while munching on half-moon shaped "songpyeon" rice cakes.But for the first time ever, the Gu family has decided to call it off and celebrate one of the country's biggest national holidays at their homes, respectively."It's a joyous event where more than 20 people spanning four generations gather to enjoy homemade food and relax. But this year we thought it won't hurt to be extra careful," said the 60-year-old Seoul resident on Tuesday."We all try to be careful and follow the social distancing guidelines, but it's a bit scary that there's a lot of untraceable cases, and who knows whether I may also be spreading the virus," she said.Gu is not the only one planning to spend the major holida

Sep 8, 2020
Will COVID-19 change Chuseok holiday?

Korea to start purchasing rice for emergency reserves

GettyimagesbankThe government said Tuesday it will start the annual purchase of rice for emergency reserves next week in line with efforts to stabilize the market price and brace for potential natural disasters.Under the plan, the country will purchase 340,000 tons of rice for the reserves by the end of this year, along with 10,000 tons for overseas aid, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.The emergency reserve system is designed to store staple grains as a contingency against natural disasters or other food supply crises. The government normally purchases around 17 to 18 percent of the annual consumption amount, about two months worth, as a backup.The government plans to provide an advance payment of 30,000 won (US$25.2) per 40-kilogram sack of rice and cover the remaining amount by the end of this year.The country has not yet set this year's price. It came to 65,750 won per sack in 2019.The country also purchases sacks for overseas aid under the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve project, which is aimed at safeguarding the region's food security in case of

Sep 8, 2020
Korea to start purchasing rice for emergency reserves

New virus cases below 200 for sixth day

People weaning face masks cross a stream at Cheonggye stream in downtown Seoul, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. APSouth Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday, but sporadic cluster infections across the nation continued to put health authorities on edge.The country added 136 more COVID-19 cases, including 120 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,432, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).It marked a slight increase from 119 additional cases reported Monday, the fewest in 24 days.South Korea has been scrambling to contain a flare-up in virus cases as daily infections have been in the triple digits since Aug. 14 due to cluster infections tied to churches and a large-scale rally in central Seoul in mid-August.New virus cases soared to a five-month high of 441 on Aug. 27, but they have been on a downward trend on stricter social distancing measures, which health authorities called a "positive" sign in the virus fight.The KCDC said the enhanced social distancing scheme, called Level 2.5 measures, currently be

Sep 8, 2020
New virus cases below 200 for sixth day

Trainee doctors return to work Tuesday

A man walks past the building of the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-jiTrainee doctors decided to return to work today, ending their two-week-long strike, the Korean Interns and Residents Association (KIRA) said Monday.The decision to strike came as the KIRA and a taskforce representing medical students opposed an agreement made between the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the government over controversial medical reform plans.The KIRA, representing interns and residents at general hospitals, said its members will return to hospitals starting 7 a.m. Tuesday.The members of the junior doctors' group, however, said they will launch an escalated collective action if the government does not come up with further measures within two weeks to support the medical students who decided not to apply for the state medical licensing exam which will also be held today.The conflict between medical students

Sep 7, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Trainee doctors return to work Tuesday
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