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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.

Lotteria case raises alert over additional infections in greater Seoul area

Lotteria / Korea Times fileA new cluster infection traced to a meeting of managers at fast-food franchise Lotteria has sparked fresh concerns over the new coronavirus further spreading in Seoul and surrounding areas.At least 11 employees who attended a meeting at a Lotteria franchise in the eastern Seoul ward of Gwangjin on Aug. 6 have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday evening. Eight of them were Seoul residents.The meeting of 19 employees took place at the fast-food franchise's Gunja Station branch before participants had dinner at two restaurants in the area."We have tested 53 people who have so far been identified as having been in contact (with the infected patients), with 22 testing negative and others undergoing screening," Park Yu-mi, who leads the Seoul city government's public health unit, said in a press conference on Thursday morning.Park said that since the attendees were manager-level employees, some of them did not directly interact with customers, adding that no additional infection has been identified at branches where the manager tested positive. Eight Lot

Aug 13, 2020
Lotteria case raises alert over additional infections in greater Seoul area
  • Lotteria hit by coronavirus infections among employees
  • New virus cases above 50 for 2nd day
  • Schools under rising COVID-19 threat as more students catch virus

Seoul bans Liberation Day rallies

Protesters against the Moon Jae-in administration in February are gathered for a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District, despite national concerns that public assemblies can trigger COVID-19's cluster infection. Korea Times fileThe government of Seoul said Thursday it issued no-assembly orders for massive Liberation Day rallies planned by various civic groups in central parts of the capital, citing fears of coronavirus transmission.The Seoul metropolitan government said it has officially banned 26 civic groups from holding rallies throughout central Seoul on Saturday, which coincides with the annual Liberation Day, a national holiday to celebrate the end of Japan's 36-year colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula in 1945.The municipal government said its decision is aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus, as the Saturday rallies are expected to draw some 220,000 participants to the bustling downtown areas."Recently, clusters of virus infections have broken out at the Namdaemun Market, some religious facilities and other places, heightening public concern about

Aug 13, 2020
Seoul bans Liberation Day rallies

Government calls for doctors to pull back nationwide strike

Jeollanamdo Medical Association President and Vice-President of the Korea Medical Association Lee Pil-soo stages a one-person protest in front of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul's Jongno-gu District, Wednesday, demanding the government guarantee doctors' safety in hospitals and repeal the motion to foster more physicians by wasting tax money. YonhapThe government on Thursday urged doctors to cancel their nationwide strike slated for this week, warning that it will take stern actions if the walkout leads to any harm and disruptions to patients.The Korea Medical Association (KMA), which represents 130,000 doctors, is set to stage a general strike Friday, voicing opposition to the government's plan to foster more physicians."We urge doctors to refrain from taking extreme measures by sacrificing the patients," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said in a statement."The issue surrounding the medical policy should be discussed with the government. Patients have nothing to do with it," Park said, warning that the country will take legal actions if the strike threatens patients' health and safety.South K

Aug 13, 2020
Government calls for doctors to pull back nationwide strike

New virus cases above 50 for 2nd day

Medical inspectors examine students and faculty members of Jukjeon High School in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, to check their COVID-19 infection possibility. YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 50 for the second consecutive day Thursday as domestic infections, mostly traced to sporadic clusters, jumped to an over one-month high. The country identified an additional 56 virus cases, including 47 local infections, raising the total caseload to 14,770, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).It marked the second straight day that the daily virus cases hovered above 50 following 54 cases Wednesday. Domestic infections reached the highest level since July 3, when the country reported 49 cases, as sporadic cluster infections, mostly tied to churches in the capital area and a fast-food operator, have led to yet another flare-up of the novel coronavirus.Of the new locally transmitted cases, 25 were reported in Seoul and 16 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, the KCDC said. The southeastern city of Busan added two more cases of COVI

Aug 13, 2020
New virus cases above 50 for 2nd day
  • Russia vaccine claim faces skepticism as nations renew virus battle
  • Lotteria hit by coronavirus infections among employees
  • Lotteria case raises alert over additional infections in greater Seoul area
  • Schools under rising COVID-19 threat as more students catch virus

Lotteria hit by coronavirus infections among employees

Citizens pass by a notice of a temporary shutdown posted at the entrance of Lotteria's Seoul Station branch, Wednesday. At least 11 Lotteria employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the previous day. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeA COVID-19 group infection broke out among Lotteria employees, affecting at least 11 who attended a managerial meeting, health authorities said Wednesday, noting that they are bracing for additional cases traced to Lotte Group's fast-food chain.This is reigniting concerns over a possible spike in the number of new infections in the country, as the infections involving Lotteria came at the same times as cases traced to a local church have continued to increase. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), about 20 Lotteria employees including managers of some branches had dinner together on Aug. 6 to discuss measures to improve performance.One of the participants who is a resident in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, was confirmed to have COVID-19 Tuesday, and three more participa

Aug 12, 2020
  • S. Korea reports 54 new coronavirus infections
  • New virus cases above 50 for 2nd day
  • Lotteria case raises alert over additional infections in greater Seoul area

S. Korea reports 54 new coronavirus infections

South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked to above 50 on Wednesday, as an uptick in church-traced infections shows no signs of a letup.- S. Korea reports 54 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 14,714- No new coronavirus death, death toll at 305- 57 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 13,786South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked to above 50 on Wednesday, as an uptick in church-traced infections shows no signs of a letup.The country identified an additional 54 virus cases, including 35 local infections, raising the total caseload to 14,714, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).It marked the first time since July 26 that the daily new COVID-19 cases hovered above 50. The number had remained between 20 and 40 this month.Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 were reported in Seoul and 19 others in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, the KCDC said. The southeastern city of Busan added three more cases of COVID-19.Domestic cases fell to as low as just three on Aug. 3, but sporadic cluster infections, most tied to chu

Aug 12, 2020
S. Korea reports 54 new coronavirus infections
  • Lotteria hit by coronavirus infections among employees

Why do doctors oppose raising medical student quota?

By Bahk Eun-jiThe Moon Jae-in administration has been at odds with doctors over its healthcare reform bills that will increase the number of medical students admitted to universities and establish a state-funded medical school.The government said July 23 that it wants to produce more doctors to broaden the reach of public health care services as the necessity for this was confirmed with the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as the plan was made public, however, doctors' groups were up in arms immediately, vowing to go on strike.The Korea Medical Association (KMA), the nation's largest union for doctors, and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) announced plans to stage an all-out strike Aug. 14 to protest the reform. According to the Korea Intern Resident Association (KIRA), a group that represents interns and resident doctors here, nearly 95 percent of the group's 16,000 members are expected to join the strike. In response, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged the medical community to call off the planned strike and proposed dialogue to resolve the issue.Althou

Aug 11, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Why do doctors oppose raising medical student quota?
  • Trainee doctors likely to join practitioners' strike in protest over medical workforce reform
  • Doctors go on strike to protest medical reform plan

Trainee doctors likely to join practitioners' strike in protest over medical workforce reform

Trainee doctors at general hospitals said Tuesday they are likely to again launch a one-day strike later this week in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan.The 24-hour general walkout on Friday is organized by the Korea Medical Association (KMA), which speaks for 130,000 doctors, in opposition to the government's plan to raise admission quotas at medical schools. Most clinical doctors' offices in neighborhoods are expected to be closed.A survey by the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), a group of interns and resident doctors, showed that 95 percent of its some 7,000 members said they would participate in the planned walkout.The planned walkout comes after trainee doctors' 24-hour walkout last Friday.As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to

Aug 11, 2020
  • Why do doctors oppose raising medical student quota?

Samsung Biologics to build 256,000-liter plant 4

Samsung Biologics CEO Kim Tae-han announces the company's plan to build plant No.4 in Incheon, during an online press conference on Tuesday. Courtesy of Samsung BiologicsBy Nam Hyun-wooSamsung Biologics announced its plans to build a 256,000-liter plant in Incheon, which will be the world's largest single plant producing biologic drugs. “With the new plant No.4, Samsung Biologics will shatter its own record of having the largest biologic plant in the world,” Kim Tae-han, CEO of the contract drug manufacturer, said Tuesday during an online press conference. “When plant No.4 is completed, our manufacturing complex will have a combined capacity of 650,000 liters, which accounts for 30 percent of the global contract manufacturing facilities. Furthermore, we also have a plan to secure 330,000 square meters of land in Incheon to build another biologics complex in the future.”Samsung Biologics currently has three plants, and the third one is the largest single drug manufacturing plant in the world with an 180,000-liter capacity. For plant No. 4, Kim said the company

Aug 11, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Samsung Biologics to build 256,000-liter plant 4

More virus cases reported at Russia-flagged ship in Busan

More seafarers on a Russia-flagged ship docked in the southern port city of Busan were confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus, health authorities said Tuesday.Four additional Indonesian sailors on the fishing vessel have tested positive for COVID-19.Health authorities believe they might have contracted the virus through the captain of the ship, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus last week. So far, eight virus cases have been traced to the Russia-flagged ship.Since June, health authorities have detected more than 90 virus cases at Russian ships docked in Busan.Since Aug. 3, South Korea has required crewmen of ships departing from Russia to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the new coronavirus upon arriving in South Korea. The certificates must be issued within 48 hours prior to the departure.Health authorities have also been conducting onboard quarantine checks of Russian ships arriving in Busan ports since late June. (Yonhap)

Aug 11, 2020
  • S. Korea reports 34 new coronavirus infections
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