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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.

Wet your hands not your whistle: South Korean alcohol diverted to sanitisers

Workers wearing a face mask disinfect as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. /AP-YonhapSEOUL  - Makers of soju, South Korea's national drink and one of the world's best selling spirits, are jumping into the fight on the largest outbreak of coronavirus outside China by sharing their stockpiles of alcohol with makers of sanitzers.Disinfectants, such as hand sanitizers, are flying off the shelves, along with medical-grade masks, as infections in South Korea have surged past 5,000 in just over a month since its first patient was diagnosed.South Korean soju makers have responded to soaring ethanol demand for sanitizers by donating the alcohol that goes into the drink, a distilled spirit with 17% to 20% alcohol by volume traditionally based on rice, but now often wheat or potatoes."Ethanol demand for disinfection has grown while supply is limited...we have decided to provide it," an official of Daesun Distilling, based in the southeastern city of Busan, told Reuters.To banish the virus, the company has pledged t

Mar 5, 2020
Wet your hands not your whistle: South Korean alcohol diverted to sanitisers

S. Korea to ban exports of masks, boost output amid soaring demand

South Korea said Thursday it will fully ban exports of protective masks as the country is struggling to expand the supply of sanitary products here amid the spread of the novel coronavirus.Starting Friday, the country, which earlier set a ceiling of 10 percent of daily output for exports, prevents overseas shipment of face masks amid growing public anger over the bungled supply scheme.Under the scheme, the country will also speed up local production with a goal of producing 14 million sheets daily, up from the current 10 million, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.Of the total masks produced here, South Korea will allocate 80 percent of the production to public retail sales platforms, rising from the 50 percent quota set last week.The remaining 20 percent will be tightly controlled as well, with any sales of more than 10,000 sheets to a single buyer required to win approval from the government.South Korea also vowed to closely monitor the sales of protective masks.Starting Monday, the country will operate a de facto distribution system for protective masks, allowing peo

Mar 5, 2020
S. Korea to ban exports of masks, boost output amid soaring demand

Shincheonji cult donates W12 billion to fight coronavirus

Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee bows in a show of apology over his followers' role in the spike in coronavirus infections in South Korea during his press conference on Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulShincheonji ― the biggest culprit behind the coronavirus epidemic in South Korea ― has donated 12 billion won ($10.1 million) to help in the nationwide fight against the virus. The mysterious cult, led by the self-proclaimed messiah Lee Man-hee, 89, said Thursday the money had been delivered to Community Chest of Korea, a local charity, hoping it will be used to help contain the spread of coronavirus in Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province.The two regions are the epicenter of a spike in the nation's coronavirus infections ― the number of confirmed cases there account for nearly 90 percent of the total (5,766 as of noon Thursday).The donation came three days after Lee made a public apology on Monday for his followers' role in spreading the disease ― nearly 60 percent of coronavirus patients are affiliated with the cult. “We feel heavy responsibility for what's h

Mar 5, 2020
Shincheonji cult donates W12 billion to fight coronavirus
  • Gov't raids Shincheonji headquarters to secure list of followers

Coronavirus: Hong Kong dog believed to be first case of human-to-animal transmission

A dog wearing a face mask is seen on a Shanghai street on March 2 as China battles the COVID-19 outbreak. ReutersBy Jung Min-hoA pet dog in Hong Kong has contracted COVID-19 from its owner in what could be the first known human-to-animal transmission, local health authorities said Wednesday.The Pomeranian is now under quarantine after repeated tests confirmed a “low-level infection” of the virus, though it shows no symptoms of the disease, a spokesman for Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said.The results conflict with the World Health Organization's (WHO) official stance that “there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.”However, the spokesman stressed there is no evidence that pets could pass the virus to their owners.“Apart from maintaining good hygiene practices, pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets,” he said.Further tests will be conducted on the dog; it will not be released from quarantin

Mar 5, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Coronavirus: Hong Kong dog believed to be first case of human-to-animal transmission
  • Can dogs and cats be infected with new virus? WHO says no

S. Korea reports 438 new coronavirus cases, total at 5,766

South Korea reported 438 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 5,766, with most new virus infections still identified in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here. So far, 35 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.About 60 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million. However, health authorities have shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.Of the 438 new cases, which were detected on Wednesday, 320 are in Daegu and 87 in neighboring North Gyeongsang Province, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak here, the KCDC said. Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul reporting four additional cases. S

Mar 5, 2020
S. Korea reports 438 new coronavirus cases, total at 5,766

Coronavirus: China's secrecy and WHO's mission

World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergencies Program Director Michael Ryan, left, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, second from left, and WHO Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove attend a daily press briefing. AP-Yonhap By Dr. Hakim DjaballahConspiracy theories and misinformation on this newly discovered coronavirus keep emerging and many stories have already been debunked. These are a few examples.Right-wing groups believe China intentionally made the virus to unleash it on the rest of the world, seeking economic dominance and supremacy; except it prematurely released it on its own soil and failed to contain it.Avid science-fiction followers believe the SARS-CoV2 virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which happens to be several kilometers from the now infamous Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China. The virus must have felt that the wet market was a better place to hang out than a highly secure research laboratory, with all the comfor

Mar 5, 2020By Oh Young-jin
Coronavirus: China's secrecy and WHO's mission

Government under fire for failing to tackle mask shortage

Members of the Capital Defense Command spray disinfectant from a decontamination truck near Yeokchon Station in Eunpyeong District, western Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Kim Se-jeongThe Moon Jae-in administration has failed to improve the ongoing shortage of face masks due to its “inaccurate” estimates of supply and demand amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus, according to experts, Wednesday.“The government drew a mask supply plan based on a production capacity and a demand estimate. The government failed to forecast a sharp demand increase fueled by fear. The government should have considered this more carefully during its planning,” said Myongji University Prof. Kim Hyun-joon.Amid the worsening mask shortage, the government began to intervene in production and distribution Feb. 26. It promised to get enough masks by channeling them through public organizations ― post offices and the NongHyup Bank's Hanaro Mart stores ― and pharmacies

Mar 4, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Government under fire for failing to tackle mask shortage
  • Government to ban export of face masks

Korea places travel ban on self-quarantined people

By Jun Ji-hyeThe Ministry of Justice has banned 14,500 citizens, who are self-quarantined at home after having contact with COVID-19 patients, from leaving the country in a bid to prevent any further spread of the virus and restore the trust of the international community, ministry officials said Wednesday. The self-isolated people are banned from leaving the country for 14 days from the day they had contact with confirmed coronavirus patients under the assumption that the incubation period of the virus is two weeks.The travel bans were imposed at the request of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).“The KCDC carries out epidemiological investigations into newly confirmed patients and decides on who should be self-quarantined. The KCDC can request the justice ministry to place travel bans on them in accordance with the Immigration Control Law,” a ministry official said. The ministry did not need to place travel bans on confirmed patients as they have already been quarantined by the health authorities at hospitals and other facilities run by the gover

Mar 4, 2020By Jun Ji-hye
Korea places travel ban on self-quarantined people

Daegu hospital criticized for offering poor meal to nurses

This photo captured from Twitter shows low-quality meals offered to nurses fighting the COVID-19 outbreak at a hospital in Daegu.By Jun Ji-hyeA hospital in Daegu, the southeastern city hit hardest by COVID-19, is facing harsh criticism for offering low-quality meals to nurses who have been fighting on the front lines against the virus.The criticism comes after a nurse surnamed Choi, who belongs to a civic group dedicated to improving the treatment of nurses, posted a photo on Twitter, saying it was sent by a nurse working for the Daegu hospital. The photo shows instant rice and noodles, and a 200-milliliter pack of milk.“These are meals offered by the hospital to nurses who are working to treat coronavirus patients there. I was so angry when I saw this photo,” Choi said. “I wonder about where large donations and contributions go.”Choi said nurses at hospitals treating virus patients were working without a break every day while drenched in sweat in protective suits.“They cannot endure difficult times with such poor meals,” Choi said. As the photo ha

Mar 4, 2020
Daegu hospital criticized for offering poor meal to nurses

Coronavirus: China sends 500,000 masks to Korea in humanitarian aid

Boxes of masks from China's Shanghai are stacked in front of Busan City Hall on Wednesday. Courtesy of Busan City By Park Si-soo Shanghai has sent 500,000 face masks to South Korea as new coronavirus cases here in recent days outnumber those in China. This marked a total reversal of the donor-recipient position of the two countries. Seoul has donated millions of masks and medical equipment to China in a show of friendship despite a supply shortage in virus-hit areas here that sparked massive criticism. The masks ― 100,000 for medical workers and 400,000 for citizens ― were flown to Incheon International Airport on Tuesday. Under the supervision of Korea Red Cross, they were taken to Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, the center of the nation's ballooning coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, Korea Red Cross said two other Chinese cities ― Shaoxing and Tsingtao ― have expressed a willingness to donate masks, medical goggles and other goods necessary to treat coronavirus patients.

Mar 4, 2020
Coronavirus: China sends 500,000 masks to Korea in humanitarian aid
  • 'Keep masks on, Koreans (and foreign residents)!'
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