Kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools in Gyeonggi Province will remain shut and students will take classes online through the end of February next year due to the spread of COVID-19, regional education authorities said Thursday. The online learning period was scheduled to run until the end of this month, but it was extended by two more months, according to Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. All school events including graduation or school closing ceremonies in the provinc

Social Affairs Dec. 24, 2020

Leaders of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN countries discussed how to strengthen the strategic business partnership between the two regions at a meeting held online Tuesday. The Association of ASEAN Korean Chambers took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, joined by government officials and businesspeople. At the meeting, Ahn Byung-hwa, deputy chief of the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy, introduced seven major tasks, such as comprehensive colla

Industry Dec. 23, 2020

There is some unfortunate news for those who planned to go skiing, who already booked a nice restaurant or hotel room for a party or who wanted to go to the seaside for the New Year’s sunrise. Private gatherings of five or more people in Seoul and surrounding areas will be banned and popular tourist spots will be shut down starting midnight Wednesday, as health authorities scramble to curb the spread of the coronavirus over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Although the government ti

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2020

A massive coronavirus outbreak has been discovered at a detention center in southeastern Seoul, with the source of infection remaining unknown. As of Monday morning, a total of 215 people -- including 185 inmates -- tested positive for the virus at the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center, according to health authorities, after some 3,557 inmates and staff members underwent testing on Friday. District courts in Seoul are on alert as many of the inmates from the detention center are said to have att

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2020

South Korea saw a record number of unemployed foreign nationals this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, mostly because fewer foreigners entered the country and temporary and manual jobs were lost, government data showed Monday. The number of unemployed foreign nationals was 69,500 as of May, up 38.2 percent from the previous year, marking the biggest on-year jump. The figure is the highest since relevant data began to be compiled in 2012, according to Statistics Korea. The unemployment rate o

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2020

The more news you watch about the coronavirus, the more likely you are to develop prejudice, fear and anxiety about getting infected, a study showed Thursday. According to a survey of 1,500 adults by a research team led by psychiatry professor Kim Sung-wan at Chonnam National University Medical School, there was a noticeable decrease in prejudice, fear and anxiety among those who have more knowledge of COVID-19. But consuming news on COVID-19 via mass media did not help people gain knowledge

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2020

South Korea’ daily COVID-19 cases surpassed 1,000 for the first time on Sunday, the highest total since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak here in January, as the government’s antivirus restrictions appear to be bearing little fruit. Calling the current situation “the biggest crisis” since the pandemic arrived here, President Moon Jae-in warned that the country will have to consider enforcing the toughest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn’t s

Social Affairs Dec. 13, 2020

South Korea’s health authorities said Thursday that they would expand anonymous COVID-19 testing and enable anyone to be tested for the virus regardless of symptoms, as the country struggles to flatten the curve. 　 Korea added 682 coronavirus cases -- 646 locally transmitted and 36 originating from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Wednesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 　 Thursday’s daily case count marks a slight decrease from a day e

Social Affairs Dec. 10, 2020

South Korea reported nearly 700 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, second-highest daily total since the beginning of the outbreak here in January, despite tightened antivirus restrictions in place nationwide. Korea added 686 coronavirus cases -- 662 locally transmitted and 24 originating from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Tuesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Wednesday’s daily case count is the highest ever apart from Feb. 29 when the dai

Social Affairs Dec. 9, 2020

Transmission routes were unknown for 1 in 5 coronavirus cases reported over the past two weeks in South Korea as of Tuesday, signaling a tough battle in reining in the spread of the virus as the world watches COVID-19 vaccinations begin in the UK. Korea added 594 coronavirus cases -- 566 locally transmitted and 28 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Monday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. For the past two weeks, transmission routes for 2

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2020

President Moon Jae-in ordered the government Monday to step up its contact-tracing and testing capacities in the Seoul metropolitan area as the country battles “the biggest crisis” since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. 　 Despite a fall in the number of coronavirus tests carried out over the weekend, South Korea added 615 coronavirus cases -- 580 locally transmitted and 35 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Sunday at midnight, according to

Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2020

Tougher antivirus restrictions will take effect in Seoul starting Saturday, with a record number of new daily COVID-19 cases reported in the capital and the country’s daily case count surpassing 600 on Friday. The spike in coronavirus cases is also fueling fears of the health system becoming overwhelmed, causing shortages of hospital beds and other resources for critically ill patients. At this pace, according to health officials, hospital beds can be expected to run out in 10 to 14 days

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2020

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case count topped 500 for the second consecutive day Friday, prompting health authorities to consider further tightening social distancing measures amid a full-blown third wave of infections across the country. The country reported 569 new cases -- 525 locally transmitted cases and 44 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Thursday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 A day earlier, Korea saw the daily cas

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2020

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case count soared to 583 on Thursday, the highest single-day increase in virus cases since early March amid a full-blown third wave of infections across the country. The country reported 553 locally transmitted cases and 19 cases imported from overseas in the 24 hours ending Wednesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 It is the first time that the country’s daily virus cases have exceeded 500 since March 6,

Social Affairs Nov. 26, 2020

A series of symposiums to celebrate the winners of this year’s Nobel Prizes and their accomplishments will be held online Tuesday, according to the Swedish Embassy in South Korea. Organized by the embassy, the Sweden-Korea Nobel Memorial Program 2020 will consist of three symposiums, where Korean and Swedish experts from partner universities and institutions will discuss this year’s Nobel awards in literature, economics and the sciences. The event opens with a science session, wh

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 25, 2020