Articles by Park Han-na
Park Han-na
hnpark@heraldcorp.com-
Ministry toughens up against hagwon defiant of social distancing measures
Schools are closed, but the vast majority of private educational institutions in Seoul continue to offer classes in defiance of the social distancing campaign, the Education Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry warned that the institutions could be forcibly shut down if they do not comply with the government’s guidelines to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which so far has killed over 120 people in South Korea. Starting Sunday, the government implemented stricter rules on so
Social Affairs March 24, 2020
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South Korea's coronavirus death toll reaches 100
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in South Korea reached 100 on Friday, about a month after it reported the first death. Two elderly patients infected with the virus died in the southeastern city of Daegu, hit hardest by the Covid-19 outbreak. The deceased were a 86-year-old woman, who had suffered from stroke for six years and a 92-year-old man with a history of diabetes, cerebral infarction and arrhythmia. About 60 others are critically ill, including a 26-year-old, health autho
Social Affairs March 20, 2020
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Residents of special disaster zones to be excluded from annual reserves forces training
South Korea said Friday that it had decided to exempt residents of the “special disaster zones” in the southeastern part of the county from reserve forces training this year. The exemption covers those who reside or work in Daegu, Gyeongsan, Cheongdo and Bonghwa, the Ministry of Defense said. “We decided to exempt reservists of the designated area from training sessions for the reserve forces this year for early recovery of economic damages and stabilization of local commu
Defense March 20, 2020
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Special screening procedures for all travelers to Korea
With the domestic spread of the novel coronavirus slowing down, the South Korean government will begin screening all international arrivals this week to prevent it from coming in from abroad. Special quarantine procedures will be applied to all travelers arriving here, not just foreign nationals but Koreans too, starting Thursday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday. Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip stressed that no one country can stop the virus si
Social Affairs March 17, 2020
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‘Do not gather in enclosed spaces,’ urges government
The government said Monday that mass gatherings could play a “pivotal role” in spurring greater community transmission of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, as new cases linked to churches stoked concerns here. Recent cases in the metropolitan area involved gatherings, such as religious services, where people had sustained close contact in enclosed spaces and this resulted in mass transmissions, Jung Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control, told reporters
Social Affairs March 16, 2020
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New infections drop to lowest level in 3 weeks
The South Korean government remains cautious on additional clusters of the novel coronavirus infections in Seoul and other populous cities, although new infections dropped below 100 for the first time in over three weeks Sunday. Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the government was considering virus screening on all international arrivals, not just foreign nationals but Koreans returning from overseas. “It has become pointless to enforce special measures on arrivals from (only) spe
Social Affairs March 15, 2020
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Virus spread continues to slow, 76 new infections reported
South Korea reported 76 new cases of coronavirus and three more deaths on Sunday, bringing the nation’s total infections to 8,162 and death toll to 75, according to health authorities. New infections dropped below 100 for the first time in over three weeks since Feb. 21. Of the new cases, 45 were confirmed in the southeastern city of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province at the heart of the country’s virus outbreak. In the aftermath of mass transmission at a call center in Guro-
Social Affairs March 15, 2020
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2,500 beds secured for patients with mild symptoms
In response to a spike in the coronavirus caseload, South Korea has turned private dormitories and state-run training facilities into hospital wards now housing over 2,500 patients with mild symptoms. As of Wednesday morning, 2,358 COVID-19 patients in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province have been admitted to 13 such facilities across the country, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. The virus treatment centers make use of existing facilities, such as tr
Social Affairs March 11, 2020
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[Feature] Lack of volunteers at soup kitchens hits people living in poverty
Homeless people and poor senior citizens are doing without hot meals as soup kitchens shut down and volunteers shun crowds in the aftermath of the new coronavirus outbreak that has killed dozens here. Soup kitchens are desperately waiting for the crisis to wane so they can normalize their service. The Angel Soup Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that operates 26 centers across the country, shut down its sites Feb. 5. The decision was made to protect recipients -- low-income senior citize
Social Affairs March 10, 2020
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Cases with potentially longer incubation periods emerge
Medical experts are scurrying to analyze new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus involving newborn babies, pregnant women and those who tested positive after their quarantine ended. So far, eight pregnant women have been placed in isolation after contracting COVID-19 in Daegu and Busan. One gave birth on Friday in Daegu, marking the first such birth in the country. The baby tested negative. Despite assurances from health authorities that mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy
Social Affairs March 9, 2020
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Seoul strains to stop virus deaths
South Korea continued to mobilize all possible resources to treat coronavirus patients on Wednesday, stung by a series of deaths outside hospitals, as it reported over 500 new cases. As of midnight Tuesday, the total number of reported coronavirus cases in Korea stood at 5,328, up 516 from the previous day, with the southeastern city of Daegu continuing to account for the lion’s share. The death toll rose to 33. In some 66 percent of the cases, mass infections occurred at places l
Social Affairs March 4, 2020
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516 more COVID-19 cases confirmed, total now at 5,328
The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has climbed to 5,328, with the southeastern city of Daegu continuing to account for the majority. The country had reported 516 more cases and four more deaths as of Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the new cases, 405 were confirmed in Daegu; 89 in North Gyeongsang Province; seven in Gyeonggi Province; three each in Busan and Ulsan; two each in Incheon and Gwangju; and one eac
Social Affairs March 4, 2020
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Parents’ woes deepen as school shutdown prolongs
Working parents in S. Korea are grappling with extended school closures as the coronavirus outbreak is showing no signs of abating. In an unprecedented move, the government on Monday postponed the start of the spring semester of all schools by an additional two weeks, adding to the woes of parents who are struggling to adjust their work schedules to look after their kids. Some 20,528 kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools across the country will kick off the new school year on
Social Affairs March 3, 2020
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Ahn Cheol-soo’s volunteer work in Daegu earns praise
Photos of “Ahn Cheol-soo the physician” -- appearing in sweaty blue medical scrubs at a hospital in the virus-hit city of Daegu -- appear to have won the hearts of many who might not have supported him as a politician. Ahn, a medical doctor and entrepreneur before he turned to politics, continued his volunteer work for a second day on Monday at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital to treat incoming patients who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Ahn and his wife,
Social Affairs March 2, 2020
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Measures on Daegu hospital shortage coming: Prime minister
The aggravating hospital bed shortage in Daegu has emerged as the most pressing issue in Korea’s desperate efforts to contain the virus, as over 1,600 patients in the virus-hit city remained at home awaiting hospitalization. At least two have died in the process. Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun said Sunday that the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Health and Welfare and Ministry of the Interior and Safety are devising a set of measures to attack the matter
Social Affairs March 1, 2020
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