Around 200 South Korean nationals stranded in Peru after the country sealed its borders and halted all flights amid the global coronavirus pandemic will be able to return home on a charter flight this week. 　 The flight, operated by Mexican airline Aeromexico, is set to take off from Lima on Thursday afternoon and arrive at Incheon International Airport, according to the Korean Embassy in Peru on Monday. 　 The total number of passengers has yet to be confirmed but is estimated to be around 20

Foreign Affairs March 23, 2020

South Korea began mandating novel coronavirus testing for all arrivals from Europe -- citizens and foreigners alike -- on Sunday amid concerns about the growing number of imported cases of COVID-19, now that the continent has become the new epicenter of the global pandemic.  　 Upon entering the country, those with COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, coughing or sore throat will get tested in separate quarantine facilities. Asymptomatic travelers will be taken to temporary accommodations near

Social Affairs March 22, 2020

 South Korea saw another climb in novel coronavirus cases on Friday, as new clusters of infection have been detected at nursing homes in Daegu, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak here, and increasing cases from overseas are being confirmed, officials said Saturday.    A total of 147 new cases were reported, bringing the nation’s total infections to 8,799, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The daily tally saw an uptick from the previous d

Social Affairs March 21, 2020

The South Korean government sent a charter flight to Iran on Thursday and evacuated 80 people from the Middle Eastern country, which is struggling with a severe coronavirus outbreak. 　 The Asiana Airlines flight departed from Al Maktoum International Airport near Dubai at 8:05 a.m. (Korean time), carrying 74 Korean nationals and six Iranian family members, and arrived at Incheon International Airport on Thursday at around 4:30 pm. The passengers had flown to Dubai on an Iran Air flight. 　 Up

Foreign Affairs March 19, 2020

  Korean authorities are on alert as additional clusters of the novel coronavirus infections emerged in Daegu, the epicenter of the local outbreak, despite a relative slowdown in new cases nationwide. 　 On Wednesday, Korea reported 93 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nation’s total to 8,413, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It marks the fourth straight day that the number of new cases remained in double digits rather than triple. Three more people d

Social Affairs March 18, 2020

With the novel coronavirus spreading fast around the world, a growing number of South Koreans living in hard-hit countries such as Italy and France are seeking to flee home. 　 There are some 5,000 Korean nationals residing in Italy, where COVID-19 has killed more than 2,000 people and sickened nearly 28,000, making it the worst-affected country outside of China, where the virus emerged late last year. 　 Korean residents there are arranging a charter flight to Korea, according to news reports.

Foreign Affairs March 17, 2020

Korean authorities on Monday said a Russian linked to al-Qaida posing as a refugee had been expelled.  The Russian national, who was not identified, served as an instructor for fighters of the Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-linked jihadist group in Syria, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.  The instructor was arrested on Jan. 15 in South Korea at a residence and was immediately deported to Russia. At the time, the militant remained silent and refused to answer any question

Social Affairs March 16, 2020

South Korea on Monday extended special quarantine measures to cover arrivals from Europe, amid the surge in coronavirus cases in the region. 　 Previously six countries from the continent -- Italy, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Netherlands -- were subject to tougher screening procedures. Similar measures have now been in place on arrivals from China, Japan, Iran, Hong Kong and Macao. 　 South Korean nationals and foreigners arriving from Europe are required to have their temperatures checke

Foreign Affairs March 16, 2020

The US has welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s proposal for leaders of the Group of 20 countries to hold a video conference to address the escalating coronavirus outbreak, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday.  Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with his US counterpart Robert O’Brien to discuss ways for the two allies to cooperate on handling COVID-19. During their conversation, Chung explained Moon’s idea for a special video

Foreign Affairs March 15, 2020

North Korean diplomat Choe Kang-il, an expert on US affairs, has been appointed as the new ambassador to Austria, replacing a son-in-law of the country’s founder Kim Il-sung, according to North’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.  Choe, a deputy director general for North American affairs at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, has been part of nuclear talks with the US, including working-level negotiations ahead of US-North Korea summits in Singapore and Hanoi. He was

North Korea March 15, 2020

As South Korea grapples with a shortage of face masks during the prolonged novel coronavirus outbreak, a rather unconventional idea is being floated: using the shuttered Kaesong industrial park to produce masks for both Koreas. 　 The joint inter-Korean complex in North Korea’s border city of Kaesong, North Hwanghae Province, has the capacity to manufacture protective masks and reusable cotton masks to meet the needs of South Korea’s population of 51 million, according to Kim Jin-hy

North Korea March 11, 2020

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry raised the travel alert for two additional regions of Italy effective Monday, amid the fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases.  Seoul issued a “yellow warning,” which calls for travel restraint and is the third-highest in the country’s four-notch warning system, for Piedmont and Marche in Italy’s northwest and central east, respectively.  There are now five provinces in Italy with a “yellow warning,” including Lo

Foreign Affairs March 10, 2020

South Korea and Japan tightened border controls Monday over fears of the novel coronavirus, reigniting a long-standing spat.  Both countries suspended their 90-day visa waiver programs for each other, while deciding to invalidate visas already issued. Meanwhile, Japan mandates all visitors from Korea to go into quarantine for two weeks upon arrival. Seoul is also enforcing special entry procedures, including temperature checks and health examinations.  　 Flights between both countri

Foreign Affairs March 9, 2020

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry raised the travel alert for all regions of Japan on Saturday, amid growing concerns about the number of COVID-19 cases there.  Effective Monday Seoul advised “restraint,” representing the third level in the country’s four-notch warning system. A week ago it advised “caution,” a warning one notch lower.  The ministry cited growing concerns about the continued spread of the coronavirus in Japan and how it could affect

Foreign Affairs March 7, 2020

The World Health Organization on Friday (Geneva time) urged countries to “stand together” on COVID-19, in response to the renewed diplomatic row between Seoul and Tokyo over travel restrictions in response to the outbreak.  “COVID-19 is a common enemy,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters during a press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Geneva. “And the only way we can beat this virus is when we stand together. …

Foreign Affairs March 7, 2020