Articles by Ock Hyun-ju
Ock Hyun-ju
laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com-
Kindergartens, schools in Gyeonggi Province to remain closed until end of February
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
-
KCCI vies to beef up Korea-ASEAN biz partnership
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
-
[Q&A] Ban on gatherings of 5 or more people explained
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
-
[Newsmaker] Concerns mount over COVID-19 outbreak at detention center
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
-
Unemployed foreigners hit record high
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
-
Coronavirus news overload increases prejudice, fear and anxiety: study
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
-
S. Korea’s new daily COVID-19 cases top 1,000 for first time
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
-
Korea to expand COVID-19 testing amid 'biggest' wave of pandemic
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
-
S. Korea reports nearly 700 new cases, 2nd-highest daily increase since January
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
-
Infection route of 1 in 5 COVID-19 cases unknown
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
-
South Korea faces 'biggest crisis' in fight against COVID-19
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
-
S. Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases top 600
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
-
COVID-19 cases top 500 for 2nd day amid third wave
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
-
COVID-19 cases surge to 583
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
-
Symposiums to be held to celebrate 2020 Nobel Prizes
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
Most Popular
-
1
Confusion over alleged S. Korean drone intrusion: Who's behind it?
-
2
South Korean military has ‘nothing to confirm’ on North Korea preparing border artillery corps to shoot
-
3
Han Kang’s Nobel Prize opens new horizons for Korean literature
-
4
K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts
-
5
2 Filipinas who left pilot program cite overwork, excessive surveillance
-
6
SK heiress weds Chinese American entrepreneur
-
7
Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return
-
8
Border tensions heighten as North Korea builds up drone incursion claims
-
9
[News Focus] Momentum builds for 3-way summit by end of year
-
10
Busan film fest ends with lingering controversy over streaming platform presence