Nursing home workers in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, wait in line at the Heungkuk Gymnasium for the first round of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination on Friday. Booths set up around the gymnasium are where medical workers administer the vaccinations. (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna ( donnadsong@heraldcorp.com )

Residents of Suwon, which is classified as a “medium-to-small sized city” according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, could only receive social welfare benefits worth up to 90 million won for residential properties and 42 million won for other properties. However, the limit is raised to 120 million won and 69 million won for those living in the autonomous districts of special cities and metr...

Originally an offline game, Genoma Scenico is now online and allows users to choose cards that determine the choreography for the dancers. The workshop was held online from Feb. 1 to Tuesday at ATEC, the institute’s center for research and creative activity. Artists and 10 students worked to create realistic workshops with the guidance of dancer and dance professor Jang Hye-jin. To abide by the ...

Ricardo Calderon, as the recently appointed executive director of the Seoul-based Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), faces new challenges while working towards prospective goals he has for the forestry community. On a personal level, Calderon -- who is from the Philippines -- is simply facing difficulties being away from home and adjusting to the new environment in Seoul, as his fami...

Innovative administration “I will show you the essence of an ‘untact’ administration as a future city,” Eun promised. Seongnam has already spent about 1.3 billion won to install thermal cameras in 156 elementary, middle and high schools. It has supported the purchase of online learning tools. For the first time in Korea, all of its 59 lifelong learning courses have been offered online. Close to...

In order to help startups become self-sustaining, it plans to create venture investment funds linked to government-sponsored projects and triple the issue of Yongin Y-Pay to revitalize local businesses. In the urban and environmental sectors, over 660,000 square meters of parkland will be built on Gangsan Belt, which encompasses flat central parks, Pogok Urban Forest, Mohyeon Galdam Ecological F...

Arctic cold waves froze the water surrounding Jeongok Port and Gungpyeong Port in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday morning, as winter temperatures continued below zero. The boats appear to be frozen in place near Jeongok Port as they remained still, scattered across the water. People walked across on the solid ice, which once was a body of flowing water. (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna (...

Heavy snowfall overnight covers Seoul and its surrounding areas in white on Thursday morning. People struggle to commute to work as the cold weather and slippery roads disrupt travel. A snowman can be seen in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. The main palace Gyeongbokgung in central Seoul has transformed into a dazzling, winter wonderland, with its main throne hall, G...

The last sunrise of 2020 shines brightly on a beach at Gangneung of Gangwon Province on Thursday morning. An orange hue covers the horizon while ocean waves crash along the shore. The city of Gangneung banned entry to beaches along with nearby parking lots at 10 a.m. on Thursday to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by abiding by social distancing rules (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna ( donnadson...

The cold winter air swipes through central Seoul on Thursday morning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Puffs of warm breath can be seen swirling out from behind people’s masks in the frigid and windy weather. The weather remains in subfreezing temperatures as winter approaches its peak deeping into December. People walk through a park with hot drinks in their hands to keep warm during the day. Photos...

By bidding to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, South Korea is striving for an opportunity that will enhance its national competitiveness and the city’s global brand status. As the nation’s second-largest city, Busan will be the first city in Korea to hold a World Expo if the bid succeeds. It is Korea’s first attempt to host a World Expo after 137 years of taking part in such events, starting wi...

Leaves remain in vibrant red and orange colors on Thursday, as the cold hits Galsan Park in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. People take walks along the waterside with the clear winter sky painted across the background. The air looks to be free of fine dust, with buildings afar easily visible. Mulsorigil is covered in long reeds with hints of white snow covering the tips. Mallards fly through the...

The royal folding screen, Haehakbandodo, is to be displayed in a public exhibition in Korea for the first time in about 90 years after having been kept in the US. The National Palace Museum of Korea holds the exhibition slated for Friday and will run until Jan. 2021. The Haehakbandodo illustrates symbols of the sea, cranes and peaches, which represent prosperity and desire for longevity. Necessa...

Rev. Park Ock-soo, the founder of International Youth Fellowship (IYF), is seeking to build an education program for young people. Park shares his prospective ideas and outlook on possible alternatives to the program and for the youth amid the COVID-19 crisis. Park has developed “mind education,” which seeks to create a mindset that enables students to overcome difficulties, fulfill responsibili...

Students line up to get tested for COVID-19 on Thursday morning after a new case was reported at a middle school in Seo-gu in Gwangju. The infected student is said to have come into contact with another infected student from a different school and with family members as well. Medical workers in protective gear are preparing for COVID-19 testing at the school. COVID-19 cases are spreading in sch...