South Korea reported the highest number of new daily COVID-19 cases since late August on Wednesday, amid the continued emergence of infection clusters from every corner of daily life. The country reported 382 new coronavirus cases -- 363 locally transmitted and 19 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Tuesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Wednesday’s case tally marked the highest figure since Aug. 27, when it stood at 434 amid a re

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2020

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday was awarded the “Strait of Magellan” Award by the Chilean government for his global leadership to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Ban, who now serves as chairman of the National Council on Climate and Air Quality as well as president and chair of the Global Green Growth Institute, won the award for his contribution in leading the international community to adopt Sustainable Development Goals and in reaching th

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2020

Health authorities on Tuesday urged members of the public to minimize social contact to help rein in a nationwide wave of COVID-19 infections as the country’s new daily cases bounced back to over 300. 　 The country reported 349 new coronavirus cases -- 320 locally transmitted and 29 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Monday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 　 “Please forgo your plans for year-end gatherings this year to preven

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2020

Antibody tests on young enlistees in the nation’s military showed immunity levels three times higher than average for all age groups, government data revealed Monday. Of the 6,959 enlisted soldiers aged between 20 and 22, whose samples were collected in September and October, 15 tested positive without having been previously diagnosed with COVID-19. Ten others with a history of COVID-19 also tested positive. This means 0.22 percent of the people considered uninfected had an immune r

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2020

An exhibition of extended reality content will open at Incheon Airport on Tuesday, as part of the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. Co-organized by the Embassy of France in Seoul and the French Institute, the exhibition, titled “Beyond Reality over Incheon Airport,” will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Dec. 13 at the airport’s Terminal 1. Under the theme of “traveling,” the exhibition features virtual reality projects – 360-degree vide

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2020

An online education fair for South Koreans interested in pursuing higher education in Europe will be held on Nov. 23-24, the Delegation of the European Union to Korea said Friday. The EU Delegation to Korea, together with embassies of the European nations in Seoul, will host “Study in Europe Fair 2020” in a fully virtual format, to be attended by 53 European universities and institutions from 17 countries, according to the EU Delegation to Korea. At the fair, which will be held e

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 20, 2020

The Greater Seoul area, home to half of South Korea’s population, is considered to have entered a third wave of COVID-19 infections, health authorities said Friday, as the country’s new daily coronavirus cases topped 300 for the third consecutive day. The country reported 363 new coronavirus cases -- 320 locally transmitted and 43 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Thursday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 “We see that

Social Affairs Nov. 20, 2020

South Korea’s new daily coronavirus cases exceeded 300 for the second consecutive day Thursday, with sporadic clusters of infections linked to everyday spaces posing a challenge to authorities’ fight to rein in another nationwide wave of COVID-19 infections. The country reported 343 new coronavirus cases -- 293 locally transmitted and 50 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Wednesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 New cluste

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2020

A webinar to analyze the situation on the Korean Peninsula and share Nordic experiences of peace mediation will be held on Tuesday, marking the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Hosted by embassies of Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway in Seoul and Yonsei University's GSIS Program in International Cooperation on peace and security, experts and scholars will discuss how Nordic experiences can help solve the decades-long nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula. The event open

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 18, 2020

South Korea faces a growing threat of another nationwide wave of COVID-19 infections as the country’s new daily coronavirus cases topped 300 on Wednesday, the highest number since August, with a spike in both locally transmitted and imported cases. The country reported 313 new coronavirus cases -- 245 locally transmitted and 68 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Tuesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control Agency.　 Health authorities are scrambling to contai

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2020

The government said Tuesday it is in the last stage of negotiations to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, including those being developed by Pfizer and Moderna. “There are about 10 vaccine candidates in Phase 3 trials. Excluding those lacking data or information about the clinical trials, there are about five vaccines we can purchase,” Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Korea Disease Control Agency, refusing to elaborate on details of the deals. He said the government is seeking to s

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2020

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case numbers could soar to 400 in four weeks should the current infection rate continue, health authorities warned Monday, due to increased contact among people and the winter season keeping people in enclosed spaces. 　 The rapid spread of the virus across the country might be imminent due to virus carriers showing no or mild symptoms, most of them relatively young, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s director, Jung Eun-kyeong, said at

Social Affairs Nov. 16, 2020

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case count topped 200 for the second consecutive day on Sunday due to sporadic clusters of infections, prompting health authorities to “seriously” consider tightening antivirus restrictions. 　 Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday that the government issued a “preliminary warning” for the Greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province grappling with surges in coronavirus cases.   　 Korea reported 208 new coronavirus cases -

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2020

For women in South Korean society, where many struggle to fit rigid beauty standards, getting skinnier and looking feminine has been a lifelong mission and working out has been mainly for weight loss. 　 But more and more women are challenging the perception that muscles are only for men, turning to strength training and team sports for their health, pleasure and self-satisfaction. 　 On Tuesday evening at a popular franchise gym in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, the weights section was predominan

Social Affairs Nov. 14, 2020

A series of workshops for Southeast Asian educators and scholars based in Korea will be held as part of efforts to increase their distance teaching capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic and boost ASEAN-Korea cooperation in the education sector.  Co-organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center and the Korea Education Research Information Service, workshops on online learning content and services will be offered for the Council of ASEAN Professors in Korea on Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, respectively. Under th

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 12, 2020