In the young Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, NC Dinos' leadoff man Park Min-woo is elevating the term "hitting machine" to a whole new level. In one of the most remarkable stats so far in 2020, Park has swung and missed on just one pitch in the strike zone. Park has been to the plate 48 times in 11 games through Sunday, and has seen 120 strikes. And he has fanned on exactly one of those 120 pitches, or 0.8 percent of the time. Park has put 43 of those strikes in play, foul

Baseball May 19, 2020

신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 사태로 닫혔던 학교 문이 20일 고등학교 3학년 개학을 시작으로 다시 열린다. 19일 교육계에 따르면 교육부는 고3 등교 개학을 20일 예정대로 진행하기로 했다. 등교 개학은 코로나19 사태로 5번 미뤄진 끝에 추진된다. 앞서 교육부는 전국 유치원과 초중고 등교 개학을 3월 2일에서 같은 달 9일·23일, 4월 6일로 연기한 바 있다. 이후 4월 9일로 네 번째 개학을 연기하면서 등교 대신 사상 초유의 학년별 순차적 온라인 개학을 도입했다. 이달 초 코로나19 신규 확산세가 주춤해지자 교육부는 5월 13일 고3을 시작으로 순차적 등교 수업을 진행하겠다고 발표했다가 이태원 클럽발 집단감염 우려가 고개를 들자 등교 개학을 일주일 또 연기했다. 결국 원래 개학일이던 3월 2일 이후로 따지면 79일 만에 개학하게 된 셈이다. 코로나19 감염 우려가 완전히 수그러들지 않았음에도 교육부가 등교 개학을 추진하는 것은 코로나

한국어판 May 19, 2020

도널드 트럼프 미국 대통령은 18일(현지시간) 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19)에 대비해 말라리아 치료제인 하이드록시클로로퀸을 일주일 넘게 매일 복용하고 있다고 밝혔다. 로이터통신 등에 따르면 트럼프 대통령은 이날 백악관에서 식당업계 대표들과 회동한 뒤 취재진과 질의응답에서 "지난 일주일 반 동안 매일 하이드록시클로로퀸과 아연보충제를 먹고 있다"고 밝혔다. 다만 그는 자신이 코로나19에 노출되지 않았으며 "증상은 없다(zero symptoms)"고 밝혔다.     트럼프 대통령은 주치의가 권한 것은 아니지만 자신이 복용을 원했다고 말했다. 그는 "나는 그것이 좋다고 생각해서 먹기 시작했다"면서 "여러가지 좋은 이야기를 들었다"고 말했다. 하이드록시클로로퀸은 트럼프 대통령이 코로나19 치료제 후보로 극찬한 약이다. 그러나 전문가들은 그 효능에 의문을 제기하

한국어판 May 19, 2020

South Korean shares opened sharply higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street that followed reports of positive results from a vaccine development test. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) surged 40.35 points, or 2.08 percent, to 1,977.46 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The stock market rally follows overnight gains on Wall Street, where hopes of COVID-19 vaccine development and a pledge from US Fed chief to support the economy helped boost investor sentim

Market May 19, 2020

North Korea is presumed to be facing a shortage of around 860,000 tons of grain this year amid worries that the coronavirus pandemic could aggravate the situation, a unification ministry official said Tuesday. The projection is based on an earlier estimate by a local state-run institute that the North produced around 4.64 million tons of grain last year, which was below the 5.5 million tons widely believed to a minimum amount needed to feed its 25 million people. "This year, the North wi

North Korea May 19, 2020

A former worker of a Samsung Electronics chipmaking plant has been recognized as an industrial accident victim for breast cancer, an advocacy group said Monday. The state-run Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service granted the recognition to the 46-year-old who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, about nine years after leaving the Samsung factory in Bucheon, west of Seoul, according to the group. The group has pushed to get the recognition on the ground that the former worker's

Social Affairs May 18, 2020

North Korea's official newspaper on Monday highlighted intensifying efforts in a provincial area to increase rice production as the country is striving to achieve "food self-reliance" amid worries about chronic food shortages cause by extreme weather and global sanctions. The Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North’s ruling party, carried comments made by local party officials in South Hwanghae Province, known as one of the country's breadbaskets, featuring their strong will and

North Korea May 18, 2020

South Korea's leading car-sharing app operator SoCar has teamed up with a local vehicle tech startup to launch an autonomous car shuttle service on the resort island of Jeju, the company said Monday. The collaboration with RideFlux Inc., which officially began earlier in the day, marks the first time that a so-called demand responsive transport service is being offered in the country. "Past operations were carried out under 'test conditions' with restrictions placed on traffic," SoC

Mobility May 18, 2020

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday suggested the need to spread "solidarity and cooperation" across the globe as nations struggle to stem the coronavirus pandemic. In a special speech for the World Health Assembly's video session, he described the approach as the "strongest weapon" against the virus. The speech was pre-taped and played at the forum of health ministers, which is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization. "One thing is absolute

Politics May 18, 2020

US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday it will ease quarantine restrictions this week for all areas but Seoul and nearby regions, allowing service members to dine at restaurants and conduct other off-base activities except visiting bars and clubs. The decision to lower the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level by one notch to the second-lowest "Bravo" from the current "Charlie" level came as South Korea has seen a marked slowdown in the number of new coronavirus cases. The

Defense May 18, 2020

Doosan Heavy & Construction Co., South Korea's top power equipment maker, said Monday that it will put about 400 employees under paid suspension as part of its self-rescue efforts amid a prolonged slump. The suspension is part of the company's efforts to tide over its liquidity crunch. The company drew up a 3 trillion-won ($2.4 billion) self-rescue plan last month. Workers subject to the paid suspension from this Thursday through the end of the year will be paid 70 percent of their monthl

Industry May 18, 2020

INCHEON -- An Incheon taxi driver, who had contact with a coronavirus-infected private academy instructor at the center of the port city's latest outbreak of cluster infections, and his wife have tested positive for the virus, municipal officials said on Monday, forcing more than 140 of his passengers to take COVID-19 tests. The driver, identified only as a 66-year-old man, drove the instructor -- who drew flak for lying about his occupation after his visit to Itaewon, a new coronavirus hotbed

Social Affairs May 18, 2020

BTS' Jungkook and three other K-pop idol singers visited Itaewon, the center of the recent outbreak of the new coronavirus in Seoul, together late last month but have tested negative for the virus, their agencies said Monday. A local internet-based daily reported earlier in the day that Jungkook, Jaehyun of NCT, Mingyu of Seventeen and Cha Eun-woo of Astro hung out at a restaurant and two different bars on April 25 in Itaewon, Seoul's most popular nightlife and multicultural neighborhood, whil

K-pop May 18, 2020

South Korean stocks closed higher Monday on hopes of global stimulus measures and rising oil prices. The local currency fell against the US dollar amid a renewed trade dispute between the United States and China. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 9.83 points, or 0.51 percent, to close at 1,937.11. Trading volume was moderate at about 752.7 million shares worth some 9.24 trillion won ($7.49 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 424 to 423. The index got off t

Market May 18, 2020

A 24-year-old alleged mastermind of a high-profile digital sexual exploitation ring was forced to stand in front of the public Monday following an earlier police decision to disclose his identity. Moon Hyung-wook, a university student, appeared before reporters at the Andong Police Station in Andong, 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in the afternoon before being handed over to the prosecution for further investigation and an indictment. He was put under pretrial detention on May 9 for crea

Social Affairs May 18, 2020