South Korea saw a triple-digit increase in new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time in a week on Thursday, as the country battles an uptick in both locally transmitted and imported cases. 　 Korea added 121 new coronavirus cases -- 104 locally transmitted and 17 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending midnight on Wednesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 　 It marks the first time the number of locally transmitted cases surpassed 100 since Sept. 24. Be

Social Affairs Oct. 22, 2020

The Employment Permit System is supposed to be a win-win solution for South Korean employers struggling to find workers and Asian workers seeking higher-paying jobs overseas. 　 The 16-year-old system, however, has been criticized for leaving workers vulnerable to abusive practices and even “slave-like” exploitation by employers.  At the center of the dispute is a clause in the legislation that effectively bans workers from changing workplaces.  'Modern-day slaves' A mi

Social Affairs Oct. 21, 2020

A surge in imported COVID-19 cases coming from overseas is again emerging as a threat to South Korea’s anti-virus fight as it struggles to put the virus sitaution stably under control. Korea added 91 new coronavirus cases – 57 locally transmitted and 34 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending midnight on Tuesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The country’s daily COVID-19 count has remained in the double-digit range for six consecutive

Social Affairs Oct. 21, 2020

South Korea will soon begin to see the impact of eased antivirus restrictions, health authorities said Tuesday, as it saw double-digit gains in the daily count of new COVID-19 cases for a fifth consecutive day. Korea added 58 new coronavirus cases -- 41 locally transmitted and 17 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending midnight on Monday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. “So far, the coronavirus situation is showing a stable trend. But it is about

Social Affairs Oct. 20, 2020

South Korea saw double-digit gains in the daily count of new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with clusters of infections at hospitals posing a threat to the government’s virus control efforts. 　 Korea added 76 new coronavirus cases -- 50 locally transmitted and 26 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending midnight on Sunday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 　 Monday’s tally is a drop from 91 posted from the previous 24-ho

Social Affairs Oct. 19, 2020

South Korea saw double-digit gains in its daily count of new COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day Sunday, with more students set to return to schools this week amid a stabilizing coronavirus situation. 　 Korea added 91 new coronavirus cases -- 71 locally transmitted and 20 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending at midnight Saturday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 　 Sunday’s tally marks an uptick from 73 posted Saturday and 47 Friday. 　 O

Social Affairs Oct. 18, 2020

One of the five grand palaces built during the 1392-1897 Joseon dynasty, Gyeonghuigung Palace, which means “Palace of Joy and Light,” is the least well-known and smallest of the palaces in Seoul. But the historic significance of the palace located west of the main palace of Gyeongbokgung equals that of its better known counterparts.  The palace, which was built during the reign of Gwanghaegun, the 15th king of Joseon, was completed in 1620 and served as a secondary palace for

Culture Oct. 17, 2020

When he applied for refugee status in 2016, Darwish Musab, a human rights campaigner and photojournalist from Egypt, said in his asylum interview that he was at risk of political persecution at home and had fled to South Korea in search of protection.   　 He was rejected.   　 But some time later, he found out there was something suspicious about his interview.   　 “In the written record of the interview, I was quoted as saying I used to work at a construction site, came

Social Affairs Oct. 15, 2020

South Korea’s daily count of new COVID-19 cases bounced back to a three-digit figure Thursday as health authorities warn against social gatherings that could lead to large-scale outbreaks among groups most vulnerable to the coronavirus.  Korea added 110 new coronavirus cases -- 95 locally transmitted and 15 imported from overseas -- according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The count marks an uptick from 84 posted a day earlier due to a cluster of infections de

Social Affairs Oct. 15, 2020

A Berlin district office on Tuesday deferred its order to remove the statue symbolizing the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery, in the face of strong resistance from activists and citizens. Reversing its earlier order to remove the Statue of Peace by Wednesday, the Mitte district’s office said the statue will remain for the time being until a court makes a ruling on a South Korean civic group’s request to invalidate the removal order. Stephan von Dassel, district mayor

Foreign Affairs Oct. 14, 2020

The Embassy of Switzerland in Korea will hold a retrospective in Seoul and Gwangju of Bruno Ganz, a renowned Swiss actor who has starred in many international award-winning films, starting Thursday. To commemorate the artist, who died at the age of 77 last year, the embassy said it would screen 14 films featuring the artist from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1 at Seoul Art Cinema in central Seoul, and from Nov. 1 to 9 at Gwangju Cinema in Gwangju. The event is hosted in cooperation with the Korean Associat

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 13, 2020

South Korea’s daily count of new COVID-19 cases bounced back to a three-digit figure Tuesday after five days of double-digit gains, largely due to a spike in cases coming from overseas and small-scale outbreaks traced to social gatherings. Korea added 102 new coronavirus cases -- 69 locally transmitted and 33 imported from overseas -- according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The tally marks an uptick from 98 cases posted a day earlier due to a surge in imported cas

Social Affairs Oct. 13, 2020

A legal battle to protect a statue erected in the German capital commemorating the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery began on Monday as Koreans based in Germany sought to invalidate a Berlin district office’s order to remove the statue. Korea Verband, a Germany-based civic organization with Korean ties, were set to file for an injunction in protest against the central Mitte district’s order to remove the statue, which was installed late last month with the city author

Foreign Affairs Oct. 12, 2020

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 case count fell to a double-digit figure Thursday after reporting a three-digit gain a day earlier, though health authorities remain on alert over a possible post-holiday resurgence.   　 Korea added 69 new COVID-19 cases -- 60 locally transmitted and nine imported from overseas -- according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.     　 The government said Thursday that it will announce Sunday whether it will maintain the curre

Social Affairs Oct. 8, 2020

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 case count bounced back to a three-digit figure Wednesday after six days of double-digit gains, putting the authorities on edge for what could be the beginning of a post-holiday resurgence. 　 Korea added 114 new COVID-19 cases -- 94 locally transmitted and 20 imported from overseas -- according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 　 One case was imported from China, where the coronavirus is believed to have originated, though its President Xi

Social Affairs Oct. 7, 2020