Global map of COVID-19 cases

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South Korea   Cases 10,423｜Deaths 204

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  Social affairs

  [From the scene] Back to school – at home

  • S. Korea's new cases drop below 40

• Economy
  

  BOK freezes rates at record-low, projects bleak economic outlook

  South Korea has more room for monetary policy, says central bank chief

• Foreign Affairs
  

  S. Korea to invalidate short-term visas, halt visa waivers for 90 countries starting Monday

  South Korea on Thursday said it will invalidate short-term visas for all foreign nationals starting Monday. It will also temporarily halt visa waiver programs for 90 countries that bar entry to Koreans, amid concerns over a growing number of coronavirus infections coming from overseas. 　 The new restrictions are due to come into effect at midnight on April 13 at the port of departure, according to a joint press release from the foreign and justice ministries. 　 The officials said the number o

• Economy
  

  Job losses unavoidable amid pandemic: finance minister

  Government expands family care subsidy to 500,000 won for 10 days

• Social affairs
  

  Korea’s daily virus tally drops to 7-week low: ministry

  South Korea’s daily infection tally on Thursday fell to 34 -- the lowest since Feb. 20, the eve of its first COVID-19 spike induced by a “superspreading event” at a church in Daegu. The total now stands at 10,423, according to the Health Ministry figure. The worst may have passed for Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province -- whose cases together account for 77 percent of the national total -- which added four and zero cases, respectively. But mor

• Social affairs
  

  Concern grows over recurring cases of COVID-19

  Nursing home in North Gyeongsang Province reports 11 rediagnoses

• Politics
  

  Moon vows W210b funds for COVID-19 vaccine R&D

  President Moon Jae-in on Thursday pledged 210 billion won ($172 million) for the development of medicines and vaccines, including one for the novel coronavirus, saying he wants the country to lead the world not just in virus control but also in the prevention and cure of COVID-19. Presiding over a meeting of five related parties -- the government, academia, research institutions, hospitals and pharmaceutical firms -- Moon promised to cut the red tape to expedite clinical trials. “Wit

• Social affairs
  

  [News Focus] Compared with OECD average, South Korea has far fewer foreign residents

  SEJONG -- The number of foreign residents in South Korea has risen dramatically over the past few decades, during which the nation hosted major international sports festivals including the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, data showed. But the data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that Korea has far fewer foreign residents in proportion to its population, compared with other member countries. The OECD defines a foreign national as som

• Industry
  

  Coronavirus testing time to shorten from 6 hours to 20 minutes: DGIST

  South Korean scientists in Daegu have developed a diagnostic kit that will cut down the COVID-19 testing time from previous six hours to 20 minutes. This diagnostic agent has been transferred to a diagnostic kit maker called Mmonitor, whose website crashed due to heavy traffic as of 11 a.m., Thursday, upon the announcement by Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology. According to DGIST, its new diagnostic agent makes it possible to amplify genetic information of the coronavir

NEWSMAKER

• Foreign Affairs

  

  US ambassador to South Korea is discussing plans to resign: sources

  US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris has said privately that he does not plan to stay on beyond the November US presidential election, regardless of whether President Donald Trump wins another term, five sources told Reuters. Harris, a 40-year veteran of the US Navy who started in Seoul in 2018 after Trump appointed him, has expressed increasing frustration with the tensions and drama of his tenure, the sources said, all speaking on condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensiti

LATEST NEWS

• Today

  

  Industry

  [Photo News] Unexpected job interview with CEO

  SK Innovation President and CEO Kim Jun (right) conducts a job interview with a candidate via video conference amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak at the company’s headquarters in Jongro-gu, Seoul, Wednesday.   Kim called for “unprecedented measures to overcome unprecedented times.”  Candidates were not informed of the CEO’s participation in advance. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

• Today

  

  Foreign Affairs

  Moon, Modi agree on 'people-first' approach to coronavirus crisis

  The leaders of South Korea and India agreed Thursday on the importance of making people's lives and health the top priorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, Cheong Wa Dae said. Speaking by phone with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world would change following the COVID-19 outbreak, as it did after World War II. He was quoted as saying that people should be at the heart of all policies and strategies, going forward. Moon pointed out Modi's cal

• Today

  

  Industry

  Samsung requests compliance committee to defer Lee Jae-yong’s apology to May

  Samsung Electronics has requested an external compliance monitoring committee to defer the timing of its heir’s public apology to next month, according to the committee Thursday. The committee led by former Chief Justice Kim Ji-hyung last month had urged Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to apologize to the public on the group’s past scheme to succeed leadership from Chairman Lee Kun-hee. The letter was sent to seven Samsung affiliates governed by Lee, offering 30 days of consid

• Today

  

  Industry

  Electricity bill payments deferred to alleviate coronavirus shock

  State-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. said Wednesday it would delay electricity bill payments for small businesses and underprivileged families struggling from the coronavirus outbreak. According to Kepco, small business owners using residential, industrial and general electricity and the underprivileged currently receiving fixed welfare discounts on electricity bills will be eligible for delaying their monthly payments for three months each from April to June. The application period

• Today

  

  Industry

  Hyundai Oilbank takes full responsibility for medical bills of ‘stench’ incident victims

  South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank apologized Thursday to the victims of “stench” incident at its refinery located in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, promising full medical support for their recovery. The company said it would pay the medical bills of local residents affected by the stench that originated from its refinery around 10:20 a.m. Wednesday, while the facility was burning remaining LPG inside the pipes to prepare for the upcoming regular turnaround. “Hyunda

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SPOTLIGHT

• Film

  

  'Time to Hunt’ release postponed again

    Netflix announced Thursday that it would tentatively push back the release of “Time to Hunt” after a local court prohibited the film’s distribution by Netflix outside South Korea. “Due to the court ruling yesterday, we’ve been forced to postpone the global premiere of ‘Time to Hunt,’” Netflix said in an official statement. The global release had been scheduled for April 10. The dystopian action film from Yoon Sung-hyun, which was origin

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  Arts&Design

  MMCA awarded Exhibition of the Year at Asia Art Pioneers Award

  The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) was co-awarded at the Asia Art Pioneers Award 2019 for the exhibition “Awakenings: Art in society in Asia 1960s-1990s” which was held last year at the museum’s Gwacheon venue. The exhibition, which was co-hosted by South Korea, Singapore and Japan, encompasses artworks from 100 representative artists from the late 18th century in 13 Asian countries. The tour of the exhibition started in Japan in October 2018 an

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  K-pop

  (G)I-dle partners with Republic Records for US push

  K-pop girl group (G)I-dle has partnered with Republic Records to officially enter the North American market, the band’s agency said Thursday. Republic Records is a major US music label under Universal Music Group, home to high-profile artists including Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. It is making a big push into K-pop more recently, having established partnerships with K-pop groups Twice and TXT. “We are excited to be teaming up with the multi-talented girl group (G)I-DLE as they

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  Culture

  Information on Silla’s Wolseong Palace made available in 3 languages

  The Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday announced that it has created material about the site of Wolseong, also known as Moon Palace, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in three foreign languages -- English, Chinese, Japanese. Wolseong was a royal dwelling of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), and stood until the kingdom collapsed. An archaeological dig by the CHA in 2017 led to the discovery of bones of two people under the west walls of Wolseong Palace, suggesting that the

GRAPHIC NEWS

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EDITORIAL

• Populist competition

  Reckless spending pledges by rival parties come amid mounting national debt

• E-learning concerns

  Ministry must reduce digital inequality, utilize private-sector resources

VIEWPOINTS

THE INVESTOR

• Finance

  

  Businesses brace for liquidity crisis by selling assets

  　Facing a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus crisis, South Korean companies have sold off their assets, including real estate and equities, to keep enough cash in their vaults, according to the Korea Exchange on April 9. 　From January to April 7, 29 companies sold a combined 1.5 trillion won ($1.23 billion) worth of tangible assets, compared to 481.6 billion won worth assets sold by 18 companies during the same period last year, the bourse operator said. 　Most of the asset sales w

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  Finance

  Brokerages on alert as overseas real estate investments suffer losses

  South Korean brokerages are on high alert as funds related to foreign real estate -- and their direct investment in property ownership abroad -- are likely to suffer losses under the intensifying pandemic situation, according to industry sources on April 8. 　As the current crisis sends property values tumbling with market chaos in major countries, S&P Global REIT index has plummeted 31.87 percent from the beginning of this year, while S&P plunged 17.55 percent in the cited period. 　Ac

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  Deals

  Hotel Shilla closes $121m deal to buy stake in 3Sixty Duty Free

  Hotel Shilla, a South Korean operator of luxury hotels and duty-free shops, has closed a $121 million transaction to buy a 44 percent stake in US duty-free shop operator Travel Retail Group Holdings, known for the in-flight retailing service 3Sixty Duty Free, a filing showed on April 8. 　The deal, closed on April 7, allowed the hotel and duty-free unit under Samsung to become the second-largest shareholder after 3Sixty Chairman Bernard Klepach. It marks Hotel Shilla’s first investment in

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  Mobile & Internet

  Tech firms mobilize AI capabilities to fight COVID-19

  Artificial intelligence has a great chance to prove its worth in the ongoing global war against the novel coronavirus. 　From garnering data about the pandemic to analyzing transmission patterns, providing information about prevention and diagnosing contamination, a variety of AI programs are being used to contain the virus spread and related treatments. 　IBM, the world’s leading cloud platform and computing business, is mobilizing its AI and supercomputing capabilities to support gover

K-POP

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  (G)I-dle partners with Republic Records for US push

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  AleXa on becoming K-pop star, dancing in boots and cyborg aesthetic

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  AOMG to host charity live show online

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  (G)I-dle sings self-confidence in ‘I Trust’

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Technology

  

  ‘Materials key to stepping up flexible displays’

  Professor expects stretchable devices to arrive in five to 10 years, forecasts skin-attachable screens in future

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  K-pop

  AleXa on becoming K-pop star, dancing in boots and cyborg aesthetic

  Up-and-coming singer releases electro-pop EP after making a splash with cyberpunk concept

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  North Korea

  Young NK defectors’ school hopes dashed

  Students of Yeomyung School, an alternative high school for young North Korean defectors, had high hopes for the school’s relocation plan.   　 In a new location with a new building, they would have more spacious classrooms and a real playground with enough space to kick a ball during recess.   　 But those dreams were dashed late last year.   　 Met with strong resistance from residents in Eunpyeong-gu, a largely residential district in northern Seoul where the school was

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  Industry

  ‘With fried chicken, water beats beer’

  Water sommelier says demand for water quality differs among countries, awareness on premium water will increase in Korea

PHOTO NEWS

• Travel

  

  Befriend fluffy alpacas in Gangwon Province

  If you are looking for a picnic spot where you can bring your kids, trek through the woods and enjoy spring sunshine, check out this alpaca-themed park in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. The park, named Alpaca World, sits on an 360,000 square-meter plot where visitors can walk through and take a monorail ride around the area.  At certain spots, visitors can experience the mild-tempered animals that may try to eat parsnips out of your hands. You and your children can approach the animals

VIDEO

• Culture

  

  ‘Dalgona coffee’ is piping hot during social distancing

  The cafe-like beverage can be easily made at home, allowing people to reminisce about their daily lives

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  Education

  College students have tough time with online classes

  COVID-19 forces universities to shift to remote learning, but glitches abound

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  Education

  Online education now the new normal due to coronavirus pandemic

  As the start of the spring semester has been postponed over the coronavirus outbreak and online classes are encouraged to minimize infections in the classrooms, teachers are trying to adapt to remote teaching. The majority of universities in South Korea started to provide online classes. This comes as social distancing is the most effective way to prevent the cluster infections of COVID-19. Professors are notified that they should conduct their classes via online solutions through the end of

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  Social affairs

  Koreans adapt to mask rationing system to protect themselves against coronavirus

  South Korea introduced a mask distribution policy under which individuals can buy only two masks per week, a move aimed at resolving the dire shortage of the protective tool

MOST POPULAR

• S. Korea to cancel short-term visas, halt visa waivers for 90 countries
• S. Korea's new cases drop below 40
• Seoul orders nightclubs, discos to close until April 19
• Seoul to suspend visa waivers for countries that ban entry on South Koreans
• If not India’s Mahindra, what can save SsangYong Motor?
• Concern grows over recurring cases of COVID-19
• COVID-19 deaths surpass 200; 53 more infections reported
• No noticeable drop in foreigner arrivals despite mandatory quarantine: authorities
• Back to school – at home
• S. Korean schools to resume classes online as virus woes linger

FEATURES

• Social affairs

  

  Seoul orders nightclubs, discos to close until April 19

  The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday ordered the closure of entertainment establishments such as nightclubs and room salons until April 19, amid mounting concerns that mass infections may have occurred at a bar in the city.  　 Mayor Park Won-soon announced the measure, which bans people’s gatherings at such entertainment venues, not the business itself, to last until April 19, when the country’s social distancing measures are due to be lifted. 　 “With my autho

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  Social affairs

  Bar employee tests virus positive after contact with infected K-pop singer

  Night clubs and bars here were on high alert after it was revealed Tuesday that a female bar employee at one of Seoul’s biggest bar districts was confirmed with COVID-19. The employee, 36, whose test results turned out to be positive last Thursday, is believed to have contracted the COVID-19 after coming into contact with a virus patient, Yoon Hak of K-pop group Supernova, on March 26. The singer, 37, was diagnosed with the infection on April 1 and has since been in isolation at a medic

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  Social affairs

  Korea’s virus fight ‘may drag on for months, years’

  Health care workers see second wave of outbreak coming their way

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  Social affairs

  Red Cross delivers W33.4b worth of COVID-19 relief

  The Korean Red Cross said Tuesday that it had collected 53.5 billion won ($43.9 million) in donations since Feb. 27 to help fight the novel coronavirus, and spent 33.4 billion won of it on emergency relief. Masks, protective clothing and medical gloves worth 13.7 billion won have been delivered to medical institutions and staff treating COVID-19 patients. About 2.9 billion won was spent on providing masks and care packages to patients confirmed with the virus, and another 13.9 billion won wen

WEEKENDER

• Culture

  

  Brighten up home quarantine with home furnishings

  Amid virus crisis, online apps offer quick, convenient way to transform the home

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  Money

  How to raise W100m by 30: Millennial investment strategies

  Defying YOLO image, some millennials start investing in their 20s

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  Transport

  Hyundai or Benz: Why is Korea’s car market so polarised?

  History and strategy behind lopsided shares in Korean car market

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  Culture

  Love in a time of coronavirus

  Roses are red, violets are blue. The season of love is here, and the coronavirus is too. “I was supposed to get married on White Day but I delayed it to this fall due to the coronavirus,” a bride-to-be commented on Naver blog Make My Wedding, a popular online community with more than 38,997 members who are preparing for weddings. In Korea, White Day, which falls on March 14, sees men giving candy to women. On Valentine’s Day, women typically give chocolate to men. “I