The high concentration of COVID-19 related deaths in patients at Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, appears to be linked to existing medical conditions aggravated by the novel coronavirus. As of Monday, eight people confirmed for COVID-19 have died in Korea, five of whom were patients at Daenam Hospital: the first, second, fourth, sixth and seventh reported deaths. According to authorities, the first and second deaths resulted from COVID-19 aggravating existing pne

President Moon Jae-in on Friday called for an inspection of events linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in tracking the COVID-19 outbreak. “A thorough inspection of attendees of services and the funeral is needed,” Moon said at an emergency briefing by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus is at the center of the COVID-19 outbreak in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. The religious sect is considered heretical by mainstream Christian churches. T

The novel coronavirus outbreak in Korea has reached a turning point, with fears of transmission within local communities appearing to have been realized. As of Thursday evening, 104 people here have been confirmed to have the COVID-19 virus, with a large portion of new cases apparently having contracted the virus from the 31st patient, who has no recent record of traveling overseas or coming into contact with other confirmed patients. Following the developments, the government is changing it

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday again called on the government to do all it can to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Moon said the outbreak has created an “emergency economic situation” that calls for extraordinary measures, and stressed the need to cooperate with neighboring countries. “Extraordinary situations need extraordinary measures. Preemptive response and special measures for both the people’s safety a

President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for close cooperation among economy-related government bodies in reviving the economy and dealing with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. “Economic ministries have the important task for realizing clear changes in people’s livelihoods and the economy. (Their) shoulders have become heavier due to the COVID-19 situation,” Moon said at the annual operations briefing by economy-related government organizations. The bodies that held t

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday urged the country’s corporate community to go ahead with investments as planned, calling on business leaders to work with the government to minimize the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the country’s largest conglomerates and business associations at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Moon said the outbreak was holding back Korea’s economic recovery but the situation would end soon -

The isolation period ended Wednesday for three patients infected with the novel coronavirus, pushing up the number of fully recovered patients in Korea to seven. Including the recovered patients, the number of confirmed cases in Korea stands at 28. The third batch of evacuees from Wuhan, China’s Hubei province -- 147 Koreans and Chinese nationals who are family members of Korean nationals -- arrived here via a flight chartered by the Korean government. Seven of them were sent to a hospi

South Korea’s latest confirmed case of the coronavirus has raised alarm over the virus’s incubation period and the country’s quarantine measures. The latest case, the 28th patient, is a 30-year old Chinese national who was confirmed Tuesday. Authorities believe she is likely to have contracted the virus from the third patient. The third patient is a 54-year old Korean male who arrived in Korea from Wuhan on Jan. 20, and was confirmed and isolated Jan. 26. With the last con

The South Korean government plans to airlift some 150 Korean nationals and their immediate family members from Wuhan, China, on Tuesday. The government’s coronavirus response team said Monday that plans are being finalized with Beijing and that this time Chinese nationals who are immediate family members of Koreans will be allowed to leave the Chinese city. Parents, partners and children of South Korean nationals are allowed to board the flight. China had prohibited Chinese nationals

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Friday that the Seoul Human Resource Development Center in southern Seoul will be used to house many of those currently in home quarantine for the new coronavirus.  The facility will be used to house people required to go into quarantine who have difficulty getting around or have no one living with them who can provide care, or if the infection is deemed likely to spread among family members. The head of the public health center in each distr

Subway lines crisscross Seoul, with stations dotting the roadsides. With a combined length of nearly 1,000 kilometers and over 340 stations, the subway is an inseparable part of Seoul’s underground. For years, the role of the stations has been focused on utility and commercial aspects. However, many stations have taken on new functions.  Jonggak Station in central Seoul is one such station, and it is now home to an underground garden whose plants bask in real sunlight. The garde

South Korea on Thursday saw the highest number of novel coronavirus cases being confirmed in one day, adding to growing fears about an epidemic here. On Thursday, the government coronavirus response team revealed that four individuals -- tagged the 20th to 23rd patients -- have been confirmed, pushing up the total to 23. Meanwhile, another patient has made a full recovery and was set to be released later in the day. The patient set for release Thursday is a 35-year old Chinese national, who

South Korea on Wednesday confirmed three more cases of coronavirus infection, pushing up the total to 19, while the second confirmed patient was released from hospital later in the day. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention three more people have been confirmed to have the virus, including another individual who appears to have contracted the virus in a third country. The patient discharged is a 55-year-old man who was the second Korean to be infected with the vi

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday called for economic measures to be drawn up and implemented swiftly to minimize the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, saying the government must prepare for the worst. “Preparing against the worst-case scenario in which the situation becomes protracted, measures to minimize the impact on and damage to our economy must be drawn up quickly,” Moon said at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. The weekly Cabinet meeting focused on the government’

The continuing coronavirus crisis is raising the pressure on the Moon Jae-in administration, as it scrambles to deal with the outbreak. On Monday, the government announced more measures announced to tackle the situation, while Minister of Health and Welfare assessed the situation, hinging on developments over the next seven to 10 days. “(The virus) continues to spread in China, so a week to 10 days from now will be very important,” Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said at a meeting

President Moon Jae-in on Friday sought an “extraordinary response” from his top administration officials to contain the coronavirus situation. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon urged Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to play a central role in government ministries’ response, expressing concern about the spread of the virus in Korea. On Friday, five more Koreans were confirmed to be infected with the new strain of coronavirus. Three of the patients contracted the virus in Korea,

The first group of Koreans evacuated from Wuhan, China, arrived in Korea on Friday. 　 The flight carrying 368 Koreans out of the Chinese city at the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak arrived at Gimpo International Airport just before 8 a.m. One person was barred from boarding the flight in Wuhan after symptoms were detected. At Gimpo, passengers were screened for symptoms associated with the coronavirus infection. Of these, 14 people were sent to the National Medical Center and fou

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday asked for public trust in the government’s efforts to contain the new coronavirus, pledging secure management of facilities housing Koreans returning from China’s Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak. Speaking at a meeting to assess the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, which included an evacuation plan of South Korean nationals from the Chinese city, Moon called on ministries to deal sternly with “fake news&rdqu

The chartered flight for taking South Koreans out of Wuhan, China will be limited to those without any related symptoms, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday. The decision directly contradicts Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo’s statement earlier in the day.  According to the Health Ministry, the four chartered flights out of Wuhan will be limited to those without symptoms, in line with Chinese authorities’ decision. A Health Ministry official said

Seoul plans to bring back South Koreans based in Wuhan, China, regardless of whether they show symptoms associated with the new coronavirus infection, the health minister said Wednesday. Speaking at a meeting with associations of medical professionals, Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo said that all Koreans who apply to return on flights chartered by the South Korean government will be brought back to the country.  “Those showing symptoms will be carried on a separate