세계보건기구(WHO)가 아프리카 천연 의약품(herbal medicines)을 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 치료제 후보로서 시험할 수 있도록 허가했다. WHO, 아프리카 질병통제예방센터(CDC) 등은 19일(현지시간) 코로나19 치료를 위한 천연물 의약품의 3상 임상시험 규정을 승인했다고 AFP통신이 보도했다. 이 단체들은 천연물 의약품 임상시험 데이터를 관리하고 감시하는 기구 설립을 위한 헌장과 운영세칙(Terms of Reference)도 승인했다고 밝혔다. WHO 아프리카지부 소속 프로스퍼 투무시메 박사는 "코로나19 발병으로 보건 체계를 강화하고 연구개발 프로그램을 신속히 도입할 필요성이 커졌다"며 "여기에는 전통 의약품도 포함된다"고 설명했다. 그러면서 "전통 의약품이 안전하고, 효과적이며 품질이 보증되는 것으로 판단되면 WHO는 해당 약품의 신속하고 대규모 지역생산을 권고할 것"이라고 밝혔다. 이번

South Korean heath authorities are studying a possible case of a coronavirus reinfection found in a woman in her 20s, officials said Saturday. "Research on a suspected reinfection case is under way in the country," Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said in a press briefing. The patient, who was first diagnosed with COVID-19 in March, tested positive again in early April, he said. The authorities believe the woman was likely infected through

Two foreign workers were killed as a fire gutted a waste recycling facility located south of Seoul, authorities said Saturday. The incident occurred at around 4 a.m. inside a plastic waste recycling plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeongggi Province. The blaze appears to have been started by the explosion of a transverse kiln, firefighters said. The fire killed two foreign workers, whose identities were withheld, and burned down two buildings. About 100 tons of plastic waste were apparently stored in th

K-pop superstar BTS has delivered a performance of its new single "Dynamite" and several of its past hits at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in the United States. The seven-member boy band presented a prerecorded live stage performance of its new disco-pop single, along with its past hits -- "Make It Right," "Spring Day" and "Boy With Luv" -- at the event, which was streamed online Friday evening (US time). BTS was booked along with Alicia Keys, Migos, Th

The members of global K-pop superstar BTS on Saturday delivered a powerful motivational speech for South Korean youth, sharing candid tales of their inner struggles on the path to becoming one of the world's most popular music acts in history. The speech, delivered in turns by all of the group's seven members, was made at the country's inaugural Youth Day ceremony at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. BTS made history last month by becoming the first South Korean recording artists to reach

A worker at a Hyundai Motor plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan tested positive for the new coronavirus, local sources said Saturday. The man in his mid-30s was confirmed in the morning to have contracted COVID-19 and is now in good health, the municipality said. Sources said later he is a Hyundai Motor employee and works at the facility management department, not at assembly lines. Authorities are tracing his contacts and plan to test 25 people, including his co-workers, for the vir

Rep. Kim Hong-gul, the youngest son of late former President Kim Dae-jung, issued an apology Saturday, one day after he was expelled from the ruling party amid controversy over his dubious amassing of properties. The Democratic Party stripped the first-term lawmaker of party membership Friday for underreporting wealth and refusing to cooperate with an in-house probe. "I accept the party's decision on the expulsion heavily and solemnly," Kim said in a message sent to reporters. "

President Moon Jae-in pledged his administration's every effort to enhance fairness in South Korea's society and economy, as he addressed the country's inaugural Youth Day ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday. "We still hear the rage of young people who complain that unfairness still persists" despite the government's campaign for fairness and justice as well as an egalitarian society, Moon said during the event held at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound. Pr

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed in the 100s for the 17th consecutive day on Saturday, with local infections unabated in the greater Seoul area. The country added 110 more COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total caseload to 22,893, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).  The new cases mark a decline from 126 reported Friday but are higher than Tuesday's 106. Of the new cases, 106 were locally transmitted and the rest came from overseas

Russia plans to allow the resumption of flights to and from South Korea late this month, Russia's state coronavirus crisis center said.  Russia banned the entry of foreign nationals and international flights in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and has been lifting the ban gradually since August.  The government body announced Friday that flights between Moscow and Incheon, west of Seoul, will restart on Sept. 27 on a weekly basis.  Operations to and from Belarus, Kyrgyzs

A western border hiking trail along the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas will reopen to the public next week, about 11 months after its closure due to the outbreak of African swine fever, authorities said Saturday. The municipality of Paju of Gyeonggi Province, about 30 kilometers northwest of Seoul, said it will reopen its DMZ hiking trail to tourists next Tuesday. In consideration of the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus, however, the municipal government said it will limit the

President Moon Jae-in said Saturday that his Pyongyang summit accord with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should be implemented despite restraints at home and abroad, marking the second anniversary of its signing. He stressed that Seoul's commitment to peace remains firm, while the agreement has not been fulfilled speedily due to "internal and external restraints." In a message posted on Facebook, the president recalled his historic speech in front of 150,000 Pyongyang citizens at M

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Friday chances are slim of progress in stalled nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea before the US presidential election in November. Kang made the remarks during a meeting with South Korean correspondents in Hanoi after talks with her Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh. "Chances are small that something will happen between North Korea and the United States before the US election," she said when asked about the possibility

The top diplomats of South Korea and Vietnam held talks in Hanoi on Friday to discuss the easing of coronavirus entry restrictions for essential business travelers, bilateral ties and regional issues. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Binh Minh, shared the understanding on the need to introduce a special entry procedure for businesspeople travelling between the two countries, the foreign ministry said. In particular, Minh noted that measures to allow South K

The South Korean stint for former major leaguer Tyler White has ended prematurely due to a hand injury. The SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization said Friday that White has been ruled out for eight weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. With the regular season set to end on Nov. 2 and the Wyverns out of playoff contention, White is done for the year after just nine games with the Wyverns. White was hit in the left hand by a pitch from NC Dinos' starter Drew Rucinski in Thursday's

The ruling Democratic Party decided Friday to expel the third son of the late former President Kim Dae-jung, over allegations of underreporting wealth and ownership of multiple homes The party's ethics inspection body launched probes this week into allegations of wrongdoing raised against some party lawmakers, including Rep. Kim Hong-gul. "The party decided to deprive Rep. Kim of party membership as he appeared to not sincerely cooperate with the body in the probe," Rep. Choi In-ho,

Four employees of the National Pension Service Investment Management (NPSIM) have been under criminal investigation over suspected drug charges, police said Friday. According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency, the four employees, who had previously served as fund managers for the world's leading pension operator, have been booked without detention on suspicion of inhaling cannabis, a banned substance in South Korea. The four, whose identities were withheld, confessed to using cannabis d

South Korean stocks snapped a two-session losing streak on Friday, helped by strong foreign buying that offset individuals' profit-taking rush. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.23 points, or 0.26 percent, to close at 2,412.40. Trading volume was moderate at about 744 million shares worth some 13.7 trillion won ($11.8 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 433 to 416. After a 1.22 percent drop in the previous session

Some 4,000 parcel delivery workers backtracked from a plan to stop sorting parcels in protest of heavy workloads ahead of the Chuseok holiday, a civic advocacy group said Friday. The civic task force working for the rights of delivery workers and associated with the progressive Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said the decision was made in line with the government's steps to solve the issue. "We have decided to change our plan, taking into consideration the government's effort

A Seoul court on Friday sentenced former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's brother to one year in prison on charges linked to a private school foundation run by the family. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the jail sentence and ordered Cho Kwon to pay 147 million won ($126,506) for obstruction of business. Cho, who was released on bail in May, had been indicted on allegations of receiving 180 million won in exchange for leaking test questions and answers to two people who applied for tea