South Korea's total COVID-19 caseload broke the 50,000 mark on Monday as new cases have been rising at their fastest pace ever, hampering authorities' antivirus efforts. New cases stood at 926 earlier in the day to push up the total to 50,591, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily death toll hit a record high of 24, raising the total to 698. The caseload surpassed the 50,000 mark in the 11 months since the nation reported its first case on Jan. 20. The

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday that elevating the nation's social distancing rules to the highest Level 3 should be a last resort for the government in dealing with the new coronavirus crisis, stressing the importance for the public to properly follow state-mandated distancing rules. "Adjusting the social distancing level needs to be prepared thoroughly, but it should remain as the final card," Chung said during a government meeting of top officials in charge of dealing wit

Former US Defense Secretary James Mattis was chosen as the recipient of a South Korean government award for his contribution to the security of the Korean Peninsula and the bilateral alliance, the defense ministry said Monday. Mattis, who served as the top US defense official between 2017 and 2019, will receive this year's Paik Sun-yup Award, which was named after the best-known South Korean hero of the 1950-53 Korean War. He is the eighth recipient. "He played a pivotal role in managing

Gatherings of five or more people will be banned in the greater Seoul area, beginning Wednesday, in a new hard-line measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus, local governments said Monday. The governments of Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi Province and Incheon announced the strident assembly restriction measure in time for the upcoming peak season for year-end gatherings and events. The new administrative order for the restrictions on freedom of assembly will take effect at midnight Tues

South Korean drugmaker maker Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. aims to launch a treatment drug for the novel coronavirus early next year, the company's chief said Monday. Foistar, an oral protease inhibitor, is currently undergoing phase two clinical trial on COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms. The company aims to release the outcome of the clinical study later this month. "Our aim is for actual patients to be able to take the drug starting early next year through a conditional authorization

South Korea replaced its chief nuclear envoy Monday, naming a seasoned diplomat and presidential aide to take on the job, as the country prepares to work with the incoming US administration of Joe Biden to move the stalled nuclear talks with North Korea forward. Noh Kyu-duk, a career diplomat serving as presidential secretary for peace planning, was named to replace Lee Do-hoon as the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, the foreign ministry announced in a pre

SBS TV 금토드라마 '날아라 개천용' 측은 음주운전으로 물의를 일으키고 하차한 배성우 자리에 정우성이 투입된다고 21일 밝혔다. 드라마 측은 이날 입장을 내고 "출연진 교체와 관련해 오랜 논의 끝에 정우성이 출연을 확정했으며, 금주부터 촬영에 합류한다"고 설명했다. 이어 "이미 촬영을 마친 16회까지는 배성우의 출연 분량을 최대한 편집해 방송하고, 17회부터 20회 종영 시까지는 정우성이 (배성우가 연기했던) 박삼수 캐릭터로 분해 극을 끌어간다"고 덧붙였다. 당초 박삼수 역에 배성우가 속한 소속사 아티스트컴퍼니의 이정재가 투입된다는 소문도 있었으나, 또 다른 소속사 동료인 정우성이 나서게 됐다. 정우성이 드라마에 출연하는 것은 JTBC '빠담빠담' 이후 8년 만이다. 시청자들로서는 뜻밖의 진풍경과 마주하게 됐다. 아티스트컴퍼니도 이날 공식입장을 내고 "이정재가 영화와 드라마 촬영 일정을 다각도로 논의 중이었다. '날아라 개천용'

T'way Air, a South Korean low-cost carrier, said Monday it will adopt three A330-300s next year in preemptive efforts to meet the post-coronavirus travel demand. T'way Air has recently signed a letter of intent with European aircraft maker Airbus to lease the A330-300 passenger jets and plans to gradually inject them on the long-haul routes to Australia, Croatia, Singapore and Malaysia, the company said in a statement. T'way Air suspended most of its international routes in March as countries

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below 1,000 for the first time in six days Monday, mainly due to less testing over the weekend, as health authorities are set to announce new virus restrictions over the Christmas and New Year's Day holiday period. The daily virus death toll also hit a record high amid rising patients. The country added 926 more COVID-19 cases, including 892 local infections, raising the total caseload to 50,591, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday on increased valuation pressure, after the benchmark index closed at an all-time high the previous session despite surging new coronavirus cases. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 4.18 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,768.0 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks got off to a weak start as foreigners and institutions are set to lock in gains as the country's soaring COVID-19 cases increased concerns of stronger social distancin

World No. 1 Ko Jin-young has won the LPGA season finale in Florida, capping off a truncated campaign in come-from-behind fashion against a rival countrywoman. Ko won the CME Group Tour Championship by five strokes over world No. 2 Kim Sei-young and Hannah Green of Australia in Naples, Florida, on Sunday (local time). Ko shot a six-under 66 at Tiburon Golf Club for a four-round total of 18-under 270. By earning $1.1 million in her first victory of 2020, Ko won her second consecutive money title

The Ministry of Justice is expected to convene a committee to deliberate on a special pardon, legal sources said Monday. The ministry's amnesty review committee is scheduled to meet later in the day at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. The committee, chaired by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, is made up of nine members, including more than four outside experts. President Moon Jae-in has the final authority on whom to pardon, after the justice minister's initiation and the delib

South Korean drug and biopharmaceutical companies have recorded stellar performances this year despite the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday. Nine local pharmaceutical firms struck 14 technology export deals worth 10.15 trillion won ($9.2 billion) this year, up 19 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association. The surge was attributed to their big investments in developing new drugs and expanding production facilities. Spend

A South Korean employee at a US military base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, has tested positive for the new coronavirus, US Forces Korea (USFK) has said. The contractor who works at Camp Humprheys was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Friday after developing symptoms, according to the USFK. He lasted visited the base Wednesday. The contractor was in isolation at his off-installation home, waiting to be transferred to a medical facility designated for virus patients,

South Korean exports of instant noodles jumped more than 28 percent in the first 11 months of the year amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday. Overseas shipments of instant noodles, or "ramyeon" in Korean, came to $549.72 million in the January-November period, up 28.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service and industry players. It was well above last year's total exports of $467 million. The surge was ascribed to the global popu

South Korea is considering providing rental assistance to smaller merchants hard hit by the new coronavirus outbreak, when it will give them another round of emergency handouts next month, people familiar with the matter said Sunday. The move comes as more smaller merchants and self-employed people are facing the growing burdens of paying rental fees due to the government's order to suspend their business amid the protracted pandemic. The country is preparing to provide more than 3 trillion wo

South Korean brokerage houses predicted the local stock market would continue its uptick move in 2021, citing signs of a global economic recovery and growing investor appetite for higher returns, data showed Sunday. Multiple securities companies set their upper-end target band for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) above 3,000 points, showing greater confidence from a month ago. Between end-October and early November, brokerages had expected a band of 2,100-2,700 points,

South Korea will be able to start the coronavirus vaccination of its people in the first quarter of next year on a limited basis, according to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. "Inoculation will begin as early as in February or March at the latest," he said in an interview with KBS, a Seoul-based broadcaster. But the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca would only be available in the first half of 2021 under a current contract, not shots made by such other foreign drugmakers as Pfizer, Moder

The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), the main creditor of SsangYong Motor Corp., is set to decide on whether to roll over maturing loans extended to the financially troubled automaker this week, industry sources said Sunday. Last week, SsangYong already missed the repayment of 60 billion won ($54.8 million) of debt to its three creditors. According to the sources, KDB will discuss whether to roll over 90 billion won in loans due Monday. The South Korean subsidiary of Indian carmaker Ma

16년간 SBS 주말 예능에서 묵묵하게 자신의 자리를 지켜왔던 김종국(44)이 올해 SBS 연예대상의 영예를 안았다. 김종국은 19일 마포구 상암동 SBS프리즘타워에서 열린 '2020 SBS 연예대상'에서 신동엽, 유재석, 백종원, 이승기, 양세형, 김구라, 서장훈 등의 후보들을 제치고 대상을 거머쥐었다. 그는 2004년 'X맨 일요일이 좋다'를 시작으로 '패밀리가 떴다', '런닝맨', '미운 오리 새끼' 등 SBS 주말 예능에서 계속해서 활약을 해왔다. 대상 트로피를 손에 쥔 그는 눈물을 글썽이며 한동안 말을 잇지 못하다가 "가수로 대상을 받았을 때도 너무 덤덤했기에 '그때 왜 더 즐기지 못했을까?' 생각이 들기도 했다"며 "이런 감정이 올 줄은 정말 몰랐다"고 소감을 밝혔다. 이어 "과거 가수로 활동할 때는 음반을 홍보하기 위해 예능에 출연하는 게 너무 싫었을 정도로 숫기가 없었던 사람이었지만 'X맨'을 통해 유재석, 강호동과