South Korea is suspending the use of the COVID-19 vaccine pass nationwide from Tuesday, citing a high vaccination rate and continuing legal challenges. The move comes more than two months since vaccine passes were introduced extensively in early December. While the mandate is lifted, people are no longer required to present proof of being fully vaccinated or have negative test results to enter public places. The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday said the passes were being scrapped for

South Korea’s new financial welfare program for the younger generation is designed to disregard the nationality of the recipient. Anyone here who meets the income and age criteria -- Korean or not -- can sign up for a state-backed savings product that pays around 10 percent in yearly interest, tax breaks and saving incentives. Some call it unfair. “Why should (the government) give money to foreigners with the tax that we (Koreans) paid,” reads a petition on the homepage of

The government is considering granting Ukrainians in South Korea stay extension on humanitarian grounds in the wake of Russia's invasion of the Eastern European nation, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye said Monday. "We are considering stay extension measures just like we did during the Myanmar crisis," Park told reporters, referring to the government's granting of special stay permits for Myanmar nationals last year after the military coup in the country. South Korea also airlifted more

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 140,000 on Monday, but virus-related deaths soared to a record high, as the government suspended the enforcement of the vaccine pass system as part of efforts to free up resources and focus more on treating seriously ill patients. The country reported 139,626 new coronavirus infections, including 139,466 local cases, raising the total caseload to 3,134,456, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Monday's daily caseload

North Gyeongsang Province is aiming to create a “provincial metaverse” for 10 million people by 2026, officials said at a launching of a policy advisory group of experts for the virtual development. Holding a launching ceremony on Thursday, the provincial government said it has also formed a Metaverse Alliance to include corporates and universities. It is the first time a province here has created any such entity related to metaverse, the province added. “In the era of the

Amid the global shock waves from Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, calls are growing for South Korea’s Yong In University in Gyeonggi Province to cancel the honorary doctorate it had granted to Russian President Vladimir Putin more than a decade ago, according to sources Sunday. On Sept. 21, 2010, Putin received an honorary doctorate in judo from the college, which has gained global recognition since its establishment in 1953 for its martial arts program that has trained wo

The newly minted Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Jeong Bong-hoon, who celebrated his 50 days in office on Jan. 24, is busy devising a blueprint for the Coast Guard. With a background in security and investigation, he has detailed broad ideas for Korea’s future as maritime power. It took over an hour for Jeong to discuss plans he intends to pursue as chief of the Coast Guard. The following is the full transcript of the interview. Q: How was your first two months in office? A: To serve the

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases stayed below 170,000 for the third straight day Sunday, but critical cases from the virus continued to rise at a fast pace amid the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. The country reported 163,566 new coronavirus infections, including 163,414 local cases, raising the total caseload to 2,994,841, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The tally slightly decreased from the 166,207reported Saturday. Daily infections exc

Former Culture Minister Lee O-young, one of South Korea's most revered literary critics and novelists, died of cancer Saturday at the age of 89. Lee, born in 1933 in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, served as the country's first cultural minister in 1990-1991 under the Roh Tae-woo administration. With his various literary works, he was respected as one of the most prominent "intellectuals of this era" in South Korea. In 1956, Lee caused a stir in the literary critics circle when he

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases stayed below 170,000 for the second straight day Saturday, but the daily death count hit an all-time high amid the fast spread of the omicron variant. The country reported 166,209 new COVID-19 infections, including 166,068 local cases, raising the total caseload to 2,831,283, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The tally slightly rose from the 165,890 reported Friday. Daily infections exceeded the 100,000 mark for the first t

South Korea is providing training to poorer countries wishing to produce their own vaccines and treatments as the World Health Organization’s global training hub. The country’s Ministry of Health and Welfare told reporters Friday the training hub has been established with the aim of combatting inequity in access to tools to combat health crises, including vaccines. Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said in a statement that the South Korean training hub is part of the WHO plan to

Koreans, still living with legacy of hostile era, unnerved by what’s unfolding in Ukraine

Vaccine passes, post-travel quarantines still in place

The military on Friday reported 1,013 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 15,950. The new cases included 587 from the Army, 253 from the Air Force and 82 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. There were also 37 cases from the Navy, 36 from the Marine Corps, seven from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 10 from the ministry and one from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Korea. Currently, 4,286 military personnel are under treatment

A constitutional appeal has been filed against the Immigration Control Act that allows only those from eight English-speaking countries to work as native English instructors in South Korea, officials said Friday. Migrants Center Friend, an immigrant rights' group, filed the petition after a Ugandan was denied a visa to work as an English teacher, contending that it is wrong to limit such job opportunities based on nationality. The Ugandan, whose identity was withheld, sought the visa after gradu