The Korea Baseball Organization announced Tuesday that the 2020 regular season will kick off on May 5, which is also the Children’s Day holiday. The season was postponed from its regular start date of March 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Four exhibition games are to be played for the preseason, one of which started Tuesday and the last to be wrapped up Monday. All exhibition games and early regular season games will be played without fans, amid concerns over the spread of t

Elementary school students in grades one through three joined classes online Monday, starting their new semester virtually to follow social distancing guidelines. While most students took online classes at home, some had applied for special care services in advance.   In response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, South Korea started the new school year more than a month later than usual, on April 9, beginning with third-year middle and high school students. Online classes for students

Early morning spring rain accompanied by gusts of wind, thunder and lightning brought the end of this year’s cherry blossoms. 　 Cherry blossom petals lay on the ground alongside the Seongnae Stream in Songpa-gu on Friday. 　 With no time to say goodbye, people hurried by on their way to work.  (Photos: Yonhap) (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

Namsan Seoul Tower was cast in blue light as part of the Blue Light Campaign launched on Thursday to express gratitude for South Korean doctors, nurses and medical staff for fighting the novel coronavirus.  Seoul’s metropolitan government, which provided the photo, said key landmarks in the capital city will be lighted up through May 15 as a sign of gratitude.  (Photos: Yonhap) (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

South Koreans cast ballots to elect a new parliament on Wednesday, braving the continued threat of the coronavirus across the nation.   Voters were advised to follow strict precautions to prevent the virus from spreading, such as wearing face masks and plastic gloves, and maintaining a safe distance from each other. The Seoul metropolitan area, Busan, the Chungcheong region, Gangwon and Jeju are expected to see some of the closest matches in the general elections. Many are paying atten

A stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, prepares for the upcoming April 15 parliamentary elections, on Monday, two days ahead of the elections. The polls will fill South Korea's 300-seat unicameral National Assembly. (Photos: Yonhap) By Kim Tae-eun (kimt17@heraldcorp.com)

Members of a Christian church attend an Easter service at a parking lot in southern Seoul on Sunday.  The service in the parking lot is part of efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.  (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

Voters were advised to wear face masks and disposable gloves while casting their ballots for the April 15 general elections, on the first day of the two-day early voting Friday. Strict quarantine guidelines were presented to prevent virus spread, as public safety is a top priority in this year’s elections. (Photos: Yonhap) By Kim Tae-eun (kimt17@heraldcorp.com)

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)

Job applicants took a written exam, while seated safe distances apart, at a football stadium in Ansan, south of Seoul, Saturday. The outdoor test was part of the recruitment process at city-run Ansan Urban Corp. The company decided to hold the test in order to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.  (Photos: Yonhap)

Ediya Coffee Chairman Moon Chang-ki (far right) turns on a roasting machine at Ediya Dream Factory in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday. The factory that spans 12,982 square meters, with 40 billion won investment, is equipped with new coffee roasting technologies.  Ediya, which has 3,000 franchisees nationwide, said with the opening of the roasting factory and a logistics facility, it has automated all four processes of selecting, roasting and packaging coffee products. (herim@he

The duty-free zone of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 appears quiet Wednesday afternoon. As the industry was hit hard by the sharp drop in outbound travelers due to the spread of the new coronavirus, some of the airport’s duty-free shops couldn’t pay the rent in February. SM Duty Free pays about 3 billion won ($2.4 million) a month in rent and incurs interest of nearly 16 percent per year if it can’t pay on time. (Yonhap)

Officials disinfect BMW Group Korea’s showroom in Seoul on Thursday. The German automaker’s Korean unit said it has been emphasizing contactless customer service and strengthening disinfection at its showrooms to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  BMW Group Korea has donated 800 million won ($664,000) to the Community Chest of Korea to help fight the coronavirus. By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)

LG employees eat lunch at partitioned tables as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19, at the group’s Twin Towers headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, Tuesday. (LG Corp.)

Starbucks Korea will roll out a new set of goods -- a mug, tumbler and card -- designed with mugunghwa, or hibiscus, to celebrate the March 1st Independence Movement Day, the company said on Thursday. The company said it will donate 100 million won ($82,200) from the profit made to the descendants of independence fighters. (herim@heraldcorp.com)