Korean authorities are grappling with an increasing number of avian influenza cases, as the virus has continued to spread to chickens and migratory birds across the country since the first outbreak in Gochang, North Jeolla Province on Jan. 17. Up to six areas were confirmed to be infected with the pathogenic H5N8 strain.

The government is considering ordering a lockdown at all poultry farms in the country to prevent the avian influenza virus spreading further, officials said Sunday.If the government imposes the order, all poultry, workers and vehicles from farms will be banned from moving for 48 hours. The lockdown procedure can be continued for another two days, officials added.The move came after the first H5N8 infection in chickens was reported Saturday, adding to concerns of a recent upturn in the disease’s

The Korean chapter of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s alumni association will present “proud alumni” awards to three graduates in a ceremony at a Seoul hotel on Saturday.The recipients are former Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoon Jeung-hyun, Inha University’s department of mathematics chair professor Kang Hyeon-bae and Virginia Tech.’s assistant professor of mechanical engineering Dennis Hong.Yoon was recognized for his contribution to stabilizing the finance market while serving as Fi

It came as a stark reminder of the seriousness of the country’s smartphone addiction: A college student was killed on campus because she was distracted by her phone.The 23-year-old student was run over by a shuttle bus on Korea University campus in 2011 while walking with her head down, eyes fixed and fingers tapping.The tragic incident is just one of hundreds of traffic accidents here that occur every year because people have their eyes glued to their smartphones. Korea’s pride in high-tech pro

Extravagantly wrapped gift sets are weighing down the shelves of department stores ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, despite government efforts to crack down on the overuse of packaging.Amid growing public attention toward environmental protection, the Ministry of Environment pledged to discourage excessive packaging on gift sets for two weeks before the Lunar New Year holiday begins on Jan. 30. Some consumers say that the practice can be excused during the holiday season, because it shows th

About 40 percent of people who applied for individual rehabilitation in Seoul and Gangwon Province were doctors, a report concluded.According to data by the Seoul High Court, 449 doctors including dentists and oriental medical doctors filed for personal bankruptcy under the Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act between 2009 and 2013. The number of hospitals that closed down also jumped by 17.6 percent, from 2,857 to 3,359 in the same period, largely due to fierce market competition and less i

The award ceremony for the third Seoul National University of Education-Korea Herald English Contest, or SKEC, was held at the British ambassador’s residence in Seoul on Friday.Top prizes were given to 16 students in categories divided by age and the period of time entrants spent living overseas. Other awards, including the second-highest gold prizes, were presented to some 300 applicants.The competition was hosted by Herald Corp. and SNUE, and was sponsored by the British Embassy. More than 1,5