South Korea

South Korea strikes COVID-19 vaccine deals for 23 million people as roll-out set to start slowly

South Korea has arranged to buy coronavirus vaccines for 23 million more people, its prime minister said on Tuesday, a day after authorities decided to scale back initial vaccination plans, citing delays and efficacy concerns. Preparing for…

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S.Korea to approve AstraZeneca as first COVID-19 vaccine, including for elderly

SEOUL, Feb 10 (Reuters) - South Korea on Wednesday said it would grant its first approval for a coronavirus vaccine to AstraZeneca, and will allow use in people 65 years…

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South Korea’s Moon urges Biden to follow up on Kim, Trump summit

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden should hold talks with North Korea to build on progress that President Donald Trump had made with…

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Samsung’s Lee receives 30-month prison term in bribery trial

A South Korean court sentenced Samsung Electronics vice chairman Jay Y. Lee to two and a half years in prison, the court said on Monday, which will have major ramifications…

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Photo Story: Fish freeze to death in sea off Muan, South Korea

Fishermen collect mullets frozen to death in a fish farm in the sea off Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea amid a cold snap. Via EPA-EFE/YONHAP

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Jeju Island, South Korea

An aerial view shows a newly opened all-weather ranch for racehorses, operated by the Korea Racing Authority, on Jeju Island, South Korea. Via EPA-EFE/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

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Icicles hang near a beach in Gangneung

Icicles hang near a beach in Gangneung, 237 kilometers east of Seoul, South Korea, on 09 January 2021. EPA-EFE/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

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Photo Story: Winter in South Korea

Icicles form on the ground in a closed railway tunnel in Yeoncheon, north of Seoul, South Korea, 06 January 2021. A cold spell grips South Korea, with the mercury dropping…

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Photo Story: Making wishes for new year in Seoul

People fly a bull-shaped kite and other kites, wishing for the termination of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Year of the Ox at an event held in Yeouido, Seoul, South…

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Alarm as South Korea sees more deaths than births

South Korea recorded more deaths than births in 2020 for the first time ever, raising fresh alarm in the country which already has the world's lowest birth rate. Only 275,800…

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South Korea reviews AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, expands ban on gatherings

South Korea is reviewing AstraZeneca's request for approval of its coronavirus vaccine, as it expands a ban on private gatherings of more than four people to the whole country with…

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South Korea expands ban on small gatherings

South Korea will expand a ban on private gatherings larger than four people to include the whole country, and extend unprecedented social distancing rules in Seoul and neighbouring areas until…

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South Korea moves coronavirus patients out of nursing homes after spike in deaths

Dozens of elderly South Korean coronavirus patients were transferred from nursing homes to hospitals this week after criticism that government policy had led to a spike in deaths among the…

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South Korea logs second-highest daily tally of COVID cases amid prison, church outbreaks

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea posted its second-highest daily number of coronavirus cases on Saturday as outbreaks at a prison, nursing homes and churches continued to grow, prompting authorities to…

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Photo Story: Asia prepares for the Year of the Ox

A sculpture of an ox stands on a beach, to herald the arrival of the Year of the Ox, the zodiac sign under the lunar calendar for 2021, in Busan,…

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S.Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian aircraft enter air defence zone

South Korea said on Tuesday it had scrambled fighter jets in response to an intrusion into South Korea's air defence identification zone by 19 Russian and Chinese military aircraft. Four Chinese warplanes entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) followed by 15 Russian aircraft, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of…

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Seoul to ban gatherings of five people or more

South Korean capital Seoul and surrounding areas will ban most gatherings of five people or more later this week in an attempt to reduce coronavirus cases over the Christmas and…

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Drive-in Christmas mass amid coronavirus pandemic in South Korea

A member of Seoul city church, wearing a Santa Claus costume, has their personal data checked before attending a drive-in Christmas mass at Songgok high school in Seoul, South Korea,…

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South Korea’s Moon warns of toughest COVID-19 curbs after 2 days of record cases

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in warned on Sunday that COVID-19 restrictions may be raised to the highest level after a second day of record increases in cases as the country…

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U.S. envoy arrives in South Korea amid stalled efforts to restart talks with the North

Washington's top North Korea envoy arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for what is expected to be his last visit, with little prospect for restarting talks with Pyongyang before incoming…

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South Korea says hard to believe North Korea has no COVID-19 cases

South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha cast doubt on Saturday over North Korea's claim that it has no coronavirus cases, while offering the South's help in combating the pandemic. In…

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South Korea bans year-end parties, some music lessons, as virus spikes again

South Korean authorities announced a ban on year-end parties and some music lessons on Sunday and said public saunas and some cafes must also close after coronavirus infections surged at…

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South Korea to close bars, restrict restaurants and churches amid coronavirus spike

South Korea's capital city and nearby areas will close bars and nightclubs, limit religious gatherings, and restrict service at restaurants, in a bid to contain a burgeoning third wave of…

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Photo Story: Drone taxi test flight in South Korea

A two-seat drone taxi made by Chinese pilotless air taxi firm Ehang flies over a lake in Daegu, southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 November 2020. The flight was carried…

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Photo Story: Drones illuminate Seoul with messages of hope

Some 300 drones fly in the night sky, promoting the wearing of masks to prevent COVID-19 infection over Olympic Park in eastern Seoul, South Korea, 13 November 2020. Some 300…

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South Korean firm to produce 150 mln doses a year of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Russia's sovereign wealth fund said on Friday it had signed a deal with South Korea's GL Rapha for the biotechnology firm to produce over 150 million doses per year of…

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South Korea begins fining people flouting mask rules, reports 191 new coronavirus cases

South Korea will begin fining people who fail to wear masks in public on Friday as it reported 191 new coronavirus cases, with daily infections continuing to creep higher. People…

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South Korea takes in 164 asylum seekers from nearly 6,000 applicants

South Korea has accepted just 164 asylum seekers this year from nearly 6,000 who applied despite coronavirus travel curbs, government data showed. Immigration is a contentious issue in South Korea,…

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South Korea expands mask requirements as COVID-19 cases grow

South Korea said on Sunday it will expand its mandatory mask policy to spas, wedding halls and other places as part of new social distancing rules aimed at preparing for…

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Photo Story: First female helicopter pilot for South Korean Marines

An handout photo made available by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps shows Lieutenant Cho Sang-ah, the Marines' first female chopper pilot, posing in front of a Marineon utility chopper…

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On Halloween, S.Korea officials warn ‘don’t end up a real ghost’

South Korean officials are stepping up efforts to ensure locals stick to social distancing guidelines during Halloween, warning this year's party "could really turn scary" as it tries to avoid…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Chuncheon, South Korea

A heart-shaped artificial aquatic plant island, being used for ecological restoration is created on Uiam Lake in Chuncheon, South Korea. EPA-EFE/YONHAP

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South Korea urges people to get flu vaccinations despite death tolls

South Korea urged citizens to get vaccinated against influenza and reduce the chances of an outbreak that coincides with the battle on the coronavirus, as it kicked off free inoculations…

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South Korea medical association says flu vaccine programme should be suspended

South Korea's medical association said on Thursday the government should suspend a flu vaccine programme following the deaths of at least 13 people who received a shot in recent days.…

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South Korea will press on with flu vaccinations, sees no link to deaths

South Korean health authorities said on Wednesday they would press on with a flu vaccine programme as there was no reason to believe the scheme was linked to a number…

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Five South Koreans die after getting flu shots, sparking vaccine fears

Five people have died after getting flu shots in South Korea in the past week, authorities said, raising concerns over the vaccine's safety just as the seasonal inoculation programme is…

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Photo Story: Black Eagles acrobatic squad flight rehearsal

The South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles acrobatic squad performs during a rehearsal, for the 70th anniversary of the Korea War memorial and the Heroes of Changjin Lake Battle in…

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Photo Story: Scenes from the 6th Royal Culture Festival in Seoul

Scenes from the 6th Royal Culture Festival on the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, South Korea. The event held under the theme 'Today Meet the Palace' runs from 10 October until…

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Hyundai Motor heir takes over from father after 20 years in waiting

Hyundai Motor Group appointed Euisun Chung as group chairman on Wednesday, cementing his succession from his octogenarian father in a move likely to give impetus to the world's fifth-largest automaker's…

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South Korean accused of lying to coronavirus investigators sentenced to prison

A South Korean man accused of lying to authorities about his job and whereabouts during a coronavirus tracing probe was sentenced to six months in prison, Yonhap news agency reported…

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Photo Story: Getting the message across in South Korea

A fire engine, which has a large mask 1.2 meters wide and 0.6-meter-high on its front, is parked at a fire station in Incheon, South Korea. Firefighters installed the mask…

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South Korea confirms North Korean diplomat in Italy defected

A top North Korean diplomat who went missing in Italy two years ago is now living in South Korea, making him one of the regime's most high profile officials to…

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North Korea warns of naval tensions during search for slain South Korean

North Korea said on Sunday it is searching for the body of South Korean official killed by its troops, but warned that South Korean naval operations in the area threatened…

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South Korea’s domestic coronavirus cases fall to the lowest in 44 days

South Korea on Saturday reported 49 new domestic coronavirus cases, the smallest number of locally transmitted cases in 44 days in a sign that tighter social distancing rules are paying…

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North Korea apologises for killing South Korean to control coronavirus

North Korea expressed regret on Friday over the death of a missing South Korean, saying it shot him as part of measures to battle the coronavirus, the South's national security…

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North Korean troops killed missing S.Korean official, burned body

North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean fisheries official who went missing earlier this week, before dousing his body in oil and setting it on fire in what was…

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Photo Story: Preparation for upcoming Chuseok holiday amid coronavirus pandemic in Seoul

People talk next to artificial full moons at a park in Seoul, South Korea. It has been installed to send messages of hope and overcoming the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by…

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Schools reopen in South Korea under a hybrid schedule of in-person and online classes

Schools in the South Korean capital Seoul and nearby areas resumed in-person classes for the first time in almost a month on Monday after daily coronavirus cases dropped to the…

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South Korea police arrests defector trying to cross back to North Korea

South Korean police said on Sunday they had arrested a defector who tried to return to North Korea after a similar, successful crossing in July escalated tensions on the peninsula.…

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Typhoon Haishen threatens Korea after battering Japan

South Korea hunkered down as Typhoon Haishen arrived on the shores of its southern peninsula on Monday, after the powerful storm battered Japan's southern islands but appeared to pass through…

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South Korea’s coronavirus cases hit a 3-week low

South Korea on Sunday reported the smallest rise in coronavirus infections in three weeks, remaining under 200 for a fourth consecutive day as tighter restrictions cap a second wave. The…

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Photo Story: Typhoon Maysak hits South Korea

A wind power generator is damaged by strong winds from the powerful Typhoon Maysak, in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, 03 September 2020. The Japanese coastguard has rescued one…

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South Korea running out of hospital beds in COVID-19 resurgence

South Korea reported more than 300 infections of the new coronavirus on Saturday, the 16th day of three-digit rises, fanning concerns about a worsening shortage of sickbeds amid a resurgence…

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Children’s role in spread of Covid-19 still puzzles scientists

Children can carry coronavirus in their noses for up to three weeks, according to a study from South Korea. Earlier studies have found the vast majority of children with the…

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South Korea urges work from home as country reports most daily cases since March

South Korea urged businesses on Thursday to have employees work from home after reporting the highest daily number of coronavirus cases since March, as it also flagged the risks of…

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South Korea orders striking doctors back to work amid surge in coronavirus cases

South Korea ordered doctors in the Seoul area to return to work on Wednesday as they began a three-day strike in protest of several government proposals, including one to boost…

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South Korea tightens restrictions, mandates wearing of masks

South Korea's capital Seoul on Monday mandated the wearing of face masks in both indoor and outdoor public places for the first time, as the country battles a surge in…

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