SouthKorea

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  ​Giant folk painting to be displayed in central square as talisman to ward off bad luck and pandemic SEOUL -- A set of giant folk paintings showing two warlords clad in golden armor will be on display at a public square in central Seoul during the Korean Lunar New Year holidays. The traditional paintings used to be displayed on the gates of public places as a talisman to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. The Cultural Heritage Administration said in a statement that "Moonbaedo" paintings will be displayed in the heart of Seoul for three days from February 11 in an event 2021-02-08
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  [INTERVIEW] Survey company predicts greater spending on household appliances, digital content SEOUL -- A COVID-19 pandemic has brought up epochal changes in the pattern of consumption as social distancing, an act of not engaging in social activities or not visiting populated places, became a social trend. Content services have gained popularity as many people abandoned outdoor activities. The pandemic is accelerating digital transformation and social changes. However, the prediction that digital transformation will gain in speed as a whole from daily life to corporate prod 2021-02-02
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  Moon visits announces potential deal with Novavax for 20 mln people: Yonhap SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in visited a coronavirus vaccine production plant in South Korea and announced that the government could potentially secure additional new coronavirus vaccines for 20 million people from U.S. drug manufacturer Novavax Inc. "The possibility has opened for us to secure additional vaccines for 20 million people, in addition to the already secured volume for 56 million, amid the pursuit of a deal between Novavax and SK Bioscience Co. recently," Mo 2021-01-20
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  New negative-pressure ambulances to be used by S. Korean fire stations SEOUL -- South Korean fire stations will operate new negative-pressure ambulances installed with an oxygen concentration monitor and an automatic ventilation system to prevent a decrease in oxygen concentration while carrying COVID-19 patients. Ambulance workers can selectively operate a negative-pressure system depending on the type of patients. Negative pressure plays a vital part in COVID-19 screening and treatment as it prevents cross-contamination inside an enclosed space by 2021-01-19
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  Samsung supports smart production of COVID-19 vaccine syringes SEOUL -- With the help of Samsung Electronics, a South Korean medical device manufacturer has established a smart production system capable of manufacturing more than 10 million syringes per month for COVID-19. Poonglim Pharmatech has submitted a request for emergency use authorization to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It can be injected up to five times per bottle of vaccine with a regular syringe, but a Poonglim syringe enables the safe injection of COVID-19 vaccine more 2021-01-19
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  S. Korea's high-speed electrical train 'KTX-Eum' makes commercial debut. SEOUL -- South Korea's high-speed electrical multiple unit called "KTX-Eum" made its commercial debut. It is an eco-friendly train that was designed to provide pleasant travel with every seat aligned with the window and featured a distributed power system. The six-car unit train with 381 seats was manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and operated by Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL). From January 5, it will run at a maximum speed of 260 kilometers (162 miles) per hour on a rout 2021-01-04
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  S. Korea establishes long-distance maritime digital network to safely manage fishing boats SEOUL -- In an effort to prevent fishermen from straying into prohibited areas, South Korea will establish a long-distance maritime digital network that can safely manage fishing boats and secure information about their exact location in real-time even in waters more than 100 kilometers away from land. The safe management system will be fully operated from 2021. Until now, only voice communication was possible in seas more than 100 kilometers away from land. However, the long-distan 2020-12-16
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  Space antenna reflector installed for S. Korea's lunar exploration mission SEOUL -- South Korea's lunar exploration mission to launch a lunar orbiter in 2022 made important progress by installing the reflector of a space antenna at a ground control tower. The lunar orbiter will search for a candidate site for landing and test space internet communication during its one-year mission. SK Broadband, which is in charge of establishing an antenna system, installed the hemispherical antenna reflector with a diameter of 35 meters and a weight of 100 tons on 2020-12-11
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  Anti-epidemic center considers introducing rapid antigen inspection SEOUL -- South Korea's state anti-epidemic center is under pressure to ease its tough stance and introduce a rapid antigen inspection of vulnerable facilities such as nursing and mental hospitals that require frequent pre-emptive checks to thwart the invasion of COVID-19. At least one rapid antigen test kit has been approved for commercial use in South Korea, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). "We are preparing for a pilot project in or 2020-11-30
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  [INTERVIEW] Expert urges strong government steps in enforcing quarantine rules SEOUL -- A critical voice came out about a nonvirulent government crackdown for experts to feel as the daily number of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 500 at the beginning of winter, threatening to taint the reputation of South Korea which has been lauded as an example of quarantine. More worrisome, many new cases originated from Seoul and surrounding areas. As a short-term response to cope with a new nationwide wave of COVID-19 that began in November, Jung Ki-suck, a respiratory dise 2020-11-27
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  Anti-epidemic center warns of silent community infection by young untraceable virus carriers SEOUL -- The risk of silent community infection caused by untraceable patients who unknowingly recovered after being infected with COVID-19 is higher than before in South Korea, a state anti-epidemic center said, calling for the strengthened quarantine management and inspection of facilities frequented by young people. The rate of antibody formation among young people conscripted for obligatory military service was significantly higher than that of the general public, according to 2020-11-23
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  Special winter hunting period declared to reduce wild boar population SEOUL -- A 107-day-long winter hunting period will open in mid-December in South Korean cities and counties near the border with North Korea to catch wild boars that have been mercilessly killed for carrying the highly contagious African swine fever virus. Some 4,000 hunters carrying one shotgun and two hunting dogs each will be mobilized. The hunting period, which starts on December 14, was declared at a meeting chaired by Governor Choi Moon-soon of Gangwon, a mountainous, forest 2020-11-10
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  Foreigner caught for posting threatening flyers at French Embassy in Seoul: Yonhap SEOUL -- Police caught a foreign national who allegedly posted threatening flyers on the wall of the French Embassy building in Seoul, warning France against what he called the country's anti-Muslim stance. The man, whose nationality and identity were withheld, was booked and under investigation on charges of threatening diplomatic representatives. Police said they have identified a foreign male accomplice and were pursuing the person still at large. The two were alleged 2020-11-05
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  Tram line project in S. Korean port wins state approval SEOUL -- A demonstration project to build a catenary-free light rail line in South Korea's southern port city of Busan has secured state approval. If completed, it would mark the resurgence of urban tram networks that disappeared in the late 1960s. Trams powered by batteries will run on tracks installed on roads. Construction of the demonstration section that covers 1.9 kilometers (1.18 miles) and serves five stops, will begin next year at a cost of 48 billion won ($42.7 milli 2020-10-29
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  S. Korean golf lovers undaunted by COVID-19 infection at golf course SEOUL -- A friendly group game barely arranged by college alumni has left more than 50 people infected with COVID-19, threatening to throw cold water on a fresh golf boom in South Korea. However, golf lovers seem not too frightened, clogging reservation windows to have rounds before the end of this year's season. Dozens of people wined and dined at a restaurant after holding a group game at a golf course in Yongin, 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Seoul, on October 17. The gath 2020-10-29
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  Unmanned mail delivery service showcased on college campus in S. Korea SEOUL -- An unmanned mail delivery service using an autonomous vehicle and robots was demonstrated on a South Korean college campus to see if they are efficient in helping human workers with tasks such as the collection and delivery of mails and parcels. The demonstration in Chochiwon, about 104 kilometers (64 miles) south of Seoul, was arranged by South Korea's state postal service and the Ministry of Science and ICT. The unmanned service will be tested on the campus by the e 2020-10-28
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  COVID-19 blue keeps camping season going on despite autumn chill in S. Korea SEOUL -- The camping season usually ends with the cold wind of autumn. South Korean consumers are reluctant to adapt themselves to the change of weather and keep going out for camping in a desperate attempt to chase away "COVID blue," a sign of depression triggered by a coronavirus pandemic. Emart, South Korea's top megastore franchise, said in a statement on October 20 that sales of camping products were up 117.4 percent on-year in the first 18 days of October. Sales 2020-10-20
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  S. Koreans pick spicy rice cake menu Tteokbokki as favorite comfort food: survey SEOUL -- Tteokbokki, a menu of finger-sized rice cakes simmered in fiery-red spicy chili sauce, was picked as South Koreas' favorite comfort food, a survey showed. Fried chicken stood second, followed by Kimchi stew. In a September survey of about 10,000 people, conducted by Seoul City, Tteokbokki received the largest number of votes to become the menu favored by people who feel the need to be comforted. "Whenever life tries to bite me, I cook myself some Tteokbokki. The 2020-10-16
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  Seoul launches forestation project to create wind tunnels SEOUL -- To cope with global warming that led to a rise in the temperature of urban areas, Seoul unveiled a forestation project to create wind tunnels that also provide fresh air. Cool air will naturally be created using temperature differences and more trees will be planted to help eliminate particulate matter, also known as fine dust. The Seoul city government said in a statement on October 14 that it would work with the state-run Korea Forest Service for a 17 billion won ($1.4 mi 2020-10-14
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  Smartphone app becomes popular channel for buying train tickets SEOUL -- More and more train travelers in South Korea chose to use a convenient smartphone reservation system instead of standing in a queue at stations to buy tickets, data released by the state railway operator showed. The number of tickets purchased by train travelers with smartphones accounted for 76.8 percent of total tickets sold in 2019. It is common to see a long line of people filling the main hall of Seoul Station, the main railway hub in South Korea, to buy train ticket 2020-10-14