Foreigners encouraged to get vaccinated, curry-induced Dokdo anger, and K-food rides the Korean Wave
Shorter summary format trial continues
K-NEWS BITES
Wed 2021-10-13 (KST)
In case you missed it, re-posting this announcement from a couple of days ago: Dear Friends; starting 11th Oct, you will notice the format has slightly changed - the summaries are much shorter. We will trial this shorter format for the next week, and then I’d like to get your feedback as to which you prefer. There will be another announcement sent next Monday (18th Oct), on how you can send your feedback through. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy the newsletter, and a sincere Thank You to all of you for subscribing - your support means much more than you may realise! Have a great week ^^.
60% sexual violence support center heads are non-experts: lawmaker (1 min read)
“The lawmaker pointed out that experts have voiced concerns about nonprofessionals being in the head position at sexual violence support centers as it hinders offering proper counseling service or makes it difficult to appropriately react in case of sexual violence.”
President Moon Jae-in said, “We have done well until now, and if we hang on a little longer, we will be able to enter the stage of returning to normal as planned, in line with everyone's wishes… [The launch of the COVID-19 transition committee will be the] last gateway to a gradual return to normal.”
PM calls on more foreign residents to get vaccinated amid resurgence concerns (1 min read)
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said, "Although cases from foreign residents in South Korea have been rising recently, their vaccination rate is relatively low… The government is doing its best so that foreign residents, including those unregistered, are not left out in our safety measures against the virus."
New infections remain in 1,000s for 4th day on fewer tests over extended weekend (1 min read)
“The country added 1,347 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,334 local infections, raising the total caseload to 334,163… The country added 11 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,594. The fatality rate was 0.78 percent.”
General COVID Information for residents in Korea:
Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea
Coronavirus Statistics for South Korea
Japan’s island-shaped curry inflames tensions with Korean neighbours (2 min read)
“Media in North and South Korea reacted angrily after an online media report about a seafood curry sold in Japan that includes mounds of rice shaped to resemble the Takeshima islands, which Koreans refer to as Dokdo.”
North Korean leader says boosting military capabilities is 'not for war with South or US' (1 min read)
"Our enemy is war itself, not a certain country or forces like South Korea and the U.S.," North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said. "But our external efforts for peace does not in any way mean giving up our rights to self-defense."
Bonus: Here’s a short 40 second video of the 76th anniversary of the ruling party - from The Guardian.
North Korea Displays Missile Arsenal Amid Stalled Talks (4 min read)
“North Korea on Monday showed off its growing arsenal of missiles in one of its largest-ever exhibitions of military gear, as its leader, Kim Jong-un, said he didn’t believe repeated assertions by the United States that it harbored no hostile intent toward his country.”
'Living with COVID-19' to boost travel platform operators (2 min read)
“The country's two leading startups in the online travel market ― Yanolja and Good Choice ― are capitalizing on their strengths as platform operators to scale up their businesses before the government begins its ‘Living with COVID-19’ policy”
Shareholders approve SK Telecom's non-telecom spinoff (1 min read)
“SK Telecom said Tuesday its shareholders approved the company's plan to launch a non-telecom spinoff in the latest move to make aggressive investments in new tech and semiconductor businesses.”
Stalker, murderer of three sentenced to life in prison (2 min read)
“A South Korean man who murdered three women in the same family was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, with the court concluding that the crime had been premeditated and planned in advance.”
[Reporter's Notebook] Rising popularity of K-food (2 min read)
“... no one could have expected instant noodles and dumplings made by Korean firms to please foreign palates over mainstays like bibimbap and bulgogi… [last year] was the first time in the 35-year history of Shin Ramyun, launched in 1986, that it sold more abroad than here.”
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