N Korean leader’s sister gets promoted, and dilemmas over vaccines passes and kids' vaccines
K-NEWS BITES
Fri 2021-10-01
Salary is No. 1 factor in career choice for young workers, followed by work-life balance (1 min read)
“According to a survey conducted of 1,865 people in their 20s and 30s by recruiting platform Saramin on factors influencing career choice, 33.8 percent of the respondents chose salary as their top priority. The other factors chosen in order of importance were: work-life balance at 23.5 percent, job stability at 13.1 percent, welfare programs for employees at 10 percent and the possibility of career development at 8.7 percent.”
Controversy growing over government's review of 'vaccine pass' (2 min read)
“The government move to adopt a so-called ‘vaccine pass,’ which would restrict the access of unvaccinated people to multiuse facilities, has been hit with a flurry of criticism. Critics claim the policy would excessively restrict personal rights and discriminate against those who have been unable to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots due to health problems or other reasons” (such as allergies, diseases, and concerns from pregnant women). "’This policy would require unvaccinated people to present a negative PCR test result to enter those facilities or attend events,’ health ministry spokesman Sohn Young-rae said during a briefing, Wednesday.”
Why Korea is not in a rush to vaccinate kids (4 min read)
“South Korea is not urging that all children get vaccinated against COVID-19… Internal evaluations within the government present net benefits to society, rather than health benefits for the children themselves, as the rationale for vaccinations for those aged 12 to 17... Out of the more than 11,000 patients aged 12-17 with confirmed cases in Korea, just three ended up developing severe symptoms. No one younger than 20 [in Korea] has died from COVID-19. All six children who developed a rare inflammatory condition linked with COVID-19, known as MIS-C, made full recoveries.”
New virus cases in 2,000s for 5th day, distancing measures likely to be extended again (2 min read)
“The country reported 2,564 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,539 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 311,289, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The country added seven more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,481.” Health authorities are expected to extend the current distancing rules, “the toughest that have been in place for more than two months, for another couple of weeks.”
General COVID Information for residents in Korea:
Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea
Coronavirus Statistics for South Korea
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader, promoted to nation's top ruling body (3 min read)
North Korean state media said that, as part of a recent reshuffling of the politburo “Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has been promoted to the nation's top decision-making body,” and is now a member of the State Affairs Commission (SAC), the country's ruling body headed by her brother.” Although believed to be one of her brother's “most powerful and trusted confidantes… her official status has always been unclear. This appears to “officially cement her role in North Korea's leadership.”
Pyongyang issues olive branch to Seoul, warning to Washington (4 min read)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was willing to reopen the severed inter-Korean hotlines in October, and was quoted as saying, “We have neither aim nor reason to provoke South Korea and no idea to harm it and it is necessary for South Korea to promptly get rid of the delusion… of getting harmed that it should deter the North’s provocation.” Kim went on to criticize Washington’s proposals for talks as a ““petty trick for deceiving the international community and hiding its hostile acts and an extension of the hostile policy pursued by the successive US administrations.”
US denies hostile intent, reiterates willingness to talk (2 min read)
A US State Department spokesperson said, “... [we are] open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK to make tangible progress that increases the security of the United States, our allies, and our deployed forces… We are prepared to meet with the DPRK without preconditions. We hope the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach." Since the Joe Biden administration took office in January, The US has been calling on North Korea to engage in dialogue, however North Korea has not responded to these offers.
Air Force opens space center to expand reach (1 min read)
“The Air Force opened a space center Thursday to bolster its defense capabilities and exchanges with foreign counterparts as the country seeks a greater presence in space… The Air Force is planning to boost its space power in stages. It is eyeing building reconnaissance satellites by 2025, along with weather satellites and mini-satellites… By 2050 the Air Force expects to have a space force that is fully capable of any operations it sees fit, from research to military engagement.”
Korea Pavilion to highlight digital technology, culture at Dubai Expo 2020 (3 min read)
“Korea will showcase its most up-to-date digital technology, used for mobile devices, virtual reality (VR), artificial reality (AR), large, three-dimensional displays, smart cities, automated driving... at the Expo 2020 Dubai, which is scheduled to kick off on Oct. 1. With a total of 191 countries set to join the expo, which has been delayed for a year due to the pandemic, Korea has good reason to promote its achievements, as it seeks to host the 2030 expo in its port city of Busan.” Internal and external photos of the Korea Pavilion at Dubai Exhibition Centre are included in the article.
Squid Game: the hellish horrorshow taking the whole world by storm (3 min read)
“A murderous dystopian series… Squid Game’s backdrop is South Korea’s present-day, very real wealth inequality…. [where] debt-ridden players sign up to compete in six games for a cash prize of 45.6 billion won (around £28m). The small print: if you lose, you get killed. In the first episode, a game of Grandma’s Footsteps (known as Red Light, Green Light in South Korea) leaves bodies piled high as the shell-shocked winners proceed to round two… If you can stomach the events of the first episode, what follows is a tightly written horror thriller that has captivated viewers.” A link to the (very cool) trailer is included in the article.
[Well-curated weekend] Walk around Seoul City Wall for a weekend break (4 min read)
Some great events are happening over this long weekend and early October:
Hanyang Doseong (Oct 1st ~ 10th) - The 9th Hanyang Doseong Culture Festival under the theme “Sungseong: Embracing the Wishes” where various activities will be held both on and offline, including on-site participation for visitors.
“Hanyang Doseong, also known as the Seoul City Wall, follows the ridges of Bugaksan (Baekaksan), Naksan (Naktasan), Namsan (Mongmyeoksan) and Inwangsan, the four main mountains surrounding the capital.“
“Alice Dalton Brown, Where the Light Breaths”- Exhibition by American hyper-realist painter Alice Dalton Brown (until Oct 24th) at the My Art Museum in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Online reservations are required on Naver to visit the exhibition.
“Secret Heritage” by Hanbok designer Lee Hye-soon (until Oct 9th) showcasing “malgun,” attire that was worn for horseback riding. The exhibition is being held at Damyeon in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.
SICAF 2021 (Oct 1st ~ 4th) - The Seoul International Cartoon Animation Festival, one of the most renowned animation festivals in Asia, is ready for animation fans at Oil Tank Culture Park and Megabox Sangam World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, western Seoul.
More details for each of the events can be found in the article.
2021 Korea Art Week to open Oct. 7 (1 min read)
This year’s Korea Art Week 2021 focuses on photography, and will take place Oct. 7-17 and feature local art exhibitions and events. Some 21 art institutions will present ‘Beyond Exhibition,’ “a program consisting of hands-on experiences such as workshops and artist talks, all free of charge.” Korea Art Week 2021 is also offering online service to those who prefer to stay home due to COVID-19. “Some 17 art institutions have produced virtual reality tours of their exhibitions, offering a 360-degree view of the exhibition halls and high-resolution images of the works.”
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