ULSAN, July 2 (Korea Bizwire) – The Whale Culture Town in Jangsaengpo, Ulsan, has attracted more than 20,000 visitors in less than two months after it was reopened on May 15. The attendance figures are particularly notable, as the results were achieved after the widespread outbreak of the MERS virus in Korea, and the whale [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean tourism industry has been hit hardest by the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) over the past month, but the slump may continue into the summer season from mass cancellations for hotels and tour packages, a poll showed Tuesday. The tourism and hotel industries were pummeled [...]
SEOUL, June 26 (Korea Bizwire) – As the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus and drought devastate the local economy, Korean companies and local government bodies are implementing various measures to boost the economy. On June 25, Hyundai Motor, the largest automaker in Korea, decided to offer a grace period of three months to those who [...]
CHEONGJU, Korea, June 25 (Korea Bizwire) – An impressive text message from a building owner to his tenants became the talk of town in Korea. The good-hearted landlord cut monthly rents by half after tenants suffered from financial difficulties due to the widespread Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). On June 21, Lee In-soo (50), who runs [...]
SEJONG, Jun. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea lowered its 2015 economic growth outlook to 3.1 percent Thursday, citing slumping exports and the negative impact of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak on Asia’s fourth-largest economy. The revised estimate represents a drop from the 3.8 percent gain predicted late last year and is lower [...]
SEOUL, Jun. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A research team led by Purdue University has found molecules that can inhibit the activity of the MERS virus. According to a university announcement on June 23, the team has found a molecule structure that shut down the activity of an enzyme essential to MERS virus replication. Andrew Mesecar, [...]
SEOUL, June 23 (Korea Bizwire) – The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is spreading nationwide, with 175 confirmed patients and a death toll of 27 as of June 23, and only Incheon is free from the deadly virus. Although its neighboring cities and counties like Gimpo, Bucheon and Siheung have MERS patients, the second largest port city [...]
“The outbreak of the respiratory illness is fueling uncertainties just when the domestic economy started gaining traction helped by (a) rise in consumption. The measures will be unveiled at the end of this month.” “The MERS outbreak has started to weigh down on consumer spending and other areas. Sales at department stores and large discount [...]
SEOUL, Jun. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Hong Kong Express Airline and Cathay Pacific are reducing routes to Korea due to the MERS outbreak. Hong Kong Express will decrease its two daily round-trips on the Hong Kong-Incheon route to one, from June 15 to October 24. The airline will also reduce its seven weekly round-trips of [...]
SEOUL, Jun. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — As the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it would compensate a foreign tourist afflicted with the MERS virus in Korea with US$ 3,000, Koreans citizens on SNS are strongly criticizing the government’s policy, saying that the government should firsthand spend its money to stop the virus, [...]