pandemic Archives | Page 8 of 32 | Be Korea-savvy
Voluntary Retirement for Teachers on Rise amid Pandemic

Voluntary Retirement for Teachers on Rise amid Pandemic

SUWON, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The protracted COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a major change in teaching methods, leading to an increase in the number of teachers applying for voluntary retirement. According to the Gyeonggi Province Office of Education, the number of teaching faculty (teachers, vice principals and principals) at the public schools within [...]

Single-person Businesses Struggle from Income Loss in Pandemic Era

Single-person Businesses Struggle from Income Loss in Pandemic Era

SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Last year, owner-operated businesses without any employees struggled in the third quarter, more so than in the first year of the pandemic era. Among all households across the country with more than one member, those with owner-operated businesses without any employees earned an average of 2,701,958 won (US$2,252) each [...]

Self-employed Affected by Antivirus Restrictions Get Break on Commercial Lease Contracts

Self-employed Affected by Antivirus Restrictions Get Break on Commercial Lease Contracts

SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The self-employed who shut down operations due to the government’s coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions will be allowed to terminate their commercial lease contracts earlier than the end date. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that the revision of the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act took immediate effect after [...]

Foreign Travelers to S. Korea Expected to Have Fallen Below 1 mln Last Year

Foreign Travelers to S. Korea Expected to Have Fallen Below 1 mln Last Year

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of foreign tourists who visited South Korea last year is expected to have fallen below the 1 million mark due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. The data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) showed 877,000 foreigners visited the country from January to November, down 64.3 percent [...]

Solitary Deaths During Year-end Season Call for Gov’t Measures

Solitary Deaths During Year-end Season Call for Gov’t Measures

SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — With the winter cold and the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the country, many struggling individuals living in low-cost boarding housing facilities known as gosiwons or old residential districts have passed away. Most of them died a solitary death, a financially stricken single-person household living off of basic welfare. On Dec. 28, [...]

Lower-income Households Have More Estranged Family Relationships in COVID-19 Era

Lower-income Households Have More Estranged Family Relationships in COVID-19 Era

DAEJEON, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent analysis showed that lower-income households have more estranged family relationships in the COVID-19 pandemic era. According to data from Statistics Korea analyzed by the Daejeon Gender Equality and Family Policy Center, among the households with a monthly income of less than 1 million won (US$840), 23.4 percent [...]

Year-end Bell-ringing Ceremonies Canceled Across Country for 2nd yr amid Pandemic

Year-end Bell-ringing Ceremonies Canceled Across Country for 2nd yr amid Pandemic

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — Annual year-end bell-ringing ceremonies have been canceled across the nation for the second year in a row amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Friday. The country’s most popular bell-ringing ceremony, which used to be held on New Year’s Eve at Bosingak Pavilion in central Seoul, has been called [...]

Pandemic Has Altered Social Relationships: Study

Pandemic Has Altered Social Relationships: Study

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Social relationships are changing drastically as the coronavirus pandemic, which has dragged on over the past two years, has prevented people from meeting in person. An institute affiliated with South Korea’s top life insurer Samsung Life Insurance Co. reported Wednesday that COVID-19 has led to a drastic reduction in [...]