Efforts to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law to promote the rights of women and sexual and other minorities have been stymied for years in Parliament as powerful conservative Christian churches have lobbied against it, calling the conduct of L.G.B.T. South Korea on Friday administered its first available shots of … South Korea, which is technically at war with North Korea, requires all able-bodied men to serve in its armed forces for about 20 months. Long-term care facilities, where elders or people with serious health problems often live in crowded settings, have endured the worst of South Korea's outbreak. We do not guarantee individual replies due to extremely high volume of correspondence. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. Byun, South Korea's first known transgender soldier, who protested the military's decision last year to discharge her for undergoing gender reassignment surgery was found dead at her home on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. While there has been disappointment the shots haven't come sooner, officials have insisted South Korea could afford a wait-and-see approach as its outbreak isn't as dire as in the United States or Europe. In a ruling last year, a district court formally recognized Ms. Byeon as female. South Korea administered its first coronavirus vaccines Friday to people at long-term care facilities, launching a mass immunization campaign that authorities hope will restore some level of normalcy by the end of the year. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. She became the first active-duty soldier in South Korea to be referred to such a panel because she had had a sex-change operation. She ran into trouble afterward, when a South Korean military-run hospital, where she had checked in for post-surgery treatment, said that she was disabled and could be discharged from the army because of the loss of male genitalia from the surgery. Type. South Korea's central bank on Thursday raised its inflation forecast for this year while keeping its policy rate unchanged at a record-low 0.50%, as widely expected. In December, ​South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission​ called the army’s decision unfair and recommended that it reinstate Ms. Byeon. It is among the world's most technologically advanced and digitally connected countries, a leading exporter in the consumer electronics industry, and one of America's most vital economic, political and military partners in the region. SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's new foreign minister said on Tuesday he was confident about coordinating North Korea policy with the United States despite earlier signs of differences. An annual ceremony was held in western Japan on Monday to push the country's claim to Takeshima, a group of islets controlled by South Korea, but on a smaller scale due to the coronavirus pandemic. By. The government has yet to approve any vaccine for people older than 65, but officials have indicated the Pfizer shot could get approved first. Separately, doctors, nurses and other health professionals treating COVID-19 patients will begin receiving Pfizer shots from Saturday. On Friday, 117,000 doses of that vaccine, which South Korea obtained through the WHO-backed COVAX program, arrived in the country. She had wanted to continue her service in the army, but a military panel declared her unfit to serve. Rising demand, new products boost Korea’s PMI in … "Even if we achieve the government target by November, we probably won't be able to (immediately) go back to the pre-COVID-19 days," said Choi Won Suk, an infectious disease professor at the Korea University Ansan Hospital, west of Seoul. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Medical Xpress in any form. Health Ministry official Son Young-rae said the start of the campaign was "the historic first step toward restoring normalcy.". SEOUL, South Korea — A transgender woman who was expelled by the South Korean military last year after her gender-reassignment surgery has been found dead at her home south of Seoul, the police said on Thursday. "But if we maintain a certain level of social distancing and mask wearing as the vaccinations proceed, there will be a point where we would no longer be seriously worrying about a massive wave of the virus," allowing for a certain level of social and economic activity, he said. South Korea has … South Korea’s economy shrank for the first time in 22 years in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic destroyed service industry jobs and depressed … Major Gen. Pyo Chang-soo was held responsible for the incident, which […] 1:25. Your feedback will go directly to Science X editors. part may be reproduced without the written permission. Public Holiday. Netflix to spend $500 million in South Korea this year to develop new content Published Thu, Feb 25 2021 1:38 AM EST Updated Thu, Feb 25 2021 … The growth forecasts may be raised slightly when the government’s extra budget is implemented.” These shots were produced in the southern city of Andong, where local pharmaceutical company SK Bioscience manufactures the vaccines under a contract with AstraZeneca. A nurse fills a syringe with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care center in Seoul Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. In the year 2021, South Korea will invest $553.1 million (615 billion won) in space operations to boost its ability to develop satellites, rockets, as well as other essential equipment. © 2021 The Associated Press. About 35% of the country's COVID-19 deaths by the end of 2020 were linked to these facilities, said Jaehun Jung, a professor of preventive medicine at the Gachon University College of Medicine in Incheon. Using refrigerated trucks escorted by police and military vehicles, South Korea transported 1.57 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines across the country from Wednesday to Thursday. South Korea’s K-Alliance to launch in 2021. Yet it also comes with controversy over the government's decision to delay inoculating people older than 65. The authorities said they were investigating the cause of death of the woman, Byeon Hee-su, 23, whose body was found on Wednesday at her home in the city of Cheongju by emergency responders. South Korea is one of the fastest-growing nations in the world, with the fourth-largest GDP in Asia and the 10th-largest in the world. Transgender people, however, are barred from joining the armed forces, since they are categorized by the military as having mental and physical “disorders.”. KYODO NEWS - Feb 22, 2021 - 15:41 | All, Japan. An unspecified number of patients and workers at 292 long-term care hospitals and in the same age group will also get the vaccine, according to officials at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Click here to sign in with This document is subject to copyright. Despite what the government sees as a lack of laboratory data on its efficacy in older adults, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is still showing real-world effectiveness in preventing serious illnesses and lowering death rates in the countries where it was used, experts say. 0. Daily science news on research developments and the latest scientific innovations, The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. All rights reserved. They were alerted after a local mental health center that had been counseling her reported that it could not contact her. Jung says the decision risks the safety of people who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 when the country will be chiefly dependent on locally produced Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines during the early part of its vaccination campaign. subjected to investigations by military officials. Gay and other soldiers have long complained of discrimination and abuse. "I felt very anxious over the past year, but I feel more secure now after receiving the vaccine," said Lee Gyeong-soon, a nursing home worker, who got her shot at a public health center in northern Seoul. The first hearing in the case had been scheduled to take place in a military court next month. South Korean soldiers are to receive the vaccines by the end of the second quarter, and "according to priority," Seoul's defense ministry said. This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties. Thank you for taking your time to send in your valued opinion to Science X editors. “I am truly sorry that we have failed to protect the life you have so desperately wanted,” Jang Hye-young, a lawmaker affiliated with the minority Justice Party, said in a post on Twitter. She underwent her operation in Thailand while on leave. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. The military expressed its condolences over her death but declined to make any further comments. Ms. Byeon, who had been a staff sergeant in an army tank unit, was discharged from the military in January 2020 following her surgery. The proposed expenditure amounts to a … FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo released by Tasnim News Agency, a seized South Korean-flagged tanker is escorted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats on the Persian Gulf. 4, 2021 (Photo: Tasnim News Agency via AP, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS. South Korea, which is technically at war with North Korea across one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders, requires all able-bodied men to serve in its armed forces for about 20 months. Gay men and lesbians are not barred from service, but they have been subjected to investigations by military officials. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox, 'Don't worry, come forward:' Asian nations get 1st shots, Research uncovers new potential target for ovarian cancer therapies, Structure and dynamics of key receptor in migraine pain determined, paving way for better treatment options, Almost 40% of university students surveyed are addicted to their phones, Kidney-on-a-chip offers clues to prevent kidney damage from essential drugs, FDA-approved antidiarrhea drug can reverse resistance to chemotherapy in a mouse model of leukemia. “I want to show that I can be an excellent soldier who helps defend this country regardless of my sexual identity,” Ms. Byeon said tearfully at a news conference following her discharge. Kyodo News. Lim Tae-hoon, director of the Military Human Rights Center of Korea, which provided assistance for Ms. Byeon, said after her death, “We pray that Staff Sergeant Byeon Hee-su, a tank driver, will live with like-minded people in the next world where there is no discrimination and hatred.”, Transgender Woman Expelled From South Korean Army Is Found Dead, At a news conference last year, Byeon Hee-su said she wanted “to show that I can be an excellent soldier who helps defend this country regardless of my sexual identity.”. The rollout comes at a critical time for the country, which has seen its hard-won gains against the virus get wiped out by a winter surge and is struggling to mitigate the pandemic's economic impact. South Korea‘s first transgender soldier Byun Hee-soo has been found dead at her home, and the cause of death is not yet known.. More than 5,260 residents and workers at 213 nursing homes, mental health facilities and rehab centers who are younger than 65 were to receive their first shots of the two-dose vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Friday. and Terms of Use. South Korea Says up to Medical Personnel to Extract Extra Doses of COVID Vaccine From Vial By Reuters , Wire Service Content March 2, 2021 By Reuters , Wire Service Content March 2, 2021, at 2:59 a.m. or. SEOUL, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- The International Trade Commission has banned South Korea's SK Innovation from exporting batteries used in electric … United Nations human rights officials said in a letter to the South Korean government last July that her dismissal “would violate the right to work and the prohibition of discrimination based on gender identity under international human rights law​.”, ​The South Korean government defended the military’s decision, saying that in order to allow transgender people to serve in the military, the country would have to consider how it would affect troops’ combat readiness against North Korea. Name. people sinful. South Korea: GDP seen expanding 3.3% in 2021 – UOB NEWS | 1/28/2021 11:37:02 AM GMT | By Pablo Piovano Economist at UOB Group Ho Woei Chen, CFA, assesses the latest Q4 GDP figures in South Korea. Friday. South Korea plans to secure enough doses to vaccinate 79 million people this year, well over its population of 51 million, through bilateral negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and COVAX, which was established to promote global access to vaccines. South Korea’s Manufacturing Powers Ahead Even as China Slows. Son said to help create a safe environment for vaccinations the government is extending current measures on social distancing for at least another two weeks. , March 1, 2021, 6:46 PM PST. By the end of March, authorities plan to complete injecting the first doses to some 344,000 residents and workers at long-term care settings, who will receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, and 55,000 frontline medical workers, who will receive shots developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. December 24, 2020. Sam Kim. “Please give me that chance.”, Ms. Byeon’s case laid bare the plight that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people often face in South Korea’s socially conservative society, especially in its armed forces. Women are exempt from conscription but may choose to enlist. Jan 1. South Korea has reportedly agreed to release at least $1 billion in Iranian assets frozen in two Korean … However, experts say a safe return to life without masks would be highly unlikely this year, considering the need to monitor the vaccines' real-world effectiveness and the growing spread of virus variants that are feared to be more contagious. Before her death, Ms. Byeon found significant international backing for her cause. People over 80 account for just 5% of the country's coronavirus cases, but 56% of its virus-related deaths, Jung said. South Korea’s Disease Control and Prevention Agency has launched an investigation into the cause of the deaths of two people days after receiving the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. February 1, 2021; Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) announced today that Eisai Korea Inc., Eisai’s subsidiary in South Korea, has launched the Parkinson’s disease treatment Equfina ® (safinamide mesilate, “safinamide”). Seoul, South Korea / Mon, March 1, 2021 / 11:56 am. SEOUL, March 3 (UPI) --Foreign-owned automakers in South Korea are losing market share to homegrown powerhouses Hyundai Motor and Kia.The … 2691. This is the first launch of Equfina in the Asian region excluding Japan. The vaccinations began as South Korea reported another 406 new infections Friday, brining its total for the pandemic to 88,922, including 1,585 deaths. But there's criticism over the government's decision to delay the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines for people over 65 until the developers provide more data on effectiveness for that age group. The Bank of Korea… New Year's Day. According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, a … Marking further fallout from yet another “embarrassing” defection, the South Korean military fired a two-star army official from his post on Thursday after a North Korean man was caught on camera swimming across the border and entering the country through a previously-unaccounted-for storm drain. South Korea Vaccinates 18,000 to Start Ambitious COVID-19 Campaign By Reuters , Wire Service Content Feb. 26, 2021 By Reuters , Wire Service Content Feb. 26, 2021, at 9:07 p.m. Since her dismissal, Ms. Byeon had campaigned vigorously to be reinstated, arguing that there was no reason she could not fulfill her duties. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy A nursing home worker, left, receives the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care center in Seoul Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Feb 11. HMM and four other South Korean Liner operators have signed a codesharing agreement that is expected to start in the middle of next year. The budget was announced on February 8 by the Ministry of Science and ICT, which represents 16 government agencies participating in space development. Officials aim to vaccinate more than 70% of the population by November, which they hope would meaningfully slow the virus and reduce risks of economic and social activity. Ms. Byeon​ joined the military in 2017. SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea will spend 615 billion won ($553.1 million) in 2021 on space activities aimed at bolstering its capacity to produce satellites, rockets and … It also said the nation had to weigh the “effects on personnel morale​”. Ms. Byeon’s death brought an outpouring on social media from transgender people, who thanked her for speaking out for transgender rights in the face of the social stigma. Date. Byeon Hee-su, who was declared unfit to serve last year after her gender-reassignment surgery, had sued to be reinstated. By n.savvides. After her initial petition to be reinstated was rejected by the military, Ms. Byeon sued the military, arguing that her discharge had been unlawful. You can be assured our editors closely monitor every feedback sent and will take appropriate actions. Your opinions are important to us. Japan renewed its claim on a contested island in the Sea of Japan held by South Korea at an annual event Monday, escalating tensions between the … Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. Holidays and Observances in South Korea in 2021. South Korea, which is technically at war with North Korea across one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders, requires all able-bodied men to serve in its armed forces for about 20 months. South Korea's Ministry of National Defence (MND) has announced a 2021 defence budget of KWR52.84 trillion (USD48 billion). Importantly, BOK’s GDP outlook for South Korea economy is unchanged at 3.0% in 2021 and 2.5% in 2022, indicating that the prospect of rate normalisation remains low for now. The content is provided for information purposes only. South Korea's first transgender soldier, who was discharged from the military last year for having gender reassignment surgery, was found dead in her home on Wednesday, authorities said.