What is the current situation in South Korea?
April 1, 2020 9:44 AM Subscribe
I am looking for information about both daily life and government policy in South Korea right now, specifically regarding coronavirus. I know that schools are closed, lots of people wear masks, and there is aggressive testing and tracing. But how much are people eating out? Are businesses closing? How is life different now relative to two months ago? Do people feel the current situation is sustainable?
Best answer: From the state-run English language broadcasting network YT channel
Retail is struggling.
Seoul subway usage is down.
Schools (supposed to open on April 6th) to go online.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:37 PM on April 1, 2020
Retail is struggling.
Seoul subway usage is down.
Schools (supposed to open on April 6th) to go online.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:37 PM on April 1, 2020
Best answer: Note that I've not yet managed to read up progressive Korean language media, though I am trying to get my parents (Seoul residents) to share interesting TV / newspaper coverage with me to see what the centrist-to-conservative reporting looks like.
Their lives are totally different now, they don't do any of the in-person socializing (church, alumni activities, volunteering) that filled their days, they don't leave the neighborhood at all in fact, but their experiences as retirees is very different from my friends who are still working in Seoul.
I did see a WTF story about a club's brief reopening in Gangnam's nightlife district, the photo illustrating the story showed people wearing masks waiting in line outside the club.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:43 PM on April 1, 2020
Their lives are totally different now, they don't do any of the in-person socializing (church, alumni activities, volunteering) that filled their days, they don't leave the neighborhood at all in fact, but their experiences as retirees is very different from my friends who are still working in Seoul.
I did see a WTF story about a club's brief reopening in Gangnam's nightlife district, the photo illustrating the story showed people wearing masks waiting in line outside the club.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:43 PM on April 1, 2020
Best answer: I've been following journalists on twitter instead - every news outlet is writing the same paean to how [S Korea/ HK/ Taiwan/ Singapore] is controlling the pandemic. A few who have been on it since Jan: hyung eun kim (cw Nth room coverage), yim hyun-su & raphael rashid.
Sustainable: if you've seen that hammer & dance chart, Korea is in the "dance" phase & that can go on for a long time if clusters are contained. Economically - Singapore is in a similar phase and its plan is essentially a lot of government spending (now at like 10% of GDP?) for as long as it takes.
posted by ahundredjarsofsky at 2:35 AM on April 2, 2020
Sustainable: if you've seen that hammer & dance chart, Korea is in the "dance" phase & that can go on for a long time if clusters are contained. Economically - Singapore is in a similar phase and its plan is essentially a lot of government spending (now at like 10% of GDP?) for as long as it takes.
posted by ahundredjarsofsky at 2:35 AM on April 2, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
LA Times: Will the coronavirus make permanent our diminishing need for human contact? LA Times
posted by wowenthusiast at 10:48 AM on April 1, 2020 [1 favorite]