NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong today that visa exemptions and no-visa entries for the countries that restrict entries of Korean nationals will be suspended temporarily and entry restrictions for foreigners on non-essential travels will be expanded further. He added that nearly half of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases have been imported from abroad.
The Korea Economic Research Institute projected that Korea's economic growth rate this years would stand at minus 2.3%, the first minus growth since the 1997 financial crisis. The research institution added the country's long-standing internal economic slump and sudden economic troubles in major countries like the U.S. and China make it difficult for Korea to reverse the overwhelming recession trend.
IGNIS Community, a U.S.-based charity group providing medical assistance to North Korea, has sent treatment and rehabilitation equipment to a new rehabilitation hospital in North Korea, according to its founder Joy Yoon. The medical aid package consisting of three 12-meter containers is due to arrive in Pyongyang within one to two weeks.
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will host an online lecture series on twelve of its most noted pieces from the museum collection. The museum director will give a 10-minute talk about one or two artworks each month on Facebook and YouTube, starting with Park Saeng-kwang's painting "Jeon Bong-jun" today.