The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    K-pop releases for February

  • 5

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 7

    Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI

  • 9

    Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process

  • 11

    Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit

  • 13

    Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches

  • 15

    Biohealth geared for growth

  • 17

    Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us?

  • 19

    20 suggestions to improve Google Scholar and motivate global scholars

  • 2

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 4

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 6

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 8

    ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation

  • 10

    SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US

  • 12

    Most people masked up on 1st day of lifting of mandate rules

  • 14

    Hybe acquires 56.1 percent stake in AI sound startup Supertone

  • 16

    NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'

  • 18

    Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun

  • 20

    Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Wed, February 1, 2023 | 05:08
Health & Science
Virus dampens homebound travel on Lunar New Year
Posted : 2021-02-10 13:44
Updated : 2021-02-10 13:44
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
A woman walks on the empty train platform at Seoul Station, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
A woman walks on the empty train platform at Seoul Station, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The coronavirus pandemic put a damper on travel this Lunar New Year, with fewer people flocking to train stations and airports for the annual visit home.

At 8:30 a.m., people dressed in long padded coats waited for their trains at Seoul Station, some carrying traditional gifts such as fruits and beef, and others sipping on coffee or looking at their phones.

In the waiting area, people on benches left the middle seats empty to comply with social distancing protocols, while sanitation workers walked around cleaning and disinfecting every surface.

"There are more people than usual because it's the holiday, but it doesn't compare to previous Lunar New Year when the terminals were packed with people waiting for their trains," said a 47-year-old sanitation worker surnamed Kim.

This year the holiday will begin Thursday and last four days including the weekend. To contain the spread of the coronavirus, the government has put in place special measures for the holiday, including selling only window seats on trains and charging toll fees on highways.

Private gatherings of five or more will continue to be banned through Sunday, making it difficult for extended families to gather as is the custom on Lunar New Year.

On way to grandmother for Lunar New Year holiday [PHOTOS]
On way to grandmother for Lunar New Year holiday [PHOTOS]
2021-02-10 14:44  |  Photo News

Some people said they are visiting their relatives alone because of the ban.

"I couldn't go last Chuseok because of the coronavirus, so I'm going today," a 35-year-old husband waiting for the 9 a.m. train to the southeastern port city of Busan said, referring to the fall harvest holiday. "I left my wife and child at home and am going alone."

At Seoul Express Bus Terminal, the scene was much the same.

At 8 a.m., several people were carrying gifts and pulling suitcases, but there were no groups of families traveling together or lines in front of ticket boots.

Vendors and shopkeepers lamented the lack of business but said they had no one to blame other than the virus.

"Compared to the same time last year, I think I'm making less than 40 percent in sales," said the owner of a snack eatery.

At a nearby convenience store, the 59-year-old owner surnamed Lee got to work in his empty shop and said, "I heard many of the buses are fully booked after 3 p.m. I'm hoping to see a lot of customers in the afternoon."

The close proximity of passengers inside buses raised concern among some people, and one traveler said he purposely chose an early morning bus to avoid big crowds.

At Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, travelers were not only heading home but also going on vacation to the southern resort island of Jeju.

A Korean Air employee said that of the airline's 40 flights scheduled for the day, 30 were bound for Jeju.

Traffic on highways was light as of the morning, with car travel expected to reach a peak around 6 p.m., according to the road authorities. (Yonhap)



 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year
2US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero
3South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drillsSouth Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills
4Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school
5Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon
6Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profitsSamsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits
7Yonsei University global forum Yonsei University global forum
8Cyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreignersCyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreigners
9IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%
10Korea Exchange to toughen rules against unfair traders Korea Exchange to toughen rules against unfair traders
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
3Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
4Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us? Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us?
5Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group