Bloomberg: "Korea Ranks 4th Among Best Countries to Live in During the COVID Era"

1st is New Zealand, 2nd is Japan
Bloomberg News evaluates 53 countries with 10 indicators

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] South Korea ranked 4th in the list of best countries to live in during the COVID-19 era.

According to the 'COVID-19 Recovery Rankings' released by Bloomberg on the 24th (local time), South Korea scored 82.3 points, placing 4th.

This survey was conducted on 53 countries with an economic scale of over $200 billion (approximately 221.5 trillion KRW), evaluating 10 indicators such as the number of confirmed cases and deaths per capita over the past month, vaccine supply contracts, testing capacity, and the degree of movement restrictions to determine the rankings.

South Korea received high marks for effectively conducting COVID-19 testing and epidemiological investigations. The use of domestically developed diagnostic kits within weeks of the outbreak and the operation of drive-through testing centers were also positively evaluated.

New Zealand took 1st place with 85.4 points. It was praised for its swift and decisive response.

Bloomberg reported that New Zealand implemented lockdown measures from March 26, before any COVID-19 deaths occurred, and quickly controlled its borders despite its high dependence on the tourism industry.

Additionally, New Zealand's agreement to receive vaccines jointly developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German BioNTech was also reflected in the ranking.

Japan ranked 2nd with 85 points, with Bloomberg noting that it managed COVID-19 well without imposing lockdowns.

Bloomberg explained that the Japanese people, who trust each other and comply with policies, took the lead in wearing masks and avoiding crowded places, which earned high marks.

Bloomberg also cited that despite Japan's population exceeding 120 million, the number of severe COVID-19 cases was only 331 as a reason for its selection.

Taiwan ranked 3rd with 82.9 points, having quickly controlled entry and exit after COVID-19 emerged in China in December last year. Taiwan also introduced apps that provide mask stock information and track confirmed patients' movements.

Bloomberg added that Taiwan had no confirmed cases for over 200 days. However, Taiwan has not yet secured vaccine supply contracts.

At the lower end of the rankings were Peru (51st, 41.6 points), Argentina (52nd, 41.1 points), and Mexico (53rd, 37.6 points).

Major European countries such as Italy (40th, 54.2 points), Spain (41st, 54.2 points), France (45th, 51.6 points), and Belgium (50th, 45.6 points) also received poor scores.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.