yna--2020-09-06--(3rd LD) New virus cases stay below 200 for 4th day; cluster infections still worrisome

So far , 1,162 cases have been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of @ @ @ @ @ infections .
The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 27 locations , @ @ @ @ @ 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 12-15)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 167 cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, marking the fourth straight day of under 200 new infections, though health authorities remain vigilant over sporadic cluster outbreaks.
Of the total, 152 were local infections and a majority of them came from the greater Seoul area, including 63 in Seoul and 45 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, also reported nine cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The country's total caseload rose to 21,177.
South Korea has been posting triple-digit rises in COVID-19 cases for more than three weeks due to cluster infections mostly tied to a slew of churches and an anti-government rally in central Seoul in mid-August.
After keeping the new cases of COVID-19 in double-digit figures for more than five months, South Korea added more than 100 cases on Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27. It then fell below 300 last Sunday.
Citizens wait to receive virus tests at a COVID-19 screening clinic in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Other major municipalities also reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding seven cases and the central city of Daejeon confirming five more cases.
So far, 1,162 cases have been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections. The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 27 locations, with 84 cases reported in 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
Also 527 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, with 267 cases identified in 11 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
The number of cases tied to a credit card issuing company, also in Dongjak Ward, southern Seoul, increased to 41, while 16 infections have been identified at a call center in Gangdong Ward, eastern Seoul.
South Korea on Friday announced that it decided to extend tougher anti-virus curbs on restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops in the greater Seoul area for another week, as sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases still loom.
Since last Sunday, the country has been limiting operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the Seoul metropolitan area under the so-called Level 2.5 social distancing guidelines, while implementing Level 2 measures across the country since mid-August.
Health authorities said strengthened antivirus measures are starting to have a positive impact on the country's virus situation. The daily average of new virus cases stood at 218 over the past week, down from 331 a week ago.
However, authorities warned against complacency and urged people to follow virus prevention guidelines, especially on the upcoming Chuseok holidays.
This year's Chuseok holidays fall between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4. The Korean autumn harvest celebration is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members to get together.
"There is a high possibility of people contracting the virus through their family meetings, so we advise people to stay at home during this Chuseok holiday," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official said."
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2020, shows a thermal imaging camera at an entrance of the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 15, with six of them coming from the Philippines. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 2,892.
South Korea reported one more death from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 334. The country's virus fatality rate is now at 1.58 percent.
But the country could experience more deaths from the virus as the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 163, up four from a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 16,146, up 137 from the previous day, with 4,697 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 29 from a day ago.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(2nd LD) Gov't to allocate over 7 tln won to supplementary budget; 'tailored' cash handouts planned

He cited a saying that , `` As the people get more enraged by injustice than poverty , you need @ @ @ @ @ more about injustice than poverty . ''
Lee is a potential presidential candidate of the @ @ @

(ATTN: INCORPORATES story slugged (URGENT) extra budgets-size; UPDATES lead paras with extra budget size, other meeting results; CHANGES headline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- The government and the ruling party agreed Sunday to formulate an additional supplementary budget worth more than 7 trillion won (US$5.9 billion) to fund "tailored" state support for those hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, a party official said.
Officials of the government, the Democratic Party and the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae reached the agreement after holding a meeting at the residence of Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, the party's chief spokesman Choi In-ho told reporters.
The envisioned fourth extra budget of the year will amount to between 7-8 trillion won, Choi said, adding the amount was set in consideration of the plan to offer "adequate support" and will be financed through the issuance of state bonds.
The government plans to submit the budget bill to the National Assembly this week so that it can get lawmakers' approval before the Chuseok holidays set to begin at the end of September, Choi said.
It would mark the first time in 59 years for the South Korean government to allocate four extra budgets in a single fiscal year.
Starting the trilateral consultation session, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun revealed a plan to provide "tailored support with no blind spots" with a focus on the vulnerable, included among whom are the unemployed, youth, freelancers, low-income people and merchants and the self-employed.
Lee Nak-yon (L), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, makes remarks at the start of a meeting in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2020, with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun seated next to him. (Yonhap)
"The government will mobilize every policy means to overcome the pending economic crisis," Chung stressed.
The DP chief, Lee Nak-yon, also said the government plans to aid "people in need first."
Presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Sang-jo and the DP floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon also attended the meeting.
Earlier this year, the government paid each of the country's households up to 1 million won.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung expressed regret that his call for another universal relief money payment has not been accepted. He has long been against such a targeted approach.
He wrote on his social messaging account that he's afraid of "consequences of the forced discrimination" during the crisis.
He cited a saying that, "As the people get more enraged by injustice than poverty, you need to be concerned in politics more about injustice than poverty." Lee is a potential presidential candidate of the ruling party.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung in a file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(LEAD) Trainee doctors appear close to returning to work

However , KIRA , which has been at the forefront of the walkout , and medical students balked at the @ @ @ @ @ government , complaining that they were not properly consulted on the talks , while demanding @ @ @ @ @ an explanation on how the pact was reached .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS more info in paras 4-6)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors appeared close to a decision to return to work Sunday after the country's largest doctors' association agreed to end their strike after signing a deal with the government over a controversial medical reform plan.
A task force representing trainee doctors and medical students, including members of the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA), held a meeting to decide whether they should join the Korean Medical Association's (KMA) move to end the walkout.
According to sources, representatives of trainee doctors and medical students were reportedly leaning toward returning to their duties from Monday, but objections from some members are delaying their announcement of a final decision.
As the task force struggles to reach an official conclusion, KIRA chief Park Ji-hyun announced separately that its association will halt collective action, even though the decision does not mean its fight is over.
"If two voices are coming out from the inside, it's a must-lose situation," Park said of the debates within her organization. "It's important to watch and keep (the government) in check to ensure that the agreement is implemented."
Despite Park's call, it is uncertain how many trainee doctors will actually return to work. Some of them have demanded that KIRA's future actions should be put to a vote.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme that calls for increasing the quota for medical students, establishing a new public medical school and giving medical insurance coverage to oriental medicine treatment.
The KMA, which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country, joined the collective action but agreed to return to work after the government backed down and promised to put the medical reform plans on hold.
Doors of the Korean Medical Association office in Seoul are closed on Sept. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
However, KIRA, which has been at the forefront of the walkout, and medical students balked at the KMA's deal with the government, complaining that they were not properly consulted on the talks, while demanding KMA chief Choi Dae-zip provide an explanation on how the pact was reached.
The government and hospitals have been urging doctors to halt the strike as their collection action disrupted medical services at hospitals and other medical centers amid the COVID-19 pandemic here.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(URGENT) Gov't, ruling party, Cheong Wa Dae agree on supplementary budget worth more than 7 tln won

(URGENT) N. Korea says Travis King decided to come over to N. Korea because he harbored ill feeling within the U.S. Army: KCNA


yna--2020-09-06--(2nd LD) Anti-virus curbs in place in greater Seoul to be extended by another week

The number of its new virus infections has declined to under 200 for four straight days , but daily COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ triple digits since Aug. 14 , mostly tied to churches and an anti-government rally in @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with ban on street rallies in last 4 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- Eating and drinking at food trucks and street stalls will be prohibited across Seoul after 9 p.m. this week under a city government administrative step to supplement the extended Level 2.5 social distancing restrictions.
Seo Jeong-hyup, acting Seoul mayor, told reporters Sunday that the measure will be effective between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. through Sept. 13. A total of 2,804 eateries will be affected by the decision aimed at preventing the so-called balloon effect.
"Now is the very golden time to accelerate efforts to fight the virus, care about the people's living and recover daily lives," Seo said.
Last Friday, the South Korean government announced plans to prolong tougher anti-virus curbs in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon by another week through next Sunday, as the country
seeks to contain another wave of virus outbreaks in the densely populated region.
A citizen orders coffee for takeaway at a franchise coffee chain in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020, as South Korea imposed stricter virus curbs in the greater Seoul area over the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The country's eight-day restrictions on restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the capital region were originally set to end at midnight.
The extension of the toughened distancing came as the number of the country's daily new virus cases jumped to a near six-month high of 441 on Aug. 27.
The number of its new virus infections has declined to under 200 for four straight days, but daily COVID-19 cases have been in the triple digits since Aug. 14, mostly tied to churches and an anti-government rally in Seoul in mid-August.
Under the Level 2.5 distancing guidelines, restaurants and smaller eateries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery are permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors, only takeout and delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours.
The country initially only restricted franchise coffee shops following cluster infections traced to such coffee chains. But it added franchise bakeries and other dessert shops to the list of those subject to the stricter operation restrictions on Friday as people crowded such venues instead of franchise coffee chains.
The country also suspended the operation of indoor sports facilities, including fitness centers and billiard halls, as well as cram schools with more than 10 people.
"There is a need to extend the social distancing guidelines until the number of new patients markedly declines," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a briefing on Friday.
The country also extended the current Level 2 measures imposed across the nation under a three-tier social distancing scheme for another two weeks until Sept. 20.
The government raised the anti-virus curbs to Level 2 in the greater Seoul area on Aug. 16 and expanded them across the nation a week later.
Under the Level 2 rules, indoor meetings of 50 or more people and open-air gatherings of 100 or more people are banned. So-called risk-prone facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, have been ordered to shut down.
The government has been cautious about raising anti-virus steps to Level 3 as doing so has far-reaching social and economic impacts.
This photo, taken on Sept. 1, 2020, shows a restaurant in central Seoul with almost no customers during lunchtime. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, police and Seoul city authorities have banned street rallies slated for the Oct. 3 National Foundation Day holiday.
Seven local groups have so far submitted plans to hold 27 events on the day to police, mostly in the vicinity of Gwanghwamun and other areas that have been designated as no-demonstration zones, according to Kim Tae-kyun, director general of the city government's administration affairs.
Police and city officials have been informing them that such outdoor activities will be prohibited, he said.
During the Aug. 15 Liberation Day holiday, tens of thousands of people staged an anti-government rally in Gwanghwamun. As of Sunday, 527 people nationwide have tested positive for the coronavirus in cases linked with the large-scale rally.
This file photo shows a notice on the Seoul city government's banning of street rallies. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(LEAD) Anti-virus curbs in place in greater Seoul to be extended by another week

(ATTN: UPDATES with Seoul city's additional measure in lead paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- Eating and drinking at food trucks and street stalls will be prohibited across Seoul after 9 p.m. this week under a city government administrative step to supplement the extended Level 2.5 social distancing restrictions.
Seo Jeong-hyup, acting Seoul mayor, told reporters Sunday that the measure will be effective between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. through Sept. 13. A total of 2,804 eateries will be affected by the decision aimed at preventing the so-called balloon effect.
"Now is the very golden time to accelerate efforts to fight the virus, care about the people's living and recover daily lives," Seo said.
Last Friday, the South Korean government announced plans to prolong tougher anti-virus curbs in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon by another week through next Sunday, as the country
seeks to contain another wave of virus outbreaks in the densely populated region.
A citizen orders coffee for takeaway at a franchise coffee chain in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020, as South Korea imposed stricter virus curbs in the greater Seoul area over the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The country's eight-day restrictions on restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the capital region were originally set to end at midnight.
The extension of the toughened distancing came as the number of the country's daily new virus cases jumped to a near six-month high of 441 on Aug. 27.
The number of its new virus infections has declined to under 200 for four straight days, but daily COVID-19 cases have been in the triple digits since Aug. 14, mostly tied to churches and an anti-government rally in Seoul in mid-August.
Under the Level 2.5 distancing guidelines, restaurants and smaller eateries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery are permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors, only takeout and delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours.
The country initially only restricted franchise coffee shops following cluster infections traced to such coffee chains. But it added franchise bakeries and other dessert shops to the list of those subject to the stricter operation restrictions on Friday as people crowded such venues instead of franchise coffee chains.
The country also suspended the operation of indoor sports facilities, including fitness centers and billiard halls, as well as cram schools with more than 10 people.
"There is a need to extend the social distancing guidelines until the number of new patients markedly declines," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a briefing on Friday.
The country also extended the current Level 2 measures imposed across the nation under a three-tier social distancing scheme for another two weeks until Sept. 20.
The government raised the anti-virus curbs to Level 2 in the greater Seoul area on Aug. 16 and expanded them across the nation a week later.
Under the Level 2 rules, indoor meetings of 50 or more people and open-air gatherings of 100 or more people are banned. So-called risk-prone facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, have been ordered to shut down.
The government has been cautious about raising anti-virus steps to Level 3 as doing so has far-reaching social and economic impacts.
This photo, taken on Sept. 1, 2020, shows a restaurant in central Seoul with almost no customers during lunchtime. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--Three-fourths of big firms have no or indefinitive hiring plans in H2: poll

Half of the companies that responded to the Korea Economic Research Institute 's ( KERI ) survey answered that they @ @ @ @ @ plans yet , while 24.2 percent of the firms said they will not offer jobs @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- Three-fourths of large companies in South Korea have no hiring plan or have not confirmed their recruiting scheme for the second half of the year amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, a poll showed Sunday.
Half of the companies that responded to the Korea Economic Research Institute's (KERI) survey answered that they have not set their hiring plans yet, while 24.2 percent of the firms said they will not offer jobs in the second half.
The survey, conducted by Research & Research, asked South Korea's top 500 firms by sales and received answers from 120 companies.
The results indicate the country's job market will be worse than the first half of the year, when 41.3 percent of the firms answered that they have not confirmed hiring plans or have no plans of opening jobs.
Of the companies that have recruiting plans for the second half of 2020, only 22.6 percent said they will hire more people than the last year.
When asked why they cannot offer more jobs in the second half, nearly 70 percent blamed the fallout from COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 19 percent of the companies have already adopted a remote hiring system, while 35 percent of the firms are considering using such an online recruiting system.
This file photo taken on Aug. 26, 2020, shows officials from banks conducting online job interviews with applicants at a job expo in Seoul. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(2nd LD) N.K. leader holds party meeting during visit to typhoon-hit area

The meeting `` had an in-depth discussion about the issue of the recovery from damage in the typhoon-hit areas of @ @ @ @ @ and decided on the detailed measures such as organization of building force to be urgently @ @ @ @ @ designs and material transport , '' KCNA said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7-8, photos)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited typhoon-hit areas in the country's eastern South Hamgyong Province and presided over a Workers' Party meeting at the scene to discuss recovery efforts, state media reported Sunday.
The enlarged executive policy meeting was held on Saturday to gauge the damage from last week's Typhoon Maysak that hit hard its eastern areas where more than 1,000 houses were destroyed, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
The meeting "had an in-depth discussion about the issue of the recovery from damage in the typhoon-hit areas of the two provinces and studied and decided on the detailed measures such as organization of building force to be urgently dispatched to the areas, designs and material transport," KCNA said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (3rd from L) inspects an area damaged by Typhoon Maysak in the country's eastern South Hamgyong Province, in this photo published by the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party, on Sept. 6, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Kim also called for party members, especially those in the capital, to "take the lead in aiding the provinces when the country undergoes difficulties and hardships would make a great contribution to the strengthening of the single-minded unity of our society," the KCNA said.
"Learning about the growth of the crops damaged by typhoon, he called for taking positive agricultural and technological measures for minimizing the reduction of the yield," it added.
During the meeting, the chairman of the ruling party's South Hamgyong provincial committee was dismissed over an apparent failure in coping with the typhoon and a replacement was appointed, the KCNA said.
The exact location of the meeting was not disclosed by state media, but news clips from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station suggest the meeting took place in one of Kim's trains, given the window and seating arrangements.
Top officials attended the meeting, including Ri Pyong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers Party, and Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission.
In an open letter sent to party members in Pyongyang, Kim said that about 12,000 elite party members of the capital city will be sent to the two provinces each to help with recovery efforts, according to the KCNA.
Kim's visit to the typhoon-hit areas is seen as aimed at highlighting his image as a leader caring for the lives of his people as they have been reeling from recent back-to-back natural disasters.
Typhoon Maysak, the ninth tropical storm of the season, hit North Korea as the country is still reeling from damage caused by another typhoon and heavy downpours which affected its major rice-producing areas in the southwestern province.
On Saturday, the North's main Rodong Sinmun reported that the party decided to punish officials in the east coast city of Wonsan and Kangwon Province for failing to evacuate people and take other preventive measures in advance of the typhoon, leading to the deaths of dozens of people.
Faced with global sanctions and the fallout from its protracted antivirus efforts, North Korea is concerned that recent back-to-back natural disasters affecting the farming sector could aggravate its chronic food shortage.
Kim and high-ranking officials recently increased their field trips to affected areas, urging efforts to speed up recovery and minimize a reduction in harvest.
Recently, Kim visited a typhoon-hit area last week and urged "an all-out campaign" of completing the recovery so that the country can mark the party founding anniversary next month "with proud of achievement."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) holds a Workers' Party meeting during his visit to an area damaged by Typhoon Maysak in the country's eastern South Hamgyong Province, in this image captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Sept. 6, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution)(Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) inspects an area damaged by Typhoon Maysak in the country's eastern South Hamgyong Province, in this image captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Sept. 6, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution)(Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(2nd LD) New virus cases stay below 200 for 4th day; cluster infections still worrisome

(ATTN: UPDATES paras 7-8; ADDS more info in paras 9, 12, 2nd photo; CHANGES 1st photo)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 167 cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, marking the fourth straight day of under 200 new infections, though health authorities remain vigilant over sporadic cluster outbreaks.
Of the total, 152 were local infections and a majority of them came from the greater Seoul area, including 63 in Seoul and 45 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, also reported nine cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The country's total caseload rose to 21,177.
South Korea has been posting triple-digit rises in COVID-19 cases for more than three weeks due to cluster infections mostly tied to a slew of churches and an anti-government rally in central Seoul in mid-August.
After keeping the new cases of COVID-19 in double-digit figures for more than five months, South Korea added more than 100 cases on Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27. It then fell below 300 last Sunday.
Citizens wait to receive virus tests at a COVID-19 screening clinic in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Other major municipalities also reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding seven cases and the central city of Daejeon confirming five more cases.
So far, 1,162 cases have been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections. The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 27 locations, with 84 cases reported in 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
Also 527 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, with 267 cases identified in 11 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
The number of cases tied to a credit card issuing company, also in Dongjak Ward, southern Seoul, increased to 41, while 16 infections have been identified at a call center in Gangdong Ward, eastern Seoul.
South Korea on Friday announced that it decided to extend tougher anti-virus curbs on restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops in the greater Seoul area for another week, as sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases still loom.
Since last Sunday, the country has been limiting operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the Seoul metropolitan area under the so-called Level 2.5 social distancing guidelines, while implementing Level 2 measures across the country since mid-August.
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2020, shows a thermal imaging camera at an entrance of the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 15, with six of them coming from the Philippines. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 2,892.
South Korea reported one more death from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 334. The country's virus fatality rate is now at 1.58 percent.
But the country could experience more deaths from the virus as the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 163, up four from a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 16,146, up 137 from the previous day, with 4,697 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 29 from a day ago.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(2nd LD) S. Korea on alert over Typhoon Haishen, heavy rain forecast; landslide warning issued

`` Huge damages are expected , as the typhoon this time is forecast to be more dangerous than the previous @ @ @ @ @ shortly after the end of the monsoon season , '' KFS chief Park Chong-ho said @ @ @ @ @ to prevent damages through the preemptive evacuation of residents to an extent that could be @ @ @ @ @ . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with environment ministry's measures in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea remained on alert Sunday as a powerful typhoon, Haishen, has been marching northward amid a forecast that it will soon affect the peninsula directly.
The 10th typhoon of the season is expected to reach waters between the southern island of Jeju and the Kyushu region of Japan on Monday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
It's then likely to head north over the East Sea, although it was initially expected to land on the peninsula.
Haishen was barreling toward Korea at a speed of 22 kilometers per hour from around 290 km northeast of Okinawa as of 9 a.m. Sunday, KMA said.
Heavy rains and strong winds are forecast across South Korea throughout Monday, it added.
Waves roar in waters off the coast of Jeju Island on Sept. 6, 2020, as Typhoon Haishen approaches the peninsula. (Yonhap)
This file photo shows citizens walking on a street amid rain and strong wind. (Yonhap)
The state weather agency said the typhoon is likely to arrive in waters some 80 km east of Busan at around 9 a.m. Monday.
KMA officials called for thorough measures against possible rain and gale damages. They also warned of high waves in southern and eastern seas as well as waters near Jeju.
The Korea Forest Service (KFS) raised the landslide alert to "seriousness," the highest in the four-tier system, for Jeju, Busan, Ulsan and the provinces of South and North Gyeongsang, Gangwon and South Jeolla.
It lifted the alert to "watch" for Seoul and 10 other major cities and provinces.
Haishen would be the second typhoon to hit the nation in a week.
"Huge damages are expected, as the typhoon this time is forecast to be more dangerous than the previous ones that affected South Korea shortly after the end of the monsoon season," KFS chief Park Chong-ho said. "It's important to prevent damages through the preemptive evacuation of residents to an extent that could be (seen as) excessive."
Typhoon Haishen approaches the Korean Peninsula in this image provided by the National Meteorological Satellite Center. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Ministry of Environment had an emergency virtual meeting to review dam operations and other precautionary steps.
The ministry said it has secured approximately 4.3 billion tons of "flood control capacity" by releasing water from 20 multipurpose dams nationwide, which made them capable of not releasing water even in the case of an average of 270 mm of rainfall.
It has also banned the use of trails and camping sites at national parks.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--(LEAD) Gov't to offer 'tailored' financial support for vulnerable people, PM says

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks, Gyeonggi governor's view, other details from 3rd para; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is planning for "tailored" support for some of the country's households and self-employed hit especially hard by the COVID-19 outbreak, top government and ruling party officials said Sunday.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun made public the scheme in his opening remarks during a meeting with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and senior Cheong Wa Dae officials. The session was intended for discussions on detailed plans for a second round of cash handouts, called disaster relief money.
The government will provide "tailored support with no blind spots" with a focus on the vulnerable, who include the unemployed, youth, freelancers, low-income people and merchants and the self-employed, Chung said.
"The government will mobilize every policy means to overcome the pending economic crisis," he added.
The DP chief, Lee Nak-yon, also said the government plans to aid "people in need first."
On the envisioned fourth batch of supplementary budgets, Lee said it would be financed fully by the issuance of state bonds.
Lee Nak-yon (L), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, makes remarks at the start of a meeting in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2020, with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun seated next to him. (Yonhap)
He pointed out that it would be the first time in 59 years for the South Korean government to allocate extra budgets four times in a year.
"It means that the situation is so desperate," he said.
Presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Sang-jo and the DP floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon also attended the meeting.
Earlier this year, the government paid each of the country's households up to 1 million won (US$840).
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung expressed regret that his call for another universal relief money payment has not been accepted. He has long been against such a targeted approach.
He wrote on his social messaging account that he's afraid of "consequences of the forced discrimination" during the crisis.
He cited a saying that, "As the people get more enraged by injustice than poverty, you need to be concerned in politics more about injustice than poverty." Lee is a potential presidential candidate of the ruling party.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung in a file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2002 -- A friendly football match between South and North Korea ends in a scoreless draw .
It was the @ @ @ @ @ faced each other since a pair of friendlies in 1990 .
The inter-Korean match was @ @ @ @ @ Korea co-hosted the World Cup with Japan .

Sept. 7
1980 -- An archaeological excavation team from Seoul's Yonsei University finds the bones of a human believed to have lived 10,000 to 60,000 years ago in Danyang, 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
1993 -- The personal assets of 1,167 high-level government officials are made public. The disclosure was made under a law obliging public officials to report changes in their assets and was aimed at preventing illicit financing from businesses and land speculation by the officials.
1995 -- Russia scraps its mutual assistance treaty with North Korea.
2000 -- President Kim Dae-jung meets his U.S. counterpart, Bill Clinton, in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. Millennium Summit. Clinton expressed his complete support for Kim's "sunshine" policy toward North Korea, and they issued a joint statement calling for constructive engagement with Pyongyang.
2002 -- A friendly football match between South and North Korea ends in a scoreless draw. It was the first time the two had faced each other since a pair of friendlies in 1990. The inter-Korean match was held two months after South Korea co-hosted the World Cup with Japan.
2007 -- Park Yong-sung, chairman of the South Korean conglomerate Doosan Group, steps down as head of the International Judo Federation (IJF), automatically losing his seat on the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Park's resignation leaves Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee as the only South Korean to retain an IOC seat.
2009 -- North Korea discharges 40 million tons of water from Hwanggang Dam into the Imjin River, which flows through South Korea's western region, leaving six South Koreans dead or missing. North Korea blamed a sudden surge of water and said it will issue alerts in the future.
2010 -- North Korea releases a South Korean fishing boat and its seven crew members after a month of captivity. The boat was seized after allegedly violating the North's eastern exclusive economic zone.
2016 -- President Park Geun-hye condemns North Korea's nuclear ambitions during the South Korea-ASEAN summit held in the Laotian capital, Vientiane.
2017 -- South Korea completes the deployment of a THAAD missile defense system in a "tentative" step to counter urgent threats from North Korea after the U.S. Forces Korea transported four additional THAAD rocket launchers into its new base in Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul.
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--Gov't to offer 'tailored' financial support for vulnerable people, PM says

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun made public the scheme in his opening remarks during a meeting with the leaders of the @ @ @ @ @ ) and senior Cheong Wa Dae officials .
The session was intended for discussions on @ @ @ @ @ round of cash handouts , called disaster relief money .

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is planning for "tailored" support for some of the country's households and self-employed hit especially hard by the COVID-19 outbreak, top government and ruling party officials said Sunday.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun made public the scheme in his opening remarks during a meeting with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and senior Cheong Wa Dae officials. The session was intended for discussions on detailed plans for a second round of cash handouts, called disaster relief money.
The government will provide "tailed support" for the vulnerable, who include the unemployed, freelancers, low-income merchants and the self-employed, Chung said.
The DP chief, Lee Nak-yon, also said the government plans to aid "people in need first."
On the envisioned fourth batch of supplementary budgets, Lee said it would be financed fully by the issuance of state bonds.
Lee Nak-yon (L), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, makes remarks at the start of a meeting in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2020, with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun seated next to him. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-06--Trainee doctors in discussion over whether to end strike

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors were having discussions on Sunday to decide whether to end their strike after the country's largest doctors' association agreed to return to work following a deal with the government over a controversial medical reform plan.
A task force representing trainee doctors and medical students, including members of the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA), held a meeting to decide whether they should join the Korean Medical Association's (KMA) move to end the walkout.
According to sources, representatives of trainee doctors and medical students were reportedly leaning toward returning to their duties from Monday, but objections from some members are delaying their announcement of a final decision.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme that calls for increasing the quota for medical students, establishing a new public medical school and giving medical insurance coverage to oriental medicine treatment.
The KMA, which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country, joined the collective action but agreed to return to work after the government backed down and promised to put the medical reform plans on hold.
Doors of the Korean Medical Association office in Seoul are closed on Sept. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
However, KIRA, which has been at the forefront of the walkout, and medical students balked at the KMA's deal with the government, complaining that they were not properly consulted on the talks, while demanding KMA chief Choi Dae-zip provide an explanation on how the pact was reached.
The government and hospitals have been urging doctors to halt the strike as their collection action disrupted medical services at hospitals and other medical centers amid the COVID-19 pandemic here.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(4th LD) New virus cases dip below 200 for 5th day; tougher virus curbs in greater Seoul extended

`` We are not in a situation where we can let down our guard in containing COVID-19 .
But given @ @ @ @ @ per day last month , the spread of the virus has slowed , '' KCDC @ @ @ @ @ a briefing .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 14, 19-20, 28)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed below 200 for the fifth straight day on Monday, but health authorities remain alert over continued sporadic cluster infections across the country.
The country added 119 more COVID-19 cases, including 108 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,296, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked a sharp fall from 167 additional cases reported Sunday and the fewest since Aug. 14, when the country identified 103 new infections.
The stricter anti-virus measures have begun to take effect, but the fall in daily virus cases also came as virus tests tend to be fewer over the weekend than weekdays.
This photo, taken on Sept. 7, 2020, shows a sign at a franchise bakery in Seoul that says only takeaway and delivery are possible as South Korea limited the operation of franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors to only takeout and delivery under stricter anti-virus curbs in the greater Seoul area. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been struggling to contain a flare-up in virus cases as daily infections have been in the triple digits since Aug. 14 due to cluster infections tied to churches and a large-scale rally in central Seoul in mid-August.
New infections shot up to a five-month high of 441 on Aug. 27 but have slowed on the stricter social distancing measures, which health authorities called a "positive" sign in the virus fight.
"We are not in a situation where we can let down our guard in containing COVID-19. But given that virus patients reached 300-400 per day last month, the spread of the virus has slowed," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing.
Jeong said new infections may be falling this week as the country has been implementing tougher social distancing measures since late August.
The country extended the enhanced social distancing scheme by another week from Monday in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51 million population. It imposed Level 2.5 measures in the metropolitan area for eight days until Sunday.
Under the tougher virus curbs, eating at restaurants and small eateries is only allowed until 9 p.m. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors are permitted to offer only takeout and delivery.
The country also extended its Level 2 social distancing measures across the country by another two weeks until Sept. 20 as cluster infections continued to pop up nationwide.
"We call on people in the capital region not to go outside their homes or have meetings. The risk of infections is high if close contact occurs even at parks or riverside areas," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official, said in a briefing.
In the midst of the influence of Typhoon Haishen, people visit a state-run clinic in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, for coronavirus tests on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the newly identified local infections, 47 cases were reported in Seoul and 30 from Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, just west of Seoul, reported one more cases.
The capital city has had 4,405 total infection cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding nine cases and the southwestern city of Gwangju reporting seven new infections.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, reached 1,163 as of noon, up one case from the previous day.
The church-tied cases marked the largest cluster infection after more than 5,000 virus cases traced to the minor religious sect of Shincheonji were reported in Daegu in late February and early March.
Cases tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15 rose five cases to 532.
Infections linked to a logistics call center in eastern Seoul reached 18, up two cases over the past 24 hours, with a few linked to social gathering.
Outside of Seoul and surrounding areas, a total of 16 people who attended a health food business meeting in Daejeon, in the central part of the country, were infected with COVID-19.
The KCDC said all of the 74 virus cases that it sequenced in late August were seeded by the so-called GH genetic strain of the new coronavirus.
Since April, the GH clade has been mostly detected in South Korea from a series of cluster infections, including the one tied to a nightlife district in downtown Seoul.
Despite the letup in new cases, health authorities warned against any complacency on concerns that virus infections could rebound due to people's movements during the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday.
This year's Chuseok holiday runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. The Korean autumn harvest celebration is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members to visit their hometowns.
"We've been coming up with measures to bring the virus outbreak under control while keeping the current Level 2 curbs," Yoon said.
This photo, taken on Sept. 6, 2020, shows a sign about the temporary closure of a store in the traditional Gwangjang Market in central Seoul as small merchants suffer amid a flare-up in new coronavirus cases. (Yonhap)
The country, meanwhile, reported 11 imported cases, with three cases coming from the Philippines and another three from India.
South Korea reported two more deaths, raising the death toll to 336. The fatality rate was 1.58 percent.
Over the past two weeks, 25 virus patients died, 24 of whom had underlying health issues, the KCDC said. Health authorities confirmed two more fatalities later in the day, with both occuring in Seoul. The latest deaths, involving senior citizens in their 70s and 80s, will be reflected in the daily tally on Tuesday.
Growing concerns about a shortage of hospital beds have also emerged. The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 162 as of midnight, down one from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 16,297, up 151 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,051,297 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(6th LD) Back-to-back typhoons pound southeastern S. Korea, leave 2 missing

A 57-year-old man in the city was rescued by firefighters early in the morning after an elevator stopped working due @ @ @ @ @ A water tank was blown off the top of a house in the western part @ @ @ @ @ casualties were reported .
Another man in his 60s was rescued from his house hit @ @ @ @ @ took a driver out of his truck to safety , after his vehicle was knocked @ @ @ @ @ Gwangan Bridge that connects the city 's Haeundae and Suyeong wards .
Yet another man @ @ @ @ @ hit hard by a sign that was blown away .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES details on damages; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Haishen escaped off the Korean Peninsula on Monday afternoon, ripping through the country's southern and eastern regions that had been reeling from the previous tropical storm.
The season's 10th typhoon pummeled South Korea with violent winds and heavy rainfall of up to 70 millimeters per hour, just days after Typhoon Maysak triggered flash floods and landslides and damaged buildings, bridges and glass windows in high-rise apartments.
Thousands of residents in low-lying areas took shelter, while flights, train services and passenger and fishing ships were all grounded. Tens of thousands temporarily lost power, and at least two people were reported missing after being swept away in flood waters.
In Gyeongju, two turbine generators at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant stopped operation due to power outage.
A seaside road in the southeastern city of Ulsan is destroyed on Sept. 7, 2020, by strong waves that Typhoon Haishen brought. (Yonhap)
Work is under way to pump water out of an inundated street in the eastern port city of Gangneung on Sept. 7, 2020, as Typhoon Haishen brought heavy rains in the region. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the office of Yangyang county, Gangwon Province, shows part of a road destroyed due to Typhoon Haishen on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by a reader, shows the flooded Taehwa River in Ulsan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), shows Typhoon Haishen's path as of noon on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Haishen temporarily disrupted power supply to 75,237 houses nationwide and damaged 3,557 hectares of farm land.
Two people were reported missing and five others were injured as of 7:30 p.m., while 78 had to flee their homes that were destroyed. More than 3,000 have been moved to shelters as a precautionary measure.
In Samcheok, Gangwon Province, a man in his 40s was reported missing at around 11:23 a.m. He was believed to have been swept away in a flooded waterway. A resident in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, was also swept away while crossing a bridge on a tractor.
Five residents and a couple in their 70s were rescued by firefighters in Yangyang and Samcheok, both in Gangwon Province, respectively.
A body of a man in his 40s, whom coast guard officials said was suffering from personal issues, was found in seas at the southeastern port city of Busan. Police are looking into whether his death is related to the typhoon.
Typhoon Haishen brings strong winds in the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
A landslide caused by Typhoon Haishen hits a parking lot at an apartment on the southern island of Geoje on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Ulsan where Haishen made landfall earlier in the day, the typhoon temporarily knocked out power at the assembly lines of Hyundai Motors, South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, which produces such models as the Genesis G90 and G80. Similar power outages were also reported at a factory of Hyundai Mobis Co., the country's biggest auto parts maker.
Vehicles drive on a flooded road along the coast of the city of Gangneung on South Korea's east coast on Sept. 7, 2020, in heavy rain caused by the powerful Typhoon Haishen. (Yonhap)
A street lamp snaps due to powerful winds in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in this photo provided by a reader on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Busan, the typhoon cut off power, toppled trees and snapped a traffic light in its path.
A 57-year-old man in the city was rescued by firefighters early in the morning after an elevator stopped working due to a power outage. A water tank was blown off the top of a house in the western part of the city. No casualties were reported. Another man in his 60s was rescued from his house hit by a landslide. Rescuers took a driver out of his truck to safety, after his vehicle was knocked out by powerful winds on Gwangan Bridge that connects the city's Haeundae and Suyeong wards. Yet another man was seriously injured after being hit hard by a sign that was blown away.
An 18-unit apartment in Dong Ward became inundated again after experiencing floods during the July rainy season.
Typhoon Haishen brings high waves in waters off the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The typhoon unleashed torrential rains and triggered a landslide near a tunnel on the road connecting the city with Changwon. Also, dozens of riverside and oceanfront roads have been closed as a safety measure against flooding.
In Yangsan, north of Busan, a road remained closed to traffic after rainwater flowed knee-high over it.
A roof damaged by strong winds from Typhoon Haishen is seen near Songjeong Beach in Busan on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A wall collapses over a parked car in Busan, South Korea, in this photo provided by the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
An apartment building is hit by a landslide in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It is highly likely that the typhoon will weaken as it passes by the country due to the southern sea's relatively cool temperature of less than 27 C, coupled with cool air in the upper atmosphere and strong wind," a KMA official said, forecasting it to be downgraded to an extratropical cyclone within a few hours.
A typhoon alert was lifted for the southern resort island of Jeju, Gyeongsang Province, and parts of Gangwon and the central provinces.
On Monday afternoon, trains running between Busan and nearby cities began their services, and domestic flights slowly resumed operation as the typhoon moved off the Korean Peninsula. But 114 ferries and 341 flights were cancelled across the country.
Typhoon Haishen was forecast to continue to march northward until it arrives at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. It is expected to dissipate there.
High waves are generated by Typhoon Haishen off the coast of the southeastern port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. The season's 10th typhoon is projected to travel along the Korean Peninsula up its eastern coast until it makes landfall at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. (Yonhap)
People walk amid powerful winds in Busan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(LEAD) Eastar to cut half of employees for new deal

The company plans to maintain 590 employees , including cabin crew , that is the bare minimum to fly six @ @ @ @ @ .
The size of the remaining workforce also is in line with the company 's @ @ @ @ @ said while pilots are being let go , none of its maintenance workers are to @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 2, 4-5, 9-10)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Embattled Eastar Jet Co. said Monday it will reduce its workforce by more than half as part of efforts to find a new investor after Jeju Air Co. scrapped its plan to acquire the smaller budget carrier amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Eastar plans to lay off 605 of its 1,216 employees on Oct. 14 before it begins the process of finding a new investor, Eastar Senior Vice President Kim You-sang said over the phone.
"Our lead managers and two private equity funds (that have an interest in investing in Eastar) want the company to reduce our fleet and workforce, among other things," he said.
The company plans to maintain 590 employees, including cabin crew, that is the bare minimum to fly six planes, the executive said. The size of the remaining workforce also is in line with the company's air operator certificate. Eastar said while pilots are being let go, none of its maintenance workers are to be laid off.
Eastar currently has 18 planes, including two 737 MAX aircraft, and had 1,680 employees as of March.
In this photo, taken on Sept. 3, 2020, a group of civic activists call on Eastar Jet to nix its plan to reduce its workforce near the National Assembly in Seoul following Jeju Air's recent decision to scrap its planned takeover of Eastar. (Yonhap)
Last month, Eastar selected Deloitte Anjin LLC, Yulchon LLC and Heungkuk Securities Co. as lead managers to resume a bid to sell a controlling stake of 51.17 percent.
The company is looking for a strategic investor, or a company, that has an interest in the majority stake in Eastar, the executive said.
"Ten companies, including PEFs, have expressed their intention to acquire Eastar. We are targeting to select a preferred negotiating partner by the end of this month," he said.
Eastar, which has suspended all flights since March, faces bankruptcy after Jeju Air scrapped the deal in late July due to the COVID-19 pandemic's growing impact on the airline industry. It acknowledged that it does not presently have the means to pay it employees.
Without going into details, Eastar said it aims to pick a preferred bidder to take over the company in the next few weeks and for a merger and acquisition to be pushed forward in October.
In March, Jeju Air signed a deal to acquire the controlling stake in Eastar Jet from Eastar Holdings for 54.5 billion won (US$45.53 million) as part of its expansion strategy despite the pandemic.
On July 1, Jeju Air sent an ultimatum demanding Eastar Jet pay off all of its debts, estimated at up to 170 billion won, including unpaid wages to its employees, delayed payments to subcontractors and office operating expenses, by July 15.
But Eastar failed to meet the demands. The company said the debt payment was not part of the deal and that it was not Eastar's duty to do so but Jeju Air's.
On July 23, the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea said they will withdraw their plan to extend loans worth 170 billion won to Jeju Air following the deal's collapse.
This file photo, taken July 1, 2020, shows Jeju Air and Eastar Jet planes at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(3rd LD) Trainee doctors set to return to work Tuesday, urge measures to protect medical students

The KIRA members , however , will launch an escalated collective action if the government does not come up with @ @ @ @ @ to support medical students who did not apply for a state medical licensing exam set @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info on return to work by doctors in last 3 paras, bottom photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Thousands of trainee doctors will return to work this week, ending a weekslong collective action over a controversial medical reform plan, their representatives said Monday.
An emergency committee under the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing interns and residents at general hospitals said its members will return to hospitals as of 7 a.m. Tuesday.
The KIRA members, however, will launch an escalated collective action if the government does not come up with further measures within two weeks to support medical students who did not apply for a state medical licensing exam set to be held Tuesday.
Seoul National University Hospital is crowded with patients on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The decision comes after the country's largest doctors' association, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), signed a deal with the ruling party Friday to end their nationwide strike.
The KMA had joined the collective action with junior doctors but agreed to return to work after the government backed down and promised to put the medical reform plans on hold in a joint effort for the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The government earlier said it will hold the exam as scheduled after most medical students said they will not take the exam in protest over the agreement.
"We will continue further collective action if students are not allowed to retake the exam or the test is postponed," said Park Ji-hyun, a spokeswoman for the committee.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme that calls for increasing the quota for medical students, establishing a new public medical school and giving medical insurance coverage to oriental medicine treatment.
Friday's deal raised hope for the normalization of hospital operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it angered the junior doctors, who said their views were not properly reflected in it.
As of Monday, the health ministry said 6,725, or 72.8 percent, of 9,235 trainee doctors had not reported back for duty.
KIRA and medical students have balked at the KMA's deal with the government, saying they will continue to reject the state medical licensing exam in protest over the agreement.
The exam, however, will be carried out as scheduled, the health ministry reaffirmed. A total of 446 out of 3,172 exam applicants, or 14 percent, will take the exam, according to the ministry.
The government and hospitals have been urging doctors to halt the strike, as their collective action has disrupted medical services at hospitals and other medical centers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trainee doctors protest the agreement between the Korean Medical Association, the ruling Democratic Party and health ministry at the Korea Health Promotion Institute in downtown Seoul, on Sept. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Related to lingering tension regarding trainee doctors' return to work, a group of medical school deans and senior officials of national hospitals issued a statement urging concerted effort to deal with COVID-19 first.
"Once the coronavirus issue is resolved, there should be ample time to discuss outstanding issues that triggered the walkout," they said, adding doctors needed to show more patience and wait for positive results.
Later in the day, over 90 percent of the 512 interns and resident doctors at Seoul Asan Medical Center voted to return to work, although they made clear that this did not mean an end to their collective action. Trainee doctors at Seoul National University said they too will return to duty on Tuesday.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(3rd LD) Controversial pastor reincarcerated after court cancels bail

`` If a person is arrested at the single word of a president , this ca n't be considered a @ @ @ @ @ after police escorted him from his residence attached to the church to take him to @ @ @ @ @ `` The Republic of Korea has become a totalitarian state . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES details on Jun's appeal in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- A controversial pastor at the center of a COVID-19 resurgence in the country was reincarcerated after a court canceled his bail Monday, legal sources said.
Under the court's decision, Jun Kwang-hoon returned to Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, at 4:30 p.m.
Jun, who pastors Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, was accused by prosecutors last month of violating the conditions for his bail by taking part in large-scale anti-government rallies in downtown Seoul.
Jun Kwang-hoon (C), a pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, speaks to reporters outside the church in northern Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The prosecutors requested his bail be canceled, and the Seoul Central District Court accepted the request on Monday, according to the sources. The court also confiscated a deposit of 30 million won (US$25,284) from Jun.
"If a person is arrested at the single word of a president, this can't be considered a country," Jun said after police escorted him from his residence attached to the church to take him to a Seoul detention facility. "The Republic of Korea has become a totalitarian state."
Asked if he plans to appeal, Jun said, "Of course I will."
Jun submitted a request for an appeal immediately after his reincarceration. He also submitted a request for a suspension of execution of confinement.
Despite the appeal, Jun will remain in custody until the court's decision.
The decision comes 140 days after Jun was released on bail pending an investigation into charges he violated public election laws ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections. He was also charged with libel against President Moon Jae-in.
Jun's conditions for bail included a ban on attending all illegal rallies or protests, or those related to the investigation.
In accepting the prosecution's request, the court cited Jun's violation of those conditions.
Jun Kwang-hoon speaks at a mass anti-government rally held in central Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Police restrict parts of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, as mass rallies take place. (Yonhap)
Jun tested positive for COVID-19 two days after he took part in the Aug. 15 rallies. He was subsequently hospitalized and later discharged from the hospital on Sept. 2.
Police have raided Jun's house and facilities related to the church to secure evidence that the church hampered the government's efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
The church and Jun have attracted conservative groups critical of the Moon Jae-in government.
Church members, local residents and reporters gathered outside Jun's home for his departure, leading to clashes between residents in the neighborhood who called for the church's removal and church members and their supporters.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(2nd LD) SK Innovation pushes for 3rd EV battery plant in Hungary

The EV battery market has been on a roll as global automakers race to go electric due to tightened regulations @ @ @ @ @ which scientists say are to blame for global warming .

(ATTN: RECASTS with company's new statement in paras 1-2)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- SK Innovation Co., a South Korean manufacturer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, is considering building its third battery plant in Hungary to meet growing demand for EV batteries amid the global race for zero-emissions cars.
"We have launched certain processes, such as looking for a candidate site" for the proposed plant, SK Innovation said in a statement.
Currently, SK Innovation runs a plant with an annual capacity of 7.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the northwestern Hungarian city of Komarom.
SK Innovation has also been working to complete its second plant with a capacity of 9.8 GWh, next to the first plant, by 2022.
Komarom is home to assembly lines of German carmaker Audi and is not far from a plant of another German automaker, Daimler AG, which owns Mercedes-Benz.
The EV battery market has been on a roll as global automakers race to go electric due to tightened regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists say are to blame for global warming.
SK Innovation is South Korea's top oil refiner, but it has been moving into the electric vehicle battery business since 2008 as part of efforts to find new revenue sources.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(2nd LD) Samsung bags 8 tln-won equipment supply deal from Verizon

`` The latest long term partnership deal with Verizon will provide users with enhanced mobile experience with Samsung committed to @ @ @ @ @ '' a company representative said .
He said the contract with Verizon comes at the @ @ @ @ @ help the domestic information technology industry and bolster the job market that has been hard @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 3-4, 6-8)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's leading tech firm, on Monday said it will supply network equipment to U.S. telecommunications giant Verizon for 7.89 trillion won (US$6.6 billion).
Samsung said it will supply network solutions, including 5G, for the next five years until Dec. 2025.
Samsung's latest contract with Verizon is the largest network equipment supply deal secured by a South Korean company. The total is equal to 3.43 percent of Samsung's sales in 2019.
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows its logo for 5G tech. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Samsung has been especially trying to expand its 5G equipment customer pool in recent years. In addition to leading U.S. telecom service providers such as AT&T and Sprint, the company has inked 5G equipment contracts in Canada, New Zealand and Japan.
Industry insiders said the deal with the top U.S. telecom operator will serve as a reference for Samsung to secure more network solutions orders in other major markets.
Samsung, along with other local companies, helped Seoul launch the world's first commercial 5G network in April of last year.
The tech giant said that it has been able to get 40-60 percent of its 5G-related parts from local vendors, which could help smaller companies make inroads abroad down the line.
"The latest long term partnership deal with Verizon will provide users with enhanced mobile experience with Samsung committed to furthering innovation in 5G," a company representative said. He said the contract with Verizon comes at the right time as it can help the domestic information technology industry and bolster the job market that has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. is the world's largest mobile telecommunications market, with its infrastructure spending accounting for about a quarter of the global network investment.
With the U.S. pressuring China's Huawei Technologies Co., the world's top 5G equipment supplier, over security reasons, industry observers predicted that Samsung can further expand its presence in the 5G equipment market.
According to market tracker IHS Markit, Huawei was the leading player in the global 5G equipment market last year with a 26.2 percent share, followed by Sweden's Ericsson with 23.4 percent and Samsung with 23.3 percent.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(2nd LD) Vice FM Choi meets Chinese, Japanese ambassadors amid Sino-U.S. rivalry, looming leadership

(2nd LD) Vice FM Choi meets Chinese, Japanese ambassadors amid Sino-U.S. rivalry, looming leadership change in Japan

Choi and Xing assessed that the two countries have been closely communicating at each level , including between their leaders @ @ @ @ @ need for their countries to work together to develop their ties to a `` higher @ @ @ @ @ said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6-9, 12-14; TRIMS)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with the Chinese and Japanese ambassadors on Monday, amid the intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry and a looming leadership change in Japan.
Since taking office last month, Choi has held and planned online and offline meetings with his foreign counterparts and ambassadors from major countries as part of efforts to ensure their support for Seoul's policy agenda, including its push for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
He first met with U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris last week.
On Monday, Choi had a meeting with Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita amid continuing tensions between Seoul and Tokyo over the long-running thorny issue of wartime forced labor and the latter's export restrictions.
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita bump elbows before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
Their talks came after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his intent late last month to step down due to health problems -- a move that raised cautious hope for a possible shift in the taut relations between South Korea and Japan.
Choi and Tomita shared the view that relations between South Korea and Japan face a "very important period" down the road, and reaffirmed that they would explore solutions to pending issues through dialogue, the foreign ministry said in a press release.
Regarding the forced labor issue, Choi noted the need for the two countries to pool their wisdom to explore a solution that can be acceptable to the victims, while respecting the 2018 South Korean court ruling that called for compensating the victims.
He also urged Tokyo to promptly withdraw its export curbs, which Seoul believes were implemented in retaliation for the court ruling.
Tokyo has claimed that all reparation issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the peninsula were settled under a 1965 treaty that normalized bilateral ties.
Later in the day, Choi met Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming.
Their talks were arranged against the backdrop of an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry that has posed a tricky geopolitical quandary to South Korea.
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming bump elbows before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choi and Xing assessed that the two countries have been closely communicating at each level, including between their leaders, and pointed out the need for their countries to work together to develop their ties to a "higher level," the ministry said.
Choi used the talks to call for China's active cooperation in helping Korean citizens address their difficulty entering China amid coronavirus entry restrictions.
Xing pledged to make active efforts to support the smooth expansion of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, the ministry said.
The two sides could discuss ongoing bilateral coordination to arrange a visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping within this year as the two countries have mutually agreed to push for the visit.
Xi's visit, if realized, would come at a delicate time for Seoul's diplomacy, as the United States has recently been striving to close ranks with its key Asian allies amid tensions between the great powers on multiple fronts, including trade, technology and maritime security.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(5th LD) Back-to-back typhoons leave S. Korea's southeastern regions in tatters

(ATTN: UPDATES details on damages)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Haishen escaped off the Korean Peninsula on Monday afternoon, ripping through the country's southern and eastern regions that had been reeling from the previous tropical storm.
The season's 10th typhoon pummeled South Korea with violent winds and heavy rainfall of up to 70 millimeters per hour, just days after Typhoon Maysak triggered flash floods and landslides and damaged buildings, bridges and glass windows in high-rise apartments.
Thousands of residents in low-lying areas took shelter, while flights, train services and passenger and fishing ships were all grounded. Tens of thousands temporarily lost power, and at least one person was reported missing after being swept away in flood waters.
In Gyeongju, two turbine generators at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant stopped operation due to power outage.
Work is under way to pump water out of an inundated street in the eastern port city of Gangneung on Sept. 7, 2020, as Typhoon Haishen brought heavy rains in the region. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the office of Yangyang county, Gangwon Province, shows part of a road destroyed due to Typhoon Haishen on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by a reader, shows the flooded Taehwa River in Ulsan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), shows Typhoon Haishen's path as of noon on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Haishen temporarily disrupted power supply to 75,237 houses nationwide, with around 34 percent of them still waiting for power to return.
One person was reported missing and five others were injured as of 4:30 p.m., while 124 had to flee their homes that were destroyed. More than 2,600 have been moved to shelters as a precautionary measure.
In Samcheok, Gangwon Province, a man in his 40s was reported missing at around 11:23 a.m. He was believed to have been swept away in a flooded waterway.
Five residents and a couple in their 70s were rescued by firefighters in Yangyang and Samcheok, both in Gangwon Province, respectively.
A body of a man in his 40s, whom coast guard officials said was suffering from personal issues, was found in seas at the southeastern port city of Busan. Police are looking into whether his death is related to the typhoon.
Typhoon Haishen brings strong winds in the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
A landslide caused by Typhoon Haishen hits a parking lot at an apartment on the southern island of Geoje on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Ulsan where Haishen made landfall earlier in the day, the typhoon temporarily knocked out power at the assembly lines of Hyundai Motors, South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, which produces such models as the Genesis G90 and G80. Similar power outages were also reported at a factory of Hyundai Mobis Co., the country's biggest auto parts maker.
Vehicles drive on a flooded road along the coast of the city of Gangneung on South Korea's east coast on Sept. 7, 2020, in heavy rain caused by the powerful Typhoon Haishen. (Yonhap)
A street lamp snaps due to powerful winds in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in this photo provided by a reader on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Busan, the typhoon cut off power, toppled trees and snapped a traffic light in its path.
A 57-year-old man in the city was rescued by firefighters early in the morning after an elevator stopped working due to a power outage. A water tank was blown off the top of a house in the western part of the city. No casualties were reported. Another man in his 60s was rescued from his house hit by a landslide. Rescuers took a driver out of his truck to safety, after his vehicle was knocked out by powerful winds on Gwangan Bridge that connects the city's Haeundae and Suyeong wards. Yet another man was seriously injured after being hit hard by a sign that was blown away.
An 18-unit apartment in Dong Ward became inundated again after experiencing floods during the July rainy season.
Typhoon Haishen brings high waves in waters off the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The typhoon unleashed torrential rains and triggered a landslide near a tunnel on the road connecting the city with Changwon. Also, dozens of riverside and oceanfront roads have been closed as a safety measure against flooding.
In Yangsan, north of Busan, a road remained closed to traffic after rainwater flowed knee-high over it.
A roof damaged by strong winds from Typhoon Haishen is seen near Songjeong Beach in Busan on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A wall collapses over a parked car in Busan, South Korea, in this photo provided by the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
An apartment building is hit by a landslide in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It is highly likely that the typhoon will weaken as it passes by the country due to the southern sea's relatively cool temperature of less than 27 C, coupled with cool air in the upper atmosphere and strong wind," a KMA official said, forecasting it to be downgraded to an extratropical cyclone within a few hours.
A typhoon alert was lifted for the southern resort island of Jeju, Gyeongsang Province, and parts of Gangwon and the central provinces.
On Monday afternoon, trains running between Busan and nearby cities began their services, and flights slowly resumed operation as the typhoon moved off the Korean Peninsula. In the morning, 298 flights were grounded nationwide, according to Korea Airports Corp.
Typhoon Haishen was forecast to continue to march northward until it arrives at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. It is expected to dissipate there.
High waves are generated by Typhoon Haishen off the coast of the southeastern port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. The season's 10th typhoon is projected to travel along the Korean Peninsula up its eastern coast until it makes landfall at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. (Yonhap)
People walk amid powerful winds in Busan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
This file photo shows Jeju International Airport. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--Moon vows S. Korea will quickly transition to 'clean, safe' energy to reduce greenhouse gas, fine du

Moon vows S. Korea will quickly transition to 'clean, safe' energy to reduce greenhouse gas, fine dust

The president emphasized the importance of clean air , with the world confronted with the new coronavirus pandemic and an @ @ @ @ @ .
This year , South Korea has also had more numerous and more powerful seasonal @ @ @ @ @ due to climate change , he noted .

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in underlined his government's commitment Monday to a strong policy drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fine dust, marking the inaugural United Nations anniversary on clean air, which was designated under the country's initiative.
South Korea will "accelerate the transition to clean and safe energy," he said in a speech for the virtual ceremony on the first International Day of Clean Air for blue skies.
Moon proposed the designation of the day during his U.N. speech last year.
The liberal Moon administration has not licensed the construction of a new coal power plant and plans to close 10 existing ones before the end of his tenure in 2022.
"(South Korea) will shut down 20 others additionally by 2034," Moon said. "(It) plans to more than treble the number of solar and wind power facilities by 2025, compared with last year."
This file photo shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivering a speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York on Sept. 24, 2019. (Yonhap)
The government will shift the country's electricity supply system to a renewable energy base from that of fossil fuels over the long haul, he added.
The president emphasized the importance of clean air, with the world confronted with the new coronavirus pandemic and an increased number of natural disasters. This year, South Korea has also had more numerous and more powerful seasonal typhoons than previous years apparently due to climate change, he noted.
He said climate change has become "the most important problem of our generation," which can no longer be put on the back burner. Moon also called for closer international cooperation to cope with the matter.
"What's clear is that the climate-environment problem is not a problem for a certain single country and only international cooperation can bring about a fundamental change," he said.
Moon said the government's Green New Deal project represents a strategy to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, respond to the climate crisis, create jobs and enhance the "inclusiveness" of the South Korean society.
He added the government will strengthen cooperation with China and Japan in the fight against fine dust.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--Moon urges comprehensive review on typhoon damages, swift recovery work

Although Haishen was moving northward away from South Korea , `` the situation is not over yet and there could @ @ @ @ @ , '' Moon said , calling on the government to stay on alert until everything @ @ @ @ @ Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok .

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in instructed the government Monday to "comprehensively" review damages from back-to-back powerful typhoons that hit South Korea and to swiftly carry out recovery work.
He issued the order during an "emergency meeting" to assess damage from Typhoon Haishen, the season's 10th typhoon. It swept through swathes of the nation earlier in the day with strong winds and rainfall of up to 70mm per hour, days after Typhoon Maysak pounded the peninsula.
Although Haishen was moving northward away from South Korea, "the situation is not over yet and there could be rain or wind damages," Moon said, calling on the government to stay on alert until everything is finished, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
Moon voiced concern about more extensive damage in some areas from Haishen, which followed a path similar to that of Maysak, with the recovery from existing damage incomplete.
President Moon Jae-in holds an emergency meeting on typhoon damage at the national crisis response center inside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon was quoted as saying that disaster relief authorities "will have to comprehensively review the damage situations" related to the two typhoons, Kang added.
The president also called for speedy recovery work and preparations to designate regions with huge damage as special disaster zones before the Chuseok holiday that begins at the end of this month.
Moon held the 40-minute emergency session at the national crisis response center at the presidential compound.
An emergency meeting on typhoon damage, convened by President Moon Jae-in, is under way at the national crisis response center inside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020 in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(LEAD) Controversy grows over alleged special favors for justice minister's son

The controversy centers on allegations that at the end of his second medical leave on June 23 , Seo did @ @ @ @ @ even though he had yet to receive approval for his personal vacation days , and @ @ @ @ @ covered up in large part due to his mother 's influence .

(ATTN: UPDATES with justice minister's comments in last three paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- New revelations are leading to increased calls for a swift investigation into alleged special favors received by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's son during his military service in 2017.
The 27-year-old, surnamed Seo, is suspected of getting an extra four vacation days without prior approval thanks to the influence of his mother, who was then the chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party.
Choo has denied using her power to get special favors for her son, saying at her confirmation hearing in December that all such allegations are false.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae answering questions at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
But opposition lawmakers have continued to present new information, including transcripts of conversations with military officials who handled Seo's leave, to back their claims of preferential treatment for the son, the kind of issue that receives particular scrutiny in South Korea and also led to the resignation of Choo's predecessor, Cho Kuk.
Seo served his military duty in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. 8th Army.
During that time, he took medical leave from June 5-14, 2017, to receive knee surgery, and extended it once through June 23. For four days after that, he used his personal vacation days and subsequently returned to his unit.
The controversy centers on allegations that at the end of his second medical leave on June 23, Seo did not return to his base even though he had yet to receive approval for his personal vacation days, and that this alleged breach was covered up in large part due to his mother's influence.
According to an interview released by Rep. Kim Do-eup of the main opposition People Power Party, an unnamed soldier who was standing duty on June 25 discovered Seo's failure to return to base and ordered him back in a phone call.
Soon after, the soldier claimed, a captain from a higher-ranking base came to the situation room and ordered him to list Seo as being on vacation.
Seo's lawyer denied the accusation on Sept. 2, saying in a statement that Seo's vacation was approved before June 25 and therefore no phone call was necessary on the day the unnamed soldier was on duty. The lawyer dismissed the soldier's remarks as "all false."
This photo shows Rep. Shin Won-sik of the People Power Party giving a press conference about alleged special favors received by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's son, at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
A separate conversation disclosed by the People Power Party alleges that one of Choo's aides called an official on her son's base to inquire about getting his vacation extended.
According to the transcript, a captain assigned to Seo's base told the office of Rep. Shin Won-sik of the People Power Party in a phone call on Aug. 30 that he received a call from Choo's aide asking if Seo's medical leave could be extended.
Opposition lawmakers have alleged that even a simple "inquiry" could have put pressure on the military.
The People Power Party has filed additional complaints with the Supreme Prosecutors Office against five people, including Seo, Choo's former aide, and military officials, on suspicion of violating military criminal laws.
The initial complaint over the special favor allegations was filed in January. Prosecutors have yet to question Seo or determine whether to bring charges.
Calls for a swift investigation have also emerged from within the ruling Democratic Party.
DP Rep. Park Yong-jin recently stressed the need for an investigation during a radio interview, saying education and military service are particularly sensitive issues for the public, and require fairness and justice.
Seo's legal team has also called for a swift investigation to ensure no one is hurt as a result of "groundless accusations."
Meanwhile, two investigators, including one prosecutor, who were in charge of the case are expected to be temporarily reassigned to a different team before the end of this week, according to legal sources.
Choo, who has denied the allegations, said she will not intervene in the case.
"The minister has expressed several times, including during her reply at parliament, her request for the prosecution to swiftly and strictly investigate to make clear the facts about the recent case that has stirred controversy," the justice ministry said in a text message to reporters.
It added that Choo has not and will not receive any report on the investigation.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(2nd LD) Controversial pastor reincarcerated after court cancels bail

(ATTN: UPDATES headline, lead, details, photos following reincarceration)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- A controversial pastor at the center of a COVID-19 resurgence in the country was reincarcerated after a court canceled his bail Monday, legal sources said.
Under the court's decision, Jun Kwang-hoon returned to Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, at 4:30 p.m.
Jun, who pastors Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, was accused by prosecutors last month of violating the conditions for his bail by taking part in large-scale anti-government rallies in downtown Seoul.
Jun Kwang-hoon (C), a pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, speaks to reporters outside the church in northern Seoul on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The prosecutors requested his bail be canceled, and the Seoul Central District Court accepted the request on Monday, according to the sources. The court also confiscated a deposit of 30 million won (US$25,284) from Jun.
"If a person is arrested at the single word of a president, this can't be considered a country," Jun said after police escorted him from his residence attached to the church to take him to a Seoul detention facility. "The Republic of Korea has become a totalitarian state."
Asked if he plans to appeal, Jun said, "Of course I will."
The decision comes 140 days after Jun was released on bail pending an investigation into charges he violated public election laws ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections. He was also charged with libel against President Moon Jae-in.
Jun's conditions for bail included a ban on attending all illegal rallies or protests, or those related to the investigation.
In accepting the prosecution's request, the court cited Jun's violation of those conditions.
Jun Kwang-hoon speaks at a mass anti-government rally held in central Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Police restrict parts of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, as mass rallies take place. (Yonhap)
Jun tested positive for COVID-19 two days after he took part in the Aug. 15 rallies. He was subsequently hospitalized and later discharged from the hospital on Sept. 2.
Police have raided Jun's house and facilities related to the church to secure evidence that the church hampered the government's efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
The church and Jun have attracted conservative groups critical of the Moon Jae-in government.
Church members, local residents and reporters gathered outside Jun's home for his departure, leading to clashes between residents in the neighborhood who called for the church's removal and church members and their supporters.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-07--(4th LD) Back-to-back typhoons leave S. Korea's southeastern regions in tatters

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photos; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Haishen escaped off the Korean Peninsula on Monday afternoon, ripping through the country's southern and eastern regions that had been reeling from the previous tropical storm.
The season's 10th typhoon pummeled South Korea with violent winds and heavy rainfall of up to 70 millimeters per hour, just days after Typhoon Maysak triggered flash floods and landslides and damaged buildings, bridges and glass windows in high-rise apartments.
Thousands of residents in low-lying areas took shelter, while flights, train services and passenger and fishing ships were all grounded. Tens of thousands temporarily lost power, and at least one person was reported missing after being swept away in flood waters.
In Gyeongju, two turbine generators at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant stopped operation due to power outage.
This photo, provided by the office of Yangyang county, Gangwon Province, shows part of a road destroyed due to Typhoon Haishen on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Work is under way to pump water out of an inundated street in the eastern port city of Gangneung on Sept. 7, 2020, as Typhoon Haishen brought heavy rains in the region. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by a reader, shows the flooded Taehwa River in Ulsan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), shows Typhoon Haishen's path as of noon on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Haishen temporarily disrupted power supply to 37,644 houses nationwide. It also destroyed 48 structures around the country, and the tally was expected to go up, as the agency was in the middle of assessing the damage.
A man in his 40s was reported missing at around 11:23 a.m. in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. He was believed to have been swept away in a flooded waterway.
Five residents and a couple in their 70s were rescued by firefighters in Yangyang and Samcheok, both in Gangwon Province, respectively.
In Goseong, also in Gangwon Province, residents were ordered to evacuate their homes for fear of floods.
Typhoon Haishen brings strong winds in the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
A landslide caused by Typhoon Haishen hits a parking lot at an apartment on the southern island of Geoje on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Ulsan where Haishen made landfall earlier in the day, the typhoon temporarily knocked out power at the assembly lines of Hyundai Motors, South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, which produces such models as the Genesis G90 and G80. Similar power outages were also reported at a factory of Hyundai Mobis Co., the country's biggest auto parts maker.
Vehicles drive on a flooded road along the coast of the city of Gangneung on South Korea's east coast on Sept. 7, 2020, in heavy rain caused by the powerful Typhoon Haishen. (Yonhap)
A street lamp snaps due to powerful winds in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in this photo provided by a reader on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Busan, the typhoon cut off power, toppled trees and snapped a traffic light in its path.
A 57-year-old man in the city was rescued by firefighters early in the morning after an elevator stopped working due to a power outage. A water tank was blown off the top of a house in the western part of the city. No casualties were reported. Another man in his 60s was rescued from his house hit by a landslide. Rescuers took a driver out of his truck to safety, after his vehicle was knocked out by powerful winds on Gwangan Bridge that connects the city's Haeundae and Suyeong wards. Yet another man was seriously injured after being hit hard by a sign that was blown away.
An 18-unit apartment in Dong Ward became inundated again after experiencing floods during the July rainy season.
Typhoon Haishen brings high waves in waters off the port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The typhoon unleashed torrential rains and triggered a landslide near a tunnel on the road connecting the city with Changwon. Also, dozens of riverside and oceanfront roads have been closed as a safety measure against flooding.
In Yangsan, north of Busan, a road remained closed to traffic after rainwater flowed knee-high over it.
A roof damaged by strong winds from Typhoon Haishen is seen near Songjeong Beach in Busan on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by a reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A wall collapses over a parked car in Busan, South Korea, in this photo provided by the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency on Sept. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
An apartment building is hit by a landslide in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It is highly likely that the typhoon will weaken as it passes by the country due to the southern sea's relatively cool temperature of less than 27 C, coupled with cool air in the upper atmosphere and strong wind," a KMA official said, forecasting it to be downgraded to an extratropical cyclone within a few hours.
A typhoon alert was lifted for the southern resort island of Jeju, Gyeongsang Province, and parts of Gangwon and the central provinces.
On Monday afternoon, trains running between Busan and nearby cities began their services, and flights slowly resumed operation as the typhoon moved off the Korean Peninsula. In the morning, 298 flights were grounded nationwide, according to Korea Airports Corp.
Typhoon Haishen was forecast to continue to march northward until it arrives at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. It is expected to dissipate there.
High waves are generated by Typhoon Haishen off the coast of the southeastern port city of Busan on Sept. 7, 2020. The season's 10th typhoon is projected to travel along the Korean Peninsula up its eastern coast until it makes landfall at Chongjin, North Korea, at midnight. (Yonhap)
People walk amid powerful winds in Busan, South Korea, on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
This file photo shows Jeju International Airport. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)