yna--2020-05-02--(3rd LD) Trump declines to comment on N.K. leader's reported appearance

(ATTN: UPDATES with Trump's remarks in paras 3-4)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declined to comment on the reported public appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a 20-day absence.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet -- Kim Jong-un," Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for Camp David. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
On whether Kim is still alive, he said, "I don't want to talk about it."
But asked if he will be talking to Kim this weekend, he said, "l may."
This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters as he departs the White House for Camp David, Maryland, on May 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moments earlier, North Korea's state media announced the first public appearance of Kim since April 11 at a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang.
During his absence from public view, news reports described Kim as being in "grave danger" after surgery or hiding out at a coastal resort to escape the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said initially that he didn't know if the reports were true then later said he had a "very good idea" about Kim's status but couldn't talk about it.
Speculation about Kim's whereabouts and health began after he apparently skipped the April 15 commemoration of the birthday of his late grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, which is an important holiday in the communist regime.
Trump and Kim have met three times in a bid to reach a deal on dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program in exchange for U.S. concessions.
Since their second summit in Vietnam in February 2019 ended without an agreement, negotiations between the two sides have stalled due to differences over how to match their steps.
Trump has still claimed to have a close personal relationship with Kim and insisted that had he not been elected president the U.S. would be at war with North Korea.
Before entering into summit diplomacy with the U.S. in 2018, North Korea tested nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles that posed a threat to the American mainland.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--N.K. leader looks well in first public appearance in 20 days despite rumors of ill health

Photos showed him cutting a red ribbon during the ceremony , clapping and talking to the officials accompanying him with @ @ @ @ @ face .
He was also seen walking normally around the factory , dismissing rumors and @ @ @ @ @ is unable to walk or in `` grave danger . ''

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- A broadly-smiling Kim Jong-un appeared in public for the first time in 20 days, looking well without any signs of an illness, despite a wave of speculation that he might be gravely sick or even dead.
Kim's reappearance underlined the difficulty in figuring out affairs in the communist nation, especially with regard to its leadership, and how easy it is for the outside world to slip into far-fetched speculation in the absence of clear information.
The North's official Korean Central News Agency and the main Rodong Simun newspaper reported Saturday that Kim attended a ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, the previous day.
It was Kim's first public appearance since he was last seen in North Korean media during a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in April 11.
His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be dead or seriously ill after surgery.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim made his first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Dismissing such rumors, KCNA on Saturday released several photos of Kim at the factory, dressed in a dark Mao suit and his signature sweptback hairstyle.
Kim showed no apparent signs of illness.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cuts a ribbon during a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim made his first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim made his first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Photos showed him cutting a red ribbon during the ceremony, clapping and talking to the officials accompanying him with a bright smile on his face. He was also seen walking normally around the factory, dismissing rumors and unconfirmed reports suggesting that he is unable to walk or in "grave danger."
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said.
His sister, Kim Yo-jong, who was considered among the most likely to succeed him by several reports should he become incapacitated or die, was seen standing next to the leader.
Other senior officials, including Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the WKP's Central Committee and Premier Kim Jae-ryong, accompanied Kim, according to KCNA. The North's No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae was not among the attendees.
Kim and his officials were not wearing masks.
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from the public eye.
After his appearance at a concert in Pyongyang celebrating Lunar New Year's Day on Jan. 25, he was absent for three weeks until state media reported his visit to a mausoleum in Pyongyang to commemorate the birthday of his late father on Feb. 16.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for 40 days and returned limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
North Koreans gather at a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. The North's leader, Kim Jong-un, attended the ceremony, making his first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(LEAD) S. Korea's virus cases stay in single-digit, with no new local infections

The country plans to announce on Sunday whether it will move on to what it calls `` everyday life quarantine @ @ @ @ @ workplaces can go back to normal routine with some precautionary measures attached .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea recorded fewer than 10 new daily coronavirus infections for the fourth day in a row Saturday, giving a green light for the country's plan to loosen some of social-distancing guidelines in coming days.
The six new daily infections increased the total number of cases to 10,780, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The daily figure peaked on Feb. 29 at 909.
With clear signs of a slowdown in the number of people infected locally, South Korea is vigilant of imported cases.
All new cases announced Saturday were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,081. More than 90 percent of the patients from the imported cases were South Korean nationals.
An army conscript disinfects a classroom at an elementary school in the southeastern city of Daegu on May 1, 2020, as part of efforts to prevent coronavirus infections among children. The country is preparing for the physical reopening of schools after weeks of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
Health authorities, however, are still calling for people to comply with social distancing guidelines during the holiday that runs through Tuesday.
Mass infections account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases here.
The nation's death toll from the virus rose by two to 250.
The overall fatality rate reached 2.32 percent. The figure, however, reached 24.7 percent for patients in their 80s and above.
In total, 9,123 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 51 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no new cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
Health authorities have carried out tests on 627,562 people since Jan. 3, including 4,493 examinations from a day earlier. The country reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing mandate after the holidays if the numbers remain flat until Tuesday.
The country plans to announce on Sunday whether it will move on to what it calls "everyday life quarantine," meaning schools and workplaces can go back to normal routine with some precautionary measures attached.
Health authorities, however, say that even if the country decides to ease its social-distancing drive, it does not necessarily mean that South Korea has vanquished the COVID-19 pandemic.
A second wave of infections may hit the country hard again later this year, they added.
The country also plans to beef up efforts to protect vulnerable people from the virus, with measures including delaying crackdowns against undocumented foreign migrant workers.
Workers spray disinfectant on seats at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on May 1, 2020, four days ahead of the opening of the baseball season. The season will run without spectators in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Korean Air to submit self-rescue plan this month

Last month , the Korea Development Bank ( KDB ) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea ( Exim Bank ) @ @ @ @ @ trillion won into the country 's top airline to help the company weather the impact @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co., the country's top flag carrier, will draw up a 1.5 trillion won (US$1.23 billion) self-rescue plan, including a 1 trillion won stock offering, this month in return for massive financial support from two state lenders, industry sources said Sunday.
Last month, the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank) said they will inject 1.2 trillion won into the country's top airline to help the company weather the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The two lenders will extend a loan of 200 billion won to Korean Air for operating capital, purchase 700 billion won worth of securities backed by future cargo deliveries and buy the carrier's 300 billion won in perpetual bonds convertible into stocks, a KDB official said.
If the lenders convert the perpetual bonds with no maturity date into Korean Air stocks, they will have a collective 10.8 percent stake in the carrier, he said.
This file photo shows Korean Air aircraft at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
As part of self-rescue efforts, Korean Air had 70 percent of its 20,000-strong workforce take paid leave for six months from April 16 and is in the process of selling non-core assets to secure cash.
Self-help measures under review include sales of non-core assets, such as buildings and land, according to the sources.
Local airlines have suspended most of their flights on international routes as an increasing number of countries have enacted entry restrictions amid virus fears.
South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air and Asiana -- and seven low-cost carriers (LCCs) -- Jeju Air, Jin Air Co., Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way and Fly Gangwon.
Last month, the government announced it would inject 300 billion won into LCCs. Full-service carriers also demanded emergency financial aid from the government.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 60 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 9,183: KCDC

(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--2020-05-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional death, virus death toll now at 250: KCDC


yna--2020-05-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 13 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,793: KCDC


yna--2020-05-03--Doosan Heavy under pressure to sell more assets: sources

South Korea , which decommissioned two nuclear power plants in 2017 and 2019 , is set to retire 10 out @ @ @ @ @ here by the end of 2030 .

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Embattled Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. is under growing pressure to sell more assets in return for aid from its creditors, industry sources said Sunday.
Last week, parent Doosan Group submitted Doosan Heavy's final self-rescue plans, worth more than 3 trillion won (US$2.45 billion), to the creditors led by state-run Korea Development Bank.
The self-rescue plans include the sell-off of non-core assets, a rights issue and reductions of executive salaries.
In March, the company opened a 500 billion-won credit line with the KDB and Eximbank but the money has been almost depleted, according to KDB.
The list of assets to be sold includes the group's material business affiliate, Doosan Solus, and its stake in construction equipment makers, such as Doosan Bobcat.
Industry sources said the sales of key affiliates would help the group secure sufficient cash for Doosan Heavy.
Doosan Bobcat is 51 percent owned by Doosan Infracore and the sale of Doosan Bobcat may fetch 1.5 trillion won. Doosan Heavy owns 38.4 percent in Doosan Infracore as well.
This undated file photo shows Doosan Group's logo in front of Doosan Tower in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Doosan Heavy has faced a liquidity crisis due to years of declining orders amid an economic slowdown.
Doosan Heavy's net losses deepened in recent years, as South Korea has pushed to boost the supply of power from clean and renewable sources while weaning the country off nuclear and coal-fired plants.
Doosan Heavy posted accumulated net losses of 2.68 trillion won from 2014 through 2019.
Doosan Heavy said orders worth about 10 trillion won have dried up due to the cancellation of nuclear and coal-fired plant projects in South Korea.
South Korea, which decommissioned two nuclear power plants in 2017 and 2019, is set to retire 10 out of the total 24 reactors here by the end of 2030.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--'The World of the Married' sets ratings record for cable drama

The plot centers around Ji Sun-woo , played by Kim Hee-ae , who is a dedicated wife and doctor who @ @ @ @ @ 's betrayal and sets out to take revenge against him .

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The smash-hit series "The World of the Married" has become the most-watched drama on Korean cable TV, data showed Sunday.
The 12th episode of the JTBC series, which airs every Friday and Saturday, logged a record viewership of 24.3 percent on Saturday, outrunning the previous record of 23.8 percent set by another JTBC hit, "SKY Castle," according to Nielsen Korea.
This marks the highest viewership by a drama episode aired on local cable networks and the second-highest for all programs broadcast on cable networks. Currently, TV Chosun's audition hit "Mister Trot" holds the record at 35.7 percent.
This screenshot, provided by JTBC, shows a scene from the 12th episode of the TV series "The World of the Married" broadcast on May 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
Originally based on the BBC TV series "Doctor Foster," which aired in 2015 and 2017, the 16-episode series has captured Korean viewers with its intense suspense and swift storytelling smartly altered for the local market.
The plot centers around Ji Sun-woo, played by Kim Hee-ae, who is a dedicated wife and doctor who finds out about her husband's betrayal and sets out to take revenge against him.
Premiering on March 28, the series has four episodes left in its run.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Korean refiners suffer grim Q1 performance amid pandemic

Market watchers say the oil refiners may still experience a better second quarter , when major oil-rich countries cut their @ @ @ @ @ slows across the globe .
A full-fledged recovery , however , will depend heavily on @ @ @ @ @ normalized .

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean major oil refiners suffered one of their worst quarters in the January-March period, data showed Sunday, as global oil output has far outpaced demand amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
S-Oil Corp., the no. 3 oil refiner in South Korea, swung to a record loss of 1 trillion won (US$816 million) in the first quarter due to inventory losses and falling refining margins.
The loss was roughly 50 percent higher than earlier expectations.
Another refiner, Hyundai Oilbank Co., reported an operating loss of 563 billion won during the January-March period as well.
Two more oil refiners will release their earnings reports this month, but market watchers say no surprises are anticipated.
No. 1 player SK Innovation Co. is estimated to have suffered an operating loss of 1 trillion won, with GS Caltex Corp. also set to report a loss of at least 500 billion won, according to estimates provided by local brokerage houses.
The lackluster performances of the four oil refiners came as global crude prices have plummeted amid the growing tension among oil-producing nations, with the COVID-19 pandemic weighing down on oil demand.
Last month, South Korea's exports of petroleum goods halved on-year to $1.6 billion, while outbound shipments of petrochemical products dipped 33.6 percent over the cited period.
Market watchers say the oil refiners may still experience a better second quarter, when major oil-rich countries cut their output and the COVID-19 pandemic slows across the globe. A full-fledged recovery, however, will depend heavily on when global business activities are normalized.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , May .
03 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .


yna--2020-05-03--Trump says he is glad to see N.K. leader 'back and well'

`` I , for one , am glad to see he is back , and well ! ''
Trump wrote @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be a scholar 's tweet embedded with photos of Kim at a May @ @ @ @ @ of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon , north of Pyongyang .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, May 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that he is glad to see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "back and well" following rumors he was gravely ill or even dead.
Kim was shown in North Korean state media a day earlier, ending a 20-day absence from public view that sparked intense speculation about his whereabouts and health.
"I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!" Trump wrote in a retweet of what appeared to be a scholar's tweet embedded with photos of Kim at a May 1 ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang.
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meeting in the Demilitarized Zone on the inter-Korean border on June 30, 2019. (Yonhap)
Trump declined to comment on Kim's reappearance on Friday, telling reporters he may have something to say about it at the appropriate time.
He refused to say whether Kim was still alive but when asked if he will be talking to the North Korean leader on the weekend, he said, "I may."
Trump had previously claimed he knew what was going on with Kim and dismissed a CNN report alleging that the leader was in "grave danger" as "incorrect."
Trump and Kim have met three times in a bid to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons program in exchange for U.S. concessions.
The negotiations have ground to a halt since their second summit in Vietnam in February 2019 due to differences over how to match their steps.
Trump has still bragged about his close personal relationship with Kim and insisted that had he not been elected president the U.S. would be at war with North Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(5th LD) N.K. leader reemerges after 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

`` All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah ! '
extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader @ @ @ @ @ new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary @ @ @ @ @ to a victory with his outstanding leadership , '' KCNA said , referring to the @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments by analyst in 11th para)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony, state media reported Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim, dressed in a dark Mao suit, cutting the red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face. They did not show any signs of an illness.
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said, referring to the North Korean concept of self-reliance.
"He looked round several places including raw material processing process, yellow phosphorus production process, ammonium phosphatic fertilizer production process, and packing process, being briefed about the production processes of the factory," KCNA added.
Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation" and "set forth the tasks and ways for developing our chemical industry in a correct orientation as required by the new century."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cut a ribbon for the completion of a fertilizer factory in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Accompanying Kim were his sister Kim Yo-jong, Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the WKP's Central Committee, Premier Kim Jae-ryong and other senior officials, according to KCNA. No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae was not among the attendees.
This marked Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be seriously ill.
Also Saturday, North Korea's state broadcaster Korean Central Television aired Kim's attendance at the fertilizer factory completion ceremony in the first news report of its daily program that began at around 3 p.m.
In the 15-minute broadcast, Kim was seen walking without the support of anyone, waving his hands to the crowd and clapping his hands, moves that apparently aimed at ending rampant speculation about his health.
North Korea's state broadcaster Korean Central Television shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walking without the support of anyone at a fertilizer factory completion ceremony on May 1, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said North Korean media reports of Kim Jong-un making a site visit to a fertilizer factory "represent an attempt to signal he is alive and well."
CNN reported last week that the United States is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after surgery. That came after a report by Daily NK, a South Korea-based news outlet specializing in North Korea issues, that Kim was receiving medical treatment following a cardiovascular procedure.
Fanning the rumors further, North Korean media had not provided no report on photo on his public activity, though it carried articles on his routine day schedules such as sending diplomatic letters or sending gifts to honored citizens.
South Korean officials have repeatedly rejected such rumors, saying that no unusual movements have been found in North Korea with regard to Kim's health.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to comment on Kim's reappearance.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from public view. The latest absence marked the third time this year alone that Kim has not appeared in public for more than 10 days.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for about 40 days and returned with a cane and limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
He took over as leader after his father, Kim Jong-il, died of a heart attack in late 2011.
North Korean leader Kim (C) smiles while joining a fertilizer factory completion ceremony in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. This marked his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(2nd LD) Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery: Cheong Wa Dae

Despite media reports speculating on his illness , officials in Seoul have repeatedly said there are no unusual signs in @ @ @ @ @ is believed to be staying in the country 's eastern coastal town of Wonsan .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more comments by presidential official in paras 12-15)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery, a presidential official said Sunday, flatly denying speculation over Kim's health.
"There were media reports speculating about Chairman Kim's surgery, citing a change in the way he walks," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters, saying the presidential office judges this not to be true.
When asked whether the North Korean leader did not even go through a relatively moderate medical procedure, the official replied yes.
The official, who asked not to be named, however, refused to unveil the grounds that this judgment was made upon.
A file photo of Cheong Wa Dae (Yonhap)
The North's state media reported on Saturday that Kim cut the tape at a ceremony marking the completion of the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday.
This marked the North Korean leader's first public appearance in 20 days since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party.
His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung had fanned speculation he might be seriously ill.
Despite media reports speculating on his illness, officials in Seoul have repeatedly said there are no unusual signs in North Korea and that Kim is believed to be staying in the country's eastern coastal town of Wonsan.
In a parliamentary meeting, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul referred to the unconfirmed reports as "fake news" and an "infodemic."
"We have intelligence capacity that allows us to say confidently there are no unusual signs," Kim said.
The Cheong Wa Dae official, meanwhile, downplayed reports suggesting that the fertilizer plant may be mobilized to extract uranium for the North's nuclear activities, saying they are not credible.
The official also expressed regret over false claims about Kim's health by two North Korean defectors-turned-lawmaker-elects, saying it would be better if the two offered a clear apology.
Thae Yong-ho, a former No. 2 diplomat at North Korea's Embassy in London, who was elected to South Korea's parliament last month, told CNN last week that "one thing is clear ... he cannot stand up by himself or walk properly."
Thae said in a Facebook message on Saturday that his analysis on Kim's health was off the mark, though he said he has lingering questions about Kim's health.
Ji Seong-ho, who earned a proportional representation seat of a minor political party in last month's elections, had claimed he was "99 percent sure" of Kim's death and that Pyongyang may make related announcements this weekend. Ji was invited to U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address in 2018.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cuts a ribbon for the completion of a fertilizer factory in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on May 2, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(LEAD) Police recover missing remains of victim of warehouse fire

ICHEON , South Korea , May 3 ( Yonhap ) -- Police said Sunday they have recovered what are believed @ @ @ @ @ victim of a fire that killed scores of workers in Icheon , south of Seoul @

(ATTN: UPDATES with recovery of what are believed to be remains; CHANGES headline)
ICHEON, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Police said Sunday they have recovered what are believed to be remains of a victim of a fire that killed scores of workers in Icheon, south of Seoul.
The fire that tore through a warehouse in Icheon on Wednesday killed 38 and injured 10 others. Among those killed were one Chinese and two Kazakh workers.
Icheon, located about 80 kilometers south of Seoul, is home to SK hynix Inc., the world's second-largest maker of DRAM chips, as well as a large number of warehouses and storage facilities for retailers.
Investigators walk through the site of a warehouse fire in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on May 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Authorities believe the fire started on the second underground floor during construction work involving urethane, a combustible chemical used for insulation work, and the installation of a freight elevator.
On Sunday, investigators at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency found what are believed to be a body part, two mobile phones and a car key on the basement floor.
Police found five body parts from four bodies during two previous searches.
Police said they will send the remains to the National Forensic Service for DNA tests for identification.
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(2nd LD) S. Korea to relax social distancing campaign this week

Under the everyday life quarantine scheme , people are required to , among other things , stay at home for @ @ @ @ @ if they are sick , maintain a distance of up to 2 meters , wash @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments by health minister in paras 4-5)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it will end its weekslong social distancing campaign and implement an everyday life quarantine scheme later this week as the new coronavirus outbreak has slowed.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19 that the everyday life quarantine scheme is set to start Wednesday, adding that gatherings and events will be allowed under the condition that they follow disinfection measures.
South Korea, which has been applying social distancing measures instead of a strict lockdown, added just 13 cases on Sunday. The nation's death toll reached 251.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the everyday life quarantine scheme is meant to maintain distance among people in their everyday lives, not to have people go back to their pre-COVID-19 lives.
Under the everyday life quarantine scheme, people are required to, among other things, stay at home for about three or four days if they are sick, maintain a distance of up to 2 meters, wash their hands and wear masks.
The government earlier said it will move on to the everyday life quarantine scheme when the number of new infections remains below 50. South Korea has been fulfilling that for the past 25 days.
Travelers walk around the domestic hall of Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of new cases peaked at 909 on Feb. 20. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 case from a Chinese person on Jan. 20.
Under the loosened guidelines, South Korea will gradually reopen schools, museums and other public facilities. It plans to release new guidelines for school openings on Monday with options that include having students take classes at different times.
Park said the everyday life quarantine scheme is meant to ensure that people can resume their economic activities and that each individual is responsible for quarantining.
Park said South Korea "will return to the strengthened social distancing campaign at any time in case the situation worsens."
South Korea reported no infections tied to last month's general elections, where more than 29 million voters showed up at polling stations nationwide wearing face masks.
Health authorities, however, remain concerned over the growing number of imported cases despite a clear slowdown in domestic outbreaks.
They also expect another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to hit the country hard later due to the lack of a cure for the highly contagious virus.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(LEAD) S. Korea to relax social distancing campaign this week

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting on the government 's response to COVID-19 that the everyday life quarantine @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , adding that gatherings and events will be allowed under the condition that they @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments by health minister in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it will end its weekslong social distancing campaign and implement an everyday life quarantine scheme later this week as the new coronavirus outbreak has slowed.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19 that the everyday life quarantine scheme is set to start Wednesday, adding that gatherings and events will be allowed under the condition that they follow disinfection measures.
South Korea, which has been applying social distancing measures instead of a strict lockdown, added just 13 cases on Sunday. The nation's death toll reached 250.
The government earlier said it will move on to the everyday life quarantine scheme when the number of new infections remains below 50. South Korea has been fulfilling that for the past 25 days.
Travelers walk around the domestic hall of Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of new cases peaked at 909 on Feb. 20. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 case from a Chinese person on Jan. 20.
Under the loosened guidelines, South Korea will gradually reopen schools, museums and other public facilities. It plans to release new guidelines for school openings on Monday with options that include having students take classes at different times.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the everyday life quarantine scheme is meant to ensure that people can resume their economic activities and that each individual is responsible for quarantining.
Park said South Korea "will return to the strengthened social distancing campaign at any time in case the situation worsens."
South Korea reported no infections tied to last month's general elections, where more than 29 million voters showed up at polling stations nationwide wearing face masks.
Health authorities, however, remain concerned over the growing number of imported cases despite a clear slowdown in domestic outbreaks.
They also expect another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to hit the country hard later due to the lack of a cure for the highly contagious virus.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(LEAD) Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery: Cheong Wa Dae

(ATTN: ADDS word in quote in 2nd para; RECASTS lead; ADDS photo, details from 5th para)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery, a presidential official said Sunday, flatly denying speculation over Kim's health.
"There were media reports speculating about Chairman Kim's surgery, citing a change in the way he walks," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters, saying the presidential office judges this not to be true.
When asked whether the North Korean leader did not even go through a relatively moderate medical procedure, the official replied yes.
The official, who asked not to be named, however, refused to unveil the grounds that this judgment was made upon.
A file photo of Cheong Wa Dae (Yonhap)
The North's state media reported on Saturday that Kim cut the tape at a ceremony marking the completion of the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday.
This marked the North Korean leader's first public appearance in 20 days since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party.
His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung had fanned speculation he might be seriously ill.
Despite media reports speculating on his illness, officials in Seoul have repeatedly said there are no unusual signs in North Korea and that Kim is believed to be staying in the country's eastern coastal town of Wonsan.
In a parliamentary meeting, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul referred to the unconfirmed reports as "fake news" and an "infodemic."
"We have intelligence capacity that allows us to say confidently there are no unusual signs," Kim said.
The Cheong Wa Dae official, meanwhile, downplayed reports suggesting that the fertilizer plant may be mobilized to extract uranium for the North's nuclear activities, saying they are not credible.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cuts a ribbon for the completion of a fertilizer factory in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on May 2, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Baseball managers eye big prize in new season delayed by coronavirus

`` When we made the postseason last year , I saw some promise in this group of guys , '' @ @ @ @ @ 've told my team that we have to play well this year in order to @ @ @ @ @ I do n't know if we 'll be able to go all the way this @ @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Their new season has been pushed back by more than a month, but the focus for managers in the South Korean baseball league hasn't wavered in that time.
The 2020 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season will begin on Tuesday, delayed from the original March 28 start by the coronavirus outbreak. The 10 teams have recently completed a truncated, six-game preseason, and they played only teams within their regions at that.
Players of the Kiwoom Heroes practice at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
It's been a spring unlike any other in the league that turned 38 this year, and the regular season, with the usual 144 games squeezed into a much tighter window, is expected to bring more unprecedented challenges.
Kim Tae-hyoung, manager of the defending champions Doosan Bears, sounded undaunted by the prospect. During the media day -- taped Saturday via videoconferencing and aired Sunday due to coronavirus concerns -- Kim said the goal remains the same.
"Once again, we'll try to win the championship this year," Kim said. "(Our new pitcher) Raul Alcantara should do his job as our No. 1 starter. Our bullpen did an excellent job last year, and I hope they'll do even better this year."
The Bears have nine prospective free agents. It could be a double-edged sword: They could either be extra motivated to post strong numbers and set themselves up for a big payday, or they could crumble under that pressure.
Kim said he hasn't thought much about those future free agents but he isn't particularly concerned about that.
"As long as people leave them alone, I think they'll be just fine," he said. "I am sure they will feel some pressure, but I don't think it will affect their work ethic."
This photo provided by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on May 2, 2020, shows managers and captains from 10 KBO clubs participating in a virtual media day via videoconferencing from their home stadiums. The media day was televised on cable and streamed on web portals on May 3. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Bears' co-tenants at Seoul's Jamsil Stadiumm, the LG Twins, will look to end a title drought that reached 25 years in 2019. Some pundits feel this may be the Twins' year, but manager Ryu Joong-il fell short of making any bold prediction, saying the goal is to "reach the Korean Series."
"When we made the postseason last year, I saw some promise in this group of guys," Ryu said. "I've told my team that we have to play well this year in order to win a title soon. I don't know if we'll be able to go all the way this year, though."
For some, the goal is more realistic. The KT Wiz, who came into the league in 2015, posted their first .500 season last year under manager Lee Kang-chul. Lee said he wanted to give his fans their first taste of playoff baseball this year.
NC Dinos' skipper Lee Dong-wook guided the team to the wild card game last year in his managerial debut. He said at the media day that his goal was to "climb to a higher place than we've been so far," but his captain, Yang Eui-ji, was decidedly more specific.
"Our goal is to win the championship," Yang said. "If we do that, we'll hand out free tickets for our home opener for the 2021 season."
Matt Williams, the former National League Manager of the Year who has taken over the Kia Tigers, didn't discuss any specific goal for a club that finished in seventh last year.
"We have a lot of young players who are excited about this season," he added.
Lotte Giants' manager Her Mun-hoe is tasked with keeping the underachieving team out of the cellar in 2020. They were the only club last year that failed to win 50 games out of 144.
Her said he'll try to get his players do their best one game at a time, and then in a nod to the delayed start to the season that will push the playoffs to late November, Her said, "If we can put in consistent effort, I think we'll be able to play ball until winter."
Public health workers sanitize seats at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on May 1, 2020, four days prior to the start of the 2020 Korea Baseball Organization season. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Gov't to announce school reopening plans this week

While the exact date is set to be unveiled in the press briefing , some hold the view that school @ @ @ @ @ , which would give health and education authorities enough time to gauge the impact of @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The government is set to soon announce dates for students to return to school in line with the country's relaxed social distancing guidelines as the coronavirus pandemic shows signs of waning here.
"South Korea will implement the everyday life quarantine scheme starting Wednesday," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday during a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19.
The government earlier said it will move on to the everyday life quarantine scheme when the number of new infections remain below 50. South Korea has been seeing that for the past 25 days.
"We will sequentially push for our children to take classes at school. The education minister will announce the detailed schedule and method tomorrow," Chung said.
The shift to everyday life quarantine raises hope that students may be able to return to school this month.
A student in the first year of elementary school takes online classes at his home in the Seoul ward of Yongsan with the help of his mother on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
While the exact date is set to be unveiled in the press briefing, some hold the view that school may resume around May 18-20, which would give health and education authorities enough time to gauge the impact of the so-called golden holiday.
South Koreans are on an extended holiday, with key calendar events such as Buddha's Birthday, Labor Day and Children Day's falling between April 30 and May 5. Many people are expected to travel or meet relatives during this period, making social distancing difficult.
There is, however, the possibility that high school seniors may return to school a week earlier due to schedules related to the national college entrance exam that takes place in November each year. This year, the exam has been postponed to December.
South Korean kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools -- which usually start the new school year in March -- have remained closed for the past two months.
The government postponed the new school term by five weeks to April, when grade school students resumed classes online for the first time in the country's history of education.
Online classes opened gradually, with high school and middle school seniors taking classes starting April 9, followed by grades 1-2 at middle schools and high schools and elementary grades 4-6 on April 16. Online classes for lower grades at elementary schools opened on April 20.
Kindergartens and child care centers continue to remain closed, only offering emergency child care for eligible households.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery: Cheong Wa Dae

`` There were media reports speculating about Kim 's surgery , citing a change in the way he walks , @ @ @ @ @ Dae official told reporters , saying the presidential office judges this not to be true @

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears not to have undergone surgery, a presidential official said Sunday.
"There were media reports speculating about Kim's surgery, citing a change in the way he walks," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters, saying the presidential office judges this not to be true.
When asked whether the North Korean leader did not even go through a relatively moderate medical procedure, the official replied yes.
The official, who asked not to be named, however, refused to unveil the grounds that this judgment was made upon.
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--2 new American pitchers singled out by managers as ones to watch in new KBO season

Managers qualified their assessments by saying they have watched most of new foreign pitchers on tape .
Because of the @ @ @ @ @ season has been pushed back from March 28 to Tuesday , and the league ran @ @ @ @ @ 21 to last Friday .
Teams only played six games apiece and only faced opponents @ @ @ @ @ instance , three Seoul-based clubs , the Doosan Bears , the LG Twins and the @ @ @ @ @ out to as far as Incheon or Suwon , just west and south of the @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean baseball clubs will often go only as far as their foreign aces take them. And the importance of those import hurlers could be magnified even more this year, with managers already recognizing some strong talent in this year's group.
During the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season-opening media day Sunday -- recorded Saturday via videoconferencing due to coronavirus concerns -- Aaron Brooks of the Kia Tigers and Chris Flexen of the Doosan Bears were singled out by several skippers as new foreign pitchers to watch.
Both former major leaguers are entering their first season in South Korea.
In this file photo from April 21, 2020, Aaron Brooks of the Kia Tigers pitches in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game against the Samsung Lions at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Managers qualified their assessments by saying they have watched most of new foreign pitchers on tape. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the regular season has been pushed back from March 28 to Tuesday, and the league ran an abbreviated preseason from April 21 to last Friday. Teams only played six games apiece and only faced opponents within their regions. For instance, three Seoul-based clubs, the Doosan Bears, the LG Twins and the Kiwoom Heroes, only ventured out to as far as Incheon or Suwon, just west and south of the capital city.
The Twins' manager Ryu Joong-il has yet to see Brooks in person, but he was still impressed with the clips he's seen so far.
"He throws hard, and his two-seam fastball had a lot of horizontal movement," Ryu said. "He's looked pretty good so far."
KT Wiz skipper Lee Kang-chul, a former pitcher, chimed in: "Brooks has a simple, concise delivery, and his pitches have good movement. I think he'll be tough to hit."
In this file photo from April 27, 2020, Chris Flexen of the Doosan Bears pitches against the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The one manager who has seen Brooks in person in preseason, Huh Sam-young of the Samsung Lions, said the right-hander has the kind of stuff that could help him get acclimated to the new league quickly.
"He also manages his game really well, and we regard him as one of the pitchers to watch," Huh added. Brooks held the Lions to a run in four innings in a preseason game on April 21, while striking out four and walking none.
Brooks' own manager, Matt Williams, said he obviously likes his right-hander and added, "There are a lot of players in this league that have great potential."
One of them may be Flexen, who has come over to the KBO at a relatively young age of 25.
Kiwoom Heroes' manager Son Hyuk said Flexen should especially thrive in the Bears' home, Jamsil Stadium, which is the most pitcher-friendly park in the KBO. SK Wyverns' bench boss Youm Kyoung-youb said Flexen looked "much better in person than in video" and that he expects other new foreign pitchers to have strong seasons, too.
NC Dinos' manager Lee Dong-wook said Flexen has impressed him more than any other foreign pitcher this spring.
The new regular season begins Tuesday at five stadiums across the country.
This photo provided by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on May 2, 2020, shows managers and captains from 10 KBO clubs participating in a virtual media day via videoconferencing from their home stadiums. The media day was televised on cable and streamed on web portals on May 3. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(3rd LD) S. Korea to loosen social distancing amid virus slowdown

`` We have found around 10 patients in the past two weeks whose infection routes have not been identified , @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` This indicates that there are still sources of infections in communities .
@

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with new social distancing guidelines)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea decided on Sunday to relax its strict social distancing moves this week as the number of new virus infections has stayed low for weeks.
The country reported 13 new virus cases on Sunday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,793, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
South Korea said it will move on to what it calls an "everyday life quarantine" scheme starting Wednesday, giving the go-ahead to the normalization of schools and public facilities.
Seoul believes it has virtually contained the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, although imported cases linger as a threat. Of 13 cases announced on Sunday, 10 were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,091.
Travelers walk at Jeju International Airport in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll remained at 250.
In total, 9,183 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 60 from a day earlier. So far, 85 percent of the patients have been cured. The overall fatality rate reached 2.32 percent.
The country, with a population of around 50 million, has tested 630,973 people since Jan 3. including 3,411 carried out a day earlier.
The number of relapse cases came to 340 as of Sunday.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added four cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
Health authorities are remaining vigilant over the holiday that runs through Tuesday, as many citizens travel across the country.
"We have found around 10 patients in the past two weeks whose infection routes have not been identified," KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said. "This indicates that there are still sources of infections in communities."
"Recently, the number of tests being carried out also decreased in sync with fewer suspected cases. It is worrisome that people's mindfulness over the COVID-19 virus could have loosened," Jeong added.
People form a line with space between them at a Catholic church in central Seoul on May 3, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
Nevertheless, with clear signs of a slowdown, South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing campaign effective from Wednesday.
Under the so-called everyday life quarantine scheme, schools and workplaces can go back to their normal routines with some basic guidelines.
South Korea said it will still maintain the highest "red" alert for the COVID-19 pandemic for the time being, although it will consider lowering the level depending on developments.
The government, however, reiterated that easing social distancing does not necessarily indicate that people are allowed go back to the period before the pandemic.
"The new guidelines are more of a compromise amid rising social and economic burdens sparked by the pandemic," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19.
"People need to comply with basic guidelines, such as maintaining at least two meters of distance from each other, even after we move on to the everyday life quarantine," Jeong also said.
Health authorities said they are closely watching the effectiveness of Remdesivir, an Ebola treatment that has emerged as a new hope in tackling the new coronavirus, although no decision on imports have been made yet.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--3 homegrown pitchers receive KBO Opening Day nod

After the end of spring training in early March , five teams sent their American pitchers home to be with @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus raging in South Korea .
But as the situation in the U.S. started to @ @ @ @ @ rushed back to South Korea before any travel ban was put in place .
And @ @ @ @ @ end of March , those players were ordered into 14-day quarantine , which threw their @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- When the 2020 South Korean baseball season begins Tuesday after over a month of delay, there will be at least three homegrown starters on the mound.
Managers for nine of the 10 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) clubs announced their Opening Day starters during the annual media day on Sunday.
The new season was to have begun on March 28 but was pushed back to the Children's Day holiday on Tuesday due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In this file photo from April 5, 2020, Yang Hyeon-jong of the Kia Tigers pitches in an intrasquad game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
And the COVID-19 pandemic has created unusual situations in other areas. For one, the media day, normally held at a convention center with hundreds of fans allowed to attend, was taped behind closed doors via videoconferencing on Saturday and was broadcast via cable and web portals on Sunday. Managers and team captains connected from their respective home stadiums.
Lotte Giants' skipper Her Mun-hoe was the only one not to announce his starter for Tuesday's game. Her said first-year right-hander Dan Straily, a strong candidate for the assignment, is not 100 percent, and another American pitcher, Adrian Sampson, has gone back to the United States to tend to his ailing father. Her may opt for South Korean right-hander Park Se-woong, and the decision will come no later than Monday evening, the manager said.
Either way, three South Korean starters are the most for an Opening Day since there were four in 2016. In 2017, all 10 teams sent foreign pitchers to the hill, with nine of them doing so in 2018 and eight in 2019.
This year, unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic forced some clubs to opt for South Korean hurlers to start the season.
In this file photo from April 21, 2020, Baek Jung-hyun of the Samsung Lions pitches in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
After the end of spring training in early March, five teams sent their American pitchers home to be with their families, with the coronavirus raging in South Korea. But as the situation in the U.S. started to worsen, those players were rushed back to South Korea before any travel ban was put in place. And upon their return toward the end of March, those players were ordered into 14-day quarantine, which threw their preparations off track.
Following the government-mandated quarantine, the LG Twins will not have their two American right-handers, Tyler Wilson and Casey Kelly, available for the opening series against the defending champions Doosan Bears.
In the clash of two Seoul-based clubs, the Bears will start right-hander Raul Alcantara on Tuesday at Jamsil Stadium. First-year righty Chris Flexen had been considered a possible Opening Day starter, but manager Kim Tae-hyoung chose Alcantara for his prior KBO experience. The Dominican pitcher spent the 2019 season with the KT Wiz.
The biggest Korean name to start on Tuesday will be Kia Tigers' ace Yang Hyeon-jong, who will be opening his third straight season and fourth overall. The 2017 regular season MVP will face the Kiwoom Heroes at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. Yang has yet to record a win on an Opening Day.
The Heroes will have right-hander Jake Brigham for the second straight Opening Day. Though he had to be quarantined in March, Brigham has worked his way back into shape and earned the trust of his first-year manager Son Hyuk.
In this file photo from April 19, 2020, Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches in an intrasquad game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Samsung Lions will have homegrown left-hander Baek Jung-hyun against the NC Dinos at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Baek will get his first Opening Day assignment ahead of Ben Lively and David Buchanan, both of whom had to be quarantined following their returns from the U.S.
The Dinos will counter with Drew Rucinski, who chose to return to South Korea following spring training with the rest of his team. Rucinski went 9-9 with two complete games and a 3.05 ERA in 2019, his first KBO season.
The KT Wiz, who joined the KBO in 2015, will have their first-ever Opening Day at home in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of the capital. New arrival Odrisamer Despaigne will have the honor of starting that game against the Giants.
In Incheon, some 40 kilometers west of Seoul, Nick Kingham of the home team SK Wyverns will go toe to toe against Warwick Saupold of the Hanwha Eagles.
This is Kingham's first KBO season, and his manager, Youm Kyoung-youb, tapped the right-hander as his Opening Day starter last week. Saupold will be starting his second straight Opening Day.
In this file photo from April 27, 2020, Warwick Saupold of the Hanwha Eagles pitches in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game against the KT Wiz at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--S. Korea to relax social-distancing campaign this week

SEOUL , May 3 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea said Sunday that later this week it will loosen its @ @ @ @ @ been in effect since late March , as the new coronavirus outbreak here has slowed @

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that later this week it will loosen its social-distancing campaign, which has been in effect since late March, as the new coronavirus outbreak here has slowed.
"South Korea will implement the everyday life quarantine scheme starting Wednesday," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19. "Gatherings and events will be allowed under the condition that they follow disinfection measures."
The country, which has been applying social-distancing measures instead of a strict lockdown, added just 13 cases on Sunday. The nation's death toll reached 250.
The government earlier said it will move on to the everyday life quarantine scheme when the number of new infections remain below 50. South Korea has been fulfilling that for the past 25 days.
Travelers walk around the domestic hall of Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of new cases peaked at 909 on Feb. 20. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 case from a Chinese person on Jan. 20.
Under the loosened guideline, the country will gradually reopen schools and other public facilities. It plans to release new guidelines for school openings on Monday with options that include having students take classes at different times.
South Korea reported no infections tied to last month's general elections, where more than 29 million voters showed up at polling stations nationwide wearing face masks.
Health authorities, however, remain concerned over the growing number of imported cases despite a clear slowdown in domestic outbreaks.
They also expect another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to hit the country hard later due to the lack of a cure for the highly contagious virus.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--S. Korea to give cash payouts to 2.8 mln households this week amid pandemic

For those who are not eligible for the cash payout , the government will distribute the amount in the form @ @ @ @ @ points , gift cards and prepaid cards .
Recipients can start applying for their chosen @ @ @ @ @ 11 , the ministry said .

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to start giving cash payouts to around 2.8 million virus-hit households starting this week, the interior ministry said Sunday.
Under the measure, eligible households -- including those under the government's low-income support or disabled pension scheme -- will receive up to 1 million won (US$817) in cash on Monday without going through a separate application process.
In order to receive the payout in cash, all members of the household must be a recipient of the government's livelihood support, basic pension or disabled pension program.
The exact amount will vary according to the number of family members -- ranging from 400,000 won for single-person households to 1 million won for households with four or more family members.
The plan is part of the government's efforts to minimize the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and boost consumption.
The National Assembly recently approved a supplementary budget bill to fund relief payouts for all households, regardless of their income.
For those who are not eligible for the cash payout, the government will distribute the amount in the form of credit or debit card points, gift cards and prepaid cards. Recipients can start applying for their chosen form of payout starting May 11, the ministry said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Corporate watchdog unveils list of 64 firms subject to mandatory disclosure

The FTC revised the fair trade law in 2018 on affiliates of large business groups .
It raised the minimum @ @ @ @ @ on mutual investment and loan guarantees to 10 trillion won from 5 trillion won , @ @ @ @ @ for mandatory filings .

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's corporate watchdog on Sunday designated 64 large companies, including private equity fund IMM Investment, that are obliged to disclose their corporate information to boost transparency.
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said businesses with assets of 5 trillion won (US$4.1 billion) or more and their 2,284 affiliates will be placed on its new watch list for mandatory filings.
IMM Investment, HMM, formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine, KG and three other business groups were added to the list.
The FTC revised the fair trade law in 2018 on affiliates of large business groups. It raised the minimum asset ceiling for tighter restrictions on mutual investment and loan guarantees to 10 trillion won from 5 trillion won, and introduced the new list for mandatory filings.
The watchdog said the mandatory disclosure system is aimed at encouraging big companies to do business in a more transparent manner as it altered restriction rules.
The combined assets of the 64 companies totaled 2,176 trillion won in 2020, up 136.4 trillion won from a year earlier, with 34 trillion won in assets per business.
Their debt-to equity ratio stood at 71.7 percent, up 3.9 percentage points over the cited period.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(URGENT) S. Korea to loosen social-distancing campaign from Wednesday.

(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--2020-05-03--(2nd LD) Virus curve continues to flatten, loose social-distancing in store

Health authorities said they are also closely watching the effectiveness of Remdesivir , an Ebola treatment that has emerged as @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus , although no decision on imports have been made yet .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has continued to report fewer than 15 cases of the new coronavirus for more than two weeks, data showed Sunday, as the country seeks to loosen social distancing moves and gradually normalize everyday life.
The country reported 13 new virus cases, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,793, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The slowdown in new infections came as South Korea moves toward loosening its social distancing drive.
Seoul believes it has virtually contained the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, although imported cases linger as a threat. Of 13 cases announced on Sunday, 10 were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,091.
Travelers walk at Jeju International Airport in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju on May 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll remained at 250.
In total, 9,183 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 60 from a day earlier. So far, 85 percent of the patients have been cured. The overall fatality rate reached 2.32 percent.
The country, with a population of around 50 million, has tested 630,973 people since Jan 3. including 3,411 carried out a day earlier.
The number of relapse cases came to 340 as of Sunday.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added four cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
Health authorities are remaining vigilant over the holiday that runs through Tuesday, as many citizens travel across the country.
"We have found around 10 patients in the past two weeks whose infection routes have not been identified," KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said. "This indicates that there are still sources of infections in communities."
"Recently, the number of tests being carried out also decreased in sync with fewer suspected cases. It is worrisome that people's mindfulness over the COVID-19 virus could have loosened," Jeong added.
People form a line with space between them at a Catholic church in central Seoul on May 3, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
Nevertheless, with clear signs of a slowdown, South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing campaign after the holidays. Details are expected to be released later in the day.
Under the so-called "everyday life quarantine" scheme, schools and workplaces can go back to their normal routines with some basic guidelines.
"People need to comply with basic guidelines, such as maintaining at least two meters of distance from each other, even after we move on to the everyday life quarantine," Jeong said.
Health authorities said they are also closely watching the effectiveness of Remdesivir, an Ebola treatment that has emerged as a new hope in tackling the new coronavirus, although no decision on imports have been made yet.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(LEAD) Multiple gunshots from N. Korea hit S. Korean border guard post: JCS

The military is closely looking into the incident to learn more details by analyzing pieces of evidence , including shells @ @ @ @ @ as well as the North 's motivations for the firing .
It does not appear @ @ @ @ @ , according to the officer .

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS more details, background info in throughout, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Several gunshots from North Korea hit a South Korean guard post inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Sunday, prompting the South to fire back, but the North's firings do not appear to have been intentional, an official said.
South Korean soldiers on guard duty at the unit in the central border town of Cheorwon heard gunshots at around 7:41 a.m. and found four bullet marks on a wall of the guard post, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In accordance with the response manual, the military then fired a total of 20 shots in response -- 10 rounds each time -- and issued broadcast warnings, it added. No casualties or damage to South Korean facilities were reported.
It is not known if North Korea sustained any damage.
"We also sent a notice to the North Korean side via the inter-Korean communication line at around 9:35 a.m., and called for its explanation," a JCS officer said.
North Korea has given no response yet.
The military is closely looking into the incident to learn more details by analyzing pieces of evidence, including shells found at the scene, as well as the North's motivations for the firing. It does not appear to be an intentional provocation, according to the officer.
"It was quite foggy and the North Korean soldiers usually rotate shifts around that time," the JCS officer said, adding that no unusual movements by the North's military have been detected.
The South Korean authorities made it clear that the incident is in violation of the bilateral military accord of the Comprehensive Military Agreement signed in September 2018, and urged the North to fully abide by the agreement.
Under the accord, the two Koreas set up land, maritime and ground buffer zones and agreed to halt all hostile acts against each other, aimed at reducing tensions and building trust.
It is the first reported exchange of gunfire between the two Koreas along the border since 2017, when the North fired bullets at one of its soldiers who was fleeing to the South.
The incident came amid stalled inter-Korean relations and one day after the North ended mounting rumors about leader Kim Jong-un's health and whereabouts by reporting his first public appearance in nearly three weeks.
This pool photo taken on May 22, 2019, shows a South Korean guard post in the inter-Korean border town of Cheorwon. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--More visitors than expected travel to Jeju on 'golden holiday'

The number of visitors to Jeju between April 30 and May 2 totaled 138,802 , roughly 30 percent more than @ @ @ @ @ to the data by the island 's tourism board .

JEJU, May 3 (Yonhap) -- A larger-than-projected number of tourists visited South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju during the so-called golden holiday, keeping health authorities on alert amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of visitors to Jeju between April 30 and May 2 totaled 138,802, roughly 30 percent more than a 106,905 forecast, according to the data by the island's tourism board.
South Koreans are on an extended holiday, with key public holidays and calendar events, such as Buddha's Birthday, Labor Day and Children's Day all falling in late April or early May this year.
Officials projected that roughly 25,000 more will arrive on the island on Sunday ahead of the Children's Day holiday scheduled for Tuesday.
The large groups of visitors have raised concern over possible transmissions of the new coronavirus.
The province's monitoring results showed that only around 60 percent of visitors at outdoor sightseeing sites wore masks.
Province officials said they plan to implement tightened measures against the virus by testing visitors whose temperatures measures above 37.3 degrees.
The province has checked 85 visitors at its airport's walk-through testing center during the four-day period, including 81 who came to Jeju after traveling abroad.
This photo, taken on April 29, 2020, shows a man passing by Jeju mascots wearing masks at Jeju International Airport. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

In an extra parliamentary session , the FTA ratification bill was passed by a margin of 163 to 1 , @ @ @ @ @ votes .
The main opposition Democratic Party ( DP ) , which did not use @ @ @ @ @ , opted to boycott the voting process entirely .
The ruling Grand National Party ( @ @ @ @ @ passage of the bill that ratifying the pact is in the country 's best interest @ @ @ @

May 4
1899 -- Streetcar services begin between Dongdaemun, once the main eastern gate of a wall surrounding Seoul, and Heunghwamun, the front gate of Gyeonghui Palace in the central part of the city. The revolution in electric transportation soon sparked public anger when a tram car struck and killed a child crossing the tracks on May 26.
1977 -- The culture ministry closes the Seoul bureau of Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper and bans its distribution in South Korea following controversial remarks its editor-in-chief made about North Korea.
1982 -- Jang Yeong-ja and her husband, Lee Cheol-hee, the most prominent figures in an underworld private loan market linked to government officials, are arrested for violating the foreign exchange law. The couple had generated 640 billion won (US$545 million) by laundering illegal bonds. Jang and Lee were later sentenced to 15 years in prison.
1998 -- The Marine Corps receives the authority to manage its own human resources and finances, tasks that had previously been controlled by the Navy.
2006 -- KT Corp., South Korea's largest fixed-line and broadband service operator, establishes the first private telephone line in the Dokdo islets in the East Sea. There had previously been a total of 11 telephone lines on Dokdo, a set of small islets located 92 km east of Ulleung Island, but only for patrol forces stationed there and public use.
The new line was set up at the house of a married couple who moved there earlier that year to promote awareness of the nation's sovereignty over the easternmost territory and oppose Japan's repeated claim to the islets.
2009 -- A South Korean naval unit rescues a North Korean freighter from being hijacked by suspected pirates in Somali waters. The unit, operating in the Gulf of Aden as part of a U.S.-led multinational anti-piracy campaign, received a distress call from the North Korean vessel, the Dabaksol, and dispatched an anti-submarine attack helicopter to fend off pirates. It also hovered around the North Korean freighter after its crew asked for extended support.
2011 -- South Korea's National Assembly ratifies the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), allowing it to take effect in July, despite objections raised by opposition parties.
In an extra parliamentary session, the FTA ratification bill was passed by a margin of 163 to 1, with five lawmakers casting blank votes. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which did not use force to block the passage, opted to boycott the voting process entirely. The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) said after the passage of the bill that ratifying the pact is in the country's best interest.
(END)


yna--2020-05-03--(URGENT) N. Korean gunshots at S. Korean guard post not deemed intentional: JCS


yna--2020-05-04--S. Korea reports no new local virus cases ahead of eased social distancing

SEOUL , May 4 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea reported eight more cases of the new coronavirus on Monday @ @ @ @ @ from overseas , as the country is set to further relax its months-long social distancing @ @ @ @ @ in new infections .

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported eight more cases of the new coronavirus on Monday, all of which came from overseas, as the country is set to further relax its months-long social distancing guidelines amid a marked slowdown in new infections.
The newly added COVID-19 cases brought the nation's total infections to 10,801, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
An army conscript disinfects a classroom at an elementary school in the southeastern city of Daegu on May 1, 2020, as part of efforts to prevent coronavirus infections among children. The country is preparing for the physical reopening of schools after weeks of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
The country had reported fewer than 10 new infections for five days in a row through Sunday.
The slowdown in new infections prompted the country to end its 45-day long social distancing campaign and shift toward so-called everyday life quarantine scheme from Wednesday.
The country believes it has virtually contained the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, although imported cases linger as a threat.
Of the eight cases announced on Sunday, all of them were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,099, the KCDC said. More than 90 percent of the imported cases are South Korean nationals.
An exhibition game between the Kiwoom Heroes and the Doosan Bears is under way at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on April 29, 2020. The game was played without spectators amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll increased by two to 252, the KCDC said.
In total, 9,217 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 34 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--Ex-major league pitcher Dan Straily announced as Opening Day starter for KBO club

During the media day -- taped via videoconferencing Saturday and aired Sunday -- nine of the 10 managers revealed their @ @ @ @ @ of the season .
But Her Mun-hoe of the Giants said he had not yet @ @ @ @ @ with Straily dealing with physical issues and another American pitcher , Adrian Sampson , having @ @ @ @ @ to see his ailing father .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Former major league right-hander Dan Straily was announced as the Opening Day starter for his new South Korean club on Monday.
The Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Straily will start their season opener against the KT Wiz on Tuesday. The first pitch is 2 p.m. at the KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
Straily, who pitched in 156 big league games before joining the Giants for this season, is the last of the 10 Opening Day starters to be named.
In this file photo, from March 30, 2020, Dan Straily of the Lotte Giants pitches in an intrasquad game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
During the media day -- taped via videoconferencing Saturday and aired Sunday -- nine of the 10 managers revealed their starters for the first day of the season. But Her Mun-hoe of the Giants said he had not yet made up his mind, with Straily dealing with physical issues and another American pitcher, Adrian Sampson, having returned to the United States to see his ailing father.
Her said, in addition to Straily, two homegrown pitchers, Park Se-woong and Seo Jun-won, were also candidates for the Opening Day assignment. If Park or Seo had received the nod, it would have given the league four South Korean starters to begin the year, the most on an Opening Day since 2016.
But Straily, who has recovered from some back tightness and threw 40 pitches in the bullpen Saturday, ultimately got the call.
The Wiz will counter with Odrisamer Despaigne, another former major league pitcher.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 34 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 9,217: KCDC


yna--2020-05-04--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 more virus deaths, death toll now at 252: KCDC


yna--2020-05-04--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 8 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,801: KCDC


yna--2020-05-04--Ex-Premier Leaguers hoping to take K League by storm in 2020

It 'll be his second tour of duty for Jeonbuk , for whom he spent 2016 and then half of @ @ @ @ @ scored a career-high 13 goals last season , after never scoring more than four in @ @ @ @ @ .
On a deep Jeonbuk squad , Kim likely wo n't have to exert himself @ @ @ @ @ , and his passing skills should come in handy for the emerging , 22-year-old striker @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Of the many new faces who have newly arrived or switched kits for the 2020 K League 1 season, former Premier League player Lee Chung-yong may just find himself under the brightest spotlight.
For one, the new Ulsan Hyundai FC midfielder brings impressive credentials -- he has 89 caps and played in two FIFA World Cups, with a solid run in the Premier League along the way. Plus, before even playing a match for his new club, Lee immediately became the new face of a team trying to shake off a devastating finish to the 2019 season.
In this file photo from March 5, 2020, Lee Chung-yong of Ulsan Hyundai FC poses in the K League 1 club's uniform at his introductory press conference at the Korea Football Association (KFA) House in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Ulsan led the eventual champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors by three points heading into the season finale against the Pohang Steelers. Ulsan only needed a draw for their first title since 2005 but lost the match 4-1. Jeonbuk beat Gangwon FC 1-0 and pulled into a tie in points with Ulsan at 79-79 and ended up taking the championship thanks to the goals scored tiebreak edge.
Over the offseason, Ulsan lost their best player from 2019, the league MVP Kim Bo-kyung, to Jeonbuk, with salt getting rubbed hard into their wounds. But the team fully in the "win now" mode signed Lee, along with national team goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo and crafty midfielder Yoon Bitgaram.
Kim Bo-kyung, a former Premier Leaguer himself, would probably like to trade that MVP trophy for a championship ring, and he'll have a chance to win a title with Jeonbuk this year.
It'll be his second tour of duty for Jeonbuk, for whom he spent 2016 and then half of 2017. The playmaking midfielder scored a career-high 13 goals last season, after never scoring more than four in any previous K League seasons. On a deep Jeonbuk squad, Kim likely won't have to exert himself on the goal scoring department, and his passing skills should come in handy for the emerging, 22-year-old striker Cho Gue-sung.
In this file photo from Feb. 12, 2020, Kim Bo-kyung of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors dribbles the ball against Yokohama F. Marinos during their Asian Football Confederation Champions League group stage match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Cho ranked third in the K League 2 last year with 14 goals for FC Anyang and was named to the K League 2 Best XI too. Jeonbuk are hoping Cho will succeed the 41-year-old striker Lee Dong-gook as the next great goal scorer.
Speaking of goal scoring, Dejan Damjanovic, a three-time scoring champion, will look for redemption in a new uniform with Daegu FC.
The 2012 league MVP was limited to just three goals for Suwon Samsung Bluewings in 2019. He had scored in double figures in the past 10 K League seasons, a streak that saw him become the first to win three consecutive scoring titles from 2011 to 2013 for FC Seoul.
The well-traveled Montenegrin was a forgotten man for Suwon last season. At 38, Damjanovic may no longer be the deadly striker that he once was, but he still has a nose for the goal.
In this file photo from Sept. 18, 2019, Dejan Damjanovic of Suwon Samsung Bluewings (C) battles for the ball against Hwaseong FC during the first leg of the FA Cup semifinals at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--S. Korea's fight against coronavirus has yet to end: PM

`` Now we have to accept the life with the coronavirus .
We are facing the task of making a @ @ @ @ @ with the virus , '' he added .

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister said Monday the country's battle against the new coronavirus has yet to end despite the government's decision to relax social distancing this week.
The government said Sunday it will switch to an "everyday life quarantine" scheme starting Wednesday, under which people are advised to take quarantine measures in a way that allows social and economic activities.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun voiced the need not to let down the country's guard against COVID-19 despite the relaxation of social distancing.
"Our war against the coronavirus has yet to end and the fight will not end in the short term," Chung said at the government's meeting on virus responses.
"Now we have to accept the life with the coronavirus. We are facing the task of making a new life that goes together with the virus," he added.
The prime minister vowed to continue the government's drive to contain the virus as there is a possibility that more infections could occur than under stricter social distancing rules.
He stressed the government will prioritize taking quarantine steps at schools, as it is considering measures to gradually re-open schools in May.
Later in the day, the education ministry will announce ways to let students go back to schools in May after the country opened the new school year with online classes last month.
Education authorities are expected to begin to permit senior high school students to go to schools later this month.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--N.K.'s official paper reports on Kim sending gratitude to propagandists

Despite Kim 's prolonged disappearance from public view since he was last seen on April 11 presiding over a major @ @ @ @ @ media outlets continued to carry articles on his routine schedules , such as sending out @ @ @ @ @ gifts to honored citizens and workers , though they provided no report or photo on @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed gratitude to state propagandists, the country's main newspaper reported Monday, days after dispelling persistent rumors about his health with his first public appearance in about three weeks.
"Comrade Kim Jong-un sent gratitude to exemplary instructors for carrying out their responsibility and role as basic propagandists, which have led workers to implement the party's policies," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said.
The paper said the instructors are full of passion to live up to the leader's expectations by continuing to "ideologically" encourage workers to continue their "frontal breakthrough" and move forward.
The report came after state media said Saturday that Kim attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony a day earlier, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health, including the possibility of his death.
Photos released by state media showed Kim cutting a red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face. They did not show any signs of an illness.
Despite Kim's prolonged disappearance from public view since he was last seen on April 11 presiding over a major party meeting, North Korean media outlets continued to carry articles on his routine schedules, such as sending out letters to foreign leaders or gifts to honored citizens and workers, though they provided no report or photo on his public activity.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim made his first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--Seoul stocks open sharply lower on Wall Street losses

U.S. stocks plunged Friday ( local time ) after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he may consider imposing tariffs on @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus outbreak , renewing bilateral tension between the world 's two largest economies @

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks opened sharply lower Monday, tracking losses on Wall Street amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 46.72 points, or 2.4 percent, to 1,900.84 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
U.S. stocks plunged Friday (local time) after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he may consider imposing tariffs on China over its handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak, renewing bilateral tension between the world's two largest economies.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.55 percent to close at 23,723.69, while the Nasdaq slid 3.2 percent to 8,604.95.
In Seoul, most large-cap stocks got off to a weak start.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics plunged 2.5 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 2.03 percent.
South Korea's No. 1 automaker, Hyundai Motor, lost 2.67 percent, while auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis declined 2.33 percent.
Top chemical firm LG Chem dived 3.05 percent, and leading steelmaker POSCO tumbled 3.79 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,227.8 won against the U.S. dollar, sharply down 9.6 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--(LEAD) S. Korea's inflation slows to 6-month low over coronavirus

`` Inflation will unlikely turn negative because of a low base effect from last year when prices were low , @ @ @ @ @ the road due to a decline in global oil prices , '' an official from @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in para 6, last 5 paras; RECASTS headline, first 2 paras)
SEJONG, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's inflation slowed to its lowest level in six months in April as consumers refrained from spending over the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday.
Consumer prices rose 0.1 percent on-year in April, which was below market expectations. A recent survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, expected consumer prices to have gained 0.34 percent in April.
The April tally compares with a 1 percent on-year gain in March, according to the data released by Statistics Korea.
The nation's inflation fell 0.6 percent on-month, the data showed.
Core inflation, which excludes agricultural and petroleum products, rose 0.3 percent from a year earlier.
April's core inflation also marked the slowest growth since September 1999, when it grew 0.3 percent.
Utility prices gained 0.3 percent on-year last month, while prices of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products climbed 2.9 percent on-year in April, the data showed.
In April, prices of livestock products rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier, and the prices of processed foodstuff rose 1.3 percent.
Automobile prices, on the other hand, slipped 2.2 percent on a government tax break aimed at promoting consumption.
"Inflation will unlikely turn negative because of a low base effect from last year when prices were low, but it may drop down the road due to a decline in global oil prices," an official from the statistics office said.
South Korea's consumer prices had increased at less than 1 percent for 12 consecutive months before growing 1.5 percent in January, followed by a 1.1 percent increase the following month
Slowing inflation may give the Bank of Korea (BOK) more room to ease its monetary policy.
In March, the BOK delivered its first emergency rate cut in over a decade, slashing the policy rate by half a percentage point to send it below the 1 percent mark for the first time in its history.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-04--Military to resume enlistees' vacationing this week amid slowing virus spread

`` We began allowing service members ' off-base travel on April 24 .
Since then , no additional patients among @ @ @ @ @ ; the country 's virus situation has been stabilized ; and there have been few @ @ @ @ @ '' the ministry said in a release , explaining the reasons for the resumption decision @

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The military will begin allowing enlisted service members to go on vacation this week after months of restrictions, amid signs of a slowdown in the spread of the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Monday.
All enlisted service personnel have been banned from off-base trips in principle since Feb 22 when the country began to report a drastic surge in COVID-19 infections.
But the restrictions will be lifted on Friday in line with the government's decision to end the weekslong, strict social distancing campaign and turn to an "everyday life quarantine scheme" this week.
"We began allowing service members' off-base travel on April 24. Since then, no additional patients among military populations have been reported; the country's virus situation has been stabilized; and there have been few community infection cases recently," the ministry said in a release, explaining the reasons for the resumption decision.
Other restrictive measures, including banning soldiers' staying out and meeting outside visitors at the barracks, will be eased in phases in consideration of the virus circumstances down the road, it added.
The resumption of vacationing will come along with various anti-virus measures, including tougher education for quarantine and hygiene guidelines and making more military hospitals capable of testing the virus, according to the ministry.
"The decision is expected to ease our service members' stress and allow the stable management of troops," the ministry said, expressing gratitude for the troops' full cooperation.
The military has so far reported 39 infections in barracks, with the last case being reported in mid-March.
Soldiers walk along a street in the county of Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, on April 24, 2020, after the authorities eased restrictions for enlistees' off-installation travel. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 1,906.42 DN 41.14 points (open)


KOSDAQ 637.00 DN 8.18 points (open)


yna--2020-05-04--Dollar opens at 1,226.1 won UP from 1,218.2 won


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , May 4 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .