yna--2020-11-26--(4th LD) Wang touts 'robustness' and 'vitality' of S. Korea-China ties

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday touted the "robustness" and "vitality" of his country's relations with South Korea, stressing his trip here, despite COVID-19, illustrates how much Beijing values the bilateral partnership.
Wang made the remarks at the start of his talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, amid speculation that Beijing will use his trip to try to bring Seoul to its side as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden envisions tightening America's alliance networks to reassert its leadership.
"My visit to South Korea, when the COVID-19 situation has yet to end, is intended to show the importance we attach to China-South Korea relations through actual action and to show confidence that South Korea can prevail in its fight over COVID-19," Wang said through an interpreter at the talks that lasted for 90 minutes.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi bump elbows before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Nov. 26, 2020. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
"Having endured the ordeal of COVID-19, the bilateral relations are now showing robustness and the appearance of greater vitality," he added.
Wang also pointed out that South Korea and China are working together to "contribute to safeguarding regional peace and stability, promoting regional economic integration and complementing the global governance system." He did not elaborate further.
Kang said that Wang's visit shows close cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries.
"Ahead of the 30th anniversary in 2022 of the establishment of bilateral ties, I hope for an exchange of opinions on further fleshing out the strategic partnership between the two countries," Kang said.
Asked by reporters about analysts putting his trip in the context of a Sino-U.S. rivalry, Wang said, "The U.S. is not the only country in this world.
"There are some 190 countries in the world, and they are all independent countries. Among them are China and South Korea," he added, noting the two countries' citizens should come and go between them often "like relatives."
During their talks and luncheon, Kang and Wang discussed efforts to arrange a visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping, anti-virus cooperation and practical ways to enhance bilateral ties, as well as denuclearization of the peninsula and other regional and global issues, a ministry official said.
Wang reaffirmed China's desire to realize Xi's visit here, sharing the view that a summit-level exchange is crucial for the development of bilateral ties. Wang later told reporters that Xi's visit will take place "as soon as conditions are ripe."
The two ministers agreed to continue cooperation for Seoul's efforts to host a trilateral summit among South Korea, China and Japan, reaffirming the importance of the countries' cooperation amid the pandemic, the official said.
On North Korean issues, the ministers shared the view that the situation on the peninsula is "fluid" as the North is watching the leadership transition in the U.S. with a wait-and-see stance in the midst of COVID-19.
The ministers agreed in principle to launch a committee tasked with crafting a road map for the future development of Seoul-Beijing relations ahead of the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties.
Ahead of the 30th anniversary and the Beijing Winter Olympics, both in 2022, the two sides agreed to work together to prepare for greater cultural exchanges next year and in 2022, and accelerate efforts to adopt a joint blueprint for economic cooperation for the 2021-25 period.
To reinvigorate cultural exchanges, Kang called for China's active cooperation, the official said, amid claims of China's continued restrictions against Korean cultural content that were enacted amid a row over the installation of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea.
Wang expressed active support for Seoul's proposal for the Northeast Asia Cooperation Initiative for Infectious Disease Control and Public Health, the ministry said.
Wang also invited Kang to visit China.
After a luncheon with Kang, Wang paid a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.
Wang is also expected to meet other government and ruling party officials, including former Democratic Party chief Lee Hae-chan, presidential security adviser Moon Chung-in and Rep. Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee.
Wang last visited Seoul in December 2019.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-26--LG to set up new holding company for affiliates split-off

LG Group said the new holding company will have LG International Corp. , LG Hausys Ltd. , LG MMA Corp. @ @ @ @ @ its umbrella , and will be managed by board of directors led by Koo Bon-joon @ @ @ @ @ LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and a younger brother of late LG Group chief Koo @ @

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- LG Group decided Thursday to set up another holding company as the country's fourth largest conglomerate prepares for a split-off of multiple affiliates.
LG Group said the new holding company will have LG International Corp., LG Hausys Ltd., LG MMA Corp. and Silicon Works Co. under its umbrella, and will be managed by board of directors led by Koo Bon-joon, an uncle of current LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and a younger brother of late LG Group chief Koo Bon-moo.
LG Corp., the existing holding company of LG Group, plans to confirm the split-off plan at its shareholders meeting in March 2021. If approved, the conglomerate will run with two holding companies from May 2021.
The move is considered an initial step for Bon-joon to establish his own business group, like others in his family.
LG Group has a tradition in which the eldest son of the group chief inherits the management power of the conglomerate, while brothers of the chief create their own business groups with spin-off companies after the group leader's death.
This photo taken on Oct. 12, 2020, shows the corporate logo of LG Group displayed at its headquarters building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Conglomerates, like LS Group, LIG Group and Heesung Group, were all founded under LG's management tradition.
Speculation over another LG Group spin-off has been rising since Bon-moo died in 2018.
The new holding firm will concentrate on supporting its affiliates' growth before they officially split from LG Group, officials said. The new holding company is expected to actively seek merger and acquisition deals and explore new business opportunities to bulk up its size.
Under the new parent company, LG International, a major trading firm, will boost its palm oil business and explore business opportunities in the healthcare sector, while LG Hausys, a major construction material maker, will focus on environmental-friendly products and services, the group said.
Silicon Works, a fabless chip design firm, and LG MMA, a chemical material producer, along with Pantos Co., a logistics arm under LG International, will seek to grow their businesses with digitalization efforts amid the contactless trend.
The split-off will make LG Group focusing more on its main businesses including electronics, chemicals and telecom.
The group has LG Electronics Inc., a major home appliance maker; LG Chem Ltd., the country's largest chemical firm, and LG Uplus Corp., the country's third largest mobile carrier, under its wing.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-26--S. Korea to sell 5.7 tln won worth of Treasurys in December

The ministry will issue 1.2 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 1.05 trillion won @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance .

SEJONG, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to sell 5.7 trillion won (US$5.1 billion) in state bonds next month, the finance ministry said Thursday.
The ministry will issue 1.2 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 1.05 trillion won in five-year bonds in December, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
It also intends to sell 1.35 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 10 years and 400 billion won in 20-year Treasurys, while floating 1.35 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 30 years.
South Korea issued 16.1 trillion won in state bonds this month.
(END)


yna--2020-11-26--(2nd LD) Prosecutors' backlash intensifies against justice minister's suspension of prosecution chie

(2nd LD) Prosecutors' backlash intensifies against justice minister's suspension of prosecution chief

In the complaint , he argued that the allegations against him raised by the minister are largely untrue and exaggerated @ @ @ @ @ rebuttal of the suspicions , he also said that , even if true , they @ @ @ @ @ merit suspension of duty .

(ATTN: ADDS more details about top prosecutor's lawsuit in paras 13-14)
SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors around the country held emergency meetings to discuss the justice minister's unprecedented move to suspend and discipline the chief prosecutor over allegations of his interference in sensitive investigations, legal sources said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, six top district prosecutors pleaded with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae to rethink the decision in a statement posted on the online bulletin board of the prosecution.
They expressed concerns over perceived risk of political neutrality of the prosecution and said that the prosecutor general's term should be legally guaranteed as it is designed to protect the prosecution from undue "political interference."
They also questioned whether the minister's recent series of orders to ban Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from being involved in controversial investigations was "carried out in a prudent and restrained manner."
Twenty-seven senior prosecutors at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul also issued a statement, calling for the decision to be rolled back, followed by a series of other groups expressing similar concerns.
Officials walk by the Oath of Prosecutor posted on the wall at the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
Their worries echoed the sentiment expressed by a group of rank and file prosecutors the previous day.
On Wednesday, two groups of prosecutors, in Seoul and Busan, issued statements in protest of what they call Choo's "illegal and unjust" measure.
"Justice Minister Choo's action seriously undermines the rule of law and violates the independence of the prosecution," a group of prosecutors in charge of research and planning at the Supreme Prosecutors Office said in a statement.
They requested the minister withdraw the decision so that prosecutors can fulfill their duties "in accordance with the Constitution and conscience."
Prosecutors of the eastern branch of the Busan District Prosecutors Office also held a meeting Wednesday and said the decision was "unjust" because "the facts have not been fully confirmed."
This photo shows the building of the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul on Nov. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, the justice ministry said it will convene a seven-member committee next Wednesday to decide the level of disciplinary action against Yoon, and that it asked Yoon or his lawyer to attend the meeting.
The top prosecutor filed a lawsuit against the decision with the Seoul Administrative Court in the afternoon, less than a day after he sought an injunction to stop the suspension decision from taking effect.
In the complaint, he argued that the allegations against him raised by the minister are largely untrue and exaggerated. While issuing an item-by-item rebuttal of the suspicions, he also said that, even if true, they are not serious enough to merit suspension of duty.
"Unilaterally seeking disciplinary measures and suspending duty practically means a dismissal, which disregards the term system (of the prosecutor general), democracy and rule of law," he said.
One of the most serious allegations against Yoon is that he ordered illegal inspections of judges involved in controversial cases.
Prosecutor Sung Sang-wook, who drafted a document allegedly carrying illegally gathered information on the judges, argued that there was nothing unusual about the document, which he argued was created based on materials gathered through legal sources, including media reports.
But the ministry countered the argument, saying that it includes information that had not been in the public domain.
The file photos shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl (R). (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- A new coronavirus flare-up in South Korea is creating a sense of crisis that the worst of the @ @ @ @ @ come in the winter season , given the faster-than-expected spread of the virus and continued @ @ @ @ @ , and calls are growing over the implementation of further enhanced virus curbs .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
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(LEAD) Seoul stocks close at fresh all-time high on improved growth forecast
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed at a fresh all-time high Thursday as the central bank's revised growth forecast boosted investor sentiment, despite an eight-month high in daily virus cases here. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 24.37 points, or 0.94 percent, to close at 2,625.91 points.
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(3rd LD) Wang touts 'robustness' and 'vitality' of S. Korea-China ties
SEOUL -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday touted the "robustness" and "vitality" of his country's relations with South Korea, stressing his trip here despite COVID-19 shows how much Beijing values the bilateral partnership.
Wang made the remarks at the start of his talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, amid speculation that Beijing will use his trip to try to bring Seoul to its side as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden envisions tightening America's alliance networks to reassert its leadership.
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(LEAD) Seoul city seeks to toughen antivirus measures amid surge in cases
SEOUL -- The Seoul city government plans to toughen antivirus measures following consultations with experts amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the capital, an official said Thursday.
Park Yoo-mi, a disease control official at the city government, made the remark during a virtual press briefing shortly after the city reported a new high of 213 cases on Wednesday.
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(News Focus) Calls grow over further heightened virus curbs as worst COVID-19 outbreak yet to land in S. Korea
SEOUL -- A new coronavirus flare-up in South Korea is creating a sense of crisis that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to come in the winter season, given the faster-than-expected spread of the virus and continued sporadic infections across the nation, and calls are growing over the implementation of further enhanced virus curbs.
The number of new cases spiked to 583 on Thursday, the highest in over eight months, raising the total caseload to 32,318, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
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COVID-infected nat'l football players return home
SEOUL -- Members of the South Korean men's national football team recently infected with the novel coronavirus in Austria arrived back home on a chartered flight on Thursday.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) sent an Asian Airlines flight to Vienna to bring home 15 members of the team, including four players who tested positive for COVID-19.
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(3rd LD) BOK keeps key rate at record low, ups economic outlook
SEOUL -- The South Korean central bank on Thursday held its policy rate unchanged at a record low of 0.5 percent, while slightly revising up this year's economic outlook, amid growing concerns over a winter wave of coronavirus infections.
As expected, the monetary policy board of the Bank of Korea (BOK) voted to leave the base rate steady in this year's final rate-setting meeting.
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(LEAD) Prosecutors' backlash intensifies against justice minister's suspension of prosecution chief
SEOUL -- Prosecutors around the country held emergency meetings to discuss the justice minister's unprecedented move to suspend and discipline the chief prosecutor over allegations of his interference in sensitive investigations, legal sources said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, six top district prosecutors pleaded with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae to rethink the decision in a statement posted on the online bulletin board of the prosecution.
-----------------
Unification minister calls for food, fertilizer aid to N. Korea
SEOUL -- Unification Minister Lee In-young said Thursday that South Korea should provide food and fertilizer aid to North Korea next spring at the latest to help the impoverished nation address chronic food shortages.
"There are warnings that the coronavirus is crippling production and supply chains for crops, and climate change is making things worse, which will likely cause extreme famine and difficulty in securing food," Lee said at an international forum in Seoul to discuss ways to realize a world without hunger.
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Loosened screw in security sensor blamed for N. Korean's undetected border crossing
SEOUL -- A loosened screw caused a border security sensor to fail to detect a North Korean man jumping over barbed wire fences in an attempt to defect to South Korea, military officials said Thursday.
The man, whose identity was withheld, was captured on Nov. 4, 14 hours after he crossed the border in a suspected defection attempt. The military came under heavy fire in the wake of the security failure.
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(2nd LD) New virus cases over 500 for 2nd day as pandemic deepens on cluster infections

But since the country 's virus infections show no signs of letup , health authorities said they are discussing with @ @ @ @ @ further toughened social distancing rules and that they can come up with a conclusion on @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 8, 16, 20-21, 24, 26-27; 1st photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of novel coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday as health authorities grapple with sporadic cluster infections across the country amid the third wave of the pandemic.
The country added 569 more COVID-19 cases, including 525 local infections, raising the total caseload to 32,887, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marks the first time the country's daily virus cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day since the first wave of infections in late February when a massive outbreak swept through Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.
The daily caseload has stayed in the triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure above 300 since Nov. 18, except for Monday.
The latest figure is slightly down from 583 cases Thursday when the daily tally spiked to over an eight-month high, but health authorities worry that the third wave of infections is still in progress.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 64.2 percent, or 337, were identified in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population.
Seoul added 204 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 112 and 21 cases, respectively.
All major cities and provinces in the country reported additional cases except Daegu.
The country's southeastern South Gyeongsang Province reported 38 new cases, while South Chungcheong Province added 31 more cases.
Busan, the country's second-largest city, and North Jeolla Province each added 24 cases.
The number of new imported cases came to 44, up from 30 the previous day. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 4,548.
Of the new infections from overseas, 14 of them were from the United States, followed by Austria with eight and Sweden with seven.
A health worker clad in protective gear guides citizens at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities have been trying to curb another wave of virus infections before a nationwide college exam next week, but cluster infections from private gatherings, public facilities, hospitals and the military are dragging down their containment efforts.
The authorities raised the social distancing level by one notch to Level 2, the third highest in the country's five-tier system, in the Seoul metropolitan area, where the majority of virus cases have been identified, and began to apply enhanced measures Tuesday.
Other municipalities also have been enforcing tougher distancing rules depending on their virus situation. Level 1.5 distancing is currently in place in Gangwon Province and the country's southwestern Jeolla region.
But since the country's virus infections show no signs of letup, health authorities said they are discussing with municipal officials options of enforcing further toughened social distancing rules and that they can come up with a conclusion on Sunday.
Health authorities warned that the upward trend of COVID-19 cases is likely to continue for a while, as they expect the effects of tightened social distancing measures in major regions to appear starting next week.
But they added it is too early to discuss raising social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area, now a hotbed of the virus outbreak, to the second-highest level.
Level 2.5 curbs can be enforced if the country's daily average number of local infections exceeds 400 in a one-week period.
The daily average figure of domestic infections in the past seven days stood at 382.4.
"If we rush to elevate the social distancing level, there could be side effects," said Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official. "It will not work if people get fed up with heightened measures and do not participate."
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country reported one additional death from COVID-19, raising the total to 516. The fatality rate was 1.57 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 77, down from 78 a day ago.
Health authorities said 100 hospital beds are available to accommodate virus patients in serious condition at this moment, but if the current virus situation persists for the next two weeks, the number of hospital beds allocated for critically ill COVID-19 patients may be insufficient.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 27,103, up 153 from the previous day, with 5,268 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 415 from a day ago.
The country has conducted virus tests on 3,009,577 people since Jan. 3. The virus was first detected in the country on Jan. 20.
On Thursday alone, the country performed 21,531 tests, with the positivity rate reaching 2.64 percent, down from 2.68 percent a day earlier.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--N. Korea ordered overseas missions not to antagonize U.S. after Biden victory: spy agency

NIS officials also said the North Korean government has exposed anxieties after the supposed friendly accord between U.S. President Donald @ @ @ @ @ Kim Jong-un has become `` useless '' following Trump 's election defeat , Kim said @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has recently ordered its overseas missions not to antagonize the United States amid an ongoing power transition in Washington following the presidential election win by Joe Biden, according to a Seoul lawmaker Friday.
Officials from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefed lawmakers on the revelations during a meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee, according to Rep. Kim Byung-kee, who attended the meeting.
North Korea has reportedly warned that ambassadors will be held responsible if any problems related to the U.S. occur, Kim quoted NIS officials as saying.
NIS officials also said the North Korean government has exposed anxieties after the supposed friendly accord between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has become "useless" following Trump's election defeat, Kim said.
Park Jie-won, director of the National Intelligence Service, attends a meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee at the National Assembly in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Institutions' investments in foreign securities rise in Q3

The combined value of foreign securities held by institutional investors came to US $ 345.4 billion as of end-September , @ @ @ @ @ three months earlier , according to the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean institutions' investments in foreign securities rose in the third quarter from three months earlier as global financial markets recovered from pandemic-driven losses, central bank data showed Friday.
The combined value of foreign securities held by institutional investors came to US$345.4 billion as of end-September, up $8.9 billion from three months earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
It marked a gain for the second straight quarter after a $9.5 billion fall in the first quarter when global financial markets were hit by the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign securities include stocks, bonds and so-called Korean paper that refers to foreign currency-denominated securities issued by the South Korean government, banks or companies in overseas markets.
Investments in foreign stocks rose $7.4 billion on-quarter to $122.6 billion in the July-September period, mainly because stock prices in major countries shot up.
Investments in overseas bonds added $1.2 billion to $179.4 billion in the cited period on the back of major countries' monetary easing and falls in market rates, the BOK said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Banks' lending rates stay flat in October

In September , banks ' lending rates rose for the first time in four months .
The rates declined for @ @ @ @ @ June due to the impact of the central bank 's policy rate cut in May @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks' lending rates stayed flat in October, despite rising market rates, central bank data showed Friday.
The average interest rate charged on new bank loans came to 2.66 percent in October, unchanged from the previous month, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
In September, banks' lending rates rose for the first time in four months. The rates declined for the third straight month since June due to the impact of the central bank's policy rate cut in May.
The BOK cut the key interest rate to a record low of 0.5 percent in May after delivering an emergency rate cut of half a percentage point in March to cushion the impact of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The central bank kept the base rate steady in November amid heightened economic uncertainties over a new wave of global coronavirus infections.
The average rate for bank deposits, meanwhile, came to 0.88 percent in October, unchanged from September, the BOK said.
South Korean lenders' loan-deposit spread, a gauge of banks' profitability from lending, also stayed flat at 1.78 percentage points in October.
In this photo, taken on Sept. 18, 2020, a bank official explains a loan product to a visiting customer. (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Former YG chief fined on overseas gambling charges

Yang faced criminal charges that he had gambled at Las Vegas casinos on some 20 occasions between July 2015 and @ @ @ @ @ three others , including two co-CEOs of YG 's affiliated music label YGX , allegedly @ @ @ @ @ , with combined gambling money of some 400 million won ( US $ 336,785 ) @ @ @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Friday fined Yang Hyun-suk, former CEO of YG Entertainment, over charges of high-stakes gambling he committed while abroad on numerous occasions.
The Seoul Western District Court found him guilty of gambling at Las Vegas casinos in the United States over the past several years and ordered him to pay a fine of 15 million won (US$13,600).
The court said his behavior could "have a bad influence on the public, especially young people," but that it considered Yang showed remorse and had no criminal gambling record.
Yang faced criminal charges that he had gambled at Las Vegas casinos on some 20 occasions between July 2015 and January 2019. He and three others, including two co-CEOs of YG's affiliated music label YGX, allegedly played baccarat and blackjack there, with combined gambling money of some 400 million won (US$336,785) at stake.
The prosecution in May pressed a summary indictment for him on gambling charges, but the court later requested he be put to trial. His trial began in September. The prosecution had demanded a fine of 10 million won.
Yang stepped down as the CEO and the chief producer of the K-pop powerhouse in June 2019 over drug allegations against B.I., former leader of boy group iKON, one of YG's acts.
Yang Hyun-suk, the founder and former CEO of K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment, arrives at the Seoul Western District Court to attend his sentencing trial on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(URGENT) N. Korea orders overseas missions not to antagonize U.S.: S. Korea's intelligence agency

(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--2020-11-27--N. Korea enforces home classes for kids amid COVID-19 concerns

`` With the vacation for kids in place , such a new schedule has been started , '' the website @ @ @ @ @ as there are kids , this holds true for any district , ward and unit @ @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be enforcing home classes for elementary school students as a way to avoid classroom gatherings amid nationwide anti-coronavirus efforts, according to state media reports.
Uriminzokkiri, one of the North's propaganda websites, said that elementary school teachers in Pyongyang are visiting homes of their students every three days for education as vacation continues.
"With the vacation for kids in place, such a new schedule has been started," the website said. "As long as there are kids, this holds true for any district, ward and unit."
The North had extended winter vacation for students until early June amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The report suggests that the North has extended summer vacation again by delaying the start of autumn semesters.
The North also seems to be providing online education through TVs and computers as part of efforts to minimize person-to-person contact.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that education materials will be available through TVs and computers for elementary, middle and high school students in Pyongyang.
North Korea claims to be coronavirus-free but has taken various preventive efforts amid worries that it could spiral out of control once the virus flows onto its soil.
Students take a class while wearing masks at Okryu Elementary School in Pyongyang on June 3, 2020, the first day of belated school reopening due to COVID-19, in this photo captured from the homepage of Echo of Unification, a North Korean propaganda radio station. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Seoul stocks trade lower amid virus concerns

The local currency was trading at 1,105.05 won against the U.S. dollar , down 0.45 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded lower late Friday morning after the benchmark index hit an all-time high the previous session amid the soaring new coronavirus cases.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 1.74 points, or 0.07 percent, to 2,624.17 as of 11:20 a.m.
Stocks traded choppy after a muted start, as soaring COVID-19 cases and valuation pressure left investors questioning the index's short-term peak.
South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday.
Large caps traded mixed in Seoul.
Market behemoth Samsung Electronics slipped 0.15 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix retreating 0.91 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 0.84, while leading chemical company LG Chem shed 0.98 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics edged up 0.13 percent, and Celltrion added 1.21 percent.
Internet giant Naver and its rival Kakao both declined 0.53 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,105.05 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.45 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Ex-presidential secretary to Moon appointed ambassador to Spain

Park Chull-joo , deputy ambassador to Korea 's Permanent Mission to the U.N. , was appointed ambassador to South Africa @ @ @ @ @ retired career diplomat , was appointed as ambassador to Ecuador , and Park Young-kyu , @ @ @ @ @ Embassy in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) , was picked as the top @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea appointed Bahk Sahng-hoon, former protocol secretary to President Moon Jae-in, as ambassador to Spain in a regular reshuffle that included 15 other new ambassadors and consul generals.
Bahk, a career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Panama, is known for his expertise in Latin America affairs and fluency in the Spanish language, the foreign ministry said Friday.
Lee Kwang-ho, vice consul-general to the Chinese city of Wuhan who became known for spearheading anti-coronavirus efforts for Koreans at the early stage of the pandemic, was appointed consul-general in Chengdu.
Park Chul-min, presidential secretary for foreign policy, was picked as ambassador to Hungary, and Im Moohong, former director at Yeominrak Hospital in Laos, will head the embassy in the Southeast Asian country.
Choi Tae-ho, former minister-counsellor at the Korean Embassy in Iraq, was appointed ambassador to Afghanistan. Lim Jung taek, director-general for international administrative cooperation at the interior ministry, was appointed ambassador to Ghana.
Park Chull-joo, deputy ambassador to Korea's Permanent Mission to the U.N., was appointed ambassador to South Africa. Ko Bongwoo, a retired career diplomat, was appointed as ambassador to Ecuador, and Park Young-kyu, a minister at the Korean Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was picked as the top envoy to the Fiji Islands.
The ministry also named new consul generals to the Chinese regions of Qingdao, Shenyang, Shanghai and Hong Kong, as well as to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Seattle in the United States.
Bahk Sahng-hoon, new South Korean ambassador to Spain, is shown in this file photo. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) S. Korea to launch presidential committee on carbon-neutral campaign, Moon says

Moon revealed a scheme to place a focus on developing three key new industries -- renewable energy , hydrogen and @ @ @ @ @ to accelerate the transformation of South Korea , one of the world 's most fossil @ @ @ @ @ carbon-neural nation .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks, details; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in announced a plan Friday to establish a presidential body on South Korea's stated goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 as part of a "strong pan-governmental system" to push for the vision.
He said the envisioned government-private organization, tentatively named the "2050 Carbon Neutrality Committee," is meant to implement the policy speedily.
The government will also seek to create a new vice ministerial position to be in charge of energy policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the president added.
He was speaking at an interagency meeting on drawing up carbon-neutral strategies, joined by the heads of relevant ministries and senior ruling Democratic Party officials.
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting on South Korea's aim of going carbon neutral by 2050 held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The grand transition to a carbon-neutral society will be an opportunity to simultaneously pursue economic growth and the improvement of quality of life," he said in his opening remarks.
He added, "(The government) is going to push for low carbonization in all economic sectors. The structural transformation of the energy system is the starting point."
Moon revealed a scheme to place a focus on developing three key new industries -- renewable energy, hydrogen and energy IT -- in order to accelerate the transformation of South Korea, one of the world's most fossil fuel-reliant economies, into a carbon-neural nation.
In particular, he said his administration will grow future car production businesses as a leading industry, pledging to lay a "firm foundation" for moving toward carbon neutrality before his tenure ends in May 2022.
An interagency meeting on South Korea's carbon-neutral campaign is under way at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Nov. 27 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-11-27--S. Korea to launch presidential committee on carbon-neutral campaign, Moon says

The government will also seek to create a new vice ministerial position to be in charge of energy policy at @ @ @ @ @ Industry and Energy , the president added .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in announced a plan Friday to establish a presidential body on South Korea's stated goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 as part of a "strong pan-governmental system" to push for the vision.
He said the envisioned government-private organization, tentatively named the "2050 Carbon Neutrality Committee," is meant to implement the policy speedily.
The government will also seek to create a new vice ministerial position to be in charge of energy policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the president added.
He was speaking at an interagency meeting on drawing up carbon-neutral strategies, joined by the heads of relevant ministries and senior ruling Democratic Party officials.
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting on South Korea's aim of going carbon neutral by 2050 held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Twelve more facility types to be subject to school bus safety regulations

Administrators will also be required to keep a log of safe driving and submit it to the supervising authority .
@ @ @ @ @ will have to get out of the bus to check the safety of children getting @ @ @ @ @ vehicle .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- A revised law will require 12 more types of facilities to follow school bus safety regulations starting Friday, police said.
The new categories include alternative schools, international schools and public libraries, according to the National Police Agency. The six original types of facilities were kindergartens, elementary schools, special education schools, day care centers, academic institutes and sports facilities.
"The added 12 are frequently used by children and operate buses for them but were not subject to the Road Traffic Act," an NPA official said. "We will work with relevant agencies to step up their supervision."
The revision requires those accompanying children on buses as guardians to receive safety education. Previously, only drivers and administrators were subject to the requirement.
Administrators will also be required to keep a log of safe driving and submit it to the supervising authority. Drivers without other adult supervision will have to get out of the bus to check the safety of children getting in and out of the vehicle.
Administrators will be required to disclose information if a violation of these regulations results in an accident leading to a child's death or injury. Operators that do not meet the criteria for running school buses will be punished.
This undated file photo shows children getting off a school bus. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Over 70 pct of S. Koreans support Seoul's role as 'facilitator' in nuclear talks in Biden administra

Over 70 pct of S. Koreans support Seoul's role as 'facilitator' in nuclear talks in Biden administration

On whether South Korea should hold its joint military exercises with the U.S. next year , 66.5 percent said they @ @ @ @ @ , while 17.9 percent said the drills should be scaled down and 10.8 percent replied @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- A majority of South Koreans agree that Seoul should play the role of a "facilitator" to push the stalled nuclear negotiations forward between the United States and North Korea, a survey showed Friday.
According to the Nov. 20-21 survey of 1,000 adults by the National Unification Advisory Council, 73.9 percent said South Korea should serve as a "facilitator" in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang after U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Among them, 35.3 percent said they "very much" support Seoul's role as a facilitator, while 38.6 percent replied they "mostly" support such a move, the survey showed.
The poll had a margin of error of 3.1 points and a 95 percent confidence level.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) walks with U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in toward the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, on June 30, 2019, after holding talks with Trump at the Freedom House on the village's southern side. (Yonhap)
In the same survey, 73.9 percent said the Biden administration should maintain efforts to improve ties with the North as agreed by President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and keep their policy toward denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Trump and Kim issued a joint statement after their historic 2018 summit in Singapore, under which the North committed to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Since their historic first-ever summit, Trump and Kim met two more times, but denuclearization negotiations have stalled since their second summit in Hanoi last year ended without an agreement.
On whether South Korea should hold its joint military exercises with the U.S. next year, 66.5 percent said they should be held as planned, while 17.9 percent said the drills should be scaled down and 10.8 percent replied that they should be postponed.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Suwon FC vs. Gyeongnam FC for final K League promotion spot

Gyeongnam FC were n't even expected to be in this position .
They were in sixth place heading into the @ @ @ @ @ own victory and other results put them in the playoffs .
It will be a @ @ @ @ @ , having to play Sunday on three days of rest following a hard-fought match against @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- It'll be two clubs vying for the one last promotion spot in South Korean football Sunday.
Suwon FC will host Gyeongnam FC in the final promotion playoff in the K League 2 at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. The kickoff is at 3 p.m. Sunday.
The winner will earn a promotion to the top-flight K League 1 for 2021. The loser will stay in the second division for another year.
In this Oct. 31, 2020, file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League, An Byong-jun of Suwon FC celebrates a goal against Gyeongnam FC in a K League 2 match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
From the K League 2, the league winner earns an automatic promotion to the K League 1 each season. Jeju United claimed that spot this year with 60 points.
Then the second-place team advances to the promotion final each year, and Suwon FC booked that place this season with 54 points.
Third- and fourth-ranked teams meet in the first playoff match for a chance to compete for the promotion, with the higher seed needing only a draw to advance. On Wednesday, No. 3 seed Gyeongnam played Daejeon Hana Citizen to a 1-1 draw to set up a date with Suwon.
Ko Kyung-min of Gyeongnam FC (L) celebrates his goal against Daejeon Hana Citizen in a K League 2 promotion playoff match at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Nov. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
Gyeongnam caught a few breaks in that match. In the 72nd minute, Daejeon were awarded a penalty, and Bruno Baio scored, only to have it wiped out because his teammate Lee Kyu-ro stepped inside the box before the shot was taken.
On the second attempt, Baio missed the target to the left.
In the dying moments, Baio scored what appeared to be the go-ahead goal. But it was disallowed after a video assistant referee review showed that Daejeon's Lee Jong-moon fouled a Gyeongnam player in the box as Baio took the shot.
Coached by former national team star Seol Ki-hyeon, Gyeongnam may need some of that good fortune against Suwon. During the season, Suwon won all three meetings, by a combined score of 8-4.
Suwon FC last played in the K League 1 in 2016. They finished last that season to be demoted right back and haven't gone back up since.
Gyeongnam FC were demoted from the K League 1 last year when they lost a promotion-relegation playoff to Busan IPark and now have a chance to return after just one season in the K League 2.
In this Nov. 7, 2020, file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League, Lars Veldwijk of Suwon FC (R) celebrates a goal against FC Anyang in a K League 2 match at Anyang Sports Complex in Anyang, 23 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Gyeongnam FC weren't even expected to be in this position. They were in sixth place heading into the final week, but their own victory and other results put them in the playoffs. It will be a relatively quick turnaround for Gyeongnam, having to play Sunday on three days of rest following a hard-fought match against Daejeon.
Suwon FC, on the other hand, haven't played since Nov. 7. They've played four practice matches against college teams.
Seol, the first-year coach for Gyeongnam, acknowledged on Wednesday that Suwon are a better team than his.
"I think Suwon FC will be tough to beat," Seol said. "Obviously, they'll be the one getting the promotion."
Seol likely didn't mean those last words. It may have been his attempt to engage in some reverse psychology and put the pressure squarely on Suwon FC.
Suwon coach Kim Do-kyun fully embraced the idea that his side was superior.
"I think Seol Ki-hyeon is correct in saying that we'll be promoted," Kim said Thursday. "We've won all three matches against Gyeongnam so far this year. We'll play with confidence."
Members of Gyeongnam FC celebrate after advancing to the K League 2 final promotion match following a 1-1 draw with Daejeon Hana Citizen at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Nov. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) Military bans troops from vacationing, off-base trips over resurgent virus

It is far tougher than the current nationwide social distancing level , as the government has enforced Level 2 rules @ @ @ @ @ since earlier this week , and most other regions are at lower levels .
South @ @ @ @ @ distancing system from Level 1 to 3 .

(ATTN: ADDS latest patients in last 6 paras, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The military enforced a tighter social distancing scheme on Friday banning troops from vacationing and taking off-installation trips as it is striving to stem the spread of the new coronavirus at barracks.
Under the Level 2.5 social distancing guidance at barracks, all service members are not allowed to leave their bases for the next two weeks. Officers are restricted from having private meetings, while in-person religious gatherings and business trips are also banned.
As for drills, necessary outdoor trainings will be conducted in a way to minimize contact with civilians, while indoor programs are to be limited, according to the defense ministry.
A worker enters an Army boot camp in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 26, 2020, to transport COVID-19 patients among the unit members. (Yonhap)
It is far tougher than the current nationwide social distancing level, as the government has enforced Level 2 rules in the greater Seoul area since earlier this week, and most other regions are at lower levels. South Korea has a five-tier social distancing system from Level 1 to 3.
The stronger rules for service members came as the worst ever cluster infection among the military population broke out this week.
Since Wednesday, 66 newly enlisted soldiers and four officers have been confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 at an Army boot camp in the central border town of Yeoncheon.
Virus tests for those at the camp and those who came into contact with them are still under way, according to a ministry official.
On Friday, the military reported five additional COVID-19 patients among its population.
Three Army officers stationed in the southwestern city of Iksan tested positive after coming into contact with two of their colleagues who earlier were confirmed to have been infected.
One soldier in the border town of Cheorwon showed symptoms and tested positive following a recent cluster infection there involving nearly 40 service members.
The other case is a civilian officer at an Air Force base in the central city of Seosan. The total number of patients at the unit now stands at 16, according to the ministry.
The latest cases brought the total number of infections reported among the military population to 347, according to the defense ministry. The figure has grown sharply since mid-November.
Nationwide, the country added 569 more COVID-19 cases, including 525 local infections, raising the total caseload to 32,887, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
People wait in line to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a parking lot of the Dongjak Ward office in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. On the same day, the daily number of novel coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 500 for the second straight day as health authorities grappled with sporadic cluster infections across the country amid the third wave of the pandemic. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Moon names new secretary for foreign policy

Kim Yong-hyon , who previously served as the consul general in Boston , will replace Park Chul-min , who has @ @ @ @ @ last year .
Park has been tapped as ambassador to Hungary .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Friday named a career diplomat as his new presidential secretary for foreign policy, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Kim Yong-hyon, who previously served as the consul general in Boston, will replace Park Chul-min, who has been in the post since last year. Park has been tapped as ambassador to Hungary.
Kim's past assignments have included posts at the diplomatic missions in Beijing; Erbil, Iraq; and New York, as well as at the foreign ministry's North American Affairs Bureau and Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Bureau.
This photo, provided by Cheong Wa Dae, shows Kim Yong-hyon, new presidential secretary for foreign policy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) New virus cases over 500 for 2nd day as pandemic deepens on cluster infections

The authorities raised the social distancing level by one notch to Level 2 , the third highest in the country @ @ @ @ @ the Seoul metropolitan area , where the majority of virus cases have been identified , @ @ @ @ @ measures Tuesday .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6-11, 16-21; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of novel coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday as health authorities grapple with sporadic cluster infections across the country amid the third wave of the pandemic.
The country added 569 more COVID-19 cases, including 525 local infections, raising the total caseload to 32,887, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marks the first time the country's daily virus cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day since the first wave of infections in late February when a massive outbreak swept through Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.
The daily caseload has stayed in the triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure above 300 since Nov. 18, except for Monday.
The latest figure is slightly down from 583 cases Thursday when the daily tally spiked to over an eight-month high, but health authorities worry that the third wave of infections is still in progress.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 64.2 percent, or 337, were identified in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population.
Seoul added 204 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 112 and 21 cases, respectively.
The country's southeastern South Gyeongsang Province reported 38 new cases, while South Chungcheong Province added 31 more cases.
Busan, the country's second-largest city, and North Jeolla Province each added 24 cases.
The number of new imported cases came to 44, up from 30 the previous day. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 4,548.
Of the new infections from overseas, 14 of them were from the United States, followed by Austria with eight and Sweden with seven.
Health authorities have been trying to curb another wave of virus infections before a nationwide college exam next week, but cluster infections from private gatherings, public facilities, hospitals and the military are dragging down their containment efforts.
The authorities raised the social distancing level by one notch to Level 2, the third highest in the country's five-tier system, in the Seoul metropolitan area, where the majority of virus cases have been identified, and began to apply enhanced measures Tuesday.
Other municipalities also have been enforcing tougher distancing rules depending on their virus situation. Level 1.5 distancing is currently in place in Gangwon Province and the country's southwestern Jeolla region.
But since the country's virus infections show no signs of letup, health authorities and municipal authorities are likely to review options of enforcing further toughened social distancing rules in the coming days.
A health worker clad in protective gear guides citizens at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities warned that the upward trend of COVID-19 cases is likely to continue for a while, as they expect the effects of tightened social distancing measures in major regions to appear starting next week.
But they added it is too early to discuss raising social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area, now a hotbed of the virus outbreak, to the second-highest level.
Level 2.5 curbs can be enforced if the country's daily average number of local infections exceeds 400 in a one-week period.
The country reported one additional death from COVID-19, raising the total to 516. The fatality rate was 1.57 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 77, down from 78 a day ago.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 27,103, up 153 from the previous day, with 5,268 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 415 from a day ago.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--KT to support homegrown parts suppliers amid pandemic

KT said it will make the investment until 2023 to help its local suppliers manufacture homegrown materials and parts for @ @ @ @ @ operator .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean telecom giant KT Corp. said Friday it will invest 9 billion won (US$8.1 million) over the next three years to reduce its reliance on overseas suppliers amid the pandemic.
KT said it will make the investment until 2023 to help its local suppliers manufacture homegrown materials and parts for equipment used by the telecom operator.
The move comes as KT seeks to strengthen partnerships with local companies as uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic weigh on global supply chains.
The carrier said in order to stabilize its equipment supply chain, it will also pursue diversification of suppliers and major components.
KT added it will further support its local suppliers by helping them enter overseas markets, such as providing its overseas offices for global marketing efforts.
KT Corp.'s logo is shown in this undated image provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--OECD highlights S. Korea's COVID-19 response

The OECD included South Korea 's use of technology to combat the pandemic this year in its Digital Economic Outlook @ @ @ @ @ country 's mobile application that monitors those under quarantine and its epidemiological investigation system , @ @ @ @ @ Science and ICT .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's COVID-19 pandemic response was highlighted in a report compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the ICT ministry said Friday.
The OECD included South Korea's use of technology to combat the pandemic this year in its Digital Economic Outlook report, such as the country's mobile application that monitors those under quarantine and its epidemiological investigation system, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The report shares policy measures around the world against the pandemic and emphasizes the importance of digital technology to respond to the global health crisis, the ministry said.
A sign of the Ministry of Science and ICT at its office building in Sejong, 120 kilometers south of Seoul, is shown in this undated photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea has been relatively successful in containing the spread of the virus. So far, the country has reported 32,887 COVID-19 cases as of Friday since the outbreak early this year.
The ministry said the OECD report also includes the country's efforts in new tech services, such as the 5G network and artificial intelligence (AI).
South Korea has recently ramped up efforts to push for more digital services as the pandemic limits face-to-face contact.
In July, the government unveiled the digital New Deal initiative, which aims to spend 58.2 trillion won (US$52.7 billion) in new technologies, such as remote services and AI, to create over 900,000 jobs by 2025.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(2nd LD) PM warns of full-fledged virus resurgence as daily cases exceed 500

`` As the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 patients reached above 500 for the second straight day ( as of @ @ @ @ @ , it 's a situation in which a resurgence is getting into full swing in @ @ @ @ @ '' Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety @ @ @ @ @ complex in Seoul .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; UPDATES with details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday that South Korea has confirmed more than 500 COVID-19 infections for the second consecutive day and warned that the virus appears to be spreading again in earnest nationwide.
"As the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 patients reached above 500 for the second straight day (as of the start of Friday), it's a situation in which a resurgence is getting into full swing in our country as well," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul.
He stressed the urgency of controlling the rapid spread.
"If the growth trend cannot be stopped immediately, concerns by experts that new cases could reach above 1,000 can become a reality," he said.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (2nd from L) presides over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Chung explained that new patients were being reported in all 17 major cities and provinces and that the country has seen a huge spike in the number of cases, especially among young people.
The prime minister asked the public to remain home and refrain from holding social gatherings.
"For the past two weeks, we have seen a pattern of growth in cases following the weekend period. How we spend this coming weekend will decide whether we see a further expansion of new cases next week," Chung said.
He also instructed health authorities and local governments to secure a sufficient amount of hospital beds to prepare against potential growth of critical patients.
Later in the day Chung held a meeting with disease control professionals.
"(The number of) hospital beds is always a concern when virus cases surge. There has been no big issue so far, but if the current spread continues, hospital beds for patients in serious condition will rapidly run out," Chung said during the meeting.
Chung, who leads the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, is expected to decide whether to tighten social distancing guidelines after consultations with the central and local governments.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(4th LD) New virus cases over 500 for 2nd day as pandemic deepens on cluster infections

But since the country 's virus infections show no signs of letup , health authorities said they are discussing with @ @ @ @ @ further toughened social distancing rules and that they can come up with a conclusion on @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 4-5)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of novel coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday as health authorities grapple with sporadic cluster infections across the country amid the third wave of the pandemic.
The country added 569 more COVID-19 cases, including 525 local infections, raising the total caseload to 32,887, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marks the first time the country's daily virus cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day since the first wave of infections in late February when a massive outbreak swept through Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.
The new virus cases are expected to stay well above 400 on Saturday, as 378 confirmed cases had been tallied across the country on Friday as of 6 p.m., according to health authorities and local governments.
The number of cases was up 29 from the same time of the previous day. Of them, 267 were reported in the greater Seoul area, with 111 reported in other regions.
The daily caseload has stayed in the triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure above 300 since Nov. 18, except for Monday.
The 569 new cases announced early Friday is slightly down from 583 cases Thursday when the daily tally spiked to over an eight-month high, but health authorities worry that the third wave of infections is still in progress.
Students and teachers wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a high school in Sejong on Nov. 27, 2020, after one student tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 64.2 percent, or 337, were identified in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population.
Seoul added 204 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 112 and 21 cases, respectively.
All major cities and provinces in the country reported additional cases except Daegu.
The country's southeastern South Gyeongsang Province reported 38 new cases, while South Chungcheong Province added 31 more cases.
Busan, the country's second-largest city, and North Jeolla Province each added 24 cases.
Among virus clusters, a dance academy in western Seoul added 63 more cases, bringing the total to 129, while a church in southern Seoul reported five additional cases, raising its total to 124.
An additional 10 people tested positive in cases traced to a sauna facility in southern Seoul, raising the total to 58.
The number of cases connected to a traditional Korean drum class in Busan and Ulsan increased by 36 to 89, while the number of cases tied to a group training event in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, jumped to 61 after identifying 27 more cases.
A nursing hospital in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, was traced to 21 more cases, bringing the total to 41.
The number of new imported cases came to 44, up from 30 the previous day. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 4,548.
Of the new infections from overseas, 14 of them were from the United States, followed by Austria with eight and Sweden with seven.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities have been trying to curb another wave of virus infections before a nationwide college exam next week.
The authorities raised the social distancing level by one notch to Level 2, the third highest in the country's five-tier system, in the Seoul metropolitan area and began to apply enhanced measures starting Tuesday.
Other municipalities also have been enforcing tougher distancing rules depending on their virus situation. Level 1.5 distancing is currently in place in Gangwon Province and the country's southwestern Jeolla region.
But since the country's virus infections show no signs of letup, health authorities said they are discussing with municipal officials options of enforcing further toughened social distancing rules and that they can come up with a conclusion on Sunday.
Health authorities said that the upward trend of COVID-19 cases is likely to continue for a while, as they expect the effects of tightened social distancing measures in major regions to appear starting next week.
Despite the growing virus concerns, the authorities warned against a hasty decision on raising the social distancing level without proper assessment of the situation.
They earlier said it may be too early to raise social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area, now a hotbed of the virus outbreak, to the second-highest level.
A health worker clad in protective gear guides citizens at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Level 2.5 curbs can be enforced if the country's daily average number of local infections exceeds 400 in a one-week period.
The daily average figure of domestic infections in the past seven days stood at 382.4.
"If we rush to elevate the social distancing level, there could be side effects," said Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official. "Compulsory measures in the end ask for sacrifices from others in our society."
Sohn added about 910,000 business facilities in the capital region are currently affected by Level 2 measures and if that regulation is expanded nationwide, more than 2 million facilities will come under the influence of tightened antivirus curbs.
Under Level 2, nightclubs and other high-risk entertainment facilities must suspend their business, while wedding and funeral halls should restrict visitor numbers to a maximum of 100.
Cafes can offer only takeout and delivery services, and restaurants are banned from serving food on their premises after 9 p.m.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift virus testing clinic in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country reported one additional death from COVID-19, raising the total to 516. The fatality rate was 1.57 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 77, down from 78 a day ago, with 67 of them aged 60 or older.
Health authorities said 100 hospital beds are available to accommodate virus patients in serious condition at this moment, but if the current virus situation persists for the next two weeks, the number of hospital beds allocated for critically ill COVID-19 patients may be insufficient.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 27,103, up 153 from the previous day, with 5,268 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 415 from a day ago.
The country has conducted virus tests on 3,009,577 people since Jan. 3. The virus was first detected in the country on Jan. 20.
On Thursday alone, the country performed 21,531 tests, with the positivity rate reaching 2.64 percent, down from 2.68 percent a day earlier.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Renault Samsung to idle Busan factory for 4 days next month

The company plans to suspend operations at its plant in the southeastern port city on Dec. 11 , 23 , @ @ @ @ @ will also continue to suspend overnight operations at the plant after having reduced operating hours @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Corp., the South Korean unit of Renault S.A., on Friday announced plans to halt operations at its Busan factory for four days next month.
The automaker has suffered a sharp decline in sales this year due to a lack of new models and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company plans to suspend operations at its plant in the southeastern port city on Dec. 11, 23, 24 and 31. It will also continue to suspend overnight operations at the plant after having reduced operating hours starting Nov. 10.
"Until (the company) begins manufacturing of XM3 vehicles for exports to Europe, our daytime operations can cover (vehicles for) domestic sales," a company official said.
This photo, provided by Renault Samsung Motors Corp., shows workers manufacturing a QM6 vehicle at the company's factory in the southeastern port city of Busan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Ground broken for airport on Ulleung Island

The airport is also expected to increase the number of visitors to the island to more than 1 million per @ @ @ @ @ 400,000 , according to officials .

ULLEUNG, South Korea, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The central and local governments on Friday began construction of a new airport at Ulleung Island off the eastern coast.
Some 100 people, including officials from the transport ministry and local governments, attended a groundbreaking ceremony.
The airport, to be completed by 2025, is projected to shorten the travel time between Seoul and Ulleung to one hour from the current seven hours.
The airport is also expected to increase the number of visitors to the island to more than 1 million per year from around 300,000 to 400,000, according to officials.
The central and local governments plan to spend 665.1 billion won (US$602.2 million) to build the airport with a 1.2 kilometer-long runway and a passenger terminal. The airport will cater to airplanes with 50 or less seats.
The government conducted a feasibility study in 2013 and recently completed an environmental impact survey. A consortium led by Daelim Industrial Co. will manage the construction.
This photo, provided by Ulleung County, shows a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 27, 2020, to mark the beginning of construction of an airport on the island in the East Sea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by Ulleung County, shows a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 27, 2020, to mark the beginning of construction of an airport on the island in the East Sea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--S. Korea to provide US$700,000 aid to hurricane-hit Latin American nations

`` Our government hopes that the aid will help the peoples of those countries facing hardship in recovery , due @ @ @ @ @ the previous Hurricane Eta , '' the ministry said in a release .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will provide US$700,000 worth of humanitarian aid to Colombia, Honduras and Nicaragua to help them cope with damage from Hurricane Iota, the foreign ministry said Friday.
The Latin American countries were devastated Monday by the category 5 hurricane, the biggest storm this year in the Atlantic Ocean.
"Our government hopes that the aid will help the peoples of those countries facing hardship in recovery, due to the stronger hurricane than the previous Hurricane Eta," the ministry said in a release.
Hurricane Eta struck early this month. Millions of people are believed to have been affected by the two storms.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--PM inspects college admissions test preparation, calls for tough antivirus measures

This year 's College Scholastic Ability Test ( CSAT ) , slated for Dec. 3 , comes amid reports of @ @ @ @ @ cases across South Korea .
The CSAT is arguably the nation 's most important annual @ @ @ @ @ and the stock markets open an hour late to reduce traffic congestion so that students @ @ @ @ @ on time .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Friday inspected antivirus preparations for next week's annual state college entrance exam and asked officials to implement strict disease control measures to ensure the safety of test takers.
This year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), slated for Dec. 3, comes amid reports of sharp hikes in new coronavirus cases across South Korea. The CSAT is arguably the nation's most important annual academic event. Public institutions and the stock markets open an hour late to reduce traffic congestion so that students can arrive at test sites on time.
This photo provided by the prime minister's office shows Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (R) inspecting a test room for the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, slated for Dec. 3, at Kyungbock High School in Seoul's central Jongno Ward on Nov. 27, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Chung visited Kyungbock High School, a CSAT test venue in Seoul's central Jongno Ward, accompanied by Cho Hee-yeon, the superintendent of the Seoul Education Office, Chung's office said in a press release.
He said that the government was doing its utmost for the safety of all test takers, including both healthy examinees as well as those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Chung also asked local education offices and governments, as well as schools, to adopt stricter pre-exam preparations and antivirus measures to allow a safe testing environment.
A total of 493,433 have applied to take the CSAT this year, according to education authorities.
According to the education ministry, 21 of the test-takers were confirmed to have contracted the virus and 144 were in self-quarantine as of Thursday.
The patients will take tests at the hospitals and treatment centers they are staying in, while those in self-quarantine will be assigned separate testing sites.
This photo provided by the prime minister's office shows Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (R) seated at a desk in a test room for the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, slated for Dec. 3, at the Kyungbock High School in Seoul's central Jongno Ward on Nov. 27, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

About 70 residents and activists gathered on a bridge leading to the base for the THAAD system in the central @ @ @ @ @ 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul , to block the approach of dump trucks carrying daily @ @ @ @ @ construction equipment and materials to be used to improve their living facilities .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
-----------------
Chinese FM Wang wraps up 3-day trip highlighting close Seoul-Beijing ties
SEOUL -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday wrapped up a three-day visit to South Korea marked by his brisk diplomacy to cement relations between the two countries ahead of a leadership change in the United States.
While in Seoul after a trip to Japan, Wang paid a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in and met Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and ruling party grandees, in a whirlwind of diplomacy to highlight Beijing's resolve to firm up diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation with Seoul.
-----------------
Moon's adviser calls for S. Korea to break away from 'U.S. or China' framework
SEOUL -- South Korea should work together with Australia, Canada and Japan to form regional economic or security frameworks so as to create a new order free from the burden of choosing sides between the United States and China, an adviser to President Moon Jae-in said Friday.
Moon Chung-in, special foreign policy and security adviser, made the remarks during a virtual seminar, stressing that it is very unlikely the tensions between Washington and Beijing will get any better under the next U.S. administration of Joe Biden.
-----------------
(LEAD) Protesters deter shipments of construction materials onto THAAD base in Seongju
SEONGJU, South Korea -- The defense ministry's latest attempt to bring non-weapon materials and construction equipment onto a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in central South Korea on Friday ran into fierce protests from local residents and civic activists opposed to the deployment of the American missile defense system.
About 70 residents and activists gathered on a bridge leading to the base for the THAAD system in the central town of Seongju, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to block the approach of dump trucks carrying daily necessities for base troops and construction equipment and materials to be used to improve their living facilities.
-----------------
Chinese FM meets parliamentary leader, says Koreas should control their peninsula's 'fate'
SEOUL -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday that his country will continue to play a "constructive" role in efforts to bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing the two Koreas should decide its "fate" themselves.
"South and North (Korea) are indeed the real owners of the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, the fate of the Korean Peninsula should be handed to both hands of the South and North," Wang said via translator during a courtesy call on National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug.
-----------------
(LEAD) N. Korea orders overseas missions not to antagonize U.S.: S. Korea's state intelligence agency
SEOUL -- North Korea has recently ordered its overseas missions not to antagonize the United States amid an ongoing power transition in Washington following the presidential election win by Joe Biden, according to Seoul lawmakers Friday.
The Kim Jong-un regime also executed a big shot in the Pyongyang money change market in late October for a sudden exchange rate fluctuation and an official in August for bringing in prohibited goods amid toughened border customs control due to the new coronavirus pandemic, they quoted South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) as reporting.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks hit new all-time high; Korean won at 29-month high
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks hit another fresh record high Friday on recovery hopes despite soaring new coronavirus cases. The Korean won surged to an over 29-month high against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.54 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 2,633.45.
-----------------
(LEAD) Stalking perpetrators to face up to 5 years in jail under new law
SEOUL -- The government will push for a new law to drastically raise punishments for stalking perpetrators, the Ministry of Justice said Friday.
The ministry made a prior announcement of the plan for the legislation via the government gazette, which calls for punishing convicted stalkers with up to five years in prison.
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) Protesters deter shipments of construction materials onto THAAD base in Seongju

Seongju residents have long been opposed to the stationing of the battery in their village , citing environmental and other @ @ @ @ @ clashed violently with police as they tried to block new equipment and other supplies from @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. military to use air transportation to move supplies .

(ATTN: UPDATES with agreement in paras 4-6; CHANGES headline)
SEONGJU, South Korea, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry's latest attempt to bring non-weapon materials and construction equipment onto a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in central South Korea on Friday ran into fierce protests from local residents and civic activists opposed to the deployment of the American missile defense system.
About 70 residents and activists gathered on a bridge leading to the base for the THAAD system in the central town of Seongju, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to block the approach of dump trucks carrying daily necessities for base troops and construction equipment and materials to be used to improve their living facilities.
Riot police attempt to disperse protesters opposed to the delivery of construction equipment onto a THAAD base in Seongju, central South Korea, on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Beginning at noon, about 600 riot police attempted to disperse the protesters, who tied themselves to ladder-like structures installed on the bridge and shouted various slogans against THAAD, but halted the operation about one hour later after an activist climbed up a nearby cliff and threatened to jump into a valley.
The defense ministry mobilized 26 dump trucks for the transportation.
After hours of standoff and negotiations, residents and activists agreed to the passage of only 16 trucks carrying basic necessities for base troops, the ministry and police said, noting shipments of construction materials were not allowed onto the base.
The protesters also agreed to stop their sit-in after the trucks, some of them carrying waste, depart from the base.
Earlier on Oct. 22, a similar attempt was fiercely resisted by the residents and activists, but the defense ministry managed to complete the transportation of construction equipment and other supplies after riot police dispersed the protesters.
As an integral part of the U.S.-led missile defense system, THAAD is designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles at a high altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method.
South Korea hosted the U.S. battery in 2016, which led to strong opposition from China and economic retaliatory measures. Seoul and Washington have stressed that the system aims only to better cope with the growing missile threats posed by North Korea.
Seongju residents have long been opposed to the stationing of the battery in their village, citing environmental and other concerns. They have often clashed violently with police as they tried to block new equipment and other supplies from entering the base, forcing the U.S. military to use air transportation to move supplies.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) Seoul stocks hit new all-time high; Korean won at 29-month high

SEOUL , Nov. 27 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks hit another fresh record high Friday on recovery hopes @ @ @ @ @ .
The Korean won surged to an over 29-month high against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks hit another fresh record high Friday on recovery hopes despite soaring new coronavirus cases. The Korean won surged to an over 29-month high against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.54 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 2,633.45.
Trading volume was moderate at about 1.2 billion shares worth some 12.4 trillion won (US$11.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 488 to 332.
Foreigners bought a net 77 billion won, and retail investors purchased a net 196 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 279 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,633.45 on Nov. 27, 2020, up 7.54 points or 0.29 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Stocks traded choppy after a muted start, as soaring COVID-19 cases and valuation pressure left investors questioning the index's short-term peak.
South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday.
But expectations of year-end rally and hopes of economic recovery helped boost appetites for risky assets, analysts said.
In Seoul, most large caps closed mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.29 percent to 68,200 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.6 percent to 98,800 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics closed unchanged at 799,000 won, and Celltrion gained 1.37 percent to 334,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver declined 0.35 percent to 284,500 won, with its rival Kakao down 0.27 percent to 373,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 0.74 percent to 810,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI edged up 0.18 percent to 551,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, advanced 1.12 percent to 181,000 won, while top steelmaker POSCO retreated 1.24 percent to 239,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,103.2 won per dollar, up 1.4 won from the previous session's close to the highest since 1097.8 won on June 15, 2018.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 0.2 basis point to 0.979 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond fell 0.9 basis point to 1.324 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--SK Telecom to merge security subsidiaries

SEOUL , Nov. 27 ( Yonhap ) -- SK Telecom Co. , South Korea 's top mobile carrier , said @ @ @ @ @ security subsidiaries by the end of the first quarter of next year , in its @ @ @ @ @ synergy .

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile carrier, said Friday it will merge its security subsidiaries by the end of the first quarter of next year, in its latest move to boost business synergy.
SK Telecom said its subsidiary Life and Security Holdings, which wholly owns physical security firm ADT Caps Co., decided to merge with the carrier's digital security subsidiary SK infosec by the end of this year.
SK infosec then plans to merge with ADT Caps by the first quarter of next year.
The carrier said it expects the merger to consolidate its security services and create the country's top security company.
A logo of SK Telecom Co. is shown in this undated image provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ADT Caps is South Korea's second-largest physical security service operator with a base of 700,000 users, while SK infosec is the country's top information security company, which offers services such as cyberattack detection, according to SK Telecom.
The carrier said it seeks to boost the merged entity's value to 5 trillion won (US$4.5 billion) within three years after the merger and is preparing plans for an initial public offering.
The move comes as SK Telecom looks to shift beyond its focus on telecommunication operations and into new tech services.
On Thursday, SK Telecom's shareholders approved a plan to spin off the company's mobility business into a new company, which will pursue new mobility businesses such as ride-hailing services and flying cars.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--S. Korean Bond Yields on Nov. 27, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Nov. 27, 2020

(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--2020-11-27--Chinese FM Wang wraps up 3-day trip highlighting close Seoul-Beijing ties

Wang said that Xi 's trip will take place `` as soon as conditions are ripe '' in a repeat @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese leader can come here when the COVID-19 pandemic levels off .

By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday wrapped up a three-day visit to South Korea marked by his brisk diplomacy to cement relations between the two countries ahead of a leadership change in the United States.
While in Seoul after a trip to Japan, Wang paid a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in and met Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and ruling party grandees, in a whirlwind of diplomacy to highlight Beijing's resolve to firm up diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation with Seoul.
His trip came as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden envisions knitting back together America's alliances to reassert its global leadership and confront a raft of global challenges, possibly including China's growing assertiveness.
Asked about analysts putting his trip in the context of a Sino-U.S. rivalry, Wang told reporters that "the United States is not the only country in this world" that consists of more than 190 "independent" countries, including South Korea.
In a tweet that coincided with Wang's trip, the U.S. State Department's deputy spokesperson, Cale Brown, said that China's Communist Party propaganda "can't bury the truth" and accused party leaders of having "misled their own people about the Korean War to avoid accountability."
Brown was referring to Beijing's characterization of the 1950-53 conflict as the "war to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea" -- not as a fight triggered by North Korea's invasion backed by China and the Soviet Union.
Keen attention was drawn to whether Wang's visit here would expedite efforts to arrange a visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang said that Xi's trip will take place "as soon as conditions are ripe" in a repeat of Beijing's position that the Chinese leader can come here when the COVID-19 pandemic levels off.
During his courtesy call on Moon on Thursday, Wang reaffirmed China's support for the development of inter-Korean relations and Seoul's efforts to promote lasting peace on the peninsula and vowed his country's continued cooperation, Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.
President Moon Jae-in (R) shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the latter's courtesy call on Moon at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Nov. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon said that his administration won't let up on efforts for enduring peace on the peninsula, despite stalled inter-Korean dialogue and a protracted deadlock in nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.
In talks with Kang on the same day, Wang touted the "robustness" and "vitality" of his country's relations with South Korea, stressing his trip here, despite COVID-19, illustrates how much Beijing values the bilateral partnership.
"Having endured the ordeal of COVID-19, the bilateral relations are now showing robustness and the appearance of greater vitality," he added.
A heightened Sino-U.S. rivalry over trade, technological leadership and security is expected to continue under the incoming Biden administration.
Seoul has been striving to map out a coherent diplomatic strategy to steer clear of great power geopolitical competition while seeking to maintain its decadeslong alliance with Washington and economic partnership with Beijing.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--(LEAD) Stalking perpetrators to face up to 5 years in jail under new law

The new law stipulates imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won for @ @ @ @ @ and other dangerous objects are used in stalking , the punishments will rise to a @ @ @ @ @ five years or a fine of less than 50 million won , the ministry said @

(ATTN: UPDATES with minor changes in 5th para; ADDS last para)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The government will push for a new law to drastically raise punishments for stalking perpetrators, the Ministry of Justice said Friday.
The ministry made a prior announcement of the plan for the legislation via the government gazette, which calls for punishing convicted stalkers with up to five years in prison.
Under the new law, acts of continuously or repeatedly approaching, following or blocking a victim against his or her will; waiting for or watching a victim in and around his or her residence, workplace or school; or causing a victim anxiety or fear through mail, telephone or IT networks are defined as stalking crimes.
Currently, stalking is considered a misdemeanor in South Korea and is punished only with a fine not exceeding 100,000 won (US$90), resulting in a growing number of victims. Indeed, the number of stalking crimes handled by local police nearly doubled from 312 in 2013 to 583 last year.
The new law stipulates imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won for stalking perpetrators. If weapons and other dangerous objects are used in stalking, the punishments will rise to a prison term of less than five years or a fine of less than 50 million won, the ministry said.
"Recently, the number of cases of severe mental and physical damage caused by stalking has increased. Failures to take proper protective measures for victims and punish the perpetrators have caused various violent crimes, such as assaults and murders," a ministry official said, explaining the background for the new law.
The new law also mandates police to rush to the scene of stalking to take emergency measures, including an application for a restraining order from a court, the ministry said.
If it is recognized that stalking crimes may recur, prosecutors can ask the court to warn the perpetrators to stop the crimes, prohibit access within 100 meters of victims or place the perpetrators under emergency detention, it added.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-11-27--Seoul stocks hit new all-time high; Korean won at 29-month high

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks hit another fresh record high Friday on recovery hopes despite soaring new coronavirus cases. The Korean won surged to an over 29-month high against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.54 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 2,633.45.
Trading volume was moderate at about 1.2 billion shares worth some 12.4 trillion won (US$11.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 488 to 332.
Foreigners bought a net 77 billion won, and retail investors purchased a net 196 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 279 billion won.
Stocks traded choppy after a muted start, as soaring COVID-19 cases and valuation pressure left investors questioning the index's short-term peak.
South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases exceeded 500 for the second straight day Friday.
But expectations of year-end rally and hopes of economic recovery helped boost appetites for risky assets, analysts said.
In Seoul, most large caps closed mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.29 percent to 68,200 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.6 percent to 98,800 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics closed unchanged at 799,000 won, and Celltrion gained 1.37 percent to 334,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver declined 0.35 percent to 284,500 won, with its rival Kakao down 0.27 percent to 373,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 0.74 percent to 810,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI edged up 0.18 percent to 551,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, advanced 1.12 percent to 181,000 won, while top steelmaker POSCO retreated 1.24 percent to 239,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,103.2 won per dollar, up 1.4 won from the previous session's close to the highest since 1097.8 won on June 15, 2018.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)