yna--2020-07-23--(2nd LD) LG Display suffers extended losses in Q2 on pandemic

`` After our competitor announced its exit from the LCD market , there seems to be a misunderstanding about our @ @ @ @ @ , '' Suh said .
`` Our LCD panels for IT devices are differentiated products @ @ @ @ @ be a key engine to enhance our profitability . ''

(ATTN: RECAST headline; ADDS more info in paras 12, 14-18, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., a major display panel maker in South Korea, on Thursday said it suffered a loss in the second quarter of the year as the novel coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for its TV and mobile panels.
The company chalked up a net loss of 503.8 billion won (US$420.8 million) for the April-June period, compared with a net loss of 550.1 billion won a year ago.
Its second-quarter operating loss widened to 517 billion won from 368.7 billion won a year earlier, marking a deficit for the sixth consecutive quarter. Sales fell 0.9 percent to 5.3 trillion won over the cited period.
In the first six months of the year, LG Display posted an operating loss of 878.9 billion won and a net loss of 702.7 billion won.
Increased fixed costs related to adjustments in TV and mobile panel production were cited as one of the key reasons. A drop in LCD panel prices also dragged down its bottom line.
This photo provided by LG Display Co. on Feb. 5, 2020, shows one of the company's OLED TV panel products. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Driven by the stay-at-home trend amid the pandemic, LG Display said sales of its LCD panels for IT products increased to the highest level to account for 52 percent of the company's total revenue.
By products, panels for notebooks and tablets accounted for 29 percent of its sales in the second quarter, up from 22 percent a year earlier. Panels for monitors made up 23 percent of its sales.
TV panels accounted for only 23 percent of its sales, down from 41 percent a year ago. Mobile display products made up 25 percent of its sales.
LG Display said it plans to improve its earnings by increasing shipments of its plastic OLED displays for smartphones and high-value LCD products in the second half of the year.
The company also pins big hopes on the mass production of large-size OLED sheets.
Its plant in Guangzhou, China, has started to mass-produce OLED panels. The company can now produce a total of 130,000 sheets of glass substrate a month from its plants in China and South Korea.
For this year, LG Display said it aims to sell more than 4 million units of large size OLED display panels.
"Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the global economic environment is still not in a favorable condition, but we believe the worst situation is over," LG Display Chief Financial Officer Suh Dong-hee said.
This image provided by LG Display Co. shows the company's corporate logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Its local rival, Samsung Display Co., recently announced it will exit the LCD industry, which has been suffering a supply glut led by Chinese competitors, to speed up its transition to the next-generation quantum-dot display.
But Suh said LG Display will stay in the LCD business, although the company is pushing its migration to the OLED business.
"After our competitor announced its exit from the LCD market, there seems to be a misunderstanding about our withdrawal from the LCD business," Suh said. "Our LCD panels for IT devices are differentiated products and we believe they could be a key engine to enhance our profitability."
In a conference call, LG Display said its plant in Gumi, South Korea, is preparing to become its production hub for advanced display panels for automotive and foldable products.
The company said its plant in Paju, north of Seoul, will focus on smartphone displays.
Shares in LG Display dived 1.16 percent to 12,740 won on the Seoul bourse, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.56 percent drop. Its earnings results were released after the stock market closed.
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--FM Kang's husband sells stake in Seoul studio amid pressure against multiple home owners

The sale of the stake came after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called earlier this month for high-ranking public officials with @ @ @ @ @ houses and keep only one amid growing public outcry over the housing shortage and rising @ @ @

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The husband of Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has sold his stake in a studio flat in Seoul, a real estate document showed Thursday, as controversy persists over high-ranking officials' ownership of multiple homes amid the country's housing shortage.
Last Thursday, her husband sold the stake -- one-eighth of the studio ownership -- for 9.75 million won (US$8,148). He bought the stake in 2007. It was one of the three real estate properties that Kang's family owned
The sale of the stake came after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called earlier this month for high-ranking public officials with multiple homes to sell their houses and keep only one amid growing public outcry over the housing shortage and rising apartment prices.
After the sale of the stake, Kang's family has two homes in Seoul -- one for the family and the other for her mother.
This photo, taken on July 22, 2020, shows Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaking during a parliamentary interpellation session at the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--(4th LD) Eastar on brink of bankruptcy on deal collapse

`` It 's regrettable that we have decided to scrap the deal despite the government 's intention to support the @ @ @ @ @ was inevitable due to uncertainties amid the pandemic and the possible impact on shareholders ' @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .

(ATTN: UPDATES stock prices in 10th para)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Debt-ridden Eastar Jet Co. may face bankruptcy after Jeju Air Co. scrapped its plan to acquire the smaller budget carrier amid the new coronavirus' impact on the airline industry, sources said Thursday.
Jeju Air, South Korea's biggest low-cost carrier, said earlier in the day that it has decided to nix the takeover deal due mainly to rising COVID-19 pandemic-related uncertainties.
"It's regrettable that we have decided to scrap the deal despite the government's intention to support the deal. But the decision was inevitable due to uncertainties amid the pandemic and the possible impact on shareholders' value," Jeju Air said in a statement.
This file photo, taken July 1, 2020, shows Jeju Air and Eastar Jet's planes at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
In response to Jeju's announcement, Eastar said Jeju Air violated terms of the deal.
"We urge Jeju Air to proceed with the deal, and we will seek every possible measure to make Jeju take responsibility for the deal's collapse," Eastar Senior Vice President Kim You-sang told Yonhap News Agency over the phone.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport demanded Eastar come up with a Plan B and said it will make efforts to avoid massive job losses. The carrier has some 1,500 employees.
"It appears to be very uncertain for Eastar to normalize its operations at the moment. The government will extend a helping hand to Eastar if the company presents a Plan B," Kim Sang-do, director general for aviation policy at the ministry, said in a briefing.
Analysts said Eastar will inevitably go broke if there are not viable investors to take over the debt-ridden carrier.
"Eastar's capital erosion and snowballed debts appear to be a stumbling block," Shinyoung Securities Co. analyst Um Kyung-a said.
On Thursday, Jeju Air ended 1.2 percent higher at 16,450 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.6 percent loss.
The deal's rupture comes four months after Jeju Air signed a deal in March to acquire a controlling 51.17 percent stake in Eastar Jet from Eastar Holdings for 54.5 billion won (US$45.53 million) as part of its expansion strategy despite the pandemic.
The deal had been at risk of falling through despite the government's intention to support it as the two sides failed to narrow differences on terms of the contract.
This photo taken on July 14, 2020, shows Eastar Jet's headquarters in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
On July 1, Jeju Air sent an ultimatum demanding Eastar Jet pay off all of its debts, estimated at up to 170 billion won (US$142 million), including unpaid wages to its employees, delayed payments to subcontractors and office operating expenses, by July 15.
But Eastar failed to meet the demand. The company said the debt payment is not part of the deal and that it is not Eastar's duty but Jeju Air's.
AK Holdings, the holding firm of South Korean retail conglomerate Aekyung Group, holds a 56.94 percent stake in Jeju Air.
Also on Thursday, the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea said they will withdraw their plan to extend loans worth 170 billion won to Jeju following the deal's collapse.
The state lenders were planning to inject the capital into Jeju Air to help it take over Eastar and ride out the virus crisis.
As for possible loans to Eastar, the KDB said, "We are not considering providing financial support for Eastar."
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--(LEAD) LG Display commences mass production of OLED panels at Guangzhou plant

With the production start at the Chinese plant , LG Display , the sole producer of large-size OLED display panels @ @ @ @ @ now able to roll out a total of 130,000 sheets a month , as its @ @ @ @ @ South Korea , has a monthly production capacity of 70,000 sheets .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 9th para, 1st photo)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., a major South Korean display panel maker, announced Thursday it has started the mass production of OLED sheets at its Chinese plant after months of delay amid the pandemic.
LG Display High-Tech China Co., the company's 8.5-generation OLED display factory in Guangzhou, China, is capable of producing 60,000 sheets of glass substrate a month, according to LG Display.
With the production start at the Chinese plant, LG Display, the sole producer of large-size OLED display panels in the world, is now able to roll out a total of 130,000 sheets a month, as its other plant in Paju, South Korea, has a monthly production capacity of 70,000 sheets.
The Guangzhou factory will mainly produce 48-, 55-, 65- and 77-inch OLED panels. The company plans to increase the plant's monthly production capacity to 90,000 sheets in the future.
In this photo, provided by LG Display Co. on July 23, 2020, company officials and guests celebrate the mass production of OLED sheets at the company's plant in Guangzhou, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Our Guangzhou OLED plant is a new, big facility with high productivity and efficiency that can deliver large-size, high-value products," the company said. "With our double production base of Paju and Guangzhou, we will push for large-size OLED panels in the TV market."
Its Guangzhou plant originally planned to begin mass production in the first quarter of the year, but the schedule was pushed back due to the pandemic.
The company sent a total of 900 engineers to China in March, May and July on chartered flights to complete set up for mass production.
LG Display hopes its profitability can improve as the company will be able to supply more than 10 million 55-inch OLED TV panels a year.
LG Display posted a dismal first-half performance with operating loss of 878.9 billion won (US$734 million). Its sales dropped 10.7 percent on-year to 10 trillion won in the first six months of the year due to the pandemic.
A 8.5-generation substrate, which has a size of 2,200 millimeters by 2,500 millimeters, can be cut into six 55-inch displays, according to the company.
This photo, provided by LG Display Co. on July 23, 2020, shows the company's OLED panel plant in Guangzhou, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
According to market tracker Omdia, global OLED TV panel shipments are likely to reach 4.4 million units this year and are projected to exceed 12 million units in 2025.
Led by its affiliate LG Electronics Inc., the number of OLED TV makers has been increasing steadily.
So far 19 electronics brands, including Sony, Philips, Vizio, Sharp and Xiaomi, are producing OLED TVs.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--(LEAD) Moon, reassured by S. Korea's arms technologies, vows more investment

`` Going forward , the government will continue to invest in the defense science and technology field with a strong @ @ @ @ @ which we take responsibility on our own , and peace on the Korean Peninsula , @ @ @ @ @ visit to the headquarters of the Agency for Defense Development ( ADD ) in Daejeon @ @ @ @ @ Seoul .

(ATTN: UPDATES remarks on new ballistic missile presumed to be Hyunmoo-4 in paras 15-20)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in made a rare on-site inspection Thursday of South Korea's development of advanced weapon systems and pledged no let-up in support for the sector, which he said is crucial in South Korea's self-defense and peace efforts.
"Going forward, the government will continue to invest in the defense science and technology field with a strong commitment to defense, for which we take responsibility on our own, and peace on the Korean Peninsula," he said on a visit to the headquarters of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul.
It came two weeks ahead of the state-run agency's 50th founding anniversary.
Upon arriving at the compound, Moon inspected a set of cutting-edge strategic weapons developed by the ADD. Pool reporters and television crew travelling with the president were not allowed to cover the program due to security concerns.
Moon then made a public statement.
"I feel reassured, having seen the state-of-the-art strategic weapons with the world's top-level precision and strong destructive power," he said. "I confidently say that we have enough defense capabilities to prevent and deter any security threat."
President Moon Jae-in (R) speaks at a meeting with officials at the headquarters of Agency for Defense Development in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 23, 2020. (Yohap)
He described the ADD as the base for South Korea's "autonomous and powerful" defense capabilities, citing an assessment that it ranks sixth in the world in terms of military power.
Moon told ADD officials, "I am proud of you for the world-class research and development, from high-power ballistic missile to core radar for advanced fighter jet."
The ADD is home to the development of the Hyunmoo series of ballistic and cruise missiles, the Haeseong anti-ship missile, the Cheongung surface-to-air missile, the K9 self-propelled howitzer, the K2 main battle tank and other well-known weapons, some of which are exported.
The ADD is also leading AESA radar development work in the KF-X fighter jet project. The production of a prototype has been already done.
"The surveillance, reconnaissance and radar sector are very important in the highly sophisticated modern warfare," he said.
Moon also pointed out South Korea's launch of its first military satellite earlier this week that made it the tenth country to own a military-only communications satellite.
"I hope that we will soon possess a satellite for military information and reconnaissance based on our technology," Moon said.
President Moon Jae-in (R) attends a briefing session on South Korea's arms development at the headquarters of the Agency for Defense Development in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Over the past half a century, the ADD has written a history of "turning the impossible to possible," he said, adding it was established at a time when South Korea had no ability to produce even a rifle component.
Now, he stressed, it has reached a stage to develop a "ballistic missile with sufficient range and the world's largest warhead weight."
He congratulated the ADD on the success in the development of the missile, apparently meaning the Hyunmoo-4.
Earlier this year, the ADD test-launched the missile estimated to have a range of up to 800km and be capable of carrying a warhead weighing as much as 2 tons.
Moon said, "Since it's a security matter, I can't freely talk about it in front of (TV) cameras."
In their 2017 summit talks, Moon and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to revise the allies' missile development guidelines to lift payload weight restrictions on South Korea's ballistic missiles. The previous limit for 800-km-range ballistic missiles was 500 kilograms. The range limit remains unchanged at 800km.
Moon made clear that his administration would keep trying to enhance the military's combat power, as it has done so far.
This year's defense budget has risen 7.4 percent to 50.15 trillion won (US$42.5 billion) from 2019. It is the first time the nation's defense budget has topped the 50 trillion-won mark.
Moon made a visit to an ADD facility in 2017 to observe the test-firing of a new ballistic missile with an 800-km range at its test site located in Anheung, South Chungcheong Province.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--(LEAD) Unification minister nominee comes under intense ideological scrutiny by opposition lawmakers

`` I wonder if such a ( demand for ) ideological conversion is explicitly required in North Korea , but @ @ @ @ @ we have freedom of thought and conscience .
...
It seems to me that you @ @ @ @ @ in the South , '' Lee said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks by nominee in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young came under intense scrutiny during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Thursday for being a former leader of a student activist group regarded by many as pro-North Korea.
During the hearing, the main opposition United Future Party's (UFP) lawmakers who belong to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and unification brought into question Lee's past as the inaugural chairman of what was then the country's biggest college student group, Jeondaehyeop, or the National Council of Student Representatives, in the 1980s.
UFP Rep. Tae Young-ho, formerly a ranking North Korean diplomat who defected to the South, accused Lee of having followed the communist North's official guiding Juche Ideology while he led the group.
Tae asked if the nominee could openly pledge to have ideologically converted away from Juche.
Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young attends a parliamentary confirmation hearing on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lashing out at the accusation, Lee said, "I certainly make it clear that I was not a Juche follower at that time, and I am not one now."
"I wonder if such a (demand for) ideological conversion is explicitly required in North Korea, but here in South Korea, we have freedom of thought and conscience. ... It seems to me that you have little understanding of democracy in the South," Lee said.
Other UFP lawmakers, including Rep. Park Jin and Rep. Cho Tae-yong, joined Tae in zeroing in on ideology.
Citing a statement from Jeondaehyeop that described South Korea's inaugural Rhee Syng-man administration as a puppet of the United States, Park asked if Lee thinks the same way now.
Lee refused to directly answer the question, only saying, "There are varying opinions on the matter."
Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young speaks during his parliamentary confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cho asked if Lee supports the presence of American troops stationed in the country.
"I am concluding that the U.S. troops' stationing in South Korea is rightful for the strategic balance in Northeast Asia, as well as (the maintenance of) the Korea-U.S. alliance," Lee noted in response.
Lee was also grilled over his son's military exemption and prodded to present medical records that could prove the waiver of military service given to his son on medical grounds.
His son was exempted from the compulsory military service for having ankylosing spondylitis. "Everyday activities are possible, but the military made the decision because it was difficult for him to do hard work," Lee told the session.
The UFP lawdkmakers' questions about ideology became a source of bipartisan bickering during the parliamentary hearing, as ruling party lawmakers, including Rep. Kim Young-ho, labeled it as "an insult to the National Assembly."
The assembly is legally required to endorse or refuse the confirmation of Lee by Monday. Even if lawmakers refuse, the president is empowered to press ahead with the appointment of Lee.
Rep. Tae Young-ho of the United Future Party poses a question to Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young during a parliamentary confirmation hearing on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
During the hearing, Lee stressed that inter-Korean relations should move forward regardless of the stalemate in denuclearization talks between the U.S. and the North.
"The starting point for progress should be the recovery of inter-Korean relations ... even if the U.S.-North Korea relationship comes to a halt, the South-North relationship itself should continuously march forward with its own goal," Lee said.
He also expressed his determination to visit Pyongyang as a special envoy if that is necessary in resolving the deadlocked inter-Korean relations.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--(LEAD) S. Korea's top research university receives record donation

In a donation agreement ceremony held at KAIST 's main campus in Daejeon , 150 kilometers south of Seoul , @ @ @ @ @ accord on the establishment of the Lee Su-young Science Education Foundation with her donation , @ @ @ @ @ full support to help KAIST produce South Korea 's first Nobel laureate in science .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 7-9; ADDS photo)
DAEJEON, July 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top-ranked science and technology university said Thursday it has received its biggest-ever donation from a local entrepreneur aspiring to see the nation produce its first Nobel Prize winner in science.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) announced a donation of real estate worth 67.6 billion won (US$56.4 million) from Lee Su-young, an entrepreneur who runs a real estate company named Gwangwon Industry.
In a donation agreement ceremony held at KAIST's main campus in Daejeon, 150 kilometers south of Seoul, the 83-year-old Lee signed an accord on the establishment of the Lee Su-young Science Education Foundation with her donation, saying she will extend her full support to help KAIST produce South Korea's first Nobel laureate in science.
Lee Su-young (R), chairwoman of Gwangwon Industry, speaks at a donation agreement ceremony at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology in Daejeon, central South Korea, on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lee's donation is the biggest given to the state-funded KAIST since its foundation in 1971.
She had already donated U.S. real estate worth 8 billion won in 2012 and 1 billion won in 2016. Altogether, Lee's cumulative donation to KAIST amounts to 76.6 billion won.
Lee, a graduate of Seoul National University's School of Law, began her career as a journalist in 1963. She established a cattle farm in 1971 and then Gwangwon Industry in 1988. Since her first donation in 2012, Lee has also served as the chairperson of the KAIST Development Foundation.
"I wanted to meaningfully spend the money I have earned before I die. I decided to make a donation after thinking that the only way for Korea to live well is the development of science and technology," Lee told reporters at the ceremony.
"For instance, 25 percent of Samsung Electronics' master's and doctoral research personnel in semiconductors are from KAIST. I hope KAIST will use my donation to raise the name of Korea to the world," she said, calling on others to persistently support KAIST's scholarship programs.
KAIST President Shin Sung-chul said at the ceremony that he and all school members will do their utmost to help Lee realize her Nobel science prize dream.
KAIST said it will use Lee's donation to foster "singularity professors" who will focus on research that can change the paradigm of scientific knowledge, solve human difficulties and establish original scientific knowledge and theories.
Those selected as singularity professors will receive research funds for 10 years and such benefits can be extended for another 10 years depending on their research outcomes, the school said.
While former President Kim Dae-jung received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2000, South Korea has yet to receive a Nobel Prize in an academic field.
This file photo provided by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology shows the school's main campus entrance in Daejeon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--Unification minister nominee comes under intense ideological test by opposition lawmakers

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young came under intense scrutiny during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Thursday for being a former leader of a student activist group regarded by many as pro-North Korea.
During the hearing, the main opposition United Future Party's (UFP) lawmakers who belong to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and unification brought into question Lee's past as the inaugural chairman of what was then the country's biggest college student group, Jeondaehyeop, or the National Council of Student Representatives, in the 1980s.
UFP Rep. Tae Young-ho, formerly a ranking North Korean diplomat who defected to the South, accused Lee of having followed the communist North's official guiding Juche Ideology while he led the group.
Tae asked if the nominee could openly pledge to have ideologically converted away from Juche.
Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young attends a parliamentary confirmation hearing on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lashing out at the accusation, Lee said, "I certainly make it clear that I was not a Juche follower at that time, and I am not one now."
"I wonder if such a (demand for) ideological conversion is explicitly required in North Korea, but here in South Korea, we have freedom of thought and conscience. ... It seems to me that you have little understanding of democracy in the South," Lee said.
Other UFP lawmakers, including Rep. Park Jin and Rep. Cho Tae-yong, joined Tae in zeroing in on ideology.
Citing a statement from Jeondaehyeop that described South Korea's inaugural Rhee Syng-man administration as a puppet of the United States, Park asked if Lee thinks the same way now.
Lee refused to directly answer the question, only saying, "There are varying opinions on the matter."
Cho asked if Lee supports the presence of American troops stationed in the country.
"I am concluding that the U.S. troops' stationing in South Korea is rightful for the strategic balance in Northeast Asia, as well as (the maintenance of) the Korea-U.S. alliance," Lee noted in response.
Lee was also grilled over his son's military exemption and prodded to present medical records that could prove the waiver of military service given to his son on medical grounds.
The UFP lawmakers' questions about ideology became a source of bipartisan bickering during the parliamentary hearing, as ruling party lawmakers, including Rep. Kim Young-ho, labeled it as "an insult to the National Assembly."
The assembly is legally required to endorse or refuse the confirmation of Lee by Monday. Even if lawmakers refuse, the president is empowered to press ahead with the appointment of Lee.
Rep. Tae Young-ho of the United Future Party poses a question to Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young during a parliamentary confirmation hearing on July 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-23--Galaxy S20 to support Germany's electronic ID system

`` All four partners developed a holistic security architecture centered around the foundation of smartphone security -- the hardware , @ @ @ @ @ Thanks to a highly secure chip built directly into the phone , information can be @ @ @ @ @ and gives users full control over their data . ''

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday its Galaxy S20 smartphone will be the first mobile device to support Germany's national electronic ID system following its collaboration with German partners.
The South Korean electronics giant joined hands with the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Bundesdruckerei GmbH, a leading German high-tech security firm, and Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH, a cyber-security specialist, to develop a security solution that allows users to securely store their National ID on their smartphone as an eID.
Germany plans to commence its eID system later this year.
This photo taken on April 29, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy S20 smartphones displayed at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
"All four partners developed a holistic security architecture centered around the foundation of smartphone security -- the hardware," Samsung said. "Thanks to a highly secure chip built directly into the phone, information can be stored locally on the device and gives users full control over their data."
Samsung said its Galaxy S20 lineup, comprised of the S20, the S20 Plus and the S20 Ultra, will be the first smartphones to comply with the BSI's eID security framework for sovereign use.
The Galaxy S20 series will be able to provide a "Substantial" level of services under the European Union's eIDAS regulation, which is designed to ensure EU citizens' use of their national eID across borders and prevent possible misuse of their IDs.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
----------------
(LEAD) Hundreds of soldiers tested for virus after contact with counselor linked to Army unit cluster infection
SEOUL -- Hundreds of soldiers took coronavirus tests after coming into contact with an outside counselor confirmed to have the virus, officials said Thursday, following revelations he visited other military units in addition to a front-line base that reported at least 14 cases this week.
Two of the 14 at the Army unit in Pocheon, some 45 kilometers north of Seoul, first tested positive Tuesday after showing COVID-19 symptoms the previous day, and the remaining 12 were found to have the virus after contact with the two colleagues.
----------------
Moon, reassured by S. Korea's arms technologies, vows more investment
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in made a rare on-site inspection Thursday of South Korea's development of advanced weapon systems and pledged no let-up in support for the sector, which he said is crucial in South Korea's self-defense and peace efforts.
"Going forward, the government will continue to invest in the defense science and technology field with a strong commitment to defense, for which we take responsibility on our own, and peace on the Korean Peninsula," he said on a visit to the headquarters of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul.
----------------
FM Kang to hold diplomatic strategy meeting amid growing U.S.-China tensions
SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will host a diplomatic strategy meeting next week, her office said Thursday, as South Korea seeks a coherent strategy to keep clear of geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.
The third Strategic Coordination Meeting on Foreign Affairs is set for Tuesday amid friction between the two major powers over the U.S.' recent order to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, China's claims to the South China Sea and its sweeping security law for Hong Kong.
----------------
16 new COVID-19 cases linked to Seoul church
SEOUL -- Sixteen new coronavirus virus cases have been identified in relation to a Protestant church in Seoul, officials said Thursday.
The infections, tallied at 2 p.m., traced to Sarang Church in the eastern Seoul ward of Songpa, according to officials.
----------------
N. Korea ranks worst in nuclear material security: report
SEOUL -- North Korea's handling of nuclear materials remains the worst in the world, a nonprofit group of experts said Thursday.
According to the report by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a Washington-based group working to curb the threat of nuclear terrorism and accidents, North Korea ranked the last among the 22 countries reviewed in terms of the security of its nuclear materials, scoring just 19 points out of a total of 100.
----------------
S. Korea striving to implement space program as planned, upgrade capabilities
SEOUL -- South Korea will redouble efforts to meet a preset timetable for the launch of a locally built rocket and the development of satellites, as well as to upgrade its overall space capabilities, the science ministry said Thursday.
Under the plan, Seoul is set to launch its first locally built Nuri space rockets, deploy next-generation 500-kilogram satellites and send orbiter probes to the Moon in the 2020-2022 period, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
----------------
LG Display commences mass production of OLED panels at Guangzhou plant
SEOUL -- LG Display Co., a major South Korean display panel maker, announced Thursday it has started the mass production of OLED sheets at its Chinese plant after months of delay amid the pandemic.
LG Display High-Tech China Co., the company's 8.5-generation OLED display factory in Guangzhou, China, is capable of producing 60,000 sheets of glass substrate a month, according to LG Display.
----------------
Kia Motors Q2 net profit down 100 pct. to 126.3 mln won
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. on Thursday reported its second-quarter net income of 126.3 million won (US$ 0.1 million), down 100 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 145.2 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 533.6 billion won a year ago. Revenue fell 21.6 percent to 11.36 trillion won.
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--S. Korea renews pledge to supply more homes in greater Seoul

Record-low interest rates and excess liquidity , which has been pumped into the market to help revive the virus-hit economy @ @ @ @ @ home prices , analysts said .

SEJONG, July 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top economic policymakers on Friday renewed a pledge to supply more homes in Seoul and its neighboring area, the finance ministry said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and senior policymakers held a meeting earlier in the day and discussed measures to help resolve housing supply shortage in the densely populated area, the ministry said in a statement.
The meeting included Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, raising speculation that some military-owned land may be used to build homes.
Earlier this month, the government announced its toughest measures yet to rein in rising housing prices, as a series of steps, including tax hikes and loan regulations, failed to put a brake on soaring home prices.
Record-low interest rates and excess liquidity, which has been pumped into the market to help revive the virus-hit economy, have contributed to soaring home prices, analysts said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (C), who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, speaks at a press conference at the government complex in Seoul on July 10, 2020, to announce South Korea will raise property ownership tax rates for multiple home owners in the latest move to curb housing prices. (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) Moon replaces five secretaries; ex-vice defense minister installed in NSC

As Moon is in desperate search of a breakthrough in efforts to give a fresh boost to his presidency scheduled @ @ @ @ @ two years , a shake-up of senior presidential secretaries is expected as early as next @ @ @ @ @ 's a possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle in the near future .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in appointed Suh Choo-suk, former vice defense minister, as the No. 2 official at Cheong Wa Dae's national security office Friday in a reshuffle of his secretaries.
Suh replaces Kim You-geun, deputy director of national security, and he will double as chief of the secretariat of the National Security Council (NSC).
Suh served as vice defense minister from 2017-2019, when he led a national defense reform drive. He worked as senior presidential secretary for unification and security issues under the Roh Moo-hyun administration in the 2000s.
Suh Choo-suk, named deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, in a file photo (Yonhap)
Suh was a member of the 2017 presidential election camp of Moon along with Suh Hoon, director of national security. Majoring in diplomacy at Seoul National University, he was also a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok stressed that Suh is an "expert" privy to both the theory and practical affairs of the diplomatic and security field.
"He's expected to fulfill his duties such as establishing security strategies, coordinating pending issues and successfully completing defense reform," Kang added.
Kim, a retired three-star Army general, is on a shortlist, reported by some media, of possible candidates to become new defense minister.
The president also named Yeo Han-koo, a senior official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, as secretary for New Southern and New Northern policies.
Ha Dong-soo, who is in charge of housing policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was named secretary for land, infrastructure and transport as the government strives to curb soaring housing prices in Seoul and nearby cities.
Many agree that several weeks of decline in the approval rating for the president are largely attributable to the public displeasure with the government's property policy, with apartment prices continuing to rise especially in the capital area.
Do Jae-hyung, professor at Ewha Womans University's school of law, was tapped as secretary for employment and labor.
Moon picked Yoo Geun-heag, head of the population policy office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare Secretary, as secretary for social policy.
As Moon is in desperate search of a breakthrough in efforts to give a fresh boost to his presidency scheduled to end in less than two years, a shake-up of senior presidential secretaries is expected as early as next week. Also, there's a possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle in the near future.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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

(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--2020-07-24--Heavy downpours pummel S. Korea, unleash flash floods, leave 4 dead or missing

Heavy rain advisories are still in effect in parts of the country , including the provinces of Gangwon and North @ @ @ @ @ up to 50 mm is forecast to continue .
But showers will stop for the @ @ @ @ @ Incheon and Gyeonggi Province -- during the day on Friday .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Heavy downpours with strong winds have hit South Korea, causing flash floods that killed three people and left scores of people stranded in floodwater.
The Central Disaster Management Headquarters said three people were found dead in their cars Thursday night, submerged in rain water in the southern port city of Busan. One man was reported missing after being swept away by a flooded stream in Ulsan, northeast of Busan.
Nationwide, some 195 people were evacuated to safety and at least 51 people were rescued, according to the national disaster management center.
Cars are partially submerged in flash floods in Busan on July 23, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Busan, the country's second-biggest city, torrential rains of up to 80 millimeters per hour unleashed chaos, sending mudslides into construction sites and turning subway stations into indoor showers.
According to the national weather agency, the city's hourly precipitation on Thursday recorded the 10th highest since 1920.
Photos shared by residents there showed that rain water cascaded down into underground subway stations and buses ran in waist-high floodwaters. Normally busy streets turned into giant, shallow lakes.
In Busan, 162 cases of flooded homes were reported, the most in the country, where 43 roads were also submerged, temporarily trapping people in their vehicles.
A heavy rain advisory was also issued in the industrial city of Ulsan, home to Hyundai Motor's main domestic plants.
Downpours of 215.5 mm pummeled the city, triggering mudslides and flash floods that swallowed sidewalks and the pedestrian paths along Yeocheon Stream in southern Ulsan. A total of 44 damage reports were filed at the Ulsan Fire Station.
Water cascades into a subway station in Busan, in this photo provided by a resident on July 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In the capital Seoul, some parts of intercity highways were closed due to rising waters. But damage otherwise was minimal. In Gwangju, Gapyeong and Paju of Gyeonggi Province, heavy downpours temporarily caused power outages at 1,100 households.
Heavy rain advisories are still in effect in parts of the country, including the provinces of Gangwon and North Gyeongsang, where more rainfall up to 50 mm is forecast to continue. But showers will stop for the capital area -- Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province -- during the day on Friday.
Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding in Ulsan, South Korea, in this photo provided by the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency on July 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Two military planes return with some 290 people from coronavirus-hit Iraq

Those who test positive will be sent to medical facilities , while those with negative results will be put into @ @ @ @ @ two weeks , the length of the virus ' incubation period , officials said .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean military planes arrived back home Friday, carrying some 290 people from Iraq amid the worsening outbreak of the new coronavirus in the Middle East country.
The KC-330 air refueling tankers touched down at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, completing their dayslong mission to bring back the citizens from Iraq, where three South Korean workers have died of the COVID-19 infection.
South Korea mobilized the military planes for the citizens, mostly workers involved in construction projects there, as the virus caseload in Iraq surpassed 102,200 with the death toll at 4,122 as of Thursday.
Upon their arrival here, workers with signs of symptoms are to take COVID-19 tests at the airport, while those with no symptoms will undergo the tests after moving to temporary accommodations.
Those who test positive will be sent to medical facilities, while those with negative results will be put into quarantine at designated facilities for two weeks, the length of the virus' incubation period, officials said.
Since February, the government has provided chartered evacuation flights to bring back citizens from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the initial epicenter of the pandemic, as well as Japan, Iran, Peru, Italy and Ethiopia.
South Korean nationals board a military plane at Baghdad International Airport to return home from coronavirus-hit Iraq on July 23, 2020 (Iraq time), in this photo provided the next day by the South Korean Embassy in Iraq. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korean nationals wait in a line for a fever check and other quarantine procedures at Baghdad International Airport before boarding a special military aircraft to return home from coronavirus-hit Iraq on July 23, 2020 (Iraq time), in this photo provided by the South Korean Embassy in Iraq. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) S-Oil Q2 operating losses widen on decreased cracking margins

Still , the company 's net losses narrowed to 66.8 billion won in the second quarter from 147.4 billion from @ @ @ @ @ due to currency-related gains .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- S-Oil Corp., a major oil refiner operating in South Korea, said Friday that its operating losses widened in the second quarter from a year earlier due to decreased cracking margins.
Operating losses widened to 164 billion won (US$136.7 million) in the April-June period from 90.5 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The company said decreased cracking margins caused by the coronavirus pandemic are to blame for the widened operating losses.
Still, the company's net losses narrowed to 66.8 billion won in the second quarter from 147.4 billion from the same period last year due to currency-related gains.
Sales fell 44.8 percent on-year to 3.45 trillion won from 6.25 trillion won over the cited period due to lower oil prices.
S-Oil said it expects cracking margins to improve in the third quarter due to growing demand following eased restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company, is currently the largest shareholder of S-Oil, with a 63.41 percent stake.
The S-Oil headquarters building in Seoul (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Imported commercial car sales dip 12 pct in June

`` Demand for commercial vehicles has been on the decline since last year amid a slowing economy .
This year @ @ @ @ @ is also weighing on vehicle sales , '' a KAIDA official said .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Sales of imported commercial vehicles in South Korea fell 12 percent last month from a year earlier on an economic slowdown, an industry association said Friday.
The number of newly registered imported commercial vehicles fell to 324 units in June from 366 a year earlier, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA).
"Demand for commercial vehicles has been on the decline since last year amid a slowing economy. This year, the new coronavirus outbreak is also weighing on vehicle sales," a KAIDA official said.
Imported commercial vehicles currently account for a large share of the domestic commercial vehicle market.
Five major imported commercial vehicle brands -- MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo Trucks, Scania and Iveco -- sell trucks, buses and vans in South Korea.
From January to June, overall sales fell 18 percent to 2,101 from 2,569 in the year-ago period, KAIDA said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) Four soldiers in Pocheon test positive for coronavirus

The soldiers from three different bases in Pocheon , some 45 kilometers north of Seoul , were confirmed to have @ @ @ @ @ on-base church Sunday that confirmed patients from a nearby unit visited on the same day @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with latest figures)
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Four more soldiers at front-line units tested positive for the new coronavirus following a cluster infection reported on a nearby base, the defense ministry said Friday, raising concerns over further spread of the virus in barracks.
The soldiers from three different bases in Pocheon, some 45 kilometers north of Seoul, were confirmed to have COVID-19, after visiting an on-base church Sunday that confirmed patients from a nearby unit visited on the same day, according to the ministry.
The military has restricted movement of all troops from the bases with newly confirmed cases, and is conducting coronavirus tests on hundreds of soldiers there.
Fourteen soldiers at the nearby unit tested positive earlier this week after coming into contact with an outside counselor confirmed to have the virus. The counselor was found to have visited other units and hundreds of troops have taken virus tests.
The latest infection raised the total number of coronavirus cases among the military population to 76.
The total number of service members in quarantine, in accordance with health authorities' guidelines, stands at 275, and the military has put 1,198 service members in quarantine as a preventive step.
This file photo, taken on Feb. 21,2020, shows service members at Seoul Station. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) Greater Seoul dogged by cluster infections, daily imported cases in double digits for month

New virus cases reached 59 on Thursday due to the rising number of cases traced to a nursing home in @ @ @ @ @ base , and churches .
The country also reported 63 cases on Wednesday , after @ @ @ @ @ first time in around three weeks on Monday .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases fell back to below 50 on Friday, but the country may report more infection cases coming in from overseas down the road as around 300 nationals are set to arrive here from virus-hit Iraq.
The country identified 41 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,979, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the newly added cases, 28 were local infections, most of which were reported in the Seoul metropolitan area.
New virus cases reached 59 on Thursday due to the rising number of cases traced to a nursing home in Seoul, a front-line military base, and churches. The country also reported 63 cases on Wednesday, after falling below 30 for the first time in around three weeks on Monday.
A worker disinfects a Super Rapid Train (SRT) compartment to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus on July 23, 2020, in this photo released by SR Co., which operates the bullet train. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases reported Friday, 19 were from Seoul.
A nursing home in western Seoul reported five new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total number of related cases to 20.
A church located in southern Seoul reported 16 new infections, as its members did not follow social distancing guidelines that banned gatherings other than regular worship services. South Korea plans to lift the ban, imposed earlier this month, later in the day.
Gyeonggi Province, surrounding the capital city, reported five new infections.
Health authorities said at least 17 cases were traced to an Army unit in Pocheon, some 45 kilometers north of Seoul, as of Thursday.
South Korea said it has been carrying out COVID-19 tests on all new military recruits, and the group infections were traced to an outside instructor who visited the base.
Gwangju, located 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, added two new cases. The southeastern port city of Busan added two virus cases as well.
Medical officials carry out new coronavirus tests on visitors in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 23, 2020, in this photo provided by the city government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Imported cases are also showing no signs of a letup, increasing by daily double-digit figures for nearly a month.
Of the 13 new imported cases, the United States and Uzbekistan accounted for three each.
The recent increase also came as South Korean workers returned home from virus-hit nations, such as Iraq. There were infections on Russian ships docked in Busan, while some U.S. military officials stationed here also tested positive.
On Friday morning, at least 32 sailors on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel docked in the southeastern city of Busan tested positive for the new coronavirus in another cluster infection on a foreign vessel. They were not included in the daily tally.
Imported cases may grow further as more South Korean nationals from Iraq returned home Friday. They will be put under a two-week quarantine.
Among the first batch of 105 South Korean workers who arrived here from Iraq on July 15, 45 tested positive for the virus.
The country's death toll came to 298, up one from the previous day, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.13 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 12,817, up 59 from Thursday.
South Korea has been carrying out 1,510,327 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) Defense chief congratulates United Nations Command on 70th founding anniversary

There has been speculation about possible changes of UNC 's role after the envisioned transfer of the wartime operational control @ @ @ @ @ to Seoul .
The two sides are eyeing around 2022 as a target date , @ @ @ @ @ set as the transfer is supposed to take place after the right security conditions are @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 7 paras, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Jeong kyeong-doo expressed gratitude to the United Nations Command Friday for its decadeslong commitment to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, as the command marked the 70th anniversary of its foundation.
The U.S.-led UNC was established on July 24, 1950, based on the UN Security Council Resolution 84, just a month after the outbreak of the Korean War. It is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting South Korea.
The Armistice Agreement was signed to halt the war on July 27, 1953, and UNC has since been in charge of implementing the agreement.
This photo from the United Nations Command's Facebook page shows U.S. Gen. MacArther (front line, R) receiving the U.N. flag. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"UNC has made profound contributions to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the development of the Republic of Korea," Jeong said in a message sent to UNC Commander Gen. Robert Abrams.
"South Korea will continue to respect the role and function of the UNC following the transition of wartime operational control," the minister said, asking for its continued commitment to the maintenance of the Armistice and peace on the peninsula.
There has been speculation about possible changes of UNC's role after the envisioned transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul. The two sides are eyeing around 2022 as a target date, though no specific timeframe is set as the transfer is supposed to take place after the right security conditions are met.
After the transfer, a South Korean general is supposed to command the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, with a U.S general playing supportive roles, which is bound to reduce the U.S.' control over South Korean troops in contingencies.
Some have claimed that the U.S. is trying to maintain its influence over the Korean Peninsula through UNC, pointing to its diverse "revitalization" campaigns to strengthen its role and voices.
But officials dismissed such speculation, saying that UNC will maintain its role as the enforcer of the Armistice, which has nothing to do with the OPCON transition.
Meanwhile, UNC plans to hold a ceremony to mark the 67th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement on Monday at the truce village of Panmunjom.
In addition, the Seoul government is scheduled to hold a separate ceremony in Seoul, which is expected to bring together 200 officials and Korean War veterans, including Prime Minister Chung Sye-Kyun and Abrams, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (L) and Gen. Robert Abrams who commands the United Nations Command, U.S. Forces Korea and the Combined Forces Command, toast during a forum in Seoul on Sept. 5, 2019, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--LG Electronics launches 48-inch OLED TV in S. Korea

LG said it expects the product to create demand for premium midsize TVs , adding that the 48CX OLED TV @ @ @ @ @ for those who are seeking to buy second TVs for their homes or gaming screens @

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. said Friday its 48-inch OLED TV will hit store shelves in South Korea following the product's successful overseas launch.
LG's 48CX OLED TV, which will become available Saturday, is priced at 1.89 million won (US$1,570).
The 48-inch TV was released in European countries and Japan last month. In some markets, the TV was sold out in the first week of its launch.
LG said it expects the product to create demand for premium midsize TVs, adding that the 48CX OLED TV will be a good option for those who are seeking to buy second TVs for their homes or gaming screens.
Models pose for a photo with LG Electronics Inc.'s 48-inch OLED TV, in this photo provided by the company on July 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
LG said the TV offers vivid, sharper 4K picture quality on the 48-inch display, with its pixel density comparable with that of 96-inch 8K TVs. It also supports NVIDIA's G-Sync Compatible that delivers a better gaming experience to users.
LG's OLED TV lineup also includes 55-, 65-, 77- and 88-inch models. The company is the largest OLED TV producer in the world.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Moon replaces five secretaries; ex-vice defense minister installed in NSC

Moon also named Yeo Han-koo , a senior official at the Ministry of Trade , Industry and Energy , as @ @ @ @ @ New Northern policies .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in appointed Suh Choo-suk, former vice defense minister, as the No. 2 official at Cheong Wa Dae's national security office Friday in a reshuffle of his secretaries.
Suh replaces Kim You-geun, deputy director of national security, and he will double as chief of the secretariat of the National Security Council (NSC).
Suh served as vice defense minister from 2017-2019, having worked as presidential secretary for unification and security issues under the Roh Moo-hyun administration in the 2000s.
Suh Choo-suk, named deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security, in a file photo (Yonhap)
Moon also named Yeo Han-koo, a senior official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, as secretary for New Southern and New Northern policies.
Ha Dong-soo, who is charge of housing policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was named secretary for land, infrastructure and transport.
Do Jae-hyung, professor at Ewha Womans University's school of law, was tapped as secretary for employment and labor.
The president picked Yoo Geun-heag, head of the population policy office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare Secretary, as secretary for social policy.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Greater Seoul dogged by cluster infections, daily imported cases in double digits for month

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases fell back to below 50 on Friday, but the country may report more infection cases coming in from overseas down the road as around 300 nationals are set to arrive here from virus-hit Iraq.
The country identified 41 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,979, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the newly added cases, 28 were local infections, most of which were reported in the Seoul metropolitan area.
New virus cases reached 59 on Thursday due to the rising number of cases traced to a nursing home in Seoul, a front-line military base, and churches. The country also reported 63 cases on Wednesday, after falling below 30 for the first time in around three weeks on Monday.
Of the locally transmitted cases reported Friday, 19 were from Seoul.
A nursing home in western Seoul reported five new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total number of related cases to 20.
A church located in southern Seoul reported 16 new infections, as its members did not follow social distancing guidelines that banned gatherings other than regular worship services. South Korea plans to lift the ban, imposed earlier this month, later in the day.
A worker disinfects a Super Rapid Train (SRT) compartment to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus on July 23, 2020, in this photo released by SR Co., which operates the bullet train. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Gyeonggi Province, surrounding the capital city, reported five new infections.
Health authorities said at least 17 cases were traced to an Army unit in Pocheon, some 45 kilometers north of Seoul, as of Thursday.
South Korea said it has been carrying out COVID-19 tests on all new military recruits, and the group infections were traced to an outside instructor who visited the base.
Gwangju, located 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, added two new cases.
Imported cases are also showing no signs of a letup, increasing by daily double-digit figures for nearly a month.
The recent increase also came as South Korean workers returned home from virus-hit nations, such as Iraq. There were infections on Russian ships docked in the southeastern port city of Busan, while some U.S. military officials stationed here also tested positive.
Imported cases may grow further as more South Korean nationals from Iraq returned home Friday. They will be put under a two-week quarantine.
Among the first batch of 105 South Korean workers who arrived here from Iraq on July 15, 45 tested positive for the virus.
The country's death toll came to 298, up one from the previous day, according to the KCDC.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 12,817, up 59 from Thursday.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(URGENT) 59 more released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 12,817: KCDC


yna--2020-07-24--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 additional coronavirus-related death, total now at 298: KCDC


yna--2020-07-24--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 41 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 13,979: KCDC


yna--2020-07-24--Baseball fans expected to be allowed in stadiums starting next week

SEOUL , July 24 ( Yonhap ) -- Baseball fans will likely be able to watch games at stadiums in @ @ @ @ @ in what the country 's prime minister described as a `` cautious step '' to @ @ @ @ @ the anti-coronavirus fight and the daily lives of the people here .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Baseball fans will likely be able to watch games at stadiums in South Korea beginning next week in what the country's prime minister described as a "cautious step" to help strike a balance between the anti-coronavirus fight and the daily lives of the people here.
The nation opened this year's pro baseball season in early May, a month later than normal, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Games have been played without fans in the stands. They have enjoyed games on TV or online.
"In today's meeting, (we) will discuss ways for the resumption of entry by pro sports fans into stadiums," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at the start of a daily interagency session in Seoul on Friday on how to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
He said the move reflects the expectations of many people and called it one of the "cautious steps to find a point of balance" between the anti-virus campaign and normal life.
Fans will be allowed into stadiums "starting from a minimal number" on the premise of thorough health care measures.
Chung gave no details during his brief opening remarks, saying there would be an announcement following the meeting.
His aides said the government has decided to let fans attend baseball games beginning on Sunday. They added that the number of spectators will be capped probably at 10 percent of the total accommodation capacity.
Other pro sports such as football and golf are likely to follow suit as well. Football fans are likely to be able to watch games starting on Aug. 1.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun makes opening remarks at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the government office complex in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--32 Russian sailors test positive for virus, total cases swell to 78

BUSAN , July 24 ( Yonhap ) -- At least 32 sailors on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel docked in the @ @ @ @ @ positive for the new coronavirus in another cluster infection on a foreign vessel , health @ @ @ @

BUSAN, July 24 (Yonhap) -- At least 32 sailors on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel docked in the southeastern city of Busan tested positive for the new coronavirus in another cluster infection on a foreign vessel, health officials said Friday.
Of 94 crewmembers aboard the 7,733-ton ship that entered a Busan port early this month, 62 sailors tested negative for COVID-19, according to quarantine authorities.
A South Korean worker who tested positive for the virus on Thursday appears to have contracted the virus from the infected Russian sailors, when the person boarded the vessel to handle repair-related jobs.
Authorities carried out on-board quarantine checks of the ship, but there were reportedly no sailors showing virus symptoms.
With the newly identified cases, South Korea has detected 78 virus cases from eight Russian ships docked here since last month, spawning concerns about foreign ships-tied cluster infections.
Health authorities are monitoring at least 20 people who have contacted the infected Korean worker.
Since late June, South Korea has been conducting on-board quarantine checks of foreign ships arriving from high-risk countries, after assessing the degree of risk.
A Russia-flagged ship which reported 32 virus cases is docked at a port in South Korea's southern city of Busan on July 23, 2020, in this contributed photo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(LEAD) Samsung SDS Q2 net down amid pandemic

SEOUL , July 24 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung SDS Co. , an IT service unit of Samsung Group , @ @ @ @ @ for the second quarter of the year amid the fallout from the novel coronavirus .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; REWRITES; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Samsung SDS Co., an IT service unit of Samsung Group, on Friday reported tepid earnings for the second quarter of the year amid the fallout from the novel coronavirus.
Its net profit stood at 145.8 billion won (US$121.8 million) in the April-June period, down 24.7 percent from a year earlier.
Its operating profit dropped 24 percent on-year to 196.7 billion won in the second quarter, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales fell 7.5 percent on-year to 2.56 trillion won over the cited period.
Samsung SDS said the slump came as the pandemic delayed its projects.
This file photo taken July 2, 2020, shows Samsung SDS Co.'s headquarters in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The company's IT service business posted sales of 1.31 trillion won in the second quarter, down 15.9 percent from a year ago. But sales of its logistics business process outsourcing service increased 3.3 percent on-year to 1.24 trillion won.
In the second half of the year, Samsung SDS expected a recovery in IT investments from enterprises despite the challenging economic environment.
The company said it will focus on a cloud system and smart solutions for manufacturing to secure more business opportunities.
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(Yonhap Feature) Exotic animal cafes back in spotlight over virus risk

Although some wild animals directly imported here are said to have been tested for the virus , activists say that @ @ @ @ @ necessarily mean that such cafes are totally safe to contagious diseases carried by animals .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- For a refresh, Rhee Haeri, an office worker in Seoul, used to visit a neighborhood cafe where she could pet a meerkat, a unique experience in the country.
"I loved visiting such cafes and looking at rare animals," Rhee said.
But she recently has had to think twice about dropping by the exotic animal cafe after hearing about where the COVID-19 outbreak could have originated.
"Now I have some doubts about the safety of such places after hearing that the new coronavirus could have come from wild animals," she said.
With the new coronavirus pandemic unrelenting across the globe, she is among those who is having second thoughts about visiting places at risk of virus contagion.
Although there is no clear evidence what caused the COVID-19 pandemic, some argue that bats or other wild animals are to blame.
A child plays with a raccoon at a local animal cafe in this undated file photo released by Animal Welfare Awareness Research and Education (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Although some wild animals directly imported here are said to have been tested for the virus, activists say that having animals tested does not necessarily mean that such cafes are totally safe to contagious diseases carried by animals.
"Such places are highly vulnerable to animal diseases, which we are not even aware of," Lee Hyung-ju, who represents Animal Welfare Awareness Research and Education, a Seoul-based activist group, told Yonhap News Agency.
"The animals are being imported without thorough and proper examinations," Lee said. "On top of that, there are no regulations on how animals should be treated. They are in a completely legal blind spot."
A visitor pets an exotic animal at a local animal cafe in this undated file photo released by Animal Welfare Awareness Research and Education. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The current rule has a loophole as it only specifies that dogs, cats, rabbits, parrots, guinea pigs and hamsters be registered with related authorities. Accordingly, places raising more exotic species, such as raccoons and meerkats, are not adequately regulated.
Curious people have been looking for ways to get up close with exotic species, and that's led to a rise in the number of such cafes.
There were 35 cafes where visitors could meet animals usually only found in the wild in 2017. Just two years later, the number jumped almost twofold to 68.
But there is no official data available on the exact number of animal-themed cafes, as such places are registered as different businesses by taking advantage of the loopholes.
"Some places are even registered as snack bars that sell bottled drinks and packaged foods to avoid basic sanitary regulations," Lee said.
Concerns about the spread of contagious diseases by animals to humans through such cafes are not overstated, according to experts.
Choi Tae-gyu, a licensed veterinarian, told Yonhap News Agency that animal cafes can become incubators for new diseases, perhaps another type of coronavirus.
"When animals are brought into the country from overseas, authorities here just examine them for five days with naked eyes, without carrying out proper medical checkups," Choi said. "This makes the country especially vulnerable to foreign diseases."
A meerkat sits on the floor of an animal cafe in Gyeonggi Province, west of Seoul, on July 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choi said the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which haunted the globe in the early 2000s, was also a variation of the coronavirus that spread through camels.
The vet who represents Humane Vet, an animal activist group, said animal cafes are especially dangerous as they raise different kinds of species for display without proper medical knowledge.
"At large-scale zoos, animals are normally prevented from having direct contact with visitors. But this is not the case for small-scale businesses," Choi added.
South Korea is currently making various steps to come up with regulations for such business establishments. The measures include adopting a "whitelist" that specifies which animals can be owned by animal cafes.
"Previously, regulations related to exotic animals mostly focused on conserving the ecosystem but overlooked their vulnerability to diseases," an official from the Office for Government Policy Coordination said last month.
Animal activists even say animal cafes should be closed not just for the sake of public health but for bigger causes as well.
"Even dogs being raised at homes suffer from stress when strangers try to touch them. We cannot imagine how much pain these animals normally found only in the wild are going through at such businesses," Lee said. "The pandemic may bring us a silver lining if we begin to become more aware of animals' rights."
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Lotte Giants rally past Kiwoom Heroes to begin KBO's weekend series

Kiwoom starter Choi Won-tae was all over the place from the beginning .
In the top first , he slipped @ @ @ @ @ a wild pitch into the grass right in front of him , and issued a @ @ @ @ @ gave up a single and a walk in the second inning but escaped the jam @ @ @ @ @ pitches to get through the first two frames .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Starter Park Se-woong tied his season high with seven strikeouts, and the opportunistic offense capitalized on shaky pitching by the opponent, as the Lotte Giants rallied past the Kiwoom Heroes 4-2 on Friday.
Park held the Heroes to two runs over 5 1/3 innings at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, sending them to their third straight loss in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The right-hander improved to 4-5 this season and lowered his ERA from 5.19 to 5.05.
In this file photo from July 14, 2020, members of the Lotte Giants celebrate their 5-0 victory over the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Giants scored the game's first run in the first inning. With one out, Son Ah-seop singled and stole second, and then came home on Jeon Jun-woo's follow-up single.
Kiwoom starter Choi Won-tae was all over the place from the beginning. In the top first, he slipped on the mound and threw a wild pitch into the grass right in front of him, and issued a two-out walk. The right-hander gave up a single and a walk in the second inning but escaped the jam unscathed. He needed 50 pitches to get through the first two frames.
The Heroes' offense battled back to give Choi a lead. His catcher, Park Dong-won, blasted a game-tying solo home run in the bottom second, and then in the bottom third, Seo Geon-chang's sacrifice fly put the Heroes ahead 2-1.
They still had a man at third for their two best hitters, Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-seong, but they each grounded out and flied out.
This file photo, from July 5, 2020, shows Lotte Giants' pitcher Park Se-woong on the mound against the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The missed opportunity haunted the Heroes right away, and Choi didn't stay long enough to enjoy the lead.
He allowed a walk and a double to start the inning. When Min Byung-hun laid down a bunt to move the runners over, Choi fielded the ball and tried to get the lead runner at third. But Dixon Machado easily beat the throw, and Min also reached first safely to load the bases.
Choi's night was over, and reliever Yang Hyun let all three inherited runners to score.
With Jung Hoon at the plate, Yang threw a wild pitch that allowed Machado to score the tying run. In the same at-bat, Jung knocked a single to center to bring home two more runs for a 4-2 Giants lead.
And Park Se-woong and the bullpen made the lead stand. After the Giants reclaimed their lead, Park pitched around a one-out walk in the bottom fourth with two strikeouts. He fanned two more batters in the fifth and survived a two-out double by Seo Geon-chang in that same inning.
Park recorded another strikeout to open the sixth but was lifted after Park Byung-ho's single, which came on his 96th pitch of the day.
Four relievers after Park Se-woong stifled the Heroes to just one hit and five strikeouts over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Closer Kim Won-jung pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save of the season. He shook off a rough outing against the SK Wyverns from Tuesday, when he served up a walk-off, two-run home run to Jamie Romak in the bottom ninth of an 8-7 loss.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Panel opposes probe into prosecutor, backs indictment of ex-reporter in alleged blackmail scheme

The expert committee , however , called for the continued probe and indictment of the former cable TV reporter .
@ @ @ @ @ for allegedly blackmailing a jailed financier in the scheme using his close ties with the @ @ @

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- An independent panel recommended Friday the prosecution halt the ongoing investigation into a senior prosecutor accused of colluding with a former journalist to dig up dirt on a pro-government public intellectual.
The expert committee, however, called for the continued probe and indictment of the former cable TV reporter. He was arrested last week for allegedly blackmailing a jailed financier in the scheme using his close ties with the ranking prosecutor.
The panel of external experts from the legal circle, academia and civic groups reached the decisions by majority vote.
Han Dong-hoon, a ranking prosecutor who is a close associate of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, enters the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul on July 24, 2020, to attend an external panel on a blackmail case. (Yonhap)
Ten of the 15-member committee voted against the probe into Han Dong-hoon, a close associate of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, while 11 opposed his indictment.
Twelve members called for a continued investigation into the former reporter, Lee Dong-jae, while nine backed his indictment.
Lee was fired from cable network Channel A in the wake of the incident.
He allegedly pressed the imprisoned businessman to provide information to discredit an influential liberal writer, threatening he would otherwise face further investigation and punishment.
He shared with the inmate's representative a voice recording of his conversation with prosecutor Han, indicating the two were working together in the maneuver.
The prosecution is said to be using the recording made on Feb. 13 as key evidence to prove the collusion allegation.
Both Han and Lee denied they colluded in the case.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Seoul taxi driver arrested for blocking ambulance

He was arrested on charges of assault and obstruction of business .
Police are looking into whether it is possible @ @ @ @ @ with culpable homicide .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul taxi driver who caused public outrage by blocking an ambulance transferring an emergency patient was formally arrested Friday.
The Seoul Eastern District Court granted an arrest warrant for the 31-year-old driver, citing the possibility that he may flee or destroy evidence. The court said his charges have been sufficiently explained.
A taxi driver suspected of intentionally blocking an ambulance carrying an emergency patient attends a hearing at the Seoul Eastern District Court in eastern Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The driver, identified by his surname Choi, is suspected of intentionally colliding with an ambulance last month and delaying the transfer of the patient for roughly 10 minutes.
The ambulance was carrying a stage 4 lung cancer patient who had complained of breathing difficulties. The 79-year-old patient, who arrived at a hospital on another ambulance, died that night.
Choi reportedly told the ambulance driver to deal with the minor collision before transferring the patient, saying he would "take responsibility if the (patient) dies."
The incident has sparked nationwide anger after the patient's son posted an online petition with the presidential office demanding the taxi driver be punished. More than 720,000 have signed the petition.
The taxi driver, who was three weeks into the job, quit work two weeks after the accident.
He was arrested on charges of assault and obstruction of business. Police are looking into whether it is possible for him to be charged with culpable homicide.
A taxi driver (C) suspected of intentionally blocking an ambulance carrying an emergency patient attends a hearing at the Seoul Eastern District Court in eastern Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Korean Air to resume flights to China's Tianjin

The flights between Incheon , west of Seoul , and Tianjin will run every two weeks on Tuesdays during July @ @ @ @ @ starting September , according to South Korea 's biggest carrier .

BEIJING, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co. said Friday it will resume flights to Tianjin, northeast China, next week after five months of suspension due to the new coronavirus outbreak.
The flights between Incheon, west of Seoul, and Tianjin will run every two weeks on Tuesdays during July and August and every week starting September, according to South Korea's biggest carrier.
The route was suspended in early February.
With the resumption, the company will be operating three routes connecting to Chinese cities, including Shenyang and Guangzhou.
Korean Air had initially planned to double its weekly flights to Shenyang. But it failed to get approval from local authorities and shifted to resuming the Tianjin flights.
This photo, taken July 7, 2020, shows Korean Air planes at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-07-24--First coronavirus case confirmed at Seoul government complex

It is the first case involving an employee at the tier-1 government facility in Gwanghwamun , though there have been @ @ @ @ @ government premises in the administrative city of Sejong .

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- A section of a government building in central Seoul was shut down Friday after the first case of the new coronavirus there was confirmed, officials said.
An employee working at the Personal Information Protection Commission on the third floor of the building tested positive in the afternoon.
It is the first case involving an employee at the tier-1 government facility in Gwanghwamun, though there have been several confirmed infections at the government premises in the administrative city of Sejong.
Entry is banned on the third floor of the government complex in Seoul after a public servant tested positive for the new coronavirus on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The public servant was screened for the virus after a family member tested positive. The employee had been on leave for the past two days after showing symptoms including a fever.
Around 50 employees at the government agency left work early. Health workers disinfected the building, including press and briefing rooms located on the same floor. Press briefings scheduled for Friday afternoon were held online instead.
Authorities plan to conduct intensive disinfection over the weekend and check for other employees who may have had contact with the patient by checking closed-circuit TV footage, in addition to epidemiological surveys.
All employees at the commission were advised to be screened, and those who were in close contact with the infected employee will be put under home quarantine for 14 days.
An official at the government complex said the facility is likely to open Monday, with the exception of the third floor.
Health workers disinfect the government complex in central Seoul on July 24, 2020, after a family member of an employee at the Personal Information Protection Commission tested positive for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--KBO clubs to start selling limited tickets on Saturday

Under the KBO 's health and safety protocols , fans must go through temperature checks at the entrance and sit @ @ @ @ @ they 're in the stadium .
They will not be allowed to bring any outside @ @ @ @ @ will only be permitted in the designated concession areas , and drinking alcoholic beverages from @ @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- With the green light given to South Korean baseball clubs on Friday to start allowing fans at games during the coronavirus pandemic, clubs announced that tickets will be available for games beginning Sunday.
The government said earlier in the day that Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) teams will be allowed to open gates starting with games on Sunday while making 10 percent of the seats available in the initial phase to prevent COVID-19 infections.
Stadium workers at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, work on seats on July 24, 2020, in preparation for fans' return to Korea Baseball Organization action for the home team, KT Wiz. (Yonhap)
The league's 10 clubs have been preparing for months to bring back their supporters, and they acted swiftly once the final go-ahead sign came Friday.
All tickets must be purchased online, a measure designed to minimize fans' contact with box office employees and with scalpers. Booking tickets with credit cards will also help health authorities with contact tracing if the need arises with positive COVID-19 tests.
The Doosan Bears, who will host the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the weekend, will make 2,400 tickets available. Members of the Bears Club will be able to buy tickets starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, while the rest will have to wait an extra hour. Gates will open at 3 p.m. Sunday, two hours before first pitch.
The KT Wiz will make 2,000 seats available at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul, for a game against the NC Dinos. The Wiz said tickets will go on sale on the official team app, wizzap, and at the website Ticketlink at 1 p.m. Saturday.
For their game on Sunday against the Lotte Giants, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the Kiwoom Heroes will sell 1,674 tickets. They'll go on sale online at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Stadium workers at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, work on seats on July 24, 2020, in preparation for fans' return to Korea Baseball Organization action for the home team, KT Wiz. (Yonhap)
Two more games will take place Sunday, but they'll be in cities that remain under strict social distancing guidelines.
The Kia Tigers will host the Samsung Lions in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, and the city has been placed under Level 2 in the three-tier social distancing scheme. All indoor gatherings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of 100 or more are prohibited.
Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of the capital, will see the home team Hanwha Eagles against the SK Wyverns. Daejeon has raised the intensity of its own social distancing drive, and it's scheduled to run through Sunday. The Eagles' next home game after this weekend will be Aug. 4.
Under the KBO's health and safety protocols, fans must go through temperature checks at the entrance and sit apart in the stands once they're in the stadium. They will not be allowed to bring any outside food or beverages. Eating will only be permitted in the designated concession areas, and drinking alcoholic beverages from seats will be prohibited.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--(2nd LD) (News Focus) Baseball, football leagues prepared to reopen stadiums on short notice

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak , the start of the KBO 's regular season was pushed back from March 28 @ @ @ @ @ the 10 KBO teams have played the whole season to this point in front of @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
The K League season was supposed to have kicked off on Feb. 29 @ @ @ @ @ May 8 , and the 12 teams in the top-flight K League 1 have also @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS football league's manual at bottom)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball and football leagues welcomed the government's green light on Friday to open stadiums to fans during the coronavirus pandemic, saying their teams are prepared to execute their plan as early as the weekend.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters led by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun gave the go-ahead sign to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korea Professional Football League (K League) to allow spectators to start attending games again, albeit on a limited basis with 10 percent of the seats available at first. KBO teams will be allowed to take fans back in starting Sunday, and the K League will be able to follow suit starting Aug. 1.
This file photo from June 25, 2020, shows an empty Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul before a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Kiwoom Heroes and the LG Twins. (Yonhap)
Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the start of the KBO's regular season was pushed back from March 28 to May 5, and the 10 KBO teams have played the whole season to this point in front of empty stands due to infection concerns. The K League season was supposed to have kicked off on Feb. 29 but instead it began on May 8, and the 12 teams in the top-flight K League 1 have also been playing without fans.
The government had said on June 28 that it would allow pro sports events to open up for the first time this year. But it took them nearly another month to issue the final stamp of approval due to a spike in new daily cases at the turn of the month.
The long-awaited decision comes with KBO and K League clubs dealing with financial hardships without any gate revenue this year. Even a small number of fans at this point will go a long way toward providing some relief.
There had been some frustration and discontent among sports teams and fans that it made little sense for beaches and water parks to open up while stadiums, where practicing social distancing would be easier, remained closed.
This file photo from June 28, 2020, shows a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the NC Dinos and the Doosan Bears taking place without fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Ryu Dae-hwan, secretary general of the KBO, said clubs have been preparing for the opening of ballparks "for months."
"Depending on their readiness (with logistics), some teams will be able to open their gates on Sunday," Ryu told Yonhap News Agency.
K League clubs would have needed about a week to finalize their plans, and the Aug. 1 date as announced by the government fits in perfectly, a league official said.
"Our teams have been working on this all season long, and I don't foresee any problems with this transition." the official added.
In the KBO, the three-game weekend series is scheduled to begin across the country on Friday, and it will run through Sunday.
This file photo from May 31, 2020, shows dolls standing in place of fans at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Samsung Lions and the NC Dinos. (Yonhap)
There will be two series in the nation's capital, with the Doosan Bears hosting the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium (24,150 seats), and the Kiwoom Heroes facing the Lotte Giants at Gocheok Sky Dome (16,000 seats) in Seoul.
The other weekend games are the Samsung Lions at Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field (20,500 seats) in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul; SK Wyverns at Hanwha Eagles at Hanwha Life Eagles Park (13,000 seats) in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul; and NC Dinos at KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park (20,000 seats) in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of the capital.
In the K League 1, there will be three matches on Aug. 1: Seongnam FC hosting FC Seoul at Tancheon Sports Complex (16,000 seats) in Seongnam, just south of the capital; Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors playing Pohang Steelers at Jeonju World Cup Stadium (42,477 seats) in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul; and Incheon United bringing home Gwangju FC at Incheon Football Stadium (20,300 seats) in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul.
The KBO has already published a health and safety manual for fans designed to ensure a virus-free experience at ballparks.
This file photo from June 20, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC being played without fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Under those protocols, fans will be required to wear masks and sit apart from one another, even if they have company. They must go through temperature checks at the gate, and those who check in at over 37.5 C will be turned away.
Though cheering is a major part of KBO fan experience, it will be missing during the pandemic, as singalongs, chanting and other types of cheering that may include contact will be limited.
No outside food will be permitted. Concession stands will be open on a limited bases, but eating in the seats will be prohibited. Fans will have to consume their food in the concession areas.
This file photo from May 31, 2020, shows an empty Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul before a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Seongnam FC. (Yonhap)
While in their seats, fans will only be allowed to drink water and non-alcoholic beverages.
Tickets can only be purchased in advance online with credit cards so that health authorities will be able to trace contact information in case of positive COVID-19 tests. Box offices at stadiums will be closed to minimize person-to-person contact.
The KBO said fans will be strongly discouraged from buying tickets from scalpers because it is illegal, and it poses infection risks through direct contact or droplets.
In addition to these protocols, the KBO said Friday it will install an electronic entry registration system at every stadium based on quick response (QR) codes.
All fans must scan a QR code at the gate using their smartphones. Those who have trouble with those devices must write down their names and contact information by hand. Fans who refuse to do so will not be allowed to attend games.
The new system is designed to both discourage scalping and expedite contact tracing in case of positive tests.
The K League said it distributed a health manual to its clubs on June 30, which includes guidelines for fans. Most of the measures are similar to those put in place by the KBO, including online ticketing, distancing among fans in the stands, and a ban on outside food and beverages.
The league said it will publish an updated version next Monday.
This file photo from May 10, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between Pohang Steelers and Busan IPark being played at an empty Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-24--Ex-NL All-Star Addison Russell eager to get into action for new KBO club Heroes

`` It looks like a fun league , a league which I ca n't wait to play in , '' @ @ @ @ @ style overall ... is very similar to American baseball .
But there are more sidearm @ @ @ @ @ in the major leagues , which is going to be an adjustment that I have @ @ @ @ @ master . ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- After five years in the big leagues, he now plays for a team named the Heroes, and he says his favorite superhero character is Superman.
And the former major league All-Star Addison Russell is ready to be a hero for his new club in South Korea, a Superman-type player who can come to his team's rescue whenever possible.
Russell was formally introduced as the newest member of the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Friday. He signed for US$530,000 for the rest of the season near the end of June and arrived in South Korea earlier this month. He served his mandatory 14-day quarantine, required for all international arrivals, and joined his new teammates for his first practice at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
Addison Russell of the Kiwoom Heroes poses for photos after practice at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
He will not be available to play the Lotte Giants right away Friday but could be in the lineup by as early as Sunday for the final game of the three-game set.
"I really enjoyed meeting my teammates. They seemed like a great group of guys," Russell said in his press conference at the dome. "Anticipation between now and playing on the field with them is a lot."
Russell, 26, brings a solid resume to the KBO. Playing for the Chicago Cubs, Russell was named to the National League All-Star team in 2016, a season in which he established career highs of 21 home runs and 95 RBIs. He also helped the Cubs win the World Series that same year and was named one of three finalists for Gold Glove at shortstop.
Asked if he has set any statistical goal for himself, Russell said he wants to accomplish things that go beyond numbers.
"Just go out there and compete, and push my teammates in a positive way so we can come out with a win," Russell said.
Addison Russell of the Kiwoom Heroes poses for photos after practice at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
Russell is expected to bat in the heart of the order already stacked with All-Star, MVP-caliber hitters. He mostly batted in the bottom half of the lineup in the majors, but he said he's going to embrace added responsibilities as the potential cleanup hitter for the Heroes.
"I am very confident in my approach, especially with runners in scoring position," he said. "I am not afraid to take the count deep and walk as well, so I can pass the bat to five-hole hitter or the guy behind me, and let him work, too."
Russell played only shortstop (460 games) and second base (149 games) in the majors, and the Heroes are set at second base with former MVP Seo Geon-chang and at shortstop with perennial All-Star Kim Ha-seong. Manager Son Hyuk has hinted that he will put Russell in his natural position at shortstop and move other pieces around the infield.
For his part, Russell said he's "really comfortable" at shortstop but he can also handle second base.
During his 14-day quarantine in Yangpyeong, about 55 kilometers east of Seoul, Russell stayed sharp hitting against a pitching machine inside the batting cage that the Heroes set up. He also watched plenty of KBO action and came away impressed.
Addison Russell of the Kiwoom Heroes takes part in a fielding practice at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It looks like a fun league, a league which I can't wait to play in," he said. "The style overall ... is very similar to American baseball. But there are more sidearm pitchers (here) than in the major leagues, which is going to be an adjustment that I have to get used to and master."
Russell said he's crossed paths with a few foreign-born pitchers competing in the KBO and said he most looked forward to facing Lotte Giants' ace Dan Straily.
"We played baseball together," Russell said succinctly, when asked why he wanted to go up against the right-hander.
In this photo, provided by the Kiwoom Heroes, Addison Russell (L) speaks with his new teammates, Erick Jokisch (C) and Jake Brigham, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
They did more than just play together. Russell and Straily were traded, along with outfielder Billy McKinney, by the Oakland Athletics to the Cubs in July 2014.
As an unrestricted free agent after the Cubs didn't tender him a contract following the 2019 season, Russell was unable to find a new landing spot in time for spring training. Then the coronavirus hit and brought big league camps to a halt. Along the way, Russell hasn't seen much baseball action.
He tried to downplay concerns about rust.
"This offseason, I've been training really hard to get my body in peak form," he said. "I have to use my mental skill to envision myself playing out there."
In this photo, provided by the Kiwoom Heroes, Addison Russell addresses his new teammates at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)