yna--2020-09-19--BTS shares emotional pep talk at S. Korea's inaugural Youth Day ceremony

`` We set out with nothing but music as our dream , but we did n't know where we were @ @ @ @ @ going uphill or downhill , or as we took a break after becoming tired , @ @ @ @ @ was a paradise or a pitfall .
That 's how we started , '' J-Hope @ @

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- The members of global K-pop superstar BTS on Saturday delivered a powerful motivational speech for South Korean youth, sharing candid tales of their inner struggles on the path to becoming one of the world's most popular music acts in history.
The speech, delivered in turns by all of the group's seven members, was made at the country's inaugural Youth Day ceremony at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. BTS made history last month by becoming the first South Korean recording artists to reach No. 1 on Billboard's main Hot 100 singles chart last month with "Dynamite."
BTS' pep talk on Korea's 1st Youth Day "You can change the world with the power of your thought" Youtube https://youtu.be/w426mm7gMKk
K-pop boy band BTS delivers a speech encouraging younger generations during the inaugural Youth Day event at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Around 2018, I remember all the members felt lost after experiencing undeservedly overwhelming success. Even if our path is always lined with flowers and fruits, we can't be sure if that's how it'll always be," BTS leader RM said, explaining the band's career ups and downs throughout the years.
Despite being on the top, RM said he was well aware how things could always go "downhill again when the next rainstorm will strike."
The singer-rapper stressed how BTS members turned to one another during times of uncertainties -- even when things seemed to be working out fine on the outside.
"At the end of this uncertainty and depression, the seven of us began to fill each other with dreams and trust, like we were boys again."
"And then came August 2020. We reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Then another first. These were the accolades we received when we picked ourselves back up. We all cried tears of thanks."
K-pop boy band BTS delivers a speech encouraging younger generations during the inaugural Youth Day event at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
RM offered thanks to bandmates and also gave a shotout to fans, who, according to the singer, held the group "up in the face of despair and surrender."
Members also shared some emotions they experienced during the start of their careers, highlighting how, despite the group enjoying global stardom, the band came from a rather scrappy and humble beginning.
"We set out with nothing but music as our dream, but we didn't know where we were going, whether we were going uphill or downhill, or as we took a break after becoming tired, whether around the corner there was a paradise or a pitfall. That's how we started," J-Hope said.
J-Hope also explained the emotional toll the group experienced after breaking out big.
"But just as we were showered with love and attention beyond our expectations, our shadows became longer and weightier." The singer said members began asking themselves, "Who are we? What love are we receiving?"
Suga also talked about how the underdog group back in the day went on "sometimes recklessly and hardheaded" amid its drive to succeed.
K-pop boy band BTS delivers a speech encouraging younger generations during the inaugural Youth Day event at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We didn't know what to do (back in the early days), but we kept telling ourselves with some despair that this too shall pass, that these (difficult moments) will become fond memories."
Jimin also shared some of the frustration BTS experienced earlier, of how the band felt "stuck in place" for a long time despite working hard and running without stopping. The singer recalled how words of encouragement from close people became a "guiding light" to the band lost without direction.
V explained how BTS members as individuals tried to pull themselves out of the "emotional quagmire" that followed global success. "Be honest to myself. Feel each emotion and let them out," V recalled telling himself during times of self-doubt and insecurities.
"If you are facing hardships in your life in preparing for the future, I hope you will draw some strength from our story from the year 2020," RM said.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in (3rd from L) poses holding the "Year 2039 Gift" box with K-pop group BTS at the inaugural Youth Day ceremony at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The latest speech by the global K-pop giant shared a similar theme to the speech the band gave at the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September 2018. BTS also delivered a similar message in its commencement speech during the "Dear Class of 2020" virtual commencement event organized by YouTube in June.
The government designated the third Saturday in September of each year as Youth Day under the Framework Act on Young Adults enacted last month.
Meanwhile, BTS presented President Moon Jae-in with a purple-colored box as a "Year 2039 Gift" that will be stored at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, like a time capsule. The box will be opened at the 20th Youth Day event in 2039.
K-pop boy band BTS delivers a speech encouraging younger generations during the inaugural Youth Day event at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-19--Hyundai Motor plant worker tests positive for coronavirus

He is the second case at Hyundai Motor 's factories in Ulsan .
The first case occurred on Feb. 28 @ @ @ @ @ top carmaker to shut down one of the plants .

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- A worker at a Hyundai Motor Co. plant in the southern city of Ulsan tested positive for the new coronavirus, local sources said Saturday.
The man in his mid-30s was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 in the morning and is now in good health, the municipality said.
Sources said later he is a Hyundai Motor Co. employee and works at the facility management department, not at assembly lines. Authorities are tracing his contacts.
He is the second case at Hyundai Motor's factories in Ulsan. The first case occurred on Feb. 28, forcing the nation's top carmaker to shut down one of the plants.
A computer-generated image on the coronavirus crisis provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-09-19--(LEAD) Moon vows full efforts to promote fairness in Youth Day message

`` Trial and error as well as conflicts are likely .
However , we must have conviction to take the @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` Whenever unfair practices show up , we must work together to @ @ @ @ @ one . ''

(ATTN: ADDS photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in pledged his administration's every effort to enhance fairness in South Korea's society and economy, as he addressed the country's inaugural Youth Day ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday.
"We still hear the rage of young people who complain that unfairness still persists" despite the government's campaign for fairness and justice as well as an egalitarian society, Moon said during the event held at Nokjiwon, a verdant garden inside the presidential compound.
Present at the event were young adults of various ages, jobs and residential areas, including the seven members of BTS, which achieved No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with "Dynamite."
Moon said his government is "keenly aware of young people's strong demands for even further fairness and will surely meet them."
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech during the first Youth Day ceremony at the Nokjiwon garden of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We will further strengthen our efforts to investigate military service-related irregularities and tax evasion as well as root out violence in the sports community," he added.
His remarks came amid heated controversies over allegations that Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's son received special favors in connection with sick leave during his 2017 military service.
Last year, Moon also faced a strong public backlash against his appointment of Cho Kuk, one of his key aides, as justice minister in spite of suspicions that his daughter had been granted unjust, or illicit, perks over her schooling.
A growing number of youth are struggling to find quality jobs, with housing prices in Seoul and nearby regions having skyrocketed in recent years.
"We can see the examples of unfairness that seem to repeat themselves endlessly. Some cases of unfairness only reveal themselves in the process of working hard for fairness," Moon said without mentioning any specific examples. "This pertains to systemic unfairness, customary preferential treatment and the like."
The president pointed out that it will take more time for fairness take root as a "common practice" in South Korean society.
"Trial and error as well as conflicts are likely. However, we must have conviction to take the path toward fairness," he said. "Whenever unfair practices show up, we must work together to clearly address them one by one."
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech during the first Youth Day ceremony at the Nokjiwon garden of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
He also stressed the importance of a fair economy, saying it's about providing young adults with impartial opportunities and encouraging them to make "innovative" attempts with fewer worries about the consequences of failure.
"The government will boldly rectify unfairness that exists throughout the lives of the people to ensure that fairness takes root in our society. I hope our young people will take the lead and come together," Moon said.
The government designated the third Saturday in September of each year as Youth Day under the Framework Act on Young Adults enacted last month.
Meanwhile, BTS presented Moon with a purple-colored box as a "Year 2039 Gift" that will be stored at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, and the contents of it will be unveiled at the 20th Youth Day event.
BTS' pep talk on Korea's 1st Youth Day "You can change the world with the power of your thought" Youtube https://youtu.be/w426mm7gMKk
BTS members hand over the "Year 2039 Gift" to President Moon Jae-in during the 1st Youth Day event at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-09-19--Former president's son apologizes after being expelled by ruling party

Kim has been under fire over allegations that he failed to fully disclose his wealth during his mandatory property filing @ @ @ @ @ the run-up to the elections .

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kim Hong-gul, the youngest son of late former President Kim Dae-jung, issued an apology Saturday, one day after he was expelled from the ruling party amid controversy over his dubious amassing of properties.
The Democratic Party stripped the first-term lawmaker of party membership Friday for underreporting wealth and refusing to cooperate with an in-house probe.
"I accept the party's decision on the expulsion heavily and solemnly," Kim said in a message sent to reporters.
"I am deeply sorry that I involuntarily have stirred controversy causing concerns to the public and burdening the party," he said.
But he denied claims that he tried to evade a probe or refused to cooperate.
Kim won his parliamentary seat under the proportional representative system in the April general elections.
Kim has been under fire over allegations that he failed to fully disclose his wealth during his mandatory property filing with the election watchdog in the run-up to the elections.
He was found to have omitted his ownership of a purchase right to an apartment when he reported to the National Election Commission that he owned three homes.
Kim remains an independent member of the National Assembly.
His father, Kim Dae-jung, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for the first-ever inter-Korean summit between him and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Rep. Kim Hong-gul, the youngest son of late former President Kim Dae-jung, attends a parliamentary session on Sept. 16, 2020, days before the ruling Democratic Party expelled him amid allegations that he under-declared his properties, in this file photo. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun serves up 2 homers in worst start of season

Kim appeared to be on his way to his first loss of the season , but the Cardinals got Kim @ @ @ @ @ five-run rally in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead .
They had been no-hit @ @ @ @ @ Mitch Keller through six , but their bats came alive against the bullpen in the @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Hurt by a pair of home runs, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals has thrown the worst start of his otherwise impressive rookie season.
The South Korean left-hander was charged with a career-high four runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with two of the six hits against him leaving the yard at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Saturday (local time). Kim avoided his first loss of the season thanks to the Cardinals' late rally in a 5-4 victory. Kim threw a career-high 103 pitches.
The four earned runs doubled the total Kim had allowed all season prior to this start, a span of 28 2/3 innings covering five starts and one relief appearance. Kim's ERA soared from 0.63 to 1.59.
Kim was lifted with the Cardinals down 3-0 with one out in the sixth inning and runners on the corners. Reliever Jake Woodford gave up a sacrifice fly to let in one inherited runner to score.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals follows through on a delivery during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kim appeared to be on his way to his first loss of the season, but the Cardinals got Kim off the hook with a five-run rally in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead. They had been no-hit by the Pirates' starter Mitch Keller through six, but their bats came alive against the bullpen in the seventh.
Kim came into the game not having surrendered an earned run in his past 24 straight innings and carried a 0.33 ERA in 27 2/3 innings as a starter. But the scoreless streak ended with one out in the bottom of the first, with Ke'Bryan Hayes' solo home run.
It was only the second home run off Kim all season, and the first since Aug. 17 against the Chicago Cubs.
Kim limited further damage with a groundout and another strikeout to end the opening inning.
Kim retired the side in order in the second, but the Pirates touched him for another long ball in the third inning, with No. 9 hitter Jose Osuna jumping on a hanging curveball for a solo blast that doubled the Pirates' lead to 2-0.
Kim erased a leadoff single by Erik Gonzalez in the fourth with a double play ball. He survived an error by shortstop Paul DeJong and a walk to keep the Pirates off the board in the fifth.
But Kim ran out of steam in the sixth. Hayes opened that frame with a double, and Gonzalez's infield single put runners at the corners.
Colin Moran's single to center gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead.
Kim struck out Josh Bell for the first out of the inning, and it was also Kim's final out of the game.
On offense, the Cardinals gave Kim literally no help, as they didn't manage a hit off Keller through six innings.
The Cardinals took full advantage of a shaky bullpen in the seventh, loading the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch to set up a two-run double by Tyler O'Neill. Dylan Carlson's sac fly and Kolten Wong's single scored two more runs. Then Tommy Edman delivered the go-ahead single for a 5-4 St. Louis lead.
Two relievers after Woodford, Ryal Helsley and Genesis Cabrera, made the lead stand with three shutout innings combined.
The Cardinals improved to 25-24, good for second place in the National League Central and in strong position to make the postseason.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--S. Koreans drink 8.5 days per month on average: poll

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic , 65 percent of the respondents said they have changed the locations at which they drink @ @ @ @ @ them consuming alcoholic beverages alone or with family members at home .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans on average consumed alcoholic beverages 8.5 days per month in 2019, a poll showed Sunday, with a growing number of people drinking at home this year due to the virus pandemic.
It marked a slight drop from 8.8 days posted in 2017 and 2018, according to the report released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Around 43 percent of South Koreans picked beer as the most preferred type of alcoholic beverage, followed by soju, a distilled liquor made with grain, with 25 percent. Another 18 percent said they prefer other traditional drinks.
The survey was based on respondents who consumed alcohol more than once a month and had experiences of drinking traditional beverages over the past six months.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 65 percent of the respondents said they have changed the locations at which they drink, with the majority of them consuming alcoholic beverages alone or with family members at home.
The report also showed that in 2019, South Korea shipped US$382 million worth of alcoholic beverages, with beer accounting for the highest volume of $145 million, followed by soju with $89 million.
By destination, Japan was the top buyer of South Korean alcoholic beverages at $151 million, followed by China with $102 million.
South Korea's imports of alcoholic beverages, on the other hand, came to $1 billion in 2019, with beer accounting for $280 million of the volume, followed by wine with $269 million, the data showed. Imports of whiskey products reached $153 million.
By country, the United States accounted for the largest slice of $202 million, trailed by Britain and France with $147 million and $95 million, respectively. Imports from Japan were estimated at $59 million.
colin@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--Defector caught trying to cross back into N. Korea

The man in his 30s was caught entering a military unit in Chorwon , Gangwon Province , at around 9 @ @ @ @ @ attempt to cross into the North .
He was found to have four mobile phones @ @ @ @ @ he was caught .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's police said Sunday that they have taken into custody a North Korean defector for attempting to cross into his homeland through a military unit in an eastern border town.
The man in his 30s was caught entering a military unit in Chorwon, Gangwon Province, at around 9 a.m. on Thursday in an attempt to cross into the North. He was found to have four mobile phones and a cutting machine when he was caught.
Police said that the man defected to the South in 2018 and has stayed in Seoul, though they did not provide more details on his identity.
Investigation is under way to determine why and how he was trying to return to the North. It is against the national security law to enter the North without state approval.
Defectors returning to North Korea have drawn media attention after Pyongyang recently claimed that a defector suspected of having coronavirus symptoms crossed the inter-Korean border and returned to his hometown.
The unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs earlier said that a total of 11 North Korean defectors have returned to their communist homeland over the past five years.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--Seoul stocks advance 65 pct over past 6 months led by bio, tech

With demand for IT services also increasing as more people spend time at home , Kakao , the operator of @ @ @ @ @ messenger app KakaoTalk , saw its shares nearly triple during the cited period to become @ @ @ @ @ the main bourse .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's stock market advanced a whopping 65 percent over the past six-month period despite the global virus pandemic, on the back of pharmaceutical and technology shares, data showed Sunday.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) on Friday ended at 2,412.40 points, up 65.5 percent from six months ago, according to the main bourse operator Korea Exchange (KRX).
The country's stock rally marked the second-highest rise among G-20 countries, following Argentina's 87 percent jump.
An electronic signboard at Hana Bank in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) up 0.26 percent to close at 2,412.40 on Sept. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
On March 19, the main bourse dipped by 8.39 percent to hit 1,457.64 points amid escalating fear over the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Korean shares, however, have slowly gathered ground since on the back of the robust performance of pharmaceutical and technology shares.
Over the period, retail investors scooped up 26 trillion won (US$22.3 billion), becoming the sole buyers of Seoul shares. Foreigners and institutions, on the other hand, offloaded 14.9 trillion won and 12.3 trillion won, respectively.
Shares of Samsung BioLogics and Celltrion more than doubled over the cited period as the virus pandemic sparked a buying spree.
With demand for IT services also increasing as more people spend time at home, Kakao, the operator of South Korea's most popular messenger app KakaoTalk, saw its shares nearly triple during the cited period to become the eighth-most valuable company on the main bourse.
Top market cap Samsung Electronics has moved up 38 percent since March, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix has increased 21 percent, the data showed.
Other major winners included Hyundai Motor Co., which jumped 174 percent over the period on the back of growing hope over its hydrogen fuel cell automobiles. Battery producers LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung SDI also saw their shares move up 189 percent and 147 percent, respectively.
colin@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--S. Korean tech giants tipped to enjoy rosy Q3 earnings despite pandemic

Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to post an operating profit of 10.3 trillion won ( US $ 8.85 billion ) @ @ @ @ @ up 32.56 percent from a year earlier , according to the market consensus compiled by @ @ @ @ @ arm of Yonhap News Agency .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major tech giants are anticipated to enjoy better-than-expected earnings during the third quarter, a poll showed Sunday, as they were able to save costs amid the global new coronavirus pandemic.
Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to post an operating profit of 10.3 trillion won (US$8.85 billion) in the July-September period, up 32.56 percent from a year earlier, according to the market consensus compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency.
The world's top smartphone maker is estimated to enjoy sales of 63.6 trillion won during the cited period, rising 2.6 percent over the period.
It would mark the first time for Samsung to post a quarterly operating profit of more than 10 trillion won since the fourth quarter of 2018.
Analysts said Samsung's sound performance despite the economic jitters sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic came as it was able to cut marketing costs as more people purchased goods online.
Samsung's new smartphones, such as the Galaxy Note 20 series and foldable handsets, also helped the company's mobile division, they added.
The third-quarter operating profit of LG Electronics Inc., a major home appliances producer, is expected to rise 7.23 percent on-year to reach 781.5 billion won, the poll showed.
Analysts attributed the growth to rising demand for home appliances such as dishwashers and dryers, which came as people spent more time at home.
Due to the prolonged lockdowns and social distancing schemes around the globe, the tech giants were also able to sell more premium TVs, analysts said.
The operating profit of SK hynix Inc., South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, is expected to more than double to reach 1.2 trillion won in the third quarter on-year, the poll showed.
colin@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin takes loss despite quality start vs. Phillies

Ryu fell to 4-2 after giving up two runs on six hits in six innings against the Phillies at Citizens @ @ @ @ @ Saturday ( local time ) , with most of the damage being done in the @ @ @ @ @ took over to begin the bottom seventh with the Blue Jays down 2-1 , and @ @ @ @ @ by 3-1 after managing just two hits against four Phillies pitchers .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Ryu Hyun-jin couldn't stop the bleeding for the Toronto Blue Jays, taking a tough-luck loss despite throwing a quality start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ryu fell to 4-2 after giving up two runs on six hits in six innings against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Saturday (local time), with most of the damage being done in the fifth inning. The bullpen took over to begin the bottom seventh with the Blue Jays down 2-1, and they went on to lose by 3-1 after managing just two hits against four Phillies pitchers.
Ryu's ERA remained at 3.00. He matched his season highs with eight strikeouts and 99 pitches.
The Blue Jays have now lost six straight games to fall to 26-26, though they're still well positioned to make the expanded postseason as the second Wild Card entry in the American League (AL). They're back down to .500 in winning percentage for the first time since Aug. 25.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Blue Jays entered Saturday's action leading the Seattle Mariners by four games for the last Wild Card berth. Should the Blue Jays qualify, Ryu is expected to get the starting assignment for the first game of the opening round on Sept. 29.
Ryu is on track to pitch on four days' rest on Thursday for his final regular season start and then pitch the postseason game on another rest of four days, should the Blue Jays get there.
Ryu cruised along through the first four innings on Saturday, holding the Phillies to one hit while striking out six.
Ryu walked Andrew McCutchen to open the game in the first inning, but he got two strikeouts to finish off the inning -- with Jean Segura and Didi Gregorius both going down swinging on a curveball.
Ryu recorded two more strikeouts in a three-up, three-down second inning. Jay Bruce fanned on a 2-2 curveball, while Scott Kingery whiffed on a cutter in the dirt for the final out.
Ryu gave up a leadoff single to Andrew Knapp in the third inning but retired the next three batters in a row, including consecutive strikeouts of McCutchen and Bryce Harper at the top of the lineup.
The left-hander made quick work of the heart of the Phillies' order in the fourth, retiring the 3-4-5 hitters on just eight pitches, with two groundouts and a popout.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Travis Shaw gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top fifth. Given the way Ryu was dealing, it seemed to be enough of a cushion for the lefty.
But things unraveled for Ryu in the bottom fifth, as the Phillies took the lead with two runs on five hits.
Jay Bruce started the rally with a double, and two batters later, Knapp drove him home with a single and tied the score at 1-1.
No. 9 hitter Adam Haseley hit another single, and McCutchen then put the Phillies up 2-1 with a single up the middle.
Harper's single to right field wasn't deep enough to score Haseley from second, but it loaded the bases with the meat of the lineup coming up.
Ryu dug deep and got out of the jam, striking out Segura on a curveball and getting Gregorius to fly out to left on the first pitch.
Ryu had one more inning left in him, and he struck out Kingery on his 99th pitch of the evening in the bottom sixth.
No Toronto starter has thrown a pitch in the seventh inning or has gone past the century mark in pitch count this season.
As the Blue Jays' bats remained quiet, the Phillies got an insurance run in the bottom eighth for a 3-1 win.
For the Blue Jays' pitching staff, most of the good vibes from the surprisingly strong month of August have disappeared in September.
In August, the Blue Jays posted the seventh-best ERA in the majors with 3.80, led by the bullpen's 3.10 mark, fifth best in baseball.
Prior to Saturday's game, the Blue Jays had the worst ERA in the majors this month at 6.93. The once-thriving bullpen ranked third from the bottom in September with a 7.50 ERA. Their pitching staff also ranked among the worst in baseball in walks per nine innings, home runs per nine innings and opponents' batting average.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--N.K. premier visits industrial sites, urges increased production for typhoon recovery

North Korea was recently hit by three consecutive strong typhoons , which flooded houses , streets and farming lands .
@ @ @ @ @ Jong-un has called for all-out efforts to recover from the damage so that the country @ @ @ @ @ the party 's founding next month `` with proud of achievement . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's Premier Kim Tok-hun visited major industrial sites, including steelmaking factories, calling for expanded production to help with recovery efforts in areas hit by recent typhoons, state media reported Sunday.
Kim inspected the Chollima Steel Complex in South Pyongyang Province on the North's west coast and encouraged its workers "to provide the people in the typhoon-hit areas with happy life as early as possible," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"He called on them to fully display their spirit and mettle as the working class of Kangson in the recovery campaign on which the Party concentrates efforts," KCNA said.
Visiting the Hwanghae Iron and Steel Complex, another steelmaking plant, he underscored the need for technological innovation to increase iron and steel production.
He also visited the Pyongyang Electric Fitments Factory and called for more efforts to manufacture products with locally available materials, KCNA said.
North Korea was recently hit by three consecutive strong typhoons, which flooded houses, streets and farming lands. The country's leader Kim Jong-un has called for all-out efforts to recover from the damage so that the country can mark the anniversary of the party's founding next month "with proud of achievement."
Kim Tok-hun, who was recently appointed as new premier of North Korea, has increased his field tours recently, especially in typhoon-hit areas where reconstruction efforts are under way.
North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun (R) visits industrial sites in this photo released by the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, on Sept. 20, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-20--(LEAD) New virus cases at more than 1-month low, nationwide virus curbs tipped to be extended

The greater Seoul area that houses around half of the nation 's population earlier adopted the so-called enhanced social distancing @ @ @ @ @ mandatory for restaurants to offer only takeout after 9 p.m .
This was lifted last @ @ @ @ @ 2 scheme is still in force nationwide .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday on the back of the country's strict social distancing scheme, but untraceable infections still pose a challenge to the country's virus fight.
The country added 82 more COVID-19 cases, including 72 local infections, taking the total caseload to 22,975, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the first time for the daily tally to fall below 100 since Aug. 13.
The two-digit figure, however, apparently came as fewer tests are normally carried out over the weekend. On Saturday, 7,539 tests were carried out, but more than 10,000 tests are normally conducted on weekdays.
The country's new daily infections have been in the triple digits for more than a month on a surge in cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally in mid-August.
Medical workers carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area that houses around half of the nation's population earlier adopted the so-called enhanced social distancing policy, which made it mandatory for restaurants to offer only takeout after 9 p.m. This was lifted last week, but the Level 2 scheme is still in force nationwide.
South Korea will decide later in the day whether to extend the Level 2 scheme for areas outside the greater Seoul area.
Cases with unknown transmission routes accounted for a record high of 28.1 percent of all cases reported in the past two weeks, according to the latest data provided on Saturday.
The upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday that falls later this month, a tradition that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings, is also among the major concerns for local health authorities.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 28 came from Seoul, and 24 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, located west of Seoul, added three more patients.
The southern port city of Busan reported six new cases.
As of Saturday, a total of 24 cases linked to a property developer in Seoul's Gangnam district has been confirmed since the first related case was reported Tuesday.
Those traced to Yonsei Severance Hospital in western Seoul reached 48, while a nursing home in Goyang, north of the capital, reported a total of 19 cases. Cases tied to production lines of Kia Motors Corp. reached 16 as well.
Infections tied to last month's anti-government rallies came to 613. On the previous day, the Seoul city government said it will sue the pastor who led the demonstrations for exacerbating the outbreak and hampering authorities' tracing work by instructing followers to give false information.
Medical workers walk around a makeshift clinic located in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of imported cases came to 10.
Three patients were from India, and two more infection cases came from Turkey. There were also cases traced to Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Germany and the United States.
The death toll rose by five to 383. The fatality rate reached 1.67 percent.
Health authorities are concerned that the number of deaths may rise further down the road as most of the patients in critical condition are seniors.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 146, down six from the previous day.
A total of 20,158 people has been released from quarantine after making full recoveries, up 188 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 2,226,701 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--N.K. stresses self-reliance undeterred by triple whammy of challenges

Admitting that there are still many economic and technical hurdles to get over , the paper said that nothing can @ @ @ @ @ the country 's path toward self-reliance .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Sunday for efforts to realize self-reliance in the economy and national defense undeterred by multiple challenges from its ongoing antivirus campaign, devastation caused by recent typhoons and the fallout from global sanctions.
"Without economic independence, it is impossible to realize autonomous politics or the huge task of building a wealthy country with a strong military," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said in a commentary.
"Behind our republic's success in steadily increasing its power despite persistent military blackmails and high-intensity pressure lie a strong foundation of an independent economy of the people that we have paved by tightening our belts," the paper added.
Admitting that there are still many economic and technical hurdles to get over, the paper said that nothing can get in the way of the country's path toward self-reliance.
The paper also stressed the importance of self-reliance in national defense, saying that no sovereignty and justice can be guaranteed without securing power strong enough to ward off imperialists who will not abandon their nature of aggression and plunder.
North Korea has called for self-reliance since leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year's message that he expects no easing in sanctions from the United States and called for a "frontal breakthrough" to tackle challenges.
Hit hard by recent typhoons and flooding, Kim rejected any offer of outside help last month, saying that accepting foreign aid could heighten the risk of coronavirus infections.
This photo, released by the North's Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 22, 2020, shows one of the new propaganda posters highlighting the important tasks set forth at the fifth plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party early this year. The poster reads, "Self-reliance. Self-prosperity. Let's break through all hardships that hinder our progress." (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--New virus cases at more than 1-month low, nationwide virus curbs tipped to be extended

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday on the back of the country's strict social distancing scheme, but untraceable infections still pose a challenge to the country's virus fight.
The country added 82 more COVID-19 cases, including 72 local infections, taking the total caseload to 22,975, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the first time for the daily tally to fall below 100 since Aug. 14.
The two-digit figure, however, apparently came as fewer tests are normally carried out over the weekend.
The country's new daily infections have been in the triple digits for more than a month on a surge in cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally in mid-August.
Medical workers carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area that houses around half of the nation's population earlier adopted the so-called enhanced social distancing policy, which made it mandatory for restaurants to offer only takeout after 9 p.m. This was lifted last week, but the Level 2 scheme is still in force nationwide.
South Korea will decide later in the day whether to extend the Level 2 scheme for areas outside the greater Seoul area.
Cases with unknown transmission routes accounted for a record high of 28.1 percent of all cases reported in the past two weeks, according to the latest data provided on Saturday.
The upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday that falls later this month, a tradition that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings, is also among the major concerns for local health authorities.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 28 came from Seoul, and 24 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, located west of Seoul, added three more patients.
As of Saturday, a total of 24 cases linked to a property developer in Seoul's Gangnam district has been confirmed since the first related case was reported Tuesday.
Those traced to Yonsei Severance Hospital in western Seoul reached 48, while a nursing home in Goyang, north of the capital, reported a total of 19 cases. Cases tied to production lines of Kia Motors Corp. reached 16 as well.
Infections tied to last month's anti-government rallies came to 613. On the previous day, the Seoul city government said it will sue the pastor who led the demonstrations for exacerbating the outbreak and hampering authorities' tracing work by instructing followers to give false information.
The number of imported cases came to 10.
The death toll rose by five to 383.
Health authorities are concerned that the number of deaths may rise further down the road as most of the patients in critical condition are seniors.
A total of 20,158 people has been released from quarantine after making full recoveries, up 188 from the previous day.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(URGENT) 188 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 20,158: KDCA

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


yna--2020-09-20--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 5 additional coronavirus death, total now at 383: KDCA


yna--2020-09-20--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 82 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 22,975: KDCA


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Sep. 20 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-09-20--Proportion of women in high-ranking gov't posts reaches record high

According to the report on balanced personnel policy in the public sector , 7.9 percent , or 122 , of @ @ @ @ @ the central government were female as of the end of last year , up 19.6 @ @ @ @ @ year ago .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The proportion of women among high-ranking officials in the central government has risen to an all-time high, a government report showed Sunday.
According to the report on balanced personnel policy in the public sector, 7.9 percent, or 122, of 1,539 high-ranking civil servants in the central government were female as of the end of last year, up 19.6 percent from 102 recorded a year ago.
It said both the number of senior female officials and their growth rate are the largest on record.
High-ranking officials refer to civil servants ranked third or above in the nation's nine-grade civil service system. The nation's officialdom is classified in nine grades, with grade one being the highest.
Despite the record increases, eight ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Fair Trade Commission and Statistics Korea, had not a single woman in high-ranking posts, the report noted.
The proportion of women also surged among the central government's middle-ranking officials. Out of 1,789 officials in the fourth grade, women accounted for 372, or 20.8 percent, the report found, marking an on-year rise of 19.6 percent from 311 women.
The percentage of women among middle-ranking officials in provincial governments and public institutions also increased to 17.8 percent and 21.1 percent, respectively.
The female participation ratio in various government committees was tallied at 43 percent for the central government and 41.4 percent for provincial governments.
The Ministry of Personnel Management said it will extend further support to help all government ministries and agencies hire more women in their senior posts through an open recruitment system or headhunting.
Meanwhile, the employment rate of the disabled stood at 3.56 percent in the central government and 3.99 percent in provincial governments, all higher than the statutory rate of 3.4 percent.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--LG Uplus partners with Google Cloud for 5G mobile edge computing tech

MEC is a key technology in delivering ultra-low latency data communication in 5G networks , and it is expected to @ @ @ @ @ as smart factories , autonomous cars and cloud gaming .
It minimizes latency by providing @ @ @ @ @ data transmission through small-scale data centers .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean mobile carrier, said Sunday it is joining forces with Google to jointly develop 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) technology.
Under the partnership, LG Uplus will work with Google Cloud, which will provide its artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, to develop new services that utilize MEC on the telecom operator's 5G network.
MEC is a key technology in delivering ultra-low latency data communication in 5G networks, and it is expected to boost upcoming services, such as smart factories, autonomous cars and cloud gaming. It minimizes latency by providing a "shortcut" for data transmission through small-scale data centers.
LG Uplus demonstrated the technology last October by transferring a vehicle's live-video feed to a car at its rear as part of its self-driving vehicle project.
The new partnership comes as South Korean telecom operators have rushed to develop the budding 5G technology.
Major mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. joined hands with the country's largest food delivery operator Woowa Brothers Corp. last month to develop an autonomous robot delivery service using MEC.
Rival KT Corp. formed an alliance with global telecom operators, including U.S.-based Verizon Wireless, earlier this year to develop global specifications and standards for 5G MEC interoperability.
The logos of LG Uplus Corp. and Google Cloud are shown in this photo provided by the mobile carrier on Sept. 18, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Bishop found innocent in posthumous retrial for resistance to 'Yushin dictatorship'

Separately , the court upheld his conviction on charges of obstructing justice by pushing a public servant as he was @ @ @ @ @ while under house arrest .
But it reduced the punishment to one year and six @ @ @ @ @ stay of execution for two years , `` given that his action did not pose @ @ @ @ @ well being and order of the nation , the degree of the assault was limited @ @ @ @ @ the democratization movement , '' the court said .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Late Bishop Daniel Tji Hak-soun (1921-1993) has been acquitted of protesting against the Yushin Constitution, instituted by an authoritarian president, in a retrial 46 years after his death.
Earlier in the week, the Seoul Central District Court found the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wonju, some 140 kilometers southeast Seoul, innocent of violating the emergency rules of the authoritarian Constitution enacted by strongman Park Chung-hee that enabled Park to remain in power indefinitely.
The court said Bishop Tji should be acquitted because the emergency rules executed under the Yushin Constitution violated basic human rights.
The undated file photo shows late Bishop Daniel Tji Hak-soun. (Yonhap)
Separately, the court upheld his conviction on charges of obstructing justice by pushing a public servant as he was trying to leave his home while under house arrest. But it reduced the punishment to one year and six months in prison with a stay of execution for two years, "given that his action did not pose a great threat to the well being and order of the nation, the degree of the assault was limited and the action came amid the democratization movement," the court said.
In August 1974, Bishop Tji was sentenced to 15 years to prison for publicly denouncing the Yushin Constitution. He was released the next year with the help of religious readers who demanded his release in massive protests. He died in 1993.
From 2010, the country's courts started to make rulings deeming the emergency rules unconstitutional. In 2018, the prosecution applied for a retrial for the bishop.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-09-20--S. Korea donates COVID-19 test kits worth 930 mln won to Afghanistan

The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan stands at some 39,000 as of Sunday , according to data @ @ @ @ @ figure is feared to be much higher considering that the country has only conducted around @ @ @ @ @ population of 37.6 million .

NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has donated new coronavirus test kits worth 930 million won (US$800,000) to Afghanistan, according to diplomatic officials Sunday.
The some 40,000 test kits of the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) type were delivered on Saturday at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, according to the South Korean embassy in Afghanistan.
A handoff ceremony was held at the airport, attended by Rhee Zha-hyoung, South Korean ambassador to Afghanistan, and Ahmad Jawad Osmani, acting Afghan health minister.
Rhee explained that the South Korean people fully sympathize with the pain and troubles the Afghan people have experienced from the country's decades-long civil wars and conflicts.
Osmani thanked South Korea for the donation and promised to use the kits transparently, according to diplomats.
South Korea also plans to separately provide quarantine equipment worth $200,000 to Afghanistan.
The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan stands at some 39,000 as of Sunday, according to data from Worldometers. The actual figure is feared to be much higher considering that the country has only conducted around 108,000 tests out of a population of 37.6 million.
Rhee Zha-hyoung (R), South Korean ambassador to Afghanistan, and Ahmad Jawad Osmani, acting Afghan health minister, pose at a handoff ceremony held at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Sept. 19, 2020, for some 40,000 COVID-19 test kits the South Korean government donated to Afghanistan. This photo was provided by the South Korean embassy in the country. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(4th LD) New virus cases at more than 1-month low; nationwide virus curbs extended again

SEOUL , Sept. 20 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's daily new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the @ @ @ @ @ a month on Sunday on the back of the strict social distancing scheme , but @ @ @ @ @ the measure by another week as untraceable infections still pose a challenge to its virus @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 11-13)
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday on the back of the strict social distancing scheme, but the country opted to extend the measure by another week as untraceable infections still pose a challenge to its virus fight.
The country added 82 more COVID-19 cases, including 72 local infections, taking the total caseload to 22,975, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the first time for the daily tally to fall below 100 since Aug. 13.
The two-digit figure, however, apparently came as fewer tests are normally carried out over the weekend. On Saturday, 7,539 tests were carried out, but more than 10,000 tests are normally conducted on weekdays.
The country's new daily infections have been in the triple digits for more than a month on a surge in cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally in mid-August.
Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk around central Seoul on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Sunday, the country decided to extend nationwide virus curbs that have been under way since late August by another week as untraceable cases, coupled with cluster infections, persist ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
Under the decision, the country will maintain the Level 2 social distancing scheme, which has been in place since Aug. 23, for all areas of the country through Sept. 27. The measures were originally set to end on Sunday.
The measure will continue to ban operation of so-called high risk facilities, such as bars and karaoke rooms. Public facilities, such as museums and libraries, will also be closed for another week.
Cases with unknown transmission routes accounted for 27.4 percent of all cases reported in the past two weeks. Cluster infections also accounted for 26 percent of the newly added cases over the period.
The upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday that falls later this month, a tradition that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings, is also among the major concerns for local health authorities.
"With about a week remaining before Chuseok, the risk of loosening the distancing guideline, such as expansion of virus transmissions, far outweigh the benefits it may bring," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a briefing.
South Korea has been urging people to stay home over the Chuseok period, saying that elderly people are more vulnerable to virus infections and the chance runs high for them to fall into serious or critical condition if they are infected.
Officials are also seeking to revise the country's current three-tier social distancing system to reflect key data other than the number of new daily infections, such as the number of critical patients and the fatality rate from COVID-19.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 28 came from Seoul, and 24 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, located west of Seoul, added three more patients.
The southern port city of Busan reported six new cases.
Infections tied to last month's anti-government rallies came to 616 as of Sunday, up three from the previous day.
Cases tied to production lines of Kia Motors Corp. in Gyeonggi Province reached 18, up two from a day earlier.
A gym located in southern Seoul reported seven additional patients, raising the related caseload to eight.
A psychiatric hospital located in north of Seoul added five more related patients, raising the total to 24.
A park located in the Mapo Ward of Seoul is closed on Sept. 20, 2020, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The number of imported cases came to 10.
Three patients were from India, and two more infection cases came from Turkey. There were also cases traced to Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Germany and the United States.
The death toll rose by five to 383. The fatality rate reached 1.67 percent.
Health authorities are concerned that the number of deaths may rise further down the road as most of the patients in critical condition are seniors.
Of the reported deaths, more than 80 percent of the victims were aged 70 and above. Two were in their 30s.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 146, down six from the previous day.
A total of 20,158 people has been released from quarantine after making full recoveries, up 188 from the previous day. More than 87 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,226,701 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
The departure hall of Incheon International Airport located in Incheon, west of Seoul, is nearly empty on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Russia has no intel suggesting impending N. Korean SLBM test: Moscow official

There has been speculation that the North could test-fire an SLBM or undertake other weapons provocations on the occasion of @ @ @ @ @ Workers ' Party on Oct. 10 , which could be a new strategic weapon that @ @ @ @ @ show off in his New Year 's Day message .

MOSCOW, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Russia does not have any intelligence suggesting that North Korea is preparing to test-fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), a Moscow foreign ministry official has said amid speculation that Pyongyang could conduct a test next month.
Petr Ilichev, director of the department of international organizations at the Russian foreign ministry, said in an interview with the country's RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday that his country does not have any information of a possible North Korean SLBM test launch next month.
There has been speculation that the North could test-fire an SLBM or undertake other weapons provocations on the occasion of the founding anniversary of the Workers' Party on Oct. 10, which could be a new strategic weapon that leader Kim Jong-un pledged to show off in his New Year's Day message.
Ilichev stated that analysis on such a sensitive matter should be made cautiously, arguing that similar speculations in the past have often been made with political motives.
The Russian official also noted that if the North goes forward with a military provocation, it will only worsen the situation for the country, citing past strengthening of sanctions over military provocations.
North Korea is under multiple U.S. and U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions banning the testing of nuclear and ballistic missile technology.
This file photo released by North Korea's state media shows a missile being launched from waters off its east coast on Oct. 2, 2019. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--K League clubs split into 2 groups after late drama

Gangwon FC entered Sunday 's match against Suwon in sixth place with 24 points and they controlled their own destiny @ @ @ @ @ do was to beat a slumping club that had won just once in their past @ @ @ @ @ spot would be Gangwon 's .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The 12 clubs in the top South Korean football league were split into two groups on Sunday, with some late drama seeing clubs in the middle of the table switch places.
Gwangju FC beat Seongnam FC 2-0 to jump from eighth to sixth, grabbing the last spot for "Final A" in the K League 1's split format. Gangwon FC's 2-1 loss to Suwon Samsung Bluewings opened the door for Gwangju to sneak through.
Felipe of Gwangju FC (C) is congratulated by teammate Willyan da Silva Barbosa after scoring a goal against Seongnam FC during a K League 1 match at Tancheon Sports Complex in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 20, 2020, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
With the top six clubs in Final A, the rest ended up in Final B. Teams will then close out the season by playing five matches within their own group.
Clubs in Final A are guaranteed to finish no lower than sixth in the final table. This is Gwangju's first season in the K League 1 after earning a promotion from the K League 2, and they've assured themselves of another season with the big boys.
Those in Final B, on the other hand, all face the danger of relegation to the K League 2, with the last-place Incheon United and seventh-place FC Seoul separated by only seven points.
The top five spots had already been sealed before Sunday, with Ulsan Hyundai FC, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Sangju Sangmu, Pohang Steelers and Daegu FC occupying those places.
Members of Incheon United (blue) react to their 1-0 loss to Ulsan Hyundai FC in a K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
Much of the suspense on this day, when all six matches kicked off at 3 p.m., came from contests involving teams in the middle.
Gangwon FC entered Sunday's match against Suwon in sixth place with 24 points and they controlled their own destiny. All they needed to do was to beat a slumping club that had won just once in their past eight matches and the sixth spot would be Gangwon's.
Kim Ji-hyun gave Gangwon a lead in the 53rd at Gangneung Stadium in Gangneung, 240 kilometers east of Seoul. But Suwon rallied with two late goals for a 2-1 win, as Han Suk-jong's header off an 82nd minute free kick proved to be the difference.
Gwangju did their part by beating Seongnam on the road, with Felipe and Doo Hyeon-seok scoring a goal apiece.
FC Seoul, who were also in the hunt for sixth place, settled for seventh after a scoreless draw against Daegu FC.
Junior Negrao of Ulsan Hyundai FC (C) celebrates with teammates Park Jeong-in (L) and Shin Jin-ho after scoring a goal against Incheon United in a K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
With a combination of Gangwon's loss, Gwangju's victory and FC Seoul's draw, Gangwon fell all the way to eighth.
Seongnam, Busan, Suwon and Incheon rounded out the bottom four.
By upsetting Gangwon, Suwon gave themselves some breathing room over Incheon for the relegation spot at 21 points. Incheon remained stuck at 18.
Elsewhere, Ulsan blanked Incheon 1-0 to remain in first place. Ulsan had lost to Jeonbuk 2-1 Tuesday to have their lead over Jeonbuk cut to just two points, but Junior Negrao delivered his league-leading 24th goal of the season to help Ulsan fend off pesky Incheon.
Jeonbuk kept pace with Ulsan thanks to a 2-0 victory over Busan IPark.
In perhaps the least consequential but most entertaining match of Sunday, Pohang defeated Sangju 4-3 behind Aleksandar Palocevic's hat trick to move into third place over the military club. Pohang and Sangju both have 38 points, but Pohang have the substantial edge in the goals scored tiebreaker, 41-29.
Pohang led 2-0 at halftime with Palocevic scoring both goals, but Sangju leveled the score with two goals in one minute near the hour mark. Pohang broke the tie in the 77th, only to have Sangju respond in the 88th.
Then Palocevic capped off the barrage for Pohang with his third goal of the match moments before the final whistle.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(3rd LD) New virus cases at more than 1-month low; nationwide virus curbs extended again

(ATTN: UPDATES headline; lead; ADDS more details in paras 6-8; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday on the back of the strict social distancing scheme, but the country opted to extend the measure by another week as untraceable infections still pose a challenge to its virus fight.
The country added 82 more COVID-19 cases, including 72 local infections, taking the total caseload to 22,975, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the first time for the daily tally to fall below 100 since Aug. 13.
The two-digit figure, however, apparently came as fewer tests are normally carried out over the weekend. On Saturday, 7,539 tests were carried out, but more than 10,000 tests are normally conducted on weekdays.
The country's new daily infections have been in the triple digits for more than a month on a surge in cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally in mid-August.
Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk around central Seoul on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Sunday, the country decided to extend nationwide virus curbs that have been under way since late August by another week as untraceable cases, coupled with cluster infections, persist ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
Under the decision, the country will maintain the Level 2 social distancing scheme, which has been in place since Aug. 23, for all areas of the country through Sept. 27. The measures were originally set to end on Sunday.
The measure will continue to ban operation of so-called high risk facilities, such as bars and karaoke rooms. Public facilities, such as museums and libraries, will also be closed for another week.
Cases with unknown transmission routes accounted for 27.4 percent of all cases reported in the past two weeks. Cluster infections also accounted for 26 percent of the newly added cases over the period.
The upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday that falls later this month, a tradition that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings, is also among the major concerns for local health authorities.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 28 came from Seoul, and 24 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, located west of Seoul, added three more patients.
The southern port city of Busan reported six new cases.
Infections tied to last month's anti-government rallies came to 616 as of Sunday, up three from the previous day.
Cases tied to production lines of Kia Motors Corp. in Gyeonggi Province reached 18, up two from a day earlier.
A gym located in southern Seoul reported seven additional patients, raising the related caseload to eight.
A psychiatric hospital located in north of Seoul added five more related patients, raising the total to 24.
A park located in the Mapo Ward of Seoul is closed on Sept. 20, 2020, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The number of imported cases came to 10.
Three patients were from India, and two more infection cases came from Turkey. There were also cases traced to Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Germany and the United States.
The death toll rose by five to 383. The fatality rate reached 1.67 percent.
Health authorities are concerned that the number of deaths may rise further down the road as most of the patients in critical condition are seniors.
Of the reported deaths, more than 80 percent of the victims were aged 70 and above. Two were in their 30s.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 146, down six from the previous day.
A total of 20,158 people has been released from quarantine after making full recoveries, up 188 from the previous day. More than 87 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,226,701 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
The departure hall of Incheon International Airport located in Incheon, west of Seoul, is nearly empty on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--S. Korea to extend nationwide virus curbs by another week

South Korea has been urging people to stay home over the period , saying that elderly people are more vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ chance runs high for them to fall into serious or critical condition if they are @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday decided to extend nationwide virus curbs under way since late August by another week, as untraceable cases coupled with cluster infections still persist ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
Under the decision, the country will maintain the Level 2 social distancing scheme, which has been in place since Aug. 23, for all areas of the country through Sept. 27. The measures were originally set to end today.
South Korea operates a three-tier social distancing system. Under the second level, all indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are banned, while the ceiling is 100 for outdoor meetings.
A cafe in Seoul bustles with people on Sept. 15, 2020, the second day after the loosening of social distancing rules. (Yonhap)
Following the measure, so-called risk-prone establishments, such as clubs, buffets, cram schools with more than 300 students, and karaoke rooms, will also be shut down for another week.
The government earlier gave the nod to re-openings of PC cafes, also categorized as a high-risk facility, last week with some regulations. Public facilities such as museums and libraries will also be closed for another week as well.
Other places with lower risks, such as restaurants and religious facilities, are allowed to continue to operate but are still obligated to keep entry logs while keeping safe distances among visitors.
Shops that violate the measure can be slapped with fines of up to 3 million won (US$2,578) under the law. The government can also demand compensation if new patients are traced to their businesses.
The country adopted what it calls an enhanced version of the Level 2 social distancing scheme for the capital area in late August, which ran through Sept. 13. During that period, restaurants were allowed to only offer takeout after 9 p.m.
Last week, the virus restrictions in the greater Seoul area were eased, allowing restaurants to operate normally, but such curbs in the wider capital area were already extended to Sept. 27.
A park located in the Mapo Ward of Seoul is closed on Sept. 20, 2020, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The extension of the nationwide social distancing level came as the proportion of untraceable cases among newly added infections reached 28 percent over the past two weeks, putting great strains on the country's virus fight.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 72 locally transmitted infections, with the capital city accounting for 28. The surrounding Gyeonggi Province reported 24 infections, with the southern port city of Busan adding six new cases.
Health authorities also remain vigilant as the Chuseok holiday is approaching, when millions travel across the country to visit relatives.
This year, South Koreans are set to enjoy five days off, including the three-day Chuseok holiday that falls from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.
South Korea has been urging people to stay home over the period, saying that elderly people are more vulnerable to virus infections and the chance runs high for them to fall into serious or critical condition if they are infected with the virus.
The country had been maintaining two-digit daily new cases for weeks before reporting more than 100 infections on Aug. 14, with most of them being reported in the greater Seoul area that houses around half of the nation's population.
The number fell below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday, but the decrease was in part attributable to fewer tests being carried out over the weekend.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(URGENT) S. Korea to extend natiowide virus curbs by another week to Sept. 27


yna--2020-09-20--PM stresses need to maintain nationwide virus restrictions ahead of Chuseok holidays

`` The number of cases has dropped to a double-digit range for the first time in 38 days , '' @ @ @ @ @ is welcome news for sure but we can never fall into complacency given that untraceable @ @ @ @ @ that the weekend impact of conducting fewer tests is taken into consideration . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Sunday stressed the need to maintain the current Level 2 social distancing rule ahead of the Chuseok holiday that starts later this month, saying that the country's guard cannot be lowered amid a rise in untraceable COVID-19 infections.
Chung made the remark at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters convened to discuss whether to adjust the current Level 2 distancing rule.
"Given that there have been around 20 cases being reported outside the greater Seoul area recently, things appear to be good compared with Seoul and its adjacent regions but we still cannot let our guard down as new cluster infections and untraceable cases continue to take place," Chung said.
"The number of cases has dropped to a double-digit range for the first time in 38 days," Chung said. "It is welcome news for sure but we can never fall into complacency given that untraceable infections continue to rise and that the weekend impact of conducting fewer tests is taken into consideration."
The greater Seoul area, home to around half of the nation's population, earlier adopted the so-called enhanced Level 2.5 social distancing policy, including toughened restrictions of business operations. It was lifted last week, but the Level 2 scheme is still in force nationwide.
Recently, most cases have been reported from Seoul and its adjacent areas with the number of infections on a downward trend. Calls are growing for the government to ease the distancing rule outside the metropolitan area so as not to further hurt the local economy.
Health officials, however, have argued that the country should stay vigilant ahead of the Chuseok holiday that starts later this month given that the risk of spread of the virus could increase as people might be moving in droves during one of the country's largest traditional holidays.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Gov't seeks to send emergency virus handouts this week: sources

According to the officials from the finance ministry and other relevant state agencies , the government has set a tentative @ @ @ @ @ from as early as later this week on the condition that the supplementary budget can @ @ @ @ @ Assembly by Tuesday as it has requested .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The government is seeking to begin doling out emergency handouts later this week to help people recover from the impact of nationwide efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, officials said Sunday.
Earlier this month, the government drew up its fourth supplementary budget of the year worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.6 billion), which includes cash handouts and other relief to households, merchants and self-employed people bearing the brunt of the ongoing antivirus fight.
According to the officials from the finance ministry and other relevant state agencies, the government has set a tentative timetable of providing the handouts from as early as later this week on the condition that the supplementary budget can be approved by the National Assembly by Tuesday as it has requested.
If the budget is approved as hoped, the government plans to begin sending relief funds worth 200,000 won to families whose children are preschoolers and elementary students from as early as Friday.
The relief money is aimed at helping those people having trouble taking care of their kids as kindergartens and schools are closed due to tightened social distancing rules.
Freelancers and others whose job security has been threatened by the pandemic will also able to receive state handouts from later this week to early next week, the sources said.
Small merchants suffering losses due to restrictions in operation are also expected to receive the handouts ranging from 1-2 million won from early next week.
"Preparations are under way to provide as many handouts as possible before the Chuseok holiday," a finance ministry official said. Chuseok, one of the country's largest traditional holidays, begins later this month.
The handouts are the second of their kind since the government provided relief funds, totaling 14.3 trillion won, to all households in a bid to ease the strain on their livelihoods from the global pandemic.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(URGENT) Prime minister says it needs to maintain Level 2 distancing scheme before Chuseok holiday


yna--2020-09-20--(2nd LD) New virus cases at more than 1-month low, nationwide virus curbs tipped to be extended

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped below 100 for the first time in more than a month on Sunday on the back of the country's strict social distancing scheme, but untraceable infections still pose a challenge to the country's virus fight.
The country added 82 more COVID-19 cases, including 72 local infections, taking the total caseload to 22,975, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the first time for the daily tally to fall below 100 since Aug. 13.
The two-digit figure, however, apparently came as fewer tests are normally carried out over the weekend. On Saturday, 7,539 tests were carried out, but more than 10,000 tests are normally conducted on weekdays.
The country's new daily infections have been in the triple digits for more than a month on a surge in cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally in mid-August.
A medical staff member gets ready to carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area that houses around half of the nation's population earlier adopted the so-called enhanced social distancing policy, which made it mandatory for restaurants to offer only takeout after 9 p.m. This was lifted last week, but the Level 2 scheme is still in force nationwide.
South Korea will decide later in the day whether to extend the Level 2 scheme for areas outside the greater Seoul area.
Cases with unknown transmission routes accounted for 27.4 percent of all cases reported in the past two weeks. Cluster infections also accounted for 26 percent of the newly added cases over the period.
The upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday that falls later this month, a tradition that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings, is also among the major concerns for local health authorities.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 28 came from Seoul, and 24 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, located west of Seoul, added three more patients.
The southern port city of Busan reported six new cases.
Infections tied to last month's anti-government rallies came to 616 as of Sunday, up three from the previous day.
Cases tied to production lines of Kia Motors Corp. in Gyeonggi Province reached 18, up two from a day earlier.
A gym located in southern Seoul reported seven additional patients, raising the related caseload to eight.
A psychiatric hospital located in north of Seoul added five more related patients, raising the total to 24.
A park located in the Mapo Ward of Seoul is closed on Sept. 20, 2020, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The number of imported cases came to 10.
Three patients were from India, and two more infection cases came from Turkey. There were also cases traced to Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Germany and the United States.
The death toll rose by five to 383. The fatality rate reached 1.67 percent.
Health authorities are concerned that the number of deaths may rise further down the road as most of the patients in critical condition are seniors.
Of the reported deaths, more than 80 percent of the victims were aged 70 and above. Two were in their 30s.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 146, down six from the previous day.
A total of 20,158 people has been released from quarantine after making full recoveries, up 188 from the previous day. More than 87 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,226,701 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2004 -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Russian President Vladimir Putin announce a comprehensive partnership between the two nations @ @ @ @ @ the Kremlin .
They agreed to cooperate regarding the six-party talks on North Korea 's @ @ @ @ @ fight against international terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction , the development of @ @ @ @ @ in Siberia , linkage of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Trans-Korean Railway , and the @ @ @ @ @ to South Korea .

Sept. 21
668 -- The Goguryeo Kingdom, which was established in 37 B.C., is conquered by troops from a coalition of Korea's Silla Kingdom and China's Tang Dynasty. Considered the forerunner of modern-day Korea, the Goguryeo Kingdom stretched from areas of what is now North Korea to Manchuria in northeast China. Royal tombs, murals, castles and monuments from the Goguryeo period were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in July 2004.
1996 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency adopts a resolution urging North Korea to preserve all information relevant to verifying the North's initial report on the inventory of its nuclear materials. In its general meeting in Vienna, the international watchdog expressed concern over Pyongyang's continuing noncompliance with the safeguards agreement.
1998 -- Then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is named the winner of the Seoul Peace Prize for his contribution to world peace and humanitarian efforts. The annual prize of US$200,000 is given for contributions to peace by politicians, academics, civic activists and international organizations in commemoration of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
2001 -- General Motors Corp. (GM) signs a memorandum of understanding to take over ailing Korean carmaker Daewoo Motor Co. In the agreement with Daewoo's chief creditor, Korea Development Bank, the U.S. auto giant arranged to pay the equivalent of $1.2 billion in preferred shares to take over Daewoo Motor's assets. Creditors were given permission to sell the preferred stock they would receive from the GM buyout after 10 years.
2004 -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Russian President Vladimir Putin announce a comprehensive partnership between the two nations at a summit held at the Kremlin. They agreed to cooperate regarding the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the fight against international terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the development of oil and natural gas wells in Siberia, linkage of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Trans-Korean Railway, and the transfer of Russian space technology to South Korea.
2013 -- North Korea abruptly postpones the planned reunion of families four days before the event, citing what it called Seoul's confrontational policy. The two Koreas were to hold the reunion at the North's mountain resort of Kumgang from Sept. 25-30. It was to have been the first event of its kind in more than three years.
2017 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in calls on the United Nations to play a greater role in peacefully resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, calling it the most urgent challenge facing the world body, during his first address to the U.N. General Assembly.
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Virus cases in greater Seoul area top 10,000 since Jan. outbreak

As of Sunday morning , the number of COVID-19 infections in Seoul , its surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the western @ @ @ @ @ to 10,007 in total , according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency ( @ @ @ @ @ 43.6 percent of the country 's total confirmed infections of 22,975 .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The number of new coronavirus infections in Seoul and its adjacent areas has surpassed 10,000 since the first outbreak in late January, health officials said Sunday.
As of Sunday morning, the number of COVID-19 infections in Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the western port city of Incheon came to 10,007 in total, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It represents 43.6 percent of the country's total confirmed infections of 22,975.
Seoul, the country's capital with a population of around 10 million, saw a total of 4,972 people infected with the virus, with the numbers for Gyeonggi Province and Incheon reaching 4,156 and 879, respectively.
The greater Seoul area is home to about half of the country's population of some 52 million.
South Korea reported its first outbreak in mid-January, but the greater Seoul area had been relatively well shielded from the highly contagious virus at an early stage.
In recent months, however, the region has accounted for the lion's share of daily infections, forcing the Seoul government to tighten social distancing rules and restrict face-to-face services at Protestant churches responsible for the spread of the virus.
Daily cases in the greater Seoul area peaked at more than 400 in mid-August but have been on a steady decline ever since.
On Sunday, the country reported 82 new infections, marking the first time in more than a month that the figure has stayed below 100. Of them, 57 cases were reported in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
A Seoul city official (L) visits a church in the capital on Sept. 13, 2020, to check if stricter anti-COVID-19 guidelines for churches are being observed. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun betrayed by reliable pitch

Kim surrendered another solo home run in the third , this time to Jose Osuna on a hanging curveball .
@ @ @ @ @ came in the sixth inning , when he left an 89.7 mph fastball on the @ @ @ @ @ against Colin Moran , who sent it back up the middle for a single to @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- For St. Louis Cardinals' starter Kim Kwang-hyun, the four-seam fastball had been his most trusted pitch. Opponents had hit just .122 off Kim's four-seamer, the lowest in the majors.
But against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday in Pittsburgh, a couple of mislocated fastballs did Kim in, as he labored through the worst start of his rookie season.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kim gave up four earned runs on six hits, including two home runs, in 5 1/3 innings at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Kim was pulled with a 3-0 Pittsburgh lead, and the bullpen let in an inherited runner. But the Cardinals' bats bailed Kim out with a five-run seventh for a 5-4 victory, as the South Korean lefty remained a perfect 2-0 for the season. His ERA took a beating, though, rising from 0.63 to 1.59.
Kim entered this game working on 24 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed, and it came to an abrupt halt with one out in the first inning, courtesy of a solo home run by Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Kim had a 0-2 count on Hayes after a curveball and a slider but left his 90.2 mile per hour four-seam fastball high in the zone. Hayes drove it straightaway center for the first long ball off Kim in more than a month.
Kim surrendered another solo home run in the third, this time to Jose Osuna on a hanging curveball. The final blow against Kim came in the sixth inning, when he left an 89.7 mph fastball on the inner part of the plate against Colin Moran, who sent it back up the middle for a single to put the Pirates up 3-0.
Kim averaged 89.4 mph with his four-seamer on Saturday, slightly below his season average of 89.9. He threw 53 fastballs but generated only one whiff on 21 swings for a 5 percent whiff rate. His season average in that category was 15.3 percent.
The Pirates made some hard contact on those four-seamers, too, with an average exit velocity of 91.7 mph. The season average against Kim was 87.2 mph before Saturday.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts to a solo home run by Jose Osuna of the Pittsburgh Pirates during the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--(LEAD) With little run support, Ryu Hyun-jin unable to stop Blue Jays' bleeding

`` I was facing the bottom part of the order ( in the fifth ) , and I gave up @ @ @ @ @ '' Ryu said .
`` My teammates got me the first run of the game @ @ @ @ @ right back in the very next inning .
When a team scores first , the @ @ @ @ @ for a starting pitcher , because if you allow a run right away , it @ @ @ @ @ I did n't get the job done today . ''

(ATTN: ADDS comments in paras 15-16, 19-20, photo)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- As the undisputed staff ace for the Toronto Blue Jays, Ryu Hyun-jin was asked to stop the bleeding for a team that had dropped five straight games.
The South Korean left-hander did his part against the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia on Saturday (local time), holding them to just two runs over six innings. His teammates didn't hold up their end of the bargain, though, as they managed just two hits in a 3-1 loss.
In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Blue Jays' season-worst losing skid has now reached six games, while Ryu fell to 4-2.
Ryu was in his vintage form through four innings, as he allowed just one hit and struck out six. The Blue Jays spotted him a 1-0 lead in the top fifth thanks to Travis Shaw's solo home run.
But the Blue Jays could have done more damage against ineffective starter Vince Velasquez, who walked a leadoff batter in each of the first three innings. The Blue Jays did him a favor, though, as they failed to cash in on any of these free passes.
Those missed opportunities came back to bite the Blue Jays in the fifth, as the Phillies suddenly discovered their stroke and touched Ryu for five hits.
Jay Bruce started the rally with a double. A sacrifice bunt later, the Phillies got four consecutive singles off Ryu for two runs. Two of those hits came off Ryu's bread-and-butter changeup.
Ryu retired the final two batters of the fifth with the bases loaded, keeping it a 2-1 game and giving his team a a chance to rally.
It never came, and after Ryu held the Phillies off the board in the sixth, the Blue Jays' bullpen gave up another run in the bottom eighth to lose 3-1.
In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
There wasn't much to nitpick from Ryu's pitching. His curveball looked particularly sharp, leading to four of Ryu's eight strikeouts. Ryu threw 14 curveballs out of his 99 pitches and induced five whiffs.
Of note, Andrew McCutchen and Bryce Harper, batting first and second in the lineup for the Phillies, both hit singles off Ryu in their third plate appearance against the left-hander, with McCutchen's hit breaking a 1-1 tie. They had both struck out in the third inning.
Advanced data shows that starting pitchers often struggle against a lineup when hitters come up for a third time in the same game. Before Saturday, opponents were hitting .333 with an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .919 against Ryu in their third plate appearances, compared to a .198 batting average and a .559 OPS the first time through the order and a .232 average and a .641 OPS the second time.
The Blue Jays have tried particularly hard to avoid exposing their starters to lineups more than three times in a game. No Toronto starter has thrown a pitch in the seventh inning or made over 100 pitches this season. Ryu has thrown 99 pitches in a start twice this season.
The loss notwithstanding, Ryu's was by far the best start by a Blue Jay during this losing streak, which began right after Ryu held the New York Mets to a run over six innings in a 7-3 win last Sunday.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu put the loss on his shoulders afterward, saying he should have made the early lead stand.
"I was facing the bottom part of the order (in the fifth), and I gave up a leadoff double there," Ryu said. "My teammates got me the first run of the game, but I gave it right back in the very next inning. When a team scores first, the next inning is really crucial for a starting pitcher, because if you allow a run right away, it will shift the momentum. I didn't get the job done today."
In five games leading up to Saturday, the Blue Jays had surrendered 58 runs and 31 walks, while serving up 20 home runs.
Ryu relied most heavily on his cutter (36 pitches), followed by changeup (26), four-seam fastball (15), curve and sinker (eight).
In his two previous starts, facing the New York Yankees and then the Mets, Ryu was forced to adjust his game plan on the fly when he struggled early with the command of certain pitches. He said he didn't have to do that against the Phillies.
"My curveball and cutter were pretty effective from early on," Ryu said."I was able to strike out a few batters and generate a lot of soft contact."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Science ministry, OECD to hold videoconference to promote tech cooperation

`` International cooperation in the digital tech realm will be a key issue once the pandemic crisis is resolved , @ @ @ @ @ the trading environment and governance of new technologies , '' the ministry said .
It @ @ @ @ @ trading system , protection of intellectual property and updating various industry standards will be discussed @

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said Sunday it will hold a joint videoconference with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to forge closer ties in key technology sectors.
Officials from the ministry and the OECD will exchange views on the upcoming post-coronavirus digital era, and how to handle advances in neurotechnology innovations in the online workshop, which runs from Monday through Thursday.
"International cooperation in the digital tech realm will be a key issue once the pandemic crisis is resolved, along with potential changes to the trading environment and governance of new technologies," the ministry said. It said promotion of a fair trading system, protection of intellectual property and updating various industry standards will be discussed.
In the area of neurotechnology, Seoul and the Paris-based organization will deliberate on the ethical, social and economic agendas, which can cover areas such as brain-machine interface that pose complicated challenges.
"By co-hosting the conference with the OECD, which is a leader in setting global science and technology policies, South Korea can bolster its influence and play an active role in upcoming changes," the ministry said.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Researchers develop cheap, long-lasting catalyst to extract hydrogen from water

Currently , it is mostly made by the fossil fuel processing that leads to the release of greenhouse gases .
@ @ @ @ @ use water electrolysis , even though this method is economically non-viable due to high expense @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean researchers have developed an affordable and long-lasting electrocatalyst that can cleanly and efficiently extract hydrogen from water, a state-run science institute said Sunday.
A team of researchers led by Yoo Sung-jong has made a special catalyst that can produce hydrogen without relying on expensive platinum, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) said. It said the new process also overcomes the main shortcomings of non-platinum-based electrocatalyst that suffered from short endurance.
Hydrogen, one of the most abundant elements in the universe, has the potential to meet all of the world's energy needs without hurting the environment.
Currently, it is mostly made by the fossil fuel processing that leads to the release of greenhouse gases. The cleanest way is to use water electrolysis, even though this method is economically non-viable due to high expense and low output.
KIST said the new method makes use of cheap and easy to handle molybdenum as the catalyst's main material, with only minute amounts of platinum being added.
The novel titanium-doped molybdenum phosphide (Ti.MoP) catalyst developed by the researchers has been tested to have 26 times the endurance of other non-platinum materials made so far. Ti.MoP has even overcome the molybdenum chief weakness of being vulnerable to corrosion.
"The latest development is significant because it shows that non-platinum-based catalyst can be used to make hydrogen in an efficient manner," Yoo, who leads KIST's hydrogen and fuel cell research team, said. He added further research could improve production efficiency and lead to early eco-friendly production of hydrogen.
The research has been published in the recent issue of the international Nano Energy journal under the title of "electron-deficient titanium single action electrocatalyst for stable and efficient hydrogen production."
This image provided by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology shows how the novel titanium-doped molybdenum phosphide catalyst is made and its structure. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-20--Kindergartens, schools in greater Seoul area to resume limited in-person classes this week

The education ministry plans to determine whether to ease restrictions on in-person classes further after assessing situations following the Chuseok @ @ @ @ @ that the risk of spread of the virus could increase as people might be moving @ @ @ @ @ the country 's largest traditional holidays .

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- All kindergartens and schools in Seoul and its adjacent areas will resume limited in-person classes this week, the education ministry said Sunday, as the spread of the new coronavirus is showing signs of slowing down.
The move to be enforced until Oct. 11 is in line with the government's eased social distancing guidelines announced early last week amid a recent drop in new coronavirus cases.
According to the ministry, students at kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province will go to school for in-person classes starting Monday.
Attendance, however, will be limited to one-third in kindergartens and elementary and middle schools and two-thirds in high schools to ensure social distancing, the ministry added.
This means that students can go to school every other week or twice a week.
In-person classes in the greater Seoul area have been banned except for high school seniors since August 26 amid worries over a resurgence of COVID-19. Students have attended virtual classes instead.
But last Monday, the government eased social distancing rules in Seoul and its neighboring regions, making it possible for schools to resume in-person classes, albeit partially.
The education ministry plans to determine whether to ease restrictions on in-person classes further after assessing situations following the Chuseok holiday later this month given that the risk of spread of the virus could increase as people might be moving in droves during one of the country's largest traditional holidays.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 82 more COVID-19 cases, marking the first time in more than a month that the number has stayed below 100.
Only a couple people wait to receive a coronavirus test at a makeshift clinic of a public health facility in Seoul on Sept. 16, 2020. South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the 14th consecutive day the same day, but a marked slowdown still appeared to be some way off as local infections rebounded to triple-digit figures amid no letup in cluster infections and untraceable cases. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)