yna--2020-12-11--S. Korea to sell 176.4 tln won in state bonds next year

The country 's debt is expected to reach 956 trillion won next year , up 150.8 trillion won from this @ @ @ @ @ debt-to-gross domestic product ( GDP ) ratio , a gauge of a nation 's financial @ @ @ @ @ percent in 2021 , higher than just below 40 percent before the pandemic .

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to sell state bonds worth 176.4 trillion won (US$161.8 billion) next year, the finance ministry said Friday, as the country will increase fiscal spending to cope with the fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The planned debt sale marks a rise of 1.1 percent, or 1.9 trillion won, from this year, when Treasurys worth 174.5 trillion won were sold, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The government plans to sell a net 113.2 trillion won in state bonds next year, down 2 trillion won on-year, the ministry said. It plans to refinance Treasurys worth 63.2 trillion won in 2021, up 3.9 trillion won from this year.
The government plans to increase fiscal spending next year in a bid to cushion the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and prop up the slowing economy.
Earlier this month, the National Assembly passed a record 558 trillion-won national budget for next year that includes nearly 4 trillion won allocated for additional coronavirus relief funds and vaccine purchases.
The government plans to issue deficit-covering bonds worth 93.5 trillion won next year to help finance the planned massive fiscal spending.
The ministry plans to frontload 72.4 percent of fiscal spending in the first half of next year.
The country's debt is expected to reach 956 trillion won next year, up 150.8 trillion won from this year. The country's debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, a gauge of a nation's financial health, will reach 47.3 percent in 2021, higher than just below 40 percent before the pandemic.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-11--Cram schools in capital area call for end to 'discriminative' no-assembly order

But owners and employees of the affected hagwons have since protested the temporary closure order , arguing that they are @ @ @ @ @ facilities , such as internet cafes and movie theaters , are still allowed to operate @ @ @ @ @ have also complained of snowballing financial losses caused by the temporary closure order .

SEJONG, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- An advocacy group for private educational institutions, or "hagwon," on Friday urged the government to retract the no-assembly order imposed on its members in the greater Seoul area as part of anti-COVID-19 measures.
On Tuesday, the government ordered hagwons in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province to close for three weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infections among young students.
But owners and employees of the affected hagwons have since protested the temporary closure order, arguing that they are discriminated against because other multi-use facilities, such as internet cafes and movie theaters, are still allowed to operate until 9 p.m. They have also complained of snowballing financial losses caused by the temporary closure order.
The no-assembly order on hagwon is to be implemented when the capital area comes under a Level 3 social distancing scheme, the strongest in the five-tier system. The greater Seoul area is currently under Level 2.5.
Hagwon owners and employees hold a protest rally in Sejong, about 120 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 11, 2020, against a temporary no-assembly order imposed on private educational institutions in the capital area. (Yonhap)
"The government must withdraw the no-assembly order for hagwon by Saturday," the Korea Association of Hakwon (KAOH) said during its rally held in the central administrative city of Sejong. The group's name uses a different romanization for the Korean word "hagwon."
The association said it has already filed an administrative lawsuit against the no-assembly order and an injunction hearing is to be held on Friday afternoon.
About 100 people, including hagwon owners, teachers, van drivers and parents, attended the rally held in front of the Ministry of Health and Welfare building.
They accused the government of abusing its power by imposing the unreasonably strong no-assembly order, while complaining that they are being asked to sacrifice themselves again without the provision of even a minimal safety net.
"The government abused its power when it decided to shut down hagwons in the greater Seoul area despite a clear guideline on the five-tier social distancing scheme," the group added.
The group also said it will proceed with all possible measures until its request is accepted.
A "hagwon" in Seoul is closed on Dec. 8, 2020, due to a temporary no-assembly order. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Five more soldiers, 1 Marine test positive for COVID-19

Three Army officers and a Marine officer at the Sangmudae Artillery School in the southwestern county of Jangseong were confirmed @ @ @ @ @ their release from quarantine following a series of infections at their base , according to @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- Five more soldiers and a Marine have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Saturday.
Three Army officers and a Marine officer at the Sangmudae Artillery School in the southwestern county of Jangseong were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 before their release from quarantine following a series of infections at their base, according to the ministry.
In the northeastern county of Hwacheon, a soldier and an officer were also confirmed to have been infected with the virus.
The latest infections brought the total number of virus cases among the military to 449.
Nationwide, South Korea reported a record high of 950 new coronavirus cases Saturday, bringing the total caseload to 41,736.
This photo, taken on Nov. 28, 2020, shows an entrance to the Sangmudae Artillery School in the southwestern county of Jangseong. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Notorious child rapist released from prison amid strong protests

`` Where Cho moved to is a residential neighborhood with a school and a kindergarten nearby , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ look back on himself at least a little bit , it does n't make sense @ @ @ @ @ to move in there . ''

SEOUL/ANSAN, South Korea, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- Cho Doo-soon, one of South Korea's most notorious child rapists in recent memory, was released from prison on Saturday amid strong protests against the heinous criminal's return to society.
Cho served a 12-year term for kidnapping and raping an 8-year-old girl in a church bathroom in Ansan, 42 kilometers southwest of Seoul, in December 2008. A huge public outcry has erupted over what has been seen as too lenient a punishment for a horrendous sexual crime against a minor.
He left the correctional facility in southern Seoul early Saturday and returned to his home in Ansan, south of the capital, escorted by probation officers.
Some of about 150 angry protesters, who waited for his appearance near his residence, threw eggs at Cho when he arrived and shouted slogans calling for him to be executed or expelled from the city.
Wearing a cap and a face mask, the gray-haired Cho stayed silent when asked by reporters to comment.
Cho Doo-soon, one of the country's most notorious child rapists in recent memory, arrives at a probation center in Ansan, south of Seoul, on Dec. 12, 2020, after being released from prison earlier in the day. (Yonhap)
Officials said Cho, on his way to the probation office where he was registered for the government's electronic monitoring program, acknowledged his wrongdoing and said he will live looking back on his behavior.
In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, the father of the victim, who asked not to be identified, expressed anger over his release.
Citizens block a vehicle carrying Cho Doo-soon, one of the country's most notorious child rapists in recent memory, as he leaves a probation facility in Ansan, south of Seoul, on Dec. 12, 2020, following his release from prison. (Yonhap)
"Where Cho moved to is a residential neighborhood with a school and a kindergarten nearby," he said. "If Cho did look back on himself at least a little bit, it doesn't make sense that he would have decided to move in there."
Police said they will monitor Cho round-the-clock amid public concerns of potential criminal relapse by the brutal convict.
They have installed 15 new CCTV cameras, and the city government has raised the brightness level of 30 street lamps in the neighborhood.
In light of the public attention on Cho's release, the ruling party and the government has proposed introducing a 10-year maximum post-prison segregation program for criminals convicted of brutal crimes.
Cho Doo-soon, one of the country's most notorious child rapists in recent memory, arrives home in Ansan, south of Seoul, on Dec. 12, 2020, after he was released from prison earlier in the day. (Yonhap)
(END)


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yna--2020-12-12--S. Korea's trade minister meets with USTR nominee

Yoo also met with outgoing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as well as Stephanie Murphy , a congresswoman and member @ @ @ @ @ Means Committee , and John Hamre , president and CEO of the Center for Strategic @ @ @ @ @ Washington-based think tank , according to the ministry .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has met with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for U.S. trade representative (USTR), the trade ministry said Saturday.
Yoo discussed pending trade issues with Katherine Tai, the chief trade counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, during her four-day trip that ended on Friday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, without elaborating.
The meeting came before media reports that Biden nominated Tai, a China trade expert, to the top U.S. trade post.
This photo, taken on July 16, 2020, shows South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee speaking during a press conference at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization in Geneva. (Yonhap)
Tai, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would lead the U.S. Trade Representative's office at a time of growing trade tensions with China.
Yoo also met with outgoing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as well as Stephanie Murphy, a congresswoman and member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and John Hamre, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, according to the ministry.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--S. Korea receives upgraded U.S. Patriot missile interceptor

`` To better cope with the recent increase in missile threats , we completed the upgrade and delivery in November @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government and involved companies , some 10 months faster than originally planned , '' @ @ @ @ @ release .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Air Force has received an upgraded version of the U.S. Patriot missile defense system in a move to boost the country's air defense capabilities, the arms procurement agency said Saturday.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the Patriot Advanced Capability 3, or PAC-3, with direct attack missiles and upgraded ground handling equipment was handed over to the Air Force in November.
"To better cope with the recent increase in missile threats, we completed the upgrade and delivery in November in close collaboration with the U.S. government and involved companies, some 10 months faster than originally planned," the agency said in a release.
The upgraded missile defense system is capable of directly hitting the enemy's missile, thus better neutralizing it and reducing potential damage on the ground, officials said.
The new ground system is equipped with a radar capable of monitoring distances twice as far as the current PAC-2 operated by the South Korean military, with improved ability to handle information and communications.
This file photo, provided by the arms procurement agency on Dec. 12, 2020, shows the Patriot missile defense system. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, provided by the arms procurement agency on Dec. 12, 2020, shows the Patriot missile defense system. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Man acquitted in retrial 41 years after getting prison term for extolling N.K. founder

According to initial court records , he came upon North Korean propaganda content while watching TV at his friend 's @ @ @ @ @ 1978 .
After watching it for 50 minutes , he was recorded to have told @ @ @ @ @ made a series of remarks lauding North Korea and its late founder Kim Il-sung whose @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court has reversed the prison sentence delivered to a man more than 40 years ago for watching North Korean propaganda TV content and praising the communist country's late founder, judicial sources said Saturday.
The man was initially convicted of violating the now-defunct anti-communist security law and served 10 months behind bars in the 1970s, when anti-communist sentiment was running high in South Korea.
In a recent retrial of the case, the Seoul Central District Court found him, now 95 years old, innocent of the charges.
According to initial court records, he came upon North Korean propaganda content while watching TV at his friend's house in the summer of 1978. After watching it for 50 minutes, he was recorded to have told another friend about it and made a series of remarks lauding North Korea and its late founder Kim Il-sung whose images he saw on TV.
"I thought Kim is old, but he is actually young, looking like he's in his 40s, handsome and well-fed," he was found to have remarked.
He also remarked on high-rise buildings in North Korea, as well as favorable working conditions there, the records showed.
After being charged with praising North Korea and its founder, and asking people around him to watch North Korean TV with him, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison and a suspension of his occupation for 10 months by a local court in the same year.
The appeals court handed down a slightly heavier punishment of 10 months in prison and a one-year suspension of occupation, which the Supreme Court confirmed the following year.
He filed for a retrial of the case in May, 41 years after the final ruling was made.
Delivering the not-guilty sentence, the Seoul Central District Court said his behavior neither posed an obvious threat to the survival or the security of the state nor put the order of the country's free democracy in danger.
"According to testimonies of the defendant's acquaintances, he had no record of remarking on North Korea before and only came across Pyongyang's propaganda broadcasting while watching TV with his neighbors (at that time)," the court said.
Referring to his detainment of around 10 days under police custody in 1978, the court also raised doubts over the veracity of the case's investigation records, including those of his court testimonies.
The anti-communism law was abolished in 1980, and currently the National Security Act regulates crimes related to extolling North Korea.
This photo released by Naenara, a North Korean media outlet, shows a stamp issued celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea that fell on Oct. 10, 2020, which has a photo of the country's late founder Kim Il-sung in his young days. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(LEAD) New virus cases hit record high of 950 as nationwide cluster infections continue

It took more than 80 days for the country to see its virus caseload increase from 20,000 to 30,000 .
@ @ @ @ @ 20 days for the country to add another 10,000 cases after its tally surpassed 30,000 @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; ADDS 2nd photo; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea crossed the 900-mark on Saturday, reaching a record high nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case.
The country added 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Saturday's daily caseload marks a sharp jump from 689 the previous day and is the highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case. The previous record was 909 tallied on Feb. 29.
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital pushed up the tally.
Cases in the greater Seoul area accounted for over 70 percent of the total infections.
People line up to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on Dec. 11, 2020, following the discovery of a cluster of coronavirus cases at a nearby church. (Yonhap)
Among the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 359 cases, with Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital reporting 268. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 42 more.
In the western district of Gangseo in Seoul, 59 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in relation to a church, and in Bucheon, west of the capital, 67 cases were reported from a care hospital.
Authorities urged citizens to strictly follow the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the country's five-tier virus restrictions, saying the rules appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so far.
Health experts have been warning that South Korea could experience a bigger wave of infections in the winter as respiratory viruses usually proliferate when the weather is cold and dry, while people's immune systems generally weaken.
It took more than 80 days for the country to see its virus caseload increase from 20,000 to 30,000. However, it only took 20 days for the country to add another 10,000 cases after its tally surpassed 30,000 on Nov. 20.
Provinces outside the metropolitan area also saw an increase in new infections from various events and places.
The southeastern city of Busan reported 58 cases, followed by Gangwon Province with 36 and Daegu and Ulsan with 35 and 23, respectively.
The country added 22 imported cases, including seven from the United States and three from Russia. The figure is up from 16 the previous day.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported six additional deaths, raising the total to 578.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 336, raising the total to 31,493.
This photo, taken on Dec. 11, 2020, shows a coronavirus test center in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--S. Korea issues nationwide standstill on poultry farms amid bird flu cases

Until Sunday , all poultry farms and livestock production facilities , including their vehicles and personnel , will be subject @ @ @ @ @ with disinfection work to be carried out during the period , authorities said .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Saturday issued a 48-hour standstill order on all poultry farms across the country following a series of highly pathogenic bird flu cases.
Until Sunday, all poultry farms and livestock production facilities, including their vehicles and personnel, will be subject to the movement ban, with disinfection work to be carried out during the period, authorities said.
The country has been reporting highly contagious avian influenza cases from local farms nationwide, including the provinces of South and North Jeolla, Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang.
On Friday, South Korea confirmed two more cases of the bird flu, raising the total caseload of this season to 10.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is contagious and can cause severe illness and even death in poultry.
The country reported its first highly pathogenic case in 32 months in late October in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, from wild birds.
Culling of 32,000 ducks is under way at a duck farm in Naju, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea, on Dec. 8, 2020, after an outbreak of avian influenza was confirmed there. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Jenny Holzer's works hit home at a 'time for questions'

Through strong and provocative use of words , she nudges viewers to question the world through the message they are @ @ @ @ @ , Holzer said the new exhibition titled `` It 's Crucial to Have an Active @ @ @ @ @ play that function in an era of confusion and doubt .

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- "It's crucial to have an active fantasy life." "Artificial desires are despoiling the earth." "Protect me from what I want." "Solitude is enriching."
These aphorisms and poetic texts engraved on stone benches and blinking and rolling across LED pillars hanging from the ceiling are some of American artist Jenny Holzer's works that are on display at Kukje Gallery in Seoul.
This photo, provided by Kukje Gallery in Seoul, shows an installation view of the exhibition "It's Crucial to Have an Active Fantasy Life." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Holzer, born in 1950, is best known for bringing art to everyday life. Her works, which use language as a key medium, have appeared in the most mundane places, like on stone benches, electronic billboards and even T-shirts.
Through strong and provocative use of words, she nudges viewers to question the world through the message they are seeing. In this sense, Holzer said the new exhibition titled "It's Crucial to Have an Active Fantasy Life" could aptly play that function in an era of confusion and doubt.
"We've had to move studio. It has been very difficult practically speaking. But of course, the worst is watching people suffer and die," she said of the pandemic in a video message recorded at a farm house she is staying at.
While Holzer does not directly address the situation in the works on display, she said the thought-provoking works could be relatable at a time like this.
"There's no COVID-specific work in this exhibition, but I want to believe some of the work is empathic, sympathetic. More of the work is questioning -- this is a time for questions," she said.
This photo, taken by Nanda Lanfranco and provided by Kukje Gallery, shows conceptual artist Jenny Holzer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The exhibition takes place at two venues in the gallery. Holzer's signature LED works fill an enclosed and dark venue, while her Redaction Painting series that twists declassified government documents is on display in a more airy and sunlit room. Stone benches carrying poetic texts are nonchalantly placed in between the LED signs and paintings.
"Truisms" (2020), a four-sided LED sign that is more than three meters long, is one of the most visually striking features at the first venue. It displays phrases from "Truisms," a series of statements Holzer previously described as "Jenny Holzer's 'Reader's Digest' version of Western and Eastern thought."
LED signs have been a core part of Holzer's artistry, which she found to resemble the human voice.
"A great function of the signs is their capacity to move, which I love because it's so much like the spoken word: You can emphasize; you can roll and pause, which is the kinetic equivalent to inflection in the voice."
Holzer, who first experimented with the Korean language for her show at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul last year, continued to incorporate it in the recent work. Phrases in the Korean alphabet flicker through the LED post in green, purple and white.
This photo, provided by Kukje Gallery in Seoul, shows an installation view of the exhibition "It's Crucial to Have an Active Fantasy Life." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The second venue focuses on works that reflect her vocal stance on social and political issues. Most recently, Holzer launched a public art campaign ahead of the U.S. elections. She deployed LED trucks to flash phrases like "Vote Early," "Protect Yourself" and "Enough," urging the public to vote.
In the Redaction Painting series on display, the artist takes aim at institutional power by transforming declassified but heavily redacted documents into giant abstractions. She wittily conducts the transition by covering the redacted parts with gold, palladium and platinum leaf.
This photo, taken by Jonathan Verney and provided by Kukje Gallery, shows Jenny Holzer's 2020 work "False and Misleading Statements." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
One wall of the venue features her artworks based on the so-called Mueller Report, or the "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election." The 448-page report carries the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe on the controversy surrounding the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
For the 36 paintings on display, the artist, who has shrewdly utilized technology as an artistic technique, turned to the more traditional method of watercolor painting.
"I've always wanted to be a painter, but I've been timid to do it since I failed so miserably in the 70s. So late in life, I decided to go ahead anyway," she said.
Holzer said "frustration" was what led her to create works based on the Mueller Report.
"The Mueller Report was frustrating in significant ways, so I decided to paint on it while I waited for a result," she said.
The exhibition runs through Jan. 31, 2021.
This photo, provided by Kukje Gallery in Seoul, shows an installation view of the exhibition "It's Crucial to Have an Active Fantasy Life." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Seoul shares likely to further advance next week; vaccinations in focus

The KOSPI moved like roller coaster on vaccination reports , rising more than 2 percent Wednesday on the world 's @ @ @ @ @ Britain .
The index retreated Thursday as two British patients reported allergic responses but rallied @ @ @ @ @ government advisory panel 's backing of emergency vaccinations in the United States .

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks are likely to further rise next week despite some correction, as investors pin high hopes on a quick economic recovery from the pandemic's fallout.
Despite a surge in new daily COVID-19 cases, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at an all-time high of 2,770.06 points Friday, up 1.41 percent from a week ago.
The KOSPI moved like roller coaster on vaccination reports, rising more than 2 percent Wednesday on the world's first mass COVID-19 vaccination in Britain. The index retreated Thursday as two British patients reported allergic responses but rallied again Friday on a U.S. government advisory panel's backing of emergency vaccinations in the United States.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,770.06 on Dec. 11, 2020, up 23.6 points or 0.86 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Thursday's quadruple expiration of stock-related futures and options also added to the market volatility. Foreigners dumped about 1.3 trillion won (US$11.9 billion) on the main bourse in a single day.
Analysts said the vaccine factor will continue to sway the local stocks in the coming week.
"Growing vaccine hopes are expected to improve investor sentiment," said NH Investment & Securities analyst Kim Young-hwan.
But volatility may increase if side effects are observed in the vaccinations, he added.
Analysts also noted that the upcoming U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, set for Tuesday and Wednesday (U.S. time), could affect the local stock market.
"Although market consensus is widely expecting a key rate freeze, FOMC's economic diagnosis could signal potential increases in its asset buying policies," said Lim Hye-yoon, a researcher at KTB Investment & Securities.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--New virus cases hit record high of 950 amid little impact from toughened rules

Authorities urged citizens to strictly follow the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures , the second-strongest curbs under the country @ @ @ @ @ saying the rules appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea crossed the 900-mark on Saturday, reaching a record high nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case.
The country added 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Saturday's daily caseload marks a sharp jump from 689 the previous day and is the highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case. The previous record was 909 tallied on Feb. 29.
Authorities urged citizens to strictly follow the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the country's five-tier virus restrictions, saying the rules appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so far.
Among the locally transmitted cases, the capital city of Seoul accounted for 362 cases, with Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul reporting 272. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 42 more.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported six additional deaths, raising the total to 578.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 336, raising the total to 31,493.
People line up to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on Dec. 11, 2020, following the discovery of a cluster of coronavirus cases at a nearby church. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(URGENT) 336 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total at 31,493: 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--2020-12-12--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 6 additional coronavirus deaths, total at 578: KDCA


yna--2020-12-12--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 950 new coronavirus cases, total at 41,736: KDCA


yna--2020-12-12--Renowned Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk fell from grace after MeToo allegations

Born to an impoverished family in the small rural town of Bonghwa , North Gyeongsang Province , Kim decided to @ @ @ @ @ watching the French romance film `` The Lovers on the Bridge '' ( 1991 ) @ @ @ @ @ The Silence of the Lambs '' ( 1991 ) in France while in his early @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- Filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, who is known to have died from COVID-19 complications in Latvia, was one of South Korea's most decorated film directors, especially on the international stage.
He rose to global fame after winning best director and best film awards at two of the three major international film festivals.
But he left his home country after becoming embroiled in the #MeToo movement, facing accusations of sexual and physical abuse from an actress in 2017.
This file photo taken on June 12, 2018, shows late director Kim Ki-duk. (Yonhap)
Born to an impoverished family in the small rural town of Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, Kim decided to become a movie director after watching the French romance film "The Lovers on the Bridge" (1991) and the American thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) in France while in his early 30s.
Without formal education as a filmmaker, his first film, "Crocodile" (1996), received critical frowns for its excessive violence and depictions of women.
But his next steps were lauded by the world's film festivals. His 1998 feature "Birdcage Inn" was invited to the Berlin International Film Festival, while "The Isle" (2000) was presented in the competition category of the Venice International Film Festival.
His 2001 thriller, "Bad Guy," which competed for the Golden Bear at the Berlin fest, earned him his first-ever success in the local box office, though small, with 700,000 attendees.
The drama "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring" (2003) earned him a reputation as a notable director also in his home nation, sweeping best picture prizes at South Korea's two biggest film awards, the Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Since then, his filmography became more glamorous as he won the Silver Bear for Best Director at Berlin for "Samaritan Girl" in 2004 and the Silver Lion for Best Director at Venice for "3-Iron" the same year.
"Arirang," a dramatic documentary film about himself, won the prize of Un Certain Regard, given to young talents with innovative and daring works, at Cannes in 2011.
His career peaked with "Pieta" (2012), his 18th feature film, which grabbed the Golden Lion for Best Film at Venice. Kim became the first South Korea-born film director to win the top prize at one of the three major international film festivals -- Venice, Cannes and Berlin.
In this file photo taken on Sept. 11, 2012, director Kim Ki-duk poses at a press conference in Seoul after winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for "Pieta." (Yonhap)
But his career went into free fall after actresses accused him of sexual and physical abuse while shooting films.
Earlier this year, Kim lost lawsuits he filed against one of the actresses and a local broadcaster, which reported more allegations of sexual misconduct against him in 2018, and challenged the rulings.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- U.S. returns 12 bases to S. Korea without paying 'decontamination costs ' ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- @ @ @ @ @ , police for contact tracing in all-out efforts to avoid social distancing Level 3 ( @ @ @ @ @ light ' on emergency medical system amid overload from COVID-19 ( Donga llbo ) -- @ @ @ @ @ 'battling on edge of precipice ' ( Segye Times ) -- S. Korea gets back @ @ @ @ @ years ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- S. Korea faces 'no medical staff , no hospital @ @ @ @ @ crisis after boasting of K-quarantine ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- National Assembly pushes mother of @ @ @ @ @ ( Hankyoreh ) -- Filibuster turns into long battle as novice lawmakers join ( Hankook @ @ @ @ @ of anti-enterprise laws to hit ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Chinese firms to be @ @ @ @ @ ( Korea Economic Daily ) ( END )

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Dec. 12.
Korean-language dailies
-- U.S. returns 12 bases to S. Korea without paying 'decontamination costs' (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- S. Korea to mobilize military, police for contact tracing in all-out efforts to avoid social distancing Level 3 (Kookmin Daily)
-- 'Red light' on emergency medical system amid overload from COVID-19 (Donga llbo)
-- Medical staff, citizens all 'battling on edge of precipice' (Segye Times)
-- S. Korea gets back Yongsan base, after 138 years (Chosun Ilbo)
-- S. Korea faces 'no medical staff, no hospital beds, no vaccine' crisis after boasting of K-quarantine (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- National Assembly pushes mother of Kim Yong-gyun to hunger strike (Hankyoreh)
-- Filibuster turns into long battle as novice lawmakers join (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Second tsunami of anti-enterprise laws to hit (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Chinese firms to be excluded from 3 global indices (Korea Economic Daily)
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

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


yna--2020-12-12--New anti-corruption investigation unit on course to be launched soon

The CIO , if launched as early as January next year as planned by the DP , will become the @ @ @ @ @ from the prosecution service to probe high-profile corruption cases .
The idea of creating such @ @ @ @ @ conceived by a progressive local NGO in 1996 and was adopted by late former liberal @ @ @ @ @ of his presidential campaign pledges in 2002 .
The liberal Moon government again took it @ @ @ @ @ his presidential campaigns in 2012 and 2017 .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The recent parliamentary passage of a revision bill paved the way for the imminent launch of a new state investigative organ handling high-profile corruption cases, a symbol of prosecution reform and a major campaign pledge by President Moon Jae-in.
The National Assembly passed the revision bill on the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) law through its plenary session Thursday, led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP) that commands a majority.
The law revision, aimed at removing the main opposition People Power Party (PPP)'s right to reject the DP's picks for the inaugural CIO chief with a three-year term, will become a catalyst for the belated inauguration of the investigation unit.
Establishing the CIO was one of Moon's major presidential campaign pledges and a key part of his drive to reform the prosecution often accused of yielding excessive power and authority.
A bill on providing a legal guarantee for the CIO was approved by lawmakers a year ago and took effect on July 15, but its launch has been delayed for more than five months as the PPP used its veto power in the process of appointing the CIO chief.
The CIO, if launched as early as January next year as planned by the DP, will become the country's first-ever organization independent from the prosecution service to probe high-profile corruption cases. The idea of creating such a state body was first conceived by a progressive local NGO in 1996 and was adopted by late former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun as one of his presidential campaign pledges in 2002. The liberal Moon government again took it over as a promise in his presidential campaigns in 2012 and 2017.
The CIO will subject corruption cases involving high-level government officials and their families, the president and lawmakers, as well as judges, prosecutors and ranking police officers, to its scrutiny. A total of about 7,000 such high-profile officials, including about 2,000 prosecutors and 3,000 judges, will come under the radar of the CIO.
Under the revision, the committee, entrusted to recommend two CIO chief candidates to the president, needs assent from at least five of its seven members, not six as before, to accomplish its mission. The president will then finally appoint the CIO chief out of the two recommendations.
Sharing the authority to prosecute cases, which has so far been exclusive to the prosecution service, the CIO will be staffed with 25 prosecutors, including its chief, and 40 other investigators.
The scope of its scrutiny will be limited to corruption cases, such as bribery, abuse of power and influence peddling.
Ruling Democratic Party lawmakers welcome the National Assembly's passage of a revision bill on Dec. 10, 2020, which would expedite the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--U.S. reaffirms commitment to complete denuclearization of N. Korea: State Dept.

`` During his meetings with senior ROK officials in Seoul , Deputy Secretary Biegun expressed appreciation for the ROK 's @ @ @ @ @ , discussed how to ensure the U.S.-ROK alliance is prepared to face the challenges of @ @ @ @ @ '' the department said in a press release .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has reaffirmed his country's continued commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, the State Department said Friday.
Biegun, while meeting with top South Korean officials in Seoul, also confirmed the United States' commitment to coordinating its denuclearization efforts with South Korea.
"During his meetings with senior ROK officials in Seoul, Deputy Secretary Biegun expressed appreciation for the ROK's continued partnership in COVID-19 response, discussed how to ensure the U.S.-ROK alliance is prepared to face the challenges of the next 70 years," the department said in a press release.
ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
Biegun also "reaffirmed our commitment to continued coordination with the ROK to achieve the complete denuclearization of North Korea," it added.
The statement came at the end of Biegun's trip to Seoul, where he met with his South Korean counterparts, including First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun.
He also met with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun (2nd from R), South Korea' First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (2nd from L) and other officials have dinner at a chicken soup restaurant in Seoul on Dec. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(4th LD) New virus cases nearing 700 for 3rd day, strongest curbs not considered

Health authorities warned the current wave of the pandemic is growing bigger than the previous ones and last longer , @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus cases is threatening to undermine the country 's medical system with the number @ @ @ @ @ rising rapidly amid looming shortages of hospital beds .

(ATTN: CHANGES dateline; UPDATES with new tally in 9th para)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily number of new cases neared 700 for the third consecutive day Friday amid concerns over a bigger and longer-than-expected wave of the pandemic during the winter. But health authorities remained cautious in adopting the toughest virus curbs as they could deal a hard blow to the economy.
The country reported 689 new virus cases, including 673 domestically transmitted ones, raising the total caseload to 40,786, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Of the 689 new virus cases, 512 were reported in the greater Seoul area that covers Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, west of Seoul.
People wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 in Daegu, southeastern South Korea, on Dec. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Friday's daily caseload marks a slight rise from 682 the previous day and is the second-highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case.
The number of confirmed cases hit a record high of 909 on Feb. 29. Eight additional coronavirus deaths were reported, raising the death toll to 572.
"Virus cases reported in the wider Seoul area account for 76 percent of the total, and there are no signs of a slowdown," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said in a briefing.
"The Level 2 social distancing scheme implemented since Nov. 24 appears to have had a limited impact on reducing virus cases," he said.
The official urged people to strictly follow the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the five-tier virus restrictions, adding that implementing the highest level of social distancing would severely hurt economic activities.
The country is expected to log 800-1,000 cases on Saturday as 767 cases were confirmed by 9:00 p.m. Friday, including 61 new cases at a nursing home in Bucheon, west of Seoul, and 59 cases in a church in Seoul, and health authorities and local governments continued to add up numbers.
As of 10 p.m., more than 300 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Seoul, passing the previous daily record of 295 cases set on Dec. 3. The city said it was still counting.
The country announces its official tally of the previous day at 9:30 a.m.
Workers at the Pohang steel industrial complex, 374 kilometers southeast of Seoul, line up in front of a screening center set up at the Pohang Sports Complex to take coronavirus tests on Dec. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
As part of efforts to curb the virus flare-ups, the authorities will expand virus tests in the greater Seoul area, which has emerged as a hotbed of new infections, on Monday for the next three weeks.
About 150 temporary screening centers will be set up in the Seoul metropolitan area, the authorities said.
The number of drive-thru screening centers will be increased to have more people take virus tests, it said.
The authorities will provide the tests to people for free if they offer their mobile phone numbers.
Health authorities also said they will make 1,000 beds for virus patients available amid looming bed shortages.
Early in the day, Prime Minister Chun Sye-kyun said the government will dispatch some 800 military, police and newly hired civil servants with probationary status to areas of the capital region in a bid to support epidemiological investigations.
Health authorities warned the current wave of the pandemic is growing bigger than the previous ones and last longer, warning that a spike in new coronavirus cases is threatening to undermine the country's medical system with the number of seriously ill virus patients rising rapidly amid looming shortages of hospital beds.
Adding to concerns is the rising ratio of untraceable infections, according to health authorities.
The percentage of virus cases with unclear transmission routes stayed in the range of 15 percent to 16 percent out of the total in the first six days of December but rose to 20.5 percent Thursday.
A thermographic camera to detect people infected with COVID-19 is set up at a ski lift station in Kangwon Land High 1 Resort, 227 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this photo provided by Kangwon Land on Dec. 11, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Of the 689 new cases announced early in the day, 16 were imported cases, down from 36 the previous day. They include four from the United States, three from Europe and four from Africa.
The number of COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms across the country amounted to 169, down from 172 on Thursday.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 31,157, up 520 from Thursday.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(4th LD) New virus cases hit record high of 950; strain on medical system feared to grow

The country announces its final daily tally at 9:30 a.m. the following morning .
As of 6 p.m. Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ , the highest total at the 6 p.m. point of any day this week .
@ @ @ @ @ tests done on weekends , the general expectation was that the final figure would n't @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS latest tally in paras 15-18)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea crossed the 900-mark on Saturday, reaching a record high nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case.
The country added 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Saturday's daily caseload marks a sharp jump from 689 the previous day and is the highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case. The previous record was 909 tallied on Feb. 29.
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital in the metropolitan area pushed up the tally, officials said.
In the western district of Gangseo in Seoul, 59 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in relation to a church, and in Bucheon, west of the capital, 67 cases were reported from a care hospital.
Cases in the greater Seoul area -- home to half of the country's 51 million population -- accounted for over 70 percent of the total infections.
People line up to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on Dec. 11, 2020, following the discovery of a cluster of coronavirus cases at a nearby church. (Yonhap)
Among the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 359 infections, with Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital reporting 268. It was the highest daily figure for both Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 42 more.
"It is the largest crisis since the first outbreak of COVID-19, and now is an urgent situation," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said, convening an emergency meeting.
Securing hospital beds is the number one priority at the moment, Chung said, vowing to make sure no patients are pushed to wait without receiving treatment.
Health authorities said the current level of infections is feared to continue for a while, urging citizens to stay home and cancel all face-to-face gatherings.
"With the upsurge in the number of patients in the metropolitan region, the burden on medical resources, including workers, is at an extreme level," Lim Sook-young, a senior health official, said during a regular press briefing.
Authorities said the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the country's five-tier virus restrictions, appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so far.
"Despite the heightened social distancing, the volume of movement has not been reduced enough," Lim said.
The prime minister said the government will have no choice but to raise the antivirus rules to the highest level if the spread of the coronavirus is not curbed at this point.
This photo, taken on Dec. 11, 2020, shows a coronavirus test center in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
A new record total could be set, as South Korea reported 903 new cases between 12 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday.
The country announces its final daily tally at 9:30 a.m. the following morning. As of 6 p.m. Saturday, South Korea had 549 cases, the highest total at the 6 p.m. point of any day this week. Because there are typically fewer tests done on weekends, the general expectation was that the final figure wouldn't reach 900.
But in the next four hours, the country saw 354 additional cases.
Of 903, 710 came from greater Seoul.
Health experts have been warning that South Korea could experience a bigger wave of infections in the winter as respiratory viruses usually proliferate when the weather is cold and dry, while people's immune systems generally weaken.
It took more than 80 days for the country to see its virus caseload increase from 20,000 to 30,000. However, it only took 20 days for the country to add another 10,000 cases after its tally surpassed 30,000 on Nov. 20.
Provinces outside the metropolitan area also saw an increase in new infections from various events and places.
The southeastern city of Busan reported 58 cases, followed by Gangwon Province with 36 and Daegu and Ulsan with 35 and 23, respectively.
The country added 22 imported cases, including seven from the United States and three from Russia. The figure is up from 16 the previous day.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported six additional deaths, raising the total to 578.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 336, bringing the total to 31,493.
A citizen undergoes a coronavirus test in western Seoul on Dec. 12, 2020, as South Korea's daily number of new virus cases hit a record high of 950 nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case in January. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(3rd LD) New virus cases hit record high of 950; strain on medical system feared to grow

(ATTN: ADDS latest tally in paras 15-17)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea crossed the 900-mark on Saturday, reaching a record high nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case.
The country added 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Saturday's daily caseload marks a sharp jump from 689 the previous day and is the highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case. The previous record was 909 tallied on Feb. 29.
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital in the metropolitan area pushed up the tally, officials said.
In the western district of Gangseo in Seoul, 59 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in relation to a church, and in Bucheon, west of the capital, 67 cases were reported from a care hospital.
Cases in the greater Seoul area -- home to half of the country's 51 million population -- accounted for over 70 percent of the total infections.
People line up to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on Dec. 11, 2020, following the discovery of a cluster of coronavirus cases at a nearby church. (Yonhap)
Among the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 359 infections, with Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital reporting 268. It was the highest daily figure for both Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 42 more.
"It is the largest crisis since the first outbreak of COVID-19, and now is an urgent situation," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said, convening an emergency meeting.
Securing hospital beds is the number one priority at the moment, Chung said, vowing to make sure no patients are pushed to wait without receiving treatment.
Health authorities said the current level of infections is feared to continue for a while, urging citizens to stay home and cancel all face-to-face gatherings.
"With the upsurge in the number of patients in the metropolitan region, the burden on medical resources, including workers, is at an extreme level," Lim Sook-young, a senior health official, said during a regular press briefing.
Authorities said the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the country's five-tier virus restrictions, appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so far.
"Despite the heightened social distancing, the volume of movement has not been reduced enough," Lim said.
The prime minister said the government will have no choice but to raise the antivirus rules to the highest level if the spread of the coronavirus is not curbed at this point.
This photo, taken on Dec. 11, 2020, shows a coronavirus test center in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
South Korea reported 549 new cases between 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, the highest total at the 6 p.m. point of any day this week.
The country announces its daily tally at 9:30 a.m. the following morning. For Friday, South Korea had 539 cases through 6 p.m. and saw 411 more in the day's final six hours.
There are typically fewer tests done on weekends. Saturday's final figure will probably not reach 900 but could still exceed 700.
Health experts have been warning that South Korea could experience a bigger wave of infections in the winter as respiratory viruses usually proliferate when the weather is cold and dry, while people's immune systems generally weaken.
It took more than 80 days for the country to see its virus caseload increase from 20,000 to 30,000. However, it only took 20 days for the country to add another 10,000 cases after its tally surpassed 30,000 on Nov. 20.
Provinces outside the metropolitan area also saw an increase in new infections from various events and places.
The southeastern city of Busan reported 58 cases, followed by Gangwon Province with 36 and Daegu and Ulsan with 35 and 23, respectively.
The country added 22 imported cases, including seven from the United States and three from Russia. The figure is up from 16 the previous day.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported six additional deaths, raising the total to 578.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 336, bringing the total to 31,493.
A citizen undergoes a coronavirus test in western Seoul on Dec. 12, 2020, as South Korea's daily number of new virus cases hit a record high of 950 nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case in January. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(LEAD) Ruling party seeks to end filibuster

`` We think it 's time for the National Assembly to focus on controlling the spread of the virus and @ @ @ @ @ , '' the official said .
`` Over the past two days , opposition lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ We feel that they 've already gotten their point across . ''

(ATTN: ADDS opposition party's response at bottom)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) took steps to end an ongoing filibuster on Saturday, saying lawmakers should turn their focus to fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A senior DP member said the party will submit a mottion to halt the filibuster once the plenary session begins at 8 p.m. The motion will be put to a vote 24 hours later.
The ruling party has gathered some 100 signatures from its own legislators and members of other parties in the pan-ruling bloc, the DP member added.
A filibuster is under way at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 11, 2020, with Rep. Kim Woong of the main opposition People Power Party at the podium. (Yonhap)
For the filibuster to be stopped in a vote, support from at least 180, or 3/5 of all lawmakers at the National Assembly, is required.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) launched the parliamentary delay tactic on Thursday to stop a bill to revise the National Intelligence Service (NIS) law from passing through the National Assembly, where the DP commands a majority.
The bill primarily aims at transferring the state spy agency's authority to conduct anti-communist investigations to the police.
Earlier Saturday, another DP official questioned if it was appropriate for lawmakers to engage in "time-consuming" filibuster when the country just reported a record 950 new COVID-19 cases, with no end to the spike in sight.
"We think it's time for the National Assembly to focus on controlling the spread of the virus and on looking after our constituents," the official said. "Over the past two days, opposition lawmakers have gone off topic. We feel that they've already gotten their point across."
The PPP bristled at the DP's push to end the filibuster and said the ruling party has reneged on an earlier stance to respect the opposition's right to parliamentary debate.
"They're using COVID-19 as an excuse," PPP spokesman Choi Hyung-du said. "If that's their logic, then we'll have to wait until the end of the pandemic to pass the NIS bill."
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Ruling party seeks to end filibuster

Ruling party seeks to end filibuster

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) took steps to end an ongoing filibuster on Saturday, saying lawmakers should turn their focus to fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A senior DP member said the party will submit a mottion to halt the filibuster once the plenary session begins at 8 p.m. The motion will be put to a vote 24 hours later.
The ruling party has gathered some 100 signatures from its own legislators and members of other parties in the pan-ruling bloc, the DP member added.
A filibuster is under way at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 11, 2020, with Rep. Kim Woong of the main opposition People Power Party at the podium. (Yonhap)
For the filibuster to be stopped in a vote, support from at least 180, or 3/5 of all lawmakers at the National Assembly, is required.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) launched the parliamentary delay tactic on Thursday to stop a bill to revise the National Intelligence Service (NIS) law from passing through the National Assembly, where the DP commands a majority.
The bill primarily aims at transferring the state spy agency's authority to conduct anti-communist investigations to the police.
Earlier Saturday, another DP official questioned if it was appropriate for lawmakers to engage in "time-consuming" filibuster when the country just reported a record 950 new COVID-19 cases, with no end to the spike in sight.
"We think it's time for the National Assembly to focus on controlling the spread of the virus and on looking after our constituents," the official said. "Over the past two days, opposition lawmakers have gone off topic. We feel that they've already gotten their point across."
The PPP and another opposition party, Justice Party, didn't immediately respond to the DP's call to end the filibuster.
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Son Heung-min nominated for FIFA's best goal award

FIFA announced Saturday that Son 's wonder goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Burnley in December last year is one of @ @ @ @ @ FIFA Puskas Award .
Established in 2009 in honor of former Real Madrid striker Ferenc @ @ @ @ @ is presented to the player , male or female , who is judged to have @ @ @ @ @ the given year .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Premier League star Son Heung-min has been shortlisted for a FIFA award for the best goal of the year.
FIFA announced Saturday that Son's wonder goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Burnley in December last year is one of three candidates for the annual FIFA Puskas Award. Established in 2009 in honor of former Real Madrid striker Ferenc Puskas, the Puskas Award is presented to the player, male or female, who is judged to have scored the best goal in the given year.
In this Associated Press file photo from Dec. 6, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his goal against Arsenal during the teams' Premier League match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (Yonhap)
Son is up against two Uruguayan players: Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona and Giorgian De Arrascaeta of Ceara SC.
In that Premier League contest against Burnley, Son sprinted from one penalty area to the other, cutting through the heart of the opposing defense for a breathtaking solo goal. Son has garnered a slew of accolades for that effort, including the Premier League's Goal of the Year for the 2019-2020 season.
FIFA first unveiled 11 nominees for the Puskas Award last month and whittled them down to three on Saturday.
The winner will be announced next Thursday as part of the annual Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the ceremony will be held virtually in Zurich.
One other South Korean player, Ji So-yun of Chelsea FC Women, didn't make the final cut for the Best FIFA Women's Player category after being named among 11 nominees.
This photo, captured from the Twitter account of Tottenham Hotspur on Nov. 19, 2020, shows the club's attacker Son Heung-Min holding up the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month trophy for October. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(2nd LD) New virus cases hit record high of 950; strain on medical system feared to grow

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES throughout with more info; ADDS 3rd photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea crossed the 900-mark on Saturday, reaching a record high nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case.
The country added 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Saturday's daily caseload marks a sharp jump from 689 the previous day and is the highest mark since January, when the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case. The previous record was 909 tallied on Feb. 29.
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital in the metropolitan area pushed up the tally, officials said.
In the western district of Gangseo in Seoul, 59 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in relation to a church, and in Bucheon, west of the capital, 67 cases were reported from a care hospital.
Cases in the greater Seoul area -- home to half of the country's 51 million population -- accounted for over 70 percent of the total infections.
People line up to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on Dec. 11, 2020, following the discovery of a cluster of coronavirus cases at a nearby church. (Yonhap)
Among the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 359 infections, with Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital reporting 268. It was the highest daily figure for both Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 42 more.
"It is the largest crisis since the first outbreak of COVID-19, and now is an urgent situation," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said, convening an emergency meeting.
Securing hospital beds is the number one priority at the moment, Chung said, vowing to make sure no patients are pushed to wait without receiving treatment.
Health authorities said the current level of infections is feared to continue for a while, urging citizens to stay home and cancel all face-to-face gatherings.
"With the upsurge in the number of patients in the metropolitan region, the burden on medical resources, including workers, is at an extreme level," Lim Sook-young, a senior health official, said during a regular press briefing.
Authorities said the current Level 2.5 social distancing measures, the second-strongest curbs under the country's five-tier virus restrictions, appear to have had a limited impact on slowing the virus so far.
"Despite the heightened social distancing, the volume of movement has not been reduced enough," Lim said.
The prime minister said the government will have no choice but to raise the antivirus rules to the highest level if the spread of the coronavirus is not curbed at this point.
This photo, taken on Dec. 11, 2020, shows a coronavirus test center in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
Health experts have been warning that South Korea could experience a bigger wave of infections in the winter as respiratory viruses usually proliferate when the weather is cold and dry, while people's immune systems generally weaken.
It took more than 80 days for the country to see its virus caseload increase from 20,000 to 30,000. However, it only took 20 days for the country to add another 10,000 cases after its tally surpassed 30,000 on Nov. 20.
Provinces outside the metropolitan area also saw an increase in new infections from various events and places.
The southeastern city of Busan reported 58 cases, followed by Gangwon Province with 36 and Daegu and Ulsan with 35 and 23, respectively.
The country added 22 imported cases, including seven from the United States and three from Russia. The figure is up from 16 the previous day.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported six additional deaths, raising the total to 578.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 336, bringing the total to 31,493.
A citizen undergoes a coronavirus test in western Seoul on Dec. 12, 2020, as South Korea's daily number of new virus cases hit a record high of 950 nearly 11 months after the country reported its first virus case in January. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(LEAD) Moon vows to mobilize all resources to fight COVID-19 as new cases hit record

`` This is the last crisis before the vaccines and treatments are out , '' he said .
`` Turning @ @ @ @ @ the government will stop the spread of the virus with heightened determination and extraordinary measures @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more quotes and info; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in vowed Saturday to use all available resources to stem the spread of the new coronavirus as the country's new daily infection number hit a record high of 950.
Calling the current state an "emergency," Moon apologized for failing to promptly stabilize the COVID-19 situation despite tightened social distancing measures taken at the cost of citizens' inconvenience and economic damage.
"We will consider this as an emergency situation and put all out efforts in a short period of time, using all available administrative ability," he said in a message posted on Twitter.
On Saturday, South Korea reported 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736.
Moon said the government will first strengthen its contact tracing capabilities, mobilizing military, police and administrative officials, stressing that finding infected patients is the most important step to quickly overcome this crisis.
The government plans to set up temporary coronavirus test centers at 150 places in highly populated areas, such as Seoul Station.
The government will also expand drive-thru and walk-through virus test facilities, he said.
"If we greatly expand the number of tests like this, the number of patients could also increase. But it is a pre-emptive measure to find infected patients and prevent the spread," he said.
"This is the last crisis before the vaccines and treatments are out," he said. "Turning over a new leaf, the government will stop the spread of the virus with heightened determination and extraordinary measures."
Also Saturday, Prime Minister Chun Sye-kyun said South Korea has no choice but to raise social distancing measures to the highest level unless the spread of the coronavirus is curbed.
Social distancing Level 2.5, the second-highest level under the five-tier scheme, went into effect Tuesday in the greater Seoul area, covering Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, west of Seoul.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency meeting to review the nation's response to spikes in coronavirus cases in and around Seoul at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 9, 2020, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(URGENT) S. Korea says it has no choice but to raise social distancing measures to highest level unl

SEARCH Text Delete SEARCH #coronavirus
(URGENT) S. Korea says it has no choice but to raise social distancing measures to highest level unless the spread of coronavirus is curbed


yna--2020-12-12--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

1863 -- Emperor Gojong ascends to the throne at the age of 12 to become the 26th monarch of the @ @ @ @ @ lasts until 1907 , during which , his wife , Empress Myeongseong , is killed @ @ @ @ @ .
Japan later annexes the country and rules the peninsula for 36 years until Korea @ @ @ @ @ of World War II .

Dec. 13
1863 -- Emperor Gojong ascends to the throne at the age of 12 to become the 26th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. His reign lasts until 1907, during which, his wife, Empress Myeongseong, is killed by Japanese assassins in 1895. Japan later annexes the country and rules the peninsula for 36 years until Korea's liberation at the end of World War II.
1990 -- President Roh Tae-woo visits the Soviet Union.
2002 -- U.S. President George W. Bush apologizes to South Korean President Kim Dae-jung by phone for the deaths of two South Korean schoolgirls run over by a U.S. military vehicle.
2011 -- Park Tae-joon, founder and honorary chairman of South Korea's top steelmaker POSCO, dies of lung disease at age 84.
2013 -- North Korea's Korean Central News Agency announces that Jang Song-thaek, the disgraced uncle of the North's state leader Kim Jong-un, has been executed after a military trial found him guilty of "anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional" charges.
2016 -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan hold talks in Seoul to discuss cooperation against North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats. They pledged to closely cooperate in carrying out sanctions on North Korea over its September nuclear test.
2017 -- President Moon Jae-in leaves for China for a four-day state trip that was to include talks with President Xi Jinping.
2018 -- South and North Korea agree to hold a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 26 for an inter-Korean project on modernizing North Korean railways and roads and connecting them to the South.
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--Moon vows to mobilize all resources to fight COVID-19 as new cases hit record

`` We will consider this as an emergency situation and put all out efforts in a short period of time @ @ @ @ @ ability , '' he said in a message posted on Twitter .

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Saturday vowed to use all available resources to stem the spread of the new coronavirus as the country's new daily infection number hit a record high of 950.
Moon apologized for failing to promptly stabilize the COVID-19 situation despite tightened social distancing measures at the cost of economic damage.
"We will consider this as an emergency situation and put all out efforts in a short period of time, using all available administrative ability," he said in a message posted on Twitter.
On Saturday, South Korea reported 950 more COVID-19 cases, including 928 local infections, raising the total caseload to 41,736.
(END)


yna--2020-12-12--(URGENT) Moon calls COVID-19 situation 'emergency,' orders mobilization of all available resources t

(URGENT) Moon calls COVID-19 situation 'emergency,' orders mobilization of all available resources to stem virus


yna--2020-12-12--Body of S. Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk likely to be cremated in Latvia

The report said Kim arrived in the country on Nov. 20 and had been out of contact since Dec. 5 @ @ @ @ @ a house in the resort city of Jurmala and acquire permanent residency , it said @

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The body of South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, who died from COVID-19 complications in Latvia, is likely to be cremated in the Baltic country, a diplomatic source familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Kim's family has asked the South Korean Embassy in Latvia to take care of the funeral process, the source said, citing difficulties in travel over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Korean Embassy is in talks with the family over the funeral process.
This file photo taken on June 12, 2018, shows late director Kim Ki-duk. (Yonhap)
The 59-year-old director died early Friday (local time) in a hospital in the Baltic country, the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing the Latvian online portal Delfi. Kim is said to have suffered from COVID-19 related complications.
The report said Kim arrived in the country on Nov. 20 and had been out of contact since Dec. 5. Kim planned to buy a house in the resort city of Jurmala and acquire permanent residency, it said.
Jeon Yang-jun, executive director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), told Yonhap News Agency that he heard the news of Kim's death from an art critic in Kyrgyzstan.
The art house maverick earned international fame in 2004 when he won the Silver Bear award for "Samaritan Girl" at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also received the Golden Lion award for "Pieta" at the Venice Film Festival in 2012.
While his cinematic works captivated global audiences for many years, he has recently kept a low-profile in his native country amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
He was accused by an actress of sexual and physical abuse in 2017 when the #MeToo movement began to sweep the nation.
In October, Kim lost a lawsuit he filed against the actress and a local broadcaster, which reported more allegations of sexual misconduct against him in 2018.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-12-13--Starbucks has over 1,500 stores in S. Korea

SEOUL , Dec. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- Starbucks has opened seven new stores in South Korea , bringing the @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. coffee giant has launched since its debut here 21 years ago to 1,503 @ @ @ @ @ locals , industry sources said Sunday .

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Starbucks has opened seven new stores in South Korea, bringing the total number of outlets that the U.S. coffee giant has launched since its debut here 21 years ago to 1,503 amid a coffee craze among locals, industry sources said Sunday.
Five of the seven new outlets opened Tuesday are drive-thru stores, the sources said.
As social distancing guidelines for COVID-19 require coffee shops to adopt tougher virus measures, Starbucks has increased drive-thru outlets to allow customers to buy coffee without contact with other people.
It has launched 48 drive-thru stores this year alone.
The number of subscribers to the automatic payment system for drive-thru patrons, called DT Pass, also surpassed 1.5 million in two years and half a month since its launch in the nation.
Under the system, a device installed at the entrance of the drive-thru automatically reads the license plate of a car, identifies the customer and deducts the proper amount of money from his or her rechargeable membership card.
The Seattle-based coffee giant introduced its first store in front of Ewha Womans University in Seoul in 1999 in partnership with Shinsegae Group, a Korean retail group.
Starbucks mostly focused on the Seoul metropolitan area in the early stage and expanded its business territory across the nation to cater to growing appetite for its coffee.
Starbucks' drive-thru store in Yangpyeong County, east of Seoul, is shown in this photo taken on Dec. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--Panmunjom tours to be suspended again over coronavirus concerns

The Panmunjom tours resumed earlier last month after more than a year of suspension due to the outbreak of African @ @ @ @ @ take visitors to the Joint Security Area ( JSA ) and other sites inside the @ @ @ @ @ separating the two Koreas .

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Tours to the truce village of Panmunjom will be suspended again this week due to coronavirus concerns, the unification ministry said Sunday, just about a month after the program resumed following a yearlong suspension over worries about African swine fever.
The ministry made the announcement to suspend the program on Tuesday as South Korea's single-day coronavirus cases broke the 1,000-mark for the first time since the country saw its first COVID-19 case in January.
"We have decided to temporarily suspend the Panmunjom tours starting from Dec. 15 as part of the toughened measures against COVID-19," the ministry said in a press release. "We have also consulted with the U.N. Command."
The U.N. Command controls access to the Demilitarized Zone, including Panmunjom.
The ministry said it will resume the tours when the COVID-19 restrictions ease.
The ministry had earlier said it would consider suspending the tours when the government adopts the highest Level 3 social distancing scheme.
South Korea launched a Level 2.5 social distancing scheme, the second-highest level under a five-tier system, earlier this week, but it has failed to slow the virus so far.
The Panmunjom tours resumed earlier last month after more than a year of suspension due to the outbreak of African swine fever. The tours take visitors to the Joint Security Area (JSA) and other sites inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
In the file photo taken on April 19, 2018, South Korean and U.S. soldiers stand guard at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom, north of Seoul, ahead of the historic inter-Korean summit talks at the village on April 27. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--Gov't to offer free virus tests at 150 new testing sites amid spike in COVID-19 cases

It takes 30 minutes to two hours for those taking the quick antigen test to get a result .
But @ @ @ @ @ they need to undertake another PRC test to confirm their infection as the accuracy rate @ @ @ @ @ relatively low .

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Health authorities will begin offering free virus tests at 150 new makeshift COVID-19 testing sites in Seoul and its surrounding areas under a three-week containment campaign, officials said Sunday, as the daily virus count breached the 1000 mark.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters said that from Monday until Jan. 3, it will administer the tests at facilities at Seoul and Yongsan Stations, major university districts and other high-risk areas in the greater Seoul metropolitan area. They will remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The authorities plan to mobilize 810 people, including military and police personnel, to support the aggressive testing campaign.
The campaign comes as the virus shows no signs of abating, with Sunday's single-day infection tally reaching 1,030 -- the highest figure since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January.
Experts have been calling for the expansion of testing sites, arguing that preemptively sorting out asymptomatic virus spreaders is vital to slowing down the pandemic.
At the new facilities, tests can be conducted anonymously, officials said.
For the convenience of test takers, the authorities plan to employ a quick antigen test and a saliva-based test, which is known to be safer and easier than the most-used PCR method using mucus from inside of the nose.
The prevailing PCR method is seen as the most accurate standard test, but it takes about 24 hours to receive a result.
It takes 30 minutes to two hours for those taking the quick antigen test to get a result. But if they test positive, they need to undertake another PRC test to confirm their infection as the accuracy rate of the antigen test is relatively low.
As the virus continues to tighten its grip across the country, Seoul officials face growing pressure to take more stringent containment steps such as raising the social distancing restriction level to the highest.
This photo, taken on Dec. 9, 2020, shows a citizen undergoing a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing site in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--In climate summit, Moon says S. Korea to set higher 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction goal

`` Taking the climate crisis as an opportunity for inclusive and sustainable growth , we will create new jobs and @ @ @ @ @ of Green New Deal policy with all the other countries in the world , '' @ @ @ @ @ will also stand with the international community in coordinating a joint global response . ''

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in told global leaders Sunday that South Korea is seeking to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target in line with its stated aim of going carbon neutral by 2050.
Participating in the Climate Ambition Summit, held via video links, Moon said his country plans to submit a long-term low-carbon growth strategy and its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), newly converted into absolute terms, to the United Nations within this year.
"Furthermore, we will work toward presenting a higher 2030 reductions target at an early date," he said in a video message for the climate summit to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. It was co-hosted by Britain, France and the U.N. in partnership with Chile and Italy.
This file photo shows President Moon Jae-in delivering remarks on South Korea's plan to go carbon neutral by 2050 at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
The existing scheme, reported to the U.N. in 2015, calls for South Korea to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent from the business-as-usual level by 2030.
The president earlier announced South Korea's aim to pull off net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
He described it as an "inclusive vision" aimed at achieving carbon neutrality, economic growth and higher living standards all at the same time.
Moon said Seoul plans to "come up with different scenarios about how people can voluntarily practice their commitment in daily lives."
Based on those, he added, it will draw up a "systemic roadmap for every area of society."
Moon pointed out South Korea's push for developing green industries through "Green New Deal" policies, combined with digital innovation, under the so-called Korean version of the New Deal.
"Taking the climate crisis as an opportunity for inclusive and sustainable growth, we will create new jobs and share our experience and achievements of Green New Deal policy with all the other countries in the world," he said. "We will also stand with the international community in coordinating a joint global response."
Moon requested special interest in the second P4G summit scheduled to be held in Seoul in May next year.
P4G stands for Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030, a public-private initiative to tackle climate change and other sustainable development challenges.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--(LEAD) Daily coronavirus cases break 1,000 mark for 1st time, toughest distancing under review

The number of daily new cases remained around 400 to 600 earlier this month , but it shot up to @ @ @ @ @ broke through 1,000 on Sunday , raising alarm among authorities .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments in paras 4, 8-13; ADDS photo)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's single-day coronavirus cases broke the 1,000-mark for the first time on Sunday, raising pressure on authorities to enforce the highest level of social distancing to slow down the virus spread.
The country added 1,030 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,002 local infections, raising the total caseload to 42,766, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Sunday's daily caseload jumped from the previous day's record high of 950, marking the highest since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January.
The number of daily new cases remained around 400 to 600 earlier this month, but it shot up to over 900 on Saturday and broke through 1,000 on Sunday, raising alarm among authorities.
A medical worker collects a specimen from a student at a screening station in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for COVID-19 testing on Dec. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital in the metropolitan area pushed up the tally from the previous day.
Health authorities raised social distancing measures to Level 2.5, the second highest under the five-tier virus restrictions, earlier this week, but it has failed to slowed the virus so far.
In response to a sharp uptick in new cases, President Moon Jae-in on Saturday referred to the COVID-19 situation as an "emergency" and ordered authorities to mobilize all resources to contain the virus.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also said the government will have no choice but to raise the antivirus rules to the highest level unless the spread of the coronavirus is curbed.
Authorities can adopt Level 3 when locally transmitted cases surge to 800 to 1,000 or the daily tally doubles from the previous day.
The average daily cases over the past week stood at 662, falling below the requirement.
Level 3 social distancing is less stringent than the lockdown measures adopted in the United States and Europe, but it is aimed at effectively minimizing social and business activities in a wide range of areas.
The toughest virus restrictions ban gatherings of 10 people or more, including all sporting events, while schools can only offer online classes.
People are advised to stay at home as much as possible, and companies are required to have nonessential employees work from home.
Myeongdong, a shopping district in downtown Seoul, is empty on Dec. 10, 2020, as authorities implemented social distancing Level 2.5, the second-highest restrictions under a five-tier system. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area -- home to half of the country's 51 million population -- accounted for the most of the cases.
The capital city of Seoul registered 399 new cases, while surrounding Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, west of Seoul, had 331 and 62, respectively.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported two additional deaths, raising the total to 580.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 321, raising the total to 31,814.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--Seoul receives first measurable snowfall of season

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration ( KMA ) , Seoul received about 0.8 centimeters of snow as of 6 @ @ @ @ @ receive up to 7 centimeters later in the day .

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Seoul received the first measurable snowfall of the season on Sunday as the state weather agency issued a heavy snow advisory for the metropolitan area and other parts of the country.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Seoul received about 0.8 centimeters of snow as of 6 a.m. and is expected to receive up to 7 centimeters later in the day.
KMA issued the advisory for Seoul and parts of the Gyeonggi Province, as well as for the eastern province of Gangwon. The advisory is issued for snowfalls expected to exceed 5 centimeters in 24 hours.
The weather agency forecast temperatures to fall to minus 10 C on Monday morning in parts of the provinces, including eastern Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong, North Gyeongsang and Gangwon, with temperatures dropping below minus 5 C in most areas of the country.
KMA is also likely to issue a cold snap alert for parts of the greater Seoul area, Gangwon Province and the central part of the country, as it forecast temperatures to fall to minus 12 C.
Jogye Temple, the headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in central Seoul, is covered with snow on Dec. 13, 2020, as the state weather agency has issued a heavy snow advisory for parts of the country. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--S. Korea breaks 1,000 mark in daily coronavirus cases for 1st time, toughest distancing under review

Health authorities raised social distancing measures to the second highest under the five-tier virus restrictions earlier this week , but @ @ @ @ @ the virus so far .

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's single-day coronavirus cases broke the 1,000-mark for the first time on Sunday, raising pressure on authorities to enforce the highest level of social distancing to slow down the virus spread.
The country added 1,030 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,002 local infections, raising the total caseload to 42,766, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Sunday's daily caseload jumped from the previous day's record high of 950, marking the highest since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January.
Cluster infections from private gatherings coupled with massive infections at a church and a hospital in the metropolitan area pushed up the tally from the previous day.
Health authorities raised social distancing measures to the second highest under the five-tier virus restrictions earlier this week, but it has failed to slowed the virus so far.
President Moon Jae-in on Saturday referred to the COVID-19 situation as an "emergency" and ordered authorities to mobilize all resources to contain the virus.
A medical worker collects a specimen from a student at a screening station in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for COVID-19 testing on Dec. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area -- home to half of the country's 51 million population -- accounted for the most of the cases.
The capital city of Seoul registered 399 new cases, while surrounding Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, west of Seoul, had 331 and 62, respectively.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 179.
KDCA reported two additional deaths, raising the total to 580.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 321, raising the total to 31,814.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--(URGENT) 321 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total at 31,814: 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--2020-12-13--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 additional coronavirus deaths, total at 580: KDCA


yna--2020-12-13--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1,030 new coronavirus cases, total at 42,766: KDCA


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Dec. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-12-13--Gov't plans to secure 10,000 hospital beds in capital area

With the current number of available beds at each type of facility , the ministry said it needs to secure @ @ @ @ @ critically ill , 2,260 more beds for the moderately ill and 4,905 more beds for @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The health ministry said Sunday it plans to secure a total of 10,000 hospital beds in the capital area to treat a surging number of COVID-19 patients.
With 10,000 beds, the region comprising Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province can cope with 1,000 new cases a day for the next 20 days if 500 people are released from quarantine each day, the ministry said.
Of the 10,000 patients, 300 were assumed to be critically ill, 2,700 moderately ill or high-risk, and 7,000 asymptomatic or mildly ill.
Accordingly, the ministry plans to secure 300 beds for the critically ill, 2,700 beds at hospitals specializing in infectious diseases and 7,000 beds at treatment centers.
With the current number of available beds at each type of facility, the ministry said it needs to secure 287 more beds for the critically ill, 2,260 more beds for the moderately ill and 4,905 more beds for asymptomatic patients.
Beds at government-run hospitals will be reserved first while the ministry requests the cooperation of private health care facilities.
Seoul reported 399 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, followed by Gyeonggi Province with 331 and Incheon with 62.
South Korea's daily caseload broke the 1,000-mark for the first time the same day.
Containers are set up at Seoul Medical Center on Dec. 13, 2020, to house beds for COVID-19 patients. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-13--(LEAD) Assembly passes revised spy agency law after eliminating opposition filibuster

It is the last of the three bills that were recently approved by the assembly as part of the Moon @ @ @ @ @ to reform so-called powerful institutions , such as the state prosecution service .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 3, 7-8, 12-14; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Sunday passed a contentious bill aimed at transferring the state spy agency's authority to conduct anti-communist investigations to the police.
It is the last of the three bills that were recently approved by the assembly as part of the Moon Jae-in administration's long-planned push to reform so-called powerful institutions, such as the state prosecution service.
Last week, parliament approved a major police law revision that introduces a local autonomous police system and allows the establishment of a national investigation office and a bill on facilitating the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). The CIO is a non-prosecution body tasked with investigating corruption among senior government officials.
In his inauguration speech in May 2017, Moon pledged efforts for such reform, saying he would "completely separate powerful institutions from domestic politics and install systems to make any such institutions unable to wield omnipotent power."
Lawmakers, led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), passed the revision to the National Intelligence Service Korea Act, that also aims to stop the agency from meddling in domestic politics, during a plenary parliamentary session in a 187-0 vote. Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the voting.
The voting came after the liberal ruling bloc eliminated a four-day filibuster by the PPP. The DP, which commands 174 of the 300 parliamentary seats, enlisted support from outside the party to successfully end the filibuster with 180 votes.
People Power Party lawmakers leave the main National Assembly hall in Seoul to boycott a voting on a revision bill on the National Intelligence Service Korea Act on Dec. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
It was the first time a filibuster was brought to an end through voting after the revision of the National Assembly law in 2012, when the filibuster was reinstated.
The revised law takes force after a three-year grace period.
After passing the revision bill, National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug tabled another contentious proposal, billed as the anti-Pyongyang leaflet prohibition bill, aimed at banning the launching of leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un or his political system, across the inter-Korean border.
But the PPP launched another filibuster to block voting and the DP countered it by filing a request for voting to end the filibuster.
The DP can break the filibuster with 180 votes, 24 hours after filing the request.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun hailed the bill's passage, vowing thorough efforts to follow through with the reform.
"With this (passage), a democratic stepping-stone has been prepared for the prosecution, the police and the National Intelligence Service to be born again," the prime minister wrote on his Facebook page.
"Including me at the center, the justice and interior ministries, as well as other government organs, will renew our determination for reform so that follow-up steps could be implemented thoroughly," he added.
People Power Party Rep. Tae Young-ho delivers a filibuster speech to block the so-called anti-Pyongyang leaflet prohibition bill at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)