yna--2020-03-02--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on March 2)

His hesitation to impose a blanket ban on visitors from China might have stemmed partly from concerns about the impact @ @ @ @ @ economy .
As some critics note , however , he might also have dragged his @ @ @ @ @ in order not to hurt the environment for Chinese President Xi Jinping 's planned visit @ @ @ @ @ phone conversation with Xi on Feb. 20 , a spokesperson for Moon said the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ to push for the visit in the first half of this year as agreed earlier @ @ @ @ @ mention of the matter .

Responsible leadership
Moon should not spare apology to ensure concerted efforts to fight virus
During his meeting with the leaders of four political parties last week, President Moon Jae-in secured a bipartisan commitment for cooperation in fighting the novel coronavirus that has been spreading rapidly in the country.
They promised to quickly pass an extra budget the administration plans to submit to the parliament this week to fund efforts to contain the infectious disease, COVID-19, and ease its negative impact on the sluggish economy.
Bipartisan cooperation is essential for fighting the epidemic outbreak, which is threatening to spiral out of control.
As of Sunday morning, more than 3,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 17 deaths, were reported across the country. South Korea has the largest number of infections outside China, where the respiratory virus emerged in December.
Most churches and other local religious institutions have made the right decision to halt regular services and gatherings in the coming weeks, which health care experts say will be a critical period for containing the virus spread.
During Friday's meeting, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the main opposition United Future Party, urged Moon to offer a public apology for his failure to properly respond to the virus outbreak.
Moon made no mention of the demand, while saying he was sorry about the shortage of face masks needed to help protect people from the infectious disease.
This is not time to fuel political strife with the issue of the outbreak. Any attempt to do so should be blamed and halted.
But this does not mean he should not be subject to criticism for the way his administration has dealt with the virus.
Rather his sincere apology for what has proved to be an ill-judged response is needed to ensure concerted efforts to bring the disease under control.
Buoyed by a lull in the occurrence of new cases, he said the virus spread would come to an end soon. But shortly after, the number of infections began to surge.
Late last month, the government unveiled a plan to provide face masks, medical gloves and disinfectants to China to help in its fight against the disease. This move has drawn criticism here as the country is now struggling with a shortage of such items.
More controversial is Moon's persistent hesitation to impose an entry ban on visitors from all parts of China, despite repeated calls from health care professionals and a public petition signed by more than 700,000 people online to do so.
The administration has not gone further beyond belatedly barring visitors from Hubei province, where Wuhan -- the epicenter of the epidemic -- is located, from entering the country in early February. The first coronavirus outbreak here was reported Jan. 20.
Moon appears to have ruled out the possibility of a total entry ban from the outset, saying "China's suffering is also South Korea's suffering."
At last week's meeting, Hwang called for a blanket ban only to be rejected again by Moon.
The president said taking such a step now would have little actual effect, if things might have been different at the early stage of the virus outbreak. His remark prompts a question why he did not move quickly at the start.
Moon also said a total ban on entry from China would make Korea subject to similar measures from other nations. He was apparently unaware or turned a blind eye to the fact that more than 70 countries around the world, including China, have already advised against travel to parts of Korea or imposed restrictions on entry of Koreans.
His hesitation to impose a blanket ban on visitors from China might have stemmed partly from concerns about the impact of the move on the economy. As some critics note, however, he might also have dragged his feet on taking the measure in order not to hurt the environment for Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to Seoul. After his phone conversation with Xi on Feb. 20, a spokesperson for Moon said the Chinese president has reaffirmed his plan to push for the visit in the first half of this year as agreed earlier, while Beijing made no mention of the matter.
Moon told political leaders last week it was undesirable to make a political issue of the entry ban on Chinese visitors.
That may be so. But he also needs to admit that he should have been more active in banning entry from China without being bound by considerations other than public health.
A survey of 1,001 adult Koreans conducted last week showed 64 percent of the respondents still want a blanket ban on the inflow of visitors from China, with 33 percent feeling no need to do so.
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Those with minor COVID-19 symptoms to be treated at local facilities ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ , people in serious condition to be admitted first ( Kookmin Daily ) -- 8,946 @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 symptoms ( Donga llbo ) -- Cities stepping up to admit COVID-19 patients from @ @ @ @ @ -- U.S. urges citizens not to travel to Daegu , 81 countries restrict entry from @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Gov't handcuffed by MERS-related regulations in response to COVID-19 , despite 20-fold increase @ @ @ @ @ ) -- 1st Chinese student diagnosed with COVID-19 in Gangneung ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- @ @ @ @ @ show light symptoms , to be sent to local facilities rather than hospitals ( Hankyoreh @ @ @ @ @ , North Gyeongsang exhausted , quitting en masse ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Pandemic fear @ @ @ @ @ Newspaper ) -- Overseas businesses halted , S. Korean corporations held back by COVID-19 ( @ @ @ @

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on March 2.
Korean-language dailies
-- Those with minor COVID-19 symptoms to be treated at local facilities (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- COVID-19 treatment system to be modified, people in serious condition to be admitted first (Kookmin Daily)
-- 8,946 Shincheonji followers outside Deagu showing COVID-19 symptoms (Donga llbo)
-- Cities stepping up to admit COVID-19 patients from Daegu (Seoul Shinmun)
-- U.S. urges citizens not to travel to Daegu, 81 countries restrict entry from S. Korea (Segye Times)
-- Gov't handcuffed by MERS-related regulations in response to COVID-19, despite 20-fold increase in patients (Chosun Ilbo)
-- 1st Chinese student diagnosed with COVID-19 in Gangneung (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- 81% of COVID-19 patients show light symptoms, to be sent to local facilities rather than hospitals (Hankyoreh)
-- Nurses in Daegu, North Gyeongsang exhausted, quitting en masse (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Pandemic fear strikes U.S. (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Overseas businesses halted, S. Korean corporations held back by COVID-19 (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Patient spike worsens bed shortage (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- South Korea focuses containment efforts on Shincheonji followers (Korea Herald)
-- Coronavirus concerns spread to diplomacy (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Billboard 200 album chart

The band first topped the album chart in May , 2018 with `` Love Yourself : Tear '' and the @ @ @ @ @ Love Yourself : Answer '' and `` Map of the Soul : Persona '' -- @ @ @ @ @ in September 2018 and April last year , respectively .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- "Map of the Soul: 7," the new album from K-pop super band BTS, landed atop the Billboard 200 chart this week in a history-making fourth No. 1 victory for the band on the American album list, Billboard said Monday (Korean time).
"'Map of the Soul: 7' storms in atop the chart with 422,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 27," the pop music magazine said on its website, citing data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
It was the biggest week of 2020 for any release in the U.S. so far.
It marks the band's fourth Billboard No. 1 in a row in two years, a rare Billboard feat even for an American artist.
The band first topped the album chart in May, 2018 with "Love Yourself: Tear" and the two following albums -- "Love Yourself: Answer" and "Map of the Soul: Persona" -- landed in the top spot in September 2018 and April last year, respectively.
"The last act to earn four No. 1 albums faster was Future, who logged his fourth No. 1 (on March 11, 2017) just one year and seven months after his first (Aug. 8, 2015)," Billboard said.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums.
An image of BTS, provided by Big Hit Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(4th LD) 82 countries, regions restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

`` The countries with vulnerable quarantine capabilities are anxious as they may find it difficult to put the virus under @ @ @ @ @ , and thus there has been an increase in the number of countries that have @ @ @ @ @ the official said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with strengthened quarantine by Russia's far eastern island of Sakhalin in headline, paras 1-2, 4; Seoul's protest to Turkey on 21st para; flight suspension to S. Korea by the Czech Republic and reduced flight service by Air India in 21st para; minor edits)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- A total of 82 countries and regions are imposing entry bans or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus fears on Monday, despite Seoul's beefed-up diplomacy to prevent inordinate measures targeting its citizens.
As of 7 p.m., 36 countries and regions plan to ban or are barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while 46 countries and regions, including China, are implementing quarantine procedures for them, according to the foreign ministry.
The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea has risen to 4,335 with 26 deaths, and the country is speeding up the testing process under an all-out campaign to stem the virus' spread.
Russia's far eastern island of Sakhalin said it will quarantine foreigners who have traveled to South Korea, China and Japan for 21 days if they have coronavirus symptoms. Those without the symptoms are subject to self-quarantine for 14 days.
New Zealand was also added to the daily tally of the 46 countries enforcing quarantine measures against Koreans. The country now puts visitors who have traveled to South Korea or northern Italy in the past two weeks under a 14-day self-quarantine.
Maldives plans to enforce an entry ban on those from South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu, seen as a cluster of infections, and other regions, starting Tuesday. But it has decided not to bar the entry of those from Seoul, a foreign ministry official said.
In Sunday's tally, Angola was classified as a country enforcing both an entry ban and quarantine measures for visitors from Korea. But on Monday, the African country was listed only as a state imposing the entry ban.
Pointing to the recent increase in entry restrictions, a senior Seoul official has said that relatively vulnerable countries with weak heath care systems appeared to have taken preemptive containment measures.
"The countries with vulnerable quarantine capabilities are anxious as they may find it difficult to put the virus under control if it flows in, and thus there has been an increase in the number of countries that have taken preemptive measures," the official said.
"But the United States and Western Europe, except for Britain ... They have few restrictions," he added.
In China, 14 provinces and cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have enforced strong quarantine measures against travelers from South Korea or parts of the country such as Daegu that have reported a cluster of virus infections.
The U.S. has yet to impose any entry restrictions for South Koreans. But the State Department has raised its travel advisory for Daegu to the highest level, which urges its people not to travel, citing the level of community spread of the virus.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that people arriving in the U.S. "from certain designated high-risk countries or areas within those countries" will be screened both before leaving the country and when arriving.
Seoul has been beefing up diplomacy to persuade countries to not enforce entry restrictions, stressing its capacity to contain the virus.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has held a series of phone talks with her foreign counterparts or related officials to urge their countries to trust Seoul's quarantine efforts and not to take any "excessive measures."
Among her interlocutors were her Canadian and UAE counterparts, François-Philippe Champagne and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. She also talked to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on an overseas trip.
The foreign ministry is also in talks with dozens of countries, which have banned the entry of people from South Korea, to explore ways to enable businesspeople here to travel to those countries.
Of the 231 South Koreans stranded at Istanbul Airport, 154 left for Seoul via a third country while the remaining 77 are set to head home later in the day, a South Korean diplomat in Istanbul said.
Turkey suspended all flights to and from South Korea, Italy and Iraq on Sunday.
On Monday, the foreign ministry in Seoul summoned a senior Turkish Embassy official and expressed regrets about the flight suspension. The ministry requested the country's cooperation in ensuring the South Koreans' safe and prompt repatriation.
The Czech Republic also decided to halt flights to and from South Korea and northern Italy for two weeks, while Air India cut the number of its New Delhi-Incheon service in half to two times a week.
Separately, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mi expressed regret to her Vietnamese counterpart in a letter over the Vietnamese authorities' ban on landing in Hanoi by an Asiana Airlines flight.
The Asiana flight turned back to South Korea on Saturday, about two hours after departing for Hanoi, as Vietnam requested the plane land at Van Don International Airport, around 140 kilometers away from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
Kim called the Vietnamese move "a serious safety issue."
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--OECD cuts growth outlook for S. Korea to 2 percent

`` The adverse impact on confidence , financial markets , the travel sector and disruption to supply chains contributes to @ @ @ @ @ G20 economies in 2020 , particularly ones strongly interconnected to China , such as Japan @ @ @ @ @ '' the OECD said in its interim report .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Monday slashed its growth outlook for South Korea this year to 2 percent due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The estimate represents a drop from the OECD's previous forecast of 2.3 percent in November. It said the South Korean economy would grow 2.3 percent in 2021, unchanged from its previous forecast.
The OECD said global growth prospects remain highly uncertain as the COVID-19 outbreak has already brought considerable human suffering and major economic disruption.
"The adverse impact on confidence, financial markets, the travel sector and disruption to supply chains contributes to the downward revisions in all G20 economies in 2020, particularly ones strongly interconnected to China, such as Japan, Korea and Australia," the OECD said in its interim report.
China is South Korea's largest trading partner, and accounts for a quarter of South Korea's exports.
The latest downward revision came four days after South Korea's central bank slashed its growth estimate to 2.1 percent, from 2.3 percent forecast three months earlier.
Asia's fourth-largest economy grew 2 percent last year, its slowest growth in a decade. The nation's finance ministry has predicted the economy will grow 2.4 percent this year.
South Korea is pushing for an extra budget worth more than 6.2 trillion won (US$5.19 billion) to deal with economic fallout from the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
South Korea's 2020 budget of 512.5 trillion won is already the largest ever.
The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea has risen to 4,335 with 26 deaths, and the country is speeding up the testing process under an all-out campaign to stem the virus' spread.
The OECD said lower policy interest rates and stronger government spending can help boost confidence and assist with the recovery of demand once the outbreak eases and travel restrictions are removed.
"Additional precautionary reductions in policy interest rates may also be merited in a number of economies particularly exposed to the coronavirus outbreak, including Korea and Australia. Such measures can help to restore confidence and reduce debt-servicing costs," the OECD said in its report.
In February, the Bank of Korea left its key policy rate frozen at 1.25 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(3rd LD) 81 countries, regions restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

(ATTN: UPDATES with departure of some S. Koreans being stranded in Istanbul airport in paras 4-5; protest letter to Vietnam by S. Korean minister in paras 19-21)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- A total of 81 countries and regions are imposing entry bans or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus fears on Monday, despite Seoul's beefed-up diplomacy to prevent inordinate measures targeting its citizens.
As of 3 p.m., 36 countries and regions plan to ban or are barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while 45 countries and regions are implementing quarantine procedures for them, according to the foreign ministry.
The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea has risen to 4,335 with 26 deaths, and the country is speeding up the testing process under an all-out campaign to stem the virus' spread.
Of the 231 South Koreans stranded in an Istanbul airport, 154 left for Seoul via a third country while the remaining 77 are set to head home later in the day, a South Korean diplomat in Istanbul said.
Turkey suspended all flights to and from South Korea, Italy and Iraq on Sunday.
New Zealand was added to the daily tally of the 45 countries enforcing quarantine measures against Koreans. The country now puts visitors who have traveled to South Korea or northern Italy in the past two weeks under a 14-day self-quarantine.
Maldives plans to enforce an entry ban on those from South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu, seen as a cluster of infections, and other regions, starting Tuesday. But it has decided not to bar the entry of those from Seoul, a foreign ministry official said.
In Sunday's tally, Angola was classified as a country enforcing both an entry ban and quarantine measures for visitors from Korea. But on Monday, the African country was listed only as a state imposing the entry ban.
Pointing to the recent increase in entry restrictions, a senior Seoul official has said that relatively vulnerable countries with weak heath care systems appeared to have taken preemptive containment measures.
"The countries with vulnerable quarantine capabilities are anxious as they may find it difficult to put the virus under control if it flows in, and thus there has been an increase in the number of countries that have taken preemptive measures," the official said.
"But the United States and Western Europe, except for Britain ... They have few restrictions," he added.
In China, 14 provinces and cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have enforced strong quarantine measures against travelers from South Korea or parts of the country such as Daegu that have reported a cluster of virus infections.
The U.S. has yet to impose any entry restrictions for South Koreans. But the State Department has raised its travel advisory for Daegu to the highest level, which urges its people not to travel, citing the level of community spread of the virus.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that people arriving in the U.S. "from certain designated high-risk countries or areas within those countries" will be screened both before leaving the country and when arriving.
Seoul has been beefing up diplomacy to persuade countries to not enforce entry restrictions, stressing its capacity to contain the virus.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has held a series of phone talks with her foreign counterparts or related officials to urge their countries to trust Seoul's quarantine efforts and not to take any "excessive measures."
Among her interlocutors were her Canadian and UAE counterparts, François-Philippe Champagne and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. She also talked to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on an overseas trip.
The foreign ministry is also in talks with dozens of countries, which have banned the entry of people from South Korea, to explore ways to enable businesspeople here to travel to those countries.
Separately, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mi expressed regret to her Vietnamese counterpart in a letter over the Vietnamese authorities' ban on landing in Hanoi by an Asiana Airlines flight.
The Asiana flight turned back to South Korea on Saturday, about two hours after departing for Hanoi, as Vietnam requested the plane land at Van Don International Airport, around 140 kilometers away from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
Kim called the Vietnamese move "a serious safety issue."
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--Pro volleyball leagues suspended due to coronavirus

The virus has brought South Korean professional sports almost to a complete halt .
The Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO @ @ @ @ @ and may also push back the March 28 Opening Day for the regular season .
@ @ @ @ @ postponed the start of the 2020 season , which would have been last Saturday .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean national volleyball federation decided to suspend men's and women's professional leagues on Monday, joining other sports organizations in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) said both the men's and women's V-League regular seasons will be put on hold, starting with matches scheduled for Tuesday.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate and GS Caltex Kixx play their women's V-League volleyball regular season match behind closed doors at Suwon Gymnasium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Earlier Monday, representatives from the 13 V-League teams had asked the KOVO to halt action on the court. V-League teams had been playing behind closed doors since last Tuesday.
The women's league survived a scare when a medical trainer for a team developed fever and tested negative for COVID-19 last week.
Team officials felt they could no longer go on, as the number of confirmed cases continued to surge in the country.
The KOVO said it'll closely monitor the situation and come up with follow-up measures accordingly.
The virus has brought South Korean professional sports almost to a complete halt. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) canceled its entire preseason and may also push back the March 28 Opening Day for the regular season. Football's K League also postponed the start of the 2020 season, which would have been last Saturday.
The Korean Basketball League (KBL) decided last Saturday to suspend its regular season, and it announced earlier Monday that the season will resume on March 29. The Women's KBL, following a meeting among team reps on Monday, will continue to play its games behind closed doors.
This file photo from Feb. 27, 2020, shows a men's V-League volleyball match between the home team Korea Expressway Corp. Hi-Pass and GS Caltex Kixx at empty Gimcheon Gymnasium in Gimcheon, 230 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--Car sales fall 11 pct in Feb. on virus-caused supply disruptions

In China , Hyundai and Kia saw sales decline due to tougher competition and lack of new models , though @ @ @ @ @ Beijing caused by the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system , called THAAD @ @ @ @ @ 2017 have since eased .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's car sales fell 11 percent last month from a year earlier as supply disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak resulted in reduced production.
The country's five carmakers -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- sold a combined 505,212 vehicles in February, down from 565,568 units a year ago, according to data from the companies.
The lower sales largely resulted from shortages of auto components provided by their suppliers in China. They suspended production lines during an extended Lunar New Year holiday, from Jan. 24 to Feb. 9, amid the spread of COVID-19.
This computer graphic image shows logos of the country's five carmakers: (clockwise from top L) Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SsangYong Motor, GM Korea and Renault Samsung Motors. (Yonhap)
The carmakers' overall domestic sales plunged 20 percent to 81,722 vehicles in February from 102,285 units a year ago. Their overseas sales declined 8.6 percent to 423,490 autos from 463,283 over the cited period, the data showed.
Hyundai sold 275,044 units, down 13 percent from 315,820 a year earlier.
The maker of the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle suspended its production lines in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from Feb. 7-10. Its production was affected for a week through Feb. 21.
It was the first time that Hyundai had suspended all of its domestic plants since 1997, when the Asian financial crisis affected local manufacturers and Mando Corp. stopped supplying parts to the carmaker.
Kia sold 187,844 units, down 5 percent from 197,656 units during the same period. The maker of the K5 sedan and the Sorento SUV halted its plants on Feb. 10 and operated them partially for a week through Feb. 21.
Their sales in China remained weak last month. Tepid demand in the world's biggest automobile market is expected to remain another headache for the carmakers in achieving their overall sales target of 7.54 million vehicles in global markets this year.
They sold 7.2 million units last year, missing their target of 7.55 million units.
In China, Hyundai and Kia saw sales decline due to tougher competition and lack of new models, though political tensions between Seoul and Beijing caused by the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system, called THAAD, in South Korea in 2017 have since eased.
To offset weak demand in China, the carmakers said they will put a bigger focus on boosting sales in the U.S. market this year by launching Hyundai's Tucson SUV, Hyundai's independent Genesis brand's GV80 SUV and G80 sedan and Kia's Sportage SUV.
The three other carmakers also suffered declines in January sales due to lack of parts from China and lack of new models.
Renault Samsung was the worst performer. Its sales plunged 40 percent on-year to 7,057 units in February from 11,721.
The company stopped the operation of its sole plant in Busan, 453 km south of Seoul, for four working days last month.
GM Korea's sales declined 14 percent to 28,126 from 32,718 during the same period as it stopped some assembly lines of its main plant in Bupyeong, just west of Seoul, for two days last month.
SUV-focused SsangYong Motor's sales fell 25 percent to 7,141 from 9,481 as it stopped the operation of its sole plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, for nine days last month.
In the January-February period, the five carmakers sold 1,071,542 vehicles, down 7.4 percent from 1,156,838 a year earlier.
South Korea reported a total of 4,335 confirmed coronavirus cases and 26 related deaths as of Monday.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(3rd LD) Medical staff under pressure amid spiking virus cases in S. Korea

The medical center , in the industrial city of Pohang , 375 kilometers southeast of Seoul , said some nurses @ @ @ @ @ go home for over 10 days , as clinical staff at specially designated hospitals are @ @ @ @ @ posts till the situation improves .
It said some nurses who have no one to @ @ @ @ @ had no choice but to resign .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest infection numbers, deaths in para 3)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The surge in the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus here is starting to cause serious fatigue among medical personnel, with manpower shortages becoming an issue in some hard-hit areas.
Fatigue among medical staff has been most acute at hospitals designated to handle coronavirus patients only. The large number of patients in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province -- the epicenters of the virus outbreak in South Korea -- has exacerbated the problem.
After reporting its first outbreak on Jan. 20, the total number of infected patients in South Korea surged to 4,335 as of Monday afternoon, with the death toll hitting 26, with most of the fatalities involving people with underlying illnesses. Of the total, 3,081 have been confirmed in Daegu alone, with 624 cases in North Gyeongsang.
Pohang Medical Center said over the weekend that 16 of its 100 nurses have quit due to various personal and work-related reasons.
Medical staff at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, report for duty in full protective suits on Feb. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The medical center, in the industrial city of Pohang, 375 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said some nurses have not been able to go home for over 10 days, as clinical staff at specially designated hospitals are required to stay at their posts till the situation improves. It said some nurses who have no one to look after their young children had no choice but to resign.
A health ministry official said the nurses did not resign just because they were struggling with the viral infection but were already set to leave in January and February.
"They had actually decided to stay on a few more weeks to help remaining colleagues till the arrivals of their replacements this month," he stressed.
The medical center did get 15 replacement nurses, and Pohang city government promised to send 10 medical personnel and administrative support workers. It is on guard for further manpower problems down the line as COVID-19 continues to spread.
The need for more medical personnel was also reported at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu, where the hospital said it was seriously understaffed, with existing doctors and nurses suffering from severe fatigue.
Dongsan insiders said its 230 medical staff have been working 12 hours a day without rest for two weeks straight and are fatigued.
"In particular, the center needs more nurses, as it is planning to increase the number of beds from 240 to 300 to handle more patients," the hospital said.
Other hospitals treating coronavirus patients, such as Kyungpook National University Hospital, Yeungnam University Medical Center and Catholic University Medical Center, all in Daegu, as well as Andong Medical Center in North Gyeongsang, raised concerns about their overly tired medical staff and the need for more people as they prepare to receive additional patients.
Reflecting the problems facing frontline medical centers and hospitals, the country is attempting to deal with the issue by sending more state employed doctors and other trained health workers to hard-hit places.
As of Sunday, 205 doctors and nurses had been dispatched to Daegu, including 67 public health and military doctors and 123 nurses as well as other medical specialists. Health authorities also said private doctors from other parts of the country have volunteered to help out at hospitals in the region.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(5th LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 4,300, school breaks extended nationwide

The virus cases in Busan rose by five to 88 , with 32 patients linked to a Christian church in @ @ @ @ @ 32 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are tied to the church 's three-day @ @ @ @ @ 17 , officials said .
It is still unclear how they were infected with the @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with KCDC's latest toll; CORRECTS date in lead para, para 4; EDITS headline, lead para)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported a continued rise in the confirmed cases of the new coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total infections here to more than 4,300.
School breaks were again extended nationwide, until March 23, as the nation provides an "all-out response" to the fast-spreading virus that includes a massive testing program.
The 599 new cases of the novel coronavirus brought the nation's total number of infections here to 4,335, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Monday's additional cases followed the nation's sharpest daily spikes of 1,062 on Sunday and 813 on Saturday.
So far, 26 people, mostly ones with underlying illnesses, have died here from COVID-19, which first emerged in China. Four new deaths were reported earlier in the day, including an 82-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman.
A health worker checks his protective glasses before starting his work in Daegu on March 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
The spring term for kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools had been delayed by one week to Sunday, but the education ministry said Monday it will postpone the new school term by another two weeks until March 23 as a precautionary measure to contain further spread of the virus.
About 57 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu. Most confirmed cases with unknown origins in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, the epicenters of the virus outbreak here, are believed to be tied to the religious group, officials said.
The total number of cases in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and its neighboring North Gyeongsang stood at 3,081 and 624, respectively.
Aside from Daegu and North Gyeongsang, cases of community spread with unknown origins are gradually on the rise. Seoul's confirmed cases rose by four to 91, with dozens of cases believed to be linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in the Eunpyeong district.
The virus cases in Busan rose by five to 88, with 32 patients linked to a Christian church in the Dongnae district. The 32 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are tied to the church's three-day retreat that ended on Feb. 17, officials said. It is still unclear how they were infected with the virus.
In the central cities of Cheonan and Asan, 63.1 percent of the total 76 patients came from a Zumba dance class in Cheonan, officials said.
Employees of Suwon Urban Development Corp. eat lunch seated only on one side of the table at the corporation's building in Suwon, just south of Seoul, on March 2, 2020, amid concern over the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhal)
In evidence that the virus could be circulating undetected, a 25-year-old Chinese university student tested positive for the virus in Gangneung on March 1. When he arrived in South Korea from the northern Chinese city of Shenyang on Feb. 28, the Chinese student showed no symptoms, local government officials said.
To minimize deaths from the virus, KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong told reporters that the health authorities had revised government guidelines to allow critically ill patients to be swiftly treated in so-called negative-pressure rooms at hospitals from Monday.
So far, virus patients with mild or moderate symptoms have also been allowed to receive treatment at such facilities, which are designed to prevent infectious diseases from spreading within hospitals.
The previous guideline was mapped out in 2015 when the country braced for the MERS outbreak, but critics say it was not fit for the fast-spreading new coronavirus as negative-pressure rooms are overwhelmed.
Patients with mild or moderate symptoms will be admitted to state-run isolation facilities, Jeong said.
With virus patients in Daegu skyrocketing, the city's hospitals have been overwhelmed and an increasing number of doctors and nurses in the city have been vulnerable to infection.
Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said in a daily briefing that the government opened an isolation facility in Daegu where virus patients with mild symptoms can be admitted.
About 160 patients will be admitted to the facility, Kim said, adding that two more of such facilities will be set up this week.
Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, bows ahead of a news conference at his villa in Gapyeong, 60 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on March 2, 2020, in this photo from Yonhap News TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and North Gyeongsang Province.
On Sunday, President Moon Jae-in said the government "is now waging an all-out response after raising the crisis alert to the highest level."
In Daegu and North Gyeongsang, temporary treatment facilities will be expanded to exclusively handle suspected cases and diagnostic examinations, Moon said.
"I believe that an increasing number of people will join these efforts and that we will succeed in defeating the virus without fail," Moon said.
Experts said the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase in the coming days as health authorities have begun testing more than 210,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus at the center of the rapid spread in other provinces.
After the first outbreak on Jan. 20 in South Korea, the pace of infections had not been alarming until Feb. 18, when a 61-year-old woman who is tied to the Daegu religious sect tested positive for the virus.
Since then, the nation has seen an explosion in infections as it accelerated virus tests on potential cases.
Shincheonji's controversial founder, Lee Man-hee, made a public apology for the spread of the disease.
Bowing his head to the floor, Lee offered his "sincere apology" to the public and said he tested negative for the virus.
A pupil has her body temperature taken by a teacher during a day care program at an elementary school in Suwon, just south of Seoul, on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea had released 31 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of midnight Sunday, and two more patients will be given the all-clear later in the day, the KCDC said.
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 33,799, it added. The country has tested a total of 105,379 suspected cases, with 71,580 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measure to protect yourself from the virus is to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
To help raise awareness of the virus among foreigners in South Korea, Arirang TV and the state-run Korea Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) said they are offering simultaneous English-language translation services on daily media briefings by health authorities via Arirang TV's Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/arirang) and the website of KOCIS (www.korea.net) at 11:00 a.m. and 2 p.m.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) 'Drive-through' testing centers expand across S. Korea

A driver does not have to get out of a car and only needs to open a window to be @ @ @ @ @ samples taken by medical staff in protective suits and goggles , the KCDC said .
@ @ @ @ @ five and 10 minutes .

(ATTN: UPDATES with the latest tally in 2nd para and more info in last para)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- More "drive-through" facilities to test for the novel coronavirus were set up across South Korea on Monday as the country's health authorities strive to provide easier and quicker ways to test the virus and contain its further spread.
The country reported 599 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of infections here to 4,335, the largest outbreak outside of China. So far, 26 people, mostly patients who were elderly or had underlying illnesses, have died.
A medical worker collects a sample from a citizen in an automobile at a drive-through clinic in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 1, 2020, to test for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
A number of local governments have already introduced drive-through testing facilities where medical staff take samples from drivers and passengers of automobiles who have suspected symptoms of seasonal flu-like illness.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) earlier said it will establish a standard model of such testing facilities and provide it to local governments.
A driver does not have to get out of a car and only needs to open a window to be checked for fever or have samples taken by medical staff in protective suits and goggles, the KCDC said. The entire process takes between five and 10 minutes.
A medical worker collects a sample from a citizen in an automobile at a drive-through clinic in Cheonan, 90 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 29, 2020, to test for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Seoul's first drive-through clinic is expected to open at a parking lot just across from Seoul's Ewha University Hospital in western Seoul later this week.
The city government of Seoul said three other clinics will be opened later this week, staffed by volunteer medical personnel.
Those suspected of having coronavirus symptoms can go to the location with a reservation to reduce the queuing time, the KCDC said.
A remote district of Gurye in the southern part of the country has set up a new roadside facility, in addition to previous two locations.
The southwestern coastal city of Yeosu and the central city of Daejeon also began operating drive-through facilities over the weekend.
The southeastern port city of Ulsan, which has reported a very small number of confirmed cases, said it will also establish such a facility in the near future.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(2nd LD) 81 countries, regions restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

(ATTN: UPDATES 3rd para, last para)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- A total of 81 countries and regions are imposing entry bans or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus fears on Monday, despite Seoul's beefed-up diplomacy to prevent inordinate measures targeting its citizens.
As of 3 p.m., 36 countries and regions plan to ban or are barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while 45 countries and regions are implementing quarantine procedures for them, according to the foreign ministry.
The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea has risen to 4,335 with 26 deaths, and the country is speeding up the testing process under an all-out campaign to stem the virus' spread.
New Zealand was added to the daily tally of the 45 countries enforcing quarantine measures against Koreans. The country now puts visitors who have traveled to South Korea or northern Italy in the past two weeks under a 14-day self-quarantine.
Maldives plans to enforce an entry ban on those from South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu, seen as a cluster of infections, and other regions, starting Tuesday. But it has decided not to bar the entry of those from Seoul, a foreign ministry official said.
In Sunday's tally, Angola was classified as a country enforcing both an entry ban and quarantine measures for visitors from Korea. But on Monday, the African country was listed only as a state imposing the entry ban.
Pointing to the recent increase in entry restrictions, a senior Seoul official has said that relatively vulnerable countries with weak heath care systems appeared to have taken preemptive containment measures.
"The countries with vulnerable quarantine capabilities are anxious as they may find it difficult to put the virus under control if it flows in, and thus there has been an increase in the number of countries that have taken preemptive measures," the official said.
"But the United States and Western Europe, except for Britain ... They have few restrictions," he added.
In China, 14 provinces and cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have enforced strong quarantine measures against travelers from South Korea or parts of the country such as Daegu that have reported a cluster of virus infections.
The U.S. has yet to impose any entry restrictions for South Koreans. But the State Department has raised its travel advisory for Daegu to the highest level, which urges its people not to travel, citing the level of community spread of the virus.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that people arriving in the U.S. "from certain designated high-risk countries or areas within those countries" will be screened both before leaving the country and when arriving.
Seoul has been beefing up diplomacy to persuade countries to not enforce entry restrictions, stressing its capacity to contain the virus.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has held a series of phone talks with her foreign counterparts or related officials to urge their countries to trust Seoul's quarantine efforts and not to take any "excessive measures."
Among her interlocutors were her Canadian and UAE counterparts, François-Philippe Champagne and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. She also talked to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on an overseas trip.
The foreign ministry is also in talks with dozens of countries, which have banned the entry of people from South Korea, to explore ways to enable businesspeople here to travel to those countries.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) Schools again delay new semester to reduce virus infections

The ministry said it will lead students to engage in home schooling over the next three weeks by offering digital @ @ @ @ @ content to them .
It will also push for the opening of online classes featuring @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from 11th para)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The government Monday instructed all kindergartens and elementary and secondary schools nationwide to again postpone the start of the spring semester, by two weeks, to protect students from the coronavirus outbreak as the number of underage patients has topped 200.
Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hae announced the second postponement of the start of the new school year in two weeks, as the nation reported 599 additional cases of COVID-19 during the day, bringing the total to 4,335, including 201 minors.
Under the unprecedented instruction, all kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools across the country will begin their new school year on March 23, three weeks later than initially planned.
An entrance door is locked at Semyung Elementary School in southern Seoul on March 2, 2020. The school had originally planned to resume the spring semester on the day but postponed its start in accordance with the government's efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
The education ministry announced a one-week delay of the start date of the spring semester on Feb. 23, when the government raised its coronavirus alert to the highest level.
"The government has concluded that safe operations of schools will be difficult due to the surge in underage patients," Yoo said in a news conference.
According to government data, the number of underage patients surged by 37 persons in less than one day to reach 201 as of 10 a.m. Monday. That figure includes 169 persons aged between 10 and 19.
The rapid spread of the virus has raised fears of local infections at schools, prompting students and parents to ask for an additional rescheduling of the school calendar.
"The next two weeks are critical to curbing the growth of the coronavirus infections. Even after a downturn, one more week is needed to ensure a safe environment for students," Yoo said.
After March 23, the new semester's beginning date will be adjusted depending on the circumstances of each region, the minister said.
The ministry explained that the period of summer and winter vacations will be adjusted to make up for the three-week reduction in school days caused by the postponements.
In Daegu, the southeastern metropolis hardest hit by the coronavirus, its educational authorities last week announced a two-week postponement of the start of the spring semester at kindergartens and elementary and secondary schools to March 23.
The education ministry also said it will ask private educational institutes nationwide to suspend operations for the time being to help minimize contacts among young students.
The ministry said it will lead students to engage in home schooling over the next three weeks by offering digital textbooks and free online educational content to them. It will also push for the opening of online classes featuring feedback and group messaging programs.
Kindergartens and elementary schools will run emergency child care services for parents facing difficulties due to the changed school calendar.
As the emergency child care services are unpopular with many parents due to their short hours and fears of virus infections among students, the ministry said it will ensure the child care services run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and push to extend the maximum yearly period of paid child care leave for salaried workers from the current 10 days to 15 days.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(2nd LD) Shincheonji founder apologizes for virus spread, vows full support

`` As the representative of Shincheonji followers , I sincerely apologize to the public , '' Lee Man-hee , founder @ @ @ @ @ Church of Jesus , Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony , said in a @ @ @ @ @ Seoul .
`` It was n't our intention , but many people were infected .
@

(ATTN: ADDS more info in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The founder of a minor religious sect at the center of a rapid increase in coronavirus cases in South Korea on Monday apologized for the spread of the disease and vowed to fully cooperate with the government efforts to combat it.
"As the representative of Shincheonji followers, I sincerely apologize to the public," Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, said in a press conference just outside of Seoul. "It wasn't our intention, but many people were infected."
He bowed down on his knees before reporters in the middle of the news conference in Gapyeong, some 60 kilometers east of Seoul, as a number of protesters shouted insults and slogans demanding Lee take responsibility.
He then reaffirmed that his group will render full "human and material support" to help combat the disease.
"We know that the health authorities have made all efforts to control the disease," the 88-year-old said. "We will do our best to support the government-led disease-control measures with all our resources."
Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church, holds a press conference in Gapyeong, east of Seoul, on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lee's statement came one day after the Seoul Metropolitan Government said it has filed a suit against Lee and other Shincheonji leaders on charges of homicide and inflicting injury.
Earlier, the municipal government of Deagu also took legal action against Shincheonji Church for hindering the government-led disease-control efforts by providing false information.
The Daegu branch of the Shincheonji church in the southeastern city has been suspected of being the epicenter of the recent spike in the number of infections.
The nation's 31st patient, a follower of the religious group in Daegu, was confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus on Feb. 18.
The 61-year-old woman reportedly visited a Daegu church four times before and after she experienced symptoms of coronavirus.
Since then, Daegu, a metropolis of 2.4 million people about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has become the biggest cluster of mass infection in the country.
The total number of coronavirus infections reached 4,212 as of Monday, with 3,801 patients from Daegu alone. In particular, 57 percent of the infected are linked to the Shincheonji church in Daegu.
The number of confirmed cases is expected to increase in the coming days as health authorities have begun testing about 310,000 members of Shincheonji.
Lee has also undergone examination and tested negative for the virus, according to the church.
At the same time, the government has been also examining the overseas travel records of all Shincheonji congregants to determine the route of the coronavirus to South Korea.
On Saturday, the Justice Ministry said around 3,600 Shincheonji members entered South Korea from China between July 1, 2019, and Feb. 27, 2020. Among them, 42 members traveled from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the origin of the COVID-19 virus, it said.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said on Monday that one of the 42 travelers left Wuhan and arrived in Korea on Jan. 8. But the member has not attended a religious service since then and was not infected with the virus, it added.
The KCDC said it is looking closely into the remaining Shincheonji followers who have visited China in recent months.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) Gov't prepares extra budget worth over 6.2 tln won over coronavirus: minister

`` Ensuring the safety of people is a top priority , but there are other factors to be considered , @ @ @ @ @ If we completely impose an entry ban on Chinese , Korean nationals might not be @ @ @ @ @ to China , '' she said .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead to reflect minister's correction; UPDATES with more info in paras 2-4)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's interior minister hastily corrected the amount of an extra budget bill under preparation over the new coronavirus to more than 6.2 trillion won (US$5.2 billion) at a parliamentary interpellation session Thursday.
Interior Minister Chin Young initially said the government is preparing a supplementary budget worth around 20 trillion won to contain the fast spread of COVID-19 amid a surge in infections to more than 4,000.
The government plans to submit the supplementary budget bill to the National Assembly on Thursday as it struggles to curb the rapid spread of the virus that emerged in China.
Chin told lawmakers he confused it with the government's 20 trillion won in comprehensive measures to support people's livelihoods as it seeks to cushion economic fallout from the virus outbreak.
The finance ministry, headed by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, is the main government organization drawing up the extra budget bill.
Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young (L) speaks at a parliamentary interpellation session over the new coronavirus on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, ruling party and government officials said that the proposed budget will be larger than 6.2 trillion won, the amount of fiscal spending allocated for the government's 2015 extra budget to cope with the MERS outbreak.
In 2015, South Korea drew up an extra budget totaling 11.6 trillion won.
The 20 trillion won mentioned by Chin appears to be the total amount of the extra budget under preparation. The government's 2020 budget is already a record 512.5 trillion won.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, meanwhile, said the government's current special immigration process for travelers coming from China is "working well," rejecting calls to ban all Chinese from entering South Korea.
Since Feb. 4, South Korea has imposed an entry ban on foreigners who visited or traveled through the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, in the past 14 days. It is also implementing stricter screening processes at an airport for all passengers coming from China.
Critics called for an expansion of the entry ban to all Chinese to better contain the risk of infections.
"Ensuring the safety of people is a top priority, but there are other factors to be considered," Kang said. "If we completely impose an entry ban on Chinese, Korean nationals might not be able to make necessary travel to China," she said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers questions from a ruling party lawmaker at a parliamentary interpellation session over the new coronavirus on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 123 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 4,335

(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--2020-03-02--S. Korean special envoy attends inauguration ceremony for Uruguay's new president

The Uruguayan president expressed appreciation to Park and his delegation , saying that he would do his best to further @ @ @ @ @ the two countries during his term .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean special presidential envoy has attended the inauguration ceremony for Uruguay's new President Luis Lacalle Pou in Montevideo, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
On Sunday, Park Myung-kwang, a former lawmaker and current head of the nongovernmental organization Global Civic Sharing, joined the event and delivered President Moon Jae-in's personal letter hoping for expanded "practical" bilateral cooperation in various sectors, the ministry said.
The Uruguayan president expressed appreciation to Park and his delegation, saying that he would do his best to further deepen and develop relations between the two countries during his term.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by some 100 people, including top officials from Brazil, Paraguay, Chile and Colombia.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap 3-day losing streak on Fed chief's comments; foreigners' sell-off continues

SEOUL , March 2 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks snapped a three-day losing streak to advance 0.78 percent @ @ @ @ @ the hint of a possible rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve to soothe virus @ @ @ @ @ global stock market .
The Korean won rose sharply against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: UPDATES with analyst's comments on North Korea's missile launches; production resumption at Hyundai plant and Jeju Air's acquisition deal in paras 7-8
12-14; ADDS photo; bond yields at bottom)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks snapped a three-day losing streak to advance 0.78 percent on Monday, helped by the hint of a possible rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve to soothe virus angst that has jolted the global stock market. The Korean won rose sharply against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 15.50 points, or 0.78 percent, to 2,002.51. The main index plunged 12 percent in the past week amid worsening virus woes.
This photo shows the trading room of Hana Bank in downtown Seoul on March 2, 2020. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 15.50 points, or 0.78 percent, to clost at 2,002.51.(Yonhap)
South Korea has reported a total of 4,212 confirmed coronavirus cases, with the death toll reaching 26, as of Monday.
Investors appear to be taking a positive cue from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's comments on Friday that the central bank is open to a rate cut if necessary, as concerns over COVID-19 continue to escalate, analysts said.
Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said that Powell's statement gave a boost to the main index.
Still, foreign investors sold a net 785.4 billion won (US$657.6 million) worth of local stocks. Meanwhile, individuals and institutions scooped up a combined 731.1 billion won.
Noh said North Korea's latest launches of what appear to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea appeared to have had no impact on the main index.
The projectiles were fired from areas near its eastern coastal city of Wonsan towards the northeast at 12:37 p.m. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that both flew around 240 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of around 35 km.
Large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics rose 1.48 percent to 55,000 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix jumped 4.78 percent to 92,100 won.
Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor fell 1.30 percent to 113,500 won, and South Korea's No. 1 steelmaker POSCO slipped 2.05 percent to 191.500 won.
Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, restarted its No. 2 plant in southeastern port city of Ulsan on Monday after shutting down the facility for three days.
The company reported on Friday that an employee had contracted the virus and had to close the plant, which produces sport utility vehicles, including the Palisade and the GV80.
Jeju Air shares fell 0.8 percent to 19,950 won on financial expenditures for its 54.5 billion won acquisition of smaller rival Eastar Jet.
The local currency closed at 1,193.70 won against the U.S. dollar, sharply up 20.00 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 2.4 basis points to 1.128 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond gained 3.1 basis points to 1.211 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--Kia's February sales fall 5 pct on reduced output

The maker of the K5 sedan and the Sorento sport utility vehicle has eight domestic plants -- two in Gwangmyeong @ @ @ @ @ three in Gwangju -- and seven overseas ones -- three in China and one each @ @ @ @ @ , Mexico and India .
Their overall capacity is 3.84 million units .

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, said Monday its sales fell 5 percent last month from a year earlier due to supply disruptions caused by the new coronavirus outbreak.
Kia sold 187,844 vehicles in February, down from 197,656 units a year ago, the company said in a statement.
Domestic sales plunged 14 percent on-year to 28,681 units last month from 33,222. Overseas sales were down 3.2 percent to 159,163 autos from 164,434 during the same period, it said.
Kia suspended its plants on Feb. 10 as suppliers in China suspended production during an extended Lunar New Year holiday from Jan. 24 to Feb. 9. Its plants were affected for a week through Feb. 21 due to lack of parts from China.
The maker of the K5 sedan and the Sorento sport utility vehicle has eight domestic plants -- two in Gwangmyeong, three in Hwaseong and three in Gwangju -- and seven overseas ones -- three in China and one each in the U.S., Slovakia, Mexico and India. Their overall capacity is 3.84 million units.
This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2020, shows Kia Motors employees going to work at its plant in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, amid the spreading coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Jeong Kyeong-doo made the remark in a congratulatory message for a commissioning ceremony of Reserve Officers ' Training Corps , @ @ @ @ @ what are believed to be short-range ballistic missiles in the first such launches since Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ strategic weapon '' at the beginning of the year .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
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(4th LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 4,200, school breaks extended nationwide
SEOUL -- South Korea's confirmed cases of the new coronavirus continued to spike on Monday, and school breaks were extended nationwide until March 22, as the nation provides an "all-out response" to the fast-spreading virus that includes a massive testing program.
The country reported 476 new cases of the coronavirus as of midnight, bringing the total number of infections here to 4,212, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
-----------------
(4th LD) N. Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS
SEOUL -- North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, the first such launches since it warned of "a new strategic weapon" early this year.
The projectiles were fired from areas near its eastern coastal city of Wonsan towards the northeast at 12:37 p.m. within a 20-second interval, the JCS said, adding that both flew around 240 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of around 35 km.
-----------------
Defense chief says N.K. striving for weapons development amid little progress in dialogue
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is concentrating on its weapons development while remaining unresponsive to offers for talks, South Korea's defense chief said Monday, as the North flexed its military muscles with two projectile launches for the first time in three months.
Jeong Kyeong-doo made the remark in a congratulatory message for a commissioning ceremony of Reserve Officers' Training Corps, which came as Pyongyang launched what are believed to be short-range ballistic missiles in the first such launches since Pyongyang warned of a "new strategic weapon" at the beginning of the year.
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Hyundai's Feb. sales fall 13 pct on reduced output
SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, said Monday its sales dropped 13 percent last month from a year earlier partly due to a shortage of parts caused by the outbreak of the new coronavirus, which limited its output.
The company sold 275,044 vehicles in February, down from 315,820 units a year earlier, it said in a statement.
-----------------
(LEAD) 81 countries, regions restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears
SEOUL -- A total of 81 countries and regions are imposing entry bans or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus fears on Monday, despite Seoul's beefed-up diplomacy to prevent inordinate measures targeting its citizens.
As of 3 p.m., 36 countries and regions plan to ban or are barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while 45 countries and regions are implementing quarantine procedures for them, according to the foreign ministry.
-----------------
'Drive-through' testing centers expand across S. Korea
SEOUL -- More "drive-through" facilities to test for the novel coronavirus were set up across South Korea on Monday as the country's health authorities strive to provide easier and quicker ways to test the virus and contain its further spread.
The country reported 476 new cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, bringing the total number of infections here to 4,212, the largest outbreak outside of China. So far, 24 people, mostly ones who were elderly or had underlying illnesses, have died.
-----------------
(LEAD) Jeju Air signs $45 mln deal to acquire Eastar Jet
SEOUL -- Jeju Air Co., South Korea's largest low-cost carrier, said Monday it has signed a deal to acquire Eastar Jet for 54.5 billion won (US$45 million) as part of its expansion strategy.
Jeju Air was originally planning to sign a share purchase agreement with Eastar Holdings by December to acquire a controlling 51.17 percent stake in the carrier for 69.5 billion.
-----------------
GM Korea's Feb. sales fall 14 pct on lower demand
SEOUL -- GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., said Monday its sales fell 14 percent last month from a year earlier on lower demand for its models.
GM Korea sold 28,126 vehicles in February, down from 32,718 units the previous year, the company said in a statement.
-----------------
(News Focus) BTS cements presence in world music scene with 4th Billboard win
SEOUL -- Topping the key American and British music charts with record-breaking first-week sales figures this week, K-pop phenomenon BTS is changing the global music landscape as arguably the most influential cross-border musical act in decades.
According to Billboard, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," debuted atop the Billboard 200 album chart dated March 7, scoring yet another No. 1 on the album chart following its three previous victories.
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Moon inspects military hospital treating COVID-19 patients
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in on Monday visited a major South Korean military hospital offering medical services to soldiers and civilians infected with the new coronavirus, as the country has begun to mobilize military resources in earnest to fight the novel coronavirus.
He also met with a group of new graduates from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy who are set to be dispatched to Daegu, the epicenter of the fast spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country.
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(LEAD) Suspended men's basketball season to resume after 4 weeks
SEOUL -- The South Korean men's professional basketball league announced Monday that its regular season, halted since the weekend due to the new coronavirus, will resume at the end of this month.
Following its emergency board meeting, the Korean Basketball League (KBL) said its 10 teams will be back in action starting March 29.
-----------------
Samsung breaks ground for $220 mln R&D center in Vietnam
HANOI -- South Korea's top tech firm Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it has started building a research and development (R&D) center in Vietnam.
Samsung, the world's No. 1 smartphone maker, said it will invest US$220 million to complete the R&D center in Hanoi by the end of 2022.
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) Military vows to mobilize maximum possible resources to support anti-virus battle

Of them , 75 nurses are new graduates from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy .
Academy graduates are supposed @ @ @ @ @ training before carrying out missions , but the training will be put off this time @ @ @ @ @ ceremony will take place on Tuesday , about a week ahead of schedule , it @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES 2nd para with latest figures; ADDS more details in paras 4-6, photo)
By Oh seok-min
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry pledged Monday to mobilize as many military medical staff and other personnel as possible to support the government's all-out battle against the new coronavirus, while striving further to stop the virus spreading further into the barracks.
Currently, 327 military doctors and nurses and 1,060 service members and other officials have been mobilized to help with civilian anti-virus efforts, as COVID-19 infections have rapidly risen to 4,212 cases and 26 deaths Monday.
The ministry plans to postpone a four-week military training program for public health doctors so as to put about 750 doctors into service. Public health doctors carry out their service as a substitute for mandatory military service.
The ministry will also send more than 110 military doctors and nurses to a military hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu to have it ready to accept civilian patients, with 303 beds, starting Thursday, the ministry said.
Of them, 75 nurses are new graduates from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy. Academy graduates are supposed to receive three weeks of training before carrying out missions, but the training will be put off this time and this year's graduation ceremony will take place on Tuesday, about a week ahead of schedule, it added.
The authorities have been struggling to secure medical facilities and personnel, particularly in Daegu and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, where nearly 90 percent of the total infections have been reported. Some of the patients have died at their residences while being in self-quarantine waiting to be hospitalized.
Students of the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy receive training in the central city of Daejeon on March 2, 2020, before being dispatched to a military hospital in Daegu, the epicenter of the fast spread of COVID-19 virus in South Korea, this week. (Yonhap)
About 600 additional personnel will also be assigned to help local governments with anti-virus operations. Their focus has been and will be on Daegu and North Gyeongsang, according to the ministry.
"We have been preparing to mobilize the maximum possible number of military resources as long as it does not cause any medical vacuum in the military," Lee Nam-woo, chief of the ministry's personnel welfare office, said.
The military authorities have also been active to prevent the virus from spreading further into the barracks, according to the ministry.
So far, 28 military-related individuals -- 25 active-duty service members and three civilian workers for the military -- have tested positive. Sixteen are in the Army, 10 in the Air Force and one each in the Navy and the Marine Corps.
Around 9,790 service members are quarantined at their bases. Of them, around 910 have either shown symptoms or had direct contact with infected patients, while the remainder recently visited Daegu, North Gyeongsang or virus-hit foreign countries such as China, Hong Kong, Macao and Japan.
Soldiers are on a military truck to help distribute masks to the public on March 1, 2020, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. They were among dozens of service members mobilized to help produce and deliver masks to the public as the country faced mask supply problems. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--Gov't prepares extra budget worth 20 tln won over coronavirus: minister

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government is preparing an extra budget bill worth around 20 trillion won (US$16.7 billion) to fight against the new coronavirus, the interior minister said Monday.
The government plans to submit a supplementary budget bill to the National Assembly on Thursday as it struggles to contain the fast spread of COVID-19 amid a surge in infections.
When asked by an opposition lawmaker about the size of the proposed budget, Interior Minister Chin Young told a parliamentary interpellation session that it would be some "20 trillion won."
"In the process of a parliamentary review, in-depth discussions with the economy-related ministry appears to be needed," Chin said.
The finance ministry, headed by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, is the main government organization drawing up the extra budget bill.
Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young (L) speaks at a parliamentary interpellation session over the new coronavirus on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, ruling party and government officials said that the proposed budget will be larger than 6.2 trillion won, the amount of fiscal spending allocated for the government's 2015 extra budget to cope with the MERS outbreak.
In 2015, South Korea drew up an extra budget totaling 11.6 trillion won.
The 20 trillion won mentioned by Chin appears to be the total amount of the extra budget under preparation. The government's 2020 budget is already a record 512.5 trillion won.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, meanwhile, said the government's current special immigration process for travelers coming from China is "working well," rejecting calls to ban all Chinese from entering South Korea.
Since Feb. 4, South Korea has imposed an entry ban on foreigners who visited or traveled through the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, in the past 14 days. It is also implementing stricter screening processes at an airport for all passengers coming from China.
Critics called for an expansion of the entry ban to all Chinese to better contain the risk of infections.
"Ensuring the safety of people is a top priority, but there are other factors to be considered," Kang said. "If we completely impose an entry ban on Chinese, Korean nationals might not be able to make necessary travel to China," she said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers questions from a ruling party lawmaker at a parliamentary interpellation session over the new coronavirus on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-02--(LEAD) Moon inspects military hospital treating COVID-19 patients

The government has designated the military hospital in Daejeon , 160km south of Seoul , as an institution specializing in @ @ @ @ @ .
The facilities , operated under the wing of the Armed Forces Medical Command , @ @ @ @ @ expanding the number of beds to 303 from the current 98 to treat more people @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with Moon's remarks from 6th para; CHANGES photos, byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Monday visited a major South Korean military hospital offering medical services to soldiers and civilians infected with the new coronavirus, as the country has begun to mobilize military resources in earnest to fight the novel coronavirus.
He also met with a group of new graduates from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy who are set to be dispatched to Daegu, the epicenter of the fast spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country.
Thousands of confirmed cases have been reported in the city of 2.4 million residents, 300 kilometers south of Seoul, and in nearby North Gyeongang Province. Most of the cases are apparently linked to a minor religious group, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, whose members attended large, crowded services at a Daegu branch last month.
The government has designated the military hospital in Daejeon, 160km south of Seoul, as an institution specializing in responding to the infectious disease. The facilities, operated under the wing of the Armed Forces Medical Command, are in the process of expanding the number of beds to 303 from the current 98 to treat more people infected with the virus.
President Moon Jae-in (R) receives a briefing from officials at a military hospital in Daejeon on their response to COVID-19 during his visit to the facilities in the city 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon received a briefing on its operation and preparations to accommodate patients from Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
"(South Korea) is making its all-out response to COVID-19 at the national level and our military is also assuming a big role," the president said. More than 1,400 military medical service members, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total, have been deployed to quarantine and medical service sites, he pointed out.
He instructed them to continue doing their best. "Protecting the health and safety of the people is the military's mission," he said.
Moon then visited the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy in Daejeon, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to do so.
Seventy-five new nurse officers will be sent to Daegu soon for their first mission after graduating from the academy.
President Moon Jae-in (R) returns a salute to new nurse officers at the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Speaking to the entry-level officers, Moon said he "feels sorry" about assigning "such a tough task" to them.
"But I know that each of you has already completed more than 1,000 hours of practice. I expect you to play an ample, excellent role," he added. "I won't forget your devotion. I will surely remember it."
The president earlier ordered his administration to mobilize all available state resources to help contain the virus.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--N. Korea boasts super-large rocket launcher with shorter firing interval in latest test: experts

The time gap between two launches was 20 seconds in the latest test , compared to 17 minutes in the @ @ @ @ @ in the second test , three minutes in the third test and 30 seconds in @ @ @ @ @ to the JCS .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is believed to have tested a super-large multiple rocket launcher in this week's projectile launches after reducing firing intervals for operational deployment, experts said Tuesday.
On Monday, the communist country fired two projectiles in quick succession from its eastern coastal city of Wonsan into the East Sea. They flew around 240 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of around 35 km, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
It was the first such test by the North since Nov. 28, when it launched two missiles from what is presumed to be a super-large multiple rocket launcher.
The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday that leader Kim Jong-un attended a long-range artillery strike drill but did not provide specifics, such as the specific type of the weapon involved.
But photos released show the projectiles were the same as what it fired on Nov. 28, according to experts.
If confirmed, it is the fifth test of the system, as the North also previously included this type of weapon in its tests on Aug. 24, Sept. 10 and Oct. 31.
A projectile is launched during a long-range artillery drill by the North Korean army's long-range artillery sub-units on March 2, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the drill. The report came one day after South Korea said the North fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
The super-large launcher is believed to be a 600-millimeter caliber one and employs a transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicle.
Experts noted that the firing intervals have been reduced through the launches.
The time gap between two launches was 20 seconds in the latest test, compared to 17 minutes in the initial test, 19 minutes in the second test, three minutes in the third test and 30 seconds in the fourth one, according to the JCS.
"The latest test is to verify its continuous-fire system of the launcher," Shin Jong-woo, a senior analyst at the Korea Defense Security Forum in Seoul, said.
"The shorter interval, now 20 seconds, means that North Korea secures enhanced capabilities in launching surprise attacks, and that is what Kim Jong-un has called for," he added.
The super-large multiple rocket launcher is believed to have a maximum range of around 400 km, which puts most parts of South Korea in its reach.
During the October launches, the North flew the missiles from its western region, which was also deemed successful.
"Now that it also proved the successive firing system twice, North Korea could be seen as almost ready for its operational deployment," professor Kim Dong-yup of Kyungnam University's Far East Institute forecast.
Noting that the artillery pieces demonstrated "accurate marksmanship," KCNA reported that leader Kim "expressed great satisfaction" that the country's troops are "prepared to make rapid reaction to any circumstances and perfectly carry out their firepower combat duties."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (front) watches a firepower strike drill by the North Korean army's long-range artillery sub-units on March 2, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. The report came one day after South Korea said the North fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--(2nd LD) Korea's Q4 economic expansion faster than expected, annual growth unchanged

`` On the expenditure side , while the growth of government consumption continued and the contraction of construction investment moderated @ @ @ @ @ and private consumption slowed and facilities investment declined by a larger amount compared to the @ @ @ @ @ BOK said in a press release .

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from a BOK official in paras 13-17)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy grew slightly faster than expected in the fourth quarter of 2019, although this had no effect on the overall economic expansion for last year, central bank data showed Tuesday.
Asia's fourth-largest economy grew 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter from three months earlier, 0.1 percentage point higher than earlier expected, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The country's annual growth, however, remained unchanged at 2 percent.
This undated file photo shows containers carrying export goods in the southeastern city of Busan, South Korea's largest seaport. (Yonhap)
The annual growth was the slowest in a decade, caused largely by a lengthy trade dispute between the United States and China, the world's largest importers of South Korean goods.
South Korea posted an on-year drop in exports each and every month last year.
"On the expenditure side, while the growth of government consumption continued and the contraction of construction investment moderated, the growth of exports and private consumption slowed and facilities investment declined by a larger amount compared to the previous year," the BOK said in a press release.
In 2019, gross domestic product (GDP) by the construction industry dipped 3.0 percent from a year earlier while GDP by the manufacturing sector added only 1.4 percent over the cited period.
Government consumption jumped 6.5 percent on-year, while private spending gained 1.9 percent.
Meanwhile, the BOK said the country's gross national income (GNI) increased 0.3 percent in 2019 from a year earlier, the slowest growth since 1998, when its GNI plunged 7.7 percent on-year in the midst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
"Real GNI rose by 0.3 percent as the terms of trade worsened due to factors such as a decrease in semiconductor prices, although real gross domestic product and real net factor income from the rest of the world increased," said the press release.
In terms of U.S. dollar value, however, the country's per capita income came to US$32,047, down 4.1 percent, or $5,309, from a year earlier.
The central bank largely blamed the strengthening of the U.S. greenback, which traded at an average 1,165.7 won per dollar last year, sharply up 5.9 percent from 1,100.3 won per dollar in 2018.
A BOK official said the virus outbreak may not have a lasting impact on the country's economy if contained in the near future.
"I believe it may have an effect (on growth) should the virus spread globally and become a global shock," said Park Seong-bin, an official from the BOK's economic statistics department.
"But I believe it will not have any great impact should the outbreak end up being a one-time shock as hoped," he told a press briefing.
The South Korean economy was earlier projected to grow 2.3 percent this year, but the BOK has revised down its growth outlook to 2.1 percent, citing the crippling effects of the new coronavirus outbreak.
Still, the BOK kept its 2021 growth outlook unchanged at 2.4 percent in its latest projection published last week.
South Korea had reported 4,335 confirmed infection cases with 28 deaths as of Monday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--Asian football body on verge of postponing World Cup qualifiers due to coronavirus

South Korea have played four of eight matches and are in second place with eight points from two wins and @ @ @ @ @ who have played one more match than South Korea , are in first place thanks @ @ @ @ @ losses for nine points .

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- The Asian football governing body has inched closer to postponing World Cup qualifying matches following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Tuesday it has had preliminary discussions with some East Zone member associations regarding fixtures for the 2022 FIFA World Cup regional qualifiers. The East Zone nations include South Korea, China, Japan and Australia.
In this file photo from Nov. 14, 2019, South Korean players stand for their national anthem before facing Lebanon in the teams' Group H match in the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut. (Yonhap)
The AFC added that it will meet with West Zone nations -- those in Central Asia and the Middle East -- and FIFA this week before reaching its final decision on scheduling changes.
Asian World Cup hopefuls are currently in the second round of the qualification, which is scheduled to resume on March 26. As it stands, teams are to play again on March 31, and the second round is supposed to conclude with matches on June 4 and June 9.
But with the coronavirus having originated in China and struck other Asian countries like South Korea and Iran hard, the AFC noted, "a growing number of national teams are unable either to stage matches or to travel to venues."
There are 40 nations divided into eight groups of five in the second round. South Korea, seeking their 10th consecutive World Cup appearance, are in Group H with Turkmenistan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and North Korea.
South Korea have played four of eight matches and are in second place with eight points from two wins and two draws. Turkmenistan, who have played one more match than South Korea, are in first place thanks to three wins and two losses for nine points.
South Korea are scheduled to host Turkmenistan on March 26 and travel to Sri Lanka five days later.
From the second round, the eight group winners and the four-best runners-up will advance to the third round.
In this file photo from Oct. 10, 2019, Son Heung-min of South Korea takes a penalty against Sri Lanka in the teams' Group H match in the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--Virus fatalities mostly elderly patients with underlying diseases

Some 599 new cases of COVID-19 brought the nation 's total number of infections here to 4,335 , with 28 @ @ @ @ @ Monday , according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) @ @ @ @ @ reported in the southeastern city of Daegu , the epicenter of virus outbreak here .

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- Most victims of the novel coronavirus quickly spreading across South Korea were elderly people with preexisting health issues and special care is necessary to reduce further virus-related fatalities, health authorities here said Tuesday.
Some 599 new cases of COVID-19 brought the nation's total number of infections here to 4,335, with 28 deaths, as of late Monday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Six additional deaths were reported in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of virus outbreak here.
The additional deaths reported on Monday were all of people in their age 60's to 80's or of those with preexisting illnesses.
Four deaths occurred during treatment at hospitals in Daegu or surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, officials said. Further investigation is under way into the country's 27th and 28th deaths.
Soldiers disinfect the ground outside City Hall in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in South Korea, on March 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
KCDC data showed that the mortality rate of virus patients aged 80 or more was 3.7 percent, compared with an average mortality rate of 0.5 percent.
"Those at most risk are people older than 65 years old with preexisting diseases and the mortality rate for them is exceptionally high," KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong told reporters.
The KCDC said the underlying diseases in 22 cases included cancer, kidney failure and diabetes, and most of the deceased suffered from at least one preexisting disease, sometimes two.
The country's third COVID-19-related death -- of a man in his 40s in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province -- was the only one involving no underlying health issues, according to the agency.
The KCDC said more than 80 percent of coronavirus cases are not severe and can be fully cured.
To minimize deaths from the virus, the KCDC revised guidelines to allow critically ill patients to be swiftly treated in so-called negative-pressure rooms at hospitals starting Monday.
Thus far, virus patients with mild or moderate symptoms had also been allowed to receive treatment at such facilities, which are designed to prevent infectious diseases from spreading within hospitals.
Patients with mild or moderate symptoms will be admitted to state-run isolation facilities, according to the KCDC.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--Seoul shares open higher on Wall Street gains

SEOUL , March 3 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares opened sharply higher Tuesday , tracking overnight gains on @ @ @ @ @ rate cuts in the United States and other countries to mitigate the economic fallout from @ @ @ @

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened sharply higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street over expectations of rate cuts in the United States and other countries to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 42.70 points, or 2.13 percent, to 2,045.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The main index tracked overnight gains on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 5.09 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index climbed 4.49 percent.
Huh Jae-hwan, a strategist at Eugene Investment Co., said expectations of rates cuts by central banks around the world gave a boost to the South Korean main index.
South Korea has reported more than 4,600 confirmed coronavirus cases, while the death toll reached 28 on Monday.
Most large-cap stocks rose across the board.
Top market cap Samsung Electronics rose 2.91 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix was up 2.61 percent.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics gained 2.14 percent, and South Korea's largest carmaker Hyundai Motor rose 1.76 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,188.50 won against the U.S. dollar, up 5.20 won from the previous session's close.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--Surviving victims of sexual slavery by Japan reduced to 18

The woman , identified only as Lee , died Monday at the age of 92 at her home in Daegu @ @ @ @ @ of Seoul , according to the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues @ @ @ @ @ Japan .

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean woman forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II died this week, a civic group said Tuesday, bringing down the number of surviving victims to 18.
The woman, identified only as Lee, died Monday at the age of 92 at her home in Daegu, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan.
Lee was born in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1928 before being taken to China and forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops at the age of 17. Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45.
This undated file photo shows the Statue of Peace in central Seoul that depicts a young victim of sexual slavery by Japan. (Yonhap)
She had lived in China after Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule in 1945 and returned home in the 2000s after recovering her nationality, the council said.
Her funeral will be held privately according to the will of her bereaved family, it added.
Lee's death brought the number of registered surviving victims, euphemistically called comfort women, to 18.
It is the second such death this year after a former comfort woman died in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in January.
Historians say that around 200,000 Asian women, mostly Koreans, were forcibly sent to front-line brothels to provide sex services for Japanese soldiers.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-03--Banks' personal credit loan gains unusually large in Feb.

According to the data , the five banks ' outstanding mortgage loans totaled 439.6 trillion won as of the end @ @ @ @ @ billion won from a month earlier .
It marks the first time since January 2018 @ @ @ @ @ mortgage loans has hovered below the 1 trillion won mark .
( END )

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- Major South Korean banks saw their personal unsecured loans grow by an unusually large amount in February amid tighter mortgage rules, data showed Tuesday.
Outstanding personal credit loans extended by the five major lenders -- KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and NH Nonghyup -- came to 110.9 trillion won (US$93 billion) as of end-February.
It represents an increase of around 1.2 trillion won from the previous month, which analysts say is an unusually large sum for the early months of the year. The figure also contrasts with a decline of about 225 billon won in January.
Bank credit loans tend to drop or inch up during the first two months of the year as household finances are relatively good thanks to bonuses and other factors.
Last year, the five lenders' unsecured loans for individuals shrank by some 1.1 trillion won in January and grew by only 8.7 billion won in February.
Last month's unusually large increase was attributed to tougher regulations on home-backed loans, which forced households to resort to credit loans to finance "jeonse" deposits.
Jeonse is a home rental arrangement unique to South Korea in which tenants pay a large sum of money as a deposit instead of paying monthly fees.
South Korean financial authorities have tightened mortgage rules in a move to plug any possible loopholes in its efforts to stabilize home prices.
According to the data, the five banks' outstanding mortgage loans totaled 439.6 trillion won as of the end of February, up 956 billion won from a month earlier. It marks the first time since January 2018 that the monthly increase of mortgage loans has hovered below the 1 trillion won mark.
(END)