Yonhap News Summary

`` I regularly jot down memos and ideas ( for music ) , as I 've always had an interest @ @ @ @ @ .
It was my first time participating in an album ( production ) , '' @ @ @ @ @ a media showcase for the new record held at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern @ @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
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(LEAD) USFK commander pays tribute to late war hero Paik
SEOUL -- U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams visited the funeral home for late Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup on Monday, saying he is deeply grateful for Paik's service.
Abrams visited the funeral altar set up at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, together with South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, in a demonstration of the alliance between the two countries.
Abrams and Park each placed a flower before the altar and saluted Paik's portrait.
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GFriend turns more personal, creative in ninth EP 'Song of the Sirens'
SEOUL -- K-pop girl group GFriend made a comeback on Monday with its ninth EP album "Song of the Sirens," with the members becoming more involved in the process of producing an album than ever before.
"I regularly jot down memos and ideas (for music), as I've always had an interest in writing lyrics and songs. It was my first time participating in an album (production)," GFriend singer Umji said during a media showcase for the new record held at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul.
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Table tennis worlds in S. Korea moved to Feb. 2021
SEOUL -- The world's top table tennis tournament set to take place in South Korea this year has been postponed to February 2021, due to lingering concerns over the novel coronavirus.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced Monday that the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will run from Feb. 28 to March 7 next year.
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Main opposition ups pressure to get to bottom of alleged sex abuse by late Seoul mayor
SEOUL -- On the funeral day of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday, the main opposition party launched what is likely to become an all-out campaign to press for a probe into allegations that the deceased sexually harassed his former secretary.
The pressure by the United Future Party (UFP) highlights deepening political division over the death of the late Seoul mayor.
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(4th LD) New virus cases rebound to above 60; imported cases at 4-month high
SEOUL -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back to above 60 on Monday as imported cases increased by the largest number in nearly four months amid rises in cluster infections in major cities.
The country added 62 cases, including 19 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,479, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
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11 American soldiers newly assigned to S. Korea test positive for new coronavirus
SEOUL -- Eleven more American service members newly assigned to South Korea have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the U.S. military said Monday, amid rising concerns about increases in imported cases.
The announcement came after U.S. Forces Korea reported nine new virus cases on Friday, many of them in newly assigned service members. On Monday, South Korea reported 62 new infections and 43 of them came from overseas, the highest imported cases in 110 days.
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Doosan Group's push to sell assets on roll
SEOUL -- South Korea's cash-squeezed Doosan Group's efforts to repay its debts have been on a roll, with its target to repay its debts worth 1 trillion won (US$800 million) by the end of the year appearing to be attainable.
The group, however, has confirmed only two deals to sell its affiliate Doosan Solus Co. and a golf course, but it has kept mum on other reports on its asset sales.
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Naver, other 'untact' stocks' market value tops 100 tln won
SEOUL -- A combined market value of Naver Corp., South Korea's top internet portal operator, and other so-called 'untact' stocks, such as Kakao Corp., have seen their combined market cap surpass the 100-trillion won (US$83.27 billion) mark for the first time amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The market capitalization of the three companies, including Kakao, the operator of the country's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, and leading game developer NCSOFT Corp., came to 100.7 trillion won as of Monday, roughly doubling from the value in late 2019.
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Ex-secretary calls for probe into sexual abuse allegations involving late mayor
SEOUL -- Civic groups representing a former secretary who raised sexual harassment allegations against Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon called for a probe into the potential MeToo case on Monday.
In a press conference, officials at Korea Women's Hot Line and Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center called for authorities to launch a "proper probe" into the case in which the "victim mustered up courage hoping that the case would be justly resolved."
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White House mourns passing of Korean War hero Paik
SEOUL -- The White House has mourned the passing of Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup, highlighting his contributions to defending South Korea against the communist invasion in the thick of the Cold War.
Paik, the country's first four-star general credited with leading key battles during the 1950-53 conflict, died Friday at age 99.
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New dramas focus on breakup of conventional families
SEOUL -- Family TV series usually revolve around how the family as a whole reacts to relationship challenges like divorce and adoption, or present conventionally fundamental values, such as love and happiness.
In recent days, however, the eased influence of the traditional family structure and newly emerging family issues of "graduation from marriage" and marriages of sexual minorities have penetrated into the small screen in South Korea and resonated with audiences.
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) USFK commander pays tribute to late war hero Paik

John Tilelli , who headed USFK from 1996 to 1999 , said Paik was a `` soldier 's soldier '' @ @ @ @ @ difficult to put into words the great loss of someone who has meant so much @ @ @ @ @ served in The Republic of Korea and to me personally . ''

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd photo, more comments from ex-USFK commanders in paras 11-12)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams visited the funeral home for late Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup on Monday, saying he is deeply grateful for Paik's service.
Abrams visited the funeral altar set up at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, together with South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, in a demonstration of the alliance between the two countries.
Abrams and Park each placed a flower before the altar and saluted Paik's portrait.
"We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Gen. Paik Sun-yup," Abrams said in a guestbook message.
Abrams told members of Paik's family that the late general "was at the heart and soul of the ROK-U.S. alliance and we are deeply grateful for his service."
JCS Chairman Park also expressed condolences.
"Carrying on the general's strict military spirit and dedication to the country and the military, we will maintain a watertight military readiness posture and do our best to fulfill our mission to protect the country and the people," Park told reporters at the mortuary.
Gen. Park Han-ki (L), chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, and United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams salute at the mortuary of the country's most renowned Korean War hero, Paik Sun-yup, at Asan Medical Center in Seoul on July 13, 2020. Paik, South Korea's first four-star general, died on July 10 at age 99. (Yonhap)
Paik, South Korea's first four-star general and most renowned war hero, died Friday at age 99. He is credited for bravely leading key battles during the 1950-53 war and contributing greatly to the modernization of South Korea's armed forces.
Former USFK commanders also offered their condolences over Paik's death.
"The passing of General and Ambassador Paik Sun-yup marks the closing of the first 70 years of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, while his life and contributions to the Alliance serve as a great role model for the future of this close and invaluable relationship," Walter Sharp, who commanded the USFK from 2008 to 2011, said.
John Tilelli, who headed USFK from 1996 to 1999, said Paik was a "soldier's soldier" and that it is "difficult to put into words the great loss of someone who has meant so much to all of us who served in The Republic of Korea and to me personally."
"He will be greatly missed and has left a legacy not only for the Korean People but for the United States Military," James Thurman, USFK commander from 2011 to 2013, said.
Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in the central city of Daejeon on Wednesday.
United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams visits the mortuary of the country's most renowned Korean War hero, Paik Sun-yup, to pay tribute at Asan Medical Center in Seoul on July 13, 2020. Paik, South Korea's first four-star general, died on July 10 at age 99. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--GFriend turns more personal, creative in ninth EP 'Song of the Sirens'

`` It was both amazing and an honor after my melodies and words were included in our music from the @ @ @ @ @ producers led by Bang .
I did my best to come up with words and @ @ @ @ @ said .

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl group GFriend made a comeback on Monday with its ninth EP album "Song of the Sirens," with the members becoming more involved in the process of producing an album than ever before.
"I regularly jot down memos and ideas (for music), as I've always had an interest in writing lyrics and songs. It was my first time participating in an album (production)," GFriend singer Umji said during a media showcase for the new record held at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul.
"It was a good opportunity, so I tried to do my best. There were some ideas that were chosen and others that weren't. I learned a lot from the process."
The media event was streamed live on a closed YouTube channel. The album was set to be released at 6 p.m.
"Song of the Sirens" marks GFriend's first release in five months after its EP "Labyrinth" from February. The six-track album, fronted by moody dance number "Apple," is the group's second release after its agency, Source Music, was acquired by Big Hit Entertainment, the company behind K-pop giant BTS.
K-pop girl group GFriend performs on stage during a media showcase for the band's new EP album "Song of the Sirens" at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
GFriend member Eunha, credited as a co-songwriter for the album's "Apple" and "Tarot Cards," said she was honored to work with Bang Si-hyuk, music producer and founder of Big Hit Entertainment.
Bang, nicknamed Hitman, along with other leading industry producers, such as Frants and Pdogg, participated in the album's production.
"It was both amazing and an honor after my melodies and words were included in our music from the help of the group of producers led by Bang. I did my best to come up with words and music," the singer said.
Two songs from the album -- "Snow Time" and "Northern Stairs" -- were based on personal experiences from members Yuju and SinB, respectively.
"'Snow Time' was inspired from a diary entry I wrote three to four years ago," Yuju explained. According to Yuju, the song was inspired by the intense pressure she went through during the peak of the group's album promotion cycle in the past.
"It was conceived at a time when even the ocean, where we went for a TV shooting session, looked like a practice studio to me," the singer said.
SinB said she came up with the lyric ideas for "Northern Stairs" while discussing the band's career trajectory with members and staff at Source Music.
K-pop girl group GFriend performs on stage during a media showcase for the band's new EP album "Song of the Sirens" at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We spoke about a wide range of topics and I shared my thoughts about GFriend's past, present and future. I talked about the ups and downs of the group and from there the idea for the song was conceived," SinB said.
Having celebrated their fifth year as a group, GFriend members said their team chemistry has never been better.
GFriend, while still in its infancy, caught many people's attention -- not just at home but all over the world -- through what was probably a difficult moment: a live performance in 2015 during which the girls repeatedly stumbled, as the stage became slippery due to rain. The moment was caught on video and went viral.
Late-Seoul mayor accused of 4 years of sexual harassment / New GFriend album behind Bang PD Youtube https://youtu.be/Dc9dbw3siMA
"Our teamwork has been great and it especially shows when practicing choreography. We all have our own styles when it comes to dance but at the same time we somehow perfectly reach unity," member Yerin said.
GFriend is the latest female K-pop act to enter the 2020 summer chart race, with rivals such as BLACKPINK, soloist Sunmi and Irene & Seulgi, a sub-unit of girl group Red Velvet, all having landed powerful comebacks in the past weeks.
"We've been both excited and nervous to reveal our new transformation. While preparing for the comeback, we rooted for the success of all of our fellow female artists," Yuju said.
K-pop girl group GFriend poses on stage during a media showcase for the band's new EP album "Song of the Sirens" at Yes 24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Table tennis worlds in S. Korea moved to Feb. 2021

The ITTF 's Executive Committee then asked Busan 's organizers on June 5 to move the tournament even further back @ @ @ @ @ 2021 , citing the unlikelihood that many teams would be able to travel to South @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- The world's top table tennis tournament set to take place in South Korea this year has been postponed to February 2021, due to lingering concerns over the novel coronavirus.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced Monday that the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will run from Feb. 28 to March 7 next year.
It was originally set for March 22-29 this year in the southeastern metropolitan city but was pushed back to June 21-28 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
These images, provided by the organizers of the 2020 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan on Nov. 11, 2019, show the competition's emblems. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Then in late March, the ITTF decided to shelve all international competitions and activities until June 30. It was then determined on April 7 that the world championships would be played from Sept. 27-Oct. 4.
The ITTF's Executive Committee then asked Busan's organizers on June 5 to move the tournament even further back to the early part of 2021, citing the unlikelihood that many teams would be able to travel to South Korea in September this year during the pandemic.
And the ITTF Executive Committee determined last Friday that the competition will open in February next year.
This file photo, from Dec. 13, 2019, shows mascots for the World Team Table Tennis Championships being unveiled at a ceremony marking the 100-day countdown to the competition in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Main opposition ups pressure to get to bottom of alleged sex abuse by late Seoul mayor

With Park 's death , the police were to close the case against him in his absence , but opposition @ @ @ @ @ get to the bottom of the allegations raised against the three-term mayor who was a @ @ @ @ @ women 's rights .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- On the funeral day of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday, the main opposition party launched what is likely to become an all-out campaign to press for a probe into allegations that the deceased sexually harassed his former secretary.
The pressure by the United Future Party (UFP) highlights deepening political division over the death of the late Seoul mayor.
Park was found dead at a mountain in Seoul after apparently taking his own life on Thursday. He was facing a criminal complaint on sexual harassment, filed by his former secretary.
With Park's death, the police were to close the case against him in his absence, but opposition lawmakers are increasing calls to get to the bottom of the allegations raised against the three-term mayor who was a lawyer defending human rights and women's rights.
Two lawmakers of the minor left-wing Justice Party, deemed largely cooperative with the ruling Democratic Party, the political home of Park, refused to pay their respects at Park's funeral, saying that doing so would be tantamount to hurting the victim.
A photo of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is carried outside of City Hall in central Seoul following a livestreamed funeral service on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"With the closure of the funeral service, (the UFP) cannot help raising the issue involving the (sexual harassment) victim," the main opposition party's interim leader Kim Chong-in said following a party meeting.
UFP lawmaker Rep. Sung Il-jong also added pressure on the DP over the issue.
"I believe the DP, having been more proactive than anyone in the past '#MeToo' wave, would doubtlessly join the efforts to find the truth," he said, calling for a probe into the case.
Such pressure by the UFP is expected to culminate in a parliamentary confirmation hearing on National Police Agency chief nominee Kim Chang-yong, scheduled for July 20. The case against Park is likely to be the focal point during the hearing.
Releasing a statement under a parliamentary think tank, two UFP lawmakers -- Ha Tae-keung and Kim Woong -- also pressured the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to look into the allegations involving Park.
"The ministry should investigate the sexual harassment allegations related to Mayor Park and illuminate the truth to the public," the statement said.
The United Future Party's interim leader Kim Chong-in (C) speaks during a party meeting on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Seoul stocks up on further stimulus hopes

South Korea is set to release details of the New Deal stimulus package this week , aimed at creating jobs @ @ @ @ @ the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares closed higher Monday despite a hike in global virus outbreaks, buoyed by growing expectations for an additional stimulus package. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 35.81 points, or 1.67 percent, to close at 2,186.06. Trading volume was high at about 642 million shares worth some 10.3 trillion won (US$8.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 613 to 230.
Foreigners bought a net 100 billion won, while retail investors sold a net 289 billion won. Institutions purchased a net 201 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,186.06 on July 13, 2020, up 35.81 points or 1.67 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Hopes of a quick economic recovery fueled the KOSPI's hike.
South Korea is set to release details of the New Deal stimulus package this week, aimed at creating jobs and fostering economic growth against the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
"The biggest event this week is the details of the coming Korean New Deal stimulus project," SK Securities analyst Han Dae-hoon said.
"Digital and green are the two keywords for the New Deal, meaning that the plan will primarily focus on digital infrastructure and contact-free industries," he added.
More upbeat data also boosted market sentiment.
South Korea's exports fell 1.7 percent on-year in the first 10 days of July, but a slower rate of decline signaled a recovery in outbound shipments.
Exports of memory chips, a key item, rose 7.7 percent over the 10-day period from a year earlier, raising market bellwether Samsung Electronics up 1.33 percent to close at 53,400 won. No. 2 chipmaker added 0.24 percent to 83,000 won.
Outbound shipments of automobiles gained 7.3 percent over the cited period, leading to large auto gains.
The KOSPI's increase came despite the growing new coronavirus toll.
South Korea added 62 cases Monday, raising the total caseload to 13,479. Imported cases increased by the largest number in nearly four months.
Daily coronavirus infections in the United States topped 66,000 cases on Sunday (U.S. time). The heavily populated Florida added more than 15,000 new cases, marking the largest single-day increase in COVID cases.
Most large caps closed higher.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics slipped 0.14 percent to 730,000 won, while Celltrion rose 1.39 percent to 329,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem added 3.4 percent to 547,000 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 3.26 percent to 101,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors surging 5.46 percent to 33,800 won. Hyundai's auto part manufacturing unit Hyundai Mobis spiked 6.23 percent to 204,500 won.
The country's largest game publisher NCSOFT added 2.22 percent to 965,000 won, with its rival Netmarble spiking 4.71 percent to 133,500 won.
Leading steelmaker POSCO gained 2.75 percent to 187,000 won.
Internet giant Naver shed 0.67 percent to 297,000 won, and its rival Kakao retreated 0.98 percent to 352,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,200.9 won per dollar, up 3.6 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 1.1 basis points to 0.860 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond slipped 2.1 basis points to 1.146 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(4th LD) New virus cases rebound to above 60; imported cases at 4-month high

`` All international arrivals should be in a two-week quarantine and take virus tests within three days of entry .
@ @ @ @ @ that the virus coming in from overseas would spread out to local communities , '' @ @ @ @ @ health official , told in a briefing .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 6,21,22; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back to above 60 on Monday as imported cases increased by the largest number in nearly four months amid rises in cluster infections in major cities.
The country added 62 cases, including 19 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,479, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp rise from 44 new virus cases reported Sunday and 35 cases Saturday. It marked the highest since the number of daily virus cases hit 63 on Wednesday.
Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country's virus fight. The country identified 43 more imported cases on Monday, raising the total of such cases to 1,872. The reading marked the highest since 51 on March 25 and was the 18th consecutive day of double-digit increase.
Health officials inform international arrivals about their transportation options at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway west of Seoul, on July 13, 2020. The country began to require arrivals from high-risk nations to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Starting Monday, arrivals from four high-risk nations -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan -- must submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.
Of the newly added imported cases, 31 cases were arrivals from Asian countries, including 16 from the Philippines and nine from Uzbekistan, according to the KCDC.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure in early last month on the back of the country's strengthened quarantine checks at airports.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June as global virus cases have resurged amid eased lockdowns.
Health authorities said since June, multiple virus cases have been traced to ships arriving in South Korea to change sailors' shifts.
Imported COVID-19 cases at 4-month high/Funeral of two leaders leave Korea in debate/NK denounces UK Youtube https://youtu.be/Dzdi-bOhSAg
"All international arrivals should be in a two-week quarantine and take virus tests within three days of entry. So there is little possibility that the virus coming in from overseas would spread out to local communities," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, told in a briefing.
Of 722 patients confirmed over the past two weeks, imported cases accounted for 42.7 percent while local infections made up 35.5 percent, the KCDC said.
"In July alone, 0.46 percent of international arrivals tested positive for the virus," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing.
Sporadic cluster infections across the country also continued to weigh on the country's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the local infections last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area.
Citizens wait to receive new coronavirus tests at a screening center in Gwangju, 329 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cases tied to a neighborhood hospital in Gwangmyeong, south of Seoul, reached five as of noon, up two cases from the previous day.
Six cases were identified in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 140 as of noon, up five cases over the past 24 hours.
South Korea has been gripped by a rise in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area, where around half of its 52 million-strong population lives, since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over another wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
The KCDC said locally transmitted cases recently eased somewhat in Seoul and the adjacent metropolitan areas, but cluster infections continued to rise in the central and southwestern regions.
It also cautioned against a rise in the number of patients in their 50s, as they accounted for 40.8 percent of the COVID-19 patients reported over the past two weeks.
A preliminary antibody test showed only one out of 3,055 people tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in South Korea.
South Korea's health minister Park Neunghoo said Sunday herd immunity is "impossible" here and renewed calls for citizens to strictly follow hygiene measures until COVID-19 vaccines become available.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.14 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,204, up 26 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,408,312 tests since Jan. 3.
Followers of the minor religious sect Shincheonji who fully recovered from COVID-19 wait at Kyungpook National University Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on July 13, 2020, to donate their blood plasma for the development of new coronavirus treatments and vaccines. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jul. 13, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jul. 13, 2020

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


yna--2020-07-13--11 American soldiers newly assigned to S. Korea test positive for new coronavirus

The announcement came after U.S .
Forces Korea reported nine new virus cases on Friday , many of them in @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , South Korea reported 62 new infections and 43 of them came from @ @ @ @ @ cases in 110 days .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Eleven more American service members newly assigned to South Korea have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the U.S. military said Monday, amid rising concerns about increases in imported cases.
The announcement came after U.S. Forces Korea reported nine new virus cases on Friday, many of them in newly assigned service members. On Monday, South Korea reported 62 new infections and 43 of them came from overseas, the highest imported cases in 110 days.
The latest USFK cases brought the total number of infections among the USFK-affiliated individuals to 74.
Of the 11 new cases, two arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on a U.S. government chartered flight from their home country on July 7. The remainder arrived at Incheon International Airport on four separate commercial flights since July 8, according to USFK.
They all tested positive on their first mandatory test prior to entering quarantine, and have since been transferred to an isolation facility designated for confirmed virus cases on either Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek or Osan Air Base, it added.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo the virus test and are quarantined for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.
On Friday, USFK reported nine coronavirus patients -- eight service members and one civilian employee -- following the announcement of seven confirmed cases among its service personnel two days earlier.
Among the total 74 patients, 33 are active-duty soldiers.
Despite the recent surge in the caseload, USFK stressed that it remains "at a high level of readiness with less than 1% of its active duty service members who are currently confirmed positive for COVID-19."
U.S. officers wait for American service personnel to arrive at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on April 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Doosan Group's push to sell assets on roll

In return for the financial support by its creditors , Park Jeong-won , chairman of the group , said in @ @ @ @ @ will repay its debts of 1 trillion won by the end of the year by @ @ @ @ @ its cash-shortage crisis .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's cash-squeezed Doosan Group's efforts to repay its debts have been on a roll, with its target to repay its debts worth 1 trillion won (US$800 million) by the end of the year appearing to be attainable.
The group, however, has confirmed only two deals to sell its affiliate Doosan Solus Co. and a golf course, but it has kept mum on other reports on its asset sales.
Between March and June, two state-run banks -- the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) -- injected a total of 3.6 trillion won(US$3 billion) into the group's power plant builder Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. to keep it afloat, as the group drew up a 3 trillion-won self-rescue plan.
In return for the financial support by its creditors, Park Jeong-won, chairman of the group, said in early June that the group will repay its debts of 1 trillion won by the end of the year by selling its assets to overcome its cash-shortage crisis.
This photo shows the logo of Doosan Group in front of the group's headquarters building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Under its asset sales plan, the group said early this month that it chose private equity fund SkyLake Investment Co. as the preferred bidder for its battery copper foil maker Doosan Solus Co.
Doosan Corp., the parent of the group, holds a 17 percent stake in Doosan Solus, with main stockholders, including Chairman Park, having a combined 44 percent stake in the battery copper foil maker.
Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. said Monday it has signed a deal to sell its golf course Club Mow to a consortium led by Hana Financial Investment Co. for 185 billion won after a two-week review of the books of the golf course by the consortium.
The group is also in talks with property developer Daewoo Development Co., an affiliate of Chinese Shanghai Fenghua Group, to sell its builder Doosan Engineering & Construction.
Shanghai Fenghua Group's JL Global Co., a Chinese property developer, is the largest shareholder of Daewoo Development, holding a 56.6 percent stake.
Last month, Doosan Group also picked up Credit Suisse as sales manager to unload the stake in construction equipment maker Doosan Infracore Co.
As of the end of 2019, Doosan Group has 25 affiliates, including Doosan and power plant builder Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., under its wing.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--USFK commander pays tribute to late war hero Paik

`` The passing of General and Ambassador Paik Sun-yup marks the closing of the first 70 years of the ROK-U.S. @ @ @ @ @ and contributions to the Alliance serve as a great role model for the future of @ @ @ @ @ , '' Walter Sharp , who commanded the USFK from 2008 to 2011 , said @

By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams visited the funeral home for late Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup on Monday, saying he is deeply grateful for Paik's service.
Abrams visited the funeral altar set up at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, together with South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, in a demonstration of the alliance between the two countries.
Abrams and Park each placed a flower before the altar and saluted Paik's portrait.
"We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Gen. Paik Sun-yup," Abrams said in a guestbook message.
Abrams told members of Paik's family that the late general "was at the heart and soul of the ROK-U.S. alliance and we are deeply grateful for his service."
JCS Chairman Park also expressed condolences.
"Carrying on the general's strict military spirit and dedication to the country and the military, we will maintain a watertight military readiness posture and do our best to fulfill our mission to protect the country and the people," Park told reporters at the mortuary.
Paik, South Korea's first four-star general and most renowned war hero, died Friday at age 99. He is credited for bravely leading key battles during the 1950-53 war and contributing greatly to the modernization of South Korea's armed forces.
Former USFK commanders also offered their condolences over Paik's death.
"The passing of General and Ambassador Paik Sun-yup marks the closing of the first 70 years of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, while his life and contributions to the Alliance serve as a great role model for the future of this close and invaluable relationship," Walter Sharp, who commanded the USFK from 2008 to 2011, said.
Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in the central city of Daejeon on Wednesday.
Gen. Park Han-ki (L), chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, and United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams salute at the mortuary of the country's most renowned Korean War hero, Paik Sun-yup, at Asan Medical Center in Seoul on July 13, 2020. Paik, South Korea's first four-star general, died on July 10 at age 99. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Naver, other 'untact' stocks' market value tops 100 tln won

`` The growth of the so-called untact companies in the local stock market is attributed to an economic recession , @ @ @ @ @ the technology and the structure of the economy , '' Lee Jin-woo , an analyst @ @ @ @ @ .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- A combined market value of Naver Corp., South Korea's top internet portal operator, and other so-called 'untact' stocks, such as Kakao Corp., have seen their combined market cap surpass the 100-trillion won (US$83.27 billion) mark for the first time amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The market capitalization of the three companies, including Kakao, the operator of the country's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, and leading game developer NCSOFT Corp., came to 100.7 trillion won as of Monday, roughly doubling from the value in late 2019.
The three tech firms have been cited as front runners of the so-called untact companies favored by people in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gaming and tech stocks have rallied globally as more people stayed at home and avoided face-to-face contact, leading to increased content usage, according to market watchers.
The corporate logo of Naver Corp. (Yonhap)
"The growth of the so-called untact companies in the local stock market is attributed to an economic recession, coupled with fast change in the technology and the structure of the economy," Lee Jin-woo, an analyst at Meritz Securities Co. said.
Naver became the third-most-valued stock on the main bourse with a market capitalization of 48.8 trillion won as of Monday, bypassing Samsung BioLogics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group.
Naver said its net profit jumped 54 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier largely on the back of increased online shopping transactions on its platform amid COVID-19 outbreak.
Market watchers expected Naver to further improve its profitability down the road despite the economic slowdown as its webcomic arm, Naver Webtoon, reported a sales increase last month, contributing to the strong performance for the quarter.
More commonly known as Line Webtoon in the United States, the platform is home to a plethora of creator-owned content, ranging from romance to fantasy.
Naver's operating profit is estimated to have skyrocketed by 77.7 percent on-year to 128.1 billion won in the second quarter, according to a report by online financial information provider Fn Guide.
The corporate logo fo Kakao Corp. (Yonhap)
Kakao also saw its market capital increase sharply, to become the eighth largest, with its market value at 30.9 trillion won, up from 22nd in late 2019, to surpass the country's leading automaker Hyundai Motor Co.
Kakao also saw its first-quarter net profit nearly quadruple from a year earlier on the back of robust growth of its new services, such as payment and e-commerce, linked to its mobile messenger, KakaoTalk.
The FnGuide expected the operating profit of Kakao likely to soar by 136 percent on-year to reach 95.2 billion won in the April-June period.
Shares of NCSOFT jumped 2.22 percent to end at 965,000 won on Monday, making the game publisher the 11th largest in terms of the market value on the KOSPI.
NCSOFT saw its first-quarter earnings more than double thanks to strong sales of Lineage 2M, a new mobile massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that was launched in November last year.
Other local gaming companies have also enjoyed huge popularity globally as the number of people playing PC and console-based games jumped by nearly 50 percent globally this year as the pandemic has confined more people to their homes, according to the market watchers.
The corporate logo fo NCSOFT (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Foreign ministry calls in Japanese diplomat over renewed Dokdo claims in defense white paper

The defense white paper , approved by Japan 's Cabinet earlier in the day , describes the issue of Dokdo @ @ @ @ @ remains unresolved , '' along with its long-standing territorial dispute with Russia over the Kuril @ @

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry called in a senior Japanese diplomat Tuesday to lodge a protest after Tokyo renewed its claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo in its latest defense white paper.
Kim Jung-han, director general for Asia and Pacific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, summoned Hirohisa Soma, a senior official from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to express regret over the annual report and urge Tokyo to withdraw the claims.
Soma entered the ministry building at about 11 a.m., without taking questions from reporters.
The defense white paper, approved by Japan's Cabinet earlier in the day, describes the issue of Dokdo as a matter that "remains unresolved," along with its long-standing territorial dispute with Russia over the Kuril Islands.
Regarding North Korea's nuclear threats, the policy report used stronger terms to explicitly state that Pyongyang is believed to be capable of attacking Tokyo with nuclear-tipped missiles.
Tokyo has laid claims to Dokdo, known as Takeshima in Japan, every year in its diplomatic blue book and defense white paper since 2005, causing tensions with Seoul.
South Korea rejects the claims because the country regained independence from Japan's colonial rule and reclaimed sovereignty over its territory, including Dokdo and many other islands around the Korean Peninsula.
Since 1954, South Korea has stationed a small police detachment on Dokdo.
This image, captured July 14, 2020, from Japan's 2020 defense white paper, shows Dokdo, circled in red as Takeshima in Japanese, the name Japan uses for the islets. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--N.K. media hints at optimism about S. Korea's new security lineup

Moon also named Suh Hoon , chief of the National Intelligence Service , to be his new national security adviser @ @ @ @ @ Park Jie-won , known for playing a key role in setting up the first-ever inter-Korean @ @ @ @ @ succeed Suh as chief of the intelligence agency .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet on Tuesday indirectly expressed optimism about South Korea's new national security lineup, citing a pro-unification media outlet in the South saying that high hopes are pinned on the new team.
Earlier this month, President Moon Jae-in shook up the security lineup as part of efforts to break a stalemate in inter-Korean relations amid tensions in the wake of the North's blowing up of an inter-Korean liaison office.
On Tuesday, Uriminzokkiri, one of the North's propaganda websites, cited articles from Jaju Sibo, a pro-unification online media outlet in South Korea, welcoming the reshuffle.
"We have great expectations for Lee In-young and Im Jong-seok in the recent shakeup," Uriminzokkiri quoted Jaju Sibo as saying, referring to the unification minister nominee and the new presidential special adviser for diplomatic and security affairs, respectively.
Lee is a four-term ruling party lawmaker known for leading a nationwide student movement for democracy and unification in the 1980s. Im, who served as Moon's first chief of staff, is also known for pro-unification activism.
Moon also named Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service, to be his new national security adviser, while tapping former lawmaker Park Jie-won, known for playing a key role in setting up the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000, to succeed Suh as chief of the intelligence agency.
Uriminzokkiri also cited another article calling on Seoul to halt combined exercises and get rid of the "working group," a team set up between Washington and Seoul in November 2018 to coordinate their approaches on the North's denuclearization, humanitarian aid, sanctions enforcement and inter-Korean relations.
Tongil Voice, a propaganda radio station, also carried a report on protests by South Korean civic organizations calling on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Seoul.
The articles from the propaganda outlets appear to reflect the North's positive anticipation of the new lineup of the diplomatic and security team. North Korean state media has not published any official statements yet.
This image shows Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young (L) and Im Jong-seok, former presidential chief of staff, nominated as special adviser for diplomatic and security affairs. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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


yna--2020-07-14--(URGENT) Foreign ministry calls in Japanese diplomat over renewed Dokdo claims in defense white pape

(URGENT) Foreign ministry calls in Japanese diplomat over renewed Dokdo claims in defense white paper


yna--2020-07-14--LG Electronics launches advisory body to find new growth engines

Park said LG is seeking to expand its business beyond electronics manufacturing with software-based services and that networking with industry @ @ @ @ @ will make the company check the latest technology trends .

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday it has launched a networking group with industry experts to explore future technologies and new business opportunities in a move to boost its digital capability.
The South Korean tech firm said the group, named the Innovation Council, is comprised of 12 experts in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud, robots and mobility.
The members of the council include Sri Shivananda, chief technology officer (CTO) at Paypal; Adrian Cockcroft, vice president of cloud architecture strategy at Amazon Web Services; Kip Compton, senior vice president of Cisco's cloud platform and solutions group; and Rodney Brooks, a renowned robot scientist and chief technology officer at Robust. AI.
LG's chief technology officer Park Il-pyung will lead the council.
This file photo taken Jan. 6, 2020, shows Park Il-pyung, LG Electronics chief technology officer, speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Yonhap)
LG believes the advisory group can help the company find new growth engines with experts' insights and ideas over future technologies.
In its first meeting, which took place online due to the pandemic, the members discussed promising technologies in the post-pandemic era, according to LG.
Park said LG is seeking to expand its business beyond electronics manufacturing with software-based services and that networking with industry experts is important since it will make the company check the latest technology trends.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Auto exports down 33 pct in H1 amid virus pandemic

Local carmakers shipped 826,710 units of cars overseas in the January-June period , according to the data compiled by the @ @ @ @ @ and Energy .
In terms of value , outbound shipments of cars reached US $ @ @ @ @ @ , also down 27.3 percent on-year .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of automobiles dropped 33.4 percent in the first six months of 2020 from a year earlier, due mainly to the new coronavirus pandemic that has strained global business activities while weighing on consumers' sentiment, data showed Tuesday.
Local carmakers shipped 826,710 units of cars overseas in the January-June period, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In terms of value, outbound shipments of cars reached US$15.76 billion over the period, also down 27.3 percent on-year.
The slump in outbound shipments came as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to lockdowns across the globe, with overseas distributors of South Korean automobiles also shutting down their businesses.
The global economic crisis sparked by the pandemic also induced consumers to have second thoughts about purchasing brand new cars.
South Korea's combined auto production decreased 19.8 percent on-year to 1,627,534 units in the first half due to the fewer number of working days coupled with shortages in some parts.
Domestic sales, on the other hand, shot up 7.2 percent to 930,464 in the first six months of the year on the back of carmakers' promotions and marketing efforts.
In June, however, South Korea's exports of cars showed signs of a possible recovery as key economies around the globe slowly began to resume business activities.
Outbound shipments of cars in June decreased at a slower pace of 37.4 percent to 132,514 units, compared with a whopping 57.5 percent on-year drop posted in May, the data showed.
Industry leader Hyundai Motor Co.'s exports dipped nearly 40 percent in terms of units in June due to the weak demand from the European and North American markets, despite strong sales of the Palisade SUV.
Kia Motors Corp., an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, also saw its exports fall 22.6 percent over the period as its overseas distributors shut down businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outbound shipments of GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., also nearly halved by falling 43.2 percent, according to the data.
Exports of Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. fell 94.7 percent and 77.6 percent, respectively, over the cited period.
By destination, exports to North America fell 25.3 percent, and shipments to the European Union lost 13.3 percent on-year in June. Sales to Asian countries moved down 42 percent.
Last month, domestic sales increased a whopping 41.9 percent on-year as consumers rushed to purchase new cars before some of the country's tax-cut programs expired at the end of June. Local production of automobiles decreased 10.8 percent to 297,019 units.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--S. Korea's first military satellite launch delayed due to inspection

`` Standing down from tomorrow 's launch of ANASIS-II to take a closer look at the second stage , swap @ @ @ @ @ announce new target launch date , '' the company tweeted without elaborating why it is @ @ @ @ @ the problem was .

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The planned launch of South Korea's first military communications satellite has been postponed for a hardware inspection, a U.S.-based commercial space firm said.
The Anasis-II satellite had originally been scheduled to lift off from Florida on a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket Tuesday (U.S. time), but a new target launch date will be decided following the checkup, according to SpaceX.
"Standing down from tomorrow's launch of ANASIS-II to take a closer look at the second stage, swap hardware if needed. Will announce new target launch date," the company tweeted without elaborating why it is conducting the inspection and what the problem was.
On Sunday, the company said it completed a static fire test for the planned launch.
The military satellite project is part of an offset package for South Korea's purchase of 40 F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin in 2014. Lockheed subcontracted the satellite manufacturing deal in 2016 to Airbus Defense and Space.
Currently, the South Korean military relies on international and civilian-owned satellites for communications.
This undated photo uploaded on the website of Airbus Defense and Space on June 11, 2020, shows the Anasis-II satellite. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Most bond experts eye BOK rate freeze in July: poll

According to the survey of 200 bond experts by the Korea Financial Investment Association , 99 percent of respondents said @ @ @ @ @ BOK ) will likely freeze its policy rate at a rate-setting meeting slated for Thursday @

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- An absolute majority of bond mavens in South Korea expect the central bank to hold its key interest steady for July despite the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, a poll showed Tuesday.
According to the survey of 200 bond experts by the Korea Financial Investment Association, 99 percent of respondents said the Bank of Korea (BOK) will likely freeze its policy rate at a rate-setting meeting slated for Thursday.
The remaining 1 percent projected the BOK Monetary Policy Committee to cut the benchmark rate.
In late May, the central bank slashed its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.50 percent in a bid to help cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rate reduction came a little over two months after the BOK cut the base rate to 0.75 percent from 1.25 percent in its first emergency rate cut since October 2008.
The association also said its bond market survey index (BMSI) stood at 98.3 for July, down 6.1 points from the previous month.
A BMSI reading below 100 means more experts expect bond market conditions to worsen.
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--New virus cases dip below 40, imported cases still on upward path

The southwestern city of Gwangju reported no new cases for the first time in 17 days .
The city has @ @ @ @ @ hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area .

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell back to below 40 on Tuesday, but a continued rise in cluster infections and imported cases put a strain on the country's efforts to contain the virus.
The country added 33 cases, including 14 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,512, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp fall from 62 new virus cases reported Monday and 44 cases Sunday.
Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country's virus fight, with 19 additional imported cases being reported Tuesday.
Cases coming in from overseas increased by double-digit figures for the 19th consecutive day, spawning concerns about a sustained rise in such cases.
The country reported 43 imported cases Monday, a four-month high.
A kindergarten student receives a new coronavirus test at a screening center in Suwon, south of Seoul, on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Since Monday, the country has required arrivals from four high-risk nations -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan -- to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early last month on the back of the country's strengthened quarantine checks at airports.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June as global virus cases have resurged amid eased lockdowns.
Sporadic cluster infections across the country also continued to weigh on the country's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the local infections last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 11 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area.
Cases tied to a neighborhood hospital in Gwangmyeong, south of Seoul, reached five as of noon Monday.
The southwestern city of Gwangju reported no new cases for the first time in 17 days. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 140 as of noon Monday.
Two cases were reported in North Jeolla Province that sits on the country's southwestern region and one case in central North Chungcheong Province.
A quarantine official disinfects a theater in Bucheon, west of Seoul, on July 13, 2020, as the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) is under way amid the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
The KCDC said local infections recently eased somewhat in Seoul and the adjacent metropolitan areas, but cluster infections continued to rise in the central and southwestern regions.
South Korea has been harried by a rise in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area, where around half of its 52 million population lives, since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over another wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.14 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,282, up 78 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,420,616 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--(News Focus) Pandemic-hit movie industry banks on summer rebound

Brokerage houses also chimed in by saying that the cinema industry bottomed out in the second quarter , and the @ @ @ @ @ be a crucial juncture for the cinema multiplexes ' rebound , they said .

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The new coronavirus pandemic has crippled every aspect of daily life as people increasingly opt to reduce contact, stay at home and shun visits to closed environments out of fear of contracting the virus.
But the movie industry, one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak, is pinning hopes on a rebound during the summer, albeit far slower and weaker than expected, as the economy and people begin to limp back to normality.
"July will be our most important pacemaker for a rebound in the second half," said Hwang Jae-hyun, spokesperson of South Korea's leading cinema chain CJ CGV.
"Since the last week of June, 1.6 million people watched the film #Alive safely, without being infected (with the virus). It sent our customers a message that theaters are a safe place, as long as they wear masks," he added.
Brokerage houses also chimed in by saying that the cinema industry bottomed out in the second quarter, and the July-August season is likely to be a crucial juncture for the cinema multiplexes' rebound, they said.
"The postponed large-scale South Korean films will be rolled out in the third quarter, further fueling a gradual recovery," said Shinyoung Securities analyst Shin Soo-yeon.
The still photo provided by NEW on July 11, 2020, shows a scene from the South Korean zombie movie "Peninsula," starring actors Kang Dong-won and Lee Jung-hyun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the movie industry since the first local case in late January.
In the January-June period of the year, the box-office admissions tumbled 70.3 percent on-year to 32.4 million viewers, according to data from the state-run Korea Film Council (KOFIC). Sales revenue plummeted 70.6 percent to 273.8 billion won (US$228 million).
By month, admissions plunged 67 percent on-year in February and 87.5 percent in March. The figure further worsened in April, falling by a record 92.7 percent, and was followed by another 91.6 percent dip in May.
But the sector witnessed some budding signs of a rebound.
The June tally slightly improved, tumbling 83.1 percent on-year.
More young viewers also came to theaters, according to Gook Seong-ho, a spokesperson of the country's second-largest cinema multiplex chain Lotte Cinema.
The portion of teenage customers jumped from 1.4 percent in January to 5 percent in March-June, with those in their 20s surging 21.2 percent to 32.3 percent, Lotte Cinema data showed.
The June recovery was smaller than what the industry had hoped, but blockbusters set to be released during the summer season may provide a respite to the movie industry.
Homegrown blockbusters will lead local theaters in July, with Hollywood mega-scale projects also set to take the baton in August.
The film "Peninsula," a sequel to the South Korean zombie blockbuster "Train to Busan," is set to hit local theaters Wednesday. The 16 billion-won project originally required about 5.24 million views to break even, but brisk overseas presales reduced the burden to 2.5 million views.
"Steel Rain 2: Summit," a sequel to the inter-Korean action flick "Steel Rain," will launch on July 29. The 12.1 billion-won project breaks even at 4 million viewers.
The release date of the hard-boiled crime action "Deliver Us from Evil" was pushed back to Aug. 5 from the originally set mid-July. The 13.8 billion-won project breaks even at 3.5 million viewers. The film was originally rated R but later cut some brutal scenes to obtain a PG-15 rating to boost ticket sales.
Most anticipated Hollywood mega-projects have postponed their July releases.
Warner Bros. Pictures' blockbuster "Tenet" moved its local release to Aug. 12. The US$200–225 million project pushed back the release from the originally set end-July due to coronavirus fears.
The still photo provided by Lotte Entertainment on July 2, 2020, shows a scene from the inter-Korean action flick "Steel Rain 2: Summit," starring actors Jung Woo-sung and Yoo Yeon-seok. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Walt Disney's live action adaptation film "Mulan" also delayed its release to Aug. 21. The previous local release for the US$200 million project was July 24.
"We are waiting with our fingers crossed for the U.S. virus toll to go down," a CGV official said.
"A fast recovery in the second half requires higher ticket sales in both local and foreign films," he added.
In 2019, foreign films attracted 111 million viewers, or about 49 percent of the local box-office admissions.
Sales from foreign films set a new record at 943.2 billion won, with nine of the top 20 annual box-office hits being Hollywood blockbusters.
At present, local multiplexes can only seat up to 70 percent of their capacities, as part of an eased social distancing scheme.
The brokerage house Daeshin Securities Co. estimated the annual box-office admissions to reach 110 million in 2020 and 190 million in 2021, down from a record high 226.7 million in 2019.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--(URGENT) 78 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,

(URGENT) 78 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,282: KCDC


yna--2020-07-14--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional death, total death toll at 289: KCDC


yna--2020-07-14--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 33 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 13,512: KCDC


yna--2020-07-14--(3rd LD) Next year's minimum wage set at 8,720 won in smallest-ever increase

The increase is lower than last year 's 2.9 percent and is the smallest since the minimum wage was first @ @ @ @ @ next smallest was 2.7 percent during the financial crisis in 1998 .

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, UPDATES throughout with details)
SEJONG/SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- A national commission on Tuesday set next year's minimum hourly wage at 8,720 won (US$7.25), raising the legal threshold by the smallest-ever annual increase, as the country faces economic headwinds from the new coronavirus.
Up to 4 million workers, whose current hourly wage is lower than the amount, will be affected by the decision to raise the minimum wage by 1.5 percent, the Minimum Wage Commission said in a statement.
The decision came in the early hours of the day during the commission's ninth plenary meeting, which is comprised of nine members each from all three sides -- employers, employees and those representing social interests.
The increase is lower than last year's 2.9 percent and is the smallest since the minimum wage was first introduced in 1988. The next smallest was 2.7 percent during the financial crisis in 1998.
It is much lower than the 16.4 percent and 10.9 percent hikes in 2018 and 2019, which were in line with President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledge to raise the minimum wage to 10,000 won by mid-2020.
This year's negotiations were particularly tough due to the economic difficulties stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
Economic think tanks and the central bank have slashed growth outlooks for Asia's fourth-largest economy. At the same time, workers whose income is directly linked to the minimum wage have been directly hit by the pandemic.
While labor unions stressed the importance of ensuring that low-income workers meet their basic needs, employers called for easing the financial burden on businesses.
Tuesday's decision appeared to be in favor of small- and medium-sized businesses as well as mom-and-pop stores.
This photo shows Park Joon-shik, chairman of the Minimum Wage Commission, banging the gavel during a plenary session at the government complex in Sejong on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The new minimum wage was proposed by those commissioners representing social interests after employers and employees failed to bridge their gap.
The figure was drawn based on a 0.1 percent growth outlook for 2020, a 0.4 percent consumer price increase outlook for 2020 and a 1 percent hike factoring in the need to improve the livelihood of workers, according to the panel.
Employees had initially sought a 16.4 percent increase to 10,000 won, while employers had sought a 2.1 percent cut to 8,410 won.
The proposal passed by a vote of 9-7. The vote was attended by seven employer commissioners and nine public interest commissioners.
Seven other panel members at the meeting, including all five recommended by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, left the session in protest of the proposal.
"The public interest commissioners have declared death of the minimum wage in South Korea," they said, accusing the commissioners of siding with the employer commissioners.
The four remaining members, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, did not attend the meeting.
By law, the commission is required to present the new minimum wage to the labor minister, who is then required to announce it publicly by Aug. 5.
The new wage would then take effect on Jan. 1.
Both labor and management can object to the agreed minimum wage, and subject to the minister's approval, request a reevaluation by the commission. A reevaluation has never occurred since the minimum wage was introduced.
This photo shows members of the Minimum Wage Commission after their ninth plenary meeting at the government complex in Sejong on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Kia recalls more than 5,000 cars in Russia

`` The steering column of cars equipped with a mechanical locking system does not lock in the parked position , @ @ @ @ @ according to Tass .

MOSCOW, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp.'s Russian subsidiary has begun recalling more than 5,000 Seltos sport-utility vehicles to replace steering column shaft, a news report said Tuesday.
The recall by Kia Motors Russia and CIS affects 5,128 Kia Seltos sold from December 2019 to June 2020, Russia's Tass news agency said, citing Russia's Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology.
"The steering column of cars equipped with a mechanical locking system does not lock in the parked position," the department said, according to Tass.
In Seoul, Kia Motors, South Korea's second-largest automaker by sales, said the recall is in line with Russia's regulations calling for anti-theft measures.
This photo provided by Kia Motors shows its entry-level SUV Seltos. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
,
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Gov't expected to revoke operation permits for 2 defector groups this week over leafleting: sources

The government has advised against sending such leaflets , saying that such activity violates an inter-Korean exchange and cooperation act @ @ @ @ @ jeopardize the safety of residents in border areas .
But they have often ignored the @ @ @ @ @ to freedom of expression .

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry is expected to revoke the operation permits of two North Korean defector groups as early as this week over their sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets, sources said Tuesday.
The move comes about a month after North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in its border city of Kaesong in anger over leaflets criticizing leader Kim Jong-un, saying such leafleting violates a series of peace agreements between the two sides.
In response, South Korea's unification ministry pledged to crack down on leafleting, filed a criminal complaint against two defectors groups -- Fighters for a Free North Korea and Kuensaem -- and took steps to revoke their operation permits.
Late last month, the ministry held a closed-door hearing to give the groups one last chance to explain themselves before going ahead with the revocation process. Kuensaem officials attended the hearing, but Fighters for a Free North Korea did not send its representatives.
The ministry said that it has asked Fighters for a Free North Korea to submit its final say in written form by Wednesday. It plans to revoke their operation permits after the Wednesday deadline.
"We will take action on the revocation matter by comprehensively taking into consideration all relevant situations," a ministry official said. "We will mull whether to revoke the permits on Wednesday or a couple of days later after further review."
Losing operation permits would make it hard for the groups to raise money for their operations and activities as donors would not be eligible for various tax benefits.
Sending leaflets across the border recently emerged as a major source of cross-border tensions since Pyongyang called it a violation of an inter-Korean summit agreement in 2018 and threatened to take a series of retaliatory steps against South Korea if it did stop such activity.
North Korea later called South Korea an "enemy" and blew up the joint liaison office on June 16.
The government has advised against sending such leaflets, saying that such activity violates an inter-Korean exchange and cooperation act and that it also could jeopardize the safety of residents in border areas. But they have often ignored the appeal, citing their right to freedom of expression.
Fighters for a Free North Korea and Kuensaem, consisting of North Korean defectors, are among the most active groups in sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
According to the unification ministry, Kuensaem has tried to send plastic bottles containing rice, USBs, Bibles and other materials to North Korea eight times this year. Fighters for a Free North Korea claimed to send 500,000 leaflets, SD cards and $1 bills into the North via balloons last month.
Defector activists put rice into PET bottles at a park in Seoul on June 18, 2020. They plan to drift them into North Korea via waters off the western island of Ganghwa bordering North Korea, despite the government's crackdown on their anti-Pyongyang activities, including the flying of balloons containing anti-Kim Jong-un leaflets into the North. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Police to look into money laundering allegations against child abuse site operator

The National Police Agency is expected to call in Son 's father on Friday to investigate the complaints filed by @ @ @ @ @ father 's complaint was widely seen as intended to open a new legal case , @ @ @ @ @ Korea ahead of a court ruling on his son 's possible extradition to the United @ @

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korean police will relaunch a probe into Son Jong-woo, an operator of one of the world's biggest known child abuse websites, for money laundering allegations.
The National Police Agency is expected to call in Son's father on Friday to investigate the complaints filed by him in May. The father's complaint was widely seen as intended to open a new legal case, thereby keeping his son in Korea ahead of a court ruling on his son's possible extradition to the United States.
Son's father claimed that prosecutors had not included money laundering allegations in the charges against his son in 2018 after Son was arrested. He also claimed that his son damaged his mother's reputation by paying for her medical care with criminal proceeds.
The police agency's cyber bureau will investigate the accusations that Son hid criminal proceeds made by operating the website, Welcome to Video, which charged users fees in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The probe will cover the site's operation from July 2015 to March 2018, for which the statute of limitations is for 2023.
Earlier this month, the Seoul High Court rejected the request for Son's extradition to the U.S., citing a need for Korean authorities to fully fight against child pornography by having the main culprit in the country.
But the decision stirred huge public backlash at what seemed like an overly lenient punishment for creating and distributing sexually exploitative videos involving children. He served only 18 months in a Korean prison. Under the criminal law, he is not punishable again for child pornography charges.
Son Jong-woo, an operator of one of the world's biggest known child abuse websites, leaves the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, about two hours after the Seoul High Court decided to refuse to extradite him to the United States on July 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Seoul stocks open lower on Wall Street losses

The local currency was trading at 1,204.8 won against the U.S. dollar , down 3.9 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, following overnight losses on Wall Street amid the growing toll of the coronavirus pandemic around the world.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 7.85 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,178.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Major U.S. stock indices ended weaker on Monday (New York time), with the confirmed COVID-19 toll topping 13 million globally.
The Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.13 percent to 10,390.84, snapping a three-session winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.04 percent and S&P 500 dipped 0.94 percent.
Most large caps traded lower in Seoul.
Market behemoth Samsung Electronics rose 0.37 percent while No. 2 chipmaker retreated 0.72 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor shed 0.49 percent, and leading chemical firm LG Chem dipped 1.28 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung BioLogics gained 2.05 percent.
Internet giant Naver lost 2.69 percent, with its rival Kakao falling 2.27 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,204.8 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.9 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Heavy workload taking toll on Kiwoom Heroes' bullpen

And on most occasions , relievers have come in with the Heroes trailing in early innings , and the job @ @ @ @ @ game has mostly fallen to their lesser arms .
Their best relievers , the likes @ @ @ @ @ Sang-su and An Woo-jin , did n't get much work over the weekend , and @ @ @ @ @ , did n't pitch at all against the Tigers .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- By many measures, the Kiwoom Heroes have had one of the best bullpens in South Korean baseball so far this season.
But there's more to that story: Their bullpen has also been the most overworked, never more so than in July, and the heavy load appears to be taking its toll.
In this file photo from July 1, 2020, Kiwoom Heroes' starter Han Hyun-hee returns to the dugout after allowing six runs against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Heroes suffered a three-game sweep against the Kia Tigers over the weekend series that extended to Monday due to Sunday's rainout. It dropped the Heroes to 4-7 in July, tied for the second worst record of the month in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
The final blow came in a 13-3 loss on Monday, with starter Han Hyun-hee lasting only two innings and five relievers having to finish the mop-up work.
And that has been the recurring theme for the Heroes all month: an abbreviated outing by a starter, with a handful of relievers coming in to pitch more than five innings.
For the season, the Heroes have the second-best bullpen ERA with 4.65 and the lowest walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) with 1.39. They also lead all bullpens with 230 1/3 innings pitched.
Their July numbers are staggering. The Heroes' relievers have thrown 60 2/3 innings this month, and no other team has received more than 40 innings from its bullpen. Also, the Heroes' bullpen has allowed the most walks, most hits and most runs -- though this is largely due to the fact that they've faced the most hitters.
And on most occasions, relievers have come in with the Heroes trailing in early innings, and the job of keeping them in the game has mostly fallen to their lesser arms. Their best relievers, the likes of Yang Hyun, Kim Sang-su and An Woo-jin, didn't get much work over the weekend, and their closer, Cho Sang-woo, didn't pitch at all against the Tigers.
In this file photo from July 10, 2020, Choi Won-tae of the Kiwoom Heroes takes off his cap to apologize to Na Ji-wan of the Kia Tigers after hitting Na with a pitch during their Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
When it comes to making relievers work, no one is guiltier of that on the Heroes' staff than Han. The right-hander with a sidearm delivery has thrown just 3 2/3 innings combined in two July starts and given up 17 earned runs.
He served up 10 runs in only 1 2/3 innings of work on July 1. He had given up 10 earned runs in all of June over 31 innings pitched.
Han was removed from the active roster after that disastrous outing because of a knee injury. It wasn't considered serious, and the Heroes gave him enough time to heal up and get his act together on the mound.
His return came on Monday, and Han was charged with seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks in two innings.
The lone bright spot in the rotation has been left-hander Eric Jokisch. A Kiwoom starter has gone beyond four innings just twice this month, and both have been Jokisch's outings. He tossed six shutout innings on July 3 and then seven innings of two-run ball six days later.
Two other starters that enjoyed a strong June haven't been able to duplicate that in July. Right-hander Choi Won-tae has seen his ERA rise from 3.68 to 4.73 following two starts in July, with 11 earned runs in eight innings. Left-hander Lee Seung-ho allowed only six earned runs in 29 innings in June, and has already served up 12 earned runs in only six innings in July.
With right-hander Jake Brigham sidelined since late May, Kiwoom manager Son Hyuk has had to rely on unproven arms to make fill in the gap and hasn't had much success. The 21-year-old right-hander Cho Young-gun was thrust into the rotation but he pitched to a 7.27 ERA in five June starts. Cho was demoted to the minors after allowing three runs in 2/3 of an inning on July 2.
In this file photo from July 3, 2020, Eric Jokisch of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the KT Wiz in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Heroes had a couple of bullpen days last week against the Samsung Lions -- with a reliever making an emergency start in lieu of a regular starter, followed by more relievers -- and their big bats bailed them out once. But relying on offense to keep carrying the day is often a perilous proposition, as attested by their sweep against the Tigers. The Heroes were outscored 30-14 in that series.
They fell from second to third in the standings as a result, trailing the Doosan Bears by a fraction in winning percentage. Starting Tuesday, the Heroes will host the first-place NC Dinos at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
The Dinos are well rested. They've been in Seoul since last Friday to play the LG Twins, and their Sunday game was rained out, as was the makeup game for the following day. The Heroes had to play Monday in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of the capital, and then had to make the long trip home that must have felt even longer because of the sweep.
The Heroes will finally welcome back Brigham on Tuesday for his first start since May 22, but he will likely be on a pitch count limit.
That will once again mean more work for the bullpen.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


Tuesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , July 14 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

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


yna--2020-07-14--(LEAD) Kiwoom Heroes defeat NC Dinos to snap 3-game losing streak

`` It feels good .
It 's been a long time , '' Brigham said of his first regular season @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's been a frustrating start to the season for sure , not being @ @ @ @ @ my job .
It feels really good to be out there against the first-place team @ @ @ @ @ game and get our team back on track . ''

(ATTN: ADDS details, comments throughout)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Starter Jake Brigham tossed five strong innings in return, and the lineup backed him up with a pair of home runs, as the Kiwoom Heroes defeated the NC Dinos 5-1 on Tuesday.
With the come-from-behind win at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the Heroes stopped their losing slide at three games and also snapped the Dinos' winning streak at two.
The Heroes climbed from third to second place at 36-25, now five games behind the Dinos (39-18 with one tie).
Brigham, pitching for the first time since May 22 after being sidelined with an elbow injury, picked up his first win of the 2020 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season.
"It feels good. It's been a long time," Brigham said of his first regular season win since last September. "It's been a frustrating start to the season for sure, not being able to contribute and do my job. It feels really good to be out there against the first-place team and contribute in a big game and get our team back on track."
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
No Jin-hyuk put the Dinos on the board with a solo home run off Brigham in the top of the second. And the Heroes tied things up in the bottom on second on Heo Jung-heop's double play ball with runners at the corners.
Kim Ha-seong's solo home run off NC starter Lee Jae-hak with two outs in the bottom third gave the Heroes a 2-1 lead. Kim now has four home runs in his past four games, and 14 for the season.
The Heroes extended their lead with two more runs in the fourth.
After Park Byung-ho led off the inning with a single, Park Dong-won drove him home with a double to right-center gap. Lee, the Dinos' starter, hit and walked the next two batters to load the bases with nobody out.
Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes comes home with a thumbs-up after homering against the NC Dinos during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes only managed to score once, though, on Jeon Byeong-woo's single to center. Lee wiggled his way out of the jam with a couple of flyouts sandwiching a strikeout.
But Lee continued to have trouble against the potent Heroes' lineup. Lee Jung-hoo opened the bottom fifth with a solo home run, a line drive shot that cleared the right field wall in a hurry and gave the Heroes a 5-1 lead.
That was more than enough run support for Brigham, who recorded 12 out of 15 outs via groundballs. He struck out two and walked one.
"We were hoping Brigham would give us about 70 pitches, and he did a great job going five innings on 82 pitches," the winning manager Son Hyuk said. "He stopped the losing streak, too. He pitched like an ace that he is."
The Heroes' bullpen took over from the sixth inning, with four relievers each throwing a shutout inning.
Prior to Tuesday's game, the Heroes' bullpen had given up most earned runs in July with 38 in 60 2/3 innings. Their starters also had the worst collective ERA this month with 11.64.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--(LEAD) Kiwoom Heroes' Jake Brigham earns victory in return

`` It feels good .
It 's been a frustrating start to the season for sure , not being able @ @ @ @ @ job , '' Brigham said after the game .
`` It feels really good to @ @ @ @ @ first-place team and contribute in a big game and get our team back on track @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with final result, comments)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Kiwoom Heroes' right-hander Jake Brigham picked up his first win of the season with a fine start in a long-awaited return to the mound Tuesday.
Pitching for the first time since May 22, Brigham held the NC Dinos to a run on three hits in five innings. He was relieved by Yang Hyun to begin the sixth, with the Heroes ahead 5-1 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, and the Heroes held on to win by the same score.
Brigham, who threw 49 of his 82 pitches for strikes, had been sidelined with a right elbow strain.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The American ace induced plenty of soft contact. Of the 15 outs he recorded, 12 were via groundouts, with two strikeouts and one flyout.
The only blemish against Brigham was the solo home run by No Jin-hyuk in the top of the second inning. It gave the Dinos a 1-0 lead, but the Heroes went on to score five unanswered runs to put Brigham to pick up his first win of the 2020 season.
Brigham quieted the highest-scoring offense in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) this year, and he also became only the second Kiwoom starter, after Eric Jokisch, to pitch more than four innings in July.
He had gone 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in his four previous starts this season.
"It feels good. It's been a frustrating start to the season for sure, not being able to contribute and do my job," Brigham said after the game. "It feels really good to be out there against the first-place team and contribute in a big game and get our team back on track."
Brigham mostly settled down after No's home run. He pitched around a two-out walk in the third and then had clean fourth and fifth innings, retiring five of the six batters he faced on groundballs.
Brigham offered five different pitches at the Dinos: four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. He touched 148 kilometers per hour (91.9 miles per hour) on the radar gun.
Brigham knew he would be limited to about 70 pitches or five innings, and he wanted to make the most of this opportunity.
"My timing was a little bit off. Bullpens and live batting practices can't simulate actually facing hitters," he said. "But I was pretty happy with the shape of my offspeed pitches, and I threw some really good fastballs, too."
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Rival parties agree to open 21st National Assembly

This came about two weeks after the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition United Future Party ( UFP ) @ @ @ @ @ formation of the 18 parliamentary committees on June 29 .
The impasse delayed most parliamentary @ @ @ @ @ voted into office on April 15 .

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Rival political parties on Tuesday reached an agreement to move forward the stalled 21st National Assembly, including holding a formal opening ceremony.
This came about two weeks after the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) failed to concur on the formation of the 18 parliamentary committees on June 29. The impasse delayed most parliamentary proceedings for lawmakers who were voted into office on April 15.
Under the agreement, President Moon Jae-in is expected to give a speech at the opening session of the parliament to be held Friday.
Leaders of major parties are set to give speeches outlining key agenda items next Monday and Tuesday, which will be followed by an interpellation session that will allow lawmakers to question the government on overall state affairs and other matters of interest.
The plenary session of the parliament that will permit the passage of bills will be held on July 30 and Aug. 4, parliamentary sources said.
Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon (3rd from L), floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and Rep. Joo Ho-young, the whip for the main opposition Unified Future Party, shake hands at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 14, 2020, after agreeing to hold a formal opening ceremony for the parliament on Friday. The two sides also reached an agreement on the schedule for the extra and plenary sessions of the parliament for July and August. (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Kiwoom Heroes defeat NC Dinos to snap 3-game losing streak

No Jin-hyuk put the Dinos on the board with a solo home run off Brigham in the top of the @ @ @ @ @ tied things up in the bottom on second on Heo Jung-heop 's double play ball @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Starter Jake Brigham tossed five strong innings in return, and the lineup backed him up with a pair of home runs, as the Kiwoom Heroes defeated the NC Dinos 5-1 on Tuesday.
With the come-from-behind win at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the Heroes stopped their losing slide at three games and also snapped the Dinos' winning streak at two.
Brigham, pitching for the first time since May 22 after being sidelined with an elbow injury, picked up his first win of the 2020 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
No Jin-hyuk put the Dinos on the board with a solo home run off Brigham in the top of the second. And the Heroes tied things up in the bottom on second on Heo Jung-heop's double play ball with runners at the corners.
Kim Ha-seong's solo home run off NC starter Lee Jae-hak with two outs in the bottom third gave the Heroes a 2-1 lead. Kim now has four home runs in his past four games, and 14 for the season.
The Heroes extended their lead with two more runs in the fourth.
After Park Byung-ho led off the inning with a single, Park Dong-won drove him home with a double to right-center gap. Lee, the Dinos' starter, hit and walked the next two batters to load the bases with nobody out.
Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes comes home with a thumbs-up after homering against the NC Dinos during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes only managed to score once, though, on Jeon Byeong-woo's single to center. Lee wiggled his way out of the jam with a couple of flyouts sandwiching a strikeout.
But Lee continued to have trouble against the potent Heroes' lineup. Lee Jung-hoo opened the bottom fifth with a solo home run, a line drive shot that cleared the right field wall in a hurry and gave the Heroes a 5-1 lead.
That was more than enough run support for Brigham, who recorded 12 out of 15 outs via groundballs. He struck out two and walked one.
The Heroes' bullpen took over from the sixth inning, with four relievers each throwing a shutout inning.
Prior to Tuesday's game, the Heroes' bullpen had given up most earned runs in July with 38 in 60 2/3 innings. Their starters also had the worst collective ERA this month with 11.64.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--Kiwoom Heroes' Jake Brigham turns in solid start in return

The only blemish against Brigham was the solo home run by No Jin-hyuk in the top of the second inning @ @ @ @ @ a 1-0 lead , but the Heroes went on to score five unanswered runs to @ @ @ @ @ his first win of the 2020 season .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Kiwoom Heroes' right-hander Jake Brigham submitted a fine start in his long-awaited return to the mound Tuesday.
Pitching for the first time since May 22, Brigham held the NC Dinos to a run on three hits in five innings. He was relieved by Yang Hyun to begin the sixth, with the Heroes ahead 5-1 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
Brigham, who threw 49 of his 82 pitches for strikes, had been sidelined with a right elbow strain.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The American ace induced plenty of soft contact. Of the 15 outs he recorded, 12 were via groundouts, with two strikeouts and one flyout.
The only blemish against Brigham was the solo home run by No Jin-hyuk in the top of the second inning. It gave the Dinos a 1-0 lead, but the Heroes went on to score five unanswered runs to put Brigham to pick up his first win of the 2020 season.
He had gone 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in his four previous starts this season.
Brigham mostly settled down after No's home run. He pitched around a two-out walk in the third and then had clean fourth and fifth innings, retiring five of the six batters he faced on groundballs.
Brigham offered five different pitches at the Dinos: four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. He touched 148 kilometers per hour (91.9 miles per hour) on the radar gun.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--S Korea expresses concerns about U.S. visa restrictions for foreign students

`` The government has been seeking consultations ( with Washington ) through its diplomatic missions in the U.S. to minimize @ @ @ @ @ by conveying our concerns about the plan , '' a foreign ministry official said on @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry said Tuesday it has expressed concern about the U.S. government's plan not to issue visas to students enrolled in online schools and programs and to ban those students from entering the country.
"The government has been seeking consultations (with Washington) through its diplomatic missions in the U.S. to minimize the impact on Korean students by conveying our concerns about the plan," a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
On July 6 (local time), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a plan to stop foreign students from staying in the country if all of their classes go online in the fall semester in a bid to contain coronavirus infections.
The U.S. immigration authorities also said they will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will it permit those students to enter the country.
Defying the U.S. government's plan, U.S. universities, including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, filed a lawsuit against the plan on July 8. The suit is to be handled by the federal district court in Boston.
The lawsuit was followed by a petition supporting it, submitted by 59 universities in the U.S. to the court.
The petition reportedly included a case of a South Korean student of Chicago DePaul University, who was kept from entering the U.S. at the airport because he did not sign up for classes.
"The foreign ministry has been looking into the case," the official said.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-14--(LEAD) N.K. media hints at optimism about S. Korea's new security lineup

The articles from the propaganda outlets appear to reflect the North 's positive anticipation of the new lineup of the @ @ @ @ @ North Korean state media has not published any official statements on the reshuffle , though @ @ @ @ @ of Seoul for the past three weeks .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 8, 10, 12-14)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet on Tuesday indirectly expressed optimism about South Korea's new national security lineup, citing a pro-unification media outlet in the South saying that high hopes are pinned on the new team.
Earlier this month, President Moon Jae-in shook up the security lineup as part of efforts to break a stalemate in inter-Korean relations amid tensions in the wake of the North's blowing up of an inter-Korean liaison office.
On Tuesday, Uriminzokkiri, one of the North's propaganda websites, cited articles from Jaju Sibo, a pro-unification online media outlet in South Korea, welcoming the reshuffle.
"We have great expectations for Lee In-young and Im Jong-seok in the recent shakeup," Uriminzokkiri quoted Jaju Sibo as saying, referring to the unification minister nominee and the new presidential special adviser for diplomatic and security affairs, respectively.
Lee is a four-term ruling party lawmaker known for leading a nationwide student movement for democracy and unification in the 1980s. Im, who served as Moon's first chief of staff, is also known for pro-unification activism.
Moon also named Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service, to be his new national security adviser, while tapping former lawmaker Park Jie-won, known for playing a key role in setting up the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000, to succeed Suh as chief of the intelligence agency.
Uriminzokkiri also cited another article calling on Seoul to halt combined exercises and get rid of the "working group," a team set up between Washington and Seoul in November 2018 to coordinate their approaches on the North's denuclearization, humanitarian aid, sanctions enforcement and inter-Korean relations.
The website introduced calls in the South to get rid of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system stationed in the country.
Tongil Voice, a propaganda radio station, also carried a report on protests by South Korean civic organizations calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Seoul.
Other North Korean online media outlets, such as Meari, highlighted a recent survey conducted by a South Korean pollster on leading opinion leaders who urged the government to abandon its outdated pro-American policy stance.
The articles from the propaganda outlets appear to reflect the North's positive anticipation of the new lineup of the diplomatic and security team. North Korean state media has not published any official statements on the reshuffle, though it has halted outright condemnation of Seoul for the past three weeks.
Since June 24, the North seems to have put on hold threats of military action against the South, with experts viewing the latest development as the country taking a wait and see position on what is unfolding on the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul's unification ministry, meanwhile, did not comment on the latest reports by the North Korean media outlets, citing standard procedures on such matters.
This image shows Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young (L) and Im Jong-seok, former presidential chief of staff, nominated as special adviser for diplomatic and security affairs. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)