yna--2020-03-10--(LEAD) S. Korea on high alert over cluster infections amid case slowdown

SEOUL , March 10 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean health authorities are on guard against potential cluster infections as @ @ @ @ @ of the novel coronavirus was reported in Seoul on Monday despite a slowdown in the @ @ @ @ @ city of Daegu , the epicenter of virus outbreak .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 11-13)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities are on guard against potential cluster infections as an alarming new mass infection of the novel coronavirus was reported in Seoul on Monday despite a slowdown in the new cases in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of virus outbreak.
As of Monday, 80.2 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the country are classified as cluster infection cases, with another 19.8 percent of the cases either labeled as sporadic infections or under investigation, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
At least 64 people, including workers from a call center in southwestern Seoul, tested positive for the virus, marking the biggest COVID-19 infection cluster in the capital city and raising concerns of more cluster infections down the road.
"There was a new mass-infection case from the call center in Seoul's Guro Ward and other cluster cases in provincial governments," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said. "The total number of new confirmed cases is on a downturn but there are concerns over such mass infection cases."
A high-rise building in the neighborhood of Sindorim was closed and disinfected late Monday after workers at a call center on its 11th floor were confirmed as patients.
People who work at a building in southwestern Seoul where infections occurred stand in a line to be checked for the new coronavirus on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of particular concern is that the latest mass infection case has occurred in the capital, and of the confirmed cases, a large chunk of patients are residents in the city of Incheon, just west of Seoul, and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, where millions of people live.
The KCDC said confirmed cases traced to the call center could rise, considering the usually packed work environment, where temporary workers are outsourced to respond to customer complaints and inquiries.
At least 600 people are presumed to have worked at the location, the KCDC said.
"Efforts should be made by companies to adopt telecommuting and working at home and people to practice social distancing at work places," he said.
Social distancing refers to a series of tactics designed to keep people from gathering in large crowds to maintain distance, including working from home, canceling school and avoiding in-person meetings.
Related to the latest outbreak, regional governments across the country are rushing to check all insurance and telecom call centers within their jurisdictions to see if they are at risk of spreading infection.
Cities and provinces that have call centers said they stepped up disinfection and are asking companies to allow employees to work from home instead of reporting to packed offices.
Incheon said it had 18 calls centers. Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, confirmed 64. Daegu reported that five people working at a call center have tested positive for the virus and that authorities have placed 230 employees of the facility in self-quarantine. The city said it had some 62 call centers employing 7,780 people.
Besides the Guro call center, only a few mass infection cases have been reported in Seoul. A total of 14 virus patients were linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward. Another 13 cases in Seoul came from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward.
Another cluster of infections was reported in Dongdaemun Ward, where a couple in their 60s and their daughter in her 30s, along with her four-week infant, all tested positive for the virus.
Also, a small cluster infections linked to a religious sect related to most cases in the country occurred in Daegu over the weekend.
Out of 140 residents at an apartment building in Daegu, 46 have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
A city official disinfects Guro subway station in southwestern Seoul on March 10, 2020, after a patient who worked at a nearby building was found to have visited the station. (Yonhap)
The latest mass infection case came as the country's new confirmed virus cases are showing signs of slowing down.
The 131 new cases, which were detected Monday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 7,513, the KCD. Monday's additional cases were far below the daily increases of 500 or more last week and marked the slowest one-day rise in confirmed cases in two weeks.
Of the 131 new cases, which were detected on Monday, 92 are in Daegu and 10 are in North Gyeongsang, the KCDC said.
Daily new virus cases in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million, peaked at over 700 on Feb. 29, but have been on the wane falling to below 300 level on March 8 and 200 on March 9.
The total number of confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak here, stood at 5,663 and 1,117, respectively, accounting for 90 percent of total infections here.
The spike in virus cases came as the country's health authorities conducted massive testing of some 210,000 followers of a religious sect in the city. About 63 percent of total infections in the county are traced to Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(2nd LD) Moon orders diplomatic consultations over special entry for Korean businesspeople

`` Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a briefing on Monday that Japan notified South Korea of its entry @ @ @ @ @ in advance and explained what the measures are about .
But it is not true @ @ @ @ @ deputy spokesman for the presidential office , said at a press briefing .

(ATTN: ADDS background and Cheong Wa Dae comments on Japan's entry restrictions in paras 6-10)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in ordered officials Tuesday to seek diplomatic consultations with countries imposing entry bans on South Koreans amid coronavirus concerns over ways to permit Korean businesspeople with health documents to be granted exceptions for entrance.
Possession of a health condition report would mean the person had tested negative for COVID-19, according to an official at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office.
The instruction came as a series of entry bans on people from South Korea makes it difficult for the country's people to travel for business, potentially shrinking economic activities.
A total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over the spread of the new coronavirus on Tuesday.
This file photo shows President Moon Jae-in. (Yonhap)
When asked if Japan is included in a list of countries with which Seoul will seek diplomatic consultations, Cheong Wa Dae said, "It is difficult to specifically mention what countries would be (included)."
Last week, Tokyo announced that visitors from South Korea and China will be asked to stay at designated facilities for two weeks and refrain from using public transportation from March 9-31. It also suspended the 90-day visa-free entry program for South Koreans on Monday.
In response to Tokyo's entry restrictions against South Korean visitors, Seoul on Monday halted a visa-free entry program for Japan among other countermeasures amid coronavirus woes.
Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday expressed deep regret over the new Japanese entry restrictions, condemning them as an act of mistrust.
"Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a briefing on Monday that Japan notified South Korea of its entry restrictions through a diplomatic channel in advance and explained what the measures are about. But it is not true," Yoon Jae-kwan, deputy spokesman for the presidential office, said at a press briefing.
In contrast, Seoul gave Tokyo prior notice of its tit-for-tat measures and gave a detailed explanation of its entry restrictions leveled at Japan.
Moon said he respects other countries' stepped-up quarantine procedures, including entry bans.
But citing the slowing growth of new infections here, he said they may permit an exception for South Koreans on urgent business, according to the official.
The daily number of new virus cases here slowed to a two-week low Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 7,513.
When asked whether Seoul is considering entry restrictions for Italy, the presidential official hinted that it has no plan to do so.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(LEAD) Thailand-bound passengers from S. Korea required to submit health certificate

In addition , all visitors will be required to have applied for travelers insurance with US $ 100,000 worth of @ @ @ @ @ used in the event a person tests positive for COVID-19 after arrival .

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, headline; ADDS health certificate submission requirements in paras 2-5)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- All Thailand-bound air travelers from South Korea are required to submit a health certificate that shows they have not contracted the novel coronavirus, local airlines said Tuesday.
The rules reflect policy measures set by Thai aviation authorities, companies said. They said only those with official certificate can board planes bound for the Southeast Asian country.
The requirement is being enforced not only for planes coming from South Korea, but China, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong and Macau.
In addition, all visitors will be required to have applied for travelers insurance with US$100,000 worth of coverage so it can be used in the event a person tests positive for COVID-19 after arrival.
"We have been notified by Thai authorities and are passing on the information to travelers," a local airline official said.
The South Korean embassy in Bangkok said that the tighter measures will be enforced up till June 9.
Seoul's transport ministry said earlier in the day that everyone flying to Thailand must be checked for fever to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The mandatory move takes effect starting Wednesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.
The rule applies to passengers for all air carriers operating flights from South Korea to Thailand, regardless of their nationality, it added.
South Korea's two full-service air carriers -- Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- currently operate flights between Incheon and Bangkok. Thai Airways International Public Co. provides services on Incheon-Bangkok and Gimhae-Bangkok routes, while Thai AirAsia X Co. also offers flights between Incheon and Bangkok.
In this file photo taken on March 5, 2020, an official checks the body temperature of a passenger at Incheon International Airport. (Yonhap)
The ministry said passengers with body temperatures of 37.5 degrees or higher could be denied boarding.
Irrespective of the ministry's announcement, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have been conducting fever checks on passengers for their international flights departing from Incheon International Airport since last week.
After massive COVID-19 infections have been reported here, many countries have been imposing entry restrictions on people from South Korea.
As of Tuesday morning, a total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(LEAD) Korean Air offers voluntary leave program amid virus fallout

Flight attendants who have worked for the flag carrier for at least two years can take one to three months @ @ @ @ @ January to June , a company spokesman said over the phone .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; REWRITES throughout)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co. said Tuesday it has offered a voluntary leave program to its employees as it struggles to cope with the sharp decline in travel demand amid the spread of the coronavirus.
Flight attendants who have worked for the flag carrier for at least two years can take one to three months of voluntary unpaid leave from January to June, a company spokesman said over the phone.
"The company has offered this program to employees in order to flexibly respond to travel demand and manage operating costs. Previously, a voluntary leave plan was offered to flight attendants in November," she said.
A health worker disinfects the cabin of a Korean Air Lines Co. aircraft at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, in this file photo taken on March 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Korean Air has also offered the same program to its foreign pilots, saying those who apply for the unpaid leave will not have to fly planes from next month.
Some of 390 foreign pilots expressed their intention to take leave amid worsening COVID-19 concerns before the company proposed the plan, Korean Air said.
Korean Air has suspended more than 90 percent of its overall flights as more than 100 countries and territories, as of Tuesday, are imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over COVID-19 concerns.
A prolonged virus outbreak looks set to deal a further blow to the country's biggest full-service carrier in terms of earnings.
Korean Air's net losses widened to 624.87 billion won (US$529 million) last year, from 185.65 billion won a year earlier, due to lower demand.
On Tuesday, shares in Korean Air ended 0.6 percent higher at 23,550 won on bargain hunting after plunging 6.8 percent in the past two sessions. The broader KOSPI gained 0.4 percent.
kdon@yna.co.kr
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--Fitch sees limited impact of coronavirus on memory chip market

The memory semiconductor market is likely to continue to recover as weakening demand for memory chips used in smartphones and @ @ @ @ @ stronger demand for those used in servers , Fitch said in a statement .

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Global rating agency Fitch Ratings Inc. said Tuesday the global memory chip market will suffer a limited risk of supply disruptions in the short term from the spreading coronavirus outbreak.
The memory semiconductor market is likely to continue to recover as weakening demand for memory chips used in smartphones and PCs will be offset by stronger demand for those used in servers, Fitch said in a statement.
"This is because the industry's manufacturing facilities are highly automated, and are less affected by labour shortages and travel restrictions compared with other technology hardware manufacturers," the statement said.
In addition, most companies stocked up enough materials before the Lunar New Year holiday to avoid shortages for the next few quarters, it said.
However, a prolonged COVID-19 outbreak could affect the semiconductor industry's operating performance and derail its recovery, Fitch said.
South Korea had reported 7,513 confirmed coronavirus cases and 54 deaths as of Tuesday.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--S. Korea forced to postpone joint trainings with foreign troops over coronavirus concerns

Around 50 service members of the Army were supposed to visit the U.S. ' Fort Irwin National Training Center later @ @ @ @ @ there , but the deployment has been put off at the request of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ officials .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- A series of planned combined trainings between South Korean and foreign troops will be postponed due to the continued worldwide spread of the new coronavirus, officials said Tuesday.
Around 50 service members of the Army were supposed to visit the U.S.' Fort Irwin National Training Center later this month to observe trainings there, but the deployment has been put off at the request of the U.S. military, according to the officials.
"Other similar training sessions are scheduled for later this year, and we will make a decision regarding this matter in close consultation with the U.S.," an Army officer said.
The Army had also planned to stage a joint counter-terrorism drill with Mongolia in the central Asian country around the end of April, but Mongolia asked for postponement.
"The two sides will rearrange the plan in consideration of how things go down the road," he added.
The Navy was scheduled to take part in the multilateral "Milan 2020" exercise led by India, but the host nation has postponed the program due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to foreign media and military officers here.
The exercise, one of the biggest maritime exercises among navies of major countries, was initially to be held from March 18 to 28 involving around 30 countries, including the U.S., Russia, and Britain.
Other trainings planned to be staged in South Korea have also be postponed, according to the officials.
South Korea and the U.S. also decided to postpone the Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) between their Marine Corps slated for later this month, and the exact schedule is yet to be fixed, they added.
The allies' Navies also agreed to reschedule their combined drills set to take place this month.
Late last month, Seoul and Washington announced their decision to postpone their springtime joint military exercises indefinitely to guarantee the safety of their service members and to prioritize containment efforts for the virus.
As of Tuesday, South Korea had 7,513 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including 54 deaths. In the military, 32 active-duty service personnel and five civilian workers have been confirmed to have the virus.
Across the globe, more than 110 countries have reported over 114,000 patients combined, including more than 4,000 deaths. China, where the virus is believed to have originated, has reported around 80,700 patients, followed by Italy with 9,172 cases. The U.S. has recorded more than 700 confirmed cases.
The departures area is quiet at Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on March 4, 2020, due to a drop in outbound travelers amid the fast spread of the new coronavirus in South Korea. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(2nd LD) 109 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

Norway recommends a 14-day self-isolation for people from Korea , Iran , northern Italy and a few others regardless of @ @ @ @ @ Slovakia requires a two-week home quarantine for its citizens and foreigners arriving from four countries @ @ @ @ @ people subjected to a penalty in case of an infraction .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 11-12)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- A total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns Tuesday, up by three from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., Norway, Slovakia and Rwanda have joined the list of countries and territories imposing stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending self-quarantine, raising the tally to 49, according to the ministry website.
Norway recommends a 14-day self-isolation for people from Korea, Iran, northern Italy and a few others regardless of whether they show symptoms. Slovakia requires a two-week home quarantine for its citizens and foreigners arriving from four countries including Korea, with those people subjected to a penalty in case of an infraction.
Rwanda began to conduct health screenings on people upon arriving from Korea and other virus-hit countries and to impose 14-day home quarantines for those showing symptoms even though they have tested negative for the virus.
Gabon was moved to the 39 countries and territories barring the entry of foreigners who have visited South Korea, China, Japan and other virus-hit countries. The African coastal nation had imposed a 14-day quarantine for foreigners since late February.
Diplomats or businesspeople may be permitted to enter but only after being cleared by undergoing extra processes such as medical checks or prior notifications.
The number of countries and territories slapping entry bans for parts of Korea where the bulk of COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred -- primarily Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- remained unchanged at six, including Japan.
Croatia has toughened quarantine procedures for travelers with a record of visits to the major epicenters of the virus outbreaks in the past two weeks, including Korea's Daegu city and Cheongdo County, Hubei province in China and parts of Italy. They will be quarantined in facilities for 14 days.
If the travelers, including its own citizens, had arrived from other parts of the virus-affected countries, or Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, they will face a home quarantine.
That puts the number of countries and territories implementing strict quarantine programs for South Korea at 15, including 21 Chinese provinces. China has added the north-central province of Gansu and the province of Guizhou in the southwest to the list.
Foreign ministry officials said South Korea is in consultations with some 20 countries to explore ways to allow at least businesspeople with no signs of infection to fly in to do business in those countries.
The countries include China, Vietnam, Indonesia and India, where Korean companies have been trying to expand footholds with production lines, massive direct investment schemes and other operations.
As of early Tuesday, a total of 1,668 Koreans were being quarantined around the world, including 1,234 people in China, with 397 others in Vietnam, the foreign ministry said.
South Korea added 131 new cases of coronavirus infections Monday, bringing the total to 7,513, with 54 deaths.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- South Korea said Tuesday it has stepped up vigilance in its battle to halt the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ alarming cluster of infections emerging in Seoul , although the pace of daily new infections @ @ @ @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
----------------
(LEAD) Moon orders diplomatic consultations over special entry for Korean businesspeople
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in ordered officials Tuesday to seek diplomatic consultations with countries imposing entry bans on South Koreans amid coronavirus concerns over ways to permit Korean businesspeople with health documents to be granted exceptions for entrance.
Possession of a health condition report would mean the person had tested negative for COVID-19, according to an official at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office.
----------------
(5th LD) S. Korea's new virus cases slow to 2-week low, cluster infections still in focus
SEOUL -- South Korea said Tuesday it has stepped up vigilance in its battle to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, with an alarming cluster of infections emerging in Seoul, although the pace of daily new infections continued to slow.
The 131 new cases, which were detected Monday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 7,513, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Monday's additional cases were far below the daily increases of 500 or more last week and marked the slowest one-day rise in confirmed cases in two weeks.
----------------
(4th LD) Seoul call center emerges as city's biggest infection cluster, numbers feared to rise
SEOUL -- With at least 50 cases, a call center in southwestern Seoul emerged as the biggest COVID-19 infection cluster here Tuesday, triggering concerns over potential mass transmission in the metropolitan area that is home to 25 million, or nearly half of the country's population.
A high-rise in the neighborhood of Sindorim was closed and disinfected late Monday after workers at a call center on its 11th floor were confirmed as patients, according to Guro Ward, which oversees Sindorim.
-----------------
(4th LD) S. Korea to tighten rules on stock short selling amid market rout
SEOUL -- South Korea's financial authorities said Tuesday they will tighten regulations on stock short selling as part of market stabilization measures amid increased fluctuations sparked by the outbreak of the new coronavirus and a slide in global oil prices.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the government will temporarily ease its requirements for the designation of certain shares subject to a possible ban on short selling.
The decision came in a meeting of economy-related ministers and officials held in Seoul.
-----------------
(LEAD) 109 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears
SEOUL -- A total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns Tuesday, up by three from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., Norway, Slovakia and Rwanda have joined the list of countries and territories imposing stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending self-quarantine, raising the tally to 49, according to the ministry website.
-----------------
(LEAD) China to send first batch of coronavirus relief items to S. Korea this week: Seoul ministry
SEOUL -- China will send the first batch of face masks and other coronavirus-related relief items to South Korea this week to help the neighboring country fight the viral disease, a foreign ministry official in Seoul said Tuesday.
About 80,000 N95 respirator masks and 10,000 items of protective clothing will arrive here via a flight on Wednesday, the ministry official told reporters.
Two more batches, including 20,000 masks of the same type and another 1 million surgical masks, will be delivered on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul, Tokyo kick off trade talks amid escalating diplomatic spat
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan on Tuesday met for the first time in three months to discuss their trade dispute amid dimmed hopes for reconciliation as the spread of the new coronavirus has led to more bilateral trust issues.
The two countries started the director-general level video conference at 10:00 a.m. according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Officials from South Korea and Japan had planned to hold a face-to-face meeting in Seoul, but they later decided to hold a video conference as the two neighbors had virtually shut their borders against each other over the global COVID-19 outbreak.
-----------------
(Yonhap Interview) COVID-19 vaccine, drugs on fast track for development: IVI chief
SEOUL -- Many nations around the globe and major pharmaceutical companies are ramping up efforts to develop a vaccine and treatment drugs for the new coronavirus, and any tangible results may come out later this year or early next year, said the head of an international organization devoted exclusively to vaccine research and development for poor populations in developing countries.
Jerome Kim, head of the Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute (IVI), said it normally takes years to come up with treatment for a virus, but the COVID-19 outbreak is an emergency that requires swift response.
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(LEAD) 109 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 2nd last para; UPDATES figures in last para)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- A total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns Tuesday, up by three from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., Norway, Slovakia and Rwanda have joined the list of countries and territories imposing stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending self-quarantine, raising the tally to 49, according to the ministry website.
Norway recommends a 14-day self-isolation for people from Korea, Iran, northern Italy and a few others regardless of whether they show symptoms. Slovakia requires a two-week home quarantine for its citizens and foreigners arriving from four countries including Korea, with those people subjected to a penalty in case of an infraction.
Rwanda began to conduct health screenings on people upon arriving from Korea and other virus-hit countries and to impose 14-day home quarantines for those showing symptoms even though they have tested negative for the virus.
Gabon was moved to the 39 countries and territories barring the entry of foreigners who have visited South Korea, China, Japan and other virus-hit countries. The African coastal nation had imposed a 14-day quarantine for foreigners since late February.
Diplomats or businesspeople may be permitted to enter but only after being cleared by undergoing extra processes such as medical checks or prior notifications.
The number of countries and territories slapping entry bans for parts of Korea where the bulk of COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred -- primarily Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- remained unchanged at six, including Japan.
Croatia has toughened quarantine procedures for travelers with a record of visits to the major epicenters of the virus outbreaks in the past two weeks, including Korea's Daegu city and Cheongdo County, Hubei province in China and parts of Italy. They will be quarantined in facilities for 14 days.
If the travelers, including its own citizens, had arrived from other parts of the virus-affected countries, or Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, they will face a home quarantine.
That puts the number of countries and territories implementing strict quarantine programs for South Korea at 15, including 21 Chinese provinces. China has added the north-central province of Gansu and the province of Guizhou in the southwest to the list.
As of early Tuesday, a total of 1,668 Koreans were being quarantined around the world, including 1,234 people in China, with 397 others in Vietnam, the foreign ministry said.
South Korea added 131 new cases of coronavirus infections Monday, bringing the total to 7,513, with 54 deaths.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(4th LD) S. Korea to tighten rules on stock short selling amid market rout

The virus currently carries a relatively low fatality rate of about 0.7 percent in South Korea , but its high @ @ @ @ @ people to stay home , causing serious problems for the local economy such as reduced @ @ @ @ @ inevitably lead to loss of jobs .

(ATTN: UPDATES with the duration of ban on short selling in 5th para, additional remarks from finance minister in last 2 paras; REPLACES photo)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial authorities said Tuesday they will tighten regulations on stock short selling as part of market stabilization measures amid increased fluctuations sparked by the outbreak of the new coronavirus and a slide in global oil prices.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the government will temporarily ease its requirements for the designation of certain shares subject to a possible ban on short selling.
The decision came in a meeting of economy-related ministers and officials held in Seoul.
Under the temporary step, effective starting Wednesday, the authorities will be able to designate shares subject to a possible ban under eased requirements for the next three months.
When a firm is named risky or overheated due to short selling, short selling of its stocks will be banned for 10 trading sessions, the Financial Services Commission said shortly after the local stock market closed.
An electronic board showing South Korea's key stock index is visible at a trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
"(The government) will swiftly and boldly take additional market stabilization measures if necessary," Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom told reporters.
The move follows heavy losses in the local stock market, believed to have been caused partly by massive short-selling by foreigners and institutions that apparently expect additional drops in local stock prices.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunged more than 4 percent Monday to close at a six-month low of 1,954.77.
Foreign investors sold a net 1.3 trillion won (US$1.1 billion) on Monday alone, the highest amount since the Seoul bourse operator began tracking such data in 1999.
U.S. stock market also crashed, with the Dow Jones industrial average plummeting 7.79 percent Monday (local time) in the face of the spread of the coronavirus and a sharp decline in oil prices.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom (R) speaks during a meeting at the Hall of Banks in Seoul on March 10, 2020, to discuss policies on macroeconomic and financial affairs, in this photo released by the finance ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Kim partly blamed the new coronavirus for fluctuations in global markets.
"The fast spread of COVID-19 and its unpredictability are factors that boost uncertainties in global markets," the vice minister said.
"The volatility in the global financial market is expected to continue for some time depending on how the current situation unfolds in the future," he added.
South Korea has reported over 7,400 cases of the novel coronavirus since confirming its first case Jan. 20.
The virus currently carries a relatively low fatality rate of about 0.7 percent in South Korea, but its high infection rate is forcing the people to stay home, causing serious problems for the local economy such as reduced spending that in turn will inevitably lead to loss of jobs.
Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol also vowed active efforts Tuesday to help stabilize the local market.
"Risks to the financial stability are expanding on increased fluctuations in the local financial and foreign exchange markets due to the spread of COVID-19," the top central banker noted in an emergency meeting held at the central bank in Seoul.
"(The BOK) will seek to stabilize the financial market by actively using all its available policy measures," he told the meeting, according to the BOK.
Lee especially stressed the need to support small and medium-sized businesses that he said may face liquidity crunches should the conditions continue to worsen, the BOK said in a released statement.
He also instructed BOK officials to take steps to stabilize the foreign exchange market if necessary.
On Monday, the local currency closed at 1,204.20 won per U.S. dollar, plunging 11.9 won from the previous session's close.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (L) speaks in a meeting of the parliamentary committee on finance at the National Assembly in Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
The won greatly advanced against the dollar Tuesday after the BOK and finance ministry both vowed to take market stabilization steps, closing at 1,193.20 won per dollar, up 11 won from Monday's close.
The local stock market also rebounded from its six-week low by adding 8.16 points or 0.42 percent to close at 1,962.93.
Later speaking before the parliamentary finance committee, Hong said a negative impact from the virus outbreak will be inevitable.
"An impact on our economic growth from the outbreak of the new coronavirus will be unavoidable," he said.
The BOK has already slashed its growth outlook for the local economy to 2.1 percent from the previous 2.3 percent.
Many others, however, paint a much gloomier picture for Asia's fourth-largest economy.
Global credit ratings agency S&P Global Ratings has cut its 2020 growth projection for South Korea to 1.1 percent in two downward revisions in less than a month.
Moody's too has lowered its own outlook to 1.4 percent from 1.9 percent forecast last month, which marked a downward revision from the 2.1 percent forecast earlier.
Seoul has proposed boosting its fiscal spending by an additional 11.7 trillion won to help offset the fallout from the virus outbreak.
A parliamentary think tank on Tuesday said the 11.7 trillion won in extra spending, if implemented in the first half, could boost the country's economic growth by up to 0.16 percentage point this year and 0.21 percent in 2021.
The request for the extra budget is still pending at parliament.
Some lawmakers have suggested the need for a second supplementary budget.
The finance minister ruled out the possibility when asked by a parliamentary committee member, saying, "Now is not the time."
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--31,000 Chinese students yet to return to Korea after winter break

`` It is unclear for now whether absent Chinese students will take the upcoming semester off or return here after @ @ @ @ @ .
The government will later compile the portion of students choosing a leave of absence @ @ @ @ @ '' a ministry official said .

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Nearly half of Chinese students enrolled in South Korean universities have yet to return here after their winter break in China, the Ministry of Education here said Tuesday, indicating their growing fears over coronavirus outbreak ahead of the start of the spring semester.
The ministry said 45.6 percent, or 30,955, of 67,876 Chinese students attending universities across South Korea have not returned to campus for the spring semester after their winter vacation.
It said that a considerable number of Chinese students now staying at home are expected to take a leave of absence for the spring semester or earn credits through distance learning courses.
This file photo shows Chinese students waiting for buses at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Local universities have decided to delay the start of the spring semester, originally scheduled for early this month, by two to four weeks and offer various online classes to help curb the spread of COVID-19 at the recommendation of the education ministry.
"It is unclear for now whether absent Chinese students will take the upcoming semester off or return here after the coronavirus crisis is over. The government will later compile the portion of students choosing a leave of absence for the spring semester," a ministry official said.
Education authorities of South Korea and China agreed on Feb. 28 to advise their students against returning to school in the other country as part of their cooperation to contain the viral disease, which has so far infected over 7,500 people in South Korea.
The ministry had expected about 6,230 Chinese students to come back to South Korea between Feb. 29 and last Saturday, but only 21.3 percent, or 1,327, of them actually returned.
The number of Chinese students returning to South Korea totaled 59 last Tuesday, 33 last Wednesday, 67 last Thursday, 69 last Friday and 48 last Saturday.
All the returnees are required to quarantine themselves at school dormitories or private residences for two weeks under close monitoring from school or health officials.
So far, only one Chinese student, who attends Catholic Kwandong University in Gangneung, about 240 kilometers east of Seoul, has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The student was discharged Monday from a local hospital after medical treatment.
The ministry said 25,904 Chinese students are now in South Korea after a trip to China during the winter break. Of them, 20,409, or 78.8 percent, have already completed a two-week quarantine after arriving here before late last month.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--Foreign sell-off continues on sliding oil prices, coronavirus scare

SEOUL , March 10 ( Yonhap ) -- Foreign investors extended their selling binge of local stocks to a fourth @ @ @ @ @ fretted over the globally spreading novel coronavirus and a headlong fall in oil prices .

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Foreign investors extended their selling binge of local stocks to a fourth day on Tuesday as they fretted over the globally spreading novel coronavirus and a headlong fall in oil prices.
Foreign investors sold a net 985.1 billion won (US$825.4 million) worth of local stocks on Tuesday. Foreigners have been net sellers since Thursday.
Offshore investors sold a net 1.3 trillion won on Monday alone, the largest amount on record.
The foreign sell-off came after the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 7.8 percent on Monday (local time), setting off Wall Street's first trading halt, or circuit breaker, since 1997.
A headlong fall in oil prices, including a 24.6 percent fall in the U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, also raised fears that the contagious COVID-19 is swamping the world economy.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) Index rose 8.16 points, or 0.42 percent, to close at 1,962.93 on Tuesday, rebounding from a six-week low.
Strong institutional and individual buying offset the foreign sell-off, pulling up the index for the first time in three sessions.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(LEAD) Seoul stocks rebound from 6-week low, Korean won sharply higher

SEOUL , March 10 ( Yonhap ) -- Seoul stocks rebounded on Tuesday from a six-week low sparked by the @ @ @ @ @ virus angst , as investors were relieved by a slowdown in new infections here and @ @ @ @ @ globe .
The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS photo, bond yields at bottom)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks rebounded on Tuesday from a six-week low sparked by the oil price crash and growing virus angst, as investors were relieved by a slowdown in new infections here and additional stimulus measures around the globe. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 8.16 points, or 0.42 percent, to 1,962.93. In the previous session, the KOSPI plunged 4.2 percent to its lowest level since August 29 last year as foreign investors continued to offload local stocks.
Trading volume was moderate at 628.24 million shares worth 8.9 trillion won (US$7.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 522 to 318.
This photo taken on March 10, 2020 shows the dealing room of KEB Hana Bank in Myeongdong, central Seoul. (Yonhap)
"The index ended in the positive territory as institutions bought local stocks on bargain hunting. And investors resumed buying on (U.S. President Donald) Trump's comments that he will seek measures to help virus-hit businesses," Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said over the phone.
Monday's stock sell-off was fueled by COVID-19's continued global spread and by Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, starting an oil price war with Russia, slashing its selling prices and pledging to unleash pent-up supply to markets already suffering lower demand amid an economic slowdown.
Saudi Arabia's move is widely seen as a step to punish Russia as it balked at production cuts proposed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) amid worsening coronavirus woes.
Brent crude, the basis for international oil prices, plunged 24 percent to $34 a barrel on Monday from $45 a session earlier, according to the Korea National Oil Corp. But on Tuesday, oil prices rose slightly.
Institutions and individuals bought a combined 920 billion won worth of stocks, offsetting foreign selling valued at 987 billion won.
Before the market opening, Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom and Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol made a verbal intervention, saying financial authorities will take timely measures to stabilize the foreign exchange market if there is an excessive one-sided movement.
South Korea had reported a total of 7,513 confirmed coronavirus cases and 54 deaths as of Tuesday.
Large-cap stocks were mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. rose 0.7 percent to 54,600 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix climbed 2.5 percent to 89,100 won, national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. gained 0.6 percent to close at 23,550 won and leading refiner SK Innovation Co. was up 1.4 percent at 100,500 won.
Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. fell 1.9 percent to 102,000 won, state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. declined 3.5 percent to 22,000 won and No. 2 air carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. shed 1 percent to close at 4,005 won.
The local currency closed at 1,193.20 won against the U.S. dollar, up 11.00 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, fell. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 4.4 basis points to 1.082 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond climbed 5.6 basis points to 1.183 percent.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--S. Korea on high alert over cluster infections amid case slowdown

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities are on guard against potential cluster infections as an alarming new mass infection of the novel coronavirus was reported in Seoul on Monday despite a slowdown in the new cases in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of virus outbreak.
As of Monday, 80.2 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the country are classified as cluster infection cases, with another 19.8 percent of the cases either labeled as sporadic infections or under investigation, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
At least 64 people, including workers from a call center in southwestern Seoul, tested positive for the virus, marking the biggest COVID-19 infection cluster in the capital city and raising concerns of more cluster infections down the road.
"There was a new mass-infection case from the call center in Seoul's Guro Ward and other cluster cases in provincial governments," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said. "The total number of new confirmed cases is on a downturn but there are concerns over such mass infection cases."
A high-rise building in the neighborhood of Sindorim was closed and disinfected late Monday after workers at a call center on its 11th floor were confirmed as patients.
People who work at a building in southwestern Seoul where infections occurred stand in a line to be checked for the new coronavirus on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of particular concern is that the latest mass infection case has occurred in the capital, and of the confirmed cases, a large chunk of patients are residents in the city of Incheon, just west of Seoul, and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, where millions of people live.
The KCDC said confirmed cases traced to the call center could rise, considering the usually packed work environment, where temporary workers are outsourced to respond to customer complaints and inquiries.
At least 600 people are presumed to have worked at the location, the KCDC said.
"Efforts should be made for companies to adopt telecommuting and working at home and people to practice social distancing at work places," he said.
Social distancing refers to a series of tactics designed to keep people from gathering in large crowds to maintain distance, including working from home, canceling school and avoiding in-person meetings.
So far, a few mass infection cases have been reported in Seoul. A total of 14 virus patients were linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward. Another 13 cases in Seoul came from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward.
Another cluster of infections was reported in Dongdaemun Ward, where a couple in their 60s and their daughter in her 30s, along with her four-week infant, all tested positive for the virus.
Also, a small cluster infections linked to a religious sect related to most cases in the country occurred in Daegu over the weekend.
Out of 140 residents at an apartment building in Daegu, 46 have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
A city official disinfects Guro subway station in southwestern Seoul on March 10, 2020, after a patient who worked at a nearby building was found to have visited the station. (Yonhap)
The latest mass infection case came as the country's new confirmed virus cases are showing signs of slowing down.
The 131 new cases, which were detected Monday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 7,513, the KCD. Monday's additional cases were far below the daily increases of 500 or more last week and marked the slowest one-day rise in confirmed cases in two weeks.
Of the 131 new cases, which were detected on Monday, 92 are in Daegu and 10 are in North Gyeongsang, the KCDC said.
Daily new virus cases in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million, peaked at over 700 on Feb. 29, but have been on the wane falling to below 300 level on March 8 and 200 on March 9.
The total number of confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak here, stood at 5,663 and 1,117, respectively, accounting for 90 percent of total infections here.
The spike in virus cases came as the country's health authorities conducted massive testing of some 210,000 followers of a religious sect in the city. About 63 percent of total infections in the county are traced to Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--S. Korean Bond Yields on Mar. 10, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Mar. 10, 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--2020-03-10--Sales of SUVs, gasoline cars rise in 2019 Korean auto market: data

KAMA said sales of imported vehicles fell 6 percent on-year to 275,134 units last year , citing toughened emission regulations @ @ @ @ @ vehicles as factors that may have dragged down the demand for foreign-made cars .

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Sales of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and gasoline-powered vehicles posted solid growth in South Korea last year, industry data showed Tuesday, although the country's auto market contracted for the second consecutive year.
Nearly 1.8 million vehicles were registered in South Korea last year, down 1.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA).
Sales of sedans dropped 8.2 percent on-year to 822,415 units, but those of SUVs increased 7.2 percent on-year to 674,620 units, KAMA data showed.
SUVs accounted for 45.1 percent of total domestic automobile sales in 2019, up 3.8 percentage points from a year ago.
This photo taken on July 22, 2019, shows Hyundai Motor vehicles parked at a port in Ulsan. (Yonhap)
Sales of gasoline cars also posted a solid increase in 2019, outnumbering those of diesel cars for the first time since 2013.
KAMA said 852,073 gasoline cars were sold last year, up 9.6 percent from a year earlier, while sales of diesel cars dropped 17.2 percent on-year to 656,253 units in the same period.
Gasoline cars made up 47.5 percent of the newly registered vehicles in 2019, while diesel cars accounted for 36.6 percent. In the passenger vehicle sector, 56.8 percent of cars were powered by gasoline.
Sales of electric-powered vehicles increased 14.6 percent on-year to 143,258 units, according to KAMA.
By type, sales of hybrid electric vehicles hit 104,000 units in 2019, while electric vehicles reached nearly 35,000 units. Sales of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles reached 4,195 units in 2019, according to the data.
KAMA said consumers in their 50s were the biggest buyers of automobiles last year. They purchased 292,784 units in 2019, up 2.4 percent from a year earlier.
Automobile sales to consumers aged 60 or older increased 6.7 percent on-year to 164,886 units last year, but car sales to people under the age of 50 suffered a drop.
KAMA said sales of imported vehicles fell 6 percent on-year to 275,134 units last year, citing toughened emission regulations and poor demand for Japanese vehicles as factors that may have dragged down the demand for foreign-made cars.
Sales of locally produced cars, led by Hyundai Motor Co., dropped 0.9 percent on-year to 1.52 million in 2019.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--(3rd LD) S. Korea to tighten rules on stock short selling amid market rout

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks from finance minister, more details, minor changes in paras 4-5, 22-32; ADDS more photos)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial authorities said Tuesday they will tighten regulations on stock short selling as part of market stabilization measures amid increased fluctuations sparked by the outbreak of the new coronavirus and a slide in global oil prices.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the government will temporarily ease its requirements for the designation of certain shares subject to a possible ban on short selling.
The decision came in a meeting of economy-related ministers and officials held in Seoul.
Under the temporary step, effective starting Wednesday, the authorities will be able to designate shares subject to a possible ban under eased requirements for the next three months.
When a firm is named risky or overheated, short selling of its stocks will be banned for at least one day.
An electronic board showing South Korea's key stock index is shown at a trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
"(The government) will swiftly and boldly take additional market stabilization measures if necessary," Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom told reporters.
The move follows heavy losses in the local stock market, believed to have been caused partly by massive short-selling by foreigners and institutions that apparently expect additional drops in local stock prices.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunged more than 4 percent Monday to close at a six-month low of 1,954.77.
Foreign investors sold a net 1.3 trillion won (US$1.1 billion) on Monday alone, the highest amount since the Seoul bourse operator began tracking such data in 1999.
U.S. stock market also crashed, with the Dow Jones industrial average plummeting 7.79 percent Monday (local time) in the face of the spread of the coronavirus and a sharp decline in oil prices.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom (R) speaks during a meeting at the Hall of Banks in Seoul on March 10, 2020, to discuss policies on macroeconomic and financial affairs, in this photo released by the finance ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Kim partly blamed the new coronavirus for fluctuations in global markets.
"The fast spread of COVID-19 and its unpredictability are factors that boost uncertainties in global markets," the vice minister said.
"The volatility in the global financial market is expected to continue for some time depending on how the current situation unfolds in the future," he added.
South Korea has reported over 7,400 cases of the novel coronavirus since confirming its first case Jan. 20.
The virus currently carries a relatively low fatality rate of about 0.7 percent in South Korea, but its high infection rate is forcing the people to stay home, causing serious problems for the local economy such as reduced spending that in turn will inevitably lead to loss of jobs.
Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol also vowed active efforts Tuesday to help stabilize the local market.
"Risks to the financial stability are expanding on increased fluctuations in the local financial and foreign exchange markets due to the spread of COVID-19," the top central banker noted in an emergency meeting held at the central bank in Seoul.
"(The BOK) will seek to stabilize the financial market by actively using all its available policy measures," he told the meeting, according to the BOK.
Lee especially stressed the need to support small and medium-sized businesses that he said may face liquidity crunches should the conditions continue to worsen, the BOK said in a released statement.
He also instructed BOK officials to take steps to stabilize the foreign exchange market if necessary.
On Monday, the local currency closed at 1,204.20 won per U.S. dollar, plunging 11.9 won from the previous session's close.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (L) speaks in a meeting of the parliamentary committee on finance at the National Assembly in Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
The won greatly advanced against the dollar Tuesday after the BOK and finance ministry both vowed to take market stabilization steps, closing at 1,193.20 won per dollar, up 11 won from Monday's close.
The local stock market also rebounded from its six-week low by adding 8.16 points or 0.42 percent to close at 1,962.93.
Later speaking before the parliamentary finance committee, Hong said a negative impact from the virus outbreak will be inevitable.
"An impact on our economic growth from the outbreak of the new coronavirus will be unavoidable," he said.
The BOK has already slashed its growth outlook for the local economy to 2.1 percent from the previous 2.3 percent.
Many others, however, paint a much gloomier picture for Asia's fourth-largest economy.
Global credit ratings agency S&P Global Ratings has cut its 2020 growth projection for South Korea to 1.1 percent in two downward revisions in less than a month.
Moody's too has lowered its own outlook to 1.4 percent from 1.9 percent forecast last month, which marked a downward revision from the 2.1 percent forecast earlier.
Seoul has proposed boosting its fiscal spending by an additional 11.7 trillion won to help offset the fallout from the virus outbreak.
A parliamentary think tank on Tuesday said the 11.7 trillion won in extra spending, if implemented in the first half, could boost the country's economic growth by up to 0.16 percentage point this year and 0.21 percent in 2021.
The request for the extra budget is still pending at parliament.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--Coronavirus outbreak sparks debate over disaster-related basic income

`` To provide 1 million won per person , we need some 51 trillion won that can be spent to @ @ @ @ @ The government 's financial burdens can be eased through next year 's tax revenues , @ @ @ @ @ press briefing .
South Korea 's population is more than 50 million .

By Kim Soo-yeon
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The outbreak of the new coronavirus has sparked a debate over whether South Korea should consider providing basic income to citizens to help them cope with economic fallout from the epidemic.
Basic income refers to income evenly distributed to all individuals in society regardless of their wealth level or labor requirements.
In South Korea, the controversy over disaster-related basic income has heated up as some people called for the government to dole out money to people to minimize negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The debate was ignited by Lee Jae-woong, chief of car-sharing app operator SoCar, who proposed anti-virus basic income worth 500,000 won (US$417.05) per person on an online petition site run by the presidential office last month.
"(We) need a policy that supports the incomes of more people who are marginalized and suffer hardship," Lee said.
Medical workers collect samples for tests on the new coronavirus at a drive-through clinic in eastern Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea is making all-out efforts to contain the fast spread of the new coronavirus, with 7,513 confirmed cases reported so far. More than 90 percent of infections were reported in the southeastern city of Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
To cope with the virus and prop up a slowing economy, the government proposed an 11.7 trillion-won extra budget bill last week. The National Assembly has begun to review it.
The virus outbreak is expected to cast a pall on exports and domestic demand, the main pillars of economic growth. The Bank of Korea recently cut its 2020 growth outlook to 2.1 percent from 2.3 percent, citing the impact of the coronavirus.
The chiefs of local governments stood at the forefront in voicing the need to temporarily provide basic income against the new coronavirus.
South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo proposed Sunday that the government and parliament consider the provision of 1 million won in basic income per individual in a drastic measure to bolster sluggish domestic demand.
"To provide 1 million won per person, we need some 51 trillion won that can be spent to prop up the economy. The government's financial burdens can be eased through next year's tax revenues," Kim said in a press briefing. South Korea's population is more than 50 million.
To reduce state financial burdens, Kim proposed the government collect taxes from high-income earners next year as much as the amount provided as basic income.
Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul and has some 14 million, has suggested that the basic income be offered in the form of regional currency that should be spent within a certain period of time.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon also joined a similar campaign. He asked the government Tuesday to implement "emergency" measures to help those who are in the blind spot of state welfare benefits.
The core part of his idea is to provide gift certificates worth 600,000 won to households in the low and middle-income brackets.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon holds an online briefing at Seoul City Hall over the new coronavirus on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Critics said the proposal to introduce basic income is a populist agenda to appeal to voters, given that the country is preparing for the April 15 parliamentary elections.
Despite calls for anti-virus basic income, the government remains negative toward the proposal.
"The government has reviewed the basic income proposal. But it is difficult to easily agree to it as there are many problems despite some merits," Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said in a parliamentary meeting later in the day.
The government earlier said the proposed supplementary budget contains spending that may fit the concept of basic income, albeit in a limited way.
The extra budget includes the provision of 2.6 trillion won in cash and consumption certificates to some 5.8 million people.
Cheong Wa Dae also cast a similar view, making it clear that it has no plan to consider the idea at the current stage.
"Before talking about the efficiency (of basic income), we need to focus on difficult (economic) situations for the people, thinking about why such a proposal has come out," a presidential official said Monday. "The government is seriously looking at the current situation."
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-10--Seoul stocks rebound from 6-week low, Korean won sharply higher

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks rebounded on Tuesday from a six-week low sparked by the oil price crash and growing virus angst, as investors were relieved by a slowdown in new infections here and additional stimulus measures around the globe. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 8.16 points, or 0.42 percent, to 1,962.93. In the previous session, the KOSPI plunged 4.2 percent to its lowest level since August 29 last year as foreign investors continued to offload local stocks.
Trading volume was moderate at 628.24 million shares worth 8.9 trillion won (US$7.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 522 to 318.
"The index ended in the positive territory as institutions bought local stocks on bargain hunting. And investors resumed buying on (U.S. President Donald) Trump's comments that he will seek measures to help virus-hit businesses," Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said over the phone.
Monday's stock sell-off was fueled by COVID-19's continued global spread and by Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, starting an oil price war with Russia, slashing its selling prices and pledging to unleash pent-up supply to markets already suffering lower demand amid an economic slowdown.
Saudi Arabia's move is widely seen as a step to punish Russia as it balked at production cuts proposed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) amid worsening coronavirus woes.
Brent crude, the basis for international oil prices, plunged 24 percent to $34 a barrel on Monday from $45 a session earlier, according to the Korea National Oil Corp. But on Tuesday, oil prices rose slightly.
Institutions and individuals bought a combined 920 billion won worth of stocks, offsetting foreign selling valued at 987 billion won.
Before the market opening, Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom and Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol made a verbal intervention, saying financial authorities will take timely measures to stabilize the foreign exchange market if there is an excessive one-sided movement.
South Korea had reported a total of 7,513 confirmed coronavirus cases and 54 deaths as of Tuesday.
Large-cap stocks were mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. rose 0.7 percent to 54,600 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix climbed 2.5 percent to 89,100 won, national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. gained 0.6 percent to close at 23,550 won and leading refiner SK Innovation Co. was up 1.4 percent at 100,500 won.
Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. fell 1.9 percent to 102,000 won, state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. declined 3.5 percent to 22,000 won and No. 2 air carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. shed 1 percent to close at 4,005 won.
The local currency closed at 1,193.20 won against the U.S. dollar, up 11.00 won from the previous session's close.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--Korea's jobless rate at 4.1 pct in February, 492,000 jobs created

The unemployment rate fell 0.6 percentage point to 4.1 percent last month , and the number of employed people reached @ @ @ @ @ the data compiled by Statistics Korea .

SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's jobless rate fell in February, and job additions came to 492,000, marking the third straight month of job creation of over 400,000, data showed Wednesday.
The unemployment rate fell 0.6 percentage point to 4.1 percent last month, and the number of employed people reached 26.83 million, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The unemployment rate for young adults -- those aged between 15 and 29 -- decreased to 9 percent last month from 9.5 percent tallied a year earlier.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--(URGENT) S. Korea's jobless rate falls to 4.1 pct in February, creates over 490,000 jobs


yna--2020-03-11--Pentagon sees no dramatic reduction in readiness in S. Korea after postponement of exercises

`` We 've got a number of options that we can work through and it 's all risk-based , '' @ @ @ @ @ the situation gets worse or it gets better , we can adjust that .
But @ @ @ @ @ it in a way that protects our personnel , but also helps us ensure that @ @ @ @ @ mission . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon has not seen a significant reduction in the readiness or ability of its troops in South Korea following the postponement of combined military exercises due to the coronavirus, its spokesman said Tuesday.
Jonathan Hoffman also said during a press briefing that the allies hope to resume some of their scaled-back activities once the outbreak passes on the peninsula.
This AFP file photo shows the Pentagon building in Washington. (Yonhap)
"I think our assessment at this point would be that we've not yet seen any dramatic reduction in readiness or ability of our forces based on COVID-19," he said, adding that the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. Robert Abrams, has taken aggressive steps to help protect the personnel from exposure.
"That force and the Korean military stepped back from some exercises and some efforts, but the hope is, as the disease passes or the virus passes and we move into warmer weather, that we'll be able to resume some of those efforts," Hoffman said.
The allies announced last month that they would postpone indefinitely combined military exercises planned for early this month over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
South Korea reported 131 new infections on Tuesday, bringing the total in the country to 7,513, but marking the smallest increase in two weeks.
The same day, USFK reported its ninth infection among its 28,500 troops, their family members, and South Korean employees.
Briefing reporters alongside Hoffman, Joint Staff Vice Director Rear Adm. William Byrne Jr. emphasized that while the large force exercises have been canceled or deferred, the allies have been maintaining readiness by continuing training at the staff-to-staff, squadron-to-squadron and small unit-to-unit levels.
Asked if there has been any disruption to U.S. military deployments to South Korea, he said a daily review is under way.
"As far as troops moving in and troops moving out, so we're coming to an agreement across the department as far as personnel movements, especially because the summer move period is coming up soon," Byrne said. "We haven't decided on the department-wide policy yet."
So far, the U.S. Army has ordered its soldiers and their families to stop movement to and from South Korea.
"We've got a number of options that we can work through and it's all risk-based," Hoffman said. "As the situation gets worse or it gets better, we can adjust that. But we do want to do it in a way that protects our personnel, but also helps us ensure that we can continue with the mission."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on March 11)

Italy , a country with the second-highest number of confirmed infections , is in a `` quasi state of war @ @ @ @ @ with World War II after its government took action to restrict the movement of its @ @ @ @ @ Iran , a top adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died of the @ @ @ @ @ Iran are countries closely connected with China in political and economic terms .
More than @ @ @ @ @ a tough battle with the virus in France , Germany and Spain .
In the @ @ @ @ @ be threatening the health of not only U.S. President Donald Trump but also presidential contenders @ @ @ @ @ are advanced in age .

WHO you gonna call?
100 days have passed since the Covid-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China, and two months have passed since the first death on Jan. 11 in China. In the meantime, as the potentially deadly virus spread to more than 110 countries on six continents, over 110,000 people were confirmed infected, and the death toll has topped 4,000. The alarming developments — which resemble the Black Death in the 13th century and the Spanish flu in the early 20th century — bode ill for the future of mankind.
The novel coronavirus is affecting the lives of 7.7 billion people around the globe. And yet, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations and all other international institutions are helplessly sitting on their hands.
Italy, a country with the second-highest number of confirmed infections, is in a "quasi state of war" nearly on a par with World War II after its government took action to restrict the movement of its 60 million nationals. In Iran, a top adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died of the lethal virus. Italy and Iran are countries closely connected with China in political and economic terms. More than a thousand patients are having a tough battle with the virus in France, Germany and Spain. In the United States, Covid-19 could be threatening the health of not only U.S. President Donald Trump but also presidential contenders in the Democratic Party who are advanced in age.
CNN declared that it will describe the disease as a pandemic from now on based on the judgments of a number of U.S. epidemiologists. However, the WHO stopped short of calling it a pandemic even while it warned that it may start doing so in the near future.
The Geneva-based global health body has been under fire for its overly meek reaction to the disease from the initial stages. It often used ambiguous rhetoric or sided with China, which donates nearly 10 trillion won ($8.4 billion) to the WHO on an annual basis. A global petition demanding the resignation of the "polluted" chief of the international organization has exceeded 300,000 signatures already.
Despite a massive death toll exceeding 3,000, Beijing is now trying to claim that it is not the source of the new virus. Its foreign minister even claimed that China helped other countries earn the time they needed before taking full-fledged quarantine measures. Why is China patting itself on the back — instead of apologizing for the enormous damages it inflicted on the rest of the world?
The way the WHO reacted to the virus was disappointing. It belatedly declared a public health emergency of international concern on Jan. 30, one month after the outbreak. It also opposed restrictions on free movement and trade citing "more losses than gains" in case of border shutdowns. But a harsh reality faces the international community. Entry bans enforced by one country after another continue fueling conflict. The WHO must reset its standards to meet the demands of the times. Otherwise, it will lose the trust it has enjoyed in the past.
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on March 11)

It is still too early to predict the trajectory of the novel coronavirus in South Korea .
Yet the decline @ @ @ @ @ infections here is an encouraging sign .
This is in contrast with the trend of @ @ @ @ @ throughout the world .

New clusters of infections
Do more to protect hospitals from virus
It is still too early to predict the trajectory of the novel coronavirus in South Korea. Yet the decline in the number of new infections here is an encouraging sign. This is in contrast with the trend of the epidemic's rapid spread throughout the world.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 131 newly confirmed cases Tuesday, raising the total number of infections to 7,513. The number of new cases was the lowest in two weeks, after the daily increases peaked at more than 500 last week. But the figures do not mean that the worst is over.
The slowdown was attributed to a falling number of new cases in Daegu, the epicenter of the new coronavirus in Korea, and its surrounding regions in North Gyeonsang Province. After tests were almost completed among the 210,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a hotbed of COVID-19 infections, the spiking trend reversed.
Nevertheless, it is not the time for complacency. Fears are still growing about new clusters of infections in Seoul and metropolitan areas. Infections in hospitals and crowded places and facilities are emerging as new sources of the epidemic. Therefore we should not lower our guard against the virus.
One of those worrisome cluster infections took place at an insurance company's call center with about 700 workers in Sindorim, in Guro-gu, southwestern Seoul. Sxity employees and four family members have so far tested positive for the coronavirus.
The incident is a reminder that the virus could spread far in any confined space such as at cram schools and study rooms. Thus, the health authorities should go the extra mile to step up disinfection measures in places where people gather and are vulnerable to mass infection.
Hospital infections are also a big cause for concern. A number of hospitals have stopped seeing outpatients or have shut down operations because confirmed cases took place in their facilities. Some patients and medical staff have been infected due to their exposure to the virus there.
A case in point was the temporary closure of the Catholic University of Korea Eunpyeong St. Mary Hospital in northwestern Seoul. The hospital resumed operation Monday after a 17-day shutdown which was prompted by a worker's positive test result. Fourteen patients were presumed to have contracted COVID-19.
Bundang Jesaeng Hospital in the satellite town of Bundang, south of Seoul, closed its emergency room and stopped treating outpatients because of an outbreak. Those infected with the virus rose to 13, including six inpatients and six nurses.
Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital in central Seoul has also closed its emergency room temporarily since Sunday when a 78-year-old patient was confirmed to have contracted the virus. The patient from Daegu triggered a controversy because she lied to doctors about her place of residence and other details, including her contact with Shincheonji members.
The authorities should pull out all the stops to prevent any recurrence of virus infections in hospitals. It goes without saying that hospital infections could lead to the halting of medical services and in a worse case scenario the disruption of the healthcare system.
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on March 11)

The number of patients who have nothing to do with the church has been increasing daily , though not as @ @ @ @ @ .
In Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province , about 2,000 COVID-19 patients still wait in @ @ @ @ @ beds to be vacated .
People across the country have difficulties buying face masks due @ @ @ @ @ to secure them proactively .
Its self-praise is out of place .

Rash self-praise
Though spread of virus falters in Daegu, sporadic outbreaks continue in other parts
Due to the administration's failure to prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak early, thousands of people got sick, dozens died and the entire nation is ridden with fear. Then, as soon as the spread of the virus slowed somewhat, the government sounded an upbeat note, praising its own efforts to contain COVID-19.
On Sunday when the daily growth of the number of confirmed infections fell for a second straight day, Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said at a regular briefing that Korea is controlling the situation effectively.
He said that Korea was able to confirm a large number of infections thanks to its outstanding ability to test many people swiftly and to conduct a thorough epidemiological investigation.
"Korea has gone beyond existing epidemics management systems and is building a new disease control system based on openness and participation," he said. "Our responses can become an exemplary case to other countries and a global standard on disease control."
Though President Moon Jae-in cautioned against excessive optimism, he echoed in a meeting with his secretaries Monday that "if the current decreasing trend continues, Korea will be recognized absolutely as an exemplary case of driving out COVID-19."
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Monday was hopeful of "reaching a turning point sooner or later," citing the recent decline in the daily addition of new patients.
It is welcome news that the spread of COVID-19 faltered over a few days, but it is questionable if it warrants a situation where the government relaxes and brags about its fight against the virus.
Korea still has the third most confirmed infections in the world, behind China and Italy. The spread of the virus has slowed, but not stopped. The death toll reached 58 as of Tuesday morning, and is expected to keep rising. It is hardly understandable how the health minister boasted in this situation that the government is doing an exemplary job.
The daily growth of the total number of infections slowed because daily additions of infected believers of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus decreased as diagnostic tests were done for most of the sect's known followers in Daegu, which has been hit hardest by the virus.
The number of patients who have nothing to do with the church has been increasing daily, though not as explosively as among Shincheonji followers. In Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, about 2,000 COVID-19 patients still wait in their self-quarantined homes for hospital beds to be vacated. People across the country have difficulties buying face masks due to the government's failure to secure them proactively. Its self-praise is out of place.
Doctors, nurses and other volunteers who are now working hard to save patients deserve praise. It is shameless of the government to describe the progress made with their devoted service as its merit.
The rapid spread of the disease is largely attributable to the government's lacking initial response. It passed the golden hour to stem the influx of infection sources early. On Feb. 13 when confirmed infections were not reported four days in a row, Moon rushed to assure people that the coronavirus would disappear soon, failing to tighten vigilance against the epidemic despite experts' warnings.
It is true the pandemic has subsided a bit, but danger still hangs over the nation. Sporadic outbreaks in other parts of the country, including transmissions with unknown routes, continue -- and no one knows when they could turn massive.
A mass infection was reported at an insurance company's call center in Seoul on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, 34 employees of the center and their family members tested positive for the virus. The number is expected to rise because test results are not out yet for more than 150 employees there. Similar or more serious infections are likely to happen in densely populated cities.
Considering the government's lukewarm early response was much to blame for the abrupt spread of the virus, optimism and self-praise should have no place at this stage. Now is the time for a persistent endeavor to control and prevent the disease.
The opera is not over until the fat lady sings.
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Is it emergency relief fund or populist policy ?
( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Slippers , vinyl @ @ @ @ @ Seoul ( Kookmin Daily ) -- 86 infected with new coronavirus in call center ; @ @ @ @ @ of Seoul metropolitan area ( Donga llbo ) -- 84 infected with new coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ throughout Seoul , Gyeonggi Province loom large ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Coronavirus-related financial subsidies @ @ @ @ @ despite urgency ( Segye Times ) -- Disbursement of subsidies for new coronavirus takes at @ @ @ @ @ are nearly going out of business ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Seoul metropolitan area faces @ @ @ @ @ infected at call center ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- WHO says concern has become reality @ @ @ @ @ alert for Seoul metropolitan area over mass infections at call center ( Hankook Ilbo ) @ @ @ @ @ ; aftermath not measurable ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- U.S. seeks tax cut , @ @ @ @ @ won ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on March 11.
Korean-language dailies
-- Is it emergency relief fund or populist policy? (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Slippers, vinyl gloves; new coronavirus in Seoul (Kookmin Daily)
-- 86 infected with new coronavirus in call center; they commuted from 23 locations of Seoul metropolitan area (Donga llbo)
-- 84 infected with new coronavirus in Seoul; concerns over spread throughout Seoul, Gyeonggi Province loom large (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Coronavirus-related financial subsidies; screening takes two months despite urgency (Segye Times)
-- Disbursement of subsidies for new coronavirus takes at least two months when stores are nearly going out of business (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Seoul metropolitan area faces risks as at least 83 infected at call center (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- WHO says concern has become reality (Hankyoreh)
-- Red alert for Seoul metropolitan area over mass infections at call center (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Unprecedented 'double shock'; aftermath not measurable (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- U.S. seeks tax cut, Japan to release 18 tln won (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Seoul's biggest cluster of virus cases found (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- South Korea on edge over largest yet mass infections in Seoul (Korea Herald)
-- Japan's travel ban could impact Korean firms (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--Asset managers' net up 42 pct in 2019

Asset managers' net up 42 pct in 2019

The combined net profit of 292 asset management firms came to 845.4 billion won ( US $ 707.8 million ) @ @ @ @ @ 596.2 billion won in 2018 , according to the data compiled by the Financial Supervisory @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- Asset management companies in South Korea saw their combined profit jump 42 percent in 2019 from a year earlier due to increased investment gains and commissions, data showed Wednesday.
The combined net profit of 292 asset management firms came to 845.4 billion won (US$707.8 million) in 2019, up from 596.2 billion won in 2018, according to the data compiled by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).
Their combined assets came to 1,136.5 trillion won in 2019, up 11.6 percent from a year earlier.
The FSS said 101 out of the 292 asset management firms reported combined net losses of 70.7 billion won.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--Trump wants countries to invest more in shared defense: Pentagon official

`` The State Department is the lead on the negotiation , and I think we look forward to working with @ @ @ @ @ Norquist said , deferring to the department for any backup plans .
`` The president @ @ @ @ @ wants other countries to increase their investment in their own side , and we support @ @ @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has been clear on the need for other countries to pay more for shared defense, a top Pentagon official said Tuesday, as cost-sharing negotiations between Seoul and Washington have remained stalled.
Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist made the comment at a House Budget Committee hearing when asked about the potential consequences of the two countries failing to reach a deal on a new cost-sharing agreement for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops on the peninsula.
"The State Department is the lead on the negotiation, and I think we look forward to working with the South Koreans," Norquist said, deferring to the department for any backup plans. "The president's been very clear he wants other countries to increase their investment in their own side, and we support that."
The allies have held six rounds of talks to try to renew their Special Measures Agreement, which expired at the end of last year, but failed to bridge their differences amid Washington's demands for a sharp increase in Seoul's financial contributions.
The U.S. has warned that if no deal is reached, some 9,000 Korean civilians working on American bases will be furloughed starting April 1.
Asked if Trump's budget request for the Pentagon for fiscal year 2021 assumes a US$5 billion payment from South Korea, which is the amount the president reportedly demanded initially, Norquist said he did not have the information readily available.
Last year, South Korea agreed to pay $870 million toward salaries of Korean workers, some construction projects and logistical support.
This AFP file photo shows U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-11--U.S. Houses passes bill to help Korean Americans reunite with N.K. family members

`` I thank my colleagues in the House for supporting this important legislation and I 'm pleased that the divided @ @ @ @ @ addressed by Congress , '' Meng said in a statement .
`` The separation of @ @ @ @ @ of the Korean Peninsula has been heartbreaking , and continues to pain thousands of Korean @ @ @ @ @ , particularly elderly individuals for whom any chance of a reunion with loved ones grows @ @ @ @ @ ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill aimed at helping Korean Americans reunite with their family members in North Korea.
The Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), passed the House Monday evening by a 391-0 vote.
The bill directs the Department of State to consult the South Korean government on opportunities for reunions between Korean Americans and their North Korean family members. It also requires the State Department to periodically report to Congress on the progress of such consultations.
This Reuters file photo shows the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Yonhap)
"I thank my colleagues in the House for supporting this important legislation and I'm pleased that the divided families issue is finally being addressed by Congress," Meng said in a statement. "The separation of family members after the division of the Korean Peninsula has been heartbreaking, and continues to pain thousands of Korean Americans all these years later, particularly elderly individuals for whom any chance of a reunion with loved ones grows less likely each day."
The congresswoman urged the Senate to immediately pass a companion bill that was introduced by Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) last Thursday.
"I have met with some of these Korean American divided families, and my heart aches for them," she said. "While the Korean War is sometimes known as the 'Forgotten War,' we must let these divided families know their pain and heartache will never be forgotten."
Korean Americans have had little to no contact with their family members in North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War, while South and North Koreans have held 20 face-to-face reunions since 1985, according to the legislators.
The bill aims to include Korean Americans in future reunions.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-03-10--(6th LD) S. Korea's new virus cases slow to 2-week low, cluster infections still in focus

In what seems to be the largest cluster of infections in Seoul so far , a large number of workers @ @ @ @ @ southern Seoul had tested positive for the virus , highlighting concerns about the virus ' @ @ @ @ @ the KCDC said .
Seoul city said 64 cases have been confirmed although the number @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 4, 17, 21)
SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it has stepped up vigilance in its battle to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, with an alarming cluster of infections emerging in Seoul, although the pace of daily new infections continued to slow.
The 131 new cases, which were detected Monday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 7,513, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Monday's additional cases were far below the daily increases of 500 or more last week and marked the slowest one-day rise in confirmed cases in two weeks.
So far, 54 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the KCDC said. Six more fatalities were reported in Daegu earlier in the day, but they have not been included in an official update.
The KCDC said 54 virus patients are in critical conditions. The flu-like virus causes a fever, cough, runny nose or headache for most healthy people, but the risk of severe infection is high for elderly people with underlying health problems.
This graphic, provided by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on March 10, 2020, shows daily new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and total infections in South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
About 63 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in Daegu, which, at a population of 2.5 million, is the country's fourth-largest city.
The pace of daily new inflections has shown signs of slowing in recent days as health authorities have completed extensive testing of 210,000 Shincheonji followers who are at the center of the rapid spread, but authorities are still on high alert over new clusters of infections.
Of the 131 new cases, which were detected on Monday, 92 are in Daegu and 10 are in North Gyeongsang, the KCDC said. The total number of confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak here, stood at 5,663 and 1,117, respectively.
With Daegu and North Gyeongsang still accounting for some 90 percent of daily new infections, other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections.
Aside from Daegu and North Gyeongsang, cases of community spread with unknown origins, mostly cluster and sporadic outbreaks, are gradually on the rise.
Seoul's confirmed cases rose by 11 to 141, with 14 cases linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward. Another 13 cases in Seoul came from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward.
Virus cases in Busan were unchanged at 96, with 34 patients linked to a Christian church in the Dongnae district and another 11 patients linked to Shincheonji. The 34 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are tied to the church's three-day retreat that ended on Feb. 17, officials said. It is still unclear how they were infected with the virus.
In South Chungcheong Province, which includes the city of Cheonan, 99 of the total 104 patients were tied to a Zumba dance class last month in Cheonan, the KCDC said.
Clusters of infections account for 80.2 percent of total confirmed cases.
Nurses at Dongsan Hospital in virus-hit Daegu smile despite their hard work on March 9, 2020, with bandages on their cheeks and foreheads due to wearing goggles for a long time. (Yonhap)
In potential progress to find a vaccine for the global health threat, South Korean scientists have developed a "unique" protein that detects antibodies to neutralize the new coronavirus, the KCDC said.
Developing the protein makes it "possible" for researchers to find antibodies against COVID-19, it said.
In what seems to be the largest cluster of infections in Seoul so far, a large number of workers at a call center in southern Seoul had tested positive for the virus, highlighting concerns about the virus' spread in confined spaces, the KCDC said. Seoul city said 64 cases have been confirmed although the number may be around 80.
Another 153 employees and trainees at the call center have been asked to get tested, local officials said.
The 12-story building in Sindorim-dong was shut down and disinfection work began Monday.
The infected call center workers are known to reside in Seoul, closely adjacent Incheon and neighboring Gyeonggi Province, home to more than half of the country's population of slightly over 50 million, raising concerns that the capital and neighboring areas may report additional virus cases.
The discovery of the outbreak at a call center has caused local government to check such operations in their areas. Daegu, which has 62 call centers, reported seven COVID-19 cases from workers so far.
KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook told reporters that health authorities are trying to bring areas with early-stage virus clusters, including the Guro call center and the Cheonan fitness center, under control.
"Recently, the number of total confirmed cases has shown a downward trend, but health authorities are worried over such cluster infections," Kwon said.
Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official who is in charge of quarantine work, said in a daily briefing that the nation's coronavirus outbreak has entered a phase of stability but that no one should let their guard down.
The number of new confirmed cases fell over the weekend because the number of tests declined, Yoon said.
"It's a situation where we must see the trend in coming days," Yoon said.
The country is set to expand the number of isolation facilities to 12 by Tuesday, and such facilities can house as many as 3,000 virus patients, Yoon said.
Yoon urged stepped up containment efforts for confined spaces, including call centers.
A medical staff member walks past a wall in a corridor at Dongsan Hospital in Daegu on March 9, 2020. The wall is decorated with various messages to cheer up virus patients and medical staff. (Yonhap)
Unlike China, where its ruling Communist Party put 11 million people in its virus epicenter of Wuhan under lockdown, South Korea has not imposed a restriction on internal movements.
People in Daegu have been largely calm and hailed for their voluntary efforts for self-isolation.
Yoon called recent drops in Daegu's confirmed cases "dramatic" and praised Daegu citizens for their "cooperation."
"Participation and cooperation by Daegu citizens led to a dramatic change, without extreme lockdown measures in foreign countries," Yoon said.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
South Korea had released a total of 247 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of Monday, up 81 from a day earlier, the KCDC said. It was the biggest one-day rise in the daily number of cured virus patients.
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 18,452 as of Monday, up 994 from the day before, it said. The country has tested a total of 202,631 suspected cases, with 184,179 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)