yna--2020-08-31--Crucial week ahead for KBO's top club, with games against challengers ahead

The Doosan Bears have been somewhat lost in the shuffle , squeezed out of the top three after a 12-10-3 @ @ @ @ @ Twins by two games in fourth place , but will have the easiest schedule of @ @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- With their once-comfortable lead at the top having shrunk, the NC Dinos enter a crucial week in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with consecutive games against the next two best teams in the standings.
NC Dinos players celebrate their 7-4 victory over the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Dinos held a six-game lead over the Kiwoom Heroes at the end of July, but the advantage is only 1.5 games now. The LG Twins, thanks to a KBO-best record of 16-8-1 (wins-losses-ties) in August, crept to within 3.5 games of the Dinos in third place.
The Heroes will host the Dinos for a two-game series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul starting Tuesday. Then on Thursday and Friday, the Dinos will stay in the capital city to take on the Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
The Dinos have been 6-5 against the Heroes this year, but the Twins are the only team with a winning record against the Dinos this year at 4-2-1.
Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes (R) hits a two-run home run against the Lotte Giants during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
There could be a new club at the top at some point this week. The Dinos have been in first place every day since May 13.
The Doosan Bears have been somewhat lost in the shuffle, squeezed out of the top three after a 12-10-3 month. They trail the Twins by two games in fourth place, but will have the easiest schedule of the week among contenders.
The Bears will play the three worst teams this week: the last-place Hanwha Eagles on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the eighth-place Samsung Lions the next two days, and then the ninth-place SK Wyverns over the weekend.
Kim Yun-sik of the LG Twins pitches against the KT Wiz during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
The KT Wiz, who have climbed to fifth place, will open the week by facing the team sitting one game below them, the Lotte Giants. The Giants have had the Wiz's number this year with a 7-2 head-to-head record.
The Wiz will then play the Wyverns three times over the next two days, with a double header scheduled for Friday. The Wiz will close out the week with two games versus the Heroes.
Once the Giants are done playing the Wiz, they will square off against the Kia Tigers, who enter this week just half a game behind the Giants in seventh.
Also this week, the Wyverns will welcome their manager Youm Kyoung-youb back to the dugout on Tuesday, when they host the Twins at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul.
Youm fell ill during a game on June 25 and briefly lost consciousness. He had remained sidelined since, with bench coach Park Kyung-oan serving in the interim role. The Wyverns are 18.5 games out of the final playoff spot at 32-63-1, and they have 48 games remaining.
Doosan Bears' catcher Park Sei-hyok gets under a pop fly during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Main opposition party to rename itself to reshape image

Kim Chong-in , a former veteran lawmaker , took office as the party 's interim leader in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ scrambled to recreate the hawkish image the party has been accused of .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) picked a new name for itself and will seek final endorsement from party members this week, sources said Monday.
The UFP tentatively selected the new party name, which roughly translates to "People's Power" in English, during a party meeting earlier in the day, the party sources said.
It was picked out of the three candidates proposed by Kim Su-min, head of the party's public relations committee.
The party plans to officially adopt the name after winning endorsement in a general online party meeting later in the day and meetings of party delegates on Tuesday and Wednesday.
It marks the latest in a series of face-lifting measures by the UFP following its crushing defeat in the April 15 parliamentary elections.
Kim Chong-in, a former veteran lawmaker, took office as the party's interim leader in the aftermath of the election defeat and has scrambled to recreate the hawkish image the party has been accused of.
This photo shows the main opposition United Future Party's leadership including interim leader Kim Chong-in (C). (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Aug. 31 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

(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--2020-08-31--Samsung drops to 2nd spot in Q2 Southeast Asian smartphone market: report

Samsung first gave up its top vendor position in the Southeast Asian market to Oppo in the fourth quarter of @ @ @ @ @ tech titan recaptured the leading status in the first quarter of this year with a @ @ @ @ @ which was 0.2 percentage point higher than Oppo .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. dropped to the second spot in the Southeast Asian smartphone market in the second quarter of the year, a report showed Monday, as Chinese brands expanded their presence with budget devices.
Samsung was the second-largest smartphone vendor in Southeast Asia with a market share of 19.5 percent in the April-June period, according to industry tracker Counterpoint Research.
China's Oppo edged out Samsung to become the top vendor with a 20.3 percent market share.
Chinese phone makers took four of the top five spots. Vivo came in third with 17.9 percent, followed by Xiaomi with 14 percent and Realme with 12.8 percent.
Samsung first gave up its top vendor position in the Southeast Asian market to Oppo in the fourth quarter of 2019. The South Korean tech titan recaptured the leading status in the first quarter of this year with a 18.9 percent market share, which was 0.2 percentage point higher than Oppo.
Counterpoint Research said Samsung's struggle came as more Southeast Asian consumers opted to buy budget smartphones amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Overall, smartphone shipments in Southeast Asia dropped 22 percent on-year to 24 million units in the second quarter, the market researcher said.
This file photo taken on Aug. 6, 2020, shows people checking Samsung Electronics Co.'s latest phablet, the Galaxy Note 20, at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Complaints of people without masks spike after mask rule in Seoul: police

Under the move , all Seoul residents and visitors to the city are required to wear masks in indoor areas @ @ @ @ @ outdoor venues , with the exception of taking them off for meals .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 4, 6, 10, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Reports to the police over people not wearing masks have surged seventeenfold after the Seoul city government mandated face masks in an anti-virus measure, data showed Monday.
Reports on people without masks totaled 1,280 cases, or an average of 256 cases per day, between Monday and Friday last week, according to the data provided by a counter-virus team at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
This is 17 times bigger than the average daily figure of 15 reported between May 26 and Aug. 23.
Joining other local governments like Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong provinces, the Seoul city government started mandating face masks last Monday.
Under the move, all Seoul residents and visitors to the city are required to wear masks in indoor areas, as well as crowded outdoor venues, with the exception of taking them off for meals.
Under existing law, however, those who do not wear masks are not fined or punished. A revised law that approves fines of up to 100,000 won (US$84) is set to go into effect on Oct. 13.
A person walks while holding a face mask at Mount Nam in central Seoul on Aug. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the reports, police said they have handled 41 cases that were judged to be crimes. Thirty-one people have been booked, including two who were arrested, and 10 were fined.
Some of those who were apprehended were alleged to have verbally or physically abused taxi or bus drivers or workers at eateries and bath facilities who asked them to put on their masks.
"We will support the validity of the mask rule by sternly dealing with (people) who do not wear masks and cause public harm by hurting other people or disrupting operations (at businesses)," a police official said.
People wearing masks walk at Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A sign at the entrance of the National Assembly in western Seoul asks visitors to wear masks to enter the venue on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea reported 248 new coronavirus cases Monday, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). It reported its first case in January.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Typhoon Maysak on path toward hitting Busan early Thursday

The typhoon is expected to arrive 320 km south of the resort island of Jeju at 9 a.m. on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ is projected to make landfall on the southern coast of Namhae and pass inland 20 @ @ @ @ @ around 3 a.m .
It is expected to move over the southeastern cities of Ulsan @ @ @ @ @ to the East Sea .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest info throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak is slowly approaching to the Korean Peninsula, passing waters 470 kilometers south of Japan's Okinawa Island early Monday, the weather office said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the typhoon packing wind gusts of 43 meters per second and a pressure of 950 hectopascals was traveling northward at a speed of 31 km per hour.
Later in the day, the year's ninth typhoon is expected to gain force and grow into a very powerful one with wind gusts of 49 meters per second. In one or two days, its wind speeds could reach 49 meters per second, the KMA said.
Wind gusts of 40 meters per second or stronger can knock down a person and overturn a running car.
A moves yachts inland on Aug. 30, 2020, in Busan, South Korea, ahead of Typhoon Maysak's arrival. (Yonhap)
"When the typhoon makes landfall in the country, it is expected to sustain winds of around 40 meters per second," the KMA said. "It is highly likely that rains and storm surge on the coastal area could cause causalities and damage to structures, so people should thoroughly prepare for the typhoon in advance."
But its path is still subject to change, the KMA added.
The typhoon is expected to arrive 320 km south of the resort island of Jeju at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. On early Thursday it is projected to make landfall on the southern coast of Namhae and pass inland 20 km northwest of Busan at around 3 a.m. It is expected to move over the southeastern cities of Ulsan and Gyeongju and eventually escape to the East Sea.
Maysak will bring rains to Jeju early Tuesday and South Jeolla Province at night. Rain is forecast for the rest of the country on Wednesday afternoon.
This image provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) shows Typhoon Maysak's expected path as of 3 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Virus-hit movie theaters undertake restructuring

As the zombie action film `` Peninsula '' and the crime thriller `` Deliver Us From Evil '' helped people @ @ @ @ @ monthly box office rose to 5.61 million for July and 8.28 million in August , @ @ @ @ @ for March and 970,000 in April .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- The looming second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic has pushed South Korean film theater operators into a corner again, leading them to reduce payroll and shut down branches.
Lotte Cultureworks, the entertainment unit of retail giant Lotte Group, said Saturday that it will offer voluntary retirement to long-term employees of at least five years.
It is part of the company's restructuring efforts, including dismissals last month.
The company has Lotte Cinema, one of the three biggest multiplex chains in Korea, and Lotte Entertainment, which produces and distributes films and shows, under its wing.
In this file photo taken on May 24, 2020, a theater of Lotte Cinema in Seoul is relatively empty. (Yonhap)
"We've making constant efforts to maintain employment through a cut in salaries of executives, unpaid leave, reducing working hours and shutdown of some theaters," an official from Lotte Cultureworks said. "But we've decided to cut jobs due to the prolonged fallout from COVID-19."
Earlier, CGV, an affiliate of Korean entertainment giant CJ Group, also tightened its belt to deal with a financial crunch stemming from the pandemic.
It offered voluntary retirement to long-term employees in March and closed a third of its operations nationwide for a month in April.
Recently, it decided to close a CGV theater at Incheon International Airport indefinitely, starting from Tuesday.
The move came as the South Korean movie industry has been experiencing the worst situation ever since end-February due to the coronavirus epidemic.
A total of 38 million people went to theaters in the first seven months of 2020, compared with 131.2 million tallied over the same period last year.
The combined revenues of movie theaters tumbled 70 percent on-year to 321 billion won (US$271.5 million) in the seven-month period from 1.12 trillion won last year.
The industry seemed to make a turnaround in July and August on the back of eased social distancing and releases of summer blockbusters.
As the zombie action film "Peninsula" and the crime thriller "Deliver Us From Evil" helped people return to theaters, the monthly box office rose to 5.61 million for July and 8.28 million in August, up sharply from 1.83 million for March and 970,000 in April.
But the upbeat mode was dragged down by a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases centered on the greater Seoul area in mid-August.
South Korea has reported around 300 new virus cases every day for weeks due to sporadic cluster infections, with a nearly six-month high of 441 new infections reported last Thursday.
Movie theaters are again losing their customers as about 100,000 tickets have been sold per day since Aug. 18, when the country tightened social distancing guidelines. Some 300,000 people went to cinemas per day in early August.
At the same time, big-name films targeting the upcoming fall season have postponed their release schedules to avoid the coronavirus-made slump.
The premier of the science-fiction adventure "Space Sweepers," one of the most-anticipated blockbusters in September, was put on hold, while the opening of the homegrown comedy-crime film "The Golden Holiday" was delayed.
The releases of Walt Disney's live action film "Mulan" and "The New Mutants," an American superhero film based on Marvel Comics, were also pushed back to mid-September.
In this file photo taken on Aug. 26, 2020, a movie theater in Seoul is almost empty. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Air Force chief nominated as new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman

If his appointment is confirmed , Won will succeed Gen. Park Han-ki , who took office in October 2018 .
@ @ @ @ @ is set , but the JCS chairman is supposed to serve for around 18 months @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 2, 4-9, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul has been tapped to lead South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the defense ministry said Monday.
If his appointment is confirmed, Won will succeed Gen. Park Han-ki, who took office in October 2018. No official term of office is set, but the JCS chairman is supposed to serve for around 18 months to two years.
President Moon Jae-in plans to officially appoint him after a parliamentary confirmation hearing that will follow Cabinet deliberations slated for Tuesday, according to the ministry.
Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul speaks during a parliamentary meeting in Seoul on July 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Won, 59, has served in various commanding posts, including the JCS' vice chief and the chairman of the Air Force Operations Command.
"As an expert in the field of joint operations, Won is equipped with strategic insight and commanding ability for military maneuvers," the ministry said in a statement.
"He also has capabilities and professionalism enough to push for the defense reform and the envisioned transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON)," it added.
South Korea and the U.S. are working for the OPCON transition of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul.
The nomination is somewhat unexpected, as Won joined the military one year earlier than Defense Minister nominee Suh Wook. Traditionally, a defense minister is more senior than a JCS chairman in South Korea.
Won was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1984 following his graduation from the Korea Air Force Academy, and Suh was commissioned in 1985 after graduating from the Korea Military Academy. Suh was tapped by President Moon last week.
This file photo taken Oct. 1, 2019, shows President Moon Jae-in (3rd from L) speaking in a ceremony to mark Armed Forces Day in Daegu, South Gyeongsang Province, which was attended by Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (2nd from L), Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook (2nd from R), Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul (R) and then Navy Chief of Staff Sim Seung-seob. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--LG Electronics unveils new home cinema projector

The new model of LG CineBeam Laser 4K , HU810P , will hit the shelves in South Korea no later @ @ @ @ @ be sold in major markets in North America and Europe , according to the company @

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., a major home appliance maker in South Korea, on Monday unveiled its new home theater projector to boost its presence in the fast-growing home cinema market amid the pandemic.
The new model of LG CineBeam Laser 4K, HU810P, will hit the shelves in South Korea no later than this year and will be sold in major markets in North America and Europe, according to the company.
LG said the latest projector will be officially introduced at its virtual exhibition booth for IFA 2020 this week. The Europe's largest tech expo kicks off Thursday.
LG expects the home cinema product to post strong sales as the pandemic sparked a stay-at-home trend. According to industry tracker PMA, the global home theater projector market is expected to grow US$1.3 billion this year to $2.2 billion in 2024.
This photo, provided by LG Electronics Inc., on Aug. 31, 2020, shows the company's new LG CineBeam Laser 4K home cinema projector, HU810P. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
HU810P is equipped with LG's own technology that adjusts light intensity going through the lens. The company said the projector boasts a clear, vivid picture even in the bright space.
The product uses a dual laser system with red and blue laser light sources to deliver accurate colors, achieving 97 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. DCI-P3 is a wide color gamut standard set by the Digital Cinema Initiative, a group formed by the major Hollywood movie studios to define standards for the digital cinema system.
The projector's laser light source boasts a lifespan of approximately 20,000 hours of brilliance, it added. It can deliver up to a 300-inch picture with a maximum brightness of 2,700 ANSI lumens.
LG said the project runs on its newest webOS 5.0 platform that allows users to easily access popular streaming services like YouTube.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) New virus cases stay under 300 for 2nd day, cluster infections still loom

So far , more than 1,000 cases have been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a @ @ @ @ @ in new infections .
The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 25 @ @ @ @ @ in nine different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6-12, 14-15, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed below 300 for the second consecutive day Monday, but health authorities are keeping their guards up as sporadic cluster infections and a growing number of patients with unknown infection routes continue to put a strain on the country's virus fight.
The country reported 248 new COVID-19 cases, including 238 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Monday's daily tally marks a sharp drop from 299 cases identified the previous day. But fewer virus tests over the weekend might have dragged down the number of new cases.
The country's daily tally of COVID-19 cases went down for the fourth straight day after it reached a near six-month high of 441 cases on Thursday. South Korea reported 371 cases Friday and 323 cases Saturday.
Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks. Since Aug. 14, more than 5,100 cases have been reported in South Korea, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and the Aug. 15 Liberation Day rally.
Health workers clad in protective gear prepare to work at a virus screening clinic in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 238 locally transmitted cases, 183 were identified in the capital area, home to half of the country's 51 million population. Seoul added 91 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and west port city of Incheon reported 79 and 13 cases, respectively.
Other major municipalities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding nine cases and the southern resort island of Jeju confirming five more cases.
So far, more than 1,000 cases have been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections. The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 25 locations, with cases reported in nine different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
Also at least 369 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, with cases identified in 11 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
South Korea began to impose strengthened antivirus curbs in the greater Seoul area Sunday to curb another nationwide spread of COVID-19. More than 70 percent of virus cases in the country have come from the nation's capital area in recent weeks.
Under enhanced guidelines, restaurants and bakeries in the greater Seoul area can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours.
Indoor sports facilities, such as fitness centers and billiard halls, are also advised to suspend their operations, while toughened virus prevention measures are also enforced at cram schools and elderly care centers.
People wearing face masks walk to take the subway at Sindorim Station in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 10, with three of them detected at quarantine checkpoints at airports and harbors. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 2,823.
South Korea reported one more death from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 324. The country's virus fatality rate is now at 1.63 percent.
But the country could experience more deaths from the virus as the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 79, up nine from a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 14,973, up 70 from the previous day, with 4,650 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 177 from a day ago.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--S. Korea to ban 'backdoor online advertising' on social media

The new guidelines will also be applied to online content made before the new guidelines , meaning that social media @ @ @ @ @ online content to comply with the new guidelines , the commission said .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust regulator said Monday that it will ban social media influencers from promoting a new product or service on their online platforms without disclosing their business ties with corporate sponsors.
The Fair Trade Commission said its revised advertising guidelines will require influencers on social media platforms, such as YouTube or Instagram, to state clearly whether their product endorsements are "financially rewarded or intended for promotion."
The move -- which will take effect on Tuesday -- came after some famous social media influencers were criticized for their involvement in the shady promotional practice called "backdoor online advertising."
Vague expressions like "thanks to" or "reviewer group" will be prohibited on their videos as well.
Violators -- both influencers and corporate sponsors -- will be slapped with a fine of up to 2 percent of related sales and revenue or 500 million won (US$422,000).
The new guidelines will also be applied to online content made before the new guidelines, meaning that social media influencers must revise their previous online content to comply with the new guidelines, the commission said.
Some social media influencers have drawn flak for their backdoor advertising. A popular mukbang influencer with 4.7 million viewers recently apologized for being involved in the unfair advertising practice.
In addition, a renowned YouTuber with an audience of 2.68 million announced her retirement from mukbang, a portmanteau in Korean of "eating" and "broadcast."
Last year, the commission clamped down on companies' backdoor advertising through influencer reviews for the first time.
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul nominated as new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman

President Moon Jae-in plans to officially appoint him after a parliamentary confirmation hearing that will follow Cabinet deliberations slated for @ @ @ @ @ ministry .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul has been tapped to lead South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the defense ministry said Monday.
If his appointment is confirmed, Won will succeed Gen. Park Han-ki.
President Moon Jae-in plans to officially appoint him after a parliamentary confirmation hearing that will follow Cabinet deliberations slated for Tuesday, according to the ministry.
Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul speaks during a parliamentary meeting in Seoul on July 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Ex-vice finance minister named to lead state pension fund

`` The new chairman is expected to contribute his expertise in welfare-related fiscal policies and public-sector innovation to enhancing the @ @ @ @ @ the community , '' the ministry said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea named a former vice finance minister as chief of the country's state pension fund, the welfare ministry said Monday.
President Moon Jae-in has approved former Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-jin as new chairman and chief executive officer of the National Pension Service (NPS), according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
"The new chairman is expected to contribute his expertise in welfare-related fiscal policies and public-sector innovation to enhancing the role of the NPS in the community," the ministry said.
Kim, 60, replaced the former NPS Chairman and CEO Kim Sung-ju, who stepped down from the post in January and won a parliamentary seat in the April 15 general elections.
His three-year term began on Monday.
NPS is the world's third-largest state pension fund and manages 752 trillion won (US$630 billion).
NPS Chairman and CEO Kim Yong-jin (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(URGENT) Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul nominated as new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman


yna--2020-08-31--As clubs near 100-game mark in KBO, 2 clubs put pressure on top team in Aug.

With Eric Jokisch , Choi Won-tae and Lee Seung-ho gone from the rotation , Jake Brigham has picked up the @ @ @ @ @ some time with an injury earlier in the year and August was his first full @ @ @ @ @ season .
In his four most recent starts , Brigham has kept opponents to just @ @ @ @ @ innings , with 24 strikeouts .
Most encouragingly for the pitcher who earlier experienced elbow @ @ @ @ @ season-high seven innings in each of the last two outings .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- At the end of July, the NC Dinos held a six-game lead at the top of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) standings, seemingly on cruise control en route to their first pennant.
The Kiwoom Heroes were in second then, but closer to sixth place than first place. The LG Twins, in fifth place, were just trying to stay in the playoff picture. Both clubs played sub-.500 baseball in July.
Over the past 30 days, though, the narrative has dramatically changed. As the teams near the century mark in games played, the Dinos are still in first place, but only by 1.5 games over the Heroes.
LG Twins players celebrate their 2-0 victory over the KT Wiz in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Twins are two games back of the Heroes and they're enjoying the longest active winning streak with four.
The Twins posted the KBO's best winning percentage in August with .667, thanks to 16 wins, eight losses and one tie. The Heroes were right behind them at 17-9 for a .654 winning percentage.
The Dinos, though, finished August at 11-12, the first time this season that they failed to reach .500 in monthly winning percentage.
The Dinos mashed this month, posting the league's highest on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) with .836. But their pitching staff ranked only sixth with a 5.42 ERA and seventh in walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) with 1.56.
The Twins, on the other hand, were among the league leaders in both hitting and pitching categories. They were tops with 33 home runs and second with an .818 OPS. Their 1.24 WHIP was the lowest in the KBO this month.
Individually for the Twins, slugger Roberto Ramos launched a league-high 10 home runs in August. He had nine combined in June and July. Captain Kim Hyun-soo also heated up in August, leading the club with a .362 batting average and the entire KBO with a .477 batting average with runners in scoring position.
In this file photo from Aug. 19, 2020, Casey Kelly of the LG Twins (L) greets his teammate Hong Chang-ki near the dugout after the top of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Kia Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
On the mound, the Twins' two aces from a year ago, Casey Kelly and Tyler Wilson, have rounded into form after sluggish starts.
Kelly had the second-lowest ERA in August with 2.25, and has a 3.81 ERA for the season, the lowest it's been the entire year. Most impressively, the right-hander held the Doosan Bears scoreless over six innings despite a 65-minute rain delay on Sunday. It was Kelly's first scoreless start since May 28.
Wilson's 3.52 ERA for August puts him in ninth place in the KBO. He had three quality starts -- at least six innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed -- and his monthly ERA has improved in every month since the start of the season.
From the bullpen, closer Go Woo-suk locked down seven saves to tie for the league lead. He missed two months of action from mid-May to mid-July and was roughed up in the early going. The right-hander has settled down nicely, with just one earned run surrendered over 11 innings in 10 appearances in August. He struck out 14 and allowed just three hits in that span.
The Twins have been getting healthier as the season has progressed. The same can't be said about the Heroes, who lost three starting pitchers and two key position players to injuries in August, making their presence near the top of the standing that much more remarkable.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Samsung Lions during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
With Eric Jokisch, Choi Won-tae and Lee Seung-ho gone from the rotation, Jake Brigham has picked up the slack. Brigham himself missed some time with an injury earlier in the year and August was his first full, healthy month of the season. In his four most recent starts, Brigham has kept opponents to just four earned runs in 25 innings, with 24 strikeouts. Most encouragingly for the pitcher who earlier experienced elbow trouble, Brigham pitched a season-high seven innings in each of the last two outings.
All told, the Heroes had the second-best ERA (3.56) and second-best WHIP (1.26) in August.
They missed first baseman Park Byung-ho from their lineup, though, with 19 homers being the third-fewest total in the KBO for August. The slugger leads the Heroes with 20 home runs, but he'll be out at least another couple of weeks with a hand injury.
The KT Wiz, who posted the best winning percentage in July to jump into postseason contention, managed to stay there in August with a 13-10 record. They're holding down the fifth and final playoff spot, one game ahead of the Lotte Giants.
The Giants started August with a five-game winning streak, and a 14-8-1 month had them back in the battle.
The Kia Tigers, on the other hand, have somewhat faded, as a 10-15 August puts them 1.5 games behind the Wiz.
Kang Baek-ho of the KT Wiz heads to first base after hitting an RBI double against the Kia Tigers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--After 3-day shutdown over COVID-19 case, National Assembly back on track

As precautionary measures , the parliament will reduce the formalities for the new session 's opening ceremony , including limiting @ @ @ @ @ national anthem to the first verse and allowing a limited number of pool reporters to @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly fully resumed proceedings Monday following a three-day shutdown due to a COVID-19 case confirmed inside parliament last week.
Three main buildings of the National Assembly were sealed off from last Thursday to Saturday for disinfection and an epidemiological survey after a photojournalist posted at parliament tested positive last Wednesday.
Lee Hae-chan, the outgoing chairman of the ruling Democratic Party and other party leaders, were put under parliament-imposed self-quarantine after the infected photojournalist covered the party's top council meeting. No further cases were reported in connection with the photographer.
All the parliamentary committee meetings set for last Thursday were also postponed.
On Monday, the chamber brought the postponed committee sessions back on track to resume the process to oversee the settlement of the 2019 budget.
Seven committees were to convene later in the day, including the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the National Policy Committee.
Transparent plastic dividers were newly installed between seats at the main chamber hall as COVID-19 preventive measures for a regular parliamentary session set to kick off Tuesday for a 100-day run.
As precautionary measures, the parliament will reduce the formalities for the new session's opening ceremony, including limiting the ceremonial singing of the national anthem to the first verse and allowing a limited number of pool reporters to cover the ceremony in person.
This photo provided by the National Assembly shows dividers installed between seats in the main hall. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Complaints of people without masks spike after mask rule in Seoul: police

The Seoul city government started mandating face masks starting last Monday .
Under the move , all Seoul residents and @ @ @ @ @ required to wear masks in indoor areas , as well as crowded outdoor venues , @ @ @ @ @ them off for meals .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Reports to the police over people not wearing masks have surged seventeenfold after the Seoul city government mandated face masks in an anti-virus measure, data showed Monday.
Reports on people without masks totaled 1,280 cases, or an average of 256 cases per day, between Monday and Friday last week, according to the data provided by a counter-virus team at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
This is 17 times bigger than the average daily figure of 15 reported between May 26 and Aug. 23.
The Seoul city government started mandating face masks starting last Monday. Under the move, all Seoul residents and visitors to the city are required to wear masks in indoor areas, as well as crowded outdoor venues, with the exception of taking them off for meals.
Of the reports, police said they have handled 41 cases that were judged to be crimes. Thirty-one people have been booked, including two who were arrested, and 10 were fined.
Some of those who were apprehended were alleged to have verbally or physically abused taxi or bus drivers or workers at eateries and bath facilities who asked them to put on their masks.
"We will support the validity of the mask rule by sternly dealing with (people) who do not wear masks and cause public harm by hurting other people or disrupting operations (at businesses)," a police official said.
People wearing masks walk at Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A sign installed at the entrance of the National Assembly in western Seoul asks visitors to wear masks to enter the venue on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--LG Uplus to supply 5G AR content to Japanese carrier

Under the deal , LG Uplus will supply its educational service of around 220 children 's books in AR format @ @ @ @ @ will be available to the Japanese carrier 's 5G users from Sept. 1 .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Uplus Corp., South Korea's No. 3 mobile carrier, said Monday it has signed a deal to supply 5G-based augmented reality (AR) content to Japanese carrier KDDI Corp.
Under the deal, LG Uplus will supply its educational service of around 220 children's books in AR format to KDDI. The service will be available to the Japanese carrier's 5G users from Sept. 1.
Child models use LG Uplus Corp.'s augmented reality-based book service in this photo provided by the company on Aug. 31, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The latest move expands LG Uplus' efforts to boost 5G content exports since last year.
The telecom operator signed a contract with China Telecom Corp. in October last year to supply its 5G content and solutions and inked deals with KDDI, Hong Kong Telecommunications Ltd. and Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Co. earlier this year to supply virtual reality (VR) content.
LG Uplus said in June that it had exported US$10 million worth of 5G content products since the deal with China Telecom.
LG Uplus has focused on AR and VR content creation by partnering with Google and has collaborated with Chinese mixed-reality product developer Nreal to release a 5G-based AR glasses device earlier this month.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--S. Korea's H1 nonstore retail sales hit new high on virus

The amount was also up 13 percent from the second half of last year and more than double the 22.6 @ @ @ @ @ first half of 2015 .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's nonstore retail sales jumped more than 19 percent to a new all-time high in the first half of the year due to the coronavirus outbreak, data showed Monday.
Consumer spending through online shopping and other nonstore channels swelled 19.4 percent on-year to 46.2 trillion won (US$39.1 billion) in the January-June period, according to the data from the Korea Small Business Institute and Statistics Korea.
The amount was also up 13 percent from the second half of last year and more than double the 22.6 trillion won posted in the first half of 2015.
Industry analysts attributed the first-half surge to the popularity of untact, nonstore spending in the wake of coronavirus-caused social distancing measures and teleworking.
The coronavirus outbreak, whose first case was confirmed in South Korea in late January, has forced many South Koreans to stay home and work from home, leading them to resort more to nonstore spending.
In contrast to nonstore retailing, department stores and other specialty retail outlets suffered heavy setbacks due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Department store sales sank 13.4 percent on-year to 12.9 trillion won in the first half, with specialty store sales falling 10.3 percent to 61.1 trillion won. In particular, sales by duty-free shops tumbled 37.1 percent to 7.3 trillion won as the coronavirus pandemic brought cross-border trips to a virtual halt.
Discount store sales edged up 1.1 percent on-year to 16.2 trillion won in the six-month period, with sales by convenience stores gaining 2.8 percent to 12.7 trillion won.
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Baseball pitcher tests positive for COVID-19

An epidemiological survey will determine the route of his transmission while contact tracing will also be carried out .
Two @ @ @ @ @ family will also be tested .

DAEJEON, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean baseball pitcher tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday, becoming the first player in his league to be infected.
Shin Jung-rak of the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, according to health officials in the Eagles' home city of Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul.
The officials said Shin first developed fever and headaches last Saturday and underwent his test earlier Monday.
An epidemiological survey will determine the route of his transmission while contact tracing will also be carried out. Two members of Shin's immediate family will also be tested.
Shin last appeared in a KBO game on June 27. After pitching to a 9.00 ERA in 16 games, Shin was demoted to the Futures League, the KBO's minor league, and hasn't been back up since.
In this file photo from May 15, 2020, Shin Jung-rak of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the Lotte Giants in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--S. Korea to seek indemnity against church over COVID-19 treatment costs

The state-run National Health Insurance Service ( NHIS ) said it will exercise its right to indemnity against organizations and @ @ @ @ @ ' efforts to stem COVID-19 spread over the cost it spent to treat them .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's national health insurance operator said Monday it will push to force a Seoul church and its members, blamed for a recent spike in coronavirus cases, to cover costs of treatment of patients linked to it.
A total of 1,056 cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul were confirmed as of Monday at 25 locations across the country.
The state-run National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) said it will exercise its right to indemnity against organizations and people who hampered the authorities' efforts to stem COVID-19 spread over the cost it spent to treat them.
The agency estimated the treatment cost for 1,035 Sarang Jeil Church-related patients confirmed as of Sunday to be some 6.5 billion won (US$5.48 million).
The average coronavirus treatment cost stood at 6.32 million won, with the NHIS paying 5.34 million won of the total.
"If cases similar to the Sarang Jeil Church case occur -- violating disease prevention guidelines and hampering anti-virus efforts -- we will actively consider actions such as seeking indemnity," an official said.
South Korea announced 248 new COVID-19 cases over the preceding 24 hours Monday, raising the total caseload to 19,947.
Police officers head toward Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2020, to carry out a search and seizure operation. A court issued a warrant after health authorities failed to secure the full list of the members of the church at the center of recent spikes in coronavirus infections in the country. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Kang reaffirms Seoul's commitment to peninsula peace, calls N.K. denuclearization 'integral'

`` We are doing so in close consultation with the United States and the neighboring countries and firmly based on @ @ @ @ @ of the ROK-U.S. alliance , '' the minister said .
ROK stands for South Korea @ @ @ @ @ of Korea .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday reiterated South Korea's determination to forge ahead with its push for lasting peace on the divided peninsula, to which she calls Pyongyang's denuclearization "integral."
Kang made the remarks amid stalled inter-Korean relations and a drawn-out deadlock in nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, both of which have thrown into doubt Seoul's dogged pursuit of greater trust and economic cooperation with Pyongyang.
"The Korean Peninsula peace process of my government seeks to turn this fragile peace into a permanent peace grounded on a formal peace accord that will replace the armistice," Kang said during a keynote speech for a forum on multilateral cooperation.
"Getting North Korea to completely denuclearize is an integral part of the process," she added.
This photo, taken on July 28, 2020, shows Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaking during a diplomatic strategy meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Noting "ups and downs" in the peace efforts and the current standoff with Pyongyang, Kang said that South Korea is "staying the course" and determined to solidify the groundwork for the process "slowly but surely."
"We are doing so in close consultation with the United States and the neighboring countries and firmly based on the solid combined defense posture of the ROK-U.S. alliance," the minister said. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, Republic of Korea.
Kang was attending the forum on multilateralism amid geopolitical rivalries in the post-pandemic era, organized by the ministry-affilated Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security.
The minister voiced concerns about the erosion of multilateralism, pointing to the "downward spiral in superpower relations," which she said has been "destabilizing" for multilateral organizations.
"What concerns foreign policy actors the most must be the rising tension between the big powers," Kang said in an apparent reference to the Sino-U.S. rivalry.
"What started in trade disputes has now escalated into a rivalry that encompasses a whole range of issues in economic, technology, military, security, political, and public health sectors," Kang added.
Kang stressed that South Korea's approach is to "shore up multilateralism and expand cooperation with no other goal than peace and co-prosperity with all others."
In another show of her support for multilateralism, the minister stressed that her country owes much of its transformation "from a war-devastated poor country into a prospering market economy and vibrant liberal democracy" to the global multilateral order.
"We are thus firm believers in multilateralism and globalization, and we are joining our voice and capacity with others who share the same concern over the erosion of multilateralism," she said.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(2nd LD) Typhoon Maysak on path to hit Busan early Thursday

The season 's ninth typhoon , packing wind gusts of up to 43 meters per second and pressure of 950 @ @ @ @ @ over waters some 270 kilometers south of the Japanese island as of 3 p.m. , @ @ @ @ @ Administration ( KMA ) .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest info throughout; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak is approaching the Korean Peninsula, after passing waters south of Japan's Okinawa Island on Monday afternoon, the national weather office said.
The season's ninth typhoon, packing wind gusts of up to 43 meters per second and pressure of 950 hectopascals, was traveling northward over waters some 270 kilometers south of the Japanese island as of 3 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
Its central pressure was 950 hectopascals, with the radius of maximum wind at 380 km.
Wind gusts of 40 meters per second or stronger can knock down a person and overturn a moving car.
The approaching typhoon, carrying heavy downpours and strong winds, is forecast to be more powerful than Typhoon Bavi, which hit the country last week.
Fishing vessels sit along a road in the southeastern city of Busan on Aug. 31, 2020, as Typhoon Maysak, the season's ninth typhoon, moves north toward the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)
"Unlike Bavi, which had little impact on the inland area, much of the region will come under Maysak's influence when it passes near Busan," a KMA official said.
Maysak is expected to come closest to the southern resort island of Jeju on Wednesday night, and nearest to the peninsula hours later before it eventually moves to the East Sea on Thursday morning.
It will bring rains to Jeju early Tuesday and South Jeolla Province at night. Rain is forecast for the rest of the country on Wednesday afternoon, according to officials.
The weather agency said the typhoon's path is still subject to change, asking citizens to follow its updates.
Typhoon Maysak, the season's ninth typhoon, heads north towards the Korean Peninsula on Aug. 31, 2020, in this photo provided by the National Meteorological Satellite Center. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Another foreign ministry employee tests positive for coronavirus

About 10 people who came into contact with the patient went into self-quarantine , and the 9th floor of the @ @ @ @ @ was disinfected .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Another case of the new coronavirus was confirmed at the foreign ministry building in central Seoul on Monday, officials said.
A ministry employee tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day after visiting a guesthouse in the southern resort island of Jeju last week, where a cluster infection has been reported.
About 10 people who came into contact with the patient went into self-quarantine, and the 9th floor of the building where the employee works was disinfected.
The case raised the number of infections reported at the ministry building to four. Two other cases were reported from the nearby main government building.
South Korea has been struggling to contain a resurgence in the number of the new coronavirus cases with sporadic cluster infections reported across the country.
On Monday, the country announced 248 new COVID-19 cases over the preceding 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 19,947.
The building of the foreign ministry in Seoul (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(3rd LD) New vice FM stresses 'transparent' communication in first talks with U.S. ambassador

Choi met with U.S .
Ambassador Harry Harris at the foreign ministry for the first time since he took office @ @ @ @ @ meeting touched on the `` entirety '' of South Korea-U.S. relations , as well as @ @ @ @ @ the ministry said .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- New First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun called for "transparent" communication with the United States during his first talks with Washington's top envoy in Seoul on Monday, portraying the two countries' alliance as "very important" for Northeast Asia.
Choi met with U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris at the foreign ministry for the first time since he took office two weeks ago. Their meeting touched on the "entirety" of South Korea-U.S. relations, as well as regional and international situations, the ministry said.
"What I told him was that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is very important for us, particularly for the Northeast Asian environment," Choi told reporters after the 50-minute talks with Harris.
"We've agreed to continue to mutually maintain the historic nature of the alliance as well as its institutional solidity," he said, calling for joint efforts to communicate "very transparently" to work out a series of pending bilateral issues.
Choi's emphasis on the alliance came amid speculation that he could lean toward a policy more independent of Washington as his past writings as a scholar indicated such inclinations.
Some observers cast him as part of a faction of officials seeking greater policy independence from the United States in comparison with one favoring closer alliance cooperation with the U.S.
Choi called such a comparison an outmoded "20th-century" framing, though he said he cannot agree with the claim that those favoring the alliance are "realistic" while those favoring an independent posture are "unreasonable."
The meeting between Choi and Harris came as Seoul and Washington seek to address a series of pending issues, including deadlocked defense cost-sharing talks, coordination on inter-Korean economic cooperation and joint efforts to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Vice Minister Choi assessed that South Korea and the U.S. have continued close communication at each level, including between their leaders, and expressed hope that the two countries can continue cooperation based on their robust alliance," the ministry said in a press release.
Harris also called for continued efforts to expand bilateral cooperation, it added.
Harris expressed his condolences over the deaths of four South Koreans who died after their car crashed into a U.S. armored vehicle in Pocheon, north of Seoul, on Sunday night.
Following the talks, Harris tweeted that he had a "terrific" meeting with Choi about "all things" related to the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while congratulating the vice minister on his appointment.
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris bump elbows as they pose for a photo before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Some observers said that the two sides could touch on issues related to growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and technology, and China's policies on Hong Kong, its Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region and the South China Sea.
South Korea has been seeking to arrange a trip to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping this year as mutually agreed on amid worries it could create an image of a key U.S. ally tilting more to China in the midst of an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry.
Choi was a key architect of a 2018 inter-Korean military pact aimed at reducing border tensions and building mutual trust -- a reason why he's expected to crank up diplomacy to foster inter-Korean cooperation.
Choi has reportedly been critical of the "working group" forum that the two countries established to coordinate North Korea policy amid views that it impedes inter-Korean cooperation.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--New ruling party chairman says 'strongly' considering 2nd round of emergency handouts

`` The party will have a tripartite meeting with Cheong Wa Dae and the government as soon as possible this @ @ @ @ @ support the people 's livelihoods , '' he said .
Expansion of the country 's @ @ @ @ @ be part of the assistance measures , he added .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), said Monday the party is "strongly" considering ways to financially assist people hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a second round of emergency handouts.
"(The party) is strongly reviewing emergency assistance measures catering to people who were hit harder by the new coronavirus and experiencing a major threat to their livelihoods," Lee said in his first press conference as DP chairman.
Lee, who served as the first prime minister of the Moon Jae-in administration and is now a leading potential presidential candidate, overwhelmingly won the leadership in the party convention last Saturday, beating former Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Rep. Park Ju-min.
"The party will have a tripartite meeting with Cheong Wa Dae and the government as soon as possible this week to discuss measures to support the people's livelihoods," he said. Expansion of the country's earned income tax credit would be part of the assistance measures, he added.
As for the second round of emergency handouts, Lee said "the quicker they are provided, the better."
Lee has been supporting a graded emergency handout scheme, focusing on people in greater need, as opposed to assistance for all.
The DP's pivotal focus will be on coronavirus response and assistance measures for people's livelihoods during the upcoming regular parliamentary session set to begin Tuesday for a 100-day run, Lee also said.
Also on the agenda will be economy-related legislation zeroing in on how to nurture the nation's new growth engines in the aftermath of the pandemic, according to the new chairman.
Lee also touched on the South Korea-Japan diplomatic relationship in the wake of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent decision to step down.
"What is clear is if Japan agrees that Korea-Japan ties should not be as they have been, the country should reconsider its attitude toward South Korea," he said.
The Democratic Party's new Chairman Lee Nak-yon speaks during a press conference in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Employee who contracted COVID-19 on overseas duty qualifies for workers' comp for first time

The person filed for Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance ( IACI ) at the Korea Workers ' Compensation and Welfare Service @ @ @ @ @ and Labor , after being treated for COVID-19 at a local hospital .
The ministry @ @ @ @ @ in favor of the worker in the first such case .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean worker who got infected with the novel coronavirus while working in a foreign country was recognized as a victim of an industrial accident in the first such case, the labor ministry said Monday.
The worker, whose identity was withheld, tested positive during the quarantine process at Incheon International Airport upon returning from the United States.
The person filed for Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) at the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, after being treated for COVID-19 at a local hospital. The ministry's review commission recently ruled in favor of the worker in the first such case.
There have been 76 local cases where workers, mostly from the health sector, were granted the compensation. The first case came from a cluster of infections that broke out at a call center in Seoul in March.
The government has been covering most of the medical costs for COVID-19 patients in line with the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, which, the ministry said, explained the small number of workers' compensation cases relative to the country's total caseload of 19,947.
This undated file photo shows a quarantine process for COVID-19 at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--High court affirms 7-year sentence for ex-spy chief in political meddling case

The appellate court increased the amount of money recognized as having been embezzled by Won to 15.6 billion won ( @ @ @ @ @ from 12.8 billion won recognized by the lower court .
It also found him guilty @ @ @ @ @ won in bribes .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Monday upheld a seven-year prison sentence for Won Sei-hoon, a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) director, who was indicted for spending taxpayer money to interfere in domestic politics in favor of preceding conservative governments and on other charges.
The Seoul High Court suspended Won's civil and political qualifications for five years for inflicting losses to state coffers, compared with a seven-year qualification suspension imposed by the Seoul Central District Court in February.
This combined image, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows former National Intelligence Service Director Won Sei-hoon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The appellate court increased the amount of money recognized as having been embezzled by Won to 15.6 billion won (US$13.14 million) from 12.8 billion won recognized by the lower court. It also found him guilty of receiving about 200 million won in bribes.
But both the district and appellate courts didn't mete out any monetary penalty for Won, though prosecutors demanded a forfeit of 19.8 billion won.
Won was also acquitted of 13 charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights in connection with his attempts to disadvantage liberal figures in broadcasting activities.
Won, who led the NIS from 2009-2013, was indicted from December 2017 to December 2018 on nine criminal charges, including his unlawful use of NIS funds to hire civilians to distort cyberspace opinions and acts of interference in domestic politics.
Separately, Won was convicted on charges of instructing NIS officials to manipulate internet comments to sway public opinion ahead of the 2012 presidential election. In the case, the Supreme Court upheld a four-year imprisonment for him in April 2018.
Won's additional indictments came after the Moon Jae-in administration launched a reinvestigation into the NIS' past wrongdoings following his inauguration in May 2017.
Prosecutors reopened the investigation into Won after an internal NIS probe found documents that suggest the spy agency ran 30 cyberteams and spent billions of won in taxpayer money to pay civilians and NIS retirees to write disparaging internet comments about liberal figures.
The Seoul High Court said any form of political intervention by the NIS deserves severe punishment.
"In our country's history, the spy agency's political interference has caused harm on multiple occasions. It's very wrong for the NIS to set up and support a civilian organization," the court said.
It also noted that a number of NIS officials have been criminally punished after being unable to reject Won's instructions and involved in various crimes.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Samsung said D Tower and E Tower of its R & D campus in southern Seoul have been shuttered after @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 .
The buildings will reopen Tuesday following disinfection work , but the @ @ @ @ @ located will be closed for three days , the company added .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
----------------
(3rd LD) New virus cases stay under 300 for 2nd day, cluster infections still loom
SEOUL -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed below 300 for the second consecutive day Monday, but health authorities are keeping their guards up as sporadic cluster infections and a growing number of patients with unknown infection routes continue to put a strain on the country's virus fight.
The country reported 248 new COVID-19 cases, including 238 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
----------------
(2nd LD) Greater Seoul area slows down as tougher social distancing measure takes effect
SEOUL -- South Korea's capital and surrounding areas, home to half of the country's population, turned unusually quiet over the weekend and on Monday as residents adjusted to one of the toughest social distancing modes in place there since the pandemic hit the country.
Starting Sunday, South Korea began to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province while retaining its Level Two social distancing requirements in its latest effort to contain the new coronavirus.
----------------
(2nd LD) Air Force chief nominated as new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman
SEOUL -- Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul has been tapped to lead South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the defense ministry said Monday.
If his appointment is confirmed, Won will succeed Gen. Park Han-ki, who took office in October 2018. No official term of office is set, but the JCS chairman is supposed to serve for around 18 months to two years.
----------------
(LEAD) Main opposition party renamed 'People's Power' to reshape image
SEOUL -- The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) tentatively renamed itself as People's Power on Monday in the latest move to reshape its image.
Having been proposed during the party's steering committee meeting earlier in the day, the new party moniker was endorsed in an online general party meeting.
----------------
(2nd LD) All 4 Koreans in SUV die after crash with U.S. armored vehicle in Pocheon
POCHEON, South Korea -- Four South Koreans died after their car crashed into a U.S. armored vehicle on Sunday night in Pocheon, north of Seoul, police said.
The two couples were heading home when their sport utility vehicle rear-ended the U.S. armored vehicle at around 9:30 p.m. near the Rodriguez Live Fire Range.
----------------
Corporate hirings dive to 11-year low in Q2, Q3
SEOUL -- Local companies' demand for new employees in the second and third quarters has fallen to the lowest level in 11 years, a government report showed Monday, as the spread of the coronavirus pandemic continues to weigh down the job market.
According to the report issued by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, local companies with five or more regular employees have plans to recruit 238,000 new employees from April to September, down 5.1 percent, or 13,000 people, from a year ago.
----------------
Samsung shutters R&D campus buildings in Seoul over virus case
SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it has closed buildings at its local research and development (R&D) center after a worker there tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Samsung said D Tower and E Tower of its R&D campus in southern Seoul have been shuttered after an in-house cafe worker tested positive for COVID-19. The buildings will reopen Tuesday following disinfection work, but the floor where the cafe is located will be closed for three days, the company added.
----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks plunge over 1 pct on record-high foreign dumping
SEOUL -- South Korean shares dipped more than 1 percent Monday, as foreign sell-offs soared to an all-time high amid the spreading new coronavirus fears. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 27.63 points, or 1.17 percent, to close at 2,326.17. Trading volume was high at about 1.6 billion shares worth some 19 trillion won (US$16 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 498 to 350.
----------------
(LEAD) BTS wins 4 awards at MTV VMAs, performs 'Dynamite'
SEOUL -- K-pop band BTS picked up four awards at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards held in the United States on Sunday (U.S. time), while putting on its first television performance of its hit single "Dynamite" on the American TV network.
The South Korean septet won in the categories of best pop, best group, best K-pop and best choreography with "ON," the lead song off the band's studio album "Map of The Soul: 7" released in February, at the awards show held in New York City without an in-person audience and performances due to COVID-19.
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Sales of online stores jump on stricter distancing

`` The stricter measures are having an impact on our sales , and we will be able to release how @ @ @ @ @ sales at the end of this week , '' a Starbucks spokesman said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details about convenience stores in paras 19-20)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Sales of online stores jumped on the first day on which South Korea imposed stricter social distancing guidelines to stem the spread of the new coronavirus outbreak, retailers said Monday.
In a sharp contrast, sales of retail stores plunged as people opted to stay at home and order online due to coronavirus fears.
Empty streets, No people…Life of ‘Level 2.5’ social distancing Youtube https://youtu.be/pAcfHm1fOX4
On Sunday, South Korea began to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
The move comes as the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks.
On Monday, South Korea reported 248 new COVID-19 cases, including 238 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This photo taken on Aug. 31, 2020, shows a coffee franchise outlet in Seoul with tables and seats taken away in line with the government's stricter social distancing guidelines. (Yonhap)
Stricter social distancing measures pushed up sales of online shopping malls and delivery-focused stores but drove down sales of offline stores such as coffee franchises, large discount store chains and department stores, according to distribution companies.
Hyundai Department Store's food delivery division "To Home" said its sales jumped more than 200 percent on Sunday compared with a week earlier.
Sales of GS Retail Co.'s online shopping store GS Fresh Mall climbed more than 100 percent and Lotte Shopping Co.'s integrated online shopping store Lotte On also reported a 3.2 percent sales increase during the same period, the companies said.
Shinsegae Co. said sales of its integrated online shopping mall SSG.COM rose 30 percent on Sunday compared with a week earlier.
In contrast, department stores such as Lotte Department Store and Shinsegae Department Store and large discount stores such as Emart suffered a sharp decline in sales as customers increasingly choose to purchase foods and daily necessities from online shopping stores.
Lotte and Shinsegae Department Store said their sales fell 24 percent and 28 percent on Sunday compared to a week earlier.
Retail outlets and department stores expect the COVID-19 pandemic and stricter social distancing measures will inevitably continue to weigh on consumer sentiment and their sales for the time being.
Large coffee franchises such as Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Ediya Coffee were also hit hard by the stricter distancing measures on Sunday.
U.S. coffee giant Starbucks, which operates 1,438 stores in South Korea, said sales at their 900 stores in the greater Seoul area were mainly affected by the stricter distancing plan which will last through Sept. 6.
"The stricter measures are having an impact on our sales, and we will be able to release how much the measures affected our sales at the end of this week," a Starbucks spokesman said.
The number of delivery orders for cafe beverages and desserts increased 10 percent on Sunday from a week earlier, according to delivery app Baedal Minjok, or Baemin.
Other delivery orders are expected to increase in the coming week as restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee stores, only takeout or delivery are permitted regardless of operating hours, as cluster infections traced to coffee shops have been reported.
The operators of convenience store chains, such as GS25, CU and 7-Eleven, advised chiefs of their franchise outlets in the greater capital region not to operate indoor eating spaces from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in line with the stricter social distancing.
GS25 said it will not run outdoor tables and chairs. It will also prevent people from gathering and eating during the cited hours.
The stricter measure is part of the government's strengthened virus curbs in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51 million population, as the country is struggling to curb spiking virus cases.
South Korea has also begun to suspend the operation of indoor sports facilities, including fitness centers and billiard halls, in the wake of virus infections at indoor sports centers.
The government also expanded no-assembly orders from large academies to almost all cram schools in the wider Seoul area. Only online lectures will be permitted.
Health authorities will also make one-third of all employees at government agencies and public institutions work from home. They also recommended private companies take similar steps.
Starting Aug. 19, the government placed the capital area under Level 2 social distancing guidelines, the second highest in a three-tier system, for two weeks, banning indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor events of 100 or more people. The government expanded the distancing level to affect all of South Korea in late August.
Level Three calls for restricting all outdoor activities except for essential social and economic purposes. Gatherings of 10 or more people are not permitted, and all sports events are suspended.
A Seoul street dotted with private educational institutes is largely empty amid stricter social distancing to curb the new coronavirus outbreak on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(2nd LD) Greater Seoul area slows down as tougher social distancing measure takes effect

`` I 'm not taking any eat-in customers after 8 p.m. since I do n't want to quarrel with them @ @ @ @ @ have to leave ) , '' said the owner of a seafood restaurant in Incheon @ @ @ @ @ people are refraining from coming outside , so the number of customers is less than @ @ @ @ @ . ''

(ATTN: ADDS health official's quote in paras 19-21, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's capital and surrounding areas, home to half of the country's population, turned unusually quiet over the weekend and on Monday as residents adjusted to one of the toughest social distancing modes in place there since the pandemic hit the country.
Starting Sunday, South Korea began to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province while retaining its Level Two social distancing requirements in its latest effort to contain the new coronavirus.
Empty streets, No people…Life of ‘Level 2.5’ social distancing Youtube https://youtu.be/pAcfHm1fOX4
Under the eight-day scheme, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, as cluster infections traced to coffee shops have been reported.
When customers visit coffee chains for takeaway, they should follow quarantine measures, such as making entry logs, wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.
A restaurant in Seoul is almost empty during lunch time on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A sign that reads "Just To-go" is displayed at a cafe in the eastern Seoul ward of Seongdong on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A street of restaurants in Jongno, central Seoul, is nearly empty on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Streets in busy Seoul neighborhoods like Hongdae, Jongno and Gangnam, which usually bustle with weekend and late-night crowds, were mostly empty as the measure took effect.
"It's not even half. The number of customers is one-tenth the usual number. Only four groups visited during lunch. It's the worst time I've seen in my 13 years of running the restaurant," said a 60-year-old surnamed Kim, who runs a restaurant in Hongdae in western Seoul.
Things were not much different in Gangnam in southern Seoul. Tables at bars and restaurants were emptier than usual, and customers got ready to leave as the clock ticked toward 9 p.m.
"I have to return early since all the shops are closing at 9 p.m. I would usually go for another round," said a 29-year-old officer worker surnamed Yoon who was drinking with two friends.
A mall in Seoul is almost empty on Aug. 30, 2020 (Yonhap)
Chairs are grouped together in line with the government's tightened social distancing guidelines in the greater Seoul area at a Starbucks branch in central Seoul on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Restaurant and bar owners in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province were also bearing the brunt.
"I'm not taking any eat-in customers after 8 p.m. since I don't want to quarrel with them (about the time they have to leave)," said the owner of a seafood restaurant in Incheon. "A lot of people are refraining from coming outside, so the number of customers is less than one-fourth what we usually get."
On the other hand, business was busier than usual for delivery workers and eateries that deliver.
"I'm now only accepting delivery orders and not taking in any eat-in customers since things have gotten bad due to COVID-19," a restaurant owner in Gyeonggi Province said.
A worker at a restaurant in central Seoul makes boxed lunches to be delivered on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A street in Jongno, central Seoul, is almost empty on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea currently runs a three-tier social distancing system. It expanded the Level Two mode across the country earlier this month and introduced additional measures for the greater Seoul area in what it called a "2.5" mode.
Level Three, the highest in a three-tier system, is issued when the number of daily virus cases reaches a two-week average of 100-200 and the doubling of new COVID-19 cases occurs more than twice a week.
Under Level Three, gatherings or 10 or more people are banned, in comparison with Level Two, which bans indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people.
Only essential public and corporate activities are allowed, and companies are advised to mandate remote working. Schools have to suspend all on-site classes, and sports games are banned.
Authorities have voiced concern over shifting to Level Three, citing the severe impact on people's livelihoods and the economy.
Health officials urged people to follow the current guideline, which is seen as an important step in deciding whether to move on to Level Three.
"We will be able to minimize the damage if we can complete the enhanced Level Two distancing scheme strongly in a short time," Jeong Eun-kyeong, chief of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a regular press briefing.
"We expect to see the effect of the toughened Level Two distancing this weekend or early next week."
A customer wearing a mask carries takeout coffee from a Starbucks franchise in the eastern Seoul ward of Seongdong on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
An entry log, hand sanitizer and a sign asking customers to fill out the form is seen at a cafe in Gangnam in southern Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A survey of 500 adults by Realmeter, commissioned by broadcaster YTN, showed that 59.5 percent of the respondents thought the 2.5 mode is an "appropriate" decision considering its impact on the economy, while 31.3 percent called for Level Three measures.
The survey was conducted on Friday. Its confidence level was 95 percent with a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Moon says gov't can talk with striking doctors about their demands

`` It 's hard to understand what conditions doctors need so they can get back to work beyond those , @ @ @ @ @ You should not forget the Hippocratic Oath that you will think of the health and @ @ @ @ @ No .
1 priority . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks on anti-virus fight in last 7 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in expressed regret Monday over a continued strike by medical doctors in South Korea and assured them that his government can have consultations on their demands once the ongoing COVID-19 situation is under control.
"It's very regrettable that the medical circles have not ended their refusal to treat (patients) in this severe phase," he said during a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. "The people need doctors right now. The patients' side is where doctors should be."
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides at his office in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon's call came as the country is in a desperate fight against the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus.
Trainee doctors belonging to the Korean Intern and Resident Association have been staging a strike since Aug. 21 in protest of the government's push mainly for increasing medical school admissions and establishing public medical schools. The association reportedly has around 15,000 members nationwide.
The Korean Medical Association, which has more than 130,000 members, also announced that it would begin an indefinite walkout on Sept. 7 unless the government retracts the plans.
"As the COVID-19 situation is so urgent, we don't have much time," Moon said.
For the government, which should enforce the law to protect the people's lives and health, there are not many options either, he added, speaking in front of pool reporters and cameras.
The president urged striking doctors to return to work as soon as possible, saying the government can "consult with the medical community on issues that they raise" through a council, which the government has promised, and a parliamentary consultative body after the coronavirus situation is stabilized.
Other issues that can be discussed are how to address the regional imbalance of medical services, and strengthen essential and public medical services, of which "everybody" agrees are necessary, he said.
"It's hard to understand what conditions doctors need so they can get back to work beyond those," he said. "You should not forget the Hippocratic Oath that you will think of the health and lives of patients as the No. 1 priority."
He was cautious about declining numbers of new daily confirmed patients over the past few days. Local health authorities reported 248 additional COVID-19 cases earlier the day, the second consecutive day that the figure has been below 300.
"However, the authorities' judgment is that it is still too early to regard it as a positive signal to moving toward a stabilization trend," Moon said.
He said that "anxiety factors," not revealed by the numbers, are lurking, which is why the government has toughened social distancing restrictions.
In particular, he noted, there are many people who have yet to get coronavirus tests among those who attended a massive Aug. 15 Liberation Day street rally in Gwanghwamun, some churchgoers or people who had contact with the infected.
"I don't know if it's attributable to false beliefs, fake news or opposition to the government. Damages that the people suffer because of that are so big, which include the efforts of many people going in vain and economic difficulties growing," the president said.
He pledged that the government will make every effort so that the people can return to their daily routines and economic activities at an early date.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(2nd LD) New vice FM Choi holds first meeting with U.S. ambassador amid pending issues

`` Vice Minister Choi assessed that South Korea and the U.S. have continued close communication at each level , including @ @ @ @ @ and expressed hope that the two countries can continue cooperation based on their robust alliance @ @ @ @ @ in a press release .

(ATTN: UPDATES in paras 3-6)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- New First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris on Monday for the first time since his appointment earlier this month.
Their meeting came as Seoul and Washington seek to address a series of pending issues, including deadlocked defense cost-sharing talks, coordination on inter-Korean economic cooperation and joint efforts to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
Choi and Harris exchanged their first greetings since the former's inauguration two weeks ago and exchanged their views on the "entirety" of South Korea-U.S. relations, as well of regional and international situations, the foreign ministry said.
Harris expressed his condolences over the deaths of four South Koreans who died after their car crashed into a U.S. armored vehicle in Pocheon, north of Seoul, on Sunday night.
"Vice Minister Choi assessed that South Korea and the U.S. have continued close communication at each level, including one between their leaders, and expressed hope that the two countries can continue cooperation based on their robust alliance," the ministry said in a press release.
Harris also called for continued efforts to expand bilateral cooperation, it added.
Following the talks, Harris tweeted that he had a "terrific" meeting with Choi about "all things" related to the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while congratulating the vice minister on his appointment.
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris bump elbows as they pose for a photo before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Some observers said that the two sides could touch on issues related to growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and technology, and China's policies on Hong Kong, its Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region and the South China Sea.
South Korea has been seeking to arrange a trip to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping this year as mutually agreed on amid worries it could create an image of a key U.S. ally tilting more to China in the midst of an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry.
Choi was a key architect of a 2018 inter-Korean military pact aimed at reducing border tensions and building mutual trust -- a reason why he's expected to crank up diplomacy to foster inter-Korean cooperation.
Choi is considered to be pursuing a policy more independent of the United States and has reportedly been critical of the "working group" forum that the two countries established to coordinate North Korea policy amid views that it impedes inter-Korean cooperation.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Star actor Park Bo-gum joins military amid COVID-19 pandemic

After six weeks of basic military training there , he is expected to be transferred to the Navy headquarters in @ @ @ @ @ .
He will be discharged in April 2022 .

CHANGWON, South Korea, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Actor Park Bo-gum started his mandatory military duty Monday.
Dressed in black, Park entered the Navy Education and Training Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, at 2 p.m.
As his agency Blossom Entertainment has promised no farewell event at the training camp due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 26-year-old did not give a nod or a hand salute.
Instead of visiting the site on strengthened social distancing, his fans said goodbye and sent encouraging messages to Park on online communities.
Actor Park Bo-gum makes quiet entry into military…amid COVID-19 Youtube https://youtu.be/VBsA8xRvi9Q
He will be tested for the novel coronavirus before beginning his training, according to the Navy.
After six weeks of basic military training there, he is expected to be transferred to the Navy headquarters in the central city of Gyeryong. He will be discharged in April 2022.
Making his silver screen debut with the thriller film "Blind" (2011), Park gained huge popularity after taking a lead role in the hit TV series "Reply 1988" (2015) and "Love in the Moonlight" (2016).
His last small screen TV project, "The "Record of Youth," will be aired on tvN next Monday.
Actor Park Bo-gum enters the Navy Education and Training Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
Actor Park Bo-gum (L) enters the Navy Education and Training Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(2nd LD) Gov't checks hospitals ahead of back-to-work order for striking trainee doctors

Meanwhile , the government decided to postpone the state licensing exam for medical students by one week to Sept. 8 @ @ @ @ @ said it would press ahead with the exam as scheduled -- in an apparent bid @ @ @ @ @ the strike .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 7 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday launched inspections of 10 hospitals in areas outside the greater Seoul area as the head of the country's public health agency called for trainee doctors to end their strike amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The health ministry said it was checking the situations of emergency rooms and intensive care units at the hospitals during the on-site inspections, and it plans to issue a back-to-work order to striking trainee doctors.
The ministry carried out two similar inspections of 40 hospitals across the country last week.
The move came as the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) called for doctors to end their collective actions, citing the grave situation over the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We ask the medical sector to understand the grave situation of the virus pandemic and actively hold dialogue with the government," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing.
A trainee doctor pickets at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul on Aug. 31, 2020, to protest the government's plan to increase the number of medical students. (Yonhap)
The request came a day after the emergency task force of the Korean Intern and Resident Association voted in favor of an indefinite walkout.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at the general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme.
"We are calling on trainee doctors to immediately return to emergency rooms and intensive care units where critically ill patients are treated, regardless of the government's forcible actions," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official, said in a briefing.
On Saturday, South Korea's health authorities issued back-to-work orders to 278 striking doctors, warning of possible prison terms.
Their collective actions spawned concerns about disruptions in the health care system at a time when the country is struggling to contain spiking virus cases.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the government is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school, as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
Protesting doctors said the government's policy was made in a "hasty and unilateral" decision.
Meanwhile, the government decided to postpone the state licensing exam for medical students by one week to Sept. 8 -- just hours after it said it would press ahead with the exam as scheduled -- in an apparent bid to break the impasse over the strike.
The practical examination for the licensing had been scheduled to start Tuesday for two months.
The government's about-face came as medical professors called on the government to delay the exam and discuss the contentious issue with the medical sector from scratch.
Medical students across the nation have decided to boycott the state exam and school classes in protest of the government's policy. The boycott has sparked concerns that the country may face a shortage of doctors next year.
"To minimize damage to medical students, the government decided to put off the scheduled test by one week," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said in a briefing.
"The government took into account the high possibility that the massive boycott could hurt hospitals' capability to treat patients and hamper people's use of the medical service," he noted.
This photo, taken on Aug. 30, 2020, shows a patient entering Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(LEAD) Seoul stocks plunge over 1 pct on record-high foreign dumping

Starting Sunday , South Korea raised the social distancing level by half a notch to 2.5 .
Under the eight-day @ @ @ @ @ and deliveries are permitted after 9 p.m. at restaurants and bakeries in the greater Seoul @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares dipped more than 1 percent Monday, as foreign sell-offs soared to an all-time high amid the spreading new coronavirus fears. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 27.63 points, or 1.17 percent, to close at 2,326.17. Trading volume was high at about 1.6 billion shares worth some 19 trillion won (US$16 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 498 to 350.
The index set out strong on the Fed's dovish signal but turned to losses on disappointing new COVID-19 case numbers.
Foreigners dumped a net 1.63 trillion won, the largest-ever foreign sell-off in a day on the main bourse. Retail investors purchased a net 1.57 trillion won, while institutions offloaded a net 5.8 billion won.
"Major foreign sell-offs in chip and other tech shares drove the KOSPI down," said Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young.
"Investor sentiment seems to have weakened from the spreading social distancing move," he added.
South Korea added 248 new COVID-19 cases, marking a drop from 299 cases identified the previous day. But health authorities said the drop may have resulted from fewer virus tests over the weekend.
Starting Sunday, South Korea raised the social distancing level by half a notch to 2.5. Under the eight-day emergency measures, only takeaway and deliveries are permitted after 9 p.m. at restaurants and bakeries in the greater Seoul area.
Most large caps finished lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 2.53 percent to 54,000 won, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix dipping 3.47 percent to 75,100 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics retreated 2.63 percent to 778,000 won, and Celltrion fell 2.46 percent to 297,000 won.
Leading chemicals firm LG Chem dipped 2.5 percent to 740,000 won, and internet portal giant Naver sank 3.15 percent to 322,500 won.
Among gainers, Top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 2.62 percent to 176,500 won, with Kakao, the operator of messenger app Kakao Talk, adding 0.37 percent to 407,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,187.8 won per dollar, down 3.5 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 4.7 basis points to 0.940 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 3.5 basis points to 1.210 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--(2nd LD) All 4 Koreans in SUV die after crash with U.S. armored vehicle in Pocheon

`` USFK offers its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased following this tragic accident , @ @ @ @ @ , adding that the Eighth Army is temporarily suspending training in the area out of @ @ @ @ @ their families .

(ATTN: ADDS U.S. ambassador's tweet in last para)
POCHEON, South Korea, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Four South Koreans died after their car crashed into a U.S. armored vehicle on Sunday night in Pocheon, north of Seoul, police said.
The two couples were heading home when their sport utility vehicle rear-ended the U.S. armored vehicle at around 9:30 p.m. near the Rodriguez Live Fire Range.
The occupants, all in their 50s, were pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital and receiving emergency treatment including CPR.
One American soldier sustained a minor injury and was taken to a hospital.
The SUV's engine was damaged beyond recognition due to the impact of the crash, while the armored vehicle's caterpillar tracks on the right side were damaged.
U.S. soldiers in the armored vehicles were on their way to their base in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, after a drill, the police said, adding that the road where the accident occurred was frequently used by U.S. armored vehicles.
The police have requested an autopsy of the driver and were investigating whether the driver's taking over the wheel from another person minutes before the crash had anything to do with the accident.
"USFK, Eighth Army and 2nd Infantry ROK-US Combined Division are fully cooperating with the KNP (Korean National Police) investigation," U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said in a statement issued on Monday.
"USFK offers its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased following this tragic accident," the U.S. military said, adding that the Eighth Army is temporarily suspending training in the area out of respect to those killed and their families.
In a tweet, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris joined the USFK in expressing his "deepest" condolences to the families and loved ones of the Koreans who died in the accident.
This photo provided by the Gyeonggi Northern Fire Department shows the scene of a car accident on Aug. 30, 2020, in Pocheon, South Korea, which left four Koreans dead. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The photo provided by the Gyeonggi Northern Fire Department shows the scene of an accident on Aug. 30, 2020, in Pocheon, South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 31, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 31, 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--2020-08-31--Moon to hold 1st meeting on New Deal strategy next week

Moon has been pushing for the Korean version of New Deal in order to help create jobs and transform South @ @ @ @ @ pacesetter '' in the post-coronavirus era .
Moon said it 's intended for the `` @ @ @ @ @ nation .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in will chair the first official meeting on his administration's Korean-version New Deal strategy next week that will be joined by more than 40 financiers in the private sector, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.
Some of them will participate remotely in the session to be held in the presidential compound on Thursday due to strict social distancing guidelines against the new coronavirus, it said.
To be announced in the meeting are the government's measure to support the envisioned New Deal fund and the financial community's own funding plans, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Moon has been pushing for the Korean version of New Deal in order to help create jobs and transform South Korea into a global "pacesetter" in the post-coronavirus era. Moon said it's intended for the "great transformation" of the nation.
Digital and green are two keywords in the initiative, with AI government, SOC digitalization, green energy and smart green industrial complex also among the major projects.
President Moon Jae-in in a file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)