yna--2020-08-07--Hanwha Q Cells to buy U.S. energy software company

The energy business arm of Hanwha Solutions said it plans to acquire a 100 percent stake in the American company @ @ @ @ @ to be completed within the year .
The process involves getting the go-ahead from the @ @ @ @ @ the United States , the company said .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Hanwha Q Cells, a leading solar power solutions provider, said Friday that it will buy U.S. energy software company Geli to further its standing in the industry.
The energy business arm of Hanwha Solutions said it plans to acquire a 100 percent stake in the American company, with the entire deal to be completed within the year. The process involves getting the go-ahead from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the company said.
Geli, also referred to as Growing Energy Labs, was set up in San Francisco in 2010 and has built up know-how in solar power generation facilities and energy storage system controls.
"Hanwha Q Cells has made money by selling photovoltaic solar cells, but with the merger with Geli, the company can provide a fuller package of solutions to customers that includes areas like electricity trading," the South Korean company said.
It said that the latest arrangement comes as the global energy market is undergoing change that requires greater control of software.
The company added that it initially wanted to sign the deal in the first quarter, but this plan was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
This image provided by Hanwha Q Cells shows the corporate logo of Geli. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korea approves clinical trials for local COVID-19 drug candidate material

The ministry said it has already undergone phase one trials as a possible cancer drug and has been discovered to @ @ @ @ @ latest approval will be used to see if it is effective in dealing with the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has approved first phase clinical trials for a potential treatment material for the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Friday.
The material to be tested is GX-17 being developed by local biotech firm Genexine, the government agency said.
GX-17 is a so-called repositioning drug originally made to treat breast and skin cancers and certain types of solid tumors, but scientists have said it can be used to combat the ongoing pandemic.
The ministry said it has already undergone phase one trials as a possible cancer drug and has been discovered to be safe, so the latest approval will be used to see if it is effective in dealing with the highly contagious disease.
"Genexine's material is an antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity and interleukin 7 replacement material that can strengthen the body's immune system and help in the recovery of coronavirus infected people," the ministry said.
It pointed out that another interleukin 7 replacement material -- Revlmmune -- being developed by a U.S. company is also undergoing human clinical trials to see if can be used on COVID-19 patients.
The approval brings the number of drug candidate materials that have been authorized for clinical trials to 15, with two being vaccines and the rest being treatment materials.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) Moon declares 7 flood-battered parts of S. Korea as special disaster zones

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety , the government has singled out the seven special disaster zones @ @ @ @ @ inspection for three days , far shorter than the usual two-week period , in order @ @ @ @ @ for the disaster-battered areas .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS more details in 6th para, photos)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Friday declared seven cities and counties in central South Korea devastated by recent torrential rains as special disaster zones, the presidential office said, making them eligible for state support in their disaster recovery efforts.
Moon declared the seven areas -- Anseong of Gyeonggi Province; Cheorwon of Gangwon Province; Chungju, Jecheon and Eumseong of North Chungcheong Province; and Cheonan and Asan of South Chungcheong Province -- as special disaster zones, the office announced, saying they suffered particularly heavy damage from recent downpours.
Unseasonably heavy rains and flooding in the nation's central regions over the past week have left 17 people dead and 10 others missing, displaced some 2,500 people and destroyed about 6,200 buildings, according to government data.
This file photo, provided by local resident Lee Sun-hye, shows a flooded village in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"The central and provincial governments have speedily selected the seven areas with extraordinarily serious flood damage as special disaster zones," Yoon Jae-kwan, deputy spokesperson of the presidential office, said in a media briefing.
"The government plans to conduct further on-site inspections to additionally declare other areas that meet certain conditions as the special disaster zones," Yoon said.
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and opposition parties including the United Future Party (UFP) hailed the government's decision, hoping the decision will help flood victims in the seven special disaster zones get their lives back on track.
Graphic This illustration shows seven special disaster zones colored in sky blue in South Korea. (Yonhap)
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the government has singled out the seven special disaster zones after conducting emergency on-site damage inspection for three days, far shorter than the usual two-week period, in order to swiftly expand state support for the disaster-battered areas.
The declaration of special disaster zones will allow the central government to spend state money to support 50 to 80 percent of the expenditures needed for damage recovery.
The move will also permit residents who suffered flood damage to receive state support in livelihood costs and reductions in utility bills, health insurance premiums and other public charges, as well as exemptions from reserve forces training and other military duties.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Web portals suspend sports news comment services to stop hateful remarks

`` All comment postings will be suspended for the time being , '' a Naver representative said on the company @ @ @ @ @ there have been persistent remarks directed at certain athletes that can be seen as unjust @ @ @ @ @ developments have occurred despite more stringent monitoring .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's three top web portal operators have all halted comment services for sports-related news to help stem the spread of hateful remarks, company sources said Friday.
The move by Naver, Kakao and Nate comes as there has been a growing understanding that athletes, like celebrities, are often targets of malicious comments posted in the comment sections of news articles.
"All comment postings will be suspended for the time being," a Naver representative said on the company's blog. He said there have been persistent remarks directed at certain athletes that can be seen as unjust defamation, adding that these developments have occurred despite more stringent monitoring.
It said Naver will first stop allowing comment posting for written sports news, with other measures planned for video and other types of material.
Live coverage of sports events and associated "live talk" will continue, although a special "clean bot 2.0" using artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to filter out malicious and insulting remarks.
It said that while services will be suspended, the company does not plan to permanently halt the service as it is currently working on technology that can better screen and remove hateful comments more efficiently.
The company suspended comment posting for celebrities in February of this year.
Echoing this line, Kakao said it too has blocked people from writing comments on its sports news, as some have unfairly attacked teams and players.
"Kakao is in the process of coming up with solutions that can restore the original goal of sports news comment posting," the company said. It said it is moving to incorporate AI filtering to take down hateful remarks.
Moreover, it said it has been getting advice from experts and is even in talks with the National Human Rights Commission and the Korean Society for Media Law Ethics and Policy.
Nate, the smallest of the leading portals, said it will not allow the posting of sports news comments as under the present system it can lead to the undue suffering of people.
The latest measures, meanwhile, come as a former professional female volleyball player, who recently died, may have struggled with excessive mental stress caused by derogatory comments posted about her on news articles.
There have also been requests made to parliament to halt sports news articles comments altogether because they are being used to attack athletes.
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Hanjin KAL to buy new shares of Jin Air in Nov.

Investors are required to make payments for the new shares on Nov. 3 , and the new shares will be @ @ @ @ @ on Nov. 16 , Jin Air said .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Hanjin KAL Corp. said Friday it will spend 53.6 billion won (US$45.2 million) to buy new shares to be issued by its low-cost carrier Jin Air Co.
Earlier in the day, the board of directors of Hanjin KAL, the parent of Jin Air, decided on the purchase of Jin Air's 7.36 million new shares, Hanjin KAL said in a regulatory filing.
After the purchase slated to take place in November this year, Hanjin KAL's stake of Jin Air will be lowered to 56.38 percent from the current 60 percent, Hanjin KAL said.
Last Wednesday, Jin Air said it will raise 109 billion won by selling new shares to tide over its cash shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
This photo provided by Jin Air Co. shows a B737-800 passenger plane of the low-cost carrier. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The low-cost carrier is scheduled to issue 15 million shares at 7,820 won per share on Sept. 16.
Investors are required to make payments for the new shares on Nov. 3, and the new shares will be traded on the Seoul bourse on Nov. 16, Jin Air said.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--USFK to ease anti-virus restrictions peninsula-wide next week

The decision to lower the Health Protection Condition ( HPCON ) level by one notch to the second-lowest level of @ @ @ @ @ current `` Charlie '' comes as South Korea has seen a slowdown in the number @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday it will ease anti-virus restrictions for its personnel across the Korean Peninsula next week, allowing service members to dine at restaurants and conduct other off-base activities except for visiting bars and clubs.
The decision to lower the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level by one notch to the second-lowest level of "Bravo" from the current "Charlie" comes as South Korea has seen a slowdown in the number of new coronavirus cases.
USFK lowered the HPCON level to Bravo for most parts of the country in May but has maintained the restrictions for the greater Seoul metropolitan area except for the capital's central district of Yongsan.
The measure will take effect 4 p.m. Monday.
Under the eased status, service members will be allowed to dine at restaurants, shop offline and conduct outdoor activities as long as they adhere to basic anti-virus guidelines, according to USFK.
"As USFK continues to monitor and assess the conditions within the peninsula, it will immediately snap back to a heightened HPCON posture without hesitation if a resurgence of the threat appears within our formations, installations or communities," USFK said in a Facebook post.
In late February, USFK first implemented HPCON C, the third-highest warning level in its five-scale system, which ranges from HPCON A to B, C, C+ and D, and briefly heightened the level by one notch for several installations.
USFK reported 139 coronavirus infections as of Thursday, most of which were confirmed upon personnel's arrival in South Korea. USFK has not recorded an internal positive COVID-19 case since mid-April, it said.
South Korea reported 20 new cases of the virus Friday, raising the total caseload to 14,519.
In this February file photo provided by the U.S. Forces Korea, a military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver to screen entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--GS Caltex shifts to loss in Q2 on low demand over coronavirus

Refining margins are linked to international oil prices .
Higher crude prices mean greater margins , or the difference between @ @ @ @ @ products and the cost of crude and related services .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- GS Caltex Corp., South Korea's second-largest refiner by sales, said Friday that it swung to a net loss in the second quarter from a year earlier due to low demand amid the coronavirus pandemic.
For the April-June period, GS Caltex posted a net loss of 117 billion won (US$98.7 million), shifting from a net profit of 47.6 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a statement.
The company said the net loss is mainly blamed on low demand for its products and low refining margins.
Refining margins are linked to international oil prices. Higher crude prices mean greater margins, or the difference between the total value of petroleum products and the cost of crude and related services.
GS Caltex shifted to an operating loss of 133.3 billion won from an operating profit of 133.4 billion won a year earlier.
Sales fell 39.5 percent on-year to 4.63 trillion won in the second quarter over the cited period.
GS Caltex is a 50:50 joint venture between GS Energy and Chevron Corp, the second-largest U.S. oil producer.
This file photo shows workers talking near a GS Caltex plant in Yeosu, about 455 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Reports on coronavirus rule breaches at PC cafes sharply increase

Of them , 1,101 , or 61.9 percent , were linked to PC cafes , with reports more than doubling @ @ @ @ @ week to 321 during the fifth week .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The government received more than 1,000 reports on violations of COVID-19 rules involving PC cafes in July, health officials said Friday.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that a total of 1,779 cases of breaching sanitation and distancing rules were reported in the month when the summer holiday season started.
Of them, 1,101, or 61.9 percent, were linked to PC cafes, with reports more than doubling from 149 during the first week to 321 during the fifth week.
Reports involving restaurants and cafes numbered 198, or 11.1 percent, increasing from 25 during the first week to 53 during the last week.
Health authorities urged students to wear face masks indoors and refrain from visiting enclosed spaces such as PC cafes and coin-operated singing rooms.
As of Thursday, a total of 2,248 violation reports have been filed, and corresponding measures have been taken on 1,780 of them, the disease control office said.
The nation on Friday reported 20 more confirmed cases, including nine local infections, raising the total caseload to 14,519.
This photo, taken on June 23, 2020, shows health workers sterilizing a PC cafe in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Moon declares 7 flood-battered cities, counties as special disaster zones

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Friday declared seven cities and counties in central South Korea devastated by recent torrential rains as special disaster zones, the presidential office said, making them eligible for state support in their disaster recovery efforts.
Moon declared the seven areas -- Anseong of Gyeonggi Province; Cheorwon of Gangwon Province; Chungju, Jecheon and Eumseong of North Chungcheong Province; and Cheonan and Asan of South Chungcheong Province -- as special disaster zones, the office announced, saying they suffered particularly heavy damage from recent downpours.
Unseasonably heavy rains and flooding in the nation's central regions over the past week have left 17 people dead and 10 others missing, displaced some 2,500 people and destroyed about 6,200 buildings, according to government data.
This file photo, provided by local resident Lee Sun-hye, shows a flooded village in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"The central and provincial governments have speedily selected the seven areas with extraordinarily serious flood damage as special disaster zones," Yoon Jae-kwan, deputy spokesperson of the presidential office, said in a media briefing.
"The government plans to conduct further on-site inspections to additionally declare other areas that meet certain conditions as the special disaster zones," Yoon said.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the government has singled out the seven special disaster zones after conducting emergency on-site damage inspection for three days, far shorter than the usual two-week period, in order to swiftly expand state support for the disaster-battered areas.
The declaration of special disaster zones will allow the central government to spend state money to support 50 to 80 percent of the expenditures needed for damage recovery.
The move will also permit residents who suffered flood damage to receive state support in livelihood costs and reductions in utility bills, health insurance premiums and other public charges, as well as exemptions from reserve forces training and other military duties.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(3rd LD) N.K. leader visits flood-damaged village, orders release of reserve grain for victims

Kim 's visit and his decision to open up his grain reserves for the flood victims appear intended to allay @ @ @ @ @ impoverished country has struggled to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the North for over @ @ @ @ @ already faltering under international sanctions .

(ATTN: ADDS paras 6-7; CHANGES photos)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a flood-damaged village in North Hwanghae Province after recent heavy rains left more than 900 homes inundated or destroyed there, state media said Friday.
During the visit to the Taechong-ri area of Unpha County, Kim ordered officials to send his special stock of grain to the flood victims and facilitate the use of necessary supplies, such as cement, in rebuilding the damaged sites, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"It is of priority importance to quickly supply sleeping materials, daily commodities, medicines and other necessities to the flood-affected people to stabilize their living as early as possible," Kim was quoted as saying.
Senior presidential aides offer to resign / Prototype of advanced AESA radar unveiled / BTS film Youtube https://youtu.be/EuoSJuyTzyM
"He ordered the relevant field to submit a document on supplying every household in the afflicted area with the reserve food grain of the chairman of the State Affairs Commission," KCNA said.
Although the KCNA did not specify the date of Kim's visit, he is likely to have inspected the damaged sites Thursday, as state media reported special heavy rain warnings were issued in Hwanghae province for two days starting Tuesday.
Later in the day, the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station released video clips that showed him getting out of the driver's seat of presumably a Lexus sport utility vehicle -- an item banned from exports into the country.
The rare scene of the powerful leader behind the wheel of the mud-stained vehicle appears to reflect an effort to craft his image as a folksy leader caring for displaced residents reeling from the aftermath of torrential rains, observers said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) gets out of the driver's seat of a car as he meets with residents at a flood-ravaged village in Unpha, North Hwanghae Province, in this photo captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Aug. 7, 2020. The broadcaster did not say when he made the visit, but Kim is believed to have visited the village the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Nearly 730 homes and 600 hectares of rice fields have been flooded and 179 homes destroyed after a levee broke as heavy rainfall pounded the country for days, but no casualties were reported, according to the KCNA.
Kim called on officials to "responsibly conduct the work of putting up the residents who lost their homes at offices, including those at the Party committee and people's committee of the county, public buildings and separate houses, to stabilize their living and comfort them."
He instructed them to use his "strategic reserve supplies" to ensure the North has enough construction materials, such as cement, for restoring the damaged buildings and roads.
The outlet added that Kim also mobilized the army and ordered its urgent deployment to wrecked houses, roads and zones.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) speaks during a visit to a flood-ravaged village in Unpha, North Hwanghae Province, in this photo captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Aug. 7, 2020. The broadcaster did not say when he made the visit, but Kim is believed to have visited the village the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Kim's visit to the flood-damaged regions marks the second of its kind since he became leader in 2011, following the inspection of North Hamgyong Province that was hit by a flood in 2015.
Kim's visit and his decision to open up his grain reserves for the flood victims appear intended to allay public grievances, as the impoverished country has struggled to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the North for over six months in an economy already faltering under international sanctions.
On Thursday, state media reported that Kim convened an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party and ordered special aid to the city of Kaesong under lockdown over coronavirus concerns.
Earlier, the North issued special heavy rain warnings for the Hwanghae province, as well as Kaesong and other parts of the country.
North Korea is vulnerable to natural disasters due to its lack of infrastructure, with heavy rains, in particular, leaving thousands of people displaced in the impoverished country.
In this photo captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Aug. 7, 2020, many houses are damaged and flooded at a village in Unpha, North Hwanghae Province, which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited. The broadcaster did not say when he made the visit, but Kim is believed to have visited the village the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) listens to an official during a visit to a flood-ravaged village in Unpha, North Hwanghae Province, in this photo captured from the Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station on Aug. 7, 2020. The broadcaster did not say when he made the visit, but Kim is believed to have visited the village the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

According to the survey by Gallup Korea , conducted on 1,000 people aged 18 or above from Tuesday to Thursday @ @ @ @ @ respondents expressed support for the Democratic Party ( DP ) , while 25 percent supported @ @ @ @ @ UFP ) .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday
Moon's chief of staff, five senior aides offer to resign
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in's Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and all five senior secretaries of his team offered to resign on Friday, taking responsibility for recent management of administration, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.
The five are Kang Gi-jung for political affairs, Yoon Do-han for public communication, Kim Jo-won for civil affairs, Kim Geo-sung for civil society, Kim Oe-sook for personnel management.
-----------------
Gallup poll shows ruling party's lead over main opposition narrows to 12 pct points
SEOUL -- The ruling party's lead over the main opposition party in public opinion narrowed down to 12 percentage points this week amid growing public discontent over the policy direction of the ruling party, a recent poll showed Friday.
According to the survey by Gallup Korea, conducted on 1,000 people aged 18 or above from Tuesday to Thursday, 37 percent of the respondents expressed support for the Democratic Party (DP), while 25 percent supported the United Future Party (UFP).
-----------------
S. Korea unveils prototype of advanced AESA radar for indigenous fighter jet
SEOUL -- South Korea has produced a prototype of an advanced radar system for its indigenous fighter jet under development, the arms procurement agency said Friday.
The active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system has been under development since 2016 by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) as a key part of the envisioned KF-X fighter aircraft.
------------------
Seoul stocks bask in week-long gain to hit nearly 2-year high on stimulus hope
SEOUL -- South Korean shares extended gains to a fifth session on Friday, as expectations for a U.S. stimulus package underpinned investor sentiment. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.06 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 2,351.67. The reading marks the highest since Sept. 27, 2018.
-------------------
New BTS documentary film to hit theaters next month
SEOUL -- A new feature-length documentary film on K-pop group BTS will hit theaters next month in South Korea and around the world, the country's leading theater chain CGV announced Friday.
"Break The Silence: the Movie" will be released on Sept. 10 exclusively at CGV theaters in South Korea, the theater chain said.
------------------
Unification minister visits dam on inter-Korean river to check damages
SEOUL -- Unification Minister Lee In-young on Friday visited a dam on the inter-Korean river, his office said, in an effort to check flood damage after North Korea released water from its border dam without prior notice.
Earlier this week, the North partially opened the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam on the western inter-Korean border and sent water into the Imjin River, a move that put authorities here on alert against a potential rise in water levels.
-------------------
Last-place football club names new head coach
SEOUL -- Incheon United FC, the bottom club in the top division South Korean football league, named a new head coach Friday.
The K League 1 club said former Jeju United coach Jo Sung-hwan will take the helm of the team until the 2021 season. But it did not disclose financial terms of the contract.
-------------------
Korean Air, Asiana swing to black in Q2 on cargo demand
SEOUL -- South Korea's two full-service carriers delivered earnings surprises, bucking market forecasts of an extended slump amid the pandemic as they focused on carrying more cargo to offset lower passenger demand amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
In the April-June quarter, Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. turned around in terms of net profit and operating profit, faring better than their global peers, such as American Airlines Group Inc., which posted a net loss of US$3.4 billion in the second quarter.
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) Celltrion Q2 net profit up 77 pct on robust Truxima sales

Truxima was also the first biosimilar cancer drug to hit the European market in 2017 .
The drug is sold @ @ @ @ @ and set to reach the Middle East market .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS photo and more info throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Celltrion Inc., a major South Korean biopharmaceutical firm, said Friday that its net profit jumped 77 percent on-year in the second quarter on the back of robust sales of its blockbuster biosimilar, Truxima.
Net profit came to 138.6 billion won (US$117 million) during the April-June period on a consolidated basis, compared with a profit of 83.4 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Celltrion said its operating profits more than doubled to a quarterly high of 181.8 billion won. Its sales also rose 82.5 percent to a quarterly high of 428.8 billion won.
The corporate logo of Celltrion Inc. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The company said the sales of Truxima in the U.S. market greatly increased, with its market share reaching 16.4 percent in the quarter.
Truxima is used in the treatment of a number of diseases in adult patients, including rheumatoid arthritis and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, the company said.
Truxima is a biosimilar drug based on Rituxan, originally developed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding Ltd. The drug, launched in November 2019, is the first FDA-approved rituximab biosimilar sold in the U.S.
Truxima was also the first biosimilar cancer drug to hit the European market in 2017. The drug is sold in 28 European Union countries and set to reach the Middle East market.
The market share of Truxima in the European market reached 40 percent during the cited quarter, according to separate industry data.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(2nd LD) KT Q2 net up on reduced costs, robust non-mobile biz

While KT 's IPTV business saw sales rise just 0.5 percent on-year to 407.6 billion won in the second quarter @ @ @ @ @ unit 's performance to improve through its agreement with video streaming giant Netflix Inc. to @ @ @ @ @ IPTV .

(ATTN: ADDS info from 9th para)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean telecom giant KT Corp. said Friday its second-quarter net income rose 2.2 percent from the previous year on the back of reduced costs amid the pandemic and growing demand for its non-mobile services.
Net income reached 207.6 billion won (US$174.7 million) in the April-June period, compared with 203 billion won the previous year, KT said in a regulatory filing.
Sales stood at 5.88 trillion won in the second quarter, down 3.6 percent on-year, weighed down by poor performances from its major subsidiaries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cost-cutting efforts, however, helped offset the sales decline, according to the company, with operating expenses falling 4.7 percent to 5.5 trillion won over the same period.
KT Corp.'s corporate logo is shown at its headquarters building in central Seoul on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
KT's business-to-business service remained strong, with related sales standing at 701.1 billion won in the April-June period, up 2.4 percent on-year.
Sales from the company's artificial intelligence and digital business, which includes internet data center and cloud services, rose 16 percent to 139.4 billion won over the same period.
Its mobile business saw sales edge up just 0.6 percent on-year to 1.7 trillion won in the second quarter despite the number of 5G subscribers reaching 2.24 million as of the April-June period, from just 419,000 the previous year.
The mobile carrier said a decline in roaming plan sales was responsible for the weaker-than-expected result, as the pandemic halted air travel.
The company remained upbeat about its mobile business for the second half this year, considering the launches of new 5G phones, including Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Note 20 and Apple Inc.'s iPhone.
"We expect to meet our year-end target of 3.5 million 5G subscribers," Yoon Kyung-keun, KT's chief financial officer, said in a conference call. "With the launch of new phones, 5G subscribers will likely account for 25 percent of our handset subscriptions."
As of the second quarter, KT's 5G users accounted for 16 percent of its total 14.3 million phone subscribers.
While KT's IPTV business saw sales rise just 0.5 percent on-year to 407.6 billion won in the second quarter, it expects the business unit's performance to improve through its agreement with video streaming giant Netflix Inc. to introduce the service to its IPTV.
Yoon said the partnership will lead to more IPTV subscribers, adding that Netflix will supplement KT's own over-the-top platform Seezn in terms of content.
KT's credit card subsidiary BC Card Co. reported sales of 867.1 billion won in the second quarter, down 1.5 percent on-year, as consumers spent less during the pandemic.
Real estate subsidiary KT Estate Ltd. also saw sales fall 7.9 percent to 104.4 billion won over the same period.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(News Focus) Advertising controversy grips S. Korean mukbang YouTubers

Under the detailed measures set to go into effect on Sept. 1 , influencers have to indicate advertisements in appropriate @ @ @ @ @ can easily be recognized .
They also have to say that the advertisements were provided @ @ @ @ @ deals and use such terminology instead of vaguely mentioning they `` experienced the product for @ @ @ @ @ the post is of `` informational content . ''

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Legions of South Korea's most popular YouTubers -- mukbang personalities -- are facing criticism following allegations they "deceived" fans by not telling them about paid promotions.
YouTubers who film mukbang, a portmanteau in Korean of "eating" and "broadcast," have charmed fans with their impressive eating skills -- gulfing down more than a dozen ramen packs and hundreds of sushi -- and boy/girl-next-door feel that presents them as more friendly compared with celebrities.
A screenshot of a mukbang video posted on the YouTube channel "Eat with Boki" on July 31, 2020 (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Popular mukbang influencers, such as Boki, Tzuyang and Mbro, have millions of fans who subscribe to their channels. They easily rack up many more views with the mukbang videos they post every two to three days.
The recent controversy came as a YouTuber who uses the name Cham PD accused several popular YouTubers of not indicating promotional material. Cham PD claimed that he has collected evidence over the past two years.
Cham PD, who himself also uploads mukbang videos, later apologized for making blatant accusations, including those that were found to be groundless. He deleted the video, but the debate had already taken a toll on mukbang YouTubers.
A screenshot of a video posted on mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang's channel an Aug. 6, 2020, in which she announced a plan to leave the video platform. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Mukbang influencers, such as Boki, Mbro and Hamzy, posted statements apologizing for not indicating advertisements in some videos that were actually advertisements or for indicating them in small letters or in sections that were not easily noticeable.
Tzuyang, a mubkang influencer popular for her down-to-earth attitude, even announced that she will be leaving YouTube. She apologized for not indicating advertisements in some of her early videos but stressed that she has followed the rules and that she's leaving the platform after becoming the target of hate comments.
While Tzuyang's fans are mostly voicing regret towards the unexpected decision and thanking her for taking responsibility, other mukbang influencers have come under fire from fans who have voiced disappointment and anger.
"This is a person who has committed illegal activities. Cancel your subscription right now," a viewer wrote on the channel "Eat with Boki," which has nearly 4.6 million subscribers.
"So basically, what she did is a deception in an international scale," another viewer wrote.
The problem of "deceiving" subscribers is not limited to mukbang YouTubers.
A file photo of celebrity stylist Han Hye-yeon taken on April 17, 2019 (Yonhap)
Last month, celebrity stylist Han Hye-yeon and Kang Min-kyung, a member of K-pop duo Davichi, had to apologize after they uploaded videos without indicating they were product placements.
Some angry fans turned their backs, saying they were fooled into believing the products promoted on their channels were genuinely recommended with goodwill.
In fact, a study by the Korea Consumer Agency conducted between October and November last year showed that of the 582 advertisements posted on the 60 most popular accounts, only 30 percent indicated they were promotional material.
Even those that indicated the posts were part of an advertisement did not clearly indicate their commercial purpose or displayed them in hard-to-recognize ways, according to the study.
As the controversy continued, the country's fair trade watchdog announced plans to launch revised regulations and fine rule breakers to "prevent consumer losses from deceiving advertisements and protect their rights."
Famous Mukbang YouTubers under fire for deceiving viewers with advertisement Youtube https://youtu.be/6LXZfOLUPIg
Under the detailed measures set to go into effect on Sept. 1, influencers have to indicate advertisements in appropriate font sizes and colors that can easily be recognized. They also have to say that the advertisements were provided through sponsorship or through advertisement deals and use such terminology instead of vaguely mentioning they "experienced the product for a week" or that the post is of "informational content."
Despite the backlash, however, social media personalities are expected to remain attractive marketing channels for companies.
"In some areas, influencers have bigger influence compared with celebrities. They also give the feel that they are actual users of the products instead of being paid to feature in an advertisement," a digital marketer who has worked with influencers on cosmetics products told Yonhap News Agency, asking not to be named.
"On top of that, the cost is cheaper and it's much easier to work with them. They know what will work and what won't."
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--New BTS documentary film to hit theaters next month

BTS ' third documentary `` Bring the Soul : The Movie '' will also have a limited re-release from Aug. @ @ @ @ @ overseas .
The film drew over 330,000 moviegoers in South Korea during its original release @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- A new feature-length documentary film on K-pop group BTS will hit theaters next month in South Korea and around the world, the country's leading theater chain CGV announced Friday.
"Break The Silence: the Movie" will be released on Sept. 10 exclusively at CGV theaters in South Korea, the theater chain said.
The fourth theatrical film on the K-pop septet is also set to hit theaters in over 70 countries on Sept. 10, with a rollout in an additional 40-plus regions on Sept. 24.
The film produced by Big Hit Three Sixty, a subsidiary of the band's agency Big Hit Entertainment, chronicles the group during its 2019 "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" world tour through the United States, Europe and Asia.
BTS' third documentary "Bring the Soul: The Movie" will also have a limited re-release from Aug. 28-30 in South Korea and overseas. The film drew over 330,000 moviegoers in South Korea during its original release last year.
This image, provided by CGV, shows a poster for "Break the Silence: the Movie," a new documentary film on K-pop band BTS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(2nd LD) Moon's chief of staff, five senior aides offer to resign

It is the first offer of mass resignation by Moon 's senior secretaries since he took office in May 2017 @ @ @ @ @ believed to be intended at taking responsibility for the president 's mediocre approval ratings .
@ @ @ @ @ the Seoul-based survey company Realmeter , his approval rating stood at 44.5 percent , far @ @ @ @ @ of 63.7 percent in late April .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 7-8, last para and photo; RESTRUCTURES lead and 2nd para)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in's Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and all five senior secretaries of his team offered to resign on Friday, taking responsibility for recent management of administration, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.
The five are Kang Gi-jung for political affairs, Yoon Do-han for public communication, Kim Jo-won for civil affairs, Kim Geo-sung for civil society, Kim Oe-sook for personnel management.
"They are offering to resign to take overall responsibility for recent situations," said a high-ranking presidential official who is familiar with the matter.
Asked if the "recent situation" referred to the public criticism over what many people believed to be a failed real estate policy, the official did not provide a direct answer.
This image provided by Yonhap News TV shows Noh Young-min, presidential chief of staff. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
It is the first offer of mass resignation by Moon's senior secretaries since he took office in May 2017. The move is widely believed to be intended at taking responsibility for the president's mediocre approval ratings. In a recent poll by the Seoul-based survey company Realmeter, his approval rating stood at 44.5 percent, far below this year's peak of 63.7 percent in late April.
The presidential office has been under intense public fire lately for what some people called hypocrisy after senior secretaries, including Noh, were found to own more than one house at a time when the government is trying to rein in speculative home buying.
A spate of scandals involving lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the abrupt death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, also a DP member, over his alleged sexual misconduct, are believed to have soured public opinion toward the government.
Most of all, critics say that the public has grown impatient and disgruntled over runaway apartment prices, despite a slew of government measures intended to cool the property market.
The official added that Moon will decide whether to accept their offers.
Some political analysts expect the president to replace some of his senior secretaries and retain the chief of staff until the end of this year, given, among other things, the limited pool of candidates.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on July 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--SK Chemicals Q2 net profit up 1832.7 pct. to 239.3 bln won

The operating profit was 13.9 percent lower than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- SK Chemicals Co. on Friday reported its second-quarter net income of 239.3 billion won (US$ 202 million), up 1832.7 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 17.6 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 30.4 billion won a year ago. Sales fell 24.1 percent to 288.4 billion won.
The operating profit was 13.9 percent lower than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) Seoul stocks bask in week-long gain to hit nearly 2-year high on stimulus hope

SEOUL , Aug. 7 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares extended gains to a fifth session on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ stimulus package underpinned investor sentiment .
The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares extended gains to a fifth session on Friday, as expectations for a U.S. stimulus package underpinned investor sentiment. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.06 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 2,351.67. The reading marks the highest since Sept. 27, 2018.
Trading volume was high at about 802 million shares worth some 17.3 trillion won (US$14.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 382 to 462.
Foreigners sold a net 78 billion won, while retail investors purchased a net 856 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 798 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,351.67 on Aug. 7, 2020, up 9.06 points or 0.39 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The index advanced every session of the week on high hopes for a U.S. stimulus package.
The week-long rally raised valuation pressure and inclination for profit-taking, analysts said.
"(Investors in) local stock markets are entering a wait-and-see mode, keeping a close eye on events related to U.S. stimulus package and China's trade data," Seo Sang-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities Co., said.
Electric vehicle battery makers and automakers continued to build up gains.
LG Chem, the country's largest electric vehicle battery maker, spiked 9.71 percent to 746,000 won, a new record.
Among other electric vehicle battery gainers, Samsung SDI jumped 3.94 percent to 488,000 won, and SK Innovation skyrocketed 12.94 percent to 184,000 won.
Other large caps in Seoul generally closed lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.86 percent to 57,500 won, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix retreating 0.62 percent to 80,600 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 1.73 percent to 147,000 won, but leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics lost 1.29 percent to 768,000 won.
Internet giant Naver shed 2.48 percent to 314,000 won, with its rival Kakao dipping 3.02 percent to 353,000 won.
The local currency was trading at 1,184 won against the U.S. dollar, down 1.20 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 0.3 basis point to 0.807 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 0.5 basis point to 1.058 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 7, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 7, 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--2020-08-07--(LEAD) S. Korea unveils prototype of advanced AESA radar for indigenous fighter jet

`` We need to develop software for this gadget , which will be a quite challenging task .
We will @ @ @ @ @ making the best use of our experience in making other types of radar , '' @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 4-8, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has produced a prototype of an advanced radar system for its indigenous fighter jet under development, the arms procurement agency said Friday.
The active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system has been under development since 2016 by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) as a key part of the envisioned KF-X fighter aircraft.
Dubbed the eyes of the aircraft, the AESA radar system can detect and track multiple targets simultaneously and extensively, as the beam of radio waves is electronically steered to a point in different directions without moving the antenna, according to the ADD.
This photo, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), shows South Korea's indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, whose prototype was unveiled on Aug. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The prototype will be installed on a mock-up of the jet this year and go through other due procedures, such as the systems integration and flight tests, until 2026, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
"We need to develop software for this gadget, which will be a quite challenging task. We will zero in on it by making the best use of our experience in making other types of radar," an ADD official said.
The new radar is comparable with those made by the United States and China, the official said, adding that it is expected to be applied to other weapons systems such as FA-50 fighters and vessels down the road.
"There has been skepticism about whether it could be developed successfully at home without technology transfer from overseas, but we finally made it," DAPA official Choi Ho-cheon said during a ceremony to mark the release of the prototype.
The U.S. reportedly refused to transfer related technologies in 2015, prompting South Korea to initiate the development on its own.
"I expect the radar and the fighter aircraft to be highly competitive in the global market," Choi added.
South Korea launched the 8.8 trillion won (US$7.43 billion) KF-X project in 2016 to develop the home-grown fighter jet by 2026 to replace the country's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 aircraft.
The indigenous jet is designed to be able to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.81, with its flying range reaching 2,900 kilometers. It bears outward similarities to the fifth-generation F-35A, according to the Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI) in charge of the project.
With a maximum payload of 7,700 kilograms, the fighter is capable of installing 10 pods for missiles and fuel barrels. It will be able to carry several types of air-to-air missiles, such as Germany's IRIS-T and European developer MBDA's active radar guided Meteor missiles, it added.
This pool photo shows an official operating the newly developed indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for South Korea's envisioned KF-X fighter jet at a lab of Hanwha Systems in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Pentagon, IZ*ONE to hold online events next month

Titled `` Oneiric Theater , '' the event will be the band 's second solo concert following the first one @ @ @ @ @ .
The group debuted in 2018 through a TV audition program .

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- Two popular K-pop groups, Pentagon and IZ*ONE, will hold online events next month amid the new coronavirus pandemic, their management agencies said Saturday.
Pentagon, an eight-member boy band, will have a virtual fan meeting on Sep. 6, Cube Entertainment said.
The event, named "Pentag-On Air," will provide a special chance for Pentagon to connect with fans more closely, the agency said.
The group was formed in an idol competition show hosted by the cable TV Mnet and officially debuted in 2016. Its 2018 song "Shine" hit the Top 10 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart.
A poster for Pentagon's online fan meeting scheduled for Sept. 6, 2020, provided by Cube Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
IZ*ONE, a 12-member girl group, will hold an online concert on Sept. 13, its management agencies, Off The Record Entertainment and Swing Entertainment, said.
Titled "Oneiric Theater," the event will be the band's second solo concert following the first one held in June last year. The group debuted in 2018 through a TV audition program.
"We will present more real life-like content using augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) technologies," the agencies said.
The event's concept of a dream come true for IZ*ONE and fans will be expressed through sensuous artistic works and visual aesthetics, they added.
A poster for IZ*ONE's virtual concert scheduled for Sept. 13, 2020, provided by Off The Record Entertainment and Swing Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 43 new coronavirus cases; community infections around Seoul continue

SEOUL , Aug. 8 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's new COVID-19 cases linked with community infections have jumped @ @ @ @ @ more than two weeks , all reported in Seoul and nearby capital regions , according @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases linked with community infections have jumped to the highest level in more than two weeks, all reported in Seoul and nearby capital regions, according to health authorities Saturday.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced that it has confirmed 43 more COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, including 30 via local spread. It marks the highest daily number of community infections in 16 days.
Sixteen infections were confirmed in Seoul, 12 in Gyeonggi Province and two in Incheon. Many cases were tied to church gatherings in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul.
The other cases were found among arrivals from abroad -- five South Korean nationals and eight foreigners.
The total caseload rose to 14,562, with the number of deaths rising by one to 304.
The KCDC makes public an update of COVID-19 cases in South Korea around 10 a.m. every day.
On Friday, it reported 20 additional infections.
An image of a novel coronavirus test site in South Korea provided by Yonhap News TV (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--S. Korea reports 43 new coronavirus cases, community infections around Seoul continue

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) announced that it has confirmed 43 more COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ , including 30 via local spread .
It marks the highest daily number of community @ @ @ @ @ The other cases were found among arrivals from foreign nations .

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases linked with community infections have jumped to the highest level in more than two weeks, with many in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province, according to health authorities Saturday.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced that it has confirmed 43 more COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, including 30 via local spread. It marks the highest daily number of community infections in 16 days. The other cases were found among arrivals from foreign nations.
The total caseload rose to 14,562, with the number of deaths rising by one to 304.
The updated tally came amid continued reports of cases tied with church gatherings in the eastern Seoul district of Seongdong and Goyang, northwest of Seoul.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 43 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 14,562


yna--2020-08-08--(LEAD) Trump says he will make deals with N.K. very quickly if reelected

`` And we actually have a relationship with North Korea , which is something that was never established by the @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` You would have been in war with North Korea .
It would @ @ @ @ @ war .
So North Korea , whether you look at Iran , every one of @ @ @ @ @ with us very quickly . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; ADDS photo)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will make deals with North Korea "very quickly" if reelected in November.
Trump was referring to his administration's stalled efforts to get North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for concessions.
"If and when we win, we will make deals with Iran very quickly. We'll make deals with North Korea very quickly," he said during a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey.
"Now whatever happened to the word North Korea? You haven't seen that, have you?" he continued. "If I didn't win the election in 2016, our country would now be -- maybe it would be over by now -- but in war with North Korea."
This Reuters photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a news conference at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Aug. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed during their first summit in Singapore in June 2018 to "work toward" complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in return for U.S. security guarantees.
Despite two more meetings between them, the two countries remain wide apart on how to match the North's denuclearization steps with U.S. concessions, including sanctions relief.
Trump appeared to be referring to the relative lack of media coverage of North Korea caused in part by the stalled nuclear talks.
"And we actually have a relationship with North Korea, which is something that was never established by the previous administration," he said. "You would have been in war with North Korea. It would have been a very bad war. So North Korea, whether you look at Iran, every one of them will make a deal with us very quickly."
Trump has said he would be open to another meeting with Kim if he thought it was going to be "helpful." The North Koreans have rejected the notion of another summit as long as the U.S. sticks to its "hostile policy" toward the North.
On Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that North Korea would want to sit down for talks if the U.S. presidential election were not months away.
"Iran, China, everybody, will be at the table the first day, within 24 hours, wanting to make a deal, including North Korea," he said, suggesting that foreign nations are reluctant to have serious negotiations with his administration because of its possible replacement in the November polls.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Public sector cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 20 pct in 2019

South Korea 's government has also finalized a goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent from 2017 @ @ @ @ @ the goal , coal thermal power generation will be drastically scaled down , while the @ @ @ @ @ be sharply increased .
Authorities will also encourage technological innovation , expansion of green buildings @ @ @ @ @ emission vehicles and expansion of a single-use product ban .

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's public sector reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20 percent last year from its target volume, the Ministry of Environment said Saturday.
According to the ministry, annual greenhouse gas emissions by 782 government and state-funded institutions amounted to 3.98 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2019, marking a fall of 23.5 percent from their emission standard of 5.21 million tons of CO2 equivalent.
The emission standard refers to a three-year average between 2007 and 2009, adjusted annually according to facility expansion and closures. Between 2018 and 2019, the emission reduction rate totaled 19.6 percent.
Among the 782 institutions, local governments posted the highest reduction rate of 28.1 percent, followed by public institutions (25.6 percent), national and public universities (22.5 percent), provincial corporations (20.9 percent) and central administrative organs (17.7 percent), the ministry noted.
A fashion show intended to fight climate change is under way in downtown Seoul in this file photo taken on July 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
By institution, Seocheon County of South Chungcheong Province registered the highest reduction rate of 54.8 percent, trailed by Incheon (51.1 percent), the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (50.8 percent) and Yeongcheon City of North Gyeongsang Province (49.3 percent), it said.
The ministry said about 900,000 tons of greenhouse gases were reduced by improving behaviors such as turning off lights and complying with recommended cooling and heating temperatures, while 110,000 tons were cut through facility improvements, such as purchases of eco-friendly vehicles and supply of high-efficiency equipment.
The ministry expects the public sector to achieve further greenhouse gas emission cuts in the coming years, thanks to the government's Green New Deal project, which refers to a program to counter climate change through various efforts, including greenhouse gas emission cuts and job creation.
According to the roadmap, the public sector aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 21.5 percent by 2030 from the 2017 emissions.
South Korea's government has also finalized a goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent from 2017 levels by 2030. Under the goal, coal thermal power generation will be drastically scaled down, while the use of renewable energy will be sharply increased. Authorities will also encourage technological innovation, expansion of green buildings, increased supply of low emission vehicles and expansion of a single-use product ban.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Four dead, one missing in landslide triggered by heavy rain

The fourth victim , in her 70s , was found after the search resumed early in the morning .
Rescue @ @ @ @ @ before midnight due to the danger of further landslides as torrential rain continued .

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- Four people are dead and another missing after a landslide triggered by heavy rain hit a southern town, local officials said Saturday.
The landslide buried five homes at a village in Gokseong, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, at 8:29 p.m. Friday.
A man in his 50s and two women in their 60s and 70s were rescued one hour later but declared dead at a hospital.
One of two persons trapped in the debris was retrieved at 8:15 a.m. Saturday but died at a hospital, county officials said.
The fourth victim, in her 70s, was found after the search resumed early in the morning. Rescue work had been stopped just before midnight due to the danger of further landslides as torrential rain continued.
About 30 residents have been evacuated to a nearby elementary school.
Rescue workers search for people trapped in the debris of a landslide in a town in Gokseong, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
Rescue workers search for people trapped in the debris of a landslide in a town in Gokseong, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- President Moon 's top Cheong Wa Dae aides offer to resign amid public outcry over major policies ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Presidential chief of staff , four senior secretaries tender their resignations for fierce public backlash against housing market policy ( Kookmin Daily ) -- U.S. says GSOMIA is important to U.S. , sends message for S. Korea not to terminate it ( Donga llbo ) -- Cheong Wa Dae secretaries with two houses or more offer to resign ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Gov't declares heavy rain-hit Chungju , Cheorwon and five other areas as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- Cheong Wa Dae aides fuel public uproar over soaring housing prices ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Public anger over real estate policy simmers , top presidential aides offer to resign ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae 's confidants installed in major prosecution service posts ( Hankyoreh ) -- Six senior Cheong Wa Dae officials tender their resignations in bid to mollify infuriated people ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Trainee doctors stage street rally against plan to increase number of medical school students ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'America First ' drive ( Korea Economic Daily ) ( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Aug. 8.
Korean-language dailies
-- President Moon's top Cheong Wa Dae aides offer to resign amid public outcry over major policies (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Presidential chief of staff, four senior secretaries tender their resignations for fierce public backlash against housing market policy (Kookmin Daily)
-- U.S. says GSOMIA is important to U.S., sends message for S. Korea not to terminate it (Donga llbo)
-- Cheong Wa Dae secretaries with two houses or more offer to resign (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Gov't declares heavy rain-hit Chungju, Cheorwon and five other areas as special disaster zones (Segye Times)
-- Cheong Wa Dae aides fuel public uproar over soaring housing prices (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Public anger over real estate policy simmers, top presidential aides offer to resign (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's confidants installed in major prosecution service posts (Hankyoreh)
-- Six senior Cheong Wa Dae officials tender their resignations in bid to mollify infuriated people (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Trainee doctors stage street rally against plan to increase number of medical school students (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Trump mentions LG, Samsung to tout his 'America First' drive (Korea Economic Daily)
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 08 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-08-08--Trump says he will make deals with N.K., Iran very quickly if reelected

`` If and when we win , we will make deals with Iran very quickly .
We 'll make deals @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said during a press conference in Bedminster , New Jersey .

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will make deals with North Korea and Iran "very quickly" if reelected in November.
"If and when we win, we will make deals with Iran very quickly. We'll make deals with North Korea very quickly," he said during a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--(Yonhap Feature) Gov't's abandoned housing plan highlights risks to greenbelt

SEOUL , Aug. 8 ( Yonhap ) -- When she was young , Jo Eun-bit loved to lose herself in @ @ @ @ @ her home in the outskirts of Seoul .
She would seek comfort in the company @ @ @ @ @ would talk to as though they were neighbors or close friends .

By Bryan Betts
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- When she was young, Jo Eun-bit loved to lose herself in the forests and mountains around her home in the outskirts of Seoul. She would seek comfort in the company of trees, which she would talk to as though they were neighbors or close friends.
But over the years, Jo, an ecological farmer and teacher, has watched as her rural neighborhood of Daeyami in the city of Gunpo has become, bit by bit, more like the metropolis of Seoul just 27 kilometers north. Dirt roads became paved highways. Apartment complexes rose skyward. A tunnel bore through a nearby mountain.
Now Jo and other residents are fighting to stop a development project that aims to build some 5,000 public housing units on more than 600,000 square meters of land, the vast majority, or 88.2 percent, development-restricted areas in the country's greenbelt.
The residents fear the potential negative effects of the project, scheduled for completion in 2023, on local agriculture and ecosystems, as well as on endangered species like the narrow-mouthed frog, or "maengkkongi" in Korean.
"The role of the greenbelt is that we need to preserve the environment," Jo said. "If we remember what the role of the greenbelt is, then we can't get rid of it."
This undated photo, provided by Jo Eun-bit, shows her rice paddy in the city of Gunpo, south of Seoul, nearby a planned public housing project on development-restricted greenbelt land. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The conflict between residents and developers in Daeyami is indicative of the problems environmentalists see with the government's current greenbelt policy, which they view as too quick to accommodate development rather than protect natural areas.
The issue came to the fore earlier this summer as real estate prices, high to begin with, skyrocketed in the capital, damaging the approval ratings of President Moon Jae-in and the ruling party.
Eager to cool the overheated market, the government floated the possibility of releasing greenbelt land for the construction of new homes in order to increase supply.
The proposal proved divisive, even among the ruling bloc, with the Seoul city government objecting to any change to its longtime policy of preserving what it sees as valuable green space.
Moon, responding quickly to the growing controversy, publicly rejected the easing of greenbelt restrictions in Seoul on July 20, the same day that Realmeter released a poll showing that about 60 percent of all Koreans disapproved of the plan.
But while the president's decision settled the matter for the time being, the fate of the greenbelt remains uncertain long term, with experts saying the government's policy is liable to change should political winds shift in response to growing development pressures or economic crises.
Graphic This graphic shows the results of a Realmeter poll, published on July 20, 2020, in which 60.4 percent of respondents said it is not necessary to release greenbelt land, as opposed to just 26.5 percent responding that it is necessary. (Yonhap)
A day after Moon's announcement, activists representing 29 environmental and civic groups, including Green Korea and Lawyers for a Democratic Society, held a demonstration in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae to call on the government to develop a greenbelt policy that prioritizes the sustainability of the country's land and cities.
They held up a banner demanding that the government "not use the pretext of supply expansion to damage even a single pyeong of the greenbelt," using a Korean unit equal to about 3.3 square meters.
The environmentalists' uncompromising demands put them at odds with some urban planners, who advocate a more flexible approach to greenbelt management.
Jun Myung-jin, a professor of urban planning at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, said he supports the maintenance of Seoul's greenbelt as is because of the scarcity of such natural areas and the value they bring to the city.
But he framed this as having the inevitable downside of limiting the amount of land available for development in a city packed with almost 10 million people, as the greenbelt takes up about 25 percent of Seoul's total area.
"I think even though the greenbelt has lots of amenities, like natural environment amenity and mitigating air pollution or mitigating heat island, we are enjoying that kind of benefit at the cost of higher housing prices," Jun said. "There is a tradeoff between those issues."
Environmental activists hold a demonstration in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on July 21, 2020, to oppose the easing of restrictions on greenbelt land for the purpose of increasing housing supply in the capital area. (Yonhap)
One possible solution, in Jun's view, would be to ease restrictions on some protected land in nearby Gyeonggi Province, which contains around three-quarters of the greenbelt in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Though much of it is mountainous and not developable, the greenbelt also includes agricultural land, some of it covered with greenhouses, that Jun argued could be developed without causing significant environmental harm.
The goal, he said, should not just be to build more homes but to address the large mismatch between housing and jobs, as central Seoul is home to around 39 percent of the capital area's total population but around 47 percent of all jobs.
The situation is in part a consequence of the greenbelt's layout, which is shaped like a 10-km wide donut surrounding Seoul.
The design, established in the early 1970s by the authoritarian government of President Park Chung-hee, aimed at limiting the expansion of Seoul at a time when the city was undergoing rapid population growth.
Graphic This graphic shows greenbelt areas in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Instead, as the inner city became denser, new developments also sprang up in surrounding areas beyond the greenbelt, a phenomenon known as "leapfrog" development that has contributed to urban sprawl, according to experts.
With businesses seeking to remain in Seoul to enjoy the economic benefits of proximity to other firms, workers, priced out of the city's real estate market, have had to relocate to such cheaper housing in the suburbs.
This dislocation contributes to increased commuting costs totaling hundreds of millions of dollars per year or more when including the value of travel time, according to estimates by Jun and other scholars.
Jun suggested that using greenbelt areas to build new planned developments like Pangyo, a high-tech industrial complex in Seongnam, south of Seoul, could contribute to the "suburbanization" of jobs and help alter the current dynamic driving high land and housing prices.
"We have to think about this kind of opportunity cost to keeping this area intact, and on the (other) side, it's developing this kind of area for the younger generation, low income people, public housing," he said.
This image, provided by Gyeonggi Province, shows greenbelt areas in the province surrounding Seoul. (Yonhap)
Any relaxation of greenbelt areas would continue a process that began when liberal President Kim Dae-jung took power in 1998.
At that time, Kim, who was supported by greenbelt landowners frustrated at their inability to develop land in the restricted areas, embarked on reform of the system, which had been strictly maintained for nearly 30 years.
The reforms led to the release of 1,507 square kilometers of greenbelt nationwide by 2011, a 28 percent decrease in the total area, with 144 square kilometers released in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Further relaxation has taken place under subsequent administrations, albeit at a slower pace. Gyeonggi Province lost 6 square kilometers of greenbelt from 2017-2019 after Moon took office, government statistics show.
Despite the slowdown, the importance of setting aside land in heavily urbanized South Korea has only increased in light of climate change and the coronavirus pandemic, according to Youn Yeo-chang, a professor of forestry at Seoul National University. Some experts posit that urbanization has contributed to the global spread of such diseases.
He noted also that protected areas account for only 12 percent of all land in South Korea, a number far short of the United Nations' target of 30 percent under its Sustainable Development Goals.
Echoing environmentalist groups, Youn suggested that the responsibility for its management should be transferred from the Ministry of Land and Transportation to the Ministry of Environment.
"Relying on political leaders' decisions is not very secure," he said. "I think we have to make a more fundamental backup on increased awareness of the public about ecosystem services' function, and also a new structure of government that's controlling the greenbelt, not as a means of urban planning but as a means of safeguarding urban society."
A sign identifies greenbelt land in Seoul's Seocho Ward on July 20, 2020. President Moon Jae-in announed on the day that his government would not release the protected areas for development amid an escalating housing price crisis in the city. (Yonhap)
In Daeyami, what Jo characterized as widespread opposition to the proposed construction has not been enough to stop the local government and Korea Land and Housing Corp. from pushing ahead with the development.
Residents remain in the dark about the project's future, with little voice in the process, according to Jo. She said that an environmental effects assessment released last year failed to provide adequate countermeasures to address residents' concerns.
"When we think about post-corona, then we need to recognize what the most important things are, what is most important to our lives," she said.
The loud croaking of narrow-mouthed frogs punctuated her remarks, evidence that, at least for now, something of Daeyami's rural character remains.
A narrow-mouthed frog, in a photo provided by the city of Seoul (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
bryanbetts@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Hyundai Motor's stocks set to gain further on upbeat forecast

`` Hyundai 's electric vehicle sales are on the rise in Europe , and the carmaker plans to launch new @ @ @ @ @ GV80 sport utility vehicle , the G80 sedan , and the Tucson SUV , in @ @ @ @ @ year .
It will support Hyundai stocks , '' Kwon Soon-woo , an analyst at @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- Shares in Hyundai Motor Co. are set to further build up gains after a climb for five consecutive sessions on expectations that its new models set to debut in the United States later this year will help improve sales, analysts said.
Hyundai shares jumped 16 percent in the first week of August to close at 147,000 won (US$124) Friday, far outperforming the broader KOSPI's 4.5 percent gain.
Robust domestic sales and better performance compared to its global peers in terms of sales in major markets, such as Europe and the U.S., gave a boost to Hyundai's stock prices, according to the analysts.
They said Hyundai stocks have more room for upside move on competitive new models and strong domestic demand for its vehicles.
"Hyundai's electric vehicle sales are on the rise in Europe, and the carmaker plans to launch new models, such as the GV80 sport utility vehicle, the G80 sedan, and the Tucson SUV, in the U.S. market later this year. It will support Hyundai stocks," Kwon Soon-woo, an analyst at SK Securities Co., said.
In July, Hyundai's overall sales fell 13 percent to 313,097 vehicles from 357,862 units a year earlier. But its U.S. sales rose 1 percent to 57,677 units from 57,340 during the same period.
From January to July, Hyundai sold a total of 1,920,444 autos, down 23 percent from 2,484,169 in the same period of last year.
The current Genesis lineup is composed of the G70, G80 and G90 sedans and the GV80 SUV. Hyundai plans to add the GV70 SUV and an all-electric car under the independent Genesis brand by 2021.
To help boost sales, the maker of the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe SUV plans to launch the all-new GV70 SUV in the domestic market later this year.
This file photo, provided by Hyundai Motor, shows the Genesis GV80 SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Around 10 countries yet to submit final report on N.K. workers to U.N.: document

According to a summary of a report by a panel of experts for the U.N. Security Council North Korea sanctions @ @ @ @ @ of the 50 countries that submitted interim reports at the end of last year submitted @ @ @ @ @ March 22 deadline .

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Around 10 countries have yet to submit their final report to the United Nations on progress on repatriating North Korean workers in line with U.N. sanctions, a document obtained by Yonhap News Agency showed Friday.
According to a summary of a report by a panel of experts for the U.N. Security Council North Korea sanctions committee, only about 40 of the 50 countries that submitted interim reports at the end of last year submitted their final reports by the March 22 deadline.
Under a U.N. Security Council resolution, all U.N. member states were required to send back North Korean workers by Dec. 22, 2019.
Much of the workers' income is known to be extorted by the North Korean regime to develop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
The panel of experts said it is looking into reports that North Korea continues to earn foreign currency by sending IT experts, athletes, medical staff and other laborers abroad.
It said north Korea earns foreign currency and other assets in cyber space, while also conducting cyber attacks on U.N. member states.
Meanwhile, the sanctions have hampered international aid to the North, which has been further complicated by restrictions caused by COVID-19, the panel added.
hague@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-08-08--N.K. artillery attack on S. Korea could cause more than 200,000 casualties: U.S. think tank

`` A key insight from the five scenarios presented is that the supreme challenge for the ROK , the United @ @ @ @ @ is avoiding a situation in which the DPRK feels compelled to strike the South with @ @ @ @ @ the DPRK did initiate such a strike , the objective of the ROK , the @ @ @ @ @ allies should be to stop the shelling while avoiding further escalation , '' the report @ @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean artillery attack on South Korea could cause more than 200,000 casualties in an hour, a U.S. think tank report showed Friday.
According to the RAND Corporation, North Korea maintains nearly 6,000 artillery systems within range of large South Korean population centers, enabling it to carry out massive attacks without using chemical or nuclear weapons.
The report estimated casualty numbers under five attack scenarios, factoring in the approximate number of North Korean artillery systems, population densities in potential target areas, and assumptions about whether people are outdoors, indoors or below ground at the time of attack.
A one-hour strike, using 5,700 long- and medium-range artillery pieces, along the entire length of the Demilitarized Zone, would hit all major population centers, including Seoul and Incheon, as well as U.S. Army base Camp Casey, resulting in as many as 205,600 casualties, the report said.
The other scenarios were a five-minute attack against a major industrial target, a one-minute attack along the DMZ, a one-minute attack against downtown Seoul and a one-hour attack against downtown Seoul.
The minimum number of casualties was estimated at around 4,500 in a one-minute strike along the DMZ.
"A key insight from the five scenarios presented is that the supreme challenge for the ROK, the United States, and their allies is avoiding a situation in which the DPRK feels compelled to strike the South with its conventional artillery; if the DPRK did initiate such a strike, the objective of the ROK, the United States, and their allies should be to stop the shelling while avoiding further escalation," the report says.
ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea; DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"(It) is in the interests of all actors concerned to deescalate as quickly as possible once a provocation cycle
starts and avoid the conditions that would lead to a military exchange in firepower from any of the sides. If such an exchange occurs, the results will be highly costly and bloody," the report adds.
This photo released on March 21, 2020, by the Rodong Sinmun, the North's official newspaper, shows North Korean soldiers engaging in an artillery fire drill held a day earlier. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-08--Pentagon hesitated to give Trump military options for N.K. in 2017: book

`` You had to be careful what options you gave him , '' Yun told Sciutto .
`` We were @ @ @ @ @ any options you put out there , he could use them . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon hesitated to give military options for North Korea to U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017 because of concerns he might order a major military attack, according to an upcoming book by a CNN reporter.
Jim Sciutto, the network's chief national security correspondent, said in a Thursday article on his book, "The Madman Theory: Trump Takes on the World," that the account was relayed to him by Joseph Yun, who served as special representative for North Korea policy until 2018.
The book is set for release Tuesday.
"You had to be careful what options you gave him," Yun told Sciutto. "We were being very cautious, because any options you put out there, he could use them."
Tensions ran high in 2017 as Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un engaged in a war of words over the North's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests.
The White House was frustrated, but the Pentagon, at least under then Defense Secretary James Mattis, "didn't budge," according to Sciutto.
"The White House viewed it as 'Goddamnit! The President is looking for all options!'" he quoted Yun as saying.
The former envoy also said he warned the North Koreans of Trump's unpredictability.
"We used to only think of Kim Jong-un as unpredictable. Now we had Trump as unpredictable," Yun told Sciutto. "And I would communicate that."
Trump and Kim later engaged in historic summit meetings starting in June 2018 to try and reach a deal on denuclearizing the North in exchange for concessions.
The diplomatic effort has stalled since the leaders' second summit in Vietnam in February 2019, which ended abruptly due to differences over the scope of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S.
This UPI photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump clapping as he leaves the stage after delivering remarks on American manufacturing and the economy at the Whirlpool corporation manufacturing plant in Clyde, Ohio, on Aug. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-08-07--Gov't issues highest landslide warning for central, southern parts of Korea

The 12 areas include the cities of Daejeon and Sejong and the provinces of North and South Chungcheong in the @ @ @ @ @ , as well as the cities of Busan , Daegu , Gwangju and Ulsan and @ @ @ @ @ South Jeolla and North and South Gyeongsang , the Korea Forest Service said .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Forest Service issued its highest landslide warning for the central and southern parts of South Korea at 9 p.m. Friday due to continued downpours.
The 12 areas include the cities of Daejeon and Sejong and the provinces of North and South Chungcheong in the central part of the country, as well as the cities of Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Ulsan and the provinces of North and South Jeolla and North and South Gyeongsang, the Korea Forest Service said.
Two cities -- Seoul and Incheon -- and two provinces -- Gyeonggi and Gangwon -- have been placed under the third-highest level of the four-level warning system, while the second-highest warning has been posted for Jeju Island.
Weeklong heavy rains have pounded most parts of South Korea, especially the central part of the country.
In Gokseong, South Jeolla Province, now under a warning, a landslide destroyed a house leaving three people dead. Emergency service workers on the scene said three others may be trapped under the debris and rubble.
The local county office said firefighters, police and rescue workers have been dispatched to the site of the landslide to help in the rescue effort.
This photo taken on Aug. 7, 2020, shows the aftermath of a landslide in Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--FM Kang holds videoconference with counterparts on COVID-19 cooperation

Kang told other ministers that while coronavirus outbreaks are being controlled without sudden spikes in new infectious cases , the @ @ @ @ @ summer and associated risks of infectious diseases are affecting the pace of recovery , despite @ @ @ @ @ boost growth .
She said such developments are making it more important for South Korea @ @ @ @ @ countries .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha took part in a videoconference with five counterparts on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Top diplomats from South Korea, the United States, Australia, Brazil, India and Israel exchanged information on COVID-19 situations in their respective countries, the foreign ministry said.
It said participants called for ways to facilitate movement of people across borders, work together to combat the spread of the infectious disease and ensure swift and transparent sharing of information. Senior officials also agreed to expand efforts to overcome the fallout of the health emergency and strive for economic recovery.
Kang told other ministers that while coronavirus outbreaks are being controlled without sudden spikes in new infectious cases, the unseasonably long monsoon rains this summer and associated risks of infectious diseases are affecting the pace of recovery, despite concerted efforts by Seoul to boost growth. She said such developments are making it more important for South Korea to work closely with other countries.
The ministry said that all officials concurred on the need to carry on talks going forward to make it easier to exchange information.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) takes part in a videoconference with counterparts from five countries at an office in Seoul on Aug. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by the ministry. The foreign ministry said the top diplomats discussed ways to work together closely on COVID-19. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-09--(LEAD) 30 killed, 6,000 displaced due to weeklong heavy downpours; further heavy rains in store on t

(LEAD) 30 killed, 6,000 displaced due to weeklong heavy downpours; further heavy rains in store on typhoon

SEOUL , Aug. 9 ( Yonhap ) -- Heavy downpours , landslides and floods in South Korea have killed at @ @ @ @ @ several days , but the death toll may rise further as more than 10 people @ @ @ @ @ heavy rains are also forecast in the southern part of the country due to an @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with new info in paras 9-13; ADDS more photos)
SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- Heavy downpours, landslides and floods in South Korea have killed at least 30 in the past several days, but the death toll may rise further as more than 10 people have gone missing. More heavy rains are also forecast in the southern part of the country due to an approaching typhoon.
Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country since Aug. 1 amid the prolonged monsoon season.
According to the data by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, the country's death toll stood at 30 as of Sunday, leaving 12 people missing and eight wounded.
A village in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, is submerged by overflow from the Seomjin River on Aug. 8, 2020, due to two days of torrential rain. (Yonhap)
Over the past three days, 13 people have died, two gone missing and one injured nationwide, according to the headquarters.
The death toll did not count the casualties from three capsized vessels at Uiam Dam in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers east of Seoul, which left three dead and three missing on Sunday. It was categorized as a marine accident.
More than 5,900 people from 11 provinces and cities left their homes, and some 4,600 of them remain at temporary shelters following warnings of disasters.
Some 9,300 hectares of farmland were swamped or buried, while 9,500 cases of damage to public and private facilities were reported. Repair work has been completed for 73.2 percent of the damage cases, according to the authorities.
An underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul, is flooded on Aug. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
Typhoon Jangmi, the season's fifth typhoon, is expected to hit the southern region of the Korean Peninsula from Monday, bringing about more rain in the flood-hit areas.
Formed early Sunday southwest of Okinawa, the typhoon is moving northeast and expected to pass waters off Jeju Island around 10 a.m. Monday, according to the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA).
The state weather agency said the tropical storm will probably arrive in waters off Busan, the southern port city, some 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul, around 3 p.m. Monday.
Due to the typhoon, Jeju Island and South Gyeongsang Province will experience strong winds and torrential rain in the coming days, while the rest of the country will experience heavy rainfall.
As it coincides with the astronomical high tide period, the KMA advised people on the southeastern seaside to take extra precautions and be prepared for dangerous tides.
It also asked the people in the affected areas to be fully prepared for possible flooding or landslides.
A trail alongside Yangjae Stream in Seoul is inundated due to heavy rain on Aug. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
The disaster authorities said seven railways across the country have been blocked as of Sunday morning, while 10 flights in Gwangju Airport have been canceled.
The heavy rainfall has pummeled the southern part of the country in the past few days.
A total of 612 mm of rain was reported in the county of Damyang in South Jeolla Province during the three-day period, with 533.7 mm in Gwangju and 517.5 mm in Hwasun County.
In a landslide that buried a house in the county of Jangsu, North Jeolla Province, two more people were found dead on Sunday, after two were found to have died the previous day.
A man in his 70s went missing as he was swept away by a strong current in Damyang.
The disaster control center said 3,749 people have been left homeless over the three-day period, most of which are still staying at temporary shelters due the flooding of the Seomjin River in Namwon City, North Jeolla Province, and Gurye and Damyang counties, both located in South Jeolla Province.
Nearly 3,300 cases of property damages were reported over the cited period, including to 2,233 public facilities, while damage was also reported to 287 residences and 1,180 hectares of farmland.
Some roads and bridges were destroyed by the heavy rain, which also caused 65 floods at local streams and 11 landslides.
Rescue workers search for a person trapped in the debris of a landslide at a village in Gokseong, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 8, 2020. Four people were dead and one missing after the landslide triggered by heavy rain. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-09--S. Korea suffers most trade barriers ever amid pandemic: report

The United States launched the most trade barriers against South Korea with 44 cases , followed by 34 cases by @ @ @ @ @ .
Turkey and Canada had 16 cases and 14 cases , respectively .

SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea faced the most trade barriers ever in the first half of this year as pandemic-hit nations beefed up home economy first protectionism, data showed Sunday.
The total number of import regulations targeting South Korea reached 226 cases in the January-June period alone, according to the data compiled by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). It includes anti-dumping duties, safeguard measures and countervailing duties launched by 28 nations.
Such trade barriers have shown a steady increase from 117 cases in total in 2011 to 210 in 2019.
Anti-dumping duties constituted 73 percent of the 226 trade regulations on South Korean products in the first half of the year. Safeguard measures took up 23 percent, with countervailing duties coming in at 4 percent.
The United States launched the most trade barriers against South Korea with 44 cases, followed by 34 cases by India and 17 by China. Turkey and Canada had 16 cases and 14 cases, respectively.
South Korean steel and metal products faced the most trade barriers with 108 cases, or 48 percent, while plastic and rubber items constituted 18 cases.
Protectionism in India and Thailand noticeably strengthened, KOTRA said.
The emerging economies toughened import regulations on steel and chemical products as part of efforts to foster manufacturing companies at home.
This file photo, taken June 4, 2020, shows the harbor in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan. (Yonhap)
The trade protectionism is highly likely to continue throughout the latter half of this year, KOTRA said.
The U.S. is elaborating on ways to protect homegrown pharmaceuticals and medical products ahead of the November presidential election, while the European Union is clenching its fists on subsidized foreign goods.
In the January-June period, South Korea's current account surplus reached $19.17 billion due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the smallest in eight years since the first half of 2012.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-09--S. Korea to come under direct influence of Typhoon Jangmi from Monday

SEOUL , Aug. 9 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will come under the direct influence of Typhoon Jangmi , @ @ @ @ @ , this week , which will bring heavy rain to the country 's flood-hit southeastern @ @ @ @ @ agency said Sunday .

SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will come under the direct influence of Typhoon Jangmi, the season's fifth typhoon, this week, which will bring heavy rain to the country's flood-hit southeastern region, the state weather agency said Sunday.
The tropical storm, which formed early Sunday southwest of Okinawa and started to move northeast, is expected to pass waters 350 kilometers south of Jeju Island around 10 a.m. Monday, according to the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA).
Around 3 p.m. on the same day, it is predicted to arrive in waters 30 km southwest of Busan, some 325 km southeast of Seoul, it said.
South Korean will experience rain over the coming days, while the typhoon will strike the southeastern region of South Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island, with strong winds and heavy downpours.
The KMA advised people on the southeastern seaside to take extra precautions and be prepared for dangerous tides.
South Korea has been suffering from dayslong torrential rain amid the prolonged monsoon season that started in late June.
Over the last nine days, about 30 people have been killed and 12 have gone missing due to floods and landslides.
This image provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration shows the predicted course of Typhoon Jangmi as of 10 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)