yna--2020-01-23--Justice minister expresses intent to probe prosecution over indictment of presidential official

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae expressed intent on Thursday to order an internal probe into prosecutors that brought charges against a presidential secretary for suspected misconduct, calling it a rash move that did not follow due process.
Choo delivered her message to the press after an anti-corruption team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office earlier in the day indicted Choi Kang-wook, a presidential secretary for public office discipline, for fabricating an internship certificate for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's son.
The prosecution team reportedly bypassed its boss, Lee Seong-yun, head of the Seoul prosecution office, as he refused to sign off on the indictment, and went ahead with filing the charges with the approval of Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl.
Choo was briefed by Lee in regard to the indictment of Secretary Choi, and "confirmed a need for an internal inspection on the case of Choi's indictment," her ministry said in a message to reporters.
The ministry said that a case like this, involving a high-level public official, must be run by the chief prosecutor of the district office and it would constitute a violation of law and protocol if such a requirement was not met.
Thursday's confrontation between the ministry and prosecution marks the latest in their growing discord amid the liberal Moon Jae-in government's strong push for prosecution reform focused on dispersing the prosecution's investigative power that Moon's office has defined as too excessive.
Since assuming her post early this month, Choo has already taken on two big reshuffles, replacing senior prosecutors involved in major probes into high-profile corruption cases involving former and current presidential officials.
Critics have raised concerns the reshuffles may disrupt ongoing probes into presidential officials' suspected election meddling and power abuse, accusing the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae of trying to overhaul the prosecution system because of its effort to investigate people on its side.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaves the government complex in central Seoul after holding a policy meeting on Jan. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(LEAD) N.K. propaganda outlets report on coronavirus outbreak in S. Korea

Others outlets , such as the Korean Central News Agency , said a person infected with the new strain of @ @ @ @ @ United States , while Korean Central Television reported the latest number of total confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ illness and how many people outside of China contracted the virus .
It advised viewers @ @ @ @ @ the illness and preventative measures .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korean propaganda outlets on Thursday reported on the first outbreak of a new type of Chinese coronavirus in South Korea.
South Korea confirmed earlier in the week that a Chinese national who arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, tested positive for the virus spreading through China.
"The first pneumonia patient infected with the new coronavirus was confirmed on Jan. 20 in South Korea," Meari, one of the North's propaganda websites, said.
No confirmed case has been reported in North Korea yet, but Pyongyang appears to be stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of the disease into the country.
On Wednesday, North Korea's official newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, carried an article reporting on the outbreak in China and its struggle to stem the spread of the highly contagious disease.
Others outlets, such as the Korean Central News Agency, said a person infected with the new strain of coronavirus was discovered in the United States, while Korean Central Television reported the latest number of total confirmed cases, deaths attributed to the illness and how many people outside of China contracted the virus. It advised viewers on the common symptoms of the illness and preventative measures.
Foreign travel agencies organizing travel to North Korea said the North has temporarily closed its borders with China, with sources in Beijing claiming that Pyongyang has banned all people from entering the country if they flew in from Beijing. This includes North Korean citizens.
In addition, North Korean watchers said that while the communist country seems to have halted foreigners entering the country over the land border with China, it has not stopped shipments and North Koreans returning from visits.
An entry-ban sign for visitors to China is posted at a hospital in Seoul on Jan. 23, 2020, as a precaution against a new strain of the coronavirus now spreading in China and other parts of Asia. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--Samsung sets up tech platform center, names new home appliance biz chief

Previously , Kim Hyun-suk , president and CEO of Samsung 's CE business division , co-held the title as home @ @ @ @ @ was revealed in Samsung 's senior executive reshuffle on Monday that Kim no longer heads @ @ @ @ @ business , although he retains his CEO position for Samsung 's CE business division .

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. created an in-house technology platform unit and named a new chief for its home appliance business in the company's latest reshuffle, corporate sources here said Thursday.
Samsung combined its in-house tech units related with artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and big data solutions to set up a new tech group, tentatively named "next-generation platform center," according to the company officials.
The center will be headed by Chung Eui-suk, an executive vice president who is best known for leading the development of Samsung's AI-based digital assistant, Bixby.
This image captured from Samsung Electronics Co.'s newsroom, shows the company's executive vice president Chung Eui-suk. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The South Korean tech giant also appointed Lee Jae-seung, former Consumer Electronics (CE) business division development team leader, to head its home appliance business.
Previously, Kim Hyun-suk, president and CEO of Samsung's CE business division, co-held the title as home appliance business chief. It was revealed in Samsung's senior executive reshuffle on Monday that Kim no longer heads the company's home appliance business, although he retains his CEO position for Samsung's CE business division.
Lee Won-jin, an executive vice president who leads service business team at Samsung's visual display unit, will serve the same job for the company's mobile business unit.
The move will allow Lee, former managing director at Google Korea, to focus on developing contents services for both mobile phones and TVs.
The latest reshuffle follows changes to leadership at Samsung on Monday. Earlier the company named a new mobile business chief, and promoted 162 executives.
Samsung usually announces personnel reshuffles in December, but the appointments were delayed as trials involving Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong and key executives have dragged out longer than expected.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--Search operations for S. Koreans missing in Himalayas suspended due to bad weather

The four missing -- two women in their 30s and 50s and two men in their 50s -- were among @ @ @ @ @ teachers on a trekking course in the Deurali part of the Annapurna Base Camp when @ @ @ @ @ The five others were rescued by a chopper from a nearby lodge .

KATHMANDU/SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- The search for four South Koreans missing after an avalanche in the Himalayas were called off Thursday (Nepal time) as worsening weather continued to hamper operations.
Nepalese authorities and a voluntary South Korean rescue team have been conducting the search since Friday's accident that left four Koreans and three Nepalese guides missing after an avalanche struck the popular trekking route on Mount Annapurna in northwestern Nepal.
South Korea's quick response team dispatched to the site said Nepal was withdrawing all rescue personnel and equipment that have been mobilized, including special forces from its military and other rescue officials and villagers who have been helping the search.
They have to suspend the operations for the time being, as piled-up snow, along with worsening weather conditions, keep preventing the rescue work, they said.
Nepalese officials explained earlier that recent heavy snowfall in the area has likely thickened the ice under which the missing people are probably trapped.
Um Hong-gil, a prominent South Korean climber who has volunteered to join the search with his team, said the missing people are presumed to be at least 10 meters deep in the snow, after measuring the depth near the accident site.
Um said he was also pulling his team out of the search for now, since there is little they can do at this stage but wait for the snow to melt.
The four missing -- two women in their 30s and 50s and two men in their 50s -- were among a nine-member team of school teachers on a trekking course in the Deurali part of the Annapurna Base Camp when the avalanche engulfed them. The five others were rescued by a chopper from a nearby lodge.
The teachers were part of a 39-member volunteer team dispatched to Nepal by the education office of South Chungcheong Province.
This EPA photo shows Nepalese military rescue personnel conducting a search for four South Koreans missing in the Himalayas, in northern Nepal, on Jan. 22, 2020 (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(2nd LD) S. Korea going all-out to prevent spread of Wuhan coronavirus during holidays

Citizens should follow strict personal hygiene rules whether they are in the country or traveling abroad , especially since there @ @ @ @ @ influx of Chinese tourists coming to the South Korea during the holiday period , according @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .
The agency said people feeling ill should @ @ @ @ @ center by dialing `` 1339 '' to receive assistance .

(ATTN: UPDATES in paras 4-5, 16)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's public health authorities on Thursday remained on alert and said that every effort will be made to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus during the upcoming four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
A quarantine official (L) checks a traveler for fever and other symptoms at South Korea's Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their monitoring and checking of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus during the busy Lunar New Year travel season.
Citizens should follow strict personal hygiene rules whether they are in the country or traveling abroad, especially since there is expected to be an influx of Chinese tourists coming to the South Korea during the holiday period, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The agency said people feeling ill should immediately contact its emergency call center by dialing "1339" to receive assistance.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety too issued a text message alert calling on citizens to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouths when coughing and if they have respiratory problems wear a mask.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which kicks off Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
This photo taken Jan. 21, 2020, shows a notice placed on a door in a hospital in Gyeonggi Province warning people about the symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
China said Thursday that the virus had killed 17 so far, with over 570 citizens confirmed to be infected, amid concerns that the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
Beijing pledged on Wednesday to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease, especially since many people have time off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have also reported confirmed cases of the disease.
The foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
The ministry also urged South Korean citizens currently in Wuhan to take extra care to ensure their health and safety.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan by the end of this month.
The move comes after the Chinese authorities made a decision to not allow most inbound and outbound flights on domestic and international routes at the airport there starting Friday.
Korean Air currently operates four flights a week from Incheon International Airport to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
The KCDC the day before said that four suspected cases have tested negative for the Wuhan coronavirus and that none of the 21 people who showed symptoms so far reported in the country have been linked to the virus.
The new coronavirus, first reported in China late last year, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
The KCDC said local health experts will be sent to China so they can better look after South Korean citizens living there.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--Another Korean sexual slavery victim dies, number of survivors at 19

Gender Minister Lee Jung-ok expressed condolences to the family over the victim 's death , vowing to continue policy support @ @ @ @ @ to actively push for projects that will help restore their honor and dignity , the @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Another elderly Korean victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery died Thursday, the gender ministry said.
The death of the woman, whose identity was withheld at the request of her family, puts the number of surviving victims at 19, according to the ministry.
A total of 240 are officially registered with the government as victims of sexual enslavement by the Japanese imperial army during World War II. Five died last year.
Gender Minister Lee Jung-ok expressed condolences to the family over the victim's death, vowing to continue policy support for the surviving victims and to actively push for projects that will help restore their honor and dignity, the ministry said.
Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese troops during the war.
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--NSC members discuss follow-up measures to Hormuz troop dispatch decision: Cheong Wa Dae

It did not name those related countries , but the expression is used in context for the U.S. , which @ @ @ @ @ role by Seoul , and Iran , which is regarded as a source of instability @ @ @ @ @ key global oil supply route .

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security officials had internal discussions Thursday on ways to strengthen "communication" with Iran and the United States in connection with its decision to send naval troops to the Strait of Hormuz for contributions to maritime security there, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
They reviewed the international community's responses to the move and discussed "follow-up measures," including the strengthening of "communication" with relevant nations, during the weekly session of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee, it said in a brief press release. The meeting was presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at the presidential office.
It did not name those related countries, but the expression is used in context for the U.S., which has requested such a military role by Seoul, and Iran, which is regarded as a source of instability in the strait, a key global oil supply route.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit, stationed in the Gulf of Aden, will broaden its operational area to the strait.
The NSC members, meanwhile, checked ways for "tangible accomplishments" in efforts to move forward the Korea peace process through the resumption of various inter-Korean cooperation and exchanges, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The government is seeking to allow South Koreans to visit North Korea on "individual tours" that would not be subject to U.N. Security Council resolutions on the communist neighbor.
Officially, Pyongyang has stayed silent about Seoul's idea.
Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at the presidential office, presides over a government meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 17, 2019, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- South Korea 's public health authorities on Thursday remained on alert and spared no efforts to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ during the upcoming four-day Lunar New Year holiday , with the country 's citizens advised @ @ @ @ @ Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
-----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea going all-out to prevent spread of Wuhan coronavirus during holidays
SEOUL -- South Korea's public health authorities on Thursday remained on alert and spared no efforts to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus during the upcoming four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
-----------------
S. Korea issues travel alert for Wuhan amid efforts to prevent coronavirus outbreak
SEOUL -- South Korea's foreign ministry on Thursday issued a travel alert for Wuhan in central China amid stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus that has originated from the city.
The ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
-----------------
Moon vows efforts for reunions of separated families in two Koreas
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in said Thursday his government will endeavor to create opportunities for South Koreans to meet their families in North Korea "before it's too late."
He was delivering a video message via his social networking service accounts on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, called Seol in Korean. It's one of the biggest annual celebrations for Koreans.
-----------------
Former PM announces bid to run in Seoul's Jongno in upcoming elections
SEOUL -- Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Thursday accepted the Democratic Party's (DP) offer to run in Jongno, a key constituency in central Seoul, in the upcoming general elections.
Lee, a former journalist and four-term lawmaker, recently resumed his political career with the liberal party following a six-year hiatus. He was elected as a provincial governor in 2014 and became the first prime minister under the Moon Jae-in administration in May 2017.
-----------------
S. Korean unit in Hormuz Strait ready for any circumstances: defense ministry
SEOUL -- The South Korean military unit dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz maintains a full readiness posture to deal with any situations in accordance with its operation guidelines, the defense ministry said Thursday.
The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit, with a 4,400-ton destroyer, expanded its operational areas from its original sphere of the Gulf of Aden into the Strait of Hormuz this week to protect South Korean citizens and vessels passing through the strategically important waterway amid tensions between the United States and Iran.
-----------------
(LEAD) Korean Air to suspend flights to Wuhan by end-January
SEOUL -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of a new SARS-like virus, by the end of this month.
The move comes after the Chinese authorities made a decision to not allow most inbound and outbound flights on domestic and international routes at the airport there starting Friday.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks sharply down amid new coronavirus fear
SEOUL -- South Korean shares ended lower Thursday after a rebound of more than 1 percent the previous day, as foreign and institutional investors were cautious amid rising concerns over the spread of Wuhan coronavirus.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 21.12 points, or 0.93 percent, to 2,246.13.
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(LEAD) Seoul stocks sharply down amid new coronavirus fear

Beijing pledged on Wednesday to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease , especially @ @ @ @ @ off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends .

(ATTN: UPDATES with bond yields at bottom; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares ended lower Thursday after a rebound of more than 1 percent the previous day, as foreign and institutional investors were cautious amid rising concerns over the spread of Wuhan coronavirus.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 21.12 points, or 0.93 percent, to 2,246.13.
Foreign and institutional investors sold a combined 612.4 billion won (US$524 million) worth of stocks, weighing down the bourse.
An electronic signboard at KEB Hana Bank in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) down 0.93 percent to close at 2,246.13 points on Jan. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Daishin Securities analyst Lee Kyung-min said investors also went for profit-taking ahead of the holiday after the index jumped to its highest level in 15 months on Wednesday.
The Lunar New Year's holiday is one of the two major traditional Korean holidays and falls on Saturday, forming part of a four-day break that runs Friday through Monday.
Investors fretted over the potential fallout from the outbreak of a new coronavirus that has been spreading in China and other countries.
China said Thursday that the virus had killed 17 so far, with over 570 citizens confirmed to be infected, amid concerns that the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
Beijing pledged on Wednesday to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease, especially since many people have time off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have also reported confirmed cases of the disease.
In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.
Market cap Samsung Electronics was down 2.41 percent at 60,800 won, and South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, SK hynix Inc., fell 2.28 percent to 98,700 won.
Among gainers, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. was up 2.76 percent at 130,500 won, and Samsung BioLogics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, surged 6.86 percent to 483,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,168.70 won against the U.S. dollar, down 4.10 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 1.3 basis points to 1.424 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond shed 1.3 basis points to reach 1.537 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 23, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 23, 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--2020-01-23--Labor leader gets suspended sentence for organizing violent protests

`` Violent rallies can not become a proper way to fairly express an opinion .
This case constitutes a grave @ @ @ @ @ the decision of a sentence , '' it also said , adding it took into @ @ @ @ @ tried to express its political views in relation to workers ' interests when it made @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a militant labor umbrella group, was given a suspended sentence Thursday for masterminding assaults on police during outdoor rallies.
The Seoul Southern District Court sentenced Kim Myeong-hwan to 2 years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, and ordered him to complete 160 hours of community service.
Kim was accused of overseeing violent illegal acts during KCTU members' four protest rallies in front of the National Assembly compound in Seoul on May 21, 2018, as well as March 27 and April 2 and 3 last year.
During the protest rallies, labor activists knocked down parts of the fence surrounding the National Assembly, assaulted police officers, destroyed police equipment and attempted to illegally force their way into the compound, according to the court.
The rallies were aimed at blocking the passage of labor bills, including those calling for extending statutory flextime from three to six months to minimize side effects of the government's mandatory 52-hour workweek policy.
The prosecution requested a four-year prison sentence for Kim.
In Thursday's sentence, the court criticized Kim for "putting at grave risk the principle of representative democracy by orchestrating violent acts in a bid to curb Parliament from revising laws that the union body says do not reflect its demands."
The National Assembly is not supposed to solely represent the opinion of KCTU but should represent the entire nation's opinion in a consolidated way, it said.
"Violent rallies cannot become a proper way to fairly express an opinion. This case constitutes a grave crime, agonizing us over the decision of a sentence," it also said, adding it took into consideration that the labor group tried to express its political views in relation to workers' interests when it made the sentence decision.
This file photo, dated April 3, 2019, shows a police officer being struck in the face by Korean Confederation of Trade Unions members during their protest against a labor law revision in front of the National Assembly in Seoul. (Yonhap)
namsh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--S. Korea, Panama hold policy consultations on bilateral ties, trade

He said that the agreement will help expand bilateral trade and investment and contribute to enhancing the quality of life @ @ @ @ @ and their social and economic development .

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Panama have held a policy consultative meeting in Panama City on bilateral relations and cooperation in trade and various other areas, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.
Jo Yung-joon, the ministry's director general for Latin American and Caribbean affairs, and his counterpart, José Ulises Lescure, led the meeting on Wednesday (Panama time).
At the talks, Jo requested that Panama quickly complete the domestic ratification procedures for the free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and Central America that was signed in February 2018.
He said that the agreement will help expand bilateral trade and investment and contribute to enhancing the quality of life for citizens in the signatories and their social and economic development.
South Korea signed the FTA with Panama and the four Central American countries -- Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador -- which have already finished the domestic procedures for the agreement.
Jo also asked for Panama's support for South Korean companies hoping to join the country's energy and infrastructure construction projects, the ministry said.
The two sides agreed to further expand a "mutually beneficial" partnership while noting progress in the development of the cooperative ties they forged in 1962.
South Korean and Panamanian officials hold a policy consultation meeting in Panama City on Jan. 22, 2020 in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(LEAD) Korean Air to suspend flights to Wuhan by end-January

SEOUL , Jan. 23 ( Yonhap ) -- Korean Air Lines Co. , South Korea 's national flag carrier , @ @ @ @ @ its flights to Wuhan , the Chinese city at the epicenter of a new SARS-like @ @ @ @ @ of this month .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of a new SARS-like virus, by the end of this month.
The move comes after the Chinese authorities made a decision to not allow most inbound and outbound flights on domestic and international routes at the airport there starting Friday.
Korean Air currently operates four flights a week from Incheon International Airport to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
"We will inform our customers of the suspension plans and will make a decision on future flights (to the Chinese airport) in accordance with the Chinese authorities' plans," a company spokeswoman said.
South Korea on Thursday issued a travel alert for Wuhan in central China after reporting its first confirmed case of the coronavirus Monday.
Authorities are acting aggressively to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which has genetic similarities to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed about 650 people in China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
In close cooperation with the transport and health ministries, the Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC), the operator of South Korea's main gateway Incheon International Airport, said it will adopt stricter quarantine measures for all airline passengers using the airport.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Jan. 24)

The message is clear .
The Blue House must not be touched no matter what .
The two rounds of @ @ @ @ @ In the first round , most of Yoon 's aides were demoted .
The deputies @ @ @ @ @ .
The president ordered Yoon to be equally strict with the powers that be — @ @ @ @ @ actually was .

The ongoing massacre
The Justice Ministry has lost its senses. It has carried out a second round of purges in the prosecution after demoting most senior members under Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl on Jan. 8 and replacing them with figures loyal to the Moon Jae-in administration.
It then removed most of the working-level prosecutors to "normalize" what it claimed was "abnormal" in the prosecution establishment. Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is naïve if she thinks she can fool the people and walk away unscathed for shaking their faith in the criminal justice system.
The latest reshuffle replaced four deputy heads at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in departments that had been investigating the scandals involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and allegations that the Blue House meddled in the Ulsan mayoral election.
Also replaced was a deputy in the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office in the division handling the bribery case of former Financial Services Commission Director-General and former Busan Mayor Yoo Jae-soo. Presumably, these people's replacements will stall or influence the ongoing investigations. The new deputies could dilly-dally on approving summons or raids. The ministry then broke a tradition in the prosecution by replacing the vacancies with figures who had not headed divisions in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
The chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and three deputy heads, as well as the heads of the anticorruption and public security crime departments at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, are all from the Jeolla provinces, a traditional support base for the liberals.
Any new investigations of the government have become impossible. Even if cases pass the deputy heads, their bosses assigned by the government can stop them. Lee Sung-yoon, the new chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, has refused to endorse an indictment of Choi Kang-wook, a secretary in the Blue House.
The message is clear. The Blue House must not be touched no matter what. The two rounds of shuffles have been vengeful. In the first round, most of Yoon's aides were demoted. The deputies involved in investigations were removed. The president ordered Yoon to be equally strict with the powers that be — but took revenge when he actually was.
The shuffle has violated the Justice Ministry's mandate on appointments. Deputy prosecutors must be ensured a minimum of one year in office. But those removed this time around were in their posts only from last August. Such acts are interference that can justify a motion for presidential impeachment. History has shown that the truth eventually prevails. Dishonest governments always face judgment by the people.
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 24)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 24)

`` I understand that our military is not yet ready to embrace transgender soldiers like me .
But I hope @ @ @ @ @ be able to carry out their military duties without discrimination , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ an example .
I want to make that happen . ''
She said she has @ @ @ @ @ vehicle driver and that she wanted to keep doing that job , adding her performance @ @ @ @ @ gender has changed .
`` Please give me a chance to defend the nation as @ @ @ @ @

Transgender soldier
Sexual minorities deserve to serve in military
The Army's decision, Wednesday, to discharge the country's first transgender soldier against her will is creating a stir.
This is another symbolic incident showing where the South Korean military stands in terms of protecting the rights of sexual minorities. Officially, the military still says it does not discriminate against these people, but it is true that it has maintained a rigid legal system to justify discrimination.
In the case of Byun Hee-soo, a 22-year-old staff sergeant belonging to the 5th Armored Brigade, a medical officer classified Byun as a "mentally and physically disabled" person, and the Army used this report in justifying its decision. Byun voluntarily enlisted as a man in 2017 and had gender reassignment surgery during leave in November last year.
On Tuesday, the National Human Rights Commission recommended that the Army delay making any decision on whether to discharge her until the commission had completed its own examination of her case. However, the Army ignored this and decided to discharge her. What is notable is that Byun's colleagues were aware of her sexual orientation and backed her decision to get a surgery. She also clearly stated that she would undergo gender reassignment surgery when she applied for leave. All this suggests that the Army only needed an excuse to discharge her.
But we respect Byun's decision to live as a woman and to continue to serve the nation as a female soldier. Byun said she will file a lawsuit to undo the Army's decision and regain her status as a soldier.
It was also not an easy decision for her to show herself in public. During an emotional press conference, Wednesday, Byun, in uniform, called for the military to treat sexual minorities equally.
"I understand that our military is not yet ready to embrace transgender soldiers like me. But I hope that all sexual minorities will be able to carry out their military duties without discrimination," she said. "I want to be an example. I want to make that happen." She said she has performed well as an armored vehicle driver and that she wanted to keep doing that job, adding her performance will not change although her gender has changed. "Please give me a chance to defend the nation as a Korean national."
The Army said in a statement that the decision to discharge Byun was lawful, being based on the results of a medical examination. It said it will make efforts to protect human rights of service members and to prevent any undue discrimination in barracks.
Few will believe this. The military has prosecuted more gay soldiers in recent years, using rules that justify punishment against those found to have engaged in "indecent" acts, regardless of being consensual acts or occurring while soldiers were off duty.
It would have been equally controversial if the military allowed Byun to serve as a female soldier. We understand that. But the fact is, there has been systemic discrimination against sexual minorities in the military and that the military has been two-faced in dealing with the problem. It should change, and the first step toward change is acknowledgment that a soldier's sexual orientation is not relevant to his or her ability to serve.
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Jan. 24)

The better-than-expected performance in the fourth quarter was underpinned by a surge in fiscal expenditure , as the government stepped @ @ @ @ @ amount of leftover budget .
The rate of government expenditure 's contribution to the quarterly @ @ @ @ @ , while the corresponding figure for the private sector remained at 0.2 percentage point .

Declining growth
Reliance on fiscal spending to bolster the economy is unsustainable
Preliminary data released Wednesday by the Bank of Korea showed the country's economy grew 2 percent in 2019 from a year earlier. The figure marks the slowest on-year growth since 2009, when Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 0.7 percent in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
The central bank's growth estimate for last year, which was on par with the government's forecast, beat predictions by most private experts. The average of 2019 growth estimates by seven analysts recently polled by a local financial news outlet stood at 1.89 percent.
Economic policymakers in President Moon Jae-in's administration appear to have heaved a sigh of relief as they managed to achieve the 2 percent growth target, which had been lowered from the original goal set at 2.6-2.7 percent.
In a meeting with corporate officials later Wednesday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said it was meaningful that the economy held onto what he described as its "psychological Maginot Line."
He expressed confidence that the country's economy could rebound this year, citing a better-than-expected performance in the fourth quarter of last year. The economy expanded 1.2 percent on-quarter in the final three months of 2019, the fastest quarterly growth since the July-September period of 2017, when the economy grew 1.5 percent.
Earlier this week, President Moon said the economy appeared to have bottomed out, vowing that his government would make all-out efforts to maintain the recovery momentum.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy expects the gross domestic product to expand 2.4 percent this year.
What is needed now is not to put forward optimistic prospects but to redress misguided policy approaches that have held back economic growth.
The Moon administration has relied mainly on expanding fiscal spending to shore up the economy while dragging its feet on deregulation and implementing pro-labor measures that have increased the burden on companies.
Fiscal expenditure increased 6.5 percent on-year in 2019, following a 5.6 percent rise the year before.
To some extent, increasing fiscal spending is needed to bolster growth amid deteriorating conditions at home and abroad.
But the increase in fiscal spending since Moon took office in 2017 has been intended mainly to offset the negative impact of ill-conceived policies and expand cash transfer rather than enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the economy.
Deteriorating indicators pointing to the sapping private sector show the government's reliance on fiscal spending to bolster the economy is reaching its limits.
Private consumption grew 1.9 percent last year, the slowest pace since 2013. Facility investment and construction investment shrank 8.1 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively, in 2019.
Manufacturing output recorded a 1.4 percent on-year expansion last year, down from the 3.4 percent in the previous year.
Korea's exports plunged 10.3 percent from a year earlier in 2019 amid the prolonged trade dispute between the US and China and a delayed recovery in the global semiconductor market.
The country saw its gross domestic income shrink 0.4 percent last year, the first contraction in more than two decades.
Government spending contributed 1.5 percentage point to the 2019 economic growth, with the contribution by the private sector remaining at 0.5 percentage point.
The better-than-expected performance in the fourth quarter was underpinned by a surge in fiscal expenditure, as the government stepped up efforts to minimize the amount of leftover budget. The rate of government expenditure's contribution to the quarterly growth reached 1 percentage point, while the corresponding figure for the private sector remained at 0.2 percentage point.
Economic expansion dependent on fiscal expenditure is unsustainable and will lead to a steep rise in national debt.
The government should make a fundamental policy shift to help revitalize corporate activity and boost the long-term growth potential.
Accelerating regulatory, structural and labor reforms is all the more necessary as external conditions may aggravate further this year. According to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund, the US, China and Japan -- the world's three largest economies -- are expected to see their growth rates slide from 2.3 percent, 6.1 percent and 1 percent in 2019 to 2 percent, 6 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively, in 2020.
Moon and his economic aides recently vowed to promote innovation-led growth by lifting regulations. But a Cabinet meeting presided over by Moon on Tuesday passed revised ordinances of the commercial code and capital market law, which would introduce more regulatory restrictions on private firms.
Without a drastic departure from the persistent anti-corporate stance, the country's economic growth rate might tumble far below 2 percent, as predicted by many private institutions.
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Apartment prices in 3 affluent Gangnam districts drop over 8 months ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Justice @ @ @ @ @ prosecution over indictment of presidential official ( Kookmin Daily ) -- Justice ministry may order @ @ @ @ @ indictment of presidential official ( Donga llbo ) -- Justice minister mulls internal probe into @ @ @ @ @ official ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Global alarm over Wuhan pneumonia as it penetrates U.S. @ @ @ @ @ Justice ministry considers probe into prosecutors over indictment of presidential official ( Chosun Ilbo ) @ @ @ @ @ says may consider probe into chief of prosecutors over indictment of presidential official ( JoongAng @ @ @ @ @ , prosecutors at odds over indictment of presidential official ( Hankyoreh ) -- Justice ministry @ @ @ @ @ indictment of presidential official ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Apartment prices in 3 affluent Gangnam @ @ @ @ @ months ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- GM Korea , Renault Samsung , SsangYong Motor @ @ @ @ @ production in 2019 ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Jan. 24.
Korean-language dailies
-- Apartment prices in 3 affluent Gangnam districts drop over 8 months (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Justice minister expresses intent to probe prosecution over indictment of presidential official (Kookmin Daily)
-- Justice ministry may order a probe into prosecutors over indictment of presidential official (Donga llbo)
-- Justice minister mulls internal probe into prosecutors over indictment of presidential official (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Global alarm over Wuhan pneumonia as it penetrates U.S. (Segye Times)
-- Justice ministry considers probe into prosecutors over indictment of presidential official (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Cheong Wa Dae official says may consider probe into chief of prosecutors over indictment of presidential official (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Justice ministry, prosecutors at odds over indictment of presidential official (Hankyoreh)
-- Justice ministry, prosecutors at odds over indictment of presidential official (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Apartment prices in 3 affluent Gangnam districts turn lower over 8 months (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- GM Korea, Renault Samsung, SsangYong Motor suffer sharp declines in vehicle production in 2019 (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Attack on prosecution continues (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Joys and perils in Seollal (Korea Herald)
-- Ruling camp musters big names for election (Korea Times)
(END)


Friday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jan. 24 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-01-24--Royal palaces in Seoul offer free admission during holidays

Four palaces from the Joseon Dynasty ( 1392-1910 ) -- Gyeongbok , Changdeok , Deoksu and Changgyeong -- will open @ @ @ @ @ Monday , when they are usually closed .
Admission fees will be waived for visitors @ @ @ @ @ Garden in Changdeok Palace , the agency said .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- Major royal palaces in Seoul will offer free admission during the Lunar New Year holiday from Friday to Monday, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said.
Four palaces from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) -- Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu and Changgyeong -- will open during the four days including Monday, when they are usually closed. Admission fees will be waived for visitors, except for the Secret Garden in Changdeok Palace, the agency said.
Royal tombs of the dynasty, which are scattered in Seoul and surrounding cities, and Jongmyo Shrine, where Joseon-era royal ancestral tablets are enshrined, will also be free of charge during the period.
Various cultural events will be offered in cultural sites under the heritage agency across the country to mark the Lunar New Year's Day.
For example, Gyeongbok Palace will give out "sehwa", or paintings intended to wish good fortune, by artists specializing in Buddhist painting to visitors on Saturday, the Lunar New Year's Day.
Deoksu Palace and the management office of King Sejong's tomb in Yeoju, southwest of Seoul, will offer chances to experience Korean folk games, such as "yut" and hoop rolling.
The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, in the southern city of Mokpo, will offer events related to the rat as 2020 is the Year of the Rat according to the Chinese Zodiac.
Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--KOICA runs online lecture series on international development cooperation

The SDGs aim to end poverty , fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change by 2030 .
The United @ @ @ @ @ 2015 following a 15-year campaign to tackle poverty , disease and other global challenges under @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overseas aid agency said Friday it will run a free online lecture program on international development cooperation until next month, as part of efforts to help broaden the public understanding of the issue.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has used the online open lecture platform, called K-MOOC, since last month to run the program consisting of 10 lectures on such development issues as poverty, gender, human rights and environment.
It plans to run the program on the platform until Feb. 28. Lecturers include renowned experts in development fields, such as travel writer and relief worker Han Bi-ya.
The KOICA program particularly deals with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs aim to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change by 2030. The United Nations endorsed the goals in 2015 following a 15-year campaign to tackle poverty, disease and other global challenges under the Millennium Development Goals.
An online lecture program by the Korea International Cooperation Agency is shown in the photo provided by the agency. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Overseas Korean centers to hold events celebrating Lunar New Year

The Korean Culture and Information Service ( KCIS ) said the events will be held at 18 cultural centers in @ @ @ @ @ the United States and Egypt on Lunar New Year 's Day , which falls on @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- Korean cultural centers will host a wide range of events overseas to introduce foreigners to the country's customs and jointly celebrate Lunar New Year, a government agency said Saturday.
The Korean Culture and Information Service (KCIS) said the events will be held at 18 cultural centers in 15 nations including Japan, the United States and Egypt on Lunar New Year's Day, which falls on Saturday this year.
In Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Korean cultural centers will invite Japanese people to make Korean crafts and play traditional games to show the differences between the New Year's customs of the two neighboring countries.
The center in Kazakhstan is scheduled to host programs involving traditional games, writing New Year's cards and wearing traditional Korean clothing.
In Egypt, local people will shoot a video of the formal Korean style of bowing, called "sebae" and upload it to social media. They will also cook a big pot of rice cake soup for 100 people.
On Saturday, the Korean cultural center in Washington will bring together families of Korean adoptees there to taste Korean food, try on traditional Korean attire and play folk games.
"We hope people in overseas countries will connect with traditional Korean culture through our Lunar New Year programs," the KCIS said.
This image provided by the Korean Culture and Information Service shows an event to celebrate Lunar New Year in a Korean cultural center in Tokyo, Japan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Traditional festivities scheduled for Lunar New Year holiday

Namsangol Hanok Village , consisting of restored traditional houses , or `` hanok '' in Korean , said it is @ @ @ @ @ first three days of the holiday , which this year runs from Jan. 24-27 .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- A handful of events offering traditional activities are scheduled to be held at venues across Seoul during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Namsangol Hanok Village, consisting of restored traditional houses, or "hanok" in Korean, said it is holding an event on the first three days of the holiday, which this year runs from Jan. 24-27.
Music and dance performances are scheduled for all three days, including mask dances themed around the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. This year marks the start of the year of the rat.
Booths selling foods traditionally enjoyed during the holidays will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the sidelines of the performances.
The venue will also provide an opportunity for visitors to enjoy folk games like "yut" or "tuho," according to Namsangol Hanok Village.
An exhibition showcasing typography inspired by the 12 zodiacal animals will run until Feb. 16.
Most of the events are free but tickets need to be purchased for some performances.
Further details are available at the venue's website (www.hanokmaeul.or.kr).
This image, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, shows a poster for the three-day Lunar New Year event scheduled to be held at Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul from Jan. 24-26, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Bukchon Hanok Village is also holding a Lunar New Year event on Saturday -- Jan. 1 in the lunar calendar.
Visitors can make traditional kites or wooden tops and take part in the making of rice cakes.
More information and reservations for some programs are available via the Seoul Hanok Portal (http://hanok.seoul.go.kr).
A half-day event will take place at the Seoul Museum of History on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Traditional music and dance performances such as "samulnori," "pansori" and "ganggangsullae," in which people join hands to dance in a circle, are set to take place.
Folk games like top-spinning and archery will also be available on the sidelines of the performances, according to the museum.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--S. Korea, U.S. step up prep for homestretch negotiations on defense costs

To tamp down U.S. pressure on South Korea to jack up the defense costs , Seoul has been highlighting its @ @ @ @ @ , such as its financial support for the construction of a key U.S. base south @ @ @ @ @ purchases of U.S.-made weapons .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States appear to be stepping up preparations for what could be homestretch negotiations in the coming weeks over Seoul's share of the cost for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops here, observers said Friday.
The allies have been under pressure to quickly conclude the negotiations over the cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), for a timely parliamentary ratification and other reasons related to the operation of the U.S. Forces Korea.
Officials from both sides have hinted that progress has been made in the recent negotiations, though gaps still remain over Seoul's total payment for the stationing of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and what should be included in a new SMA.
Seoul and Washington held their last round of negotiations in the U.S. capital earlier this month, where Seoul's foreign ministry said they have "broadened their mutual understanding and common ground."
They are expected to hold the next round of the SMA talks in Seoul early next month.
A major fault line has been whether to expand the scope of the SMA.
Seoul has insisted that the negotiations should proceed within the existing SMA framework, while Washington has demanded that its coverage be expanded to include extra costs such as those for rotations of American troops to the peninsula.
To tamp down U.S. pressure on South Korea to jack up the defense costs, Seoul has been highlighting its contributions to the bilateral alliance, such as its financial support for the construction of a key U.S. base south of Seoul and its massive purchases of U.S.-made weapons.
Seoul's recent decision to expand the areas of operation for its anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit to cover the tense Strait of Hormuz in support of U.S. maritime security operations there also came amid its effort to enhance its alliance contributions.
Hopes have recently emerged that the two sides would quicken their negotiations amid concerns that a parliamentary ratification process could be delayed due to political situations in Korea, including the April parliamentary elections.
The allies have also been concerned that a delay in the negotiations could force South Korean employees hired by the USFK to go on unpaid leave should there be no funds assigned for them due to the absence of a new SMA.
But it remains uncertain whether U.S. President Donald Trump would accept a deal from the allies' negotiation teams if it does not stipulate a hefty increase in Seoul's share, observers pointed out. Under last year's SMA, Seoul agreed to pay about $870 million.
Jeong Eun-bo (R), South Korea's chief negotiator in defense cost-sharing talks with the United States, shakes hands with his U.S. counterpart, James DeHart, at their talks in Washington on Jan. 14, 2020, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Chollian-2B satellite eyes greater role for global air pollution monitoring system

The 3.4-ton Chollian-2B , along with NASA 's TEMPO and Europe 's Sentinel-4 geostationary satellites that are expected to be @ @ @ @ @ years , will help researchers actually track the movement of fine dust , yellow sand @ @ @ @ @ pollutants over vast regions ,

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's soon-to-be-launched geostationary satellite, the Chollian-2B, will set the stage for a worldwide air pollution monitoring system that can help countries better deal with environmental challenges, a state-run research institute said Friday.
The first ever geostationary environmental monitoring satellite was unveiled last month and is set to be sent into orbit on Feb. 19.
The satellite arrived safely at the Guiana Space Centre in South America early this month.
This file photo provided by KARI of Dec. 5, 2019, shows engineers checking the Chollian-2B satellite in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
According to Lee Dong-won, head of the Environmental Satellite Center at the National Institute of Environmental Research, the satellite will help draw up a comprehensive picture of air pollutants in the northern hemisphere in cooperation with the United States and Europe.
The 3.4-ton Chollian-2B, along with NASA's TEMPO and Europe's Sentinel-4 geostationary satellites that are expected to be launched in the next few years, will help researchers actually track the movement of fine dust, yellow sand, harmful substances and other pollutants over vast regions,
Once the Chollian-2B is fully operational in 2021, South Korea will be able to more precisely and independently see environmental developments taking place in eastern Asia and nearby oceans, and can share the information with others, he said.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Seoul's FX reserves may be near optimum level: officials

Another BOK official agreed that the country 's FX reserves may already be at an adequate level , noting the @ @ @ @ @ owes stood at $ 133.8 billion as of end-September , only 33.2 percent of its @ @ @ @ @ stood at $ 403.3 billion .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange (FX) reserves may currently be near their optimum level, central bank officials said Friday.
The country's foreign exchange reserves came to a record high of US$408.8 billion as of end-December, up $5.2 billion from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
In the file photo, taken Nov. 4, 2019, an official at a Seoul bank inspect stashes of U.S. dollar bills. The Bank of Korea earlier said the country's foreign exchange reserves have reached a new record high of US$408.8 billion as of end-2019. (Yonhap)
The amount has been on a steady increase annually since November 2008, when the country's FX reserves dipped to as low as $200 billion at the height of the global financial crisis.
The FX reserves climbed to nearly $368 billion as of end-2015 after breaching the $300 billion mark for the first time in history in April 2011. They breached the $400 billion mark for the first time in June 2018.
BOK officials, however, noted the rise in FX reserves may be, and should be, limited.
"A rise in FX reserves often means more debt owed by the BOK, mostly in monetary stabilization bonds, and additional costs incurred by the interest paid on those bonds," an official told Yonhap News Agency, while speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The bank may make some profit off operating the FX reserves it holds, but the cost of keeping them usually outruns the profit they return," the official added.
Another BOK official agreed that the country's FX reserves may already be at an adequate level, noting the short-term external debt South Korea owes stood at $133.8 billion as of end-September, only 33.2 percent of its FX reserves, which then stood at $403.3 billion.
"The short-term debt ratio must be considered very safe," the official said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Hyundai, Kia expected to maintain turnaround momentum this year: S&P

Sales at Hyundai and Kia , which reported a 3-percent drop in their combined global sales last year , appeared @ @ @ @ @ and a turnaround is likely in 2020 , S & P said in a recent @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top two carmakers -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. -- are expected to maintain turnaround momentum this year on the back of improving sales and cost-cutting efforts, international ratings agency Standard and Poor's said Friday.
Sales at Hyundai and Kia, which reported a 3-percent drop in their combined global sales last year, appeared to bottom out in 2019 and a turnaround is likely in 2020, S&P said in a recent report.
"Performance during the first nine months of 2019 showed signs of recovery from the weak levels in 2018," the ratings agency said.
"The improvement is off a low base impact. The companies' improving sales mix, diversified geographical presence, and cost-cutting efforts will more than offset increasing negative pressure of a tough business environment," it said.
"The companies' efforts to catch up with the growing popularity of SUV models through new model launches will continue to enhance its overall product competitiveness over 2020-2021," it said.
Earlier this month, Hyundai and Kia said they are targeting sales of a combined 7.54 million vehicles this year, a 4.8 percent increase from a year earlier.
In 2020, Hyundai Motor aims to sell 4.58 million vehicles and Kia targets to sell 2.96 million units in global markets.
The two carmakers sold a total of 7.19 million vehicles in 2019.
This week, Hyundai said it returned to the black in the fourth quarter of last year, helped by an improved product mix and a weak won.
For the October-December quarter, Hyundai Motor posted a net profit of 851.2 billion won (US$730 million), shifting from a net loss of 203.3 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a statement.
Kia also said its fourth-quarter net profit more than tripled compared to a year earlier on an improved product mix and a weak won.
Net profit for the October-December period soared to 346.4 billion won from 94.3 billion won a year ago, Kia said.
This file photo shows the headquarters of Hyundai Kia Motor Group in southern Seoul, South Korea. (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Britain eases working holiday requirement for S. Korea

The reference had to contain information about the job the applicant would do in Britain and other personal details .
@ @ @ @ @ for the visa within three months of receiving the government reference .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- Young South Koreans are eligible starting this year to apply for a working holiday visa to Britain without a government reference, after London decided to exempt Seoul from the requirement, the foreign ministry said Friday.
Under Britain's Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), South Koreans aged 18-30 could apply for the short-term work visa only if they submitted a certificate of sponsorship issued by the foreign ministry.
The reference had to contain information about the job the applicant would do in Britain and other personal details. Applicants were required to apply for the visa within three months of receiving the government reference.
The ministry said Britain recently changed the visa requirement at the South Korean government's request. Individuals can now apply for the two-year program via VFS Global, an outsourcing company for British Home Office, the ministry added.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--N. Korea's imports from Russia rebound last year despite sanctions

North Korea is banned from seeking major economic cooperation and importing materials that could be used for military purposes due @ @ @ @ @ against its regime for carrying out nuclear and missile provocations .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's imports from Russia rebounded last year despite crippling sanctions banning economic cooperation with Pyongyang, a U.S. broadcaster has said.
North Korea imported US$42.17 million worth of goods from Russia during the January-November period, according to the Voice of America, citing U.S. trade data.
The amount was larger than the $32.08 million reported in 2018 when the North came under tougher global sanctions.
North Korea is banned from seeking major economic cooperation and importing materials that could be used for military purposes due to multiple global sanctions imposed against its regime for carrying out nuclear and missile provocations.
Petroleum products accounted for the largest portion of the North's imports from Russia last year, followed by animal oil, food and medical products, the data showed.
During the cited period, North Korea exported $2.31 million worth of goods to Russia, up from $1.98 million tallied a year earlier.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Ex-U.N. chief Ban calls on N. Korea to seize opportunity for talks with U.S.

`` No country in the world is opposed to inter-Korean reconciliation , '' he said , emphasizing that there is @ @ @ @ @ despite the current impasse .
`` North Korea also needs to step out into the @ @ @ @ @ it can become a respected member of the international community . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on North Korea Thursday to seize the opportunity for talks with the United States.
Washington and Pyongyang have not had formal denuclearization negotiations since the last round of talks in October ended without an agreement.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, expressed disappointment that North Korea appears to have moved farther away from its commitment to dismantling its nuclear weapons program.
"I believe there will be an opportunity as time goes, and it's important, especially for North Korea, to seize this opportunity," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event announcing the 2020 "Doomsday Clock."
Citing the three meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he added, "It's desirable for North Korea to seize this opportunity and use it to its advantage."
Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to reporters at an event announcing the 2020 "Doomsday Clock" in Washington on Jan. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Trump and Kim had agreed at their first summit in June 2018 to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for U.S. security guarantees, but progress has been scant amid differences over the extent of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S.
Ban suggested it is unrealistic for North Korea to expect sanctions to be eased without taking steps of its own.
"The U.S. didn't impose sanctions on its own. The entire U.N. Security Council, the international community imposed the sanctions, so if North Korea takes steps that are acceptable to the international community, I believe (the issue of sanctions relief) can come up naturally," he said.
On South Korea's push to allow individual tours to North Korea to promote inter-Korean reconciliation and facilitate denuclearization talks, Ban said he would not comment as it concerned the South Korean government.
"No country in the world is opposed to inter-Korean reconciliation," he said, emphasizing that there is no need to be discouraged despite the current impasse. "North Korea also needs to step out into the world and think about how it can become a respected member of the international community."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(LEAD) No. of ASF-positive wild boars in S. Korea reaches 106

One body was found in Paju , just north of Seoul , and one in the Gangwon Province county of @ @ @ @ @ confirmed ASF cases from wild boars , 40 were from the border city and 17 @ @ @ @ @ the National Institute of Environmental Research , which is affiliated with the environment ministry .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead, ADDS more info in 2nd para)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- The number of wild boars infected with African swine fever (ASF) in South Korea rose to 106 on Friday, as two carcasses recently found tested positive.
One body was found in Paju, just north of Seoul, and one in the Gangwon Province county of Hwacheon. Of the 106 confirmed ASF cases from wild boars, 40 were from the border city and 17 from Hwacheon, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research, which is affiliated with the environment ministry.
In May, North Korea confirmed its first outbreak of African swine fever on a pig farm near its border with China. South Korea has reported 14 cases of pigs infected with the disease on farms since September.
South Korea has not reported additional ASF cases on farms since October, but wild boars continue to be found dead with the disease, mostly along the inter-Korean border.
The animal disease does not affect humans but is deadly to pigs. There is currently no vaccine nor cure for the disease.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals or their remains, unlike other animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, which is airborne.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(7th LD) 2nd case of Wuhan coronavirus puts S. Korea on alert during holidays

It said the man had been under close observation since arrival because he had a fever .
When his condition @ @ @ @ @ local clinic on Thursday for tests .
The agency said that 69 people whom he @ @ @ @ @ in the country , including five medical personnel and two of his family members , @ @ @ @ @ monitoring .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details paras 5-6, 16, 20)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday reported its second confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid mounting fears of the pneumonia-like illness that is spreading throughout China and other parts of the world during the Lunar New Year holiday.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a South Korean who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, late Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.
The 55-year-old man, who has been working in Wuhan since April 2019, visited a Chinese clinic last week after suffering from a sore throat and other symptoms, the agency said.
It said the man had been under close observation since arrival because he had a fever. When his condition worsened, he visited a local clinic on Thursday for tests. The agency said that 69 people whom he had come in contact with in the country, including five medical personnel and two of his family members, have been placed under close monitoring.
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Jung Eun-kyeong briefs reporters on South Korea's second confirmed Wuhan coronavirus case, in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Jan. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said in an emergency briefing in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, that quarantine inspections for all arrivals from China are being actively considered.
"With Wuhan airport closed and no direct flights, people from the city and neighboring areas could take more diverse routes, requiring our side to more carefully screen people from China," she said.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, all 25 suspected cases reported here tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the center.
The second confirmed case came as South Korea is struggling to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which began Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
Common symptoms of the new coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their scrutiny of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have all confirmed cases of the disease, with media reports indicating one new case in Singapore and two in Vietnam.
Seoul's foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
It also said at present, no South Korean nationals living in Wuhan have tested positive for the virus and none there has shown symptoms. The ministry said it is helping people that want to return home.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan until the end of this month.
South Korea said it will make the utmost efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus by enhancing preventive quarantine and screening measures.
"It will take lots of time and efforts to terminate the virus, and what's important now is to take quick and thorough preventive measures, thus minimizing potential fallout," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during an emergency meeting hastily arranged to discuss stepped-up responses against the deadly disease.
At the meeting, the government said it will tighten observations of all suspected cases.
A South Korean quarantine official (L) checks the temperature of a person who just arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2020. The National Quarantine Station is operating health checkpoints at all major airports to screen people for fever and other symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
China announced that the death toll had risen to 26, with more than 800 confirmed infections, amid concerns the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
In effort to prevent spread of the virus, the Chinese government restricted travel for 40 million people on the eve of Lunar New Year.
In a press briefing held in Geneva on Thursday (local time), the World Health Organization opted not to declare the new coronavirus a global health emergency, which means the U.N. agency still considers it to be a local emergency.
If the agency issues a global alarm on the new virus, it could call for travel and trade restrictions to prevent the spread of the infection through coordination with governments.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(6th LD) 2nd case of Wuhan coronavirus puts S. Korea on alert during holidays

It said the man had been under close obervation since arrival because he had a fever and when his condition @ @ @ @ @ a local clinic on Thursday for tests .
The agency said that 69 people whom @ @ @ @ @ with in the country , including five medical personnel and two of his family members @ @ @ @ @ close monitoring .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details paras 18-19)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday reported its second confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid mounting fears of the pneumonia-like illness that is spreading throughout China and other parts of the world during the Lunar New Year holiday.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a South Korean who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, late Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.
The 55-year-old man, who has been working in Wuhan since April 2019, visited a Chinese clinic last week after suffering from a sore throat and other symptoms, the agency said.
It said the man had been under close obervation since arrival because he had a fever and when his condition got worse, he visited a local clinic on Thursday for tests. The agency said that 69 people whom he had come in contact with in the country, including five medical personnel and two of his family members, have been placed under close monitoring.
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Jung Eun-kyeong briefs reporters on South Korea's second confirmed Wuhan coronavirus case, in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Jan. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, all 25 suspected cases reported here tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the center.
The second confirmed case came as South Korea is struggling to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which began Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
Common symptoms of the new coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
A South Korean quarantine official (L) checks the temperature of a person who just arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2020. The National Quarantine Station is operating health checkpoints at all major airports to screen people for fever and other symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their scrutiny of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have all confirmed cases of the disease, with media reports indicating one new case in Singapore and two in Vietnam.
Seoul's foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan by the end of this month.
South Korea said it will make the utmost efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus by enhancing preventive quarantine and screening measures.
"It will take lots of time and efforts to terminate the virus, and what's important now is to take quick and thorough preventive measures, thus minimizing potential fallout," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during an emergency meeting hastily arranged to discuss stepped-up responses against the deadly disease.
The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
China announced that the death toll had risen to 26, with more than 800 confirmed infections, amid concerns the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
In effort to prevent spread of the virus, the Chinese government restricted travel for 40 million people on the eve of Lunar New Year.
In a press briefing held in Geneva on Thursday (local time), the World Health Organization opted not to declare the new coronavirus a global health emergency, which means the U.N. agency still considers it to be a local emergency.
If the agency issues a global alarm on the new virus, it could call for travel and trade restrictions to prevent the spread of the infection through coordination with governments.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(5th LD) 2nd case of Wuhan coronavirus puts S. Korea on alert during holidays

It said the man had been under close obervation since arrival because he had a fever and when his condition @ @ @ @ @ a public health center on Thursday for tests .
The agency said that 69 people @ @ @ @ @ contact with in the country , including five medical personnel and two of his family @ @ @ @ @ under close monitoring .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 3-4; CHANGES top photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday reported its second confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid mounting fears of the pneumonia-like illness that is spreading throughout China and other parts of the world during the Lunar New Year holiday.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a South Korean who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, late Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.
The 55-year-old man, who has been working in Wuhan since April 2019, visited a Chinese hospital last week after suffering from a sore throat and other symptoms, the agency said.
It said the man had been under close obervation since arrival because he had a fever and when his condition got worse, he visited a public health center on Thursday for tests. The agency said that 69 people whom he had come in contact with in the country, including five medical personnel and two of his family members, have been placed under close monitoring.
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Jung Eun-kyeong briefs reporters on South Korea's second confirmed Wuhan coronavirus case, in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Jan. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, all 25 suspected cases reported here tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the center.
The second confirmed case came as South Korea is struggling to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which began Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
Common symptoms of the new coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
A South Korean quarantine official (L) checks the temperature of a person who just arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2020. The National Quarantine Station is operating health checkpoints at all major airports to screen people for fever and other symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their scrutiny of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have all confirmed cases of the disease, with media reports indicating one new case in Singapore and two in Vietnam.
Seoul's foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan by the end of this month.
South Korea said it will make the utmost efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus by enhancing preventive quarantine and screening measures.
"It will take lots of time and efforts to terminate the virus, and what's important now is to take quick and thorough preventive measures, thus minimizing potential fallout," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during an emergency meeting hastily arranged to discuss stepped-up responses against the deadly disease.
The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
China announced the virus has killed 25 people so far, with 830 others confirmed to be infected, amid concerns the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
In a press briefing held in Geneva on Thursday (local time), the World Health Organization opted not to declare the new coronavirus a global health emergency, which means the U.N. agency still considers it to be a local emergency.
If the agency issues a global alarm on the new virus, it could call for travel and trade restrictions to prevent the spread of the infection through coordination with governments.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--No. of ASF-positive wild boars in S. Korea reaches 105

Then bodies were found in Paju , just north of Seoul .
Of the 105 confirmed ASF cases from wild @ @ @ @ @ the border city , according to the National Institute of Environmental Research , which is @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- The number of wild boars infected with African swine fever (ASF) in South Korea went up to 105 on Friday, as additional carcasses recently found near the border with North Korea tested positive.
Then bodies were found in Paju, just north of Seoul. Of the 105 confirmed ASF cases from wild boars, 40 were from the border city, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research, which is affiliated with the environment ministry.
In May, North Korea confirmed its first outbreak of African swine fever on a pig farm near its border with China. South Korea has reported 14 cases of pigs infected with the disease on farms since September.
South Korea has not reported additional ASF cases on farms since October, but wild boars continue to be found dead with the disease, mostly along the inter-Korean border.
The animal disease does not affect humans but is deadly to pigs. There is currently no vaccine nor cure for the disease.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals or their remains, unlike other animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, which is airborne.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(LEAD) S. Koreans begin to head home for Lunar New Year's Day

Along with Chuseok , the equivalent of Thanksgiving in the United States , Seol marks South Korea 's traditional holiday @ @ @ @ @ head back to their hometowns to pay homage to their ancestors and spend time with @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 7-8 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- An annual mass migration started in South Korea on Friday as people headed to their hometowns for one of the country's key traditional holidays.
Seol, or Lunar New Year's Day, falls on Saturday this year, with the holiday period running from Friday to Monday..
Along with Chuseok, the equivalent of Thanksgiving in the United States, Seol marks South Korea's traditional holiday in which many South Koreans head back to their hometowns to pay homage to their ancestors and spend time with family and friends.
People streamed into the main train station in central Seoul and the city's express bus terminals that link the capital to regional cities and towns across the country.
Some 460,000 vehicles are expected to leave the capital area Friday, according to the Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC), while 4.61 million vehicles are likely to hit the road throughout the country, it added.
"The number reached its peak at around noon," a KEC official said. "Homebound traffic congestion is expected to die out at around 7 to 8 p.m."
As of 4:00 p.m., a total of 180 kilometers of major highways heading from Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province to other parts of the country were suffering congestion.
It took about five and half hours to drive from Seoul to Busan, three hours 50 minutes to the southwestern city of Gwangju and two hours and 10 minutes to Daejeon in central South Korea.
Others headed to airports to go abroad for Lunar New Year or to tourist destinations in the country.
This aerial photo, provided by the National Police Agency, shows one side of the West Coast Highway clogged with vehicles as drivers hit the road for their hometowns on Jan. 23, 2020, the eve of the Jan. 24-27 Lunar New Year holiday. (PHOTO NOT FORT SALE) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--Naver's global webcomic biz on growth track

Line Webtoon 's U.S. content revenue grew to 13 billion won ( US $ 11.1 million ) in the third @ @ @ @ @ from 2 billion won in the first quarter , according to Naver 's corporate filing @

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- Naver Corp., South Korea's top internet portal operator, is witnessing a growth in its webcomic business, which will eventually improve its earnings, industry sources said Friday.
Naver Webtoon, more commonly known as Line Webtoon in the United States, is home to a plethora of creator-owned content, ranging from romance to fantasy.
In particular, Naver Webtoon is showing marked growth in the United States after entering the market in 2014.
The number of its monthly active users, or MAUs, surpassed the 10 million mark in the U.S. in November, nearly doubling from 2014.
Naver Webtoon recorded 60 million MAUs in the global market and is expected to bring in 600 billion won (US$519 million) in content transactions this year.
Line Webtoon's U.S. content revenue grew to 13 billion won (US$11.1 million) in the third quarter of 2019, up from 2 billion won in the first quarter, according to Naver's corporate filing.
"Along with the steady two-digit growth in its ad business, we are expecting the webcomic operation to lead Naver's content service business," said Ju Young-hoon, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities.
"Naver already has about 60 million monthly users on a global level, meaning the webtoon operation can make inroads in the global market on its own," Ju added.
With the growing global content revenue, he estimated Naver's operating profit in 2020 to advance 47.1 percent to 1.03 trillion won, bouncing back from the previous year's 26.2 percent fall.
Local brokerages continued to paint rosy pictures for Line Webtoon's U.S. revenue hike, citing the company's fourth-quarter estimate by U.S. market tracker Sensor Tower.
According to Sensor Tower data, Line Webtoon's U.S. downloads in the October-December period surged 61 percent on-year. The webtoon provider's U.S. operating profit reached 40 billion won, Sensor Tower estimated.
"In 2020, Naver's webtoon has ample room for a value hike," said Mirae Asset Daewoo analyst Park Jeong-yeob. "The U.S. is a promising market, in terms of both content consumption and monthly active users."
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--S. Korea to host P4G summit to tackle climate change this year

The first summit of Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 ( P4G ) was held in Denmark @ @ @ @ @ of addressing challenges in the five areas of food and agriculture , water , energy @ @ @ @ @ .

SEJONG, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will host the second summit of a global public-private initiative this year to speed up efforts to tackle climate change, according to Seoul's finance ministry on Friday.
The first summit of Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) was held in Denmark in 2018 with the aim of addressing challenges in the five areas of food and agriculture, water, energy, cities and circular economy.
P4G is a global network of governments, businesses and civil society organizations seeking to advance solutions to deliver on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.
The second summit will be held in June in Seoul, the finance ministry said in a statement.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has stressed the importance of joint efforts by both the public and private sectors to address major global challenges, such as poverty and climate change.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-24--(4th LD) 2nd case of Wuhan coronavirus puts S. Korea on alert during holidays

The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible @ @ @ @ @ although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other @ @ @ @ @ airborne factors .

(ATTN: ADDS emergency meeting results in paras 15-16)
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday reported its second confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid mounting fears of the pneumonia-like illness that is spreading throughout China and other parts of the world during the Lunar New Year holiday.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a South Korean who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, late Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.
The 55-year-old man, who has been working in Wuhan, visited a Chinese clinic last week after suffering from a sore throat and other symptoms, the agency said.
A South Korean quarantine official (L) checks the temperature of a person who just arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2020. The National Quarantine Station is operating health checkpoints at all major airports to screen people for fever and other symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The KCDC said that more details on his condition will be revealed later in the day.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, all 25 suspected cases reported here tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the center.
The second confirmed case came as South Korea is struggling to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which began Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
Common symptoms of the new coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
This photo taken Jan. 21, 2020, shows a notice placed on a door in a hospital in Gyeonggi Province warning people about the symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their scrutiny of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have all confirmed cases of the disease, with media reports indicating one new case in Singapore and two in Vietnam.
Seoul's foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan by the end of this month.
South Korea said it will make the utmost efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus by enhancing preventive quarantine and screening measures.
"It will take lots of time and efforts to terminate the virus, and what's important now is to take quick and thorough preventive measures, thus minimizing potential fallout," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during an emergency meeting hastily arranged to discuss stepped-up responses against the deadly disease.
The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
China announced the virus has killed 25 people so far, with 830 others confirmed to be infected, amid concerns the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
In a press briefing held in Geneva on Thursday (local time), the World Health Organization opted not to declare the new coronavirus a global health emergency, which means the U.N. agency still considers it to be a local emergency.
If the agency issues a global alarm on the new virus, it could call for travel and trade restrictions to prevent the spread of the infection through coordination with governments.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)