yna--2020-09-10--(LEAD) Opposition leader asks conservative groups to postpone rallies amid spread of coronavirus

Seven groups have reported plans to hold a total of 18 rallies , each involving at least 10 people , @ @ @ @ @ capital on the day commemorating the proclamation of the Korean alphabet by King Sejong of @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS new info in paras 7-9)
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday asked conservative groups to postpone their protest rallies scheduled for early next month amid resurgent new coronavirus woes.
Rightist civic groups are seeking to stage anti-government demonstrations in central Seoul on Oct. 3, the National Foundation Day, despite criticism that their rallies last month led to more than 550 new COVID-19 cases across the country.
Kim Chong-in, chief of the conservative opposition party, called for their restraint, citing the risk of such events further spreading the coronavirus.
"This is a critical moment that will decide whether we unite and overcome COVID-19 or fall apart," he said during a meeting of the party leadership panel.
"I ask you to postpone the rallies and join the people (in the fight against the virus)," he said.
Kim Chong-in, the leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), speaks at a party meeting on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Police have already banned the events as the nation's social distancing regulations prohibit outdoor events involving 100 or more people. Enhanced rules, effective in the greater Seoul area until Sunday, ban outdoor assemblies of 10 or more people.
Seoul police also barred other protests planned for Oct. 9, Hangeul Day, police officials said later in the day.
Seven groups have reported plans to hold a total of 18 rallies, each involving at least 10 people, in central parts of the capital on the day commemorating the proclamation of the Korean alphabet by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in 1446.
Police have been notifying the groups that their events are not allowed in light of coronavirus precautions, officials said.
The party has recently distanced itself from ultraright civic and religious groups that led mass protests in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day.
A total of 557 cases across the country have been linked to the demonstrations, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Choo has come under fire over allegations that she used her influence to seek special favors for her son , @ @ @ @ @ Augmentation to the United States Army ( KATUSA ) for the 2nd Infantry Division of @ @ @ @ @ Choo was chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party at the time .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
---------------------------
(4th LD) Gov't to allocate 7.8 tln won for extra budgets in stimulus package: Moon
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in said Thursday his government has decided to draw up a new supplementary budget, worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.5 billion), for a "tailored" relief package to help people in urgent need amid the COVID-19 crisis.
He added that 3.8 trillion won of the budget will be used for another round of stimulus cash handouts to benefit a total of 3.77 million people.
---------------------------
(2nd LD) Kakao Games makes splash in KOSDAQ debut
SEOUL -- Kakao Games, the game developing unit of South Korean mobile giant Kakao, made a strong market debut Thursday, finishing at more than double the initial public offering (IPO) price.
Kakao Games closed at 62,400 won (US$53), rising by a daily permissible limit of 30 percent, sharply up from the IPO price of 24,000 won.
---------------------------
(3rd LD) New virus cases under 200 for 8th day; extension of stricter virus measures again under review
SEOUL -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the eighth consecutive day Thursday, but a spate of cluster infections continued to strain the country's efforts to bring the daily numbers under two digits.
The government will decide this week whether to extend tougher anti-virus measures in place in the greater Seoul area.
---------------------------
(2nd LD) Justice minister asked defense ministry to extend son's leave: document
SEOUL -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and her husband asked the defense ministry in 2017 to extend medical leave for their son who was serving his mandatory military duty at the time, according to documents written by the ministry.
Choo has come under fire over allegations that she used her influence to seek special favors for her son, who served in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. 8th Army. Choo was chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party at the time.
---------------------------
Seoul stocks rebound on U.S. tech rally, another stimulus measure
SEOUL -- South Korean shares closed higher Thursday in sync with the overnight Wall Street rebound and on the back of another stimulus measure amid the pandemic. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 20.67 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 2,396.48.
---------------------------
Doctors, gov't still in dispute over medical licensing exam
SEOUL -- Doctors and the government are at odds over whether to give medical students another opportunity to take the state medical licensing exam, another sticking point to be addressed, as trainee doctors returned to work, ending a nationwide strike over a new medical reform plan.
Most trainee doctors, such as interns and residents, at general hospitals ended their collective action and returned to work since earlier this week, following an agreement with the government to put the reform plan on hold.
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--(2nd LD) 4th extra budget aims to help small merchants gripped by virus resurgence

As people go contactless in the wake of the pandemic , the government will give a phone bill subsidy of @ @ @ @ @ all people aged 13 or older .
About 46.4 million people will be eligible for @ @ @ @ @ the ministry said .

(ATTN: ADDS finance minister's remarks, details in paras 19-23; TRIMS)
SEJONG, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- A fourth supplementary budget worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.6 billion) is mainly aimed at helping small merchants and self-employed people cushion the economic impact of a recent resurgence of the new coronavirus.
The additional fiscal boost came less than a month after health authorities tightened social distancing rules to contain a new wave of contagion, amid growing concerns that the nation's economic slump may be deeper than expected.
Presiding over an emergency economic council meeting, President Moon Jae-in said the fourth extra budget is a "tailored" relief package for the business sector that suffered the most damage from the virus resurgence.
The resurgence of the new coronavirus has "rapidly put a damper on all economic activities and delayed the pace of an economic rebound," Moon said.
In particular, small merchants and self-employed people have felt the pinch of the elevated social distancing rules because they are suffering from lost income and high rental costs, Moon said.
Since late last month, restaurants and smaller eateries in the greater Seoul area have been required to operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery are permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors, only takeout and delivery have been permitted regardless of operating hours.
It marked the first time in 59 years for the South Korean government to allocate four extra budgets in a single fiscal year.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
About half of the fourth extra budget, or 3.8 trillion won, will be spent for small merchants and self-employed people. Of that, the government plans to provide 3.2 trillion won in cash handouts to 2.91 million small merchants and self-employed people.
Under the plan, a small merchant with annual revenue of 400 million won or less will receive 1 million won in cash if the merchant suffers from lost income, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said.
Internet cafes, indoor sports facilities and cram schools will receive 2 million won each. For restaurants, smaller eateries and other merchants that shortened business hours, they will receive 1.5 million won each.
Another 1.4 trillion won will be used to help virus-hit companies maintain 1.19 million jobs.
In May, the government offered some 1.5 million won each in subsidies to 500,000 temporary or freelance workers who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
For the 500,000 workers, they will receive another 500,000 won each without screening procedures. The government will give 1.5 million won each in subsidies to another 200,000 temporary or freelance workers after conducting screening procedures, the ministry said.
To help 550,000 low-income households that lost jobs, the government will give emergency relief funds. The amount of the handouts will vary from 400,000 won for single-person households to 1 million won for households with four or more members.
Myeongdong shopping district in downtown Seoul is almost empty of people as stores start displaying autumn clothing on Sept. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
As people go contactless in the wake of the pandemic, the government will give a phone bill subsidy of 20,000 won per person to all people aged 13 or older. About 46.4 million people will be eligible for the phone bill subsidy, the ministry said.
Another 1.1 trillion won will be spent for households that care for preschool and elementary school children. The ministry said 200,000 won per child will be offered.
The fourth extra budget will be funded mostly by 7.5 trillion won of new state bonds, the ministry said.
In addition to the fourth extra budget, the government will draw up a stimulus measure worth 4.6 trillion won to prop up the economy and support containment efforts, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki told reporters.
Domestic consumption has shown signs of deterioration because of the tightened distancing rules, Hong said.
Hong said the government will submit the fourth extra budget bill to the National Assembly on Friday.
The government will spare no efforts to begin offering subsidies and cash handouts ahead of the Chuseok holiday season that starts on Sept. 30, Hong said.
Four extra budgets are expected to take the nation's debt-to-GDP ratio to 43.9 percent this year, compared with just below 40 percent before the pandemic.
Pounded by the coronavirus outbreak, the nation's economy has plunged into a recession as its gross domestic product shrank 3.3 percent in the second quarter after a 1.3 percent on-quarter retreat three months earlier.
Earlier this week, Korea Development Institute, a state-run think tank, downgraded the nation's economic growth outlook to a contraction of 1.1 percent this year, a sharp downward revision from a 0.2 percent expansion in its May forecast.
So far, South Korea has pledged 277 trillion won in stimulus packages to help the nation's economy recover from the pandemic.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--Parcel delivery workers overworked and underpaid: report

Committee members and civic activists said a manpower increase is urgently needed for the delivery industry , ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ Korean version of Thanksgiving , which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 this year @ @ @ @ @ the country 's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members and @ @ @ @ @ and exchange gifts .

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- Parcel delivery workers suffer chronically from overwork and low wages, civic activists and politicians said Thursday, calling for countermeasures to enhance their health and welfare particularly ahead of the upcoming Chuseok holiday.
The Euljiro Committee under the ruling Democratic Party, dedicated to the rights of the weak, and civic groups also released a field report on the delivery industry at a joint forum in Seoul, saying seven parcel delivery workers died from overwork this year, as the coronavirus outbreak triggered a surge in online shopping and parcel volumes.
Parcel delivery workers and civic activists speak during a forum on the overwork of courier workers in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Committee members and civic activists said a manpower increase is urgently needed for the delivery industry, ahead of the extended Chuseok holiday, the Korean version of Thanksgiving, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 this year. Chuseok is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members and relatives to visit their hometowns and exchange gifts.
According to the field report released at the forum, a sample of 821 parcel delivery workers worked an average of 71.3 hours per week, earning an average of 4.58 million won (US$3,870) a month.
Excluding all expenses, such as agency commissions and insurance premiums for vehicles, the workers actually take home around 2.35 million won every month, the report noted.
"Under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, overwork-related diseases are recognized when the workweek exceeds 60 hours. It won't be strange at all if all delivery workers in Korea become ill or die from overwork considering their current workweek," said a civic activist at the forum.
"Despite such long work hours, the delivery workers are underpaid. In terms of a 70-hour workweek, their minimum monthly wage should be 2.74 million won," the activist asserted.
Forum participants also noted that parcel classification accounts for 43 percent of the delivery workers' daily workload, though they are not paid extra for the sorting work.
This file photo, taken on June 28, 2020, shows a protest rally of parcel delivery workers in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
Due to excessive time spent on sorting, 25.6 percent of courier workers can hardly eat at all because there they have no break time, the report said, adding only 40 percent of the workers have a 10- to 20-minute lunch break.
"It is estimated that COVID-19 accounts for an increase of some 30 percent in local parcel volumes. The Chuseok holiday is expected to cause an additional 50 percent increase in parcels," said another activist, stressing an additional input of sorting workers is the only solution to the problem.
In June, Rep. Park Hong-keun of the Democratic Party proposed a new law that calls for separating parcel sorting from delivery.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--(LEAD) Seoul stocks rebound on U.S. tech rally, another stimulus measure

SEOUL , Sept. 10 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares closed higher Thursday in sync with the overnight Wall @ @ @ @ @ back of another stimulus measure amid the pandemic .
The Korean won rose against the @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares closed higher Thursday in sync with the overnight Wall Street rebound and on the back of another stimulus measure amid the pandemic. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 20.67 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 2,396.48.
Trading volume was moderate at about 1.1 billion shares worth some 15.6 trillion won (US$13.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 596 to 232.
Foreigners bought a net 381 billion won, ending their four-day selling streak, and retail investors purchased a net 67 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 473 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,396.48 on Sept. 7, 2020, up up 20.67 points or 0.87 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The KOSPI gained after a 1.09 percent fall the previous session.
"The tech rebound in the U.S. seems to have given an upward push to the local stock market," Daeshin Securities analyst Lee Kyung-min said.
Since the week's start, valuation concerns on tech shares have roiled the financial markets at home and in major economies.
The South Korean government also proposed a fourth supplementary budget worth 7.8 trillion won aimed at helping small merchants and self-employed people cope with the economic impact of a recent resurgence of the new coronavirus.
Most large caps closed higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.37 percent to 59,200 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.91 percent to 76,600 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics gained 0.66 percent to 764,000 won, while Celltrion closed flat at 305,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver sank 4.26 percent to 314,500 won, with its rival Kakao dipping 2.49 percent to 298,500 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem advanced 2 percent to 713,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI edged up 0.12 percent to 430,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, rose 0.9 percent to 169,000 won, and top steelmaker POSCO added 0.27 percent to 185,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,184.9 won per dollar, up 4.2 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys closed flat at 0.915 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 2.8 basis points to 1.218 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 10, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 10, 2020

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


yna--2020-09-10--(4th LD) Gov't to allocate 7.8 tln won for extra budgets in stimulus package: Moon

Moon said he knows that the amount of planned financial support is not enough for the scale of damages that @ @ @ @ @ the drawn-out fight against the virus .

(ATTN: UPDATES with party leaders' agreement in last 3 paras; ADDS photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in said Thursday his government has decided to draw up a new supplementary budget, worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.5 billion), for a "tailored" relief package to help people in urgent need amid the COVID-19 crisis.
He added that 3.8 trillion won of the budget will be used for another round of stimulus cash handouts to benefit a total of 3.77 million people.
Among them, 2.91 million small merchants and self-employed people will receive up to 2 million won each, which would cost 3.2 trillion won in total, he said while chairing the eighth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon said he knows that the amount of planned financial support is not enough for the scale of damages that they have suffered due to the drawn-out fight against the virus.
He characterized it as "disaster relief tailored to damages" to focus on providing vulnerable people with support "as thick as possible." He added the tailored, or targeted, approach was inevitable this time.
"It is an inevitable choice to maximize the effect with limited budget resources" in a situation in which the government should issue state bonds for the aid program, with no end to the coronavirus spread in sight.
In addition, the government plans to inject 1.4 trillion won in a bid to protect 1.19 million jobs, he said.
All South Koreans, aged 13 or older, will be granted one-off support, even if the amount is "small," for their September communication fees, as their non-contact activities have soared through cooperation with the strict social distancing restrictions, according to the president.
The previous day, the government and the ruling Democratic Party agreed to pay each eligible person the 20,000 won.
Moon stressed the importance of the speedy provision of financial support for those who face a threat to their "survival" and asked the National Assembly to be quick in passing the supplementary budget bill.
He instructed related authorities to immediately begin preparations for the payment of the relief money so that it can be done ahead of the Chuseok holiday, which falls on Oct. 1 this year.
President Moon Jae-in (C) delivers his opening remarks during an emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
During the 78-minute session, Moon used the word "rapidity" five times, according to his spokesman Kang Min-seok, who later briefed reporters on its results.
Moon was quoted as saying that speedy extra budget spending is the key to meeting the needs of the people.
The president also emphasized that they should be able to receive the relief money conveniently, without having to queue up, just like the previous cash handouts earlier this year, Kang said.
It would mark the country's fourth batch of extra budget this year.
In May, the Moon administration offered "universal" disaster relief money of up to 1 million won for every household, with many receiving it in the form of electronic cash via credit card or bank accounts.
National Assembly Speaker, Rep. Park Byeong-seug (C) and the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party pose for photos during their luncheon meeting on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
The leaders of the ruling and the main opposition parties agreed to work together to win early parliamentary approval of the extra budget bill.
Rep. Lee Nak-yon, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, and the People Power Party's interim leader Kim Chong-in also pledged to cooperate to "provide emergency assistance handouts to many people before the Chuseok holiday," during a luncheon meeting earlier in the day.
The two leaders vowed to make their best efforts to pass as many bills aimed at supporting the government's anti-coronavirus measures and the people's livelihoods as possible at the plenary parliamentary session slated for Sept. 24, party officials said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--(2nd LD) Kakao Games makes splash in KOSDAQ debut

The gaming company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO in developing about a dozen new games , including @ @ @ @ @ firm is pushing to launch the two large-scale massively multiplayer online role-playing games ( MMORPG @ @ @ @ @ this year .

(ATTN: UPDATES details throughout, ADDS photo)
By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- Kakao Games, the game developing unit of South Korean mobile giant Kakao, made a strong market debut Thursday, finishing at more than double the initial public offering (IPO) price.
Kakao Games closed at 62,400 won (US$53), rising by a daily permissible limit of 30 percent, sharply up from the IPO price of 24,000 won.
Its market capitalization amounted to 4.6 trillion won, the fifth largest on the secondary, tech-laden KOSDAQ market.
The game publisher raised some 384 billion won via the IPO.
Prior to its IPO, investors rushed to Kakao Games for its growth potential amid the coronavirus pandemic. They chipped in 58.5 trillion won in deposits to buy its stocks, the largest in the country's IPO history.
Last year, Kakao Games posted an operating profit of 35 billion won on sales of 391 billion won.
In the first half of this year, its operating profit came to 28.7 billion won, up 63.7 percent from a year earlier.
The gaming company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO in developing about a dozen new games, including Elyon and Odin. The firm is pushing to launch the two large-scale massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) by the end of this year.
Kakao Corp. owns the largest 58.96 percent stake in Kakao Games, which has been broadening its presence not only in South Korea but across Asia with the help of KakaoTalk after its inception in April 2016.
Kakao Games currently has over 45 million monthly active users.
"Kakao Games is expected to log gains in the short run thanks to the estimate-beating performance of its latest project Guardian Tales and the upcoming launch of Elyon and Odin," said SK Securities analyst Lee Jin-man.
"Kakao's platform, content environment and active M&A strategy create great advantages for Kakao games," he added.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--Opposition leader asks conservative groups to postpone rallies amid spread of coronavirus

Rightist civic groups are seeking to stage anti-government demonstrations in central Seoul on Oct. 3 , the National Foundation Day @ @ @ @ @ rallies last month led to more than 550 new COVID-19 cases across the country .

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday asked conservative groups to postpone their protest rallies scheduled for early next month amid resurgent new coronavirus woes.
Rightist civic groups are seeking to stage anti-government demonstrations in central Seoul on Oct. 3, the National Foundation Day, despite criticism that their rallies last month led to more than 550 new COVID-19 cases across the country.
Kim Chong-in, chief of the conservative opposition party, called for their restraint, citing the risk of such events further spreading the coronavirus.
"This is a critical moment that will decide whether we unite and overcome COVID-19 or fall apart," he said during a meeting of the party leadership panel.
"I ask you to postpone the rallies and join the people (in the fight against the virus)," he said.
Kim Chong-in, the leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), speaks at a party meeting on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Police have already banned the events as the nation's social distancing regulations prohibit outdoor events involving 100 or more people. Enhanced rules, effective in the greater Seoul area until Sunday, ban outdoor assemblies of 10 or more people.
The party has recently distanced itself from ultraright civic and religious groups that led mass protests in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day.
A total of 557 cases across the country have been linked to the demonstrations, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--Cabinet approves 4th extra budget bill, to submit it for parliament approval this week

President Moon Jae-in announced the structure of the fourth extra budget in an emergency economic council meeting earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ won of the budget will go to 3.77 million people gripped by the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ be distributed as stimulus cash handouts for 2.91 million small business owners and self-employed workers @

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The Cabinet approved an extra budget worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.5 billion) Thursday allocated to cushion the economic fallout from the resurgence of COVID-19 cases and plans to submit it to the National Assembly for approval this week.
The government proposal for its fourth supplementary budget this year to fight the COVID-19 pandemic passed the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.
President Moon Jae-in announced the structure of the fourth extra budget in an emergency economic council meeting earlier in the day. Some 3.8 trillion won of the budget will go to 3.77 million people gripped by the pandemic, including 3.2 trillion won to be distributed as stimulus cash handouts for 2.91 million small business owners and self-employed workers.
The extra budget also includes 1.4 trillion won in spending to sustain some 1.19 million jobs.
The government plans to submit the budget bill to the assembly Friday for approval.
Also approved in the Cabinet meeting was a revision of an anti-graft law, known as the Kim Young-ran Act, to temporarily raise the ceiling on the value of gifts allowed for public servants, teachers, journalists and other people whose work involves public service.
Under the revision, they can receive agricultural, marine or livestock products worth up to 200,000 won as work-related gifts, compared with the current ceiling of 100,000 won. The revision aims to support the agricultural, fishing and livestock industries during the COVID-19 resurgence.
The revision came into force Thursday and will remain effective till the end of the extended Chuseok holiday on Oct. 4.
The Cabinet also gave a nod to a plan to allow up to 50 percent of the country's total production of droplet-proof and surgical face masks to be exported, lifting its ban on those masks' outbound shipments.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun chairs a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 10, 2020, where South Korea's fourth COVID-19 response extra budget has been approved. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--(2nd LD) Justice minister asked defense ministry to extend son's leave: document

The son , surnamed Seo and now 27 years old , took his first medical leave from June 5-14 , @ @ @ @ @ surgery , and extended it once through June 23 .
For four days after that @ @ @ @ @ vacation days before returning to his unit .
The allegations are that those last days @ @ @ @ @ but he was able to extend his leave without first returning to base thanks to @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS defense ministry's statement in paras 12-16; RECASTS lead, 3rd para with ministry's confirmation of document's existence)
By Lee Haye-ah and Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and her husband asked the defense ministry in 2017 to extend medical leave for their son who was serving his mandatory military duty at the time, according to documents written by the ministry.
Choo has come under fire over allegations that she used her influence to seek special favors for her son, who served in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. 8th Army. Choo was chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party at the time.
According to the documents seen Wednesday and written recently by the personnel office of the Ministry of National Defense, a then-master sergeant in charge of the support team had two meetings with Choo's son regarding his medical leave.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaving her home in eastern Seoul on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
The son, surnamed Seo and now 27 years old, took his first medical leave from June 5-14, 2017, to receive knee surgery, and extended it once through June 23. For four days after that, he used his personal vacation days before returning to his unit. The allegations are that those last days were not approved in advance but he was able to extend his leave without first returning to base thanks to his mother's influence.
"(Seo) inquired about ways to extend his medical leave because he has yet to fully recover," the master sergeant wrote in records of their second meeting, which are summarized in the documents. The records are dated June 15, 2017. The first meeting took place in April.
"(I) had told him before he went on leave that medical leave is permitted up to one month, but (Seo) said he felt bad about asking (me), and while consulting his parents, found out that they had already filed a request," he wrote.
The master sergeant continued, "I told him that he has nothing to feel bad about and firmly requested that he ask (me) directly next time and resolve his questions that way."
The records, if true, indicate that Choo and her husband personally made a request regarding their son's leave with the defense ministry before the first leave ended.
They also show that Seo told the master sergeant that he would send a doctor's note the following week because the doctor was away for business. The master sergeant told Seo to use his personal vacation days until an assessment of medical leave is complete, and when the medical leave is approved for extension, the vacation days would be restored.
Seo's lawyer has made similar claims.
In a statement Tuesday, the lawyer said the second medical leave was first approved verbally, and following instructions, the supporting documents were sent by email on June 21, 2017.
The defense ministry confirmed that the document was written for internal use.
In a release to the press, the ministry also specified detailed regulations on leave and vacation of service members, including those stipulating that vacation for medical purposes can be extended by phone in case of unavoidable circumstances.
The release was seen as suggesting that no rule was breached in Seo's case, though the ministry did not say that explicitly.
The ministry also expressed regret that the document had been leaked.
"We find it regrettable that the document -- mostly focused on checking the facts based on what we could confirm with records inside the military -- was leaked," the ministry said.
This image, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows a a former soldier leaving the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office on Sept. 9, 2020, after being questioned about allegations that Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's son received special favors during his military service in 2017. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The allegations of preferential treatment have become the latest political football, with the main opposition People Power Party calling on President Moon Jae-in to take a stand, and the Democratic Party dismissing the case as groundless.
Other key allegations surrounding Seo are his family's reported attempt to get him assigned to a base in Seoul, rather than in Uijeongbu, north of the capital, and their reported push to have him selected as an interpreter for the February 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.
Prosecutors launched an investigation into the alleged preferential treatment in January, but no progress has been announced.
Both the main opposition People Power Party and Seo's lawyers have called for a swift investigation to get to the bottom of the allegations. Choo has denied abusing her power to get special favors for her son.
On Wednesday, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office called in a captain and a former soldier involved in the case for questioning. The last time they were questioned was three months ago.
The number of prosecutors handling the case was also recently increased to three.
Last month, prosecutors raided a military hospital and other hospitals where Seo was treated and are analyzing documents they secured to determine the circumstances surrounding Seo's leave.
Seo, who has yet to be questioned, is expected to be summoned by the prosecution soon.
The opposition party has mounted calls for a special prosecutor to investigate the case and also urged Choo's resignation.
hague@yna.co.kr
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-10--Seoul stocks rebound on U.S. tech rally, another stimulus measure

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares closed higher Thursday in sync with the overnight Wall Street rebound and on the back of another stimulus measure amid the pandemic. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 20.67 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 2,396.48.
Trading volume was moderate at about 1.1 billion shares worth some 15.6 trillion won (US$13.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 596 to 232.
Foreigners bought a net 381 billion won, ending their four-day selling streak, and retail investors purchased a net 67 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 473 billion won.
The KOSPI gained after a 1.09 percent fall the previous session.
"The tech rebound in the U.S. seems to have given an upward push to the local stock market," Daeshin Securities analyst Lee Kyung-min said.
Since the week's start, valuation concerns on tech shares have roiled the financial markets at home and in major economies.
The South Korean government also proposed a fourth supplementary budget worth 7.8 trillion won aimed at helping small merchants and self-employed people cope with the economic impact of a recent resurgence of the new coronavirus.
Most large caps closed higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.37 percent to 59,200 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.91 percent to 76,600 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics gained 0.66 percent to 764,000 won, while Celltrion closed flat at 305,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver sank 4.26 percent to 314,500 won, with its rival Kakao dipping 2.49 percent to 298,500 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem advanced 2 percent to 713,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI edged up 0.12 percent to 430,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, rose 0.9 percent to 169,000 won, and top steelmaker POSCO added 0.27 percent to 185,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,184.9 won per dollar, up 4.2 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Seoul stocks decline further late Fri. morning on U.S. losses

The KOSPI 's decline is largely attributed to the U.S. tech retreat from growing valuation pressure and unimproved jobless benefits @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares dipped further late Friday morning, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 13.07 points, or 0.55 percent, to 2,383.41 as of 11:20 a.m.
The KOSPI's decline is largely attributed to the U.S. tech retreat from growing valuation pressure and unimproved jobless benefits data from last week.
The tech-laden Nasdaq composite fell 221.97 points, or 1.99 percent, to 10,919.59 on Thursday (New York time). The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.45 percent, with the S&P 500 down 1.76 percent.
Investor sentiment also weakened on lingering U.S.-China political tensions and a slower-than-expected drop in new COVID-19 cases at home.
Most large caps traded lower in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.68 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 1.83 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver dipped 1.63 percent, with its rival Kakao down 2.59 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem declined 2.1 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI fell 1.16 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics shed 0.92 percent, but Celltrion gained 1.51 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, slid 0.3 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO lost 0.54 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,188.8 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.9 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Samsung expands dominance in domestic smartphone market in Q2: report

Apple Inc. came in second with a 19 percent share , up 1 percentage point from a quarter earlier , @ @ @ @ @ in the third spot with a 13 percent share , down 3 percentage points from @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. further expanded its dominance in the domestic smartphone market in the second quarter of the year, a report showed Friday, thanks to robust sales of the Galaxy A budget line and Galaxy S20 series.
Samsung accounted for a 67 percent market share in the April-June period on its home turf, according to industry tracker Counterpoint Research, up 3 percentage points from the previous three months.
Apple Inc. came in second with a 19 percent share, up 1 percentage point from a quarter earlier, while LG Electronics Inc. remained in the third spot with a 13 percent share, down 3 percentage points from the first quarter.
This photo, taken on Feb. 20, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy S20 smartphones displayed at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Apple's iPhone SE, launched in May, was the bestselling smartphone model in the second quarter of 2020 in South Korea, followed by Samsung's Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 devices.
Half of the top 10 bestselling smartphones in the second quarter were Galaxy A models from Samsung, according to Counterpoint Research, indicating that local consumers opted to purchase budget handsets amid the pandemic.
Sales of smartphones priced below US$400 accounted for 45 percent in the second quarter, up from 33 percent a year earlier.
Counterpoint Research said second-quarter smartphone sales in South Korea increased 9 percent from the previous quarter but were 8 percent down from a year earlier.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Samsung to benefit from Huawei ban in long run: analysts

`` Basically , the U.S. government 's basic principle is to not issue licenses for Huawei-related chip products , '' @ @ @ @ @ at Arnold & Porter who specializes in national security issues , said in a recent @ @ @ @ @ if the companies apply for a license , it will take a long time because @ @ @ @ @ various U.S. agencies will review the application .
It could take more than a year @ @ @ @ @ ''

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is likely to benefit from U.S. sanctions on Chinese tech titan Huawei Technologies Co. in the long run, analysts here said Friday.
The U.S. sanctions, which ban the supply of semiconductors made with American equipment or software to Huawei without prior approval from Washington, are set to take effect next Tuesday.
As U.S. technologies are used in almost all sectors of chip production, Samsung, the world's top memory chipmaker, is expected to halt its semiconductor shipments to Huawei next week. Even if the company applies for a U.S. permit, experts said it is unlikely that Washington will approve Samsung's request.
"Basically, the U.S. government's basic principle is to not issue licenses for Huawei-related chip products," Rhee Soo-mi, a lawyer at Arnold & Porter who specializes in national security issues, said in a recent online conference. "Even if the companies apply for a license, it will take a long time because the process is complicated and various U.S. agencies will review the application. It could take more than a year to get the license."
This photo taken on July 30, 2020, shows outdoor signage of Samsung Electronics Co. at its office building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Huawei is one of Samsung's five largest customers. Eugene Investment Securities estimated that Huawei accounted for 7.3 trillion won (US$6.1 billion), or 3.2 percent, of Samsung's sales last year.
Analysts said Samsung will see the fallout of the U.S. ban on Huawei, but it will actually help the South Korean tech giant's businesses in the long term, especially its mobile business.
"Samsung may suffer a decline in orders due to U.S. sanctions on Huawei and other Chinese semiconductor firms," said Kim Dong-won, an analyst at KB Securities. "But it will serve as an opportunity to expand its market share and secure new clients, so in the long term, there will be more benefits than losses."
Kim added the Huawei ban could actually benefit the DRAM market, and Samsung will not have to worry about Chinese chip producers like CXMT and YMTC expanding their market share.
"Ironically, the Huawei ban could push DRAM inventory depletion and help DRAM prices to bottom out early," Kim said.
Analysts said Samsung will likely see the most benefits from the Huawei ban in its mobile business as the two are direct competitors.
According to industry tracker International Data Corp. (IDC), Huawei overtook Samsung as the world's largest smartphone vendor in the second quarter of the year. The Chinese firm had a 20 percent market share, beating Samsung with a 19.5 percent share.
But analysts expected that Huawei's position in the smartphone market will decline since the U.S. ban will undermine the company's efforts to secure smartphone components.
This composite photo from Yonhap News TV shows China's Huawei Technologies Co.'s events. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"In the worst-case scenario, there is a possibility that Huawei may have to close its mobile business," said Lee Kyu-ha, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities. "The global smartphone market will reshape into a two-horse race with Samsung and Apple in leading positions."
Samsung's mobile business will particularly see benefits from the Huawei ban outside China, according to Park Hyung-wou, an analyst at Shinhan Financial Investment. Last year, 41 percent of Huawei's smartphone sales occurred outside its home turf.
"Considering its product lineup and the portion of its smartphone sales by price band, Samsung will see the most benefits from the Huawei ban outside China," Park said. "Samsung could see a smartphone shipment increase of 31 million units."
Analysts said Samsung can also expand its presence in the 5G network equipment market, which Huawei has been dominating.
According to market researcher Dell'Oro Group, Huawei's market share was 35.7 percent in the first quarter of 2020, far above Samsung's 13.2 percent share for the fourth spot.
But Samsung has been pushing to secure more orders while the U.S. pressures other countries to not use Huawei's equipment. Samsung earlier this week announced it has bagged an order worth 7.9 trillion won from U.S. telecom giant Verizon to supply 5G solutions for the next five years.
"With demand shifts from the U.S. ban on Huawei and countries' push for 5G base station investment, Samsung's network equipment will post a good performance," said Doh Hyun-woo, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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


yna--2020-09-11--Chief of new disease control agency appointed in special ceremony at her local office

In South Korea , the prime minister usually bestows a letter of appointment on a vice ministerial official .
It @ @ @ @ @ the president to hold such an appointment ceremony outside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul .

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in attended a rare ceremony outside Cheong Wa Dae to appoint Jeong Eun-kyeong, South Korea's disease control czar, as head of a new agency to operate autonomously with more authority and workforce.
Jeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), has been tapped to lead the upgraded state body, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), which will be launched Saturday to replace the KCDC.
Moon made a visit to the KCDC headquarters in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, some 130 kilometers south of Seoul, to present her with a certificate of appointment in person.
Who is Jeong Eun-kyung, appointed as the first head of KDCA? Youtube https://youtu.be/KqvlhqwiboI
President Moon Jae-in (R) presents Jeong Eun-kyeong with a certificate of appointment as the first head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) during a ceremony held at the emergency situation center of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
The move apparently reflects the public recognition of her dedicated service in the country's fight against COVID-19 and expectation for her role in the promoted position.
In South Korea, the prime minister usually bestows a letter of appointment on a vice ministerial official. It is also highly unusual for the president to hold such an appointment ceremony outside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul.
Moon did not want to call in the "field commander" in the national fight against the virus, a Cheong Wa Dae official said on the condition of anonymity.
For more than half a year, Jeong has been steering the nation's on-site anti-coronavirus efforts.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(Yonhap Interview) Half-Korean White Sox pitcher Dane Dunning would love to play for S. Korea

Dunning was traded to the White Sox in December 2016 , along with highly touted pitching prospect Lucas Giolito and @ @ @ @ @ , in exchange for outfielder Adam Eaton .
The Nationals won the World Series lat @ @ @ @ @ with two homers in a seven-game victory over the Houston Astros , but the White @ @ @ @ @ the trade in the long term .
Giolito finally lived up to the hype last @ @ @ @ @ a 3.41 ERA and finishing sixth in the American League ( AL ) Cy Young @ @ @ @ @ his first career no-hitter last month .

By Yoo Jee-ho and Kim Kyung-youn
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Born to a Korean mother and an American father in Florida, Chicago White Sox pitcher Dane Dunning says he wants to "fully embrace" Korean culture.
As a baseball player, what better way to do that than to play for the country of his mother's birth?
"Honestly, I would love to play for the Korean national team," Dunning told Yonhap News Agency in an email interview, before notching his first big league win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh on Wednesday (local time).
In this UPI photo, Dane Dunning of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Being from the U.S., I would love to play for them, too," the right-hander added. "But if the opportunity comes and I can play for the Korean team, I would!"
Though Dunning hasn't even been to South Korea, the son of John and Misu would have no problem representing the country at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The tournament launched by Major League Baseball (MLB) has flexible eligibility rules, whereby a player who has a parent born in the country the team represents is allowed to wear that uniform.
"Being Korean means a lot to me! The food and culture is incredible!" Dunning said. "I've only been able to see a small percentage of it, considering I have never been to Korea. But I will be going the first chance I get. I want to fully embrace the culture."
Dunning collected his first MLB victory by shutting down the Pirates over six innings in an 8-1 road victory. He gave up just three hits while striking out three and walking one. The 25-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four starts. He's struck out 21 and issued seven walks in 20 innings. Opponents are hitting only .176 against the 2016 first round pick by the Washington Nationals.
(From L) Current Chicago White Sox pitcher Dane Dunning, his Korean-born mother Misu Dunning, Dane's brother and San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Dunning and his father John Dunning pose together in 2013, in this photo provided by Misu Dunning. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Dunning was traded to the White Sox in December 2016, along with highly touted pitching prospect Lucas Giolito and another pitcher, Reynaldo Lopez, in exchange for outfielder Adam Eaton. The Nationals won the World Series lat year with Eaton batting .320 with two homers in a seven-game victory over the Houston Astros, but the White Sox may just have won the trade in the long term. Giolito finally lived up to the hype last year, going 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA and finishing sixth in the American League (AL) Cy Young Award voting. He tossed his first career no-hitter last month.
Then there is Dunning. He struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers in his big league debut on Aug. 19. Eleven days later, Dunning had another seven-strikeout performance, this time over five shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals touched him for three runs on five hits and four walks in their next meeting on Sept. 4. But Dunning brought his A-game against the Pirates for his first career victory.
Dunning has been relying on five pitches this season: sinker (29.6 percent of the time), four-seam fastball (29.2 percent), slider (27.9 percent), changeup (7.5 percent) and curveball (5.8 percent). He's averaging 91.7 miles per hour with his sinker, nearly as fast as his four-seamer. Dunning complements that heavy sinker with good breaking pitches. He ranks in the 97th percentile in whiff rate, or the percentage of swinging strikes, with 40.2 percent. The MLB average is 24.5 percent.
All in all, it's an impressive start to the season for someone who missed all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow.
In this Associated Press photo, Dane Dunning of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sept. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Surgery was definitely a big setback. There was a lot of ups and down moments mentally about if my arm is going to come back healthy and ready," Dunning said. "I honestly relied on my teammates and focused on trying to get stronger."
Dunning admitted he "had some butterflies in the stomach" when he first took the mound for his big league debut, but they were gone after his first warmup pitch.
"The second game, I was a lot more comfortable on the mound!" he said. "I stayed focused on driving the ball through my target."
After Dunning helped them beat the Pirates, the White Sox improved to 27-16, one game up on the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins for the top spot in the AL Central with 17 games left. Either as the division winner or the runner-up, or even as a Wild Card entry, the White Sox look poised to reach the postseason for the first time since 2008.
Dunning said he has put aside any personal goals for the greater good.
"My goal this season is the same goal every season: to help my team in any way possible," he said. "For me (to do) that, (I need) to fill up the zone and get my team on offense as fast as possible."
In this Getty Images file photo from Aug. 19, 2020, Dane Dunning of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Detroit Tigers during a Major League Baseball regular season game at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Newly listed Kakao Games soars for 2nd day

Kakao Corp. owns the largest 58.96 percent stake in Kakao Games , which has been broadening its presence not only @ @ @ @ @ Asia with the help of popular mobile messenger KakaoTalk after its inception in April 2016 @

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Kakao Games, the game developing unit of South Korean mobile giant Kakao, skyrocketed by the daily permissible limit for the second consecutive day Friday.
The gaming company spiked 29.97 percent to 81,100 won (US$68) on the secondary KOSDAQ as of 9:57 a.m. following its market debut Thursday.
The company closed at 62,400 won the previous day, sharply up from the IPO price of 24,000 won.
The business now stands as the third most-valued stock on the KOSDAQ, with a market cap of 5.9 trillion won.
Prior to its IPO, investors rushed to Kakao Games for its growth potential amid the coronavirus pandemic. They chipped in 58.5 trillion won in deposits to buy its stocks, the largest in the country's IPO history.
Last year, Kakao Games posted an operating profit of 35 billion won on sales of 391 billion won.
In the first half of the year, its operating profit came to 28.7 billion won, up 63.7 percent from a year earlier.
The company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to develop a dozen new games, including "Elyon" for PC and Odin for mobile devices.
The business is pushing to launch the two large-scale massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) by the end of this year.
Kakao Corp. owns the largest 58.96 percent stake in Kakao Games, which has been broadening its presence not only in South Korea but across Asia with the help of popular mobile messenger KakaoTalk after its inception in April 2016.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Google pledges US$500,000 for virus self-checkup site developed by S. Korea's military

`` For countries with comparatively poor medical conditions , or those suffering from medical resources shortage due to a surge @ @ @ @ @ , this service will help them effectively allocate resources and provide appropriate treatment for patients @ @ @ @ @ Heo Joon-nyung , a medical officer who led the project .

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Google has pledged US$500,000 to help expand a coronavirus self-diagnosis website developed by the South Korean military's Medical Command in cooperation with government and private experts, officials said Friday.
The COVID-19 checkup site helps users decide whether to visit hospitals depending on the symptoms they experience, according to the Armed Forces Medical Command.
The support system also helps doctors decide on hospitalization or intensive care needs for patients through remote monitoring of their conditions.
On Thursday, Google selected it as one of 31 data analytics projects across the world granted support to fight the pandemic.
"For countries with comparatively poor medical conditions, or those suffering from medical resources shortage due to a surge in the number of patients, this service will help them effectively allocate resources and provide appropriate treatment for patients," said Capt. Heo Joon-nyung, a medical officer who led the project.
Military hospitals plan to use the service to treat virus patients. Discussions are also under way for its possible use at quarantine facilities, the command said.
The website is currently available in Korean only, but the command plans to expand the service for foreign users down the road, it said.
This image, provided by the Armed Forces Medical Command on Sept. 11, 2020, shows a coronavirus self-diagnosis website it launched. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. to launch working-level 'alliance' dialogue: vice FM

`` As you know , the countries have chief negotiators and so the issue will not be negotiated at the @ @ @ @ @ we agreed to help narrow the difference of views by closely discussing the issue as @ @ @ @ @ may be significant progress in talks between our negotiators , '' he added .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks from Choi, additional information, background from 8th para; RECASTS 2nd para for clarification)
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to set up a new working-level dialogue channel to allow quick and constant consultation on various issues between the two countries, Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun said.
Choi reached the agreement during talks with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Washington. The two sides also agreed to commit themselves to moving forward the countries' long-stalled discussions on defense cost-sharing, Choi said.
"At the consultation, (the sides) agreed to newly establish a tentatively named 'Alliance Dialogue,' which would be a working-level consultation body between director-level officials from the two countries' foreign ministries," Choi said.
This photo, provided by the South Korean Embassy in the United States, shows South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun posing for a photograph after holding a meeting at the U.S. Department of State on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
He said the new dialogue channel would be an extension of efforts to continue and enhance the countries' cooperation.
"You may see the move to constantly discuss alliance issues and notify each other through this director-level communication channel as part of such efforts," he told reporters in Washington.
Choi also held a meeting with U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger after arriving here Wednesday.
His trip came about three weeks after he was appointed the first vice foreign minister. He previously served as a secretary at the National Security Office of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
Choi said he and Biegun also agreed to work together to help move forward the stalled negotiations on the sharing of the upkeep cost of some 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
South Korea has agreed to increase its burden-sharing by up to 13 percent this year from the US$870 million it paid under last year's agreement. Washington is said to be asking for $1.3 billion, which would mark a 50 percent hike from 2019.
"Regarding the defense cost-sharing, first of all, Deputy Secretary Biegun and I candidly exchanged our views on the defense-cost sharing negotiations that have been held for nearly a year," Choi said.
"As you know, the countries have chief negotiators and so the issue will not be negotiated at the vice ministerial level, but we agreed to help narrow the difference of views by closely discussing the issue as vice ministers so that there may be significant progress in talks between our negotiators," he added.
Choi said the two sides also agreed on the need to closely monitor and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula, especially before and after the upcoming U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3.
"We agreed our foreign ministry and the U.S. State Department will closely work together to resume South-North Korea and North-U.S. dialogue at an early date," he said.
Biegun also expressed support for South Korea's efforts to improve inter-Korean relations, Choi said.
Choi's meeting with his U.S. counterpart also followed renewed U.S. calls for Seoul to take part in the so-called Quad Plus initiative, which the U.S. envisions as a NATO-like collective structure in the Indo-Pacific that partly aims to counter China's growing presence and aggression in the region.
Choi said he was not pressed on the issue and that an ally would never force a friend to choose sides.
Currently, the Indo-Pacific initiative has four member countries known as the Quad -- Australia, Japan, India and the U.S. -- but others remain reluctant to join largely because it may be seen as picking the U.S. over China.
Before heading to Washington, Choi insisted it would not mean choosing a side, even if his country decided to take part in the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific initiative in the future, noting that South Korea has a very close relationship with China economically.
Meanwhile, an official, who asked not to be identified, said the U.S. has reaffirmed its invitation for Seoul to take part in the next G-7 summit to be hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump had suggested the idea of adding South Korea, along with Australia, India and Russia, to the current group of seven countries in late May.
The summit was originally set to be held in June but has been postponed until after the U.S. presidential election due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Consumption shows signs of slowing down over virus resurgence: finance ministry

In August , South Korea 's exports sank 9.9 percent from a year earlier , but it was lower than @ @ @ @ @ June , thanks to the easing of lockdowns in major economies .

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumption has shown signs of slowing down due to a recent resurgence of new coronavirus infections, but the pace of decline in exports eased, the finance ministry said Friday.
In a monthly economic report, called the "Green Book," the Ministry of Economy and Finance also flagged the economy's continuing uncertainty stemming from the virus resurgence.
"South Korea's indicators of domestic consumption took a turn for the worse because of a resurgence of COVID-19 and the elevated social distancing rules," the report said.
However, the report said the nation's economy is showing signs of its exports and output declining at a slower pace.
Externally, worries over a delay in global economic recovery persist due to the continued global spread of the coronavirus and escalating conflicts between major countries, despite stable financial markets and improvements in real-economy indicators.
The nation's overall industrial production rose 0.1 percent on-month in July, following a 4.1 percent on-month gain in June.
Retail sales dipped 6 percent from a month earlier in July, and facility investment declined 2.2 percent on-month.
Production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries rose 1.6 percent on-month in July, marking a second straight month of expansion.
The country's consumer sentiment index came to 88.2 last month, well below the benchmark 100.
In August, South Korea's exports sank 9.9 percent from a year earlier, but it was lower than double-digit declines in May and June, thanks to the easing of lockdowns in major economies.
The report also said South Korea's business confidence remained below par but continued to improve in August amid the country's stable financial markets.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Gov't to decide whether to ease social distancing after watching situation for 1 or 2 more days: PM

`` Keeping an eye on the virus situation for one or two ( more ) days , the government will @ @ @ @ @ future quarantine measures after hearing sufficient opinions from experts , '' the prime minister said @ @ @ @ @ response meeting .
`` We still have time ( for deliberation ) , although it @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to decide whether to ease the tougher social distancing requirements in Seoul and the broader capital area after watching the virus situation for one or two more days, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday.
"Keeping an eye on the virus situation for one or two (more) days, the government will determine its position on the future quarantine measures after hearing sufficient opinions from experts," the prime minister said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting. "We still have time (for deliberation), although it's not enough."
Chung said the government is "deeply concerned" because the daily new infection tally has continued to stay well over the 100 threshold for more than a week despite the toughened distancing restrictions.
A hasty decision to ease the distancing level could trigger another resurgence and deal a heavier blow to the people, he added.
New virus cases under 200 for 9th day / BTS shares thoughts on ‘Dynamite’ success Youtube https://youtu.be/e6JtuScTq3s
South Korea imposed the Level 2.5 social distancing requirements in the capital area on Aug. 30 and has extended it once to be effective till Sunday.
Under the toughened guidelines, restaurants can operate only until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery are permitted between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Only takeout or delivery is allowed at franchise coffee shops and bakeries.
South Korea's daily new virus tally has been in triple digits for nearly a month since Aug. 14, a resurgence attributable to cluster infections at a Protestant church in northern Seoul and mass anti-government protest rallies on Aug. 15.
The daily virus tally in recent months peaked at 441 cases on Aug. 27 and has since gradually slid to the 100 range. But the daily numbers have continued to stay over 100 for the past week, putting quarantine officials in limbo over whether to further extend the costly Level 2.5 social distancing.
The prime minister also urged citizens to refrain from returning to their hometowns during the extended traditional Chuseok holiday that begins on Sept. 30, to avert any infection risks.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a government COVID-19 response meeting on Sept. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(LEAD) New virus cases under 200 for 9th day, S. Korea undecided on easing virus measures

The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 175 , up six from the previous day .
@ @ @ @ @ the recent spike will lead to shortages in hospital beds , as well as more @ @ @ @ @ them are seniors .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 5 paras; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the ninth consecutive day Friday, but the country is still undecided over whether to extend enhanced virus measures in the greater Seoul area due to sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases.
The country added 176 more COVID-19 cases, including 161 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,919, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Friday's tally marked a slight increase from the 156 and 155 cases reported on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
A medical worker prepares new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in Gwangju, 320 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2020, in this photo released by the Buk Ward of the city. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea, which even posted fewer than 10 daily cases in late April after suffering a record high number of infections in late February at 909, had been keeping the new virus cases at around 50 with some ups and downs.
But on Aug. 14, the figure doubled from the previous day to reach a whopping 103. The recent spike was mainly attributable to cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally.
To curb the spread of the virus, South Korea adopted the Level 2 social distancing scheme for other parts of the country in mid-August, under which indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned.
This will run through Sept. 20, though it could be extended. On the back of the efforts, the number of daily new cases has been gradually falling after hitting 441 additional cases on Aug. 27.
The country adopted an enhanced version of a social distancing scheme for the capital area in late August, which will run through Sunday unless South Korea decides to extend it again.
Under the updated measure, restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area can operate normally from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. but then can only offer takeout after that time. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors can only offer takeaway around the clock.
Health authorities have said a daily increase of around 100 COVID-19 patients is considered a manageable level under the current medical capability.
But the prolonged social distancing scheme is heavily weighing down the livelihoods of private businesses.
South Korea believes that while the number of new cases is showing signs of a slowdown, the country also needs to take various factors into consideration, including the reproduction rate, as well as the growing number of patients in critical condition.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 175, up six from the previous day. Health authorities are worried that the recent spike will lead to shortages in hospital beds, as well as more deaths, as most of them are seniors.
Volunteer workers disinfect hand straps on a subway in Gwangju, 320 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the newly identified local infections, 61 cases were reported in Seoul and 47 from Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the central city of Daejeon adding 10 cases and Incheon, west of Seoul, reporting eight new cases. South Chungcheong Province added 14 new patients.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, stayed unchanged for a second day at 1,167 according to the latest data provided Thursday.
Those tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15, however, reached 557, up six from the previous day.
Other sporadic cluster infections continued throughout the nation.
A Buddhist facility located in western Seoul has reported 20 patients. A logistics center of e-commerce giant Coupang located in eastern Seoul has reported 13 infections.
Severance Hospital, one of the major general hospitals in Seoul, reported 10 cases. Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the country's leading shipbuilder based in the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan, has 12 patients.
The proportion of patients with untraceable infection routes over the past two weeks came to 22.9 percent, according to the latest data, also straining the country's virus fight. A whopping 39.3 percent were linked to cluster infections.
The country, meanwhile, reported 15 imported cases.
Three patients were from Australia. The Philippines, Uzbekistan and Indonesia accounted for two patients each. There were also cases from India, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Nepal and the United States.
South Korea reported four more deaths, raising the total to 350. The fatality rate came to 1.6 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 17,616, up 256 from the previous day. So far, 80.4 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,119,211 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Cardinals hoping ailing Kim Kwang-hyun will rejoin rotation for long trip

`` I talked to him today .
The strength is coming back ( for him ) , and he 's @ @ @ @ @ his medication , '' Shildt said .
`` I will say it 's a possibility @ @ @ @ @ road .
I could n't tell you in pen or pencil .
We 're pencil @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping they will get their South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun back from his recent ailment for a long road trip ahead.
Manager Mike Shildt said in his Zoom media session in St. Louis on Thursday (local time) that Kim had a throwing session earlier in the day and he is "feeling more normal" after a bout of a kidney ailment.
In this Getty Images file photo from Sept. 1, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Yonhap)
"I talked to him today. The strength is coming back (for him), and he's starting to get used to his medication," Shildt said. "I will say it's a possibility he could pitch on the road. I couldn't tell you in pen or pencil. We're pencil now."
Starting Monday, the Cardinals will play 13 games in 10 days on the road, with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Royals on the horizon. The trip will include three sets of doubleheaders.
Kim was scheduled to start last Sunday against the Chicago Cubs on the road but was instead placed on the 10-day injured list (IL) after being diagnosed with renal infarction, caused by a blockage of blood flow to a kidney. He spent a day at a Chicago hospital and returned to St. Louis over the weekend. He resumed throwing Monday.
Kim is on blood thinners, which may cause excessive bleeding with cuts or bruises. Shildt said he wants to take extra caution with Kim because of that medication.
The Cardinal's president John Mozeliak also said, "The big thing is we're just trying to understand the risk proposition given the medication he's on and being involved in a major league game."
Kim last pitched on Sept. 1 and was put on the IL retroactive to Sept. 2.
As a big league rookie following 13 seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kim has been one of the Cardinals' most reliable starters. He has a 0.44 ERA in four starts with a 2-0 record and hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 17 innings.
In this Associated Press file photo from Aug. 27, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--New virus cases under 200 for 9th day, S. Korea undecided on easing virus measures

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the ninth consecutive day Friday, but the country is still undecided over whether to extend enhanced virus measures in the greater Seoul area due to sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases.
The country added 176 more COVID-19 cases, including 161 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,919, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Friday's tally marked a slight increase from the 156 and 155 cases reported on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
A medical worker prepares new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in Gwangju, 320 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2020, in this file photo released by the Buk Ward of the city. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea, which even posted fewer than 10 daily cases in late April after suffering a record high number of infections in late February at 909, had been keeping the new virus cases at around 50 with some ups and downs.
But on Aug. 14, the figure doubled from the previous day to reach a whopping 103. The recent spike was mainly attributable to cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally.
To curb the spread of the virus, South Korea adopted the Level 2 social distancing scheme for other parts of the country in mid-August, under which indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned.
This will run through Sept. 20, though it could be extended. On the back of the efforts, the number of daily new cases has been gradually falling after hitting 441 additional cases on Aug. 27.
The country adopted an enhanced version of a social distancing scheme for the capital area in late August, which will run through Sunday unless South Korea decides to extend it again.
Under the updated measure, restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area can operate normally from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. but then can only offer takeout after that time. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors can only offer takeaway around the clock.
Health authorities have said a daily increase of around 100 COVID-19 patients is considered a manageable level under the current medical capability.
But the prolonged social distancing scheme is heavily weighing down the livelihoods of private businesses.
South Korea believes that while the number of new cases is showing signs of a slowdown, the country also needs to take various factors into consideration, including the reproduction rate, as well as the growing number of patients in critical condition.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 175, up six from the previous day. Health authorities are worried that the recent spike will lead to shortages in hospital beds, as well as more deaths, as most of them are seniors.
A marketplace in Gwangju, 320 kilometers south of Seoul, is closed on Sept. 10, 2020, to have the area disinfected for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Of the newly identified local infections, 61 cases were reported in Seoul and 47 from Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the central city of Daejeon adding 10 cases and Incheon, west of Seoul, reporting eight new cases. South Chungcheong Province added 14 new patients.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, stayed unchanged for a second day at 1,167 according to the latest data provided Thursday.
Those tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15, however, reached 557, up six from the previous day.
Other sporadic cluster infections continued throughout the nation.
A Buddhist facility located in western Seoul has reported 20 patients. A logistics center of e-commerce giant Coupang located in eastern Seoul has reported 13 infections.
Severance Hospital, one of the major general hospitals in Seoul, reported 10 cases. Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the country's leading shipbuilder based in the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan, has 12 patients.
The proportion of patients with untraceable infection routes over the past two weeks came to 22.9 percent, according to the latest data, also straining the country's virus fight. A whopping 39.3 percent were linked to cluster infections.
The country, meanwhile, reported 15 imported cases.
South Korea reported four more deaths, raising the total to 350.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 17,616, up 256 from the previous day.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(URGENT) 256 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 17,616: KCDC

(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--2020-09-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 4 additional coronavirus death, total now at 350: KCDC


yna--2020-09-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 176 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 21,919: KCDC


yna--2020-09-11--S. Korea to bolster investment in digital infrastructure

The projects are aimed at laying the groundwork for economic growth in the long term while cushioning the economic blow @ @ @ @ @ a recovery .

SEJONG, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will step up its investment in digital infrastructure as the coronavirus pandemic reinforced digital transformation, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Friday.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation has taken place at a faster pace," Hong told an online forum on the digital economy.
The government will focus on investing in digital technologies, including big data services and next-generation telecom, Hong said.
In July, South Korea said it will invest 160 trillion won (US$134 billion) by 2025 under the bold stimulus package that will create 1.9 million jobs and kick-start the coronavirus-hit economy.
Unlike conventional infrastructure projects, the deal features 28 projects that will transform the nation's fossil fuel-reliant economy into an eco-friendly one and increase state investment in artificial intelligence and fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication services.
The projects are aimed at laying the groundwork for economic growth in the long term while cushioning the economic blow from the pandemic and hastening a recovery.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (C) and economy-related ministers give a briefing on the government's measures to stabilize people's livelihoods ahead of the Chuseok holiday at the government complex in Seoul on Sep. 10, 2020. Chuseok, which falls on Oct. 1 this year, is one of the nation's largest traditional holidays. (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Seoul stocks open tad lower on Wall Street losses

The tech-laden Nasdaq composite fell 221.97 points , or 1.99 percent , to 10,919.59 on Thursday ( New York time @ @ @ @ @ Industrial Average lost 1.45 percent , with the S & P 500 down 1.76 percent @

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened slightly lower Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 3.73 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,392.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The KOSPI's decline is largely attributed to the U.S. tech retreat and unimproved jobless benefits data from last week.
The tech-laden Nasdaq composite fell 221.97 points, or 1.99 percent, to 10,919.59 on Thursday (New York time). The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.45 percent, with the S&P 500 down 1.76 percent.
Most large caps traded lower in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.34 percent, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 0.52 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem retreated 1.68 percent, while top automaker Hyundai Motor climbed 0.3 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics shed 0.79 percent, and Celltrion slid 0.34 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,187.95 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.05 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(2nd LD) Exports fall 0.2 pct in first 10 days of September

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) has predicted that South Korea 's economy could shrink 1.2 @ @ @ @ @ the global economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 4 paras)
SEJONG, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 0.2 percent on-year in the first 10 days of September amid the economic fallout from the new coronavirus, customs data showed Friday.
The nation's outbound shipments stood at US$14.9 billion in the Sept. 1-10 period, compared with $15 billion a year ago, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports during the 10-day period dropped 11.9 percent.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully closing their borders.
Imports declined 7.6 percent on-year to $13 billion in the 10-day period, according to the data.
By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, jumped 43.2 percent, and those of automobiles rose 8.4 percent on-year in the 10-day period.
Semiconductors account for about one-fifth of outbound shipments in South Korea, home to Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chip maker, and its smaller rival SK hynix Inc.
By country, shipments to China -- South Korea's largest trading partner -- gained 9.7 percent on-year, and shipments to the United States rose 5.2 percent.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has predicted that South Korea's economy could shrink 1.2 percent this year, as the global economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s due to the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 6 percent this year, the OECD said.
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Hyundai to recall 180,000 SUVs in U.S. due to faulty anti-lock braking system

Hyundai is telling Tucson owners in the U.S. to park outdoors and recalling the vehicles from 2019 through 2021 , @ @ @ @ @ a short circuit in defective anti-lock brake circuit boards that can cause a fire even @ @ @ @ @ '' according to the Associated Press .

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker by sales, was recalled around 180,000 SUVs in the United States over concern that defective anti-lock brake circuit boards can cause fires, according to a news report Friday.
Hyundai is telling Tucson owners in the U.S. to park outdoors and recalling the vehicles from 2019 through 2021, as "corrosion can cause a short circuit in defective anti-lock brake circuit boards that can cause a fire even if engines are off," according to the Associated Press.
Hyundai learned of a dozen engine fires caused by the problem, but no injuries, the news report added.
It is the second time this month that the carmaker announced such a decision. Earlier this month, U.S. safety regulators said that Hyundai and its affiliated Kia Motors Corps. would recall over 600,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix a brake fluid leak that could cause engine fires.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--Biegun, S. Korean counterpart discuss alliance, regional security: state dept.

`` The Deputy Secretary and Vice Minister discussed the Special Measures Agreement , reaffirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.–ROK @ @ @ @ @ to enhance the Alliance to ensure it remains a force for peace and prosperity in @ @ @ @ @ ahead , '' it said .
ROK stands for South Korea 's official name , @ @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and his South Korean counterpart discussed a wide range of issues, including ways to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, the state department said Friday.
The department said Biegun and Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun also discussed ways to enhance cooperation with Japan to promote regional security.
"Biegun congratulated First Vice Foreign Minister Choi on his recent appointment and pledged to continue close cooperation with the Republic of Korea on a broad range of shared interests," it said in a released statement.
Choi arrived here Wednesday on his first trip he was appointed vice foreign minister last month. He previously served as a secretary for peace planning at the National Security Council of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
This photo, provided by the South Korean Embassy in the United States, shows South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun (R) and his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun posing for a photograph after holding a meeting at the U.S. Department of State on Sept. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
The department statement came one day after Choi and Biegun met, in which Choi earlier said they discussed ways to strengthen the countries' alliance, partly by establishing a new dialogue channel between director-level officials, tentatively named alliance dialogue.
They also agreed to commit themselves to reaching a breakthrough in long stalled discussions on sharing the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea that normally only involve working-level officials, Choi said in a meeting with reporters here.
The state department confirmed the defense cost-sharing agreement, known as the Special Measures Agreement, was one of topics for the Biegun-Choi meeting.
"The Deputy Secretary and Vice Minister discussed the Special Measures Agreement, reaffirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.–ROK alliance, and discussed ways to enhance the Alliance to ensure it remains a force for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific for the decades ahead," it said. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
It said the two also discussed regional issues that included cooperation with Japan to promote regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. has been ratcheting up its drive to build a NATO-like collective structure in the Indo-Pacific region amid its growing rivalry with China.
Choi earlier dismissed reports that Washington may be pressuring Seoul to join its Indo-Pacific initiative, saying allies do no such thing to their friends.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-11--(LEAD) Medical students continue collective leave of absence to protest medical reform

`` If around 90 percent of medical students fail to take the test this year , this will lead to @ @ @ @ @ of military doctors and those assigned to public health centers all across the country several @ @ @ @ @ '' they warned .
They said this development can leave a dangerous hole in public @ @ @ @ @ only way to resolve this matter is through compromise .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, joint statement by senior doctors in paras 4-7)
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Medical school students across the country will continue their leave of absence in protest against a new medical reform plan, their representative said Friday.
The Korean Medical Student Association said its members have decided not to return to school after putting the issue to a vote, even after an agreement between doctors and the government to end a weekslong nationwide strike.
Medical students have been joining the walkout, and balked at withdrawing their collective action.
This photo, taken on Sept. 10, 2020, shows a medical student entering a building in Seoul to take the state medical licensing exam. (Yonhap)
Doctors and the government have been at odds over whether to give medical students another opportunity to take the state medical licensing exam. Doctors said students must be allowed to take the exame even if they did not register before the deadline, while the government has rejected such a step.
Related to the standoff, senior doctors representing the Korean Hospital Association, private and public university hospital groups, and Korean Council of Teaching Hospital, issued a joint statement asking students to return to their studies and for the government to allow them to take the doctors' exams.
"If around 90 percent of medical students fail to take the test this year, this will lead to serious shortages in the number of military doctors and those assigned to public health centers all across the country several years down the line," they warned. They said this development can leave a dangerous hole in public health services and that the only way to resolve this matter is through compromise.
Despite this unresolved issue, most trainee doctors, such as interns and residents, at general hospitals ended their collective action and returned to work earlier this week, following an agreement with the government to put the reform plan on hold.
On Sept. 4, the KMA agreed with the ruling party to end its nationwide strike after the government backed down and promised to put the medical reform plan on hold in a joint effort to overcome the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Some 160,000 trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme that calls for increasing the quota for medical students, establishing a new public medical school and giving medical insurance coverage to oriental medicine treatment.
KMA members and fellow doctors have also joined the collective action to support the junior doctors.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)