yna--2020-07-18--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- I was a secretary ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Trust in gov't policies falling with mismatches in @ @ @ @ @ Kookmin Daily ) -- It appears to be oversupplied , but Seoul housing always insufficient @ @ @ @ @ Following ruling party , gov't , Cheong Wa Dae to look into plans on opening @ @ @ @ @ ( Segye Times ) -- Police submitted warrant on 'Park Won-soon phone ' destined to @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Moon says do n't discourage investor sentiment , stock transfer tax on retail @ @ @ @ @ Hankyoreh ) -- Ex-Channel A reporter arrested , probe on media-prosecution connection to be accelerated @ @ @ @ @ Moon says do n't discourage investor sentiment , orders review of stock transfer tax scheme @ @ @ @ @ -- 'Greenbelt zones may open ' ...
Apartment prices in Naegok , Segok-dong quickly rose @ @ @ @ @ Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on July 18.
Korean-language dailies
-- I was a secretary (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Trust in gov't policies falling with mismatches in housing, stock schemes (Kookmin Daily)
-- It appears to be oversupplied, but Seoul housing always insufficient (Donga llbo)
-- Following ruling party, gov't, Cheong Wa Dae to look into plans on opening up greenbelt zones in Seoul (Segye Times)
-- Police submitted warrant on 'Park Won-soon phone' destined to be rejected (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Moon says don't discourage investor sentiment, stock transfer tax on retail investors to be revised (Hankyoreh)
-- Ex-Channel A reporter arrested, probe on media-prosecution connection to be accelerated (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Moon says don't discourage investor sentiment, orders review of stock transfer tax scheme (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- 'Greenbelt zones may open' ... Apartment prices in Naegok, Segok-dong quickly rose by 200 mln won (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- 'To avoid mass infection, churches must breathe' (Korea Times)
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jul .
18 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .

(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--2020-07-18--S. Korea aims to up proportion of female professors in nat'l universities to 25 pct by 2030

It called for the central and local governments to make efforts to ensure that a single gender does not occupy @ @ @ @ @ professor positions in national and public universities .

SEJONG, July 18 (Yonhap) -- National universities in South Korea must increase the proportion of women professors to 25 percent by 2030, the Ministry of Education said Saturday.
The Cabinet approved a revised enforcement ordinance on the hiring of public educational workers on Tuesday, specifying annual goals to reduce gender gaps in professorships over the next 10 years.
The rule stipulates a single gender must not account for more than 75 percent of all professors in national universities in 2030.
Females accounted for 17.2 percent of all professors in national universities last year, according to the state-run Korean Education Development Institute.
Under the amendment, the percentage should increase to 17.5 percent this year and 18.3 percent next year.
The National Assembly passed a related revision to the educational officials act in January.
It called for the central and local governments to make efforts to ensure that a single gender does not occupy more than three quarters of professor positions in national and public universities.
An image of a university classroom in South Korea. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--U.S. senator slams Trump administration after report of possible troop reduction in S. Korea

`` We do n't have missile systems in South Korea as a welfare program ; we have troops and munitions @ @ @ @ @ Our aim is to give the Chinese communist leadership and the nuclear nut tyrannizing his @ @ @ @ @ think about before they mess with us , '' he said .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Yonhap) -- A Republican senator slammed the Trump administration on Friday in response to a news report that the White House was considering reducing American troop levels in South Korea.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon presented the White House with options for reducing the U.S. force presence in March.
"This kind of strategic incompetence is Jimmy Carter-level weak. Why is this so hard?" Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement posted on his website.
"We don't have missile systems in South Korea as a welfare program; we have troops and munitions there to protect Americans. Our aim is to give the Chinese communist leadership and the nuclear nut tyrannizing his North Korean subjects something to think about before they mess with us," he said.
This EPA file photo shows Sen. Ben Sasse. (Yonhap)
Carter pledged as a presidential candidate in 1976 to withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea. Upon taking office the following year, he ordered a review of options to execute the plan. Faced with opposition from within his own Democratic Party, he ultimately abandoned the goal in 1979.
Around 28,500 American troops are currently stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
News reports have suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump might threaten to pull troops from South Korea unless Seoul agrees to significantly increase its financial contributions to the cost of keeping the U.S. military presence.
The reports come as the allies' negotiations for a new cost-sharing agreement have stalled since the previous arrangement lapsed at the end of last year.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--(LEAD) Pentagon has offered White House options to reduce troops in S. Korea: report

Observers say there is little incentive on either side to quickly reach a deal after the U.S. in June accepted @ @ @ @ @ pay the salaries of thousands of Koreans who had been furloughed from their jobs on @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details, background)
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon has offered the White House options to reduce American troop levels in South Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the paper said the options were presented in March following a broader review of options for withdrawing troops from around the world, including in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.
The White House requested the review last fall, and by December, the Pentagon had come up with broad ideas, it said.
No decision has yet been made to reduce the number of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea from the current 28,500, according to the WSJ.
A U.S. military official declined to tell the paper whether Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has informed his South Korean counterpart about the review of troop levels.
The paper noted that the disclosure came as U.S. President Donald Trump recently decided to partially withdraw troops from Germany.
Meanwhile, Seoul and Washington have struggled to conclude a new agreement determining how much South Korea will contribute to the cost of stationing American troops there.
Under the previous Special Measures Agreement, which lapsed at the end of December, South Korea agreed to pay US$870 million for 2019.
Trump initially demanded $5 billion for this year on the grounds that South Korea is a wealthy country that should pay more for its defense.
The U.S. is currently known to be requesting $1.3 billion after Trump rejected Seoul's offer to increase its payment by 13 percent from last year.
Observers say there is little incentive on either side to quickly reach a deal after the U.S. in June accepted South Korea's proposal to pay the salaries of thousands of Koreans who had been furloughed from their jobs on U.S. bases.
This file photo shows U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Pentagon has offered White House options to reduce troops in S. Korea: report

Citing unnamed U.S. officials , the paper said no decision has yet been made to reduce the number of U.S. @ @ @ @ @ current 28,500 .

WASHINGTON, July 17 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon has offered the White House options to reduce American troop levels in South Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the paper said no decision has yet been made to reduce the number of U.S. forces stationed there from the current 28,500.
A U.S. military official was quoted as saying that the Pentagon's Joint Staff reviewed the structure of U.S. Forces Korea as part of a broader review of military deployments worldwide.
The paper noted that the disclosure came as U.S. President Donald Trump recently decided to partially withdraw troops from Germany.
Meanwhile, Seoul and Washington have struggled to conclude a new agreement determining how much South Korea will contribute to the cost of stationing American troops there.
This file photo shows U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Korean War hero Paik's pursuit of freedom, democracy ever more important today: U.S. official

`` We also have to remember the obligation that he 's passed on to us , the obligation we have @ @ @ @ @ succeeding generation .
We may not live to be 100 or 101 years old like @ @ @ @ @ the time that we have , especially the time we have with one another , @ @ @ @ @ carry , '' he added .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. State Department official on Friday paid tribute to the memory of Gen. Paik Sun-yup, a Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, saying the freedom and democracy he fought for have become all the more important today.
Marc Knapper, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, made the remark during a tribute webinar held one week after Paik died in South Korea at the age of 99. The late general was credited with leading key battles during the 1950-53 Korean War.
"I think Gen. Paik's service to not only the Republic of Korea but to this alliance really symbolized the fight for our shared values of freedom and democracy," Knapper said during the event hosted by the Korea Defense Veterans Association.
This file photo shows U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Korea and Japan Marc Knapper. (Yonhap)
"These are values that the United States and the Republic of Korea share today and continue to uphold and continue to work for. And frankly in a region of the world that is increasingly under pressure -- these values are under pressure from others in the region -- and so more than ever, the values that Gen. Paik emblemized and symbolized are just so important," he said.
Knapper said he had the opportunity to meet the general on several occasions while serving at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
"It was always a really humbling experience to meet with him and to be in the presence of someone who had devoted the better part of his nearly 100-year life to serving his country and to serving the people of the Republic of Korea," he said.
Knapper said Paik's devotion to his country and the alliance inspired him to work to strengthen the two countries' friendship in an equally committed and steadfast manner.
Paik represented "the best" of South Korea and the alliance, he added.
In another tribute, former U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks recalled his own encounters with Paik, starting when he was a lieutenant colonel commanding an infantry battalion in South Korea from 1996-1998.
Brooks said Paik remembered him when he returned to Korea some years later.
"How it would be that someone so distinguished who had met so many incredible luminaries of history would remember someone like me, it absolutely floored me," he said, adding that the late general could recount any battle he was in and any negotiation that preceded the creation of the armistice in 1953.
Paik could also share from memory who was in a given fighting position at any point in time and he knew people by their names, according to Brooks.
"He would meet you as you are and meet you as another person, hold you accountable, and not by saying things that would be harsh words of accountability, but rather simply by letting you know how important it was to keep going with the same battle that he'd been fighting for a long time -- that's a battle for the alliance and its value," Brooks said.
"We also have to remember the obligation that he's passed on to us, the obligation we have to pass on to each succeeding generation. We may not live to be 100 or 101 years old like he did, but for the time that we have, especially the time we have with one another, we have this obligation to carry," he added.
This file photo shows former U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-07-17--(4th LD) New virus cases hover around 60 for 2nd day, imported cases in focus

South Korea is also on alert over potential group infections tied to Russian-flagged vessels docked in the southern city of @ @ @ @ @ virus-infected crewmen were confirmed to have contracted the virus on three ships in the last @ @ @ @ @ vessels have a combined crew of 110 , with testing on others turning up negative @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 12-13,25)
SEOUL, July 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases came in at around 60 for the second straight day on Friday as the country grapples with rising imported cases and an uptick in local infections.
The country added 60 cases, including 39 imported cases, raising the total to 13,672, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marks the third time this week that the daily rise of virus cases reached 60 or above, following 62 new infections reported on Monday and 61 cases on Thursday.
Infections coming in from overseas have been on a high plateau for weeks, rising by double-digit numbers for 22 consecutive days. Imported cases have also been outnumbering local infections since Sunday.
Of the 39 additional imported cases, 25 were detected at quarantine checkpoints of airports and sea ports.
By country, 20 cases came from Russia, followed by eight from the United States and six from Iraq. The total number of imported cases is now 2,005.
"There is little possibility that imported cases will lead to community spread in the country," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said. "Half of imported cases are detected at quarantine checkpoints, and we are closely monitoring arrivals in their two-week self-isolation period."
Health workers conduct virus tests at a testing center in Jeju on Jeju Island on July 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the cases coming in from overseas, a large portion has been traced to Iraq in recent days, with dozens of South Korean workers returning home from the Middle Eastern country testing positive for COVID-19.
At least 800 South Korean workers are in Iraq, for a slew of construction projects, where the daily number of virus infections reaches around 2,000.
The government said it plans to send chartered flights to Iraq between Wednesday and Saturday next week to bring the workers home safely. So far, some 200 workers have requested to be airlifted, it added.
"Once the workers arrive home, they will be isolated at a temporary shelter for two weeks," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said.
South Korea is also on alert over potential group infections tied to Russian-flagged vessels docked in the southern city of Busan. At least 22 virus-infected crewmen were confirmed to have contracted the virus on three ships in the last two days. The three vessels have a combined crew of 110, with testing on others turning up negative so far.
City health authorities have placed 30 repair workers who boarded the Russian ships in quarantine while they are tested for infection.
It follows an infection cluster linked to Russia-flagged ships in Busan last month when 19 related cases were reported.
Due to rising cases involving Russian seafarers, health authorities will conduct virus tests on all crewmembers of Russian ships that have a lot of contact with local workers starting Monday.
Health workers speak with a tourist at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on July 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
To stem a further rise in imported cases, South Korea since Monday has required arrivals from four high-risk nations -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan -- to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.
South Korea will add two more countries from Monday, although it has not specified the countries for diplomatic reasons.
The number of new local infections bounced back to surpass 20 for the first time in five days following sporadic outbreaks of COVID-19 across the country.
Of the 21 local transmissions, seven were reported in Seoul and five in Gyeonggi Province, surrounding the nation's capital, after more cases tied to door-to-door businesses and office building outbreaks were confirmed.
Gwangju added five more cases. The country's southern resort island of Jeju also confirmed three cases of the novel coronavirus.
South Korea last month adopted a three-tier social distancing scheme that adjusts the intensity of virus prevention guidelines depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The country is currently at "Level 1" social distancing, although some municipalities have raised the level to stem the spread of the virus in the region.
Citizens wait to receive virus tests at a testing center Seoul on July 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities said each municipality can raise the social distancing level when the basic reproduction rate, which denotes the number of people one patient can infect, reaches 1.3. For the greater Seoul area, if the daily number of virus cases reaches 40 or above on average for a one-week period, it could also raise the social distancing level.
South Korea reported two additional deaths from the virus, bringing the death toll to 293, with one more fatality that was not counted in the daily tally being confirmed later in the day, according to the KCDC. The 294th victim, who is in his 50s, will be reflected in Saturday's COVID-19 report.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,460, up 64 from the previous day, while 919 are currently under treatment, down six from a day earlier.
The country has carried out 1,451,017 tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--(2nd LD) Pentagon has offered White House options to reduce troops in S. Korea: report

`` At this moment , there is no discussion between the two sides regarding the U.S. forces in South Korea @ @ @ @ @ official who asked not to be named .

(ATTN: CHANGES dateline; ADDS more info in paras 7-12)
WASHINGTON/SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon has offered the White House options to reduce American troop levels in South Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the paper said the options were presented in March following a broader review of options for withdrawing troops from around the world, including in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.
The White House requested the review last fall, and by December, the Pentagon had come up with broad ideas, it said.
No decision has yet been made to reduce the number of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea from the current 28,500, according to the WSJ.
A U.S. military official declined to tell the paper whether Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has informed his South Korean counterpart about the review of troop levels.
The paper noted that the disclosure came as U.S. President Donald Trump recently decided to partially withdraw troops from Germany.
Following the news report, South Korean officials are reportedly checking their diplomatic and military channels to find out the U.S. stance on the issue, sources in Seoul said.
"At this moment, there is no discussion between the two sides regarding the U.S. forces in South Korea," said a military official who asked not to be named.
Another official said he was not aware of what was reported in the paper and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper's recent comments on relocation plans of U.S. forces.
Local pundits predicted that the Pentagon is likely to explain its position on the United States Forces Korea (USFK) issue to Seoul's defense ministry soon.
Some have suggested there is a possibility of defense chiefs from the two countries discussing the issue directly. The two officials are expected to hold phone talks later this month.
"We are currently working to schedule the phone talks between the two defense ministers," an official from Seoul's defense ministry said.
Meanwhile, Seoul and Washington have struggled to conclude a new agreement determining how much South Korea will contribute to the cost of stationing American troops there.
Under the previous Special Measures Agreement, which lapsed at the end of December, South Korea agreed to pay US$870 million for 2019.
Trump initially demanded $5 billion for this year on the grounds that South Korea is a wealthy country that should pay more for its defense.
The U.S. is currently known to be requesting $1.3 billion after Trump rejected Seoul's offer to increase its payment by 13 percent from last year.
Observers say there is little incentive on either side to quickly reach a deal after the U.S. in June accepted South Korea's proposal to pay the salaries of thousands of Koreans who had been furloughed from their jobs on U.S. bases.
This file photo shows U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Telcos join digital New Deal drive

Telcos join digital New Deal drive

Under the digital New Deal initiative , 58.2 trillion won will be spent by 2025 to update public infrastructure with @ @ @ @ @ investment in key technologies , such as 5G and artificial intelligence .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major telecom operators are lending hands to the country's digital New Deal stimulus projects by expanding their investment in public infrastructure.
Early this week, the country announced a set of ambitious stimulus measures amounting to 160 trillion won (US$132 billion).
Under the digital New Deal initiative, 58.2 trillion won will be spent by 2025 to update public infrastructure with digital services and increase state investment in key technologies, such as 5G and artificial intelligence.
Some 900,000 jobs will be created under the projects by 2025, according to the government.
As part of the initiative, telecom giant KT Corp. said it developed a safety monitoring system in Hanam, east of Seoul, that tracks the risks of old buildings collapsing in real time.
The system uses sensors on the telecom operator's optical fiber infrastructure to detect structural movement of 13 facilities in the city, according to KT.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki requested that KT expand the system nationwide during his visit to Hanam on Wednesday as the government prepares to implement its policy.
Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki tours KT Corp.'s building safety monitoring system in Hanam, east of Seoul, on July 15, 2020, in this photo provided by KT. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Leading mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. announced that it partnered with state-run utility Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) to expand its remote water usage monitoring system.
The system uses digital sensors to allow K-Water to remotely check water usage in households instead of making physical visits and efficiently manage the water supply.
LG Uplus Corp. also partnered with the city of Gumi, 200 kilometers south of Seoul, last month to establish a 5G network in the city's industrial complex.
A spokesperson for LG Uplus said the company is currently focusing on installing 5G infrastructure in urban areas this year to support the government policy.
The three telecom operators said this week they will invest up to 25.7 trillion won to establish a nationwide 5G network by 2022.
Amid the pandemic, South Korea's economy shrank 1.3 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--(LEAD) New virus cases dip below 40, imported cases still worrisome

Health authorities said one student at Seongsu High School in Seoul tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
However , @ @ @ @ @ are suspected to have come in contact with the virus-infected student have tested negative for @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES lead; ADDS more info in paras 6-8, 12, 14-15, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell back to below 40 on Saturday, but health authorities are keeping their guards up as imported cases and sporadic outbreaks in the country continue to put a strain on their efforts to contain the deadly virus.
The country added 39 cases, including 28 imported cases, raising the total caseload to 13,711, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp fall from 62 new virus cases reported on Monday, 61 cases on Thursday and 60 cases on Friday this week. The daily rise in virus cases stayed below 40 on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 33 and 39 cases, respectively.
Infections coming in from overseas have been on a high plateau for weeks, with double-digit numbers for 23 consecutive days. Imported cases have also been outnumbering local infections since Sunday.
This photo taken on July 17, 2020, shows a health worker speaking to a citizen at a virus testing center in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Of the 28 additional imported cases, 12 were detected at quarantine checkpoints of airports and seaports.
By country, seven cases came from Uzbekistan, followed by five from the United States and three apiece from Pakistan and the Philippines. The total number of imported cases is now 2,032.
Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, urged arrivals from foreign countries and their greeters, such as family members and friends, to strictly follow virus prevention measures.
So far, seven people have contracted the virus through secondary transmission from imported cases, he added, though such infections have not led to community spread in the country.
Of the cases coming in from overseas, South Korea has been keeping close tabs on workers returning home from Iraq after dozens of them tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days.
To bring the remaining workers home safely from Iraq, the government will send chartered flights to the Middle East nation next week.
Health authorities are also on alert over potential group infections tied to Russian-flagged vessels docked in the southern city of Busan. More than 20 crewmen were confirmed to have contracted the virus on three ships in recent days.
Among 154 ships that entered 11 South Korean harbors on Friday, health authorities said they have conducted onboard quarantine inspections on 75 vessels.
This photo taken on July 18, 2020, shows the main gate of Seongsu High School in Seoul, where one student tested positive for the novel coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The number of new local infections dropped below 20 again. It had been under 20 from Monday to Thursday before the country reported 21 such cases on Friday.
Of the 11 local transmissions, nine were reported in the nation's Seoul metropolitan area -- six in Seoul, two in Gyeonggi Province and one in Incheon -- after more cases tied to door-to-door businesses and office building outbreaks were confirmed.
Health authorities said one student at Seongsu High School in Seoul tested positive for the novel coronavirus. However, 388 students and teachers who are suspected to have come in contact with the virus-infected student have tested negative for COVID-19.
The country's southern resort island of Jeju and the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan each added one case of the novel coronavirus.
South Korea reported one additional death from the virus, bringing the death toll to 294, according to the KCDC.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,519, up 59 from the previous day, while 898 are currently under treatment, down 21 from a day earlier.
The country has carried out 1,460,204 tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--SK Biopharmaceuticals may be included in KOSPI 200 in Sept.

SEOUL , July 18 ( Yonhap ) -- SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. , a unit of South Korean conglomerate SK @ @ @ @ @ be added to the list of 200 major stocks listed on the main bourse in @ @ @ @ @ capitalization has run high for a certain period after its market debut , industry sources @ @ @

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., a unit of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, is likely to be added to the list of 200 major stocks listed on the main bourse in September, as its market capitalization has run high for a certain period after its market debut, industry sources said Saturday.
SK Biopharmaceuticals has flown high since its market debut on July 2, emerging as the 18th most-valued stock on the main bourse with a market cap of 15 trillion won on Friday.
For an early inclusion in the KOSPI 200, a newly listed company must retain the top 50 market cap on a daily average in the first 15 days since its initial public offering (IPO). The KOSPI 200 index is the KOSPI's subindex representing the 200 largest-cap stocks.
Analysts said the biotech company will join the KOSPI 200 on Sept. 11.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) said it is currently assessing the company's eligibility for the KOSPI 200 inclusion.
"We will be able to put up the assessment results by mid August," said Doh Jong-sook, the head of the KRX index management team.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) carries out the regular KOSPI 200 index rebalancing twice a year -- in June and December. But newly listed large-caps can move up the inclusion to March and September.
Korea Exchange CEO Jung Ji-won (4th from L), SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Cho Jeong-woo (5th from L) and financial industry leaders clap during the bio firm's stock market listing ceremony at the KRX headquarters in Seoul on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2001 -- South Korea 's Constitutional Court rules against the nationwide proportional representation system .
A revised form of the @ @ @ @ @ which some of the seats in the National Assembly are determined by the proportion of @ @ @ @ @ .

July 19
1965 -- Former South Korean President Rhee Syng-man dies in exile in Hawaii.
1980 -- The administration of President Chun Doo-hwan dismisses 431 managers and executives from banks, insurance firms and securities firms.
1985 -- South Korea's southeastern city of Busan begins to operate a metropolitan subway line.
1988 -- Seoul permits the publication of works by writers who supported North Korea before the 1950-53 Korean War.
1992 -- North Korea's deputy prime minister, Kim Tal-hyon, arrives in Seoul via the truce village of Panmunjom for talks with South Korean officials.
2000 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
2001 -- South Korea's Constitutional Court rules against the nationwide proportional representation system. A revised form of the system was later introduced in which some of the seats in the National Assembly are determined by the proportion of a party's electoral vote.
2007 -- Taliban militants kidnap 23 South Korean Christian volunteers in Afghanistan.
2008 -- Unification Church founder Rev. Moon Sun-myung is slightly injured when a civilian medical helicopter carrying him and 15 others bursts into flames after making an emergency landing near Cheongshim Hospital in Gapyeong, 60 kilometers north of Seoul.
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--No. of S. Korea-bound tourists from Indonesia drops 68 pct in H1: report

In particular , the number of South Korea-bound tourists from Indonesia plummeted in the second quarter of the year after @ @ @ @ @ its travel restrictions following its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 2 .

JAKARTA/SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- The number of visitors coming from Indonesia dropped sharply in the first half of the year, South Korea's tourism agency said Saturday, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
An estimated 44,000 people visited South Korea from Indonesia in the first six months of the year, down 68.3 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Jakarta branch of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
In particular, the number of South Korea-bound tourists from Indonesia plummeted in the second quarter of the year after the Southeast Asian nation reinforced its travel restrictions following its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 2.
The number of Indonesian arrivals stood at only 5,600 in the April-June period, down 93 percent from a year earlier, it said.
As of Friday, Indonesia has confirmed 81,668 cases of COVID-19 with 3,873 deaths, according to data from the World Health Organization.
South Korea has so far reported 13,711 cases of the novel coronavirus, with its death toll reaching 294.
This photo taken on June 21, 2020, shows the inside of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Local governments pushing to hand out additional pandemic relief money

In related moves , several lower-level local governments , such as Wanju County in North Jeolla Province , the city @ @ @ @ @ Province , the city of Wonju and Yeongweol County , both in Gangwon Province , @ @ @ @ @ Province , have already paid or are planning to pay disaster relief money between 80,000 @ @ @ @ @ to their residents .

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- Several local governments are again planning to dole out pandemic relief funds to help their residents cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, informed officials said Saturday.
The government of Daegu, the city hit hard by a massive COVID-19 outbreak months earlier, announced a plan earlier this week to pay 100,000 won (US$83) each to all its 2.42 million citizens this fall, as part of its second disaster relief package.
The city, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said it will raise 243 billion won, including 51.2 billion won from state coffers, to finance the new relief package, noting the actual payments will begin after the central government's ongoing emergency relief program ends on Aug. 31.
"All citizens will receive relief money of 100,000 won per person," said Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin in a news conference on Thursday, expressing hope that the payment will be completed before Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, which falls on Oct. 1 this year.
In April, Daegu implemented its first disaster relief program, paying 500,000 to 900,000 won each to about 450,000 households earning less than the median income.
Kwon explained that his government has decided to expand the scope of relief beneficiaries to all citizens this time to ease the economic damage from the prolonged coronavirus crisis and give comfort to citizens who have endured the extended suffering.
The provincial government of Jeju is also reportedly pushing to extend its second disaster relief funds to its residents, according to officials in the southern resort island.
The Jeju government said it has secured 23 billion won in supplementary budget to pay relief money of 100,000 won each to all residents, possibly during September.
Gov. Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, has recently proposed that the central government pay out its second disaster relief money worth 200,000 won to all people nationwide, including Gyeonggi residents.
Lee has also asked for special budgetary support from the central government to first implement the 200,000-won relief money scheme in Gyeonggi but the Moon Jae-in government and the ruling Democratic Party have yet to give a clear response.
In related moves, several lower-level local governments, such as Wanju County in North Jeolla Province, the city of Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province, the city of Wonju and Yeongweol County, both in Gangwon Province, and Ulju in North Gyeongsang Province, have already paid or are planning to pay disaster relief money between 80,000 won and 200,000 won each to their residents.
In May, the Moon government began paying out 1 million won each to households with four or more members, 800,000 won to three-person households, 600,000 won to two-person households and 400,000 won to single-person households, as part of its emergency disaster relief package over the coronavirus.
The payments of the central government's relief money started on May 4 and recipients must spend the money by Aug. 31 or it will be deemed a donation.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-18--S. Korea's H1 trade surplus with India nearly halves on pandemic

`` Due to the recent resurgence of virus cases , it appears that South Korea 's exports to India are @ @ @ @ @ the second half of the year , '' a KITA official said .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ for imports to return to the normal level . ''

NEW DELHI/SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus with India in the first half of the year has nearly halved from a year earlier due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a report showed Saturday.
According to a report from the New Delhi branch of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), South Korea recorded a trade surplus of US$2.76 billion with India in the first six months of the year, down 47.7 percent from a year ago when it reached $5.28 billion.
The report showed South Korea's trade surplus with India narrowed sharply after April after the South Asian country started to impose lockdowns to stem the spread of COVID-19.
South Korea's trade surplus reached $2.26 billion in the first quarter of the year, but it trimmed to $500 million in the second quarter, the report showed.
This image created by Yonhap News TV shows a container ship at a South Korean port. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The decline in the trade surplus is due to a sharp fall in exports, according to the report. South Korea's outbound shipments to India dropped 33.2 percent on-year to $5.36 billion in the first half of the year, while imports from India shrunk only 5.3 percent on-year to $2.59 billion.
By items, outbound shipments of steel plates, auto parts and semiconductors suffered sharp declines.
"Due to the recent resurgence of virus cases, it appears that South Korea's exports to India are likely to be tepid in the second half of the year," a KITA official said. "It will also take some time for imports to return to the normal level."
South Korea previously announced that it plans to increase its bilateral trade with India to $50 billion a year by 2030. Last year, the two countries' trade volume reached $20.7 billion.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Heavy rain advisory issued for parts of Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon provinces

Some parts of the two provinces could also receive more than 150 mm of rain , the weather agency said @ @ @ @ @ take extra care to prevent damage to outdoor structures and avoid any safety accidents .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- The state weather agency on Sunday issued heavy rain advisories for parts of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, calling for extra caution against potential accidents or damage from downpours.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a heavy rain advisory for northeastern Seoul, including Nowon, Seongbuk and other counties. The advisory comes when an area is projected to record 60 millimeters of precipitation for three hours or more than 100 mm for 12 hours.
As the torrential rains pounded the capital, the metropolitan municipality restricted citizens' access to the walking paths along Cheonggye Stream, a popular attraction that runs through downtown Seoul, as of 8:10 a.m.
The heavy rain advisory also covers parts of Gyeonggi Province, including Dongducheon, Pocheon, Gapyeong, Uijeongbu, Hanam, Gimpo and Paju, as well as Ganghwa Island and the five northwestern border islands.
The KMA said that 30 to 50 mm of rain per hour, along with thunder and strong gusts, is expected to hit northern Gyeonggi Province and parts of Gangwon Province between noon and 9 p.m.
Some parts of the two provinces could also receive more than 150 mm of rain, the weather agency said, advising citizens there to take extra care to prevent damage to outdoor structures and avoid any safety accidents.
The KMA also forecast downpours in parts of North Korea, calling for residents in northern regions to be careful about the possibility of a sudden increase in water levels in the Injin and Hantan rivers near the inter-Korean border.
This file photo shows a notice restricting access to a walking path along Cheonggye Stream, a popular attraction that runs through downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--New virus cases stay below 40 for 2nd day as imported cases dwindle

SEOUL , July 19 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the @ @ @ @ @ , but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the second straight day on Sunday, but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first time in over a week.
The country identified 34 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,745. Of the newly reported cases, 21 were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
In the photo, taken July 18, 2020, a medical worker consoles a young student who burst into tears at a new coronavirus test center set up at the student's elementary school in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul. (Yonhap)
It marks the first time in eight days that the country reported more locally transmitted cases than imported cases.
Still, the tally marks a steady decline from 61 new infections reported Thursday and 60 on Friday, largely due to high numbers of imported cases.
As of Sunday, South Korea has seen double-digit figures of imported cases for 24 consecutive days.
The recent high numbers of imported cases have partly been attributed to a number of South Korean workers returning from Iraq and a series of cluster infections on Russian-flagged vessels docked in the country's southeastern port city of Busan.
Seoul plans to send a chartered flight to the Middle Eastern country this week to bring home more citizens.
Of the 21 local transmissions, 10 were identified in Seoul, with 10 cases reported in Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. One case was confirmed in Daejeon, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
The country's death toll came to 295, with one more virus-caused death reported, according to the KCDC.
As of Sunday, 12,556 of the infected have been released after a full recovery, up 37 from a day before.
The number of the infected still in quarantine or under treatment came to 894, down from 898 on Saturday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Seoul stocks tipped to face correction this week

The country 's export data in the first 20 days of the month will be released , and the second-quarter @ @ @ @ @ out on Thursday .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks are expected to come under selling pressure and hover below the 2,200-point level this week on mixed economic signals and a surge in new coronavirus outbreaks.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,201.19 points on Friday, up 2.4 percent from a week ago.
The index on Wednesday surpassed the psychologically important 2,200-point threshold for the first time since Feb. 19 on hopes of COVID-19 vaccine development and additional economic stimulus.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,201.19 on July 17, 2020, up 17.43 points or 0.80 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Analysts expected the index to stay below the psychologically important level this week.
"An additional U.S. relief package may boost a further rise in the local stock market, but U.S. political conflicts may add uncertainties," NH Investment & Securities analyst Kim Young-hwan said.
Dented expectations for Chinese consumption are another negative factor curtailing investors' appetite for risky assets, he added.
China's retail sales in June contracted 1.8 percent, far below the market consensus of a 0.5 percent rise.
Heightened valuation pressure, in addition to the rising coronavirus toll, is also expected to offset economic rebound hopes this week, they said.
A series of key economic events and indices are scheduled for this week.
The country's export data in the first 20 days of the month will be released, and the second-quarter economic growth estimate will come out on Thursday.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Hyundai tipped to sell more than 100,000 new Grandeur sedans 8 months after launch

SEOUL , July 19 ( Yonhap ) -- Hyundai Motor Co. 's new Grandeur sedan is likely to see its @ @ @ @ @ month , eight months after its launch in the domestic market , industry sources said @ @

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co.'s new Grandeur sedan is likely to see its sales top 100,000 units this month, eight months after its launch in the domestic market, industry sources said Sunday.
Hyundai Motor launched the face-lifted Grandeur in November last year and aimed to sell 110,000 units in the domestic market this year.
According to the sources, Hyundai has sold 90,000 new Grandeur sedans through June this year since its launch.
The new Grandeur has been the bestselling model in the domestic market for the past eight months.
The upgraded Grandeur comes in four versions with a 2.5-liter gasoline, a 3.3 gasoline, a 2.4 gasoline hybrid or a 3.0 liquefied petroleum injected engine.
Safety features include forward collision-avoidance assist-junction turning, highway driving assist, parking collision-avoidance assist and blind spot view monitor systems, according to Hyundai Motor.
Hyundai also adopted its "Sensuous Sportiness" design for the face-lifted model of the sixth-generation Grandeur that was launched in November 2016.
Sensuous Sportiness is defined by the harmony between four fundamental elements in vehicle design: proportion, architecture, styling and technology.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the face-lifted Grandeur sedan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(URGENT) 37 more released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 12,556: 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--2020-07-19--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 additional coronavirus-related death, total now at 295


yna--2020-07-19--(URGENT) Seoul reports 34 new coronavirus cases with total caseload at 13,745: KCDC


yna--2020-07-19--Hyundai Motor sells most in Vietnam in H1

In the production joint venture with Thanh Cong Group , Hyundai has been bringing complete knockdown units from its plants @ @ @ @ @ for assembly at the Vietnamese assembly line for sale in the country .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, ranked first in vehicle sales in Vietnam in the first half of the year, outpacing archrival Toyota Motor Corp., driven by its customized models there, industry sources said Sunday.
Hyundai sold a total of 25,358 units in the Vietnamese passenger vehicle market in the January-June period, raising its market share by 2.6 percentage points to 21.3 percent, according to the data.
The Vietnamese auto market dropped 27.1 percent on-year in the first half, but Hyundai Motor saw its sales there sink 17 percent during the cited period, the data showed.
Hyundai Motor officially ventured into the Vietnamese auto market in 2017. Its market share stood at 13.3 percent in 2017 and 19.2 percent in 2019, the data showed.
Hyundai Motor's and its affiliate Kia Motors' headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul (Yonhap)
In contrast, Toyota's market presence fell to 21.1 percent in the first half of the year, from 22.7 percent in 2019 and 25.5 percent in 2017, the data showed.
Hyundai Motor sells the compact sedan Accent, i10 and other vehicles. Hyundai plans to launch an aggressive marketing drive to grab a large share in the fast-growing auto market.
In 2019, Hyundai Motor set up a joint venture with Thanh Cong Group to sell vehicles in Vietnam.
In the production joint venture with Thanh Cong Group, Hyundai has been bringing complete knockdown units from its plants in South Korea since 2011 for assembly at the Vietnamese assembly line for sale in the country.
Hyundai Thanh Cong Manufacturing Vietnam has assembled models that include the i10 mini car, the Accent subcompact, the Elantra compact and the Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Pentagon official says U.S. 'routinely' reviews global force posture amid report on troop cut

Concerns over a possible U.S. troop drawdown have continued amid an impasse in the negotiations between South Korea and the @ @ @ @ @ the cost for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong U.S .
Forces Korea ( USFK ) @

WASHINGTON, July 18 (Yonhap) -- The United States "routinely" reviews its global force posture, a Pentagon official said Saturday, following a report that the Defense Department has offered the White House options to reduce American troop levels in South Korea.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that the options were presented in March after a broader review of options for withdrawing troops from around the world, including in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.
"We won't comment on press speculation," the official told Yonhap News Agency.
"We routinely review global force posture, our forces remain postured to respond to any threat, and the president has been clear and consistent regarding cost sharing worldwide," the official added.
Concerns over a possible U.S. troop drawdown have continued amid an impasse in the negotiations between South Korea and the U.S. over the sharing of the cost for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
Worries further deepened as the U.S. has recently decided to reduce the number of its troops in Germany to 25,000 from the current 34,500.
Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton also claimed in his recent memoir that President Donald Trump threatened to pull troops from Korea if Seoul did not pay US$5 billion under a defense cost-sharing deal.
Meanwhile, a senior U.S. administration official reiterated that South Korea and other American allies should "contribute more," while noting the defense cost negotiations between Seoul and Washington are still ongoing.
"The president has been clear in the expectation that our allies around the world, including South Korea, can and should contribute more," the official said.
"We will continue to discuss with our Korean partners a mutually beneficial and equitable agreement that will strengthen the alliance and our combined defense far into the future," the official added.
In the negotiations, South Korea and the U.S. have drawn clear battle lines, casting their latest proposals as the final ones.
Seoul officials indicated a 13 percent increase from last year's SMA, around $870 million, as the "best offer" Korea could make, while the U.S. has asked the ally to pay $1.3 billion a year -- an increase of about 50 percent from the 2019 SMA.
The drawn-out negotiations that started in September last year have fanned worries that they could cause needless tension in the alliance when Seoul and Washington should strengthen cooperation in their efforts to denuclearize North Korea.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jul .
19 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .


yna--2020-07-19--'Hallyu' boosts demand for Korean ice cream in Vietnam: report

Experts say the growth was attributable to the cultural wave of `` hallyu '' in Asian countries , which refers @ @ @ @ @ Korea-made entertainment goods , including pop music , movies and TV dramas .
The popularity @ @ @ @ @ for South Korean goods , including foodstuffs .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of ice cream to Vietnam jumped 30 percent in 2019 from a year earlier on the back of the growing popularity of Korean culture in Southeast Asia, data showed Sunday.
Outbound shipments of ice cream to Vietnam reached US$7 million in 2019, rising sharply from $5.3 million a year earlier, according to the report released by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
In contrast, Thailand, the top player in the segment, saw its ice cream exports to Vietnam only edge up 1.8 percent to $8.8 million. South Korea took up 35.6 percent of Vietnam's ice cream imports in 2019.
Experts say the growth was attributable to the cultural wave of "hallyu" in Asian countries, which refers to the boom of South Korea-made entertainment goods, including pop music, movies and TV dramas. The popularity of hallyu beefed up demand for South Korean goods, including foodstuffs.
In 2017, South Korea sold $4.15 million worth of ice cream in Vietnam, while that of Thailand came to $6.4 million.
"Vietnam is an attractive destination for ice cream producers as the country's average income has been rising steadily," KOTRA said in its report.
South Korea's combined exports to Vietnam in 2019 reached $48 billion, down 0.9 percent from a year earlier. Over the cited period, the country's exports dipped 10.4 percent amid the growing protectionism around the globe and falling prices of memory chips.
Vietnam was the third-largest export destination for Asia's No. 4 economy in 2019, with China and the United States standing as the top two.
South Korea has been making efforts to diversify its export portfolio and ease its heavy dependency on tech products, especially as the new coronavirus pandemic has strained traditional areas.
Exports of foodstuffs jumped a whopping 11.7 percent on-year in June amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, which is significant considering the country's overall shipments lost 10.9 percent over the period.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--EU to restart probe into Hyundai-Daewoo deal once data provided

`` This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide , in a timely fashion , @ @ @ @ @ that the Commission has requested from them , '' Maria Tsoni , a spokesperson at @ @ @ @ @ an email to Yonhap News Agency .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- The European Union's (EU) antitrust regulator said Sunday it will resume its investigation into the merger of two South Korean shipbuilders if information requested is provided in a timely manner.
Last Monday, the EU's Competition Commission stopped the clock in its in-depth investigation into a proposed US$1.8 billion acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) by Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co. (HHIH), without providing the reason for the halt.
"This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide, in a timely fashion, an important piece of information that the Commission has requested from them," Maria Tsoni, a spokesperson at the Commission, said in an email to Yonhap News Agency.
To comply with merger deadlines, parties must supply the necessary information for the investigation in a timely fashion, the spokesperson said, adding that "failure to do so will lead the Commission to stop the clock."
The latest probe halt was the third of its kind by the Commission after the previous two suspensions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In January and March, the Commission suspended its review of the acquisition due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Commission resumed its investigation into the acquisition deal on June 3, aiming for its completion by early September.
"The step by the EU antitrust watchdog is one of the normal procedures of the business combination review. We will sincerely cooperate with the Commission as requested," said Park Joon-su, a spokesman at Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., the subholding company of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co.
This photo provided by Hyundai Heavy Industry Co. shows a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier built by the shipbuilder. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
However, the acquisition has faced strong opposition from unionized workers at DSME, who have called for job security.
The Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU), an umbrella labor union, said in June that the Commission allowed KMWU president Kim Ho-gyun to join in the Commission's investigation at its request.
The Commission's decision will enable the KMWU to look over data related to the planned acquisition and convey its opinion at hearings by the Commission, union officials said.
On July 9, the KMWU submitted its opinion to the Commission that the acquisition may beef up the monopoly status of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings in the local shipbuilding market.
Industry sources said the investigation will focus on whether the deal will hurt market competition in the shipbuilding field of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petrochemical gas (LPG) carriers.
Last December, the Commission expressed concern that the proposed deal may push up ship prices, which will hurt European companies' competitiveness in the construction of cargo ships.
The deal needs regulatory approval from six countries -- South Korea, China, Kazakhstan, Japan, the European Union and Singapore. Kazakhstan approved the deal in October 2019.
This photo provided by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. shows a container carrier being built by the shipbuilder at its shipyard on Geoje Island. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In March 2019, Hyundai Heavy Industries signed the deal to buy a 55.72 percent stake in Daewoo Shipbuilding in a deal that could create the world's biggest shipbuilder with a 21 percent share of the global shipbuilding market.
In a bid to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding, Hyundai Heavy Industry Group has split Hyundai Heavy Industries into two entities -- Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. (KSOE), a subholding company that governs shipbuilding units under the group, and a reorganized Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.
KSOE currently manages the group's three shipbuilding units -- Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co.
If the acquisition deal goes ahead, Hyundai Heavy Industries Group will have four shipbuilders under its wing -- Hyundai Heavy, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Daewoo Shipbuilding.
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(LEAD) N.K. leader discusses 'war deterrent' at Central Military Commission meeting

`` Then there was a closed meeting ... to examine the strategic mission of the major units for coping with @ @ @ @ @ vicinity of the Korean Peninsula and the potential military threat and the alert posture and @ @ @ @ @ of further bolstering a war deterrent of the country , '' it added .

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with more info, photo)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over a Central Military Commission meeting of the ruling Workers' Party and discussed "the key issues of further bolstering a war deterrent of the country," state media reported Sunday.
The meeting held on Saturday also examined the "strategic mission" of major military units for coping with the "military situation around the Korean Peninsula" and approved "major key munitions production plan indices," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
"The enlarged meeting discussed issues of intensifying the party's education and guidance of commanders and political officials of the people's army" and "stressed the need to thoroughly arm the young commanding officers," the KCNA said.
"Then there was a closed meeting... to examine the strategic mission of the major units for coping with the military situation in the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula and the potential military threat and the alert posture and to discuss the key issues of further bolstering a war deterrent of the country," it added.
Kim signed the orders to execute tasks that had been dealt with during the meetings.
The KCNA called the measures taken by the meetings a "historic decision" that will "guarantee the future of the Juche revolution with reliable military muscle." Juche refers to the North's self-reliance ideology.
The KCNA, however, did not say what measures related to the "war deterrent" were discussed during the closed meeting, though the term usually nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Nor did it mention any measures related to South Korea.
Saturday's meeting came after Kim attended a preliminary session of the Central Military Commission in mid-June and suspended all military plans that the North had threatened to take against South Korea in anger over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
During that meeting, the North also discussed measures to bolster "the war deterrent."
The latest party meeting was attended by Ri Pyong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other high-ranking military officials, according to the KCNA.
It marked Kim's first public appearance in 11 days since he visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to mark the 26th anniversary of the death of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung earlier this month.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Worker's Party in this photo captured from the web site of the Korean Central News Agency on July 19, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--N.K. leader attends Central Military Commission meeting, discusses war deterrent

The meeting held on Saturday also examined the `` strategic mission '' of major military units for coping with the @ @ @ @ @ Korean Peninsula '' and approved `` major key munitions production plan indices , '' according @ @ @ @ @ Agency .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over a Central Military Commission meeting of the ruling Workers' Party and discussed "the key issues of further bolstering a war deterrent of the country," state media reported Sunday.
The meeting held on Saturday also examined the "strategic mission" of major military units for coping with the "military situation around the Korean Peninsula" and approved "major key munitions production plan indices," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(URGENT) N. Korea discusses 'key issues of further bolstering a war deterrent'


yna--2020-07-19--(URGENT) N.K. leader presides over enlarged Central Military Commission meeting


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(END)


yna--2020-07-18--Zombie film 'Peninsula' tops 1 mln admissions on 4th day

Released Wednesday , the sequel to the 2016 megahit zombie blockbuster `` Train to Busan '' attracted 1.01 million viewers @ @ @ @ @ according to Next Entertainment World Co. , or NEW .

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- The zombie action film "Peninsula" topped 1 million admissions in South Korea on Saturday, the fourth day of its run, the film's distributor said.
Released Wednesday, the sequel to the 2016 megahit zombie blockbuster "Train to Busan" attracted 1.01 million viewers as of 8:10 a.m., according to Next Entertainment World Co., or NEW.
Its pace matched that of the 2014 drama "Ode to My Father," the fourth-most watched film at the South Korean box office with a total of 14.3 million moviegoers.
On the opening day, it drew 350,000 viewers to set the highest first-day score in 2020.
Director Yeon Sang-ho (L) and cast members of the zombie action film "Peninsula" celebrate the film's surpassing of 1 million in total admissions on July 18, 2020, in this photo provided by NEW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, it is also on a roll outside Korea, topping box offices in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia where "Peninsula" hit local screens this week.
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gang Dong-won and Lee Jung-hyun, "Peninsula" tells a tale of survivors on the zombie-infested Korean Peninsula four years after the events in "Train to Busan."
The new movie was officially invited to this year's Cannes Film Festival and pre-sold to over 180 nations and territories, including Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Britain, and France.
A scene from "Peninsula" by NEW (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(4th LD) New infections stay below 40 for 2nd day as imported cases dwindle

In the past two weeks through Saturday , the number of confirmed cases of the virus averaged at 10.2 , @ @ @ @ @ previous two weeks and 40.4 in the two-week period from June 6-13 , as the @ @ @ @ @ measures in densely populated areas .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline and lead; ADDS health minister's comment on religious gatherings in paras 8-10)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily virus infections hovered below 40 for the second straight day on Sunday, but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first time in over a week.
The country identified 34 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,745. Of the newly reported cases, 21 were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marks the first time in eight days that the country reported more locally transmitted cases than imported cases.
Medical workers rest at a makeshift virus test center in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
With the number of daily local transmissions staying around 20 or below, the government said Sunday it will lift coronavirus restrictions on public facilities, such as museums, galleries and libraries, in the Seoul metropolitan area starting Monday.
In a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government "plans to resume operations of convenient facilities frequented by citizens, such as public libraries and art museums."
The health authorities asked museums, galleries and libraries to introduce an electronic visitor registration system based on quick response (QR) code verification technology and to limit the number of visitors to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The reopening of the facilities comes 1 1/2 months after the government ordered around 8,000 public facilities, including museums and galleries, in Seoul and neighboring areas to suspend operations on May 29.
Health Minister Park Neunghoo said Sunday the authorities will consider easing restrictions on churches, as few cluster infections linked to church gatherings were reported in the past two weeks.
"Cluster infections related to religious facilities have fallen sharply. If infection levels remain low, the authorities will be able to lift restrictions on churches sooner or later," Park said.
Starting July 10, South Korea started prohibiting churches nationwide from organizing gatherings other than regular worship services. The QR code-based registration scheme was applied at churches as well.
Meanwhile, 12 types of risky venues, including karaoke facilities and bars, are still required to follow the government's strict quarantine measures. In addition, spectators will continue to not be allowed to attend professional baseball and other sports games, the KCDC said.
In the past two weeks through Saturday, the number of confirmed cases of the virus averaged at 10.2, down from 19.3 in the previous two weeks and 40.4 in the two-week period from June 6-13, as the authorities continue to strengthen quarantine measures in densely populated areas.
"Most of the COVID-19 indicators are improving but there are still infections involving small gatherings in companies and communities. It is not the time for the authorities to reduce efforts in controlling the virus," KCDC said.
People sanitize their hands before boarding a train at a train station in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 21 local transmissions reported Sunday, 10 were identified in Seoul, with 10 cases reported in Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. One case was confirmed in Daejeon, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
The 10 new cases in Seoul put the capital's overall caseload at 1,474. Nine of the 10 new cases confirmed in Gwangju came from those who had come in close contact with an infected person from Seoul.
As of Sunday at noon, 13 additional cases were confirmed to have been traced to an office in southern Seoul, raising the number of related cases to 32.
According to the KCDC, 11 related cases were reported in Gwangju, with two more virus patients identified in Seoul.
The country's death toll came to 295, with one more virus-caused death reported, according to the KCDC.
As of Sunday, 12,556 of the infected have been released after a full recovery, up 37 from a day before.
The number of the infected still in quarantine or under treatment came to 894, down from 898 on Saturday.
The country had launched a strict social distancing campaign in March, shutting down public facilities, after the nation reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
It switched to a more lax "social distancing in everyday life" scheme in early May after the country began to see less than 20 new cases per day since April 18.
The public facilities were again shut down in June after the country reported a series of cluster infections linked to large distribution centers and night spots in Seoul's Itaewon.
Also on Sunday, the prime minister instructed the government to consider making Aug. 17 a makeshift national holiday.
It, he said, "will be designed to offer some rest to the people and medical workers who are exhausted physically and emotionally and to support the recovery in domestic consumption."
In this photo taken on July 19, 2020, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun instructs the government to consider holding a makeshift national holiday on Aug. 17 as COVID-19 pandemic prolongs at a meeting with health officials in the Government Complex Seoul building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--S. Korean soprano Sumi Jo wins art award in Italy

The single was produced to support a fundraising project led by the Umberto Veronesi Foundation in the fight against COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ those who have lost their lives to the virus .
All proceeds will be donated @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- Grammy Award-winning South Korean soprano Sumi Jo has won an award in Italy's global film and music festival, according to the singer on Sunday.
Sumi Jo has received the art award in the music division of the 2020 Ischia Global Film and Music Festival for her contribution to the film industry and efforts to help cope with the new coronavirus outbreak, according to Jo.
This month, Jo put out a new single album titled "Life is a Miracle" in Italy, paying tribute to the victims of COVID-19. The album was produced in collaboration with Italian pianist Giovanni Allevi and tenor-guitarist Federico Paciotti.
The single was produced to support a fundraising project led by the Umberto Veronesi Foundation in the fight against COVID-19 and to pay respect to those who have lost their lives to the virus. All proceeds will be donated to the foundation.
This photo, provided by Sumi Jo and taken on July 19, 2020, shows the soprano holding up her award during the 2020 Ischia Global Film and Music Festival held in Italy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(3rd LD) New virus cases stay below 40 for 2nd day as imported cases dwindle

(ATTN: ADDS 3rd photo and reopening of public facilities in paras 8-12)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the second straight day on Sunday, but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first time in over a week.
The country identified 34 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,745. Of the newly reported cases, 21 were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marks the first time in eight days that the country reported more locally transmitted cases than imported cases.
Medical workers rest at a makeshift virus test center in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
With the number of daily local transmissions staying around 20 or below, the government said Sunday it will lift coronavirus restrictions on public facilities, such as museums, galleries and libraries, in the Seoul metropolitan area starting Monday.
In a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government "plans to resume operations of convenient facilities frequented by citizens, such as public libraries and art museums."
The health authorities asked museums, galleries and libraries to introduce an electronic visitor registration system based on quick response (QR) code verification technology and to limit the number of visitors to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The reopening of the facilities comes 1 1/2 months after the government ordered around 8,000 public facilities, including museums and galleries, in Seoul and neighboring areas to suspend operations on May 29.
But 12 types of risky venues, including karaoke facilities and bars, are still required to follow the government's strict quarantine measures. In addition, spectators will continue to not be allowed to attend professional baseball and other sports games, the KCDC said.
In the past two weeks through Saturday, the number of confirmed cases of the virus averaged at 10.2, down from 19.3 in the previous two weeks and 40.4 in the two-week period from June 6-13, as the authorities continue to strengthen quarantine measures in densely populated areas.
"Most of the COVID-19 indicators are improving but there are still infections involving small gatherings in companies and communities. It is not the time for the authorities to reduce efforts in controlling the virus," KCDC said.
People sanitize their hands before boarding a train at a train station in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 21 local transmissions reported Sunday, 10 were identified in Seoul, with 10 cases reported in Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. One case was confirmed in Daejeon, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
The 10 new cases in Seoul put the capital's overall caseload at 1,474. Nine of the 10 new cases confirmed in Gwangju came from those who had come in close contact with an infected person from Seoul.
As of Sunday at noon, 13 additional cases were confirmed to have been traced to an office in southern Seoul, raising the number of related cases to 32.
According to the KCDC, 11 related cases were reported in Gwangju, with two more virus patients identified in Seoul.
The country's death toll came to 295, with one more virus-caused death reported, according to the KCDC.
As of Sunday, 12,556 of the infected have been released after a full recovery, up 37 from a day before.
The number of the infected still in quarantine or under treatment came to 894, down from 898 on Saturday.
The country had launched a strict social distancing campaign in March, shutting down public facilities, after the nation reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
It switched to a more lax "social distancing in everyday life" scheme in early May after the country began to see less than 20 new cases per day since April 18.
The public facilities were again shut down in June after the country reported a series of cluster infections linked to large distribution centers and night spots in Seoul's Itaewon.
Also on Sunday, the prime minister instructed the government to consider making Aug. 17 a makeshift national holiday.
It, he said, "will be designed to offer some rest to the people and medical workers who are exhausted physically and emotionally and to support the recovery in domestic consumption."
In this photo taken on July 19, 2020, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun instructs the government to consider holding a makeshift national holiday on Aug. 17 as COVID-19 pandemic prolongs at a meeting with health officials in the Government Complex Seoul building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Seoul's museums, galleries, libraries to reopen Monday

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday it will lift coronavirus restrictions on museums, galleries and libraries in the Seoul metropolitan area starting Monday, as the virus outbreak appears to be slowing down.
The health authorities asked the public facilities to introduce an electronic visitor registration system based on quick response (QR) code verification technology and to limit the number of visitors to stem the spread of COVID-19, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
This file photo shows the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The reopening of the facilities comes after the government ordered around 8,000 public facilities, including museums and galleries, in Seoul and neighboring areas to suspend operations in late May.
But 12 types of risky venues, including karaoke facilities and bars, are still required to follow the government's strict quarantine measures. In addition, spectators will continue to not be allowed to attend professional baseball and other sports games.
In the past two weeks through Saturday, the number of confirmed cases of the virus averaged at 10.2, down from 19.3 in the previous two weeks and 40.4 in the two-week period from June 6-13, as the authorities continue to strengthen quarantine measures in densely populated areas.
The country reported 34 new daily virus cases Sunday, raising the total caseload to 13,745.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(2nd LD) New virus cases stay below 40 for 2nd day as imported cases dwindle

It , he said , `` will be designed to offer some rest to the people and medical workers who @ @ @ @ @ and to support the recovery in domestic consumption . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with prime minister's remarks on the possible removal of lockdowns on public facilities in paras 8-16)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the second straight day on Sunday, but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first time in over a week.
The country identified 34 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,745. Of the newly reported cases, 21 were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Medical workers rest at a makeshift virus test center in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
It marks the first time in eight days that the country reported more locally transmitted cases than imported cases.
Still, the tally marks a steady decline from 61 new infections reported Thursday and 60 on Friday, largely due to high numbers of imported cases.
As of Sunday, South Korea has seen double-digit figures of imported cases for 24 consecutive days.
The recent high numbers of imported cases have partly been attributed to a number of South Korean workers returning from Iraq and a series of cluster infections on Russian-flagged vessels docked in the country's southeastern port city of Busan.
Seoul plans to send a chartered flight to the Middle Eastern country this week to bring home more citizens.
With the number of daily local transmissions staying around 20 or below, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said health authorities may consider removing lockdowns on public facilities, including libraries.
"(The government) plans to resume operations of convenient facilities frequented by citizens, such as public libraries and art museums," Chung said at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
The country had launched a strict social distancing campaign, shutting down all such facilities, in March, after the nation reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
It switched to a more lax "social distancing in everyday life" scheme in early May after the country began to see less than 20 new cases per day since April 18.
The public facilities were again shut down in June after the country reported a series of cluster infections linked to large distribution centers and night spots in Seoul's Itaewon.
Chung said the facilities, even if reopened, will be run under strict quarantine measures that will include mandatory face masks and a limited number of people allowed to enter at a given time.
On a different note, the prime minister instructed the government to consider holding a makeshift national holiday on Aug. 17.
It, he said, "will be designed to offer some rest to the people and medical workers who are exhausted physically and emotionally and to support the recovery in domestic consumption."
People sanitize their hands before boarding a train at a train station in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 21 local transmissions reported Sunday, 10 were identified in Seoul, with 10 cases reported in Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. One case was confirmed in Daejeon, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
The 10 new cases in Seoul put the capital's overall caseload at 1,474.
Nine of the 10 new cases confirmed in Gwangju came from those who had come in close contact with an infected person from Seoul.
As of Sunday at noon, 13 additional cases were confirmed to have been traced to an office in southern Seoul, raising the number of related cases to 32.
According to the KCDC, 11 related cases were reported in Gwangju, with two more virus patients identified in Seoul.
The country's death toll came to 295, with one more virus-caused death reported, according to the KCDC.
As of Sunday, 12,556 of the infected have been released after a full recovery, up 37 from a day before.
The number of the infected still in quarantine or under treatment came to 894, down from 898 on Saturday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(2nd LD) PM Chung calls for 'caution' in mulling opening greenbelt zones

`` What is right is that we should take a very cautious approach .
That is because the greenbelts can @ @ @ @ @ are damaged , '' he said in an interview with the local broadcaster KBS .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called Sunday for "caution" in considering lifting greenbelt zones in the Seoul metropolitan area to address the country's housing supply shortage, warning they can't be restored once damaged.
The ruling Democratic Party and the government have been weighing the option of lifting the development restrictions on greenbelt zones, although activists and other opponents raised concerns over its environmental impact and claimed it should be mulled only as a "last resort."
"What is right is that we should take a very cautious approach. That is because the greenbelts cannot be restored once they are damaged," he said in an interview with the local broadcaster KBS.
This photo, taken on July 17, 2020, shows Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaking during a policy coordination meeting at the government complex in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The prime minister noted that the government has yet to finalize its decision on whether to lift the greenbelt restrictions to secure more land for the construction of new homes in Seoul and in its surrounding areas.
"We are at a stage where we are reviewing all possibilities," Chung said.
"We will formulate and announce refined policy measures -- rather than measures hastily cobbled together -- at the earliest possible date," he added.
A senior official at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae also said that a decision on the greenbelt issue has yet to be reached.
"We need to think more about the issue," the official told reporters. "Wouldn't we have to comprehensively weigh the efficacy and costs (associated with the lifting of restrictions on greenbelt zones)?"
Over the past week, senior public and ruling party officials, including Kim Sang-jo, presidential chief of staff for policy, have said that the government will mull lifting greenbelt restrictions.
Their remarks polarized the public as critics argue that there can be other alternatives to secure more construction space while keeping intact the greenbelt zones, which they call the "lungs" of the bustling city.
The premier said that it is "inappropriate" for policymakers to make a flurry of remarks on policy measures that are not finalized, while warning those remarks could confuse the public and give a "wrong signal" to the market.
Development restriction areas in Seoul reach about 150 square kilometers, or 25 percent of its total area.
The Seoul metropolitan government has long opposed the idea of easing restrictions on greenbelt areas, citing the need to protect the environment and avoid excessive expansion of the city.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, bandied about as a potential presidential contender for the ruling party, also voiced opposition to the lifting of greenbelt development restrictions, warning "losses will outweigh gains."
"There is a need to reconsider the idea of expanding home supplies by damaging greenbelt zones," Lee told Yonhap News Agency over the phone.
"We need to be cautious, because if we lift the restrictions on greenbelt zones in important swaths of land in southern Seoul, chances are high that they would become assets for real estate speculation," he added.
The ruling party and government have been agonizing over how to rein in the continued rise in home prices amid growing public anger at its plan to impose higher tax rates on multiple homeowners, which critics say would only lead to a further increase in housing rental costs.
The median price of Seoul apartments jumped 52 percent from 606 million won (US$505,000) to 920 million won in three years since the Moon Jae-in administration came into office in May 2017, according to property data from KB Kookmin Bank.
Record-low interest rates and excess liquidity, which has been pumped into the market to help revive the virus-hit economy, have contributed to soaring home prices, analysts said.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(LEAD) Heavy rain advisories lifted for parts of Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province

In the morning , parts of Seoul , Incheon and Gyeonggi Province were under the heavy rain advisories , which @ @ @ @ @ to record 60 millimeters of precipitation for three hours or more than 100 mm for @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- The state weather agency on Sunday lifted heavy rain advisories for parts of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province that were hit by morning downpours.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that as of 11 a.m., the advisories were removed for northeastern Seoul, including Nowon, Seongbuk and other counties, as well as Ganghwa Island in Incheon, west of Seoul.
It also lifted the advisory for nine regions of Gyeonggi Province, including Namyangju, Paju, Uijeongbu, Gimpo, Hanam and Guri. But Pocheon and Yeoncheon are still under the advisory.
For the five northwestern border islands, such as Yeonpyeong Island, the KMA issued advisories for both heavy rain and strong winds.
In the morning, parts of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province were under the heavy rain advisories, which are applied to areas projected to record 60 millimeters of precipitation for three hours or more than 100 mm for 12 hours.
As the torrential rains pounded the capital in the morning, the Seoul municipality restricted citizens' access to the walking paths along Cheonggye Stream, a popular attraction that runs through downtown Seoul.
Earlier in the day, the KMA forecast downpours in parts of North Korea, calling for residents in northern regions to be careful about the possibility of a sudden increase in water levels in the Imjin and Hantan rivers near the inter-Korean border.
This file photo shows a notice restricting access to a walking path along Cheonggye Stream, a popular attraction that runs through downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Moon's adviser pushes for inter-Korean city-to-city cooperation projects

Once the MOUs with the cities are signed , Im 's foundation plans to help each city find its sister @ @ @ @ @ has a shared area of two-way cooperation and ensure smooth communication between the two cities @

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- A new foreign policy adviser to President Moon Jae-in is pushing for cooperation projects among the cities of the two Koreas, his aide said Sunday, in his first public initiative since his appointment earlier this month.
Im Jong-seok, Moon's former chief of staff, is seeking to craft memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the nonprofit Foundation of Inter-Korean Cooperation and 30 South Korean cities to link them with their sister cities in North Korea. Im is the foundation's chief.
"Currently, efforts are under way to seek the MOUs between the foundation and regional municipalities," an aide to Im told Yonhap News Agency over the phone.
Once the MOUs with the cities are signed, Im's foundation plans to help each city find its sister city in the North that has a shared area of two-way cooperation and ensure smooth communication between the two cities.
The foundation will finalize intercity cooperation schemes and propose them to the North later.
It will also seek to enact provincial ordinances to ensure that cross-border projects will not be affected by any change of municipal leaders.
Im's push for engagement with the North comes as Seoul is seeking cross-border cooperation projects to ease military tensions and build mutual trust as part of broader efforts to lay the groundwork for lasting peace on the divided peninsula.
This photo, provided by the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, shows Im Jong-seok, special foreign policy adviser to President Moon Jae-in. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--(LEAD) New virus cases stay below 40 for 2nd day as imported cases dwindle

SEOUL , July 19 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the @ @ @ @ @ , but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, additional information in paras 8-11, photos)
SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new daily virus cases hovered below 40 for the second straight day on Sunday, but the number of local transmissions outpaced that of imported cases for the first time in over a week.
The country identified 34 new cases, raising the total caseload to 13,745. Of the newly reported cases, 21 were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Medical workers rest at a makeshift virus test center in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
It marks the first time in eight days that the country reported more locally transmitted cases than imported cases.
Still, the tally marks a steady decline from 61 new infections reported Thursday and 60 on Friday, largely due to high numbers of imported cases.
As of Sunday, South Korea has seen double-digit figures of imported cases for 24 consecutive days.
The recent high numbers of imported cases have partly been attributed to a number of South Korean workers returning from Iraq and a series of cluster infections on Russian-flagged vessels docked in the country's southeastern port city of Busan.
Seoul plans to send a chartered flight to the Middle Eastern country this week to bring home more citizens.
Of the 21 local transmissions, 10 were identified in Seoul, with 10 cases reported in Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. One case was confirmed in Daejeon, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
People sanitize their hands before boarding a train at a train station in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The 10 new cases in Seoul put the capital's overall caseload at 1,474.
Nine of the 10 new cases confirmed in Gwangju came from those who had come in close contact with an infected person from Seoul.
As of Sunday at noon, 13 additional cases were confirmed to have been traced to an office in southern Seoul, raising the number of related cases to 32.
According to the KCDC, 11 related cases were reported in Gwangju, with two more virus patients identified in Seoul.
The country's death toll came to 295, with one more virus-caused death reported, according to the KCDC.
As of Sunday, 12,556 of the infected have been released after a full recovery, up 37 from a day before.
The number of the infected still in quarantine or under treatment came to 894, down from 898 on Saturday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-19--Seoul to add more electricity-powered buses

SEOUL , July 19 ( Yonhap ) -- The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Sunday that it will sharply increase @ @ @ @ @ as part of the country 's green mobility campaign .

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Sunday that it will sharply increase the number of electricity-powered buses as part of the country's green mobility campaign.
The municipality of Seoul plans to add 166 electric buses in the second half, raising the annual purchase of such vehicles to 257 in 2020.
The purchase will raise the total number of electric buses on the roads in the South Korean capital to 392. The city bought 135 electric buses in 2019.
Seoul has expanded the operation of electric buses since their pilot launch in November 2018 in a bid to reduce fine dust pollution, in addition to natural gas-powered buses.
The city government said electric buses are energy cost-saving, as one such bus can save about 12.6 million won (US$10,500) per year.
Seoul set aside 24.8 billion won to foster green energy public transportation in the second half.
Part of the funds came from the country's third extra budget aimed at tackling the new coronavirus pandemic's economic fallout.
This undated file photo shows an electric city bus in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)