Yonhap News Summary

`` It has been 19 months since the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation launched an investigation , and their @ @ @ @ @ five months , '' members of an organization representing the victims said in a press @ @ @ @ @ the commission 's office in central Seoul , referring to the panel that was formed @ @ @ @ @ dealing with social disasters .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
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(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap four-day winning streak amid COVID-19 uncertainties
SEOUL -- South Korean shares closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak, as economic uncertainties loom large amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 17.64 points, or 0.78 percent, to close at 2,249.37. Trading volume was high at about 679 million shares worth some 12.7 trillion won (US$10.7 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 572 to 276.
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NPS seeks to sharply increase overseas investment portfolio
SEOUL -- South Korea's health minister said Friday that the country's state pension fund needs to sharply increase its overseas investment to maximize its returns and diversify risks amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
The National Pension Service's (NPS) assets under management are expected to surpass 1,000 trillion won (US$841 billion) in 2024, with more than half invested in overseas assets, according to Health Minister Park Neung-hoo.
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Victims request special counsel over fatal humidifier sanitizer scandal
SEOUL -- Victims of a deadly humidifier sanitizer scandal that has led to at least 1,553 officially registered deaths called on Friday for a special counsel to investigate relevant government ministries as well as manufacturers who made the products.
"It has been 19 months since the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation launched an investigation, and their activity ends in less than five months," members of an organization representing the victims said in a press conference held in front of the commission's office in central Seoul, referring to the panel that was formed under a special act on dealing with social disasters.
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No joke: Reality TV K-pop act rocks music scene while raising questions of fairness
SEOUL -- From its inception, SSAK3, a one-off K-pop team created for MBC TV's weekend variety show "Hang Out With Yoo," was intended to be a silly tongue-in-cheek project, riding on the coattails of the retro boom in today's pop culture landscape.
At best, the co-ed trio, formed of two late '90s-2000s singers -- Lee Hyo-ri of girl group FIN.K.L and male soloist Rain -- and top-billed comedian-emcee Yoo Jae-suk, was expected to offer a dose of wholesome feel-good '90s nostalgia to viewers and, in doing so, a much needed boost in ratings for the TV network currently undergoing a serious financial crunch.
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N. Korea's border closure likely to increase chronic disease mortality: expert
SEOUL -- North Korea's shutdown of borders may help prevent the spread of the coronavirus but is likely to increase the mortality rates of those with chronic illnesses as the border closure could lead to shortages of medicines and other necessities, a professor said Friday.
Lee Yo-han, a public health professor at Ajou University, made the case in a paper carried by the KDI Review of the North Korean Economy magazine published by the state-run Korea Development Institute, saying the border shutdown is expected to affect the operation of local markets known as jangmadang in the North.
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(LEAD) Samsung Heavy's loss widens in Q2 on increased costs
SEOUL -- Major shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Friday that its net loss widened in the second quarter from a year earlier due to increased costs stemming from delays in shipbuilding projects
Its net loss came to 704.3 billion won (US$591.2 million) in the April-June period, compared with a net loss of 309.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Uniqlo to close 9 outlets in S. Korea amid trade dispute-caused boycott

The closure came as online shopping has gained traction amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as its sales were hit hard @ @ @ @ @ two neighboring countries over the trade tussle that started in July last year .

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo said Friday it will close nine of its stores in South Korea next month amid a sharp fall in sales stemming from the new coronavirus outbreak and a trade dispute between Seoul and Tokyo.
The closure came as online shopping has gained traction amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as its sales were hit hard by strained relations between the two neighboring countries over the trade tussle that started in July last year.
The number of Uniqlo's shops in South Korea stands at 174, compared with 187 at the end of August 2019.
Uniqlo's sales in South Korea took a beating as a growing number of Korean consumers has boycotted Japanese products since July last year in protest of Japan's export restrictions of some key industrial materials shipped to South Korea.
The bilateral ties have been strained since the top court in South Korea ordered Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor in 2018. Tokyo's subsequent export curbs against Seoul exacerbated the situation.
"We don't have a plan for further shutdown. In September, we plan to open a new store," a company official said.
This image, provided by Uniqlo, shows the logo of the Japanese fashion retailer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--(LEAD) Samsung Heavy's loss widens in Q2 on increased costs

Samsung Heavy Industries projected its earnings to improve in the second half of the year on more deals for large-sized @ @ @ @ @ ) projects despite remaining uncertainty from the COVID 19 .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details, photo throughout; RECASTS lead)
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Major shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Friday that its net loss widened in the second quarter from a year earlier due to increased costs stemming from delays in shipbuilding projects
Its net loss came to 704.3 billion won (US$591.2 million) in the April-June period, compared with a net loss of 309.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Operating loss widened to 707.7 billion won from 56.3 billion won, Samsung Heavy said.
Sales reached 1.69 trillion won, down 4.5 percent in the second quarter from 1.77 trillion won a year earlier.
This photo, provided by Samsung Heavy Industries Co., shows a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel at its shipyard on the country's southeastern Geoje Island on Nov. 27, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Operating loss was made by increased one-off factors, like a drop in drill ship prices stemming from decreasing oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic," the company said in a separate statement.
It also said increased costs caused by delays in offshore plant projects were responsible for the increased losses.
Samsung Heavy Industries projected its earnings to improve in the second half of the year on more deals for large-sized liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects despite remaining uncertainty from the COVID 19.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--(Yonhap Interview) Lufthansa eyes more flights to S. Korea on eased virus woes

`` We are more than happy to be able to serve our Korean customers again and are satisfied to date @ @ @ @ @ as circumstances allow it , we will increase the number of weekly flights between Korea @ @ @ @ @ Arias , general manager of Lufthansa 's South Korean operations , said in a recent @ @ @ @ @ .

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Lufthansa Group Airlines, Europe's biggest airline group, will increase the number of flights between Incheon and German cities, as the new coronavirus outbreak in Europe appears to have passed its peak, a Lufthansa executive said.
Lufthansa resumed three flights a week from Incheon to Munich on June 24, as European countries began to ease entry restrictions in June.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the German carrier's two routes to Incheon from Munich and Frankfurt to a halt in mid-March due to virus fears.
"We are more than happy to be able to serve our Korean customers again and are satisfied to date with demand. As soon as circumstances allow it, we will increase the number of weekly flights between Korea and Germany," Alejandro Arias, general manager of Lufthansa's South Korean operations, said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency.
In this photo, taken on July 30, 2020, Alejandro Arias, general manager of Lufthansa's South Korean operations, stands holding a model airplane of the A350-900 against a map of the world at the airline's Seoul office. (Yonhap)
Given his comments, the Incheon-Frankfurt route is expected to normalize in the near future once the travel restrictions in the single economic bloc are eased.
Rapid tests for COVID-19 are available at the Munich and Frankfurt airports, and test results come out after three to four hours, according to Lufthansa.
To meet holiday and business demand, Lufthansa Group Airlines plans to serve 90 percent of all originally planned short-and medium-haul destinations and over 70 percent of the long-haul destinations by the end of October, he said.
"The unprecedented coronavirus crisis has affected the long-haul business of every airline worldwide since the end of March. But we are currently seeing signs of recovery," the 56-year-old German native said.
By October, over 380 Lufthansa Group aircraft will be in service, which means half of the group's fleet would be in the air again, 200 more aircraft than in June, according to Arias.
Lufthansa was one of the first European airlines to resume flights to and from Korea in June. The resumption came three months after it suspended all flights on the routes from Incheon to Munich and Frankfurt in mid-March due to declining travel demand following the virus outbreak.
Turkish Airlines and Polish Airlines also resumed flights in June, with Air France and Finland's state-owned airline Finnair back to services in July. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has continued to offer flights between South Korea and the Netherlands despite the pandemic.
"As the world's 12th largest economy, Korea is an important market for the Lufthansa Group. Lufthansa's vision is to be a leader in innovation and digitalization, and I regard Korea as the perfect market to drive this development," Arias said.
To woo Korean customers "who have growing desire to discover the world," Lufthansa hired Korean cabin crew on every flight between the two countries and offers Korean-style catering on board, as well as in-flight entertainment and all other services in the Korean language.
The general manager did not reveal how many passengers use the Incheon-Munich route a week.
There are no Korean airlines that offer flights on the Incheon-Munich route for now.
The country's two full-service carriers -- Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- currently offer flights from Incheon to Frankfurt to meet demand mainly from students and businessmen.
This undated file photo, provided by Lufthansa Group Airlines, shows the group's airline affiliates -- Austrian Airlines (from left), Lufthansa German Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Eurowings and Brussels Airlines. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
As part of efforts to attract Korean passengers, Lufthansa has partnered with Korean firms, such as online shopping mall Interpark Corp., to introduce the new distribution capability (NDC) system, a brand-new digital channel that enables travelers to customize their travel experience through content differentiation from bookings to in-flight meals.
"The successful introduction of NDC is one example how we believe that Korea is the right place for such investments," Arias said.
As for new business ties with Korean firms, the general manager said Lufthansa will continue to explore opportunities to cooperate with Korean partners to drive innovation and digitalization in the travel industry.
Faced with the pandemic, Arias said the company had taken several key measures and has a clear plan on how to sustain recovery from this unprecedented crisis that hit airlines out of nowhere.
"We have secured a stabilization package worth 9 billion euros (US$10.7 billion) from the German government and will carry out a comprehensive restructuring program to ensure the future viability of our company," he said.
Lufthansa expects to have 100 aircraft less in the group's overall fleet in 2023, when the coronavirus crisis is expected to be over.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap four-day winning streak amid COVID-19 uncertainties

Investors attempted to lock in gains after the U.S. economy contracted by the most in 73 years in the second @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak, as economic uncertainties loom large amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 17.64 points, or 0.78 percent, to close at 2,249.37. Trading volume was high at about 679 million shares worth some 12.7 trillion won (US$10.7 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 572 to 276.
Foreigners sold a net 86 billion won, ending a five-session buying streak. Institutions offloaded a net 394 billion won, while retail investors purchased a net 473 billion won.
Electronic signboard at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,249.37 on July 31, 2020, down 17.64 points or 0.78 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Investors attempted to lock in gains after the U.S. economy contracted by the most in 73 years in the second quarter.
"The steep fall in the U.S. quarterly growth, consumption and facility investment generates negative pressure on export-driven markets like South Korea," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities Co.
In contrast, South Korea's industrial output, retail sales and facility investment showed on-month growth in June. It is the first time in six months that all three indices increased.
Most large caps closed in negative terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics dropped 1.86 percent to 57,900 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix lost 2.93 percent to 82,800 won.
Top pharmaceutical company Samsung Biologics shed 0.41 percent to 733,000 won, with Celltrion down 1.17 percent to 296,500 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, dropped 0.78 percent to 126,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors retreating 0.74 percent to 40,400 won.
Auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis dipped 2.11 percent to 205,500 won.
Leading game publisher NCSOFT fell 1.7 percent to 811,000 won, and giant steelmaker POSCO lost 2.76 percent to 193,500 won.
Among gainers, chemical heavyweight LG Chem spiked 7.17 percent to 568,000 won, thanks to robust second-quarter earnings from improved EV battery output.
Internet giant Naver advanced 2.38 percent to 301,000 won, with its rival Kakao jumping 3.46 percent to 343,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,191.30 won per dollar, up 3.1 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 0.3 basis point to 0.796 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond slipped 0.6 basis point to 1.031 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Hyosung Q2 net profit down 57.2 pct. to 36.8 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the April-June period fell 83.3 percent on-year to 17.6 @ @ @ @ @ 29.9 percent to 659.8 billion won .

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyosung Corp. on Friday reported its second-quarter net income of 36.8 billion won (US$ 30.9 million), down 57.2 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the April-June period fell 83.3 percent on-year to 17.6 billion won. Revenue decreased 29.9 percent to 659.8 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--(2nd LD) Two-star Marine Corps general to be relieved of command over N.K. defector's border crossin

(2nd LD) Two-star Marine Corps general to be relieved of command over N.K. defector's border crossing

The border crossing near the western island of Ganghwa by the 24-year-old man , surnamed Kim , became known after @ @ @ @ @ a `` runaway '' returned home in the border city of Kaesong with coronavirus symptoms @ @ @ @ @ was blocked off to prevent the spread of the virus .

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd photo, more info in paras 6, 11-12; UPDATES with minor edits)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) decided to relieve a two-star Marine Corps general of his command over a border security failure in connection with a North Korean defector's recent return to his communist homeland, officials said Friday.
The border crossing near the western island of Ganghwa by the 24-year-old man, surnamed Kim, became known after North Korea reported Sunday that a "runaway" returned home in the border city of Kaesong with coronavirus symptoms and that the entire city was blocked off to prevent the spread of the virus.
South Korean officials said Kim had been under investigation over allegations he raped a female defector.
According to the JCS' probe results, Kim was caught on the military's surveillance equipment seven times -- five on its monitoring cameras, twice on thermal observation devices (TODs) -- including his arrival in the North, but troops failed to identify him as a person trying to cross the border.
The defector passed through a drainage tunnel running underneath barbed wire fences to evade South Korean border guards before reaching the shore and swimming a few kilometers to North Korea.
The fences set up inside the drainage tunnel were in poor condition, allowing the defector to pass through them easily, they said. It took just around 10 minutes for Kim to pass through the channel and reach the river separating the two Koreas.
The JCS will seek disciplinary measures against those accountable, including the dismissal of Maj. Gen. Baek Gyeong-sun as commander of the Marine Corps' 2nd Division in charge of border security at the area, officials said.
This photo, taken on July 27, 2020, shows a drain that runs under barbed wire fences in the northern part of Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, which may have been used by a North Korean defector to return home. The military said a bag belonging to the 24-year-old man, only identified by his family name Kim, was found near the drain. Authorities speculated that the defector swam to North Korea. (Yonhap)
Kim entered the water at 2:46 a.m. on July 18 and reached the North's territory in about 75 minutes using the tide.
A guard on duty some 200 meters away saw a taxi carrying Kim arrive near the border at 2:18 a.m. but did not take any action as he thought of the passenger as a nearby resident, officials said.
Near the water tunnel, police later found a backpack with Kim's bankbook, a Bible and first aid supplies.
South Korean authorities were not aware of the incident until North Korea's report on it.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo earlier said he learned of the case after receiving a phone call from Suh Hoon, director of national security at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, about an hour after the North's report. Jeong apologized for the security failure.
Amid growing criticism over the military's security breaches indicating lax discipline, the officials said they will inspect all such tunnels near the border and set up additional structures to prevent similar cases from recurring.
They also vowed to strengthen cooperation with the police, such as by sharing more information, to improve their readiness posture.
"The military takes this situation very gravely," a JCS official said. "We will intensively carry out follow-up measures as soon as possible and make sure we can handle any unexpected situations down the road."
This photo, taken July 27, 2020, shows a water tunnel in the northern part of Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, which was used by a North Korean defector to return to his home country as it leads to waters bordering the North. The military said a bag belonging to the 24-year-old, 163-centimeter-tall man was found near the drain. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jul. 31, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jul. 31, 2020

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


yna--2020-07-31--Hotel Shilla shifts to red in Q2

Hotel Shilla shifts to red in Q2

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted an operating loss of 63.4 billion won for the April-June @ @ @ @ @ profit of 79.2 billion won a year ago .
Revenue fell 61.4 percent to 523 @ @ @

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Hotel Shilla Co. on Friday reported its second-quarter net loss of 67.7 billion won (US$ 56.9 million), swinging from a profit of 52.1 billion won a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted an operating loss of 63.4 billion won for the April-June period, compared with a profit of 79.2 billion won a year ago. Revenue fell 61.4 percent to 523 billion won.
The operating loss was 11.4 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--BTS nominated in three categories for 2020 MTV Video Music Awards

The South Korean septet 's `` ON , '' the lead song on the band 's album `` Map of @ @ @ @ @ was nominated in the categories of Best Pop , Best Choreography and Best K-pop , @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- K-pop giant BTS won three nominations for the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, according to the American television network Thursday (local time).
The South Korean septet's "ON," the lead song on the band's album "Map of the Soul 7," was nominated in the categories of Best Pop, Best Choreography and Best K-pop, according to MTV's website.
"ON" peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon release its release in March, the strongest showing ever for a K-pop group on the American music chart.
Other nominees for Best Pop include Halsey's "You Should Be Sad," Jonas Brothers' "What a Man Gotta Do," Justin Bieber's "Intentions" featuring Quavo, Lady Gaga's "Rain On Me" with Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift's "Lover."
Nominations for Best Choreography other than BTS' "ON" went to CNCO & Natti Natasha's "Honey Boo," DaBaby's "Bop," Dua Lipa's "Physical," Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain On Me" and Normani's "Motivation."
In Best K-pop, (G)I-DLE's "Oh My God," BTS's "ON," EXO's "Obsession," MONSTA X's "Someone's Someone," TXT's "9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)" and Red Velvet's "Psycho" were also nominated.
Voting has begun on MTV's website for 15 categories, and the event will be held live on Aug. 30.
This photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment shows K-pop group BTS posing for a photo during a global news conference on its new album "Map of the Soul: 7" at COEX in Seoul on Feb. 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Netflix set to further boost presence in S. Korea via partnership with KT

So far , Netflix has been available on local rival LG Uplus Corp. 's pay TV service after the two @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 .
An LG Uplus spokesperson said Netflix will continue to be offered on @ @ @ @ @ latest deal .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Global streaming giant Netflix Inc. may further boost its presence in South Korea as its subscribers will have more access to the service through its partnership with local telecom operator KT Corp.
KT said Friday it will start offering Netflix's service on its pay TV platform, with KT's Olleh TV subscribers having access to Netflix from August 3.
So far, Netflix has been available on local rival LG Uplus Corp.'s pay TV service after the two companies reached a similar deal in 2018. An LG Uplus spokesperson said Netflix will continue to be offered on its platform regardless of the latest deal.
Models showcase Netflix on KT Corp.'s pay TV platform in this photo provided by KT on July 31, 2020. Netflix will be available on KT's pay TV service from Aug. 3 after the two companies reached an agreement. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The partnership with KT may allow Netflix to expand its customer base here.
Netflix held the most active mobile application users among local over-the-top (OTT) services in May at an estimated 6.37 million, according to market researcher Nielsen KoreanClick, which is far higher than local player Wavve at 3.47 million and Tving at 2.54 million.
KT's pay TV service had 7.4 million subscribers as of the end of last year, compared with LG Uplus' 4.4 million subscribers, according to ICT ministry data. The two companies at the time held a combined 35 percent share of the local pay TV market.
The announcement comes as local OTT platforms are considering consolidating their services to better compete with market leader Netflix.
Earlier this month, leading mobile carrier SK Telecom Co., which partially owns OTT platform Wavve, proposed a merger with Tving, run by local entertainment titan CJ ENM Corp.
KT, which operates OTT service Seezn, has also suggested collaboration with Tving.
Tving is already under plans to be spun off as a joint venture with broadcaster JTBC later this year to strengthen content production.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--(LEAD) Unification minister promises support for NGOs' efforts to expand cross-border exchange

`` In that sense , I would like to say that the ministry will go in tandem with the activity @ @ @ @ @ the KNCCK by providing support in terms of policy and finance , '' he added @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 8-9)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Lee In-young said on Friday that he will provide necessary support for aid organizations in their efforts to expand cross-border exchanges and cooperation with North Korea.
Lee made the remark at a meeting with the leaders of Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea (KNCCK), an umbrella group of 55 nongovernmental organizations established to facilitate cooperation among NGOs assisting the North.
"The unification ministry will respect the autonomy of civic groups like the KNCCK as much as possible if they seek to take the road toward exchanges and cooperation," Lee said.
"In that sense, I would like to say that the ministry will go in tandem with the activity of civic groups, including the KNCCK by providing support in terms of policy and finance," he added.
Lee also reiterated that he is ready to resume humanitarian assistance to North Korea, saying that such exchanges will contribute to building mutual trust, which he said would serve as a foundation to move stalled inter-Korean relations forward.
His meeting with the civic group leaders drew attention as it came a day after he expressed a willingness to work with North Korea to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the border city of Kaesong or anywhere in the communist nation.
North Korea said over the weekend that it has declared a state of emergency and sealed off Kaesong after a defector returned home from South Korea with coronavirus symptoms.
In a press release issued later in the day, the unification ministry said Lee emphasized his commitment to expanding inter-Korean cooperation in the medical sector and also vowed full support in fostering such cooperation in the private area.
The KNCCK leaders, meanwhile, called for the government's support for them to push for humanitarian exchange with North Korea "with no strings attached." They also asked for swift state approval of assistance projects in the North.
On Thursday, the ministry said it approved an aid organization's plan to send about 800 million won (US$668,900) worth of disinfectants, protective suits and virus test kits to North Korea. This marked the first approval of an aid project in the North since Lee took office earlier this week.
Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks at a meeting with leaders of the Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea (KNCCK) on July 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Summary of inter-Korean news this week

Summary of inter-Korean news this week

The North claimed Sunday that the defector returned to his hometown in the border city of Kaesong on July 19 @ @ @ @ @ he is suspected of virus infection .
The North also said leader Kim Jong-un declared @ @ @ @ @ the region and blocked off the city to prevent the virus from spreading .

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.
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Defector seems to have swum across border to N. Korea from Gangwha Island
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean defector is believed to have swum across the border from the western island of Gwanghwa after going through a drain under barbed wire fences to evade South Korean border guards, military officials said Monday.
The border crossing by the 24-year-old man was made known after North Korea revealed Sunday that a "runaway" returned home in the border city of Kaesong with coronavirus symptoms and leader Kim Jong-un blocked off the entire city and implemented a state of emergency to prevent the virus from spreading.
South Korea's military came under fire for failing to detect the crossing.
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S. Korea says runaway defector unlikely to have contracted virus, questioning N.K.'s claims
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean defector suspected to have fled to his communist homeland had neither tested positive for the coronavirus nor come into contact with confirmed patients, health officials said Monday, raising questions about Pyongyang's claims that he came back with virus symptoms.
The North claimed Sunday that the defector returned to his hometown in the border city of Kaesong on July 19 and that multiple tests showed he is suspected of virus infection. The North also said leader Kim Jong-un declared a state of emergency for the region and blocked off the city to prevent the virus from spreading.
But South Korean health officials said he is unlikely to have contracted the virus.
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New unification minister renews willingness to work with N. Korea to tackle coronavirus
SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- New Unification Minister Lee In-young said Thursday that South Korea is willing to work with North Korea to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the border city of Kaesong or anywhere in the communist nation.
Lee made the remark during a visit to the National Cemetery in Seoul after the North said over the weekend that it has declared a state of emergency and sealed off Kaesong after a defector returned home from South Korea with coronavirus symptoms.
"We take the quarantine measures in and around Kaesong seriously and are closely watching the situation," Lee told reporters during the visit to the cemetery in his first public event after taking office earlier this week.
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U.N. rapporteur: Inspection of activist groups should not undermine efforts to improve N.K. rights situation
SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's upcoming inspection of activist groups, including those run by North Korean defectors, should be carried out in a way that does not undermine their efforts to improve the North's human rights situation, a U.N. special rapporteur was quoted as saying Thursday.
Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana made the remark during a video meeting with a senior unification ministry official as the ministry has been preparing to inspect activist groups to see if they are operating in accordance with their declared business purposes.
The inspection plans came after the ministry revoked the licenses for two defector groups accused of sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets in defiance of the government's repeated calls against such activity. North Korea strongly protested the leafleting and even blew up a joint liaison office last month.
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Summary of external news of North Korea this week

`` The secretaries and ministers affirmed their support for U.S.-DPRK denuclearization negotiations and their commitment to fully implement sanctions against @ @ @ @ @ threat to security and regional stability posed by North Korea 's nuclear and ballistic missile @ @ @ @ @ in the joint statement released after the talks .

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.
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U.S. official reaffirms commitment to N.K. denuclearization
WASHINGTON, July 24 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. official has highlighted Washington's commitment to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, the State Department said Friday.
David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, delivered the position during a videoconference with senior officials from member states of the ASEAN Regional Forum on Tuesday, the department said in a press release.
The ARF meetings are among the few multilateral events attended by North Korean officials.
------------
U.S., dozens others accuse N. Korea of U.N. sanctions violations: report
WASHINGTON, July 24 (Yonhap) -- The United States and 42 other countries accused North Korea on Friday of importing more than the U.N.-permitted volume of refined petroleum and called for a halt to deliveries until the end of the year, according to a news report.
The group said in a complaint to the U.N. Security Council North Korea sanctions committee that Pyongyang is estimated to have imported more than 1.6 million barrels of refined petroleum via 56 illicit tanker deliveries in the first five months of this year, Reuters reported.
Under U.N. sanctions, North Korea can only import 500,000 barrels annually. The sanctions aim to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
------------
Satellite imagery suggests uranium enrichment ongoing at N.K. nuclear complex: U.S. monitor
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- Commercial satellite imagery suggests that North Korea is continuing activities possibly related to uranium enrichment at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, a U.S. monitor has said.
Regular appearances of railcars and what were believed to be liquid nitrogen (LN) tanker trailers at the uranium enrichment plant indicate that some sort of ongoing enrichment operations, according to 38 North.
"The continued reappearance of three to four specialized rail flatcars throughout the complex, and especially at the spur servicing these facilities, is evidence of some level of activity beyond caretaking," it said.
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U.S., Australia reaffirm support for N.K. denuclearization negotiations
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- The United States and Australia have reaffirmed their support for denuclearization negotiations with North Korea and commitment to sanctions against the communist regime's nuclear and missile programs.
The two countries made the pledge after holding "two-plus-two" ministerial consultations between their ministers and secretaries of foreign affairs and defense in Washington on Tuesday (U.S. time).
"The secretaries and ministers affirmed their support for U.S.-DPRK denuclearization negotiations and their commitment to fully implement sanctions against North Korea to counter the threat to security and regional stability posed by North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs," they said in the joint statement released after the talks.
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U.N. rapporteur: Inspection of activist groups should not undermine efforts to improve N.K. rights situation
SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's upcoming inspection of activist groups, including those run by North Korean defectors, should be carried out in a way that does not undermine their efforts to improve the North's human rights situation, a U.N. special rapporteur was quoted as saying Thursday.
Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana made the remark during a video meeting with a senior unification ministry official as the ministry has been preparing to inspect activist groups to see if they are operating in accordance with their declared business purposes.
The inspection plans came after the ministry revoked the licenses for two defector groups accused of sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets in defiance of the government's repeated calls against such activity. North Korea strongly protested the leafleting and even blew up a joint liaison office last month.
------------
Pompeo reaffirms U.S. goal of N. Korea's complete denuclearization
WASHINGTON, July 30 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday reaffirmed America's goal of North Korea's compete denuclearization, amid stalled nuclear negotiations with the communist country.
The reaffirmation came during a Senate hearing where Republican Sen. Cory Gardner asked Pompeo if Washington still pursues the "complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of the Korean Peninsula."
"It does," Pompeo responded.
------------
EU imposes first cyber sanctions against N.K., Chinese, Russian entities and individuals
SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The European Union has imposed its first-ever cyber sanctions against North Korean, Chinese and Russian entities and individuals for their involvement in cyberattacks or attempted cyberattacks against the regional bloc.
On Thursday, the EU slapped the sanctions, such as travel bans and the freezing of assets, on six individuals and three entities, including Chosun Expo, a North Korean company.
Chosun Expo is suspected of involvement in major cyberattacks around the world, including those against Hollywood film studio Sony Pictures Entertainment, as well as cybertheft from the Bangladesh Bank and attempted cybertheft from the Vietnam Tien Phong Bank, the European Council said in a document on the sanctions.
(END)


yna--2020-07-31--Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

Pak Jong-hak , the director of Asian affairs at North Korea 's foreign ministry , said in a statement that @ @ @ @ @ its principle position to uphold peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations .
@ @ @ @ @ 's goals of building trust to further peace and stability is fully in line with @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of domestic news in North Korea this week.
------------
N.K. leader adopts 'maximum emergency system' after defector returns with coronavirus symptoms
SEOUL, July 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an emergency politburo meeting of the Workers' Party and adopted the "maximum emergency system" against coronavirus after a defector returned home from South Korea with virus symptoms, state media reported Sunday.
During the meeting held on Saturday, Kim also said he took "the preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong" after the "runaway" returned to the border city on July 19 after crossing the military demarcation line, three years after fleeing to the South, the Korean Central News Agency said.
"To tackle the present situation, he declared a state of emergency in the relevant area and clarified the determination of the Party Central Committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert," the KCNA said.
------------
N.K. leader confers pistols to officers on armistice anniversary
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un marked the 67th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War by visiting a war cemetery and presenting army officers with pistols, state media said Monday.
Kim paid homage to the North's soldiers killed in the Korean War and buried at the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery to commemorate the anniversary of the armistice, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"The undying feats of the defenders of the fatherland in the 1950s, who provided the valuable mental heritage of the revolution amid the flames of the hard-fought war, would shine long in history," Kim was quoted as saying.
------------
N. Korea says it supports ARF's peace efforts on Korean Peninsula.
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday expressed its support for the international community's peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations.
Diplomats from Asia-Pacific countries held videoconferences as part of the Senior Officials' Meetings (SOM) of three regional dialogue platforms -- the ASEAN-plus-three meeting, which involves the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Korea, China and Japan; the East Asia Summit (EAS); and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) -- last Monday and Tuesday.
Pak Jong-hak, the director of Asian affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry, said in a statement that Pyongyang is committed to maintaining its principle position to uphold peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations. He added that the ARF's goals of building trust to further peace and stability is fully in line with North Korea's stance.
------------
N.K. leader says nuclear deterrence will guarantee national safety permanently
SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country's nuclear deterrence will permanently guarantee national security, as he marked the anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, state media reported Tuesday.
Kim made the remark during a speech at a national conference of veterans held Monday to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the end of the three-year conflict, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
The Korean War ended in an armistice signed on July 27, 1953, which leaves South and North Korea technically in a state of war. The North calls the war the Fatherland Liberation War and designated the armistice signing date as Victory Day.
------------
N.K. seals off Kaesong, tightens borders after defector returns with coronavirus symptoms
SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is sealing off the border city of Kaesong and tightening its borders, state media said Tuesday, after it claimed that a defector suspected of having virus symptoms recently came back home from South Korea.
The North claimed Sunday that the defector returned to his hometown in Kaesong on July 19 and that multiple tests showed he is suspected of virus infection. The North also said leader Kim Jong-un declared a state of emergency for the region and blocked off the city to prevent the virus from spreading.
"The complete lockdown of Kaesong City, as well as quarantine measures by each region and virus tests are being strictly carried out," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Tuesday.
------------
N.K. media outlet slams S. Korea for joining U.S.-led RIMPAC exercises
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday slammed South Korea for its decision to participate in a U.S.-led multinational maritime exercise slated to kick off next month amid global efforts against the coronavirus.
The biannual Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC), designed to enhance combined operational capabilities for maritime security, is set to be held from Aug. 17 to 31.
"This is clearly an invasive and provocative game of war intended to crush our republic and neighboring countries with force and to realize their ambition of dominating the Asia-Pacific region," Uriminzokkiri, one of the North's propaganda websites, said Wednesday.
------------
N. Korea's No. 2 leader visits Kaesong after lockdown amid virus fears
SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's No. 2 leader has visited the border city of Kaesong to inspect antivirus efforts, state media reported Thursday, after leader Kim Jong-un sealed off the town over virus fears following the return of a defector from South Korea.
On Sunday, North Korea said that it has put Kaesong on lockdown, claiming that a "runaway" defector suspected of COVID-19 infection recently came back from the South. Seoul later said a North Korean defector is believed to have swum across the border but doubted he had contracted the virus.
Choe Ryong-hae, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, visited Kaesong and inspected emergency antivirus efforts underway in the town, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--NGO calls on S. Korea to stop 'regulatory intimidation' against activist groups

Last month , Seoul 's unification ministry sought to check if the groups were operating in line with their declared @ @ @ @ @ critics argue was aimed at clamping down on those sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North @ @ @ @ @ activity .

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The international nongovernmental organization, Human Rights Watch, has called on South Korea to stop "regulatory intimidation" against some activist groups focusing on North Korean human rights, calling it a "political crackdown."
Last month, Seoul's unification ministry sought to check if the groups were operating in line with their declared business purposes -- a move critics argue was aimed at clamping down on those sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North despite its calls against such activity.
"The South Korean government should halt this targeted campaign of regulatory intimidation against civil society groups," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, was quoted as saying in a press release Friday.
"The recent controversy regarding cross-border leaflets should not override the need to support and protect a diverse civil society that presses North Korea to respect human rights," he added.
Robertson also said the regulatory inspection against certain groups damages South Korea's record of respect for civil and political rights.
The Seoul government has tried to restrict activist groups from floating the propaganda leaflets into the North, as Pyongyang threatened to take retaliatory steps if it did not stop such activity.
The leafleting issue has triggered an intense debate between those favoring freedom of expression and those arguing that the sending of the leaflets would needlessly aggravate tensions and endanger the safety of residents in border regions.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(3rd LD) Shincheonji leader arrested on charges of obstructing anti-virus response

`` There is some room for contention about the suspect 's alleged crimes , but some charges have been ascertained @ @ @ @ @ been circumstances indicating systematic attempts to destroy evidence .
Considering his status , it can @ @ @ @ @ there will be similar attempts in the future , '' said Judge Lee Myeong-chul .

(ATTN: UPDATES with Shincheonji's statement in paras 9-11, new figure in last para)
SUWON, South Korea, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The leader of a minor religious sect at the center of the early coronavirus outbreak in South Korea was arrested early Saturday for allegedly obstructing the government's efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.
A local court in Suwon, south of Seoul, issued an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Lee, 89, is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the sect's gatherings and where the gatherings took place in February, when the fringe religious sect became a hot spot of the virus spread in the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
He is also accused of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$4.68 million) from church funds and holding unauthorized religious events from 2015-19.
This file photo, taken March 2, 2020, shows Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, holding a press conference in Gapyeong, east of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"There is some room for contention about the suspect's alleged crimes, but some charges have been ascertained. Moreover, there have been circumstances indicating systematic attempts to destroy evidence. Considering his status, it cannot be ruled out that there will be similar attempts in the future," said Judge Lee Myeong-chul.
The judge also noted that Lee is old and has chronic ailments but is not deemed unfit for imprisonment.
Prosecutors questioned him twice, on July 17 and 23, and filed for his arrest warrant Tuesday. The court held a hearing to review the request Friday.
Seven senior officials from the group's headquarters were indicted on July 28 on charges including violation of the infectious disease control law and obstruction of justice. Three of them were arrested on July 8.
Shincheonji issued a statement later in the day, vowing all efforts to unveil the truth in upcoming court hearings.
Shincheonji church leader arrested on charges of obstruction preventing COVID-19 Youtube https://youtu.be/O0eEolzvJA8
"The court's issuance of an arrest warrant doesn't mean a guilty verdict. All possible efforts will be made to unveil the truth in the upcoming court trials," the statement said.
It also argued that Shincheonji had never attempted to interfere with authorities' quarantine efforts, saying it had only expressed concerns about authorities' excessive demand for personal information of its followers.
Some 4,000 followers, most of whom were from its branch in the southeastern city of Daegu, were infected with the coronavirus.
South Korea's COVID-19 caseload increased by 31 to 14,336 on Saturday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). More than 5,000 of them are infections associated with Shincheonji.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--Seoul stocks to be in tight range next week; data, stimulus packages in focus

Among a set of events for next week , brokerage experts pinned hopes for improvement in China 's purchasing managers @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Institute for Supply and Management ( ISM ) manufacturing index , both to @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks are expected to move in a tight range next week, as investors remain watchful over the U.S. stimulus package under way, analysts said Saturday.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,249.37 points on Friday, up 2.22 percent from 2,200.44 points a week ago.
The index increased in the first four sessions of the week, due to massive foreign buying of market heavyweights and better-than-expected earnings by Samsung Electronics and other large-cap companies.
Local analysts mostly expected the KOSPI to stay above the psychologically important 2,200-point level in the coming week.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closing at 2,249.37 on July 31, 2020, down 17.64 points, or 0.78 percent, from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Massive U.S. stimulus package and progress related to COVID-19 vaccine development may boost the local stock market.
"The market consensus is that the U.S. stimulus package will get done," said Kim Young-hwan, a NH Investment & Securities analyst.
The resurgence of the new coronavirus infections at home and overseas remain a risk factor, analysts said.
Among a set of events for next week, brokerage experts pinned hopes for improvement in China's purchasing managers index (PMI) and the U.S. Institute for Supply and Management (ISM) manufacturing index, both to be announced Monday.
"A possible increase in China's PMI and U.S. ISM manufacturing in July may boost the local stock market and set a better environment for exporters," KTB Investment & Securities analyst Park Seok-hyun said.
South Korea's exports fell 7 percent on-year in July, but their pace of decline sharply slowed on the back of economic reopenings.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(3rd LD) Export slump eases due to reopenings, chips on recovery track

`` July 's exports figures may be a positive signal for a recovery , '' Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo said @ @ @ @ @ It is significant that exports to China , the United States and the European Union @ @ @ @ @ they take up half of our shipments . ''

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports extended their slump to a fifth consecutive month in July amid the fallout of the new coronavirus, but the pace of decline slowed sharply due to reopenings, data showed Saturday.
Outbound shipments came to US$42.8 billion last month, down 7 percent from $46 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The latest figures were better than what the market had expected. According to a poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, the country's June exports were estimated to have declined by 9 percent on-year.
July's pace also marks a sharp slowdown from the 10.9 percent drop in June and the 23.7 percent decline in May.
Imports shed 11.9 percent to $38.5 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.27 billion. The country snapped its 98 straight months of having more exports than imports in April, before rebounding to the black in May.
The better-than-expected performance came as exports of chips, the mainstay product, advanced 5.6 percent over the period to reach $7.87 billion, accounting for 18.3 percent of the total outbound shipments.
The ministry attributed the growth to the recovery in demand for smartphones.
Shipments of mobile devices gained 4.5 percent, also on the back of strong demand for 5G equipment, and exports of ships advanced 18 percent to $1.78 billion.
In contrast, overseas sales of automobiles slipped 4.2 percent to $3.66 billion due to a sharp decrease in demand from Europe.
Shipments of petrochemical products dropped 21 percent to $2.96 billion due to weak oil prices.
Exports of biohealth products continued to rise on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing 47 percent on-year in the month.
With more people working from home amid the pandemic, exports of computers shot up a whopping 77.1 percent. Shipments of foodstuffs increased by 9.6 percent as more people refrained from dining out.
By country, outbound shipments to the United States rebounded for the first time since the outbreak of the new coronavirus by rising 7.7 percent, a significant improvement from the 8.3 percent decrease in June.
The recovery was mostly led by robust demand for chips by server operators.
Shipments to China increased for the second consecutive month by going up 2.5 percent on-year in July. The growth was led by petrochemical products and steel goods, as Chinese factories gradually resumed their operations.
Shipments to the European Union fell 11.1 percent due to prolonged lockdowns in some areas.
Exports to the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dropped 14.6 percent on-year. Those to Japan decreased 21.5 percent over the period amid a prolonged trade dispute.
"July's exports figures may be a positive signal for a recovery," Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo said in a statement. "It is significant that exports to China, the United States and the European Union improved in July, as they take up half of our shipments."
China accounted for roughly 27 percent of the overall exports in July, trailed by the U.S. with 15 percent and the E.U. with 9 percent.
It was also notable that the country's exports gradually improved, compared with the 2008 financial crisis, when outbound shipments went through ups and downs before reaching a full-fledged recovery, he said.
Exports by Asia's No. 4 economy were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
In February, South Korea enjoyed a 4.5 percent rise in its outbound shipments, the first on-year rebound in 14 months.
The recovery, however, was short-lived due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has clobbered the supply chain with lockdowns and social-distancing drives.
Experts say the uncertainties rising from the escalating tension between Washington and Beijing, and the upcoming U.S. presidential election may hinder the recovery of South Korea's exports.
The exports data came as the country's economy is grappling with a severe downturn amid the pandemic.
South Korea's economy contracted at a sharper rate than what had been expected in the second quarter, delivering the worst performance in over two decades, as the pandemic hammered outbound shipments and private spending.
In the April-June period, the country's real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 2.9 percent from the same period last year, marking the slowest growth since a 3.8 percent on-year contraction in the last three months of 1998.
The South Korean economy grew 2 percent in 2019, marking the slowest expansion since 2009, when it increased 0.8 percent in the aftermath of the global financial crisis
Experts say a recovery in outbound shipments will depend on how quickly key trade partners normalize their business activities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 31 more cases of new coronavirus

In a comforting development for the quarantine authorities , the number of locally transmitted cases fell back below 10 .
@ @ @ @ @ , five were from Gyeonggi Province , two from Seoul and one from North Gyeongsang @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 5-6, 10-13)
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped slightly to around 30 on Saturday, amid the country's stepped-up efforts to curb imported infections and local transmissions among vacationers at campsites.
The country reported 31 additional cases, including 23 imported ones, bringing the total caseload to 14,336, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The number of new locally transmitted cases stood at eight.
The latest tally marked a slight decrease from 36 new cases reported Friday. But health authorities tightened vigilance amid concerns about continued inflows of the virus from abroad and local contagion during the summer vacation season.
The country's imported cases have recently risen due to infections among South Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors. Imported cases, which hit a record high of 86 on July 25, have increased by double-digit numbers for more than a month.
Of the new imported cases, 14 were from Iraq, two from Uzbekistan, and one each from the Philippines, Russia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Poland, Brazil and Senegal.
Of the 23 cases from abroad, 19 were found at airports or ports, while the remainder tested positive while in quarantine at their homes or temporary accommodations.
Virus cases traced to Russian ships docked in South Korean ports have emerged as a new source of cluster infections. Starting Monday, sailors aboard ships from Russia will be required to submit a certificate showing they have tested negative for COVID-19.
South Korea also began on-board quarantine inspections on not only ships coming from Russia but also vessels departing from six high-risk countries -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Uzbekistan.
In a comforting development for the quarantine authorities, the number of locally transmitted cases fell back below 10. Of the new eight cases, five were from Gyeonggi Province, two from Seoul and one from North Gyeongsang Province.
The health authorities have recently been reinforcing efforts to stop transmissions at campsites and other vacationing sites. As of noon Friday, the number of infections linked to a campsite in Hongcheon, 100 kilometers east of Seoul, rose to nine.
The country reported no additional fatalities, leaving the death toll at 301, according to the KCDC.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,233, up 50 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,571,830 tests since Jan. 3.
People wait at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on July 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--S. Korea reports 31 more cases of new coronavirus

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped slightly to around 30 on Saturday, amid the country's stepped-up efforts to curb imported infections and local transmissions among vacationers at camp sites.
The country reported 31 additional cases, including 23 imported ones, bringing the total caseload to 14,336, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The number of new locally transmitted cases stood at eight.
The latest tally marked a slight decrease from 36 new cases reported Friday. But health authorities tightened vigilance amid concerns about continued inflows of the virus from abroad and local contagion during the summer vacation season.
The country's imported cases have recently risen due to infections among South Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors. Imported cases, which hit a record high of 86 on July 25, have increased by double-digit numbers for more than a month.
Of the new imported cases, 19 were found at airports or ports, while the remainder tested positive while in quarantine at their homes or temporary accommodations.
Virus cases traced to Russian ships docked in South Korean ports have emerged as a new source of cluster infections. Starting Monday, sailors aboard ships from Russia will be required to submit a certificate showing they have tested negative for COVID-19.
South Korea also began on-board quarantine inspections on not only ships coming from Russia but also vessels departing from six high-risk countries -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Uzbekistan.
In a comforting development for the quarantine authorities, the number of locally transmitted cases fell back below 10. Of the new eight cases, five were from Gyeonggi Province, two from Seoul and one from North Gyeongsang Province.
The country reported no additional fatalities, leaving the death toll at 301, according to the KCDC.
People wait at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on July 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 31 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 14,336: KCDC


yna--2020-08-01--(2nd LD) Export slump eases due to reopenings, chips on recovery track

The latest figures were better than what the market had expected .
According to a poll by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ News Agency , the country 's June exports were estimated to have declined by 9 @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports extended their slump to a fifth consecutive month in July amid the fallout of the new coronavirus, but the pace of decline slowed sharply on reopenings, data showed Saturday.
Outbound shipments came to US$42.8 billion last month, down 7 percent from $46 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The latest figures were better than what the market had expected. According to a poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, the country's June exports were estimated to have declined by 9 percent on-year.
July's pace also marks a sharp slowdown from the 10.9 percent drop in June and the 23.7 percent decline in May.
Imports shed 11.9 percent to $38.5 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.27 billion. The country snapped its 98 straight months of having more exports than imports in April, before rebounding to the black in May.
The better-than-expected performance came as exports of chips, the mainstay product, advanced 5.6 percent over the period to reach $7.87 billion, accounting for 18.3 percent of the total outbound shipments.
The ministry attributed the growth to the recovery in demand for smartphones.
Shipments of mobile devices gained 4.5 percent, also on the back of strong demand for 5G equipment, and exports of ships advanced 18 percent to $1.78 billion.
In contrast, overseas sales of automobiles slipped 4.2 percent to $3.66 billion due to a sharp decrease in demand from Europe.
Shipments of petrochemical products dropped 21 percent to $2.96 billion due to weak oil prices.
Exports of biohealth products continued to rise on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing 47 percent on-year in the month.
With more people working from home amid the pandemic, exports of computers shot up a whopping 77.1 percent. Shipments of foodstuffs increased by 9.6 percent as more people refrained from dining out.
By country, outbound shipments to the United States rebounded for the first time since the outbreak of the new coronavirus by rising 7.7 percent, a significant improvement from the 8.3 percent decrease in June.
The recovery was mostly led by robust demand for chips by server operators.
Shipments to China increased for the second consecutive month by going up 2.5 percent on-year in July. The growth was led by petrochemical products and steel goods, as Chinese factories gradually resumed their operations.
Shipments to the European Union fell 11.1 percent due to prolonged lockdowns in some areas.
Exports to the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dropped 14.6 percent on-year. Those to Japan decreased 21.5 percent over the period amid a prolonged trade dispute.
Exports by Asia's No. 4 economy were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
In February, South Korea enjoyed a 4.5 percent rise in its outbound shipments, the first on-year rebound in 14 months.
The recovery, however, was short-lived due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has clobbered the supply chain with lockdowns and social-distancing drives.
The grim export data cast a shadow on South Korea's overall economy.
South Korea's economy contracted at a sharper rate than what had been expected in the second quarter, delivering the worst performance in over two decades, as the pandemic hammered outbound shipments and private spending.
In the April-June period, the country's real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 2.9 percent from the same period last year, marking the slowest growth since a 3.8 percent on-year contraction in the last three months of 1998.
The South Korean economy grew 2 percent in 2019, marking the slowest expansion since 2009, when it increased 0.8 percent in the aftermath of the global financial crisis
Experts say a recovery in outbound shipments will depend on how quickly key trade partners normalize their business activities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--Seoul seeks to phase out diesel cars from public sector by 2025

According to the plan , the authorities will step up public awareness campaigns and consult with the central government to @ @ @ @ @ of green cars and early scrapping of old diesel vehicles .
( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul plans to phase out diesel cars from public sector and mass transit fleets by 2025 as part of efforts to accelerate its transition to green mobility.
The metropolitan government unveiled a "No Diesel" initiative this week aimed at eliminating the highly emitting automobiles from the roads and replacing them with electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Diesel cars, deemed as a key culprit of climate change and fine dust air pollution, account for 64.6 percent of vehicles used by the municipal government, district offices and city–affiliated pubic organizations. Diesel also makes up 0.9 percent of the capital's public transportation system.
"We hope the 'No Diesel' plan led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government will contribute to the creation of a proper ecosystem of consumption and production of environment-friendly cars," said Hwang Bo-yeon, chief of urban transportation policy.
This photo provided by the Korea Energy Agency shows an electric vehicle being charged. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The new policy focuses on replacing diesel cars and vans in the pubic fleets with environment-friendly alternatives over the next five years.
Of a total of 5,153 diesel automobiles currently used in the public sector, 3,586 cars will be replaced with electric and hydrogen vehicles in stages by 2025, City Hall said.
City authorities will also cooperate with carmakers to speed up the development of green models for fire trucks, ambulances and cleaning vehicles, which mostly run on diesel.
In early July, the city government banned the purchase of new diesel cars for public use, with a plan to procure only environment-friendly cars in the future.
It will also remove diesel vehicles from public transportation, including taxis, airport buses and city tour buses. The city, which already replaced all diesel buses with compressed natural gas buses in 2015, plans to introduce some 4,000 electric and hydrogen buses by 2025, officials said.
In addition, the city will enhance cooperation with private organizations in the green mobility drive. The government seeks to replace 30 percent of community buses with electric vehicles by 2023 and encourage school bus operators and car rental services to adopt environment-friendly automobiles.
According to the plan, the authorities will step up public awareness campaigns and consult with the central government to expand benefits for the use of green cars and early scrapping of old diesel vehicles.
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--2.0 magnitude quake hits N. Korea's southeastern region

The quake occurred at 2:58 a.m. , 29 kilometers north-northwest of Pyonggang County in Kangwon Province , at a depth @ @ @ @ @ to the KMA .
Pyonggang is located just across the border from South Korea 's @ @ @ @ @ of Seoul .

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A 2.0 magnitude earthquake hit North Korea's southeastern region close to the inter-Korean border Saturday, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
The quake occurred at 2:58 a.m., 29 kilometers north-northwest of Pyonggang County in Kangwon Province, at a depth of 17 km, according to the KMA. Pyonggang is located just across the border from South Korea's Cheorwon, 90 km northeast of Seoul.
The epicenter was at 38.65 degrees north latitude and 127.16 degrees east longitude, the agency said, noting that damage is not expected from the quake.
The maximum magnitude measured by regional observation equipment was 1, it added.
"No damage is expected from the quake," a KMA official said, adding, "It is analyzed to be a natural one."
This map shows the epicenter of a 2.0 magnitude earthquake that hit southeastern North Korea on Aug. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(LEAD) Export slump eases due to reopenings, chips on recovery track

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS details throughout)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports extended their slump to a fifth consecutive month in July amid the fallout of the new coronavirus, but the pace of decline slowed sharply on reopenings, data showed Saturday.
Outbound shipments came to US$42.8 billion last month, down 7 percent from $46 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The latest figures were better than what the market had expected. According to a poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, the country's June exports were estimated to have declined by 9 percent on-year.
July's pace also marks a sharp slowdown from the 10.9 percent drop in June and the 23.7 percent decline in May.
Imports shed 11.9 percent to $38.5 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.27 billion. The country snapped its 98 straight months of having more exports than imports in April, before rebounding to the black in May.
The better-than-expected performance came as exports of chips, the mainstay product, advanced 5.6 percent over the period.
Outbound shipments of biohealth products continued to rise on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing 47 percent on-year in the month.
With more people working from home amid the global social distancing drives, exports of computers shot up a whopping 77.1 percent.
Exports of ships advanced 18 percent as well, while outbound shipments of mobile devices gained 4.5 percent.
By country, outbound shipments to the United States rebounded for the first time since the outbreak of the new coronavirus by rising 7.7 percent, a significant improvement from the 8.3 percent decrease in June.
Shipments to China increased for the second consecutive month by going up 2.5 percent on-year in July.
Exports to the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dropped 14.6 percent on-year. Those to Japan decreased 21.5 percent over the period.
Exports by Asia's No. 4 economy were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
In February, South Korea enjoyed a 4.5 percent rise in its outbound shipments, the first on-year rebound in 14 months.
The recovery, however, was short-lived due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has clobbered the supply chain with lockdowns and social-distancing drives.
The grim export data cast a shadow on South Korea's overall economy.
South Korea's economy contracted at a sharper rate than what had been expected in the second quarter, delivering the worst performance in over two decades, as the pandemic hammered outbound shipments and private spending.
In the April-June period, the country's real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 2.9 percent from the same period last year, marking the slowest growth since a 3.8 percent on-year contraction in the last three months of 1998.
The South Korean economy grew 2 percent in 2019, marking the slowest expansion since 2009, when it increased 0.8 percent in the aftermath of the global financial crisis
Experts say a recovery in outbound shipments will depend on how quickly key trade partners normalize their business activities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(2nd LD) Shincheonji leader arrested on charges of obstructing anti-virus response

(ATTN: UPDATES with judge's remarks in paras 5-6)
SUWON, South Korea, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The leader of a minor religious sect at the center of the early coronavirus outbreak in South Korea was arrested early Saturday for allegedly obstructing the government's efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.
A local court in Suwon, south of Seoul, issued an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Lee, 89, is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the sect's gatherings and where the gatherings took place in February, when the fringe religious sect became a hot spot of the virus spread in the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
He is also accused of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$4.68 million) from church funds and holding unauthorized religious events from 2015-19.
This file photo, taken March 2, 2020, shows Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, holding a press conference in Gapyeong, east of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"There is some room for contention about the suspect's alleged crimes, but some charges have been ascertained. Moreover, there have been circumstances indicating systematic attempts to destroy evidence. Considering his status, it cannot be ruled out that there will be similar attempts in the future," said Judge Lee Myeong-chul.
The judge also noted that Lee is old and has chronic ailments but is not deemed unfit for imprisonment.
Prosecutors questioned him twice, on July 17 and 23, and filed for his arrest warrant Tuesday. The court held a hearing to review the request Friday.
Seven senior officials from the group's headquarters were indicted on July 28 on charges including violation of the infectious disease control law and obstruction of justice. Three of them were arrested on July 8.
Some 4,000 followers, most of whom were from its branch in the southeastern city of Daegu, were infected with the coronavirus.
South Korea's COVID-19 caseload was at 14,305 as of Friday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). More than 5,000 of them are infections associated with Shincheonji.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--Exports continue slump amid pandemic fallout, but pace slows due to economic reopenings

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports extended their slump to a fifth consecutive month in July amid the fallout of the new coronavirus, but the pace of decline slowed sharply, data showed Saturday.
Outbound shipments came to US$42.8 billion last month, down 7 percent from $46 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The latest figures were better than what the market had expected. According to a poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, the country's June exports were estimated to have declined by 9 percent on-year.
July's pace also marks a sharp slowdown from the 10.9 percent drop in June and the 23.6 percent decline in May.
Imports shed 11.9 percent to $38.5 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.27 billion. The country snapped its 98 straight months of having more exports than imports in April, before rebounding to the black in May.
Exports by Asia's No. 4 economy were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
In February, South Korea enjoyed a 4.5 percent rise in its outbound shipments, the first on-year rebound in 14 months.
The recovery, however, was short-lived due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has clobbered the supply chain with lockdowns and social-distancing drives.
The grim export data cast a shadow on South Korea's overall economy.
South Korea's economy contracted at a sharper rate than what had been expected in the second quarter, delivering the worst performance in over two decades, as the pandemic hammered outbound shipments and private spending.
In the April-June period, the country's real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 2.9 percent from the same period last year, marking the slowest growth since a 3.8 percent on-year contraction in the last three months of 1998.
The South Korean economy grew 2 percent in 2019, marking the slowest expansion since 2009, when it increased 0.8 percent in the aftermath of the global financial crisis
Experts say a recovery in outbound shipments will depend on how quickly key trade partners normalize their business activities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Increase in standard median income falls short of low-income brackets ' expectations ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- @ @ @ @ @ landlords complain ( Kookmin Daily ) -- Production , consumption , investment rebound in June @ @ @ @ @ outbreak ( Donga llbo ) -- Unbridled move by large ruling party , criticism arises @ @ @ @ @ Segye Times ) -- Banks ' interest rates on deposits fall to near zero for @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Laws on tenants ' rights enforced , problems anticipated two years later ( @ @ @ @ @ prices for 'jeonse ' contracts may be curbed , but concerns arise over potential increase @ @ @ @ @ ( Hankyoreh ) -- Prospective tenants on brink of becoming 'refugees ' in search of @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Great confusion on 1st day of tenant rights protection laws , contracts canceled @ @ @ @ @ Business Newspaper ) -- Great confusion for 'jeonse ' ; tenants , landlords in 'swamp @ @ @ @ @ Economic Daily ) ( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Aug. 1.
Korean-language dailies
-- Increase in standard median income falls short of low-income brackets' expectations (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Tenants feel more relieved while landlords complain (Kookmin Daily)
-- Production, consumption, investment rebound in June for first time since coronavirus outbreak (Donga llbo)
-- Unbridled move by large ruling party, criticism arises of 'democratic retrogression' (Segye Times)
-- Banks' interest rates on deposits fall to near zero for first time (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Laws on tenants' rights enforced, problems anticipated two years later (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Rising prices for 'jeonse' contracts may be curbed, but concerns arise over potential increase in shifts to monthly rent (Hankyoreh)
-- Prospective tenants on brink of becoming 'refugees' in search of 'jeonse' (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Great confusion on 1st day of tenant rights protection laws, contracts canceled here and there (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Great confusion for 'jeonse'; tenants, landlords in 'swamp of distrust' (Korea Economic Daily)
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 1 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

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


yna--2020-08-01--2 in 5 re-defectors live in S. Korea for less than 3 years: lawmaker

Of them , 12 defectors had lived in the South for less than three years prior to their trips back @ @ @ @ @ seven people living here for three to five years and five people for five to @ @ @ @ @ .
Only four defectors had resided in the South for over seven years before returning @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Two in five defectors who returned to the North lived in South Korea for less than three years, a lawmaker said Saturday, urging authorities to pay greater attention to the management of former North Koreans here.
Rep. Lee Sang-min of the ruling Democratic Party, citing data obtained from the Ministry of Unification, said that a total of 28 defectors had left South Korea to go back to their communist homeland from 2012 to 2017.
Of them, 12 defectors had lived in the South for less than three years prior to their trips back to the North, with seven people living here for three to five years and five people for five to seven years, Lee noted. Only four defectors had resided in the South for over seven years before returning to the North.
The lawmaker also stressed that the whereabouts of as many as 895 defectors remained uncertain as of this year.
This file photo shows Rep. Lee Sang-min of the ruling Democratic Party. (Yonhap)
"The majority of defectors who have re-entered the North have resided in South Korea for less than five years. The unification ministry now offers settlement support for defectors for five years but is required to reinforce the current system as its actual protections for them are insufficient," Lee said.
He also accused the ministry of having depended on North Korean media for information on defectors who returned to the North.
"It is problematic, too, that there is no way to know how many of the unaccounted-for defectors have gone back to the North," Lee said.
The issue of defectors' re-defections has recently grabbed media attention after a 24-year-old male defector, who fled North Korea in 2017 and was accused of rape in South Korea, swam back to his North Korean homeland via the inter-Korean western maritime border last month.
Currently, about 32,000 North Korean defectors are living in South Korea. In 2019, a total of 1,047 North Korean defectors came to South Korea, the lowest annual number in 18 years.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(URGENT) S. Korea's July exports drop 7 pct to US$42.8 bln on pandemic


yna--2020-08-01--Seoul Grand Park to reopen indoor zoo in Aug.

The park 's indoor zoo and botanical garden will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a limited basis @ @ @ @ @ explaining that the number of visitors will be restricted as part of precautionary measures against @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Grand Park, one of the biggest parks in the Seoul metropolitan area, is set to reopen its indoor zoo this month after it was closed due to the new coronavirus, officials said Saturday.
The park's indoor zoo and botanical garden will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a limited basis, park officials said, explaining that the number of visitors will be restricted as part of precautionary measures against the virus.
Visitors have to fill out an entry log and get QR code authentication before entering the venue. They are also required to have their fevers checked and to use hand sanitizers.
Some facilities, such as an indoor kid's playground and a baseball field, will remain closed under further notice.
The reopening comes as public facilities, such as museums and libraries, have been reopening amid signs of a slowdown in the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected more than 14,000 here.
This photo, provided by Seoul Grand Park, shows an indoor botanical garden at the park in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by Seoul Grand Park, shows a notice asking visitors to the park in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, to walk in one direction as part of precautionary measures against the new coronavirus. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--Samsung's foundry biz expected to further grow in H2: analysts

`` Whether Intel outsources its CPU or other chipsets to any specific foundry firm , there is no winner or @ @ @ @ @ a trickle-down effect to the foundry industry as a whole and can benefit both TSMC @ @ @ @

By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is projected to see further growth in its foundry business in the second half of the year, analysts here said Saturday, with growing expectations for receiving orders from Intel Corp.
In its second-quarter earnings announcement, the world's largest memory chipmaker said its foundry business achieved record quarterly and half-yearly revenues, though it did not reveal exact figures.
The South Korean tech titan added that the increase of its customers' inventory build-ups led to robust earnings in its contract chipmaking business.
"Currently in the foundry industry, only Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) can offer extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology for chipmaking," said Lee Jae-yun, an analyst at Yuanta Securities. "But as customers' demand for the EUV process is soaring, it will serve as a good opportunity for Samsung's foundry business."
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on May 21, 2020, shows the company's chip plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Analysts said Samsung could benefit from Intel's plan to outsource more chip manufacturing. Earlier this week, Intel, the world's top semiconductor firm by sales, said it is facing delays in delivering 7-nanometer (nm) chip technology, and that it may reach out to chip foundries.
"Companies that can produce chips with 7nm technology have narrowed down to Samsung and TSMC," said Kim Kyung-min, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment.
"Whether Intel outsources its CPU or other chipsets to any specific foundry firm, there is no winner or loser. It will bring a trickle-down effect to the foundry industry as a whole and can benefit both TSMC and Samsung."
In the second half, Samsung said its foundry unit plans to mass-produce mobile and high-performance computing (HPC) products based on advanced process technology, while diversifying applications beyond mobile products.
Samsung has been trying to bolster its foundry capacity in recent years to catch up to the industry juggernaut TSMC.
According to market tracer TrendForce, Samsung's share in the foundry market was estimated at 18.8 percent in the second quarter of the year, while that of TSMC was estimated at 51.5 percent.
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on May 21, 2020, shows the company's EUV-dedicated chip manufacturing facility in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In a conference call, Samsung confirmed it began mass production of 5nm products and is developing 4nm process technology as planned.
In May, Samsung announced it will add new foundry production line in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, focusing on EUV-based 5nm and below process technology. The company already has an EUV-dedicated V1 line in Hwaseong, south of Seoul.
Samsung said the adoption of EUV lithography technology is becoming important, as it enables scaling down of complex patterns on wafers and offers the best option for advanced applications such as 5G and artificial intelligence.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(LEAD) Shincheonji leader arrested on charges of obstructing anti-virus response

Lee , 89 , is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the @ @ @ @ @ the gatherings took place in February , when the fringe religious sect became a hot @ @ @ @ @ in the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; UPDATES throughout with court decision, details)
SUWON, South Korea, Aug.1 (Yonhap) -- The leader of a minor religious sect at the center of the early coronavirus outbreak in South Korea was arrested early Saturday for allegedly obstructing the government's efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.
A local court in Suwon, south of Seoul, issued an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Lee, 89, is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the sect's gatherings and where the gatherings took place in February, when the fringe religious sect became a hot spot of the virus spread in the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
He is also accused of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$4.68 million) from church funds and holding unauthorized religious events from 2015-19.
This file photo, taken March 2, 2020, shows Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, holding a press conference in Gapyeong, east of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Prosecutors questioned him twice, on July 17 and 23, and filed for his arrest warrant Tuesday. The court held a hearing to review the request Friday.
Seven senior officials from the group's headquarters were indicted on July 28 on charges including violation of the infectious disease control law and obstruction of justice. Three of them were arrested on July 8.
Some 4,000 followers, most of whom were from its branch in the southeastern city of Daegu, were infected with the coronavirus.
South Korea's COVID-19 caseload was at 14,305 as of Friday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). More than 5,000 of them are infections associated with Shincheonji.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--S. Korea bans imports of Australian poultry following AI outbreak

The Ministry of Agriculture , Food and Rural Affairs said it began the ban on live German chicks and eggs @ @ @ @ @ southern Australia .

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's agriculture ministry said Saturday it has banned poultry and egg imports from Australia following an outbreak of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) in the country.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it began the ban on live German chicks and eggs after H7N7 was detected in southern Australia.
The ministry recommended that locals refrain from visiting livestock farms and bringing animals from the affected region.
Highly pathogenic AI is very contagious and can make poultry very sick or even cause death.
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(2nd LD) UAE begins operations at S. Korean-built nuclear reactor

TEHRAN/SEOUL , Aug. 1 ( Yonhap ) -- The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) has started operations at the @ @ @ @ @ Korean-built Barakah nuclear power plant , Dubai 's ruler said Saturday , marking the first @ @ @ @ @ reactor in the Arab world .

(ATTN: ADDS KEPCO's statement in last 3 paras; AMENDS dateline)
TEHRAN/SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started operations at the first unit of the South Korean-built Barakah nuclear power plant, Dubai's ruler said Saturday, marking the first operation of a peaceful nuclear reactor in the Arab world.
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said in a Twitter post that nuclear fuel was successfully loaded into the first reactor of the nuclear power plant.
In 2009, a South Korean-led consortium won a US$20 billion contract to build four nuclear reactors in Barakah, 270 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi, in South Korea's first export of its homegrown commercial atomic power technology.
The first reactor was completed in 2018, and the three others are under construction.
The combined output of 5,600 megawatts at the power plant will supply up to 25 percent of the UAE's electricity needs.
This photo, released by Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) on March 4, 2020, shows the Barakah nuclear plant, 270 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Last year, the South Korean consortium secured a five-year maintenance deal for the Barakah nuclear plant, including providing maintenance services and experienced manpower to Nawah Energy Co., the operator of the UAE nuclear plant.
With the Barakah plant launching startup operations, it is expected to move toward commercial operations.
In a statement, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said the first reactor in the Barakah plant is increasing its output and will send electricity after some tests are finished.
KEPCO said it will spare no efforts for the remaining three reactors to successfully start operations.
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(2nd LD) Heavy rain alerts issued for Seoul, central, northern regions

Heavy rain warnings are made when an area is projected to record at least 90 mm of precipitation for three @ @ @ @ @ 12 hours .
The advisories are issued when a region is forecast to see 60 @ @ @ @ @ hours or 110 mm for 12 hours .

(ATTN: ADDS damage in paras 5-7)
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's weather agency issued heavy rain alerts for Seoul, its surrounding areas and other regions Saturday, putting the country's key disaster management body in an emergency mode.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that rains of 30 millimeters to 50 millimeters per hour have hit some affected regions with strong gusts, thunder and lightning.
The heavy rain warnings were applied to Seoul, and Yeoncheon and Paju in Gyeonggi Province. The KMA also issued downpour advisories for other parts of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, as well as swaths of Gangwon, Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces.
Some parts of the areas under the alerts could see precipitation ranging from 50 mm to 80 mm between Saturday and noon on Sunday, the KMA said.
In Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak, a man in his 80s was swept away in a rapid at around noon. He was rescued but died despite emergency care, police said.
About 25 people in Gwanak were briefly isolated as heavy rains lashed the area, but they were rescued.
Some streets in the Gangnam ward were flooded on Saturday afternoon, according to social media posts.
At 10 a.m., the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters went into emergency mode, directing relevant officials to prepare for possible floods in vulnerable spots, such as underground paths and riverside parking lots.
The interior ministry officials called for restrictions on citizens' access to mountain valleys, as well as riverside and coastal areas, to prevent any accidents from torrential rains.
They also asked those who may use temporary shelters after being displaced by floods to keep complying with quarantine rules to prevent COVID-19 contagion.
Heavy rain warnings are made when an area is projected to record at least 90 mm of precipitation for three hours or 180 mm for 12 hours. The advisories are issued when a region is forecast to see 60 mm of rain for three hours or 110 mm for 12 hours.
Cars move slowly on a partially submerged road in central Seoul on Aug. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--(LEAD) UAE begins operations at S. Korean-built nuclear reactor

TEHRAN , Aug. 1 ( Yonhap ) -- The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) has started operations at the @ @ @ @ @ Korean-built Barakah nuclear power plant , Dubai 's ruler said Saturday , marking the first @ @ @ @ @ reactor in the Arab world .

(ATTN: ADDS details, photo from para 3)
TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started operations at the first unit of the South Korean-built Barakah nuclear power plant, Dubai's ruler said Saturday, marking the first operation of a peaceful nuclear reactor in the Arab world.
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said in a Twitter post that nuclear fuel was successfully loaded into the first reactor of the nuclear power plant.
In 2009, a South Korean-led consortium won a US$20 billion contract to build four nuclear reactors in Barakah, 270 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi, in South Korea's first export of its homegrown commercial atomic power technology.
The first reactor was completed in 2018, and the three others are under construction.
The combined output of 5,600 megawatts at the power plant will supply up to 25 percent of the UAE's electricity needs.
Last year, the South Korean consortium secured a five-year maintenance deal for the Barakah nuclear plant, including providing maintenance services and experienced manpower to Nawah Energy Co., the operator of the UAE nuclear plant.
This photo, released by Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) on March 4, 2020, shows the Barakah nuclear plant, 270 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-01--UAE begins operations at S. Korean-built nuclear reactor

TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started operations at the first unit of the South Korean-built Barakah nuclear power plant, Dubai's ruler said Saturday, marking the first operation of a peaceful nuclear reactor in the Arab world.
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said in a Twitter post that nuclear fuel was successfully loaded into the first reactor of the nuclear power plant.
(END)