yna--2020-05-01--(LEAD) N.K. defector claims he is '99 pct' sure that N. Korean leader died

Unconfirmed reports about Kim 's ill health have mounted since he has not appeared in public for nearly three weeks @ @ @ @ @ as being in `` grave danger '' after surgery or hiding out at a coastal @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .

(ATTN: REWRITES headline, lead; UPDATES with Cheong Wa Dae's stance at bottom)
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- A North Korea defector elected as a lawmaker in South Korea claimed Friday that he is "99 percent" sure that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un died after surgery amid speculation over his health.
Unconfirmed reports about Kim's ill health have mounted since he has not appeared in public for nearly three weeks. News reports described Kim as being in "grave danger" after surgery or hiding out at a coastal resort to escape the coronavirus pandemic.
Ji Seong-ho, who earned a proportional representation seat of a minor party in the April 15 elections, claimed that he is 99 percent sure of Kim's death and North Korea may make the related announcement this weekend.
"I've wondered how long he could have endured after cardiovascular surgery. I've been informed that Kim died last weekend," Ji told Yonhap News Agency.
"It is not 100 percent certain, but I can say the possibility is 99 percent. North Korea is believed to be grappling with a complicated succession issue," he said.
Ji did not reveal the source of where he got his information. His claim cannot be verified independently.
The lawmaker-elect said that Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North's leader, is likely to succeed him, as many experts speculate.
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae reaffirmed that it has not detected any "unusual" signs in North Korea regarding Kim's health.
This file photo, taken on March 12, 2020, shows Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector and human rights activist. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--4 foreign nationals deported for violating self-quarantine rules

The ministry said it fined another four foreigners for violating the order , but allowed them to stay in Korea @ @ @ @ @ circumstances , '' such as running out to buy groceries and necessities after a promised @ @ @ @ @ failed to arrive in time .
In one case , a Chinese national went out @ @ @ @ @ after noticing the faulty self-quarantine application installed for monitoring by the authorities .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Four foreign nationals have been deported to their home countries after getting caught violating self-isolation rules, the justice ministry said Friday.
The violators, including one Vietnamese student, were fined and ordered to leave the country for failing to comply with the country's self-quarantine order aimed at containing the coronavirus.
Police caught the student, whose identity has not been released, having reported a wrong cellphone number to the quarantine authorities and sneaking off during self-quarantine. The other three are nationals of China, the United States and Cambodia. All of them temporarily left their self-isolation facilities, going about routine tasks, including visiting a gym or convenience store.
The ministry said it fined another four foreigners for violating the order, but allowed them to stay in Korea, considering their "extenuating circumstances," such as running out to buy groceries and necessities after a promised delivery by the Korean authorities failed to arrive in time. In one case, a Chinese national went out to fix his mobile phone after noticing the faulty self-quarantine application installed for monitoring by the authorities.
All foreign nationals who arrive in South Korea after April 1 should self-isolate as the country has seen a growing number of imported cases of COVID-19.
So far, 12 foreign nationals have been deported for violating the self-quarantine order. The number comes to 18 when including those who were expelled after refusing to enter self-quarantine facilities. Another 35 were turned back during the customs process at airports after refusing to accept the quarantine order.
On Friday, the country confirmed nine new coronavirus infections, bringing the nation's total to 10,774, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the nine new cases, eight are believed to have come from overseas.
This undated file photo shows South Korean health authorities working to stem the spread of coronavirus. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--N.K. defector claims he is '99 pct' sure that N. Korean leader died last weekend

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- A North Korea defector elected as a lawmaker in South Korea claimed Friday that he is "99 percent" sure that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un died last weekend after surgery.
Unconfirmed reports about Kim's ill health have mounted since he has not appeared in public for nearly three weeks. News reports described Kim as being in "grave danger" after surgery or hiding out at a coastal resort to escape the coronavirus pandemic.
Ji Seong-ho, who earned a proportional representation seat of a minor party in the April 15 elections, claimed that he is 99 percent sure of Kim's death and North Korea may make the related announcement this weekend.
"I've wondered how long he could have endured after cardiovascular surgery. I've been informed that Kim died last weekend," Ji told Yonhap News Agency.
"It is not 100 percent certain, but I can say the possibility is 99 percent. North Korea is believed to be grappling with a complicated succession issue," he said.
Ji did not reveal the source of where he got his information. His claim cannot be verified independently.
The lawmaker-elect said that Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North's leader, is likely to succeed him, as many experts speculate.
The South Korean government said it has not detected any "unusual" signs in North Korea that may suggest a serious problem in leader Kim's health.
This file photo, taken March 12, 2020, shows Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector and human rights activist. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--K-pop scene bracing for top girl band match of TWICE vs BLACKPINK

Last month , the music video of the band 's latest hit song , `` Kill This Love , '' @ @ @ @ @ million Youtube views , making the band the first K-pop artists to have three songs @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Kill This Love '' was also listed as the only K-pop piece of @ @ @ @ @ videos of the world in 2019 .

By Park Boram
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The K-pop world is bracing for one of the highest-profile K-pop matches this upcoming summer that will pit the two overridingly top girl bands, TWICE and BLACKPINK, against each other.
In about five years since their debuts in 2015 and 2016, respectively, TWICE and BLACKPINK played instrumental roles in broadening the global horizon of K-pop and Korean female musicians, soaring into internationally recognized pop icons.
The two such heavyweight female groups are on course to return with new music releases this summer, staging a glamorous battle between the two K-pop queen groups and boosting the profile of the summer music scene here.
The first to return to the scene is likely to be the multinational girl band, TWICE.
Speaking to an online streaming event earlier this week, the nine-member band announced its plan to drop a new single, "More & More," on June 1.
It is the band's first music release since the previous EP, "Feel Special," dropped in September, probably bringing together all the nine members after Japanese member Mina had been absent since late 2019 due to health issues.
Mina has appeared alongside other members in recent TWICE promotion events, including the online streaming event this week.
An image of TWICE, provided by JYP Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Fans also started to count down the announcement of BLACKPINK's return after its management agency, YG Entertainment, has repeatedly hinted at the quartet's return in early 2020.
According to YG, BLACKPINK started recording new songs for the envisioned album as early as December, paving the way for their upcoming return to the music scene.
The return of the two most successful girl bands the K-pop scene has ever nurtured comes at the height of the bands' global music careers,
Last month, BLACKPINK broke the headline-grabbing news of its collaboration with American pop icon Lady Gaga for the latter's upcoming album "Chromatica." "Sour Candy," the 10th track of the upcoming album features the K-pop quartet, Lady Gaga's recent SNS message has shown.
An image of BLACKPINK, provided by YG Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This year, BLACKPINK also posted several YouTube records, proving itself as one of the most influential K-pop acts.
Last month, the music video of the band's latest hit song, "Kill This Love," topped the milestone of 800 million Youtube views, making the band the first K-pop artists to have three songs with over 800 million views. "Kill This Love" was also listed as the only K-pop piece of the 10 most viewed music videos of the world in 2019.
This was after the music video of another hit song, "Ddu-du Ddu-du," topped 1.1 billion YouTube views in March, the strongest feat yet for any music videos by a K-pop band.
TWICE has also recorded a major K-pop feat, with its ninth "Platinum" certificate earned in Japan last month.
The band's 2019 Japanese full-length album, "&TWICE," was given the discographic title by the Japanese recording industry after selling 250,000 copies there. This marked the ninth platinum title the girl band has garnered in Japan.
A new YouTube original documentary series featuring the girl band, "TWICE: Seize the Light," also aired earlier this week in 81 countries and territories, telling the widely celebrated story of the band's ascent to the global fame.
The upcoming return of the two such high-profile girl bands is likely to be the crown jewel of the music scene this coming summer, furthering the allure and spectrum of K-pop.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--S. Korea to conditionally reopen national museums, libraries over easing coronavirus

Starting Wednesday , 24 key national history and art museums , as well as libraries , across the country will @ @ @ @ @ public under certain conditions in compliance with the government-advised social distancing guidelines , according to @ @ @ @ @ Countermeasures Headquarters and the culture ministry .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Ending an over-two-month closure due to the coronavirus outbreaks, South Korea will conditionally reopen state-run museums and libraries starting next week, the government said Friday.
Starting Wednesday, 24 key national history and art museums, as well as libraries, across the country will reopen their doors to the public under certain conditions in compliance with the government-advised social distancing guidelines, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and the culture ministry.
The guidelines require the institutions to prohibit guided group tours or other sorts of gatherings and to keep the list of visitors and their contact numbers.
For libraries, book rental services will not be allowed until a future notice, except in the Sejong outlet of the National Library of Korea. Requiring visitors to wear protective masks is also one of the conditions.
The facilities subject to the reopening include the National Museum of Korea and its 13 regional branches, the four outlets of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the three arms of the National Library of Korea.
The National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and the National Hangeul Museum are also part of the list.
The reopening decision came after South Korea managed to flatten the curve of new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
On Friday, South Korea reported nine new coronavirus infections, the third day in a row that the daily number was in the single digits.
The daily number came to four a day earlier, with no internally infected cases reported.
In late February, South Korea closed the 24 national cultural institutions along with other national theaters and art companies at the height of the local coronavirus outbreaks.
An image of a closed national museum (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--(2nd LD) S. Korea sees single-digit virus cases for 3rd day, urges vigilance during holiday

The southeastern city of Daegu , once the nation 's epicenter , reported no new cases for a second day @ @ @ @ @ South Korea has apparently managed to bring the virus under control , KCDC Director-General Jeong @ @ @ @ @ saying , `` We should always stay alert against silent spread and the following mass @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS KCDC chief's remarks, details in paras 8-11)
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea recorded new daily coronavirus infections in the single digits for the third day in a row Friday, but health authorities called for people to comply with social distancing guidelines during the holiday.
South Korea confirmed nine new coronavirus infections, bringing the nation's total to 10,774, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.
South Korea's coronavirus caseload has been further slowing in recent days, with the nation reporting no new domestic infections Thursday with just four imported cases.
Of the nine new cases, eight cases are believed to come from people who came from overseas, according to the KCDC.
The nation's death toll from the coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by one to 248, according to the KCDC. In total, 9,072 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus.
The country also detected four new cases coming from overseas at border checkpoints, raising the country's total number of imported cases to 1,073.
The southeastern city of Daegu, once the nation's epicenter, reported no new cases for a second day in a row.
Although South Korea has apparently managed to bring the virus under control, KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong warned against complacency, saying, "We should always stay alert against silent spread and the following mass infections."
Jeong described the novel coronavirus as "two-faced" because it causes mild symptoms in young and healthy people but poses the risk of serious illnesses for elderly people with underlying diseases.
Jeong called for people to stay at least two meters away from others to protect themselves from catching the virus.
South Korea plans to conduct an antibody test, which could show the true extent of the coronavirus infections in the country, Jeong said, adding that a significant number of people in the nation might have recovered from the virus without knowing they were infected.
This combination photo, taken on April 29, 2020, shows an empty parking lot at Incheon airport (L), west of Seoul, while a parking lot at the domestic flight terminal of Gimpo airport in Seoul is packed with cars one day ahead of a long holiday until May 5. (Yonhap)
With new infections slowing, South Korea eased some restrictions in social distancing guidelines in mid-April. The nation is set to relax more restrictions early next week.
Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip has said 180,000 people are expected to visit the southern resort island of Jeju during a six-day holiday that began Thursday.
"We must not let down our guard to maintain hard-won gains against COVID-19," Kim said.
To better protect vulnerable people from the virus, Kim said the government will postpone crackdowns against undocumented foreign migrant workers. Health authorities will publish booklets in 16 foreign languages to let them get tested for the virus.
The government will conduct virus testing for homeless and other vulnerable people, Kim said.
Starting Wednesday, state-run museums and art centers will be opened on a limited scale, Kim said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--Samsung maintains top spot in Q1 smartphone market despite virus pandemic

SEOUL , May 1 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Electronics Co. maintained the top spot in the global smartphone market @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , data showed Friday , although it sold fewer devices as the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ the globe .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. maintained the top spot in the global smartphone market in the first quarter of 2020, data showed Friday, although it sold fewer devices as the new coronavirus pandemic weighed down sales around the globe.
The South Korean tech giant sold 58.3 million units of smartphones in the January-March period, taking up 21.2 percent of the global market, according to the data compiled by industry tracker Strategy Analytics.
The number of devices sold marked a whopping 19 percent drop from 71.8 million units posted a year earlier, the industry tracker added.
A visitor looks at the Galaxy S20 smartphone at the promotion center of Samsung Electronics Co.'s office in Seoul on April 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
The combined sales of the global smartphone market reached 274 million units in the first quarter, plunging 17 percent on-year.
The lackluster performance came amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected at least 3.2 million around the globe.
"Demand for smartphones slammed to a halt in the quarter, as the COVID-19 virus scare shut down major economies like China and shoppers placed their spending plans on hold," Strategy Analytics said in its report.
"Despite a strong lineup of A, S and Note series models, Samsung was unable to escape the virus-led plunge in smartphone demand," it added.
China-based Huawei Technologies Co. followed with 48.5 million units sold in the first quarter, down 18 percent on-year. U.S. archrival Apple Inc. sold 39.2 million units in the first quarter, down 9 percent over the period.
Despite a slump in its smartphone shipments in the January-March period, Samsung, also the country's top chipmaker, still had better-than-expected first-quarter earnings from its mobile business division.
Its mobile business unit posted sales of 26 trillion won (US$21.3 billion), down 4.4 percent from a year earlier, but operating profit jumped 16.7 percent on-year to 2.65 trillion won.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--Theater shows to stream for free amid coronavirus

SEOUL , May 1 ( Yonhap ) -- Many theaters remain closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic , but @ @ @ @ @ , musical shows and theater plays for free at home as the local performing arts @ @ @ @ @ some of their archives .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Many theaters remain closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but Koreans can watch popular dance, musical shows and theater plays for free at home as the local performing arts community has decided to stream some of their archives.
The Korean National Ballet (KNB) launched a program on its YouTube channel, named KNB RE:PLAY, last month to stream its previous repertoires.
The company has canceled most of its scheduled performances since end February when the country was struggling with the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Last week, the KNB RE:PLAY aired its original "Heo Nan Seol Heon" staged in April last year and its 2019 production of "Anna Karenina."
It will stream "The Nutcracker," performed in December last year, on Sunday and Tuesday, and "La Bayadere" next weekend.
A scene from "The Nutcracker" provided by the Korean National Ballet (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts has uploaded videos of its previous concerts and shows ranging from classics to theatrical plays.
A duet concert of violinist Kim Dami and pianist Mun Ji-yeong that was live broadcast Tuesday behind closed doors will keep opening to the public until the end of May.
Footage of the play "Black & White Cafe," which was live streamed on April 17, and the dance drama "N.O.T" by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre on April 18 are also available on Naver TV, a broadcasting platform by the country's leading internet portal operator Naver.
CJ Musical, an affiliate of entertainment giant CJ ENM, also found a way to keep the show going on the new platform.
It unlocked a series of its licensed shows, including "Kinky Boots," "Cyrano" and "Werther," that have caught the eyes of musical aficionados on its YouTube channel.
The Korea National Contemporary Dance Co. has run the "Dance On Air" project, rebroadcasting its 2019 production of "The Rite of Spring," choreographed by Ahn Sung-soo and music by Igor Stravinsky.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--(LEAD) Gov't vows quarantine efforts to allow social distancing in daily routines possibly next week

The final decision on when and how the government will implement a set of relaxed measures will be made Sunday @ @ @ @ @ local and imported cases , public sentiment , the government 's preparations and advice from @ @ @ @ @ and experts on the issue , according to the central anti-disaster headquarters .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; ADDS details in paras 1-2, 4)
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister said Friday the government will do its best to contain the new coronavirus to enable citizens to practice social distancing in their routines starting next week.
The government is considering carrying out quarantine measures in a way that allows citizens to continue social and economic activities business as usual as early as Wednesday, as four weeks of strict social distancing rules have helped slow the spread of the virus.
"The government will do its best to manage quarantine achievement so it can start implementing social distancing in daily lives on May 6 as it promised earlier," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a meeting to discuss the government's response to COVID-19.
The final decision on when and how the government will implement a set of relaxed measures will be made Sunday based on the number of local and imported cases, public sentiment, the government's preparations and advice from a committee comprising civic representatives and experts on the issue, according to the central anti-disaster headquarters.
To contain the spread of the virus in communities, the government has carried out tough social distancing rules since March 21. It began to relax the guidance last week for churches, gyms and clubs amid a slowdown in new infections.
Chung said the government will discuss ways to resume public institutions like museums and art galleries starting next week.
"There will still be some restrictions on entry and a request for wearing face masks inside such institutions, but I believe those measures would certainly help return a sense of normalcy to the people," he said.
Chung also called on public health authorities and people not to let down their guard, considering the nature of the fast-spreading virus for which there is no vaccine.
The announcement came as the country reported no homegrown case of COVID-19 the previous day for the first time in 72 days.
The country reported nine more cases of the new coronavirus Friday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,774.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a government meeting on coronavirus responses in Seoul on May 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--(LEAD) Firefighting helicopter with 7 aboard crashes

The five rescue workers do not appear to have sustained serious injuries as the chopper was flying low for the @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES with more details from para 2; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL May 1 (Yonhap) -- A firefighting helicopter with seven people aboard crashed Friday into Mount Jiri in the southern region of South Korea, seriously injuring two people.
The chopper crashed into the Cheonwangbong Peak of the mountain in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, around 12:07 p.m., according to the fire authorities.
The helicopter, which was on a rescue mission at the mountain, carried seven people -- five crew members and two mountain climbers.
The five rescue workers do not appear to have sustained serious injuries as the chopper was flying low for the operation.
But two others, including a patient, were immediately transported to hospital as they are in serious condition.
Fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
This photo, provided by the National Fire Agency, shows a helicopter of the firefighting authorities of South Gyeongsang Province. One of their firefighting helicopters crashed into Mount Jiri in the southern region of South Korea on May 1, 2020, while on a mission to rescue people at the mountain. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--(LEAD) N.K. leader out of public eye for 20th straight day

`` Kim is believed to have three children under 10 but has no obvious heir .
If he dies or @ @ @ @ @ uncertain who would succeed him .
His younger sister and confidante , Kim Yo Jong @ @ @ @ @ likely , '' it said .

(ATTN: ADDS Rodong Sinmun's report in paras 6-8)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un remained out of public view for the 20th straight day Thursday amid persisting speculation about his health and who will take over the nuclear-armed communist nation after him.
Kim was last seen in state media on April 11 presiding over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. State media have since carried reports about him handling state affairs, such as sending messages to foreign leaders, but no photo or video of him has been released.
Sparking speculation about Kim's health was his absence from a key ceremony commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung. He has never skipped a visit to the mausoleum on the April 15 anniversary since taking office in late 2011.
The rumor mill was further fanned after CNN reported last week, citing a U.S. official, that Washington is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after a surgery. Other foreign media outlets have carried similar reports.
North Korean state media outlets, such as the main Rodong Sinmun newspaper and the official Korean Central News Agency, have put out routine stories, such as Kim sending diplomatic letters and conveying gifts to honored citizens.
On Friday, the Rodong Sinmun urged North Koreans to rally around leader Kim.
"We must stay absolutely loyal to our leader and trust him no matter how strong the storm hits us," the Rodong Simun said.
The Minju Choson, the North's cabinet newspaper, also carried a similar report.
They have also reported on the public activities and on-site inspection trips of top officials, including the country's No. 3 leader Pak Pong-ju and Premier Kim Jae-ryong, in an indication that things are business as usual.
South Korean officials have rejected speculations on problems with Kim's health, saying no unusual signs that something might be wrong with the North's leader have been detected, and he is believed to be staying in the east coast region of Wonsan.
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from the public eye.
After his appearance at a concert in Pyongyang celebrating Lunar New Year's Day on Jan. 25, he was absent for three weeks until state media reported his visit to a mausoleum in Pyongyang to commemorate the birthday of his late father on Feb. 16.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for an unprecedented 40 days and returned limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he understands the situation with the North's leader, but refused to discuss it and continued to wish him well.
"I understand what's going on, and I just can't talk about Kim Jong-un right now," Trump said at a White House event on protecting seniors. "I just hope everything is going to be fine. But I do understand the situation very well."
The U.S. Congressional Research Service said in a report this week that Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, is among the most likely to succeed him should he die or become incapacitated.
"The 36-year-old Kim, obese and a heavy smoker, is believed to have suffered from various health problems over the years," said the report on U.S.-North Korea relations, which was updated Wednesday.
"Kim is believed to have three children under 10 but has no obvious heir. If he dies or becomes incapacitated, it is uncertain who would succeed him. His younger sister and confidante, Kim Yo Jong, is among the most likely," it said.
Kim is believed to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
North Korea's media outlets rarely dispute any rumors about its leader directly, and they usually release reports or photos to suggest he remains in good health.
It is extremely difficult to confirm speculations about the reclusive country, with only a small number of insiders privy to such sensitive information about its leader's condition.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--Special law for furloughed workers meant to back negotiation team for SMA talks: ministry

Officials said the funds for USFK employees will be coming from the state employment insurance program and then be deducted @ @ @ @ @ to be determined in the defense cost talks .
Seoul notified the U.S. of the @ @ @ @ @ for its response , they added .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- A newly enacted law providing financial support for furloughed South Koreans employees with the U.S. Forces Korea would strengthen the hands of South Korean negotiators in defense cost sharing talks with the United States, a defense ministry official said Friday.
Around 4,000 employees were placed on unpaid leave starting April 1 amid the protracted stalemate in a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that stipulates how much Seoul would pay for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong USFK.
On Wednesday night, the National Assembly unanimously passed the special law to help make up for their lost incomes by providing relief funds of around 1.8 million won (US$1476.6) to 1.98 million won per month per employee, around 60 percent of their average monthly wages.
"The bill was passed unanimously by 185 lawmakers who were present at the plenary session, which is quite exceptional," the official told reporters. "We think this is aimed at empowering (our negotiation team) in the ongoing talks."
The move came after the U.S. rejected South Korea's proposal to conclude a separate agreement to first address the wage issue. That sparked criticism that Washington is taking advantage of the plight of innocent local USFK employees as a negotiating tactic to pressure Seoul.
Officials said the funds for USFK employees will be coming from the state employment insurance program and then be deducted from South Korea's contribution to be determined in the defense cost talks. Seoul notified the U.S. of the plan and has been waiting for its response, they added.
The defense cost negotiations have been stalled since U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Seoul's offer as insufficient. South Korea had reportedly offered to pay at least 13 percent more than last year's contribution.
According to a Reuters report Wednesday, Trump said South Korea has agreed to pay more. But the presidential office here said the negotiations are still going on and declined to comment further.
The U.S. initially demanded a more than fivefold increase in Seoul's contributions to US$5 billion.
The indefinite furloughs are feared to have disrupted day-to-day USFK operations and affected the allies' combined readiness posture.
Choe Ung-sik, head of the labor union of South Korean employees for the U.S. Forces Korea, has his head shaved in protest over potential furloughs during a rally in Seoul on March 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--17 USFK-related individuals recovered from coronavirus so far

They were cleared from isolation after meeting four conditions : remaining asymptomatic for at least seven days ; remaining free @ @ @ @ @ of fever-reducing medications ; successfully passing two consecutive COVID-19 tests with negative results at least @ @ @ @ @ being cleared by a medical provider , the U.S. military noted .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces Korea said Friday that 17 out of a total 26 coronavirus patients among its population have been declared virus-free.
These recovered individuals include its first active-duty service member to be infected, as well as civilians, contractors and dependents, according to USFK.
They were cleared from isolation after meeting four conditions: remaining asymptomatic for at least seven days; remaining free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; successfully passing two consecutive COVID-19 tests with negative results at least 24 hours apart; and being cleared by a medical provider, the U.S. military noted.
Among the around 58,000 USFK-related population, the number of confirmed cases stood at 26 as of Friday, USFK said, adding that the low infection rate is thanks to its aggressive control measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
"USFK remains at a high level of readiness and continues to maintain a robust combined defense posture to protect the Republic of Korea against any threat or adversary while implementing and maintaining prudent preventive control measures to protect the force," USFK said in a release.
A military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver as part of the screening of entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus, on Feb. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the United States Forces Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

1998 -- Dozens of members of the Little Angels Children 's Folk Ballet of Korea , along with its chief @ @ @ @ @ Pyongyang as the largest group in the history of exchanges between the Koreas at the @ @ @ @ @ Asia Pacific Peace Committee .

May 2
1972 -- Lee Hu-rak, head of South Korea's state intelligence agency, makes a secret trip to North Korea under the orders of President Park Chung-hee to broker a historic inter-Korean agreement.
1992 -- South Korea and China sign the Agreement on the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments.
1998 -- Dozens of members of the Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea, along with its chief, Pak Bo-hi, visit Pyongyang as the largest group in the history of exchanges between the Koreas at the invitation of the North's Asia Pacific Peace Committee.
2013 -- North Korea sentences Korean-American tour operator Kenneth Bae to 15 years of hard labor on charges of unspecified anti-state crimes. Bae was arrested on Nov. 3, 2012, after arriving in the country for tourism purposes.
(END)


yna--2020-05-01--S. Korea calls for efforts to promote essential business travel amid pandemic

The countries vowed to `` establish guidelines to allow , on an exceptional basis , essential cross-border travel for purposes @ @ @ @ @ chains , '' without undermining quarantine efforts to tackle the spread of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ Trade , Industry and Energy .

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday it has agreed with a number of countries to ease cross-border travel regulations for essential business officials and maintain the global supply chain without undermining the global efforts to tackle the new coronavirus.
Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee participated in the virtual meeting with her counterparts from Singapore, Canada, Australia and New Zealand earlier in the day and adopted a joint statement on taking actions to allow essential travel of people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The countries vowed to "establish guidelines to allow, on an exceptional basis, essential cross-border travel for purposes such as maintaining global supply chains," without undermining quarantine efforts to tackle the spread of the virus, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Seoul has been expanding efforts to enable at least entrepreneurs to make essential business trips abroad as part of efforts to minimize the economic fallout of the contagious disease.
Earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said five Chinese cities and provinces will start allowing expedited entry for South Korean businesspeople in May, in exception to entry restrictions enacted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The participants also agreed to refrain from introducing any new trade regulations on products that are deemed to be essential, such as medical supplies and foodstuffs.
Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee (L) speaks during a virtual meeting with her counterparts from Singapore, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in Seoul on May 1, 2020, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--S. Korea reports 6 more virus cases, total now at 10,780

It marked the fourth day in a row for the new daily infections to stay in the single digits , @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .
The figure peaked on Feb. 29 @ @ @

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported six more cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,780.
It marked the fourth day in a row for the new daily infections to stay in the single digits, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The figure peaked on Feb. 29 at 909.
Health authorities, however, are still calling for people to comply with social distancing guidelines during the holiday that runs through Tuesday.
Mass infections account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases here.
The nation's death toll from the virus rose by two to 250.
In total, 9,123 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 51 from a day earlier.
An army conscript disinfects a classroom at an elementary school in the southeastern city of Daegu on May 1, 2020, as part of efforts to prevent coronavirus infections among children. The country is preparing for the physical reopening of schools after weeks of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
With clear signs of a slowdown in the number of people infected locally, South Korea is vigilant of imported cases. All newly added cases announced Saturday were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,081.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no new cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing mandate after the holidays if the numbers remain flat until Tuesday.
The country plans to announce on Sunday whether it will move on to what it calls "everyday life quarantine," meaning schools and workplaces can go back to normal routine with some precautionary measures attached.
Health authorities, however, say that even if the country decides to ease its social-distancing drive, it does not necessarily mean that South Korea has vanquished the COVID-19 pandemic.
A second wave of infections may hit the country hard again later this year, they added.
The country also plans to beef up efforts to protect vulnerable people from the virus, with measures including delaying crackdowns against undocumented foreign migrant workers.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 51 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 9,123: KCDC

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


yna--2020-05-02--(URGENT) S. Korea confirms 2 more coronavirus deaths, raising death toll to 250: KCDC


yna--2020-05-02--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 6 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,780: KCDC


yna--2020-05-02--Number of moviegoers hits all-time low in April amid pandemic

A total of 972,447 people went to the cinema last month , marking the first time for the figure to @ @ @ @ @ since the data was first compiled in 2004 , according to the Korean Film Council @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of moviegoers in South Korea dropped to an all-time low in April, data showed Saturday, as people refrained from visiting crowded places amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 972,447 people went to the cinema last month, marking the first time for the figure to hover below the 1-million threshold since the data was first compiled in 2004, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).
It marked a drastic drop from a whopping 13.3 million posted a year earlier.
The number of moviegoers reached 16.8 million in January, before the COVID-19 pandemic made its way across the globe. South Korea reported its first infection on Jan. 20.
The figure plummeted to 7.37 million in February and 1.83 million in the following month.
A movie theater in Seoul is almost empty amid fears over the coronavirus on May 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

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


yna--2020-05-02--Defending champions looking to extend dominance; contenders coming armed with stout bullpen, lineup

It 'll be interesting to see if the KT Wiz will take another step forward and make the postseason for @ @ @ @ @ history .
The expansion club , which joined the KBO in 2015 , enjoyed their @ @ @ @ @ , with a 71-71-2 ( wins-losses-ties ) mark leaving them just two games out of @ @ @ @ @ berth .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The Doosan Bears have been one of the most dominant teams in South Korean baseball in recent years, with three of the past five championships.
In 2020, they'll try to make it four of the last six, a run matched by few others in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
The Bears will bring back essentially the same core of position players from their 2019 championship season. The reigning hit king Jose Miguel Fernandez and perennial .300 hitter Park Kun-woo offer impressive contact ability, and 2019 Korean Series MVP Oh Jae-il and, when healthy, 2018 regular season MVP Kim Jae-hwan pack a punch in the heart of the order.
In this file photo from April 22, 2020, Kim Dae-han (R) and Lee Yong-chan (2nd from R) of the Doosan Bears bump their feet in celebration of a 5-0 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
On the mound, the Bears have replaced both of their import starters from a season ago, with the 2019 regular season MVP Josh Lindblom having signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and fellow American Seth Frankoff also gone.
In came former New York Mets prospect Chris Flexen and another right-hander, Raul Alcantara, who pitched for another KBO club, the KT Wiz, in 2019.
Both have been excellent this spring, from intrasquad games to preseason action, and starting pitching should be the least of concerns for the manager Kim Tae-hyoung.
In the bullpen, they will need a fully healthy Kim Kang-ryul, who missed the entire 2019 season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in October 2018. He can eat up innings in multiple roles and should even get occasional save opportunities.
The Kiwoom Heroes got swept by the Bears in last year's Korean Series, though it was a much tighter battle than the 4-0 series score may indicate. The Bears won the first two games in their last at-bats in the bottom ninth, and the deciding game also went extra innings.
Unlike the Bears, the Heroes' pitching staff is virtually intact from last season. American hurlers Jake Brigham and Eric Jokisch are both back. The bullpen that posted the lowest ERA in the KBO in 2019 is also back, with its younger pieces having added some valuable postseason experience to their resume.
In this file photo from April 22, 2020, Kim Seong-min of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Heroes have lost a key piece in the lineup, with slugger Jerry Sands, the 2019 RBI leader, having signed in Japan. In his stead, the Heroes signed Taylor Motter, a versatile defender who won't offer nearly as much power as Sands.
The SK Wyverns crashed out early in their title defense in 2019, blowing a lead atop the standings at the end of the regular season and then losing to the Heroes in their first round of the playoffs.
Their long-time ace Kim Kwang-hyun has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Wyverns also replaced their two foreign pitchers from the end of last season, signing Nick Kingham and Ricardo Pinto in place of Angel Sanchez and Henry Sosa.
Kingham has earned high praise and has already been named the Opening Day starter for May 5.
The Wyverns look ready for a return to their slugging days, with seven home runs in their first four preseason games through Tuesday.
They set a single-season league record with 234 home runs in 2017, and nearly matched that with 233 dingers in 2018. As the de-juiced ball brought offensive numbers down across the league, the Wyverns were held to 117 home runs last year but still ranked third in that department.
Choi Jeong and Jamie Romak were tied for the team lead with 29 home runs apiece last year. They'd each hit at least 30 in both 2017 and 2018, and they're certainly capable of surpassing that plateau in 2020.
It'll be interesting to see if the KT Wiz will take another step forward and make the postseason for the first time in franchise history. The expansion club, which joined the KBO in 2015, enjoyed their best season ever in 2019, with a 71-71-2 (wins-losses-ties) mark leaving them just two games out of the fifth and final postseason berth.
In this file photo from April 12, 2020, Mel Rojas Jr. (R) of the KT Wiz steals second base during an intrasquad game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Elsewhere, the Samsung Lions, who won four straight titles from 2011 to 2014, will try to avoid missing the playoffs for a franchise-worst fifth straight year in 2020.
The Lotte Giants, after finishing last in 2019, have had a massive overhaul, having welcomed new general manager and field manager, plus three new foreign players: pitchers Dan Straily and Adrian Sampson, and infielder Dixon Machado. They also spent big in free agency by signing All-Star second baseman An Chi-hong to a two-year deal worth up to 2.6 billion won (US$2.1 million), with a mutual option for two additional years at another 3.1 billion won after the 2021 season.
Lotte's Her Mun-hoe is one of four new skippers entering the 2020 season, along with Matt Williams of the Kia Tigers, Son Hyuk of the Heroes and Huh Sam-young of the Lions.
Williams, the 2014 National League Manager of the Year and a five-time All-Star as a player, brings the most impressive resume. He's taking over an underachieving club that has finished with a sub-.500 record in each of the past two seasons after winning it all in 2017.
In this file photo from April 21, 2020, Lotte Giants players celebrate their victory over the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--Amid pandemic, S. Korean baseball league bracing for season unlike any other

Athletes , just like regular folks , are creatures of habit .
During the preseason , a few players were @ @ @ @ @ the batter 's box or on the field , while some caught themselves at the @ @ @ @ @ of high-fives or low-fives , teams have had to be creative to come up with @ @ @ @ @ runs and other key moments of the game .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- On many levels, the 2020 South Korean professional baseball season will be unlike any of the 38 that came before it.
Because of the coronavirus outbreak earlier in the spring, the start of the new Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season was pushed back from March 28 to May 5, next Tuesday. But in announcing the new Opening Day late last month, the KBO and team presidents also said the normal, 144-game schedule will be squeezed into a tight window. The league's goal -- or hope, as is -- is to award the Korean Series championship by the end of November.
The delay to the start of the season and the public health crisis have necessitated several changes.
The Kia Tigers and the NC Dinos play a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at an empty Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
For one, there will be no fans in the stands at the start of the season. Even though the number of new daily COVID-19 cases has been on a steady decline since early April, the KBO isn't taking any chances. And there's really no way of knowing exactly when it will be safe enough for fans to start attending baseball games.
Even when it does become safe, KBO teams won't open their gates wide immediately. They will likely start selling about 20 percent of their seats and then gradually increase that number.
Teams have been playing intrasquad scrimmages and preseason games at empty stadiums for about a month, but doing so in games that count will be a whole different matter. The absence of crowd noise will still seem jarring for those who've been used to competing to loud chants from thousands of supporters.
Spitting will be strongly prohibited, and handshakes and high-fives with bare hands will be discouraged. Smokeless tobacco will be snuffed out. All umpires, bat boys or girls, and first and third base coaches must keep their masks on when they're on the field. Players and other members of the coaching staff also must wear masks in all areas of the stadium except for the dugout and the field.
Athletes, just like regular folks, are creatures of habit. During the preseason, a few players were seen on camera spitting in the batter's box or on the field, while some caught themselves at the last second. In lieu of high-fives or low-fives, teams have had to be creative to come up with new ways to celebrate home runs and other key moments of the game.
In this file photo from April, 24, 2020, members of the SK Wyverns celebrate their 4-3 victory over the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
That includes multiple teams joining the "Thank You Challenge," a campaign that uses sign language -- the right hand with the thumbs-up sign placed on the palm of the left hand -- to show appreciation for the front-line medical workers during the pandemic.
With the league looking to play all 144 games in a compressed schedule, there will be doubleheaders and games on Mondays, which is an off day in a normal KBO season. There will be no All-Star Game this summer.
Half of the 10 managers have openly criticized the KBO brass for pushing ahead with the full schedule. The league has made some concessions: There will be no doubleheaders in the summer months of July and August, and twin bills and Monday games will not have extra innings, so as to ease the burden on players.
Teams will be allowed to expand their rosters from 28 to 33 players on Aug. 18, instead of the usual Sept. 1. This will mean, in a full season, they will be carrying larger rosters for 54 games, up from 26.
The league and its teams will be treading on thin ice, though. All it takes is one positive case for a player, a coach or an umpire, and the season could be halted for about three weeks.
Shortening the season will been inevitable at that point, but the KBO will not take immediate action in such a case. Instead, it will meet with team representatives and public health experts to chart its path on resuming the season.
In this file photo from April, 24, 2020, a public health worker sanitizes seats at an empty Jamsil Stadium in Seoul during a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the LG Twins and the SK Wyverns. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on May 2)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on May 2)

Preceding indices had forecast that South Korea would not be immune to the pandemic-wrought recession .
The first quarter saw @ @ @ @ @ product of 1.4 percent , and forecasts for the second quarter are not good .
@ @ @ @ @ and the number of employed has been falling .
According to a Statistics Korea 's @ @ @ @ @ March , both the economic coincident indicator ― a gauge of current economic conditions ― @ @ @ @ @ ― a barometer of future economic conditions ― sank to their lowest since the 2008 @ @ @

Exports take hit
Expedite protective, boosting measures for the economy
It is expected that the Korean economy will bear more of the brunt of the global economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the second quarter, especially with regard to exports. Thus, it was less of a surprise than a spirit-dampener when the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Friday said that exports fell 24.3 percent to $36.9 billion in April year-on-year. With imports down 15.9 percent to $37.9 billion, the country recorded a $950 million trade deficit for the month.
This was Korea's first trade deficit in eight years and three months. More worryingly, the statistics show that outbound shipments to its major trading partners ― China, the U.S. and Europe ― all fell; with the export of the mainstay semiconductors decreasing 15 percent to $7.1 billion. Shipments of petrochemical products and automobiles took a heftier blow, dropping more than 30 percent.
The economic dire reality posed by the COVID-19 pandemic is now starkly spelled out for the export-dependent Korea Inc.
Preceding indices had forecast that South Korea would not be immune to the pandemic-wrought recession. The first quarter saw a contraction in gross domestic product of 1.4 percent, and forecasts for the second quarter are not good. Everything from consumption, investment and the number of employed has been falling. According to a Statistics Korea's report on industrial activity for March, both the economic coincident indicator ― a gauge of current economic conditions ― and the economic leading indicator ― a barometer of future economic conditions ― sank to their lowest since the 2008 financial crisis.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki in the first meeting of the Emergency Economic Central Countermeasures Headquarters held this week, said that "shock is manifesting in sentiment, the real economy and the job market."
The second such meeting is slated for next week where details are expected on a Korean version of the "New Deal" to maintain employment levels and protect major industries.
We hope that more immediate and directly-felt plans to "create new types of jobs related to digital transformation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the post-coronavirus era" will be devised. Among the exports figures, it was noticeable that the shipment of biotech products was up 29 percent in April year-on-year, as demand for Korean test kits for the novel coronavirus increased.
President Moon Jae-in has called on government officials to act swiftly and decisively.
While we have been moving fast on the quarantine fight against COVID-19, it would be hard to say the same regarding government policy action. The administration has pledged 240 trillion won ($194 billion) to help relieve the economic woes from COVID-19. What is needed now is speedy action coupled with bold deregulation to protect the nation's workforce and shore up key industries.
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Teens giving up their dreams ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- 90,000 head to Jeju over 2 days @ @ @ @ @ Silent for 20 days , Pyongyang , Washington act extraordinarily ( Donga llbo ) -- @ @ @ @ @ ; presidential office mentions employment insurance for all ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Unemployment becomes @ @ @ @ @ ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- On May Day , we lose lives ( Hankyoreh ) @ @ @ @ @ fund ; high-incomers get more tax benefits ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Presidential office bulls @ @ @ @ @ workers ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Moon says workers are also mainstream of society @ @ @ @ @ Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on May 2.
Korean-language dailies
-- Teens giving up their dreams (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- 90,000 head to Jeju over 2 days (Kookmin Daily)
-- Silent for 20 days, Pyongyang, Washington act extraordinarily (Donga llbo)
-- First Labor Day after election; presidential office mentions employment insurance for all (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Unemployment becomes reality; desperate time begins (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- On May Day, we lose lives (Hankyoreh)
-- Paradox of diaster relief fund; high-incomers get more tax benefits (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Presidential office bulls expanding employment insurance for all workers (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Moon says workers are also mainstream of society, calls for cooperation (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- President calls for workplace safety on Labor Day (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--Goseong forest fire mostly extinguished: authorities

SEOUL , May 2 ( Yonhap ) -- Authorities said Saturday that fire fighters have put out most of the @ @ @ @ @ Goseong , which forced hundreds of people to evacuate and local authorities to call for @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Authorities said Saturday that fire fighters have put out most of the blaze on a mountain in Goseong, which forced hundreds of people to evacuate and local authorities to call for help from nearby cities.
The fire began at a house in the county located some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul late Friday, and later spread to a nearby forest on gusts of wind.
No casualties were reported from the fire, but the fire fighters were frustrated by strong winds. The fire is estimated to have destroyed 85 hectares of forest.
Authorities said the fire is expected to be fully extinguished by noon.
A firefighting helicopter carries out an operation to extinguish a forest fire in Goseong, some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on May 2, 2020. The fire broke out a day earlier. (Yonhap)
Authorities issued a level-3 warning to call support from other areas, and dispatched 38 helicopters to the site earlier in the morning.
More than 300 residents have been evacuated due to the fire, along with some 1,800 military officials stationed in the region.
Goseong was the site of a catastrophic forest fire about a year earlier that also spread on strong gusts. The 2019 inferno destroyed more than 1,300 buildings, including 400 homes, while killing one person.
A firefighting helicopter carries out an operation to extinguish a forest fire in Goseong, some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on May 2, 2020. The fire broke out a day earlier. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(2nd LD) Trump declines to comment on N.K. leader's reported appearance

`` I 'd rather not comment on it yet -- Kim Jong-un , '' Trump told reporters at the White @ @ @ @ @ David .
`` We 'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with Trump's remarks, background)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declined to comment on the reported public appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a 20-day absence.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet -- Kim Jong-un," Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for Camp David. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
Asked if Kim is still alive, he said, "I don't want to talk about it.
This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters as he departs the White House for Camp David, Maryland, on May 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moments earlier, North Korea's state media announced the first public appearance of Kim since April 11 at a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang.
During his absence from public view, news reports described Kim as being in "grave danger" after surgery or hiding out at a coastal resort to escape the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said initially that he didn't know if the reports were true then later said he had a "very good idea" about Kim's status but couldn't talk about it.
Speculation about Kim's whereabouts and health began after he apparently skipped the April 15 commemoration of the birthday of his late grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, which is an important holiday in the communist regime.
Trump and Kim have met three times in a bid to reach a deal on dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program in exchange for U.S. concessions.
Since their second summit in Vietnam in February 2019 ended without an agreement, negotiations between the two sides have stalled due to differences over how to match their steps.
Trump has still claimed to have a close personal relationship with Kim and insisted that had he not been elected president the U.S. would be at war with North Korea.
Before entering into summit diplomacy with the U.S. in 2018, North Korea tested nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles that posed a threat to the American mainland.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(3rd LD) N.K. leader reemerges after 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

`` All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah ! '
extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader @ @ @ @ @ new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary @ @ @ @ @ to a victory with his outstanding leadership , '' KCNA said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 7, 11, REPLACES photos)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony, state media reported Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim, dressed in a dark Mao suit, cutting the red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face. They did not show any signs of an illness.
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said.
Juche is the concept of self-reliance.
"He looked round several places including raw material processing process, yellow phosphorus production process, ammonium phosphatic fertilizer production process, and packing process, being briefed about the production processes of the factory," KCNA added.
Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation" and "set forth the tasks and ways for developing our chemical industry in a correct orientation as required by the new century."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cut a ribbon for the completion of a fertilizer factory in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Accompanying Kim were his sister Kim Yo-jong, Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the WKP's Central Committee, Premier Kim Jae-ryong and other senior officials, according to KCNA. No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae was not among the attendees.
This marked Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be seriously ill.
CNN reported last week that the United States is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after surgery. That came after a report by Daily NK, a South Korea-based news outlet specializing in North Korea issues, that Kim was receiving medical treatment following a cardiovascular procedure.
Fanning the rumors further, North Korean media had not provided no report on photo on his public activity, though it carried articles on his routine day schedules such as sending diplomatic letters or sending gifts to honored citizens.
South Korean officials have repeatedly rejected such rumors, saying that no unusual movements have been found in North Korea with regard to Kim's health.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to comment on Kim's reappearance.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from public view. The latest absence marked the third time this year alone that Kim has not appeared in public for more than 10 days.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for about 40 days and returned with a cane and limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
He took over as leader after his father, Kim Jong-il, died of a heart attack in late 2011.
North Korean leader Kim (C) smiles while joining a fertilizer factory completion ceremony in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. This marked his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(2nd LD) N.K. leader reemerges after 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with quotes, background, Trump comments)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony, state media reported Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday. But KCNA has not released photos of him or the ceremony yet.
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said.
Juche is the concept of self-reliance.
"He looked round several places including raw material processing process, yellow phosphorus production process, ammonium phosphatic fertilizer production process, and packing process, being briefed about the production processes of the factory," KCNA added.
Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation" and "set forth the tasks and ways for developing our chemical industry in a correct orientation as required by the new century."
Accompanying Kim were his sister Kim Yo-jong, Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the WKP's Central Committee, Premier Kim Jae-ryong and other senior officials, according to KCNA. No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae was not among the attendees.
This marked Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be seriously ill.
CNN reported last week that the United States is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after surgery. That came after a report by Daily NK, a South Korea-based news outlet specializing in North Korea issues, that Kim was receiving medical treatment following a cardiovascular procedure.
South Korean officials have repeatedly rejected such rumors, saying that no unusual movements have been found in North Korea with regard to Kim's health.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to comment on Kim's reappearance.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from public view. The latest absence marked the third time this year alone that Kim has not appeared in public for more than 10 days.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for about 40 days and returned with a cane and limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
He took over as leader after his father, Kim Jong-il, died of a heart attack in late 2011.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(LEAD) Trump declines to comment on N.K. leader's reported appearance

`` I 'd rather not comment on it yet , '' Trump told reporters at the White House , according @ @ @ @ @ 'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with details; CHANGES headline; ADDS photo)
WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declined to comment on the reported public appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a 20-day absence.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
Moments earlier, North Korea's state media announced the first public appearance of Kim since April 11 at a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang.
During his absence from public view, news reports described Kim as being in "grave danger" after surgery of hiding out at a coastal resort to avoid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said initially that he didn't know if the report were true then later said he had a "very good idea" about Kim's status but couldn't talk about it.
This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters as he departs the White House for Camp David, Maryland, on May 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--No. of crimes by service personnel against seniors tripled over 5 yrs: data

The surge in such incidents came despite the decline in the number of overall disciplined cases among service members .
@ @ @ @ @ of accidents and incidents at the barracks that led to disciplinary actions and criminal punishment @ @ @ @ @ around 32 percent from 62,359 in 2015 , the data showed .

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of criminal acts committed by service members against their seniors tripled over the past five years, government data showed Saturday.
The military police carried out investigations into a total of 217 cases where service personnel abused higher-ranked members last year, up from 63 cases tallied in 2015, according to the data from the defense ministry.
The surge in such incidents came despite the decline in the number of overall disciplined cases among service members. In 2019, the number of accidents and incidents at the barracks that led to disciplinary actions and criminal punishment stood at 42,038, down around 32 percent from 62,359 in 2015, the data showed.
Recently, the military has come under fire for a series of lax discipline cases. An Army corporal is under investigation over allegations that he hit a female captain with a folding shovel last month over "tough operations."
The authorities also launched a probe into four Army noncommissioned officers last month for alleged sexual harassment of one of their male superior officers.
As part of efforts to root out such cases, the ministry is planning to set up a task force this month in charge of devising measures, according to its officials.
"I feel sorry for causing concerns. We take those issues seriously," Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said during a parliamentary meeting Wednesday, vowing to sternly deal with the cases and to strive for preventive measures.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo speaks during a meeting of major commanders to check the military's readiness posture in Seoul on April 17, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(LEAD) N.K. leader reemerges after 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony, state media reported Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang. But KCNA has not released photos of him or the ceremony yet.
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said.
Juche is the concept of self-reliance.
It marked Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be seriously ill.
South Korean officials have repeatedly rejected such rumors, saying that no unusual movements have been found in North Korea with regard to Kim's health.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--Trump says he may say something about N.K. leader at appropriate time

WASHINGTON , May 1 ( Yonhap ) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will have something to @ @ @ @ @ Kim Jong-un at the appropriate time , according to Reuters .

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will have something to say about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the appropriate time, according to Reuters.
Trump made the remark around the time North Korea's state media reported on Kim's first public appearance in 20 days following unconfirmed reports about his ill health.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--N.K. leader reemerges from 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

This marks his first reported public activity since he was last seen on April 11 , presiding over a political @ @ @ @ @ Workers Party .
His apparent absence in events commemorating the 108th birthday of late founder @ @ @ @ @ Il-sung , on April 15 spawned speculation about his health .

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made his first public appearance after 20 days of absence, contradicting rumors about his health, state media showed on Saturday.
Kim attended a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, South Phyongan Province, according to the media.
This marks his first reported public activity since he was last seen on April 11, presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers Party. His apparent absence in events commemorating the 108th birthday of late founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, on April 15 spawned speculation about his health.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(URGENT) N.K. leader makes first public appearance in 20 days


yna--2020-05-02--(4th LD) N.K. leader reemerges after 20-day absence amid rumors over his health

`` All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah ! '
extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader @ @ @ @ @ new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary @ @ @ @ @ to a victory with his outstanding leadership , '' KCNA said , referring to the @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with report of N. Korea's state broadcaster Korean Central Television in paras 9-10; ADDS photo)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertilizer factory completion ceremony, state media reported Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim, dressed in a dark Mao suit, cutting the red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face. They did not show any signs of an illness.
"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said, referring to the North Korean concept of self-reliance.
"He looked round several places including raw material processing process, yellow phosphorus production process, ammonium phosphatic fertilizer production process, and packing process, being briefed about the production processes of the factory," KCNA added.
Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation" and "set forth the tasks and ways for developing our chemical industry in a correct orientation as required by the new century."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) cut a ribbon for the completion of a fertilizer factory in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Accompanying Kim were his sister Kim Yo-jong, Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the WKP's Central Committee, Premier Kim Jae-ryong and other senior officials, according to KCNA. No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae was not among the attendees.
This marked Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. His absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, sparked speculation he might be seriously ill.
Also Saturday, North Korea's state broadcaster Korean Central Television aired Kim's attendance at the fertilizer factory completion ceremony in the first news report of its daily program that began at around 3 p.m.
In the 15-minute broadcast, Kim was seen walking without the support of anyone, waving his hands to the crowd and clapping his hands, moves that apparently aimed at ending rampant speculation about his health.
North Korea's state broadcaster Korean Central Television shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walking without the support of anyone at a fertilizer factory completion ceremony on May 1, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
CNN reported last week that the United States is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after surgery. That came after a report by Daily NK, a South Korea-based news outlet specializing in North Korea issues, that Kim was receiving medical treatment following a cardiovascular procedure.
Fanning the rumors further, North Korean media had not provided no report on photo on his public activity, though it carried articles on his routine day schedules such as sending diplomatic letters or sending gifts to honored citizens.
South Korean officials have repeatedly rejected such rumors, saying that no unusual movements have been found in North Korea with regard to Kim's health.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to comment on Kim's reappearance.
"I'd rather not comment on it yet," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to Reuters. "We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."
It is not rare for Kim to disappear from public view. The latest absence marked the third time this year alone that Kim has not appeared in public for more than 10 days.
His longest absence from public view was in September 2014, when he disappeared for about 40 days and returned with a cane and limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
He took over as leader after his father, Kim Jong-il, died of a heart attack in late 2011.
North Korean leader Kim (C) smiles while joining a fertilizer factory completion ceremony in this photo released by KCNA on May 2, 2020. This marked his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--S. Korea open to import of Remdesivir after full clinical testing

SEOUL , May 2 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea said Saturday it is open to importing Remdesivir , an @ @ @ @ @ as a new hope in tackling the new coronavirus , if it proves to be @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Saturday it is open to importing Remdesivir, an Ebola treatment that has emerged as a new hope in tackling the new coronavirus, if it proves to be effective through clinical tests.
"Health authorities are working closely with related bodies to follow up on ongoing clinical tests, while preparing to promptly import Remdesivir in case of contingencies," Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
Under local law, the KCDC can request the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to grant special permission to expedite imports of drugs that have not been approved in the domestic market.
The drug has drawn keen attention since the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) earlier said its tests showed that the drug "accelerates recovery" of COVID-19 patients.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave emergency approval on the pharmaceutical product to treat the new coronavirus as well.
Under cooperation with the drug's maker, Gilead Sciences, three hospitals in South Korea are currently carrying out clinical tests of the drug on some 200 COVID-19 patients.
Kwon said while South Korea still needs to take a wait-and-see approach on the effectiveness of the drug, it was still notable that a "reputable" organization like the U.S. FDA issued emergency approval.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(3rd LD) S. Korea's virus cases stay in single-digit, with no new local infections

Concerning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 's ( FDA ) emergency approval on the use of Remdesivir , an @ @ @ @ @ treat the new coronavirus , South Korea said it is still closely monitoring the ongoing @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea recorded fewer than 10 new daily coronavirus infections for the fourth day in a row Saturday, giving a green light for the country's plan to loosen social-distancing guidelines in the coming days.
The six new daily infections increased the total number of cases to 10,780, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The daily figure peaked on Feb. 29 at 909.
With clear signs of a slowdown in the number of people infected locally, South Korea is vigilantly guarding against imported cases.
All new cases announced Saturday were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,081. More than 90 percent of the patients from the imported cases were South Korean nationals.
Over the past two weeks, imported cases accounted for nearly 70 percent of new infections.
An army conscript disinfects a classroom at an elementary school in the southeastern city of Daegu on May 1, 2020, as part of efforts to prevent coronavirus infections among children. The country is preparing for the physical reopening of schools after weeks of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
From April 24 to 30, health authorities said a daily average of 2,663 South Korean nationals entered the country. Those in their 20s or 30s accounted for 36 percent of the total.
The average number of foreigners visiting South Korea on a daily basis came to around 750 over the period.
Health authorities, however, are still calling for people to comply with social distancing guidelines during the holiday that runs through Tuesday.
Mass infections account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases here.
The nation's death toll from the virus rose by two to 250.
The overall fatality rate reached 2.32 percent. The figure, however, reached 24.7 percent for patients in their 80s and above.
In total, 9,123 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 51 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no new cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
Health authorities have carried out tests on 627,562 people since Jan. 3, including 4,493 examinations from a day earlier. The country reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
The country completed tests on 6,544 people, including medical staff from hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area. All of them tested negative for the virus.
Concerning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) emergency approval on the use of Remdesivir, an Ebola virus drug, to treat the new coronavirus, South Korea said it is still closely monitoring the ongoing clinical tests.
"South Korea is also carrying out clinical tests (on Remdesivir)," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said. "Health authorities are working closely with related bodies to follow up on the tests, while preparing to promptly import the drug in case of contingencies."
"Although there are controversies among experts, it is still significant that a reputable U.S. agency, like the FDA, has granted emergency approval," Kwon added.
The number of relapse cases came to 335 as of Saturday.
South Korea plans to maintain its eased distribution scheme on the public supply of protective masks launched this week, allowing people to buy three masks per week, compared to the previous two.
South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing mandate after the holidays if the numbers remain flat until Tuesday.
The country plans to announce on Sunday whether it will move on to what it calls "everyday life quarantine," meaning schools and workplaces can go back to normal routine with some precautionary measures attached.
Health authorities, however, say that even if the country decides to ease its social-distancing drive, it does not necessarily mean that South Korea has vanquished the COVID-19 pandemic.
A second wave of infections may hit the country hard again later this year, they added.
"Although the number of new patients is decreasing, we are concerned that there are still a few patients whose infection routes are unidentified," an official from the health ministry said during a daily briefing, warning that another cluster infection can happen anytime.
"We urge South Koreans currently on vacation to follow social distancing guidelines and wear protective masks," the official added.
The country also plans to beef up efforts to protect vulnerable people from the virus, with measures including delaying crackdowns against undocumented foreign migrant workers.
South Korea added it is currently working to remove information from press releases distributed since the pandemic began that could violate the privacy of patients.
Workers spray disinfectant on seats at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on May 1, 2020, four days ahead of the opening of the baseball season. The season will run without spectators in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2018 -- Former President Chun Doo-hwan is indicted for defaming in his memoirs a deceased Catholic priest and other victims @ @ @ @ @ crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju .
The fresh @ @ @ @ @ he was convicted of mutiny and corruption before being released on a special presidential pardon @ @ @ @ @ 1980-88 has never admitted guilt to the mutiny charges and also denied all charges related @ @ @ @ @ END )

May 3
1967 -- Park Chung-hee, who led a military coup in 1961, is re-elected as South Korea's sixth president.
1984 -- Pope John Paul II, the 264th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, visits South Korea.
1999 -- Choheung Bank, now merged with Shinhan Bank, announces a merger with Chungbuk Bank, following the financial meltdown that hit the country in late 1997.
2005 -- The board of SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile carrier, approves a plan to sell a major stake of its handset-making unit SK Teletech Co. to then No. 3 player Pantech Co. in a deal worth 300 billion won (US$257 million).
2010 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arrives in the Chinese port city of Dalian by train in his first trip to China since 2006. He left the city the following day for a summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.
2013 -- The last seven South Koreans who had negotiated the settlement of accounts on behalf of local businesses at an inter-Korean complex in North Korea return home, completing a pullout from the zone amid high tensions on the peninsula.
2018 -- Former President Chun Doo-hwan is indicted for defaming in his memoirs a deceased Catholic priest and other victims in his government's brutal crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju. The fresh indictment comes 23 years after he was convicted of mutiny and corruption before being released on a special presidential pardon. The former leader from 1980-88 has never admitted guilt to the mutiny charges and also denied all charges related to the memoirs.
(END)


yna--2020-05-02--(LEAD) Goseong forest fire under control: authorities

SEOUL , May 2 ( Yonhap ) -- Authorities said Saturday that fire fighters have put out most of the @ @ @ @ @ Goseong , which forced hundreds of people to evacuate , with the operation expected to @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; CHANGES photo; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Authorities said Saturday that fire fighters have put out most of the blaze on a mountain in Goseong, which forced hundreds of people to evacuate, with the operation expected to be completed by late afternoon.
The fire began at a house in the county located some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul late Friday, and later spread to a nearby forest on gusts of wind.
Authorities have mobilized some 500 fire trucks and 39 helicopters to extinguish the fire, bringing the main blaze under control at around 8:00 a.m., roughly 12 hours after the flames broke out.
Fire fighters plan to fully extinguish remaining fire by 4:00 p.m.
Officials from the National Forensic Service investigate the site of a forest fire in Goseong, some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on May 2, 2020. The fire broke out a day earlier. (Yonhap)
No casualties were reported from the fire, but the fire fighters were frustrated by strong winds. The fire is estimated to have destroyed 85 hectares of forest and some houses.
Authorities said the fire is expected to be fully extinguished by noon.
More than 300 residents have been evacuated due to the fire, along with some 1,800 military officials stationed in the region.
Goseong was the site of a catastrophic forest fire about a year earlier that also spread on strong gusts. The 2019 inferno destroyed more than 1,300 buildings, including 400 homes, while killing one person.
A firefighting helicopter carries out an operation to extinguish a forest fire in Goseong, some 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on May 2, 2020. The fire broke out a day earlier. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-05-02--(2nd LD) S. Korea's virus cases stay in single-digit, with no new local infections

`` Although the number of new patients is decreasing , we are concerned that there are still a few patients @ @ @ @ @ , '' an official from the health ministry said during a daily breifing , warning @ @ @ @ @ happen anytime .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea recorded fewer than 10 new daily coronavirus infections for the fourth day in a row Saturday, giving a green light for the country's plan to loosen some of social-distancing guidelines in coming days.
The six new daily infections increased the total number of cases to 10,780, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The daily figure peaked on Feb. 29 at 909.
With clear signs of a slowdown in the number of people infected locally, South Korea is vigilant of imported cases.
All new cases announced Saturday were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,081. More than 90 percent of the patients from the imported cases were South Korean nationals.
An army conscript disinfects a classroom at an elementary school in the southeastern city of Daegu on May 1, 2020, as part of efforts to prevent coronavirus infections among children. The country is preparing for the physical reopening of schools after weeks of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
From April 24 to 30, health authorities said a daily average of 2,663 South Korean nationals entered the country. Those in their 20s or 30s accounted for 36 percent of the total.
The average number of foreigners visiting South Korea on a daily basis came to around 750 over the period.
Health authorities, however, are still calling for people to comply with social distancing guidelines during the holiday that runs through Tuesday.
Mass infections account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases here.
The nation's death toll from the virus rose by two to 250.
The overall fatality rate reached 2.32 percent. The figure, however, reached 24.7 percent for patients in their 80s and above.
In total, 9,123 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 51 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no new cases. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.
Health authorities have carried out tests on 627,562 people since Jan. 3, including 4,493 examinations from a day earlier. The country reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
The country completed tests on 6,544 people, including medical staff from hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area. All of them tested negative for the virus.
South Korea plans to loosen the country's social distancing mandate after the holidays if the numbers remain flat until Tuesday.
The country plans to announce on Sunday whether it will move on to what it calls "everyday life quarantine," meaning schools and workplaces can go back to normal routine with some precautionary measures attached.
Health authorities, however, say that even if the country decides to ease its social-distancing drive, it does not necessarily mean that South Korea has vanquished the COVID-19 pandemic.
A second wave of infections may hit the country hard again later this year, they added.
"Although the number of new patients is decreasing, we are concerned that there are still a few patients whose infection routes are unidentified," an official from the health ministry said during a daily breifing, warning that another cluster infection can happen anytime.
"We urge South Koreans currently on vacation to follow social distancing guidelines and wear protective masks," the official added.
The country also plans to beef up efforts to protect vulnerable people from the virus, with measures including delaying crackdowns against undocumented foreign migrant workers.
Workers spray disinfectant on seats at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on May 1, 2020, four days ahead of the opening of the baseball season. The season will run without spectators in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)