yna--2020-07-12--(2nd LD) New virus cases rebound; imported cases, cluster infections on steady rise

(ATTN: REWRITES lead; UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back Sunday as imported cases climbed amid a continued rise in cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and the southwestern city of Gwangju.
The country added 44 cases, including 21 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,417, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 35 new virus cases reported Saturday but a slight fall compared with 45 tallied Friday. The number of new virus cases had been on the decline through Saturday after hitting 63 Wednesday.
The country identified 23 more imported cases, posting double-digit numbers for more than two weeks. On Wednesday, the tally hit a three-month high of 33 cases.
A rise in cases coming in from overseas put further strain on health authorities' efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Of 702 patients reported over the past two weeks, imported cases accounted for nearly 40 percent, according to the KCDC.
A congregant uses a QR-based code entry log to attend a service at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul on July 12, 2020, as health authorities have beefed up anti-virus prevention measures at churches nationwide. (Yonhap)
Sporadic cluster infections across the country continued to weigh on the country's virus fight, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
Since Friday, the country has banned churches from organizing smaller gatherings other than regular worship services and having group meals. QR code-based entry logs also have been applied to churches.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the locally transmitted cases last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 15 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Cluster infections tied to an apartment building in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, rose by one case to 31 as of noon.
Five cases were identified in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south Seoul. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 135 as of noon, up four cases from the previous day. Of them, three new cases were traced to a badminton social club.
This photo, taken on July 12, 2020, shows a statement announcing that a person who works at Cheil Worldwide was infected with the new coronavirus and the closure of four floors of GT Tower at Seoul's southern ward of Seocho. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been harried by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over a potential new wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
Health officials warned that they may consider implementing tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country if the virus situation worsens.
The KCDC said the number of COVID-19 patients in serious condition reached 19, the first time in a month that the tally fell below 20.
Since early July, the country has administered remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used to treat Ebola, for 27 coronavirus patients in critical condition. Of them, nine people showed some improvement, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported one additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.15 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,178, up 34 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,402,144 tests since Jan. 3.
Shoppers browse in an outlet store in Seoul on July 12, 2020, the last day of a state-led sales festival aimed at boosting spending amid the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Seoul mayor's funeral to be held online amid coronavirus concerns

The ceremony , a part of the public funeral hosted by the Seoul metropolitan government , will be webcast live @ @ @ @ @ the city government and its radio station , TBS .
Park 's body will then @ @ @ @ @ of Seoul Memorial Park before being buried in his hometown of Changnyeong , South Gyeongsang @ @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- A sending-off ceremony for late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon will be held online this week in accordance with South Korea's social distancing campaign against the novel coronavirus, a preparation committee announced Sunday.
The body of Park, currently in the Seoul National University hospital, will be transferred to City Hall on Monday morning for the ceremony scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m., according to Rep. Park Hong-keun of the ruling Democratic Party, who co-heads the funeral preparation panel.
"It will take place online in line with the principle of cooperating with the COVID-19 control efforts and be held in a simple manner," the lawmaker told reporters.
The number of attendees will be limited to around 100, including bereaved family members, senior city officials, and representatives from the party and civic groups.
The ceremony, a part of the public funeral hosted by the Seoul metropolitan government, will be webcast live via the YouTube channels of the city government and its radio station, TBS. Park's body will then be moved to the crematorium of Seoul Memorial Park before being buried in his hometown of Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
Citizens stand in silence at the mourning station for late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon established in front of City Hall on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, a stream of people have visited a public mourning station set up in front of City Hall.
The number of people who visited the place to mourn his death was tallied at 11,486 as of 1 p.m. Sunday, according to city officials. More than 640,000 people laid virtual flowers at an online memorial, they added.
All visitors are required to wear masks and keep a sufficient distance from one another before and after entering the facility following temperature checks.
The three-term mayor, who was regarded as a potential presidential candidate, was found dead last week after being accused formally of sexually harassing his female former assistant.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--State-led sales campaign set to end, department stores report revenue increase

The operators of discount store chains should close their outlets on the second and fourth Sunday every month under regulations @ @ @ @ @ shops .
They had to shut down outlets Sunday , the last day of the @ @ @ @ @ closure on June 28 .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- A state-led sales festival designed to boost spending amid the coronavirus outbreak was set to end Sunday, with major department stores posting an increase in revenue on high demand for luxury goods.
But discount store chains and traditional markets did not see intended sales-boosting impacts due mainly to a compulsory closure of outlets and lack of promotion strategy, respectively.
South Korea kicked off the 17-day sales festival, called the "Korea Donghaeng Sale" campaign, on June 26 in an effort to boost faltering domestic demand amid the new coronavirus outbreak. "Donghaeng" means going along together in Korean.
The file photo taken June 26, 2020, shows citizens lined up to buy duty-free products that hit local shelves at Lotte Department Store in Seoul's western ward of Yeongdeungpo. (Yonhap)
Major department stores, the sector hit hard by the virus outbreak, posted an increase in sales as people bought luxury items as part of "revenge spending" amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to industry watchers.
Industry leader Lotte Department Store saw sales rise 4 percent between June 26 and July 9 from a year earlier, according to company officials.
No. 2 player Shinsegae Department Store and smaller rival Hyundai Department Store posted an 11.3 percent on-year rise and a 6.3 percent gain in sales, respectively, in the cited period.
But discount store chains posted a similar level of sales or a marginal decline despite big discount events targeting the sales festival.
The operators of discount store chains should close their outlets on the second and fourth Sunday every month under regulations designed to help smaller neighborhood shops. They had to shut down outlets Sunday, the last day of the sales fest, following the closure on June 28.
Traditional markets posted a letup in sales declines last week, but merchants said they did not directly feel the impact of the sales festival.
The file photo taken June 25, 2020, shows citizens shopping for groceries at a discount store chain in Seoul one day before the government's sales festival designed to boost domestic demand kicked off. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Moon to launch gov't-ruling party task force on his New Deal project

To that end , a joint task force of the government and the ruling Democratic Party ( DP ) will @ @ @ @ @ he added .
It will be co-headed by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and the DP @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in plans to launch an inter-agency council this month for the so-called Korean-version New Deal project aimed at creating jobs and fostering economic growth against the impact of the new coronavirus, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.
Moon earlier announced his administration's ambitious push for the massive digital infrastructure and green growth initiative, with detailed programs and budget plans scheduled to be unveiled Tuesday.
"A pan-governmental strategic council will be established within this month," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said. "President Moon Jae-in plans to preside over its meeting in person once or twice a month."
To that end, a joint task force of the government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) will be created as well, he added. It will be co-headed by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and the DP's policy chief Cho Jeong-sik.
President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(LEAD) New virus cases rebound; imported cases, cluster infections on steady rise

The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the locally transmitted cases last month , but the @ @ @ @ @ reported in other parts of the country .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; ADD photo)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back Sunday as cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and the southwestern city of Gwangju continued to increase amid a sustained rise in imported cases.
The country added 44 cases, including 21 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,417, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 35 new virus cases reported Saturday but a slight fall compared with 45 tallied Friday. The number of new virus cases had been on the decline through Saturday after hitting 63 Wednesday.
The country identified 23 more imported cases, posting double-digit numbers for more than two weeks. On Wednesday, the tally hit a three-month high of 33 cases.
A worshiper uses a QR-based code entry log to attend religious services at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul on July 12, 2020, as health authorities have beefed up anti-virus prevention measures at churches nationwide. (Yonhap)
Sporadic cluster infections across the country continued to weigh on the country's virus fight, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
Since Friday, the country has banned churches from organizing smaller gatherings other than regular worship services and having group meals. QR code-based entry logs also have been applied to churches.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the locally transmitted cases last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 15 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Cluster infections tied to an apartment building in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, rose by one case to 31 as of noon.
Five cases were identified in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 135 as of noon, up four cases from the previous day. Of them, three new cases were traced to a badminton social club.
Applicants to take state tests to become public servants disinfect their hands with sanitizer before entering a test venue at a middle school in Gwangju, 329 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on July 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been harried by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over a potential new wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
A rise in cases coming in from overseas put further strains on health authorities' efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Twelve cases were traced to arrivals from the Americas.
Of 702 patients reported over the past two weeks, imported cases accounted for nearly 40 percent, according to the KCDC.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported one additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.15 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,178, up 34 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,402,144 tests since Jan. 3.
A banner calls for the use of face masks and keeping a safe distance at a beach in the eastern city of Sokcho on July 11, 2020, in an effort to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(LEAD) S. Korea ends mask rationing scheme after 4-month operation

Previously , mask producers were allowed to export up to 30 percent of their total output .
But the government @ @ @ @ @ exports quota system , under which the total amount of permissible monthly exports should not @ @ @ @ @ production .

(ATTN: UPDATES with prime minister's messages in paras 5-7)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- After a four-month operation, South Korea's mask ration system ended Sunday as the supply of face masks designed to help fight the new coronavirus has stabilized.
As prices of protective masks skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 outbreak here, the country introduced the mask rationing scheme in early March in a bid to smooth out high demand.
Under the scheme, citizens were allowed to buy a limited number of protective masks every week at pharmacies for 1,500 won (US$1.24). The weekly limit started with two masks and was raised to 10 masks.
With the termination of the scheme, citizens will be able to buy an unlimited number of masks at market prices.
A pharmacist counts masks supplied under a state-led mask rationing system at a pharmacy in central Seoul on July 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun took note of the role of drugstores nationwide as a key channel of mask supplies.
"Thankfully, drugstores were with us over the past 137 days amid the crisis situation," he wrote on his social messaging accounts. "It was a valuable opportunity to realize the public nature of drugstores once again."
He extended the government's gratitude to pharmacists, saying, "We will remember (your) hard work and dedication."
Demand for masks sharply stabilized recently as the country has successfully flattened the virus curve, while the mask supply has continued to rise, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Weekly outputs of protective masks have reached more than 100 million since the first week of June, according to the agency.
Last month, the government decided to extend the mask rationing scheme, supposed to end on June 30, to July 11 in an effort to help people easily buy masks.
In case of an emergency, the government will maintain mask stockpiles large enough to meet a sudden rise in demand.
Meanwhile, the country has decided to keep restrictions on exports of masks for their stable local supply, but it will raise the permissible volume of outbound shipments.
Previously, mask producers were allowed to export up to 30 percent of their total output. But the government decided to adopt the monthly exports quota system, under which the total amount of permissible monthly exports should not surpass 50 percent of total production.
But the country will continue to ban overseas shipments of surgical masks and thinner anti-saliva masks to meet local demand for such products in the summer.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

1974 -- A military court hands down death sentences to a group of students convicted of trying to overthrow the @ @ @ @ @ They were members of the National Youth Association for Democracy , called Mincheonghangnyeon in Korean @ @ @ @ @ of demonstrations in April of that year against the authoritarian rule of then President Park @ @ @ @ @ through a military coup in 1961 .

July 13
1919 -- The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea establishes the National Red Cross in Shanghai. Korea's Red Cross, originally established in 1905 by a decree of King Gojong, had been merged into the Red Cross of Japan by the Japanese colonial regime. Korea's government in exile revived the relief agency to manifest the country's independence and held its first general meeting in November that year.
1974 -- A military court hands down death sentences to a group of students convicted of trying to overthrow the government during martial law. They were members of the National Youth Association for Democracy, called Mincheonghangnyeon in Korean, which held a series of demonstrations in April of that year against the authoritarian rule of then President Park Chung-hee. Park took power through a military coup in 1961.
2014 -- North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles believed to be of Scud variations into the East Sea.
2016 -- South Korea and the United States pick the mountainous southern town of Seongju as the location to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, as the allies speed up efforts to put in place the anti-ballistic missile shield to counter North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korean economy to shrink 2.3 pct this year due to virus: private think tank

`` Despite all-out efforts to overcome the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic , it is hard for the Korean economy @ @ @ @ @ as economic fundamentals remain weak and the recovery of the global economy slows , '' @ @ @ @ @ of Korean Industries , the nation 's big business lobby .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy is expected to contract 2.3 percent on-year in 2020, hit by the fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak, a local private think tank said Sunday.
Asia's fourth-largest economy is forecast to have fallen 1.7 percent in the first half and to contract 2.9 percent in the second half, according to the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI).
The yearly projection is the same as its earlier estimate made in March.
It would mark the South Korean economy's first contraction since the 5.1 percent decline recorded in 1998 in the wake of a foreign exchange crisis.
KERI's growth outlook is far lower than a 0.1 percent growth forecast made by the Bank of Korea in June.
"Despite all-out efforts to overcome the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard for the Korean economy to avoid a sharp slowdown as economic fundamentals remain weak and the recovery of the global economy slows," said KERI under the Federation of Korean Industries, the nation's big business lobby.
Private spending is expected to decline 3.7 percent on-year in 2020 as consumer sentiment will remain subdued amid tepid corporate earnings.
Exports, one of the main pillars for economic growth, are likely to shrink 2.2 percent this year, amid the global economic slowdown, it added.
Facility investment will likely fall 18.7 percent, while construction investment is expected to decline 13.5 percent.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(LEAD) Political controversy erupts over mourning Seoul mayor's passing

He added he does not agree with the Seoul city 's five-day funeral for Park either , saying it 's @ @ @ @ @ time to look back on `` perceptions and behaviors '' by senior public servants .

(ATTN: UPDATES with online petition against 5-day funeral in paras 5-7)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- While South Koreans are in shock and grief over the abrupt death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon last week, the political community here seems to be split over the formalities of publicly mourning it.
The controversy is largely because he apparently took his own life in the face of a probe into suspicions that he had sexually harassed one of his female former assistants.
Critics call for mourning Park's death in a low-key manner, citing the human rights of the alleged victim, who filed a formal complaint with police against him.
They question whether Park deserves a five-day funeral officially held by the Seoul city government. Park, who died Thursday, is scheduled to be laid to rest Monday.
More than half a million people supported an online petition, posted on the website of the presidential office, against the city's move as of Sunday morning.
It pointed out that the suspected sexual harassment case has been closed without any investigation due to Park's death.
"Do the people have to watch the showy five-day funeral of an influential politician suspected of sexually harassing (a woman)? A family funeral is appropriate," it read.
A mourning station for the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in front of the Seoul City Hall (Yonhap)
Kim Chong-in, caretaker leader of the conservative main opposition United Future Party, had put a plan on hold to pay a condolence call to Park's family.
Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the smaller opposition People's Party, wrote on his Facebook account that "I have decided not to pay a separate condolence call," although Park's passing is a sad incident.
He added he does not agree with the Seoul city's five-day funeral for Park either, saying it's more needed than any other time to look back on "perceptions and behaviors" by senior public servants.
Two female lawmakers with the progressive opposition Justice Party -- Ryu Ho-jeong and Jang Hye-yeong -- earlier expressed their sympathy for the woman who had allegedly suffered sexual harassment and vowed refusal to pay respects to Park.
Choi Min-hee, a former lawmaker with the ruling Democratic Party (DP), accused the Justice Party of "politicizing" the issue of mourning the death of the liberal-minded mayor who was in office for a decade.
"Now is the time to mourn," Choi said in her Facebook message.
Last Friday, President Moon Jae-in sent condolence flowers and his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides, including Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, to the Seoul National University hospital, where the funeral home is established.
The DP has sought to prevent political disputes related to Park's death from escalating.
Rep. Kang Hoon-sik, the party's spokesman, urged some internet users to stop trying to identify the alleged victim and spreading unconfirmed information.
"Currently, no facts have been revealed," he said. "There shouldn't be another controversy being created."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korea to lift regulatory hurdles this year

The government is working on overhauling rules in many fields .
For instance , it is reviewing a scheme to @ @ @ @ @ EV ) recharging using ordinary 220 Volt plugs , mobile notification services that can be @ @ @ @ @ and private sectors , and small-scale foreign currency exchange services that can be conducted via @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to wrap up necessary regulatory reforms by the end of the year in a bid to help startups and small-scale firms find new growth engines, the science ministry said Sunday.
So far, 63 programs have been selected for so-called sandbox regulatory measures, which are exempted from strict regulations, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The scheme was launched in Jan. 2019 with the aim of allowing local firms to catch up with innovation and to test various business models that are not permitted under existing rules.
The government is working on overhauling rules in many fields. For instance, it is reviewing a scheme to allow commercial electric vehicle (EV) recharging using ordinary 220 Volt plugs, mobile notification services that can be used by both the public and private sectors, and small-scale foreign currency exchange services that can be conducted via automated teller machines.
The ministry said regulations will moreover be changed to make greater use of bio signals at various health and welfare facilities, permit automated controls at unmanned telecom base transmit stations, and revise guidelines to make it possible for several eateries to share a common kitchen area.
Besides these programs, existing rules on virtual reality motion simulators, solar power monitoring, use of mobile tech for car rentals, and new mobile driver's license system that can be viewed on a special app, will be changed in the coming months as a result of the sandbox program, the ministry said.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Families, friends bid farewell to late Seoul mayor at funeral

`` My friend Park Won-soon has been with me for the past 40 years .
It was just a day @ @ @ @ @ that I had discussed property market measures with him .
... ( I 'm ) @ @ @ @ @ '' Lee Hae-chan , chairman of the ruling Democratic Party , said in his mourning @ @ @ @ @ `` symbol of South Korea 's civil activism . ''

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Friends, family and supporters gathered in pouring rain Monday to say their final goodbyes to Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a prominent human rights lawyer and civic activist who was regarded as a potential candidate for the next presidential race.
The funeral was also livestreamed online as a precaution against the new coronavirus.
Following an hourslong search involving hundreds of police and rescue officers, the three-term mayor was found dead at Mount Bugak in central Seoul on Friday. The city government later released a handwritten note by Park, who said he was "sorry" to everyone.
The bereaved family and friends of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon carry his photo outside City Hall in central Seoul following a livestreamed funeral on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
His abrupt death came as a shock to the city's 10 million population and the whole country.
While supporters mourned his untimely death, the incident also caused a controversy following reports that one of Park's former secretaries had filed a criminal complaint on sexual harassment just two days before his death.
More than half a million signed an online petition asking the funeral not to be held as a "mayoral funeral," citing the sexual harassment allegations, and a political fight surrounding the case erupted, in some cases seen as posing a threat to the former secretary.
Some even went onto file a petition with the Seoul Administrative Court to prevent the city government from holding the five-day public funeral. The court dismissed the petition Sunday evening, allowing the funeral to go ahead as planned.
Despite the political wrangling, Monday's funeral service was held in a relatively solemn and low-key manner at Seoul City Hall in the city center. Roughly 100 family members, friends, city officials and politicians attended the service that started at 8:30 a.m.
Supporters carrying umbrellas stood outside the City Hall building as they watched the online funeral service live to mourn the late mayor.
Park's funeral preparation committee said Sunday that the funeral will be livestreamed online "in line with the principle of cooperating with the COVID-19 control efforts and be held in a simple manner."
Late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's supporters and pedestrians wait outside of City Hall in central Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"My friend Park Won-soon has been with me for the past 40 years. It was just a day before (his death) that I had discussed property market measures with him. ... (I'm) in grief and misery," Lee Hae-chan, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, said in his mourning speech, calling Park a "symbol of South Korea's civil activism."
City officials voiced regret about the mayor who had led the city's affairs for nearly a decade since he was elected to the post in a 2011 by-election. He was reelected in 2014 and 2018, with his term set to end in 2022.
"The road of the 'citizens' that (Park) had rightly defended for 3,180 days has become a standard not only for Seoul, but for the Republic of Korea," the city's acting Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup said.
"His last request was to protect the people from COVID-19 and to pioneer ways for Seoul to become a standard city in the post-coronavirus age," Seo said, vowing that the city's 75,000 employees will carry on with city affairs.
People visit a memorial altar of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon set up outside City Hall in central Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Park's daughter, Da-in, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved family, thanked everyone who visited the funeral to mourn and urged the people of Seoul "who have filled his spot" to help make Seoul a better place.
Park's body will be cremated at Seoul Memorial Park in southern Seoul and laid to rest at his hometown of Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Samsung to spend 100 bln won for industry-academia cooperation projects

`` The latest investment is likely to help researchers at local universities whose projects have been delayed or suspended amid @ @ @ @ @ the company said .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's leading tech firm, said Monday that it will spend 100 billion won (US$83 million) this year to boost cooperation between industry and academia to better develop future chip and display technologies.
Samsung opened its industry-academia cooperation center in July 2018, and has supported research projects in the chip and display sectors by more than 700 university professors and students.
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows its corporate logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"The latest investment is likely to help researchers at local universities whose projects have been delayed or suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the company said.
The program allows local universities to use Samsung's advanced chip equipment for their research projects.
Samsung said it plans to expand its industry-academia cooperation program in the field of basic science, such as physics and mathematics.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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

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


yna--2020-07-13--Korea's ICT exports rebound on solid demand for computers

Outbound shipments of ICT products moved up 1 percent on-year to US $ 14.9 billion last month , according to @ @ @ @ @ Ministry of Science and ICT .
It marked a sharp improvement from 15.3-percent on-year drop @ @ @ @ @ was followed by a 2.7-percent decline in May .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products rebounded in June, data showed Monday, as robust shipments of computers cushioned weak demand for displays and mobile devices.
Outbound shipments of ICT products moved up 1 percent on-year to US$14.9 billion last month, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT. It marked a sharp improvement from 15.3-percent on-year drop posted in April, which was followed by a 2.7-percent decline in May.
The country imported $8.96 billion worth of ICT products in June, resulting in a trade surplus of $5.9 billion.
South Korea's overall exports have been losing ground over recent months as the new coronavirus pandemic has strained global supply chains.
Exports of computers and related accessories, however, managed to gather ground on-year in June due to the rising number of people working from home.
Outbound shipments of the segment advanced a whopping 84.5 percent on-year to hit $1.27 billion, the data showed.
In contrast, the country's shipments of chips, a mainstay export, edged down 0.5 percent to reach $8.36 billion.
Outbound shipments of memory chips have slightly lost ground, although the rising demand for system chips have limited the decline, according to the ministry.
Exports of displays moved down 5.2 percent to reach $1.5 billion due to the weaker demand for LCD products, and those of smartphones plunged 10.6 percent to reach $880 million.
By destination, exports to China slipped 1.6 percent to reach $7.28 billion. Those to the United States, however, have increased on-year for six consecutive months by rising 26 percent to hit $1.94 billion.
Exports to Vietnam increased 5.7 percent on-year in June, helped by smartphones and displays.
South Korea's overall exports fell 10.9 percent in June, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline amid the fallout from the new coronavirus pandemic, although the pace slowed as major economies around the globe slowly began to resume business activities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Samsung Electronics in talks with LG Display for panel supply: sources

The move came after Samsung Display Co. , a display maker under Samsung Electronics , announced earlier this year that @ @ @ @ @ screen production from next year and will speed up its shift toward quantum-dot ( QD @ @ @

By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is in talks with competitor LG Display Co. for the purchase of display panels, industry sources said Monday, amid its transition to production of next-generation display.
Samsung Electronics and LG Display may sign a deal on LCD TV panel supply in the near future, according to the sources.
The move came after Samsung Display Co., a display maker under Samsung Electronics, announced earlier this year that it will discontinue its LCD screen production from next year and will speed up its shift toward quantum-dot (QD) display.
A consumer look at Samsung TVs at a store in Seoul on April 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
Industry insiders originally predicted that Samsung Electronics could buy LCD panels from Chinese firms, such as China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., and BOE Technology Group Co., as well as Sharp Corp., now owned by Taiwan's Foxconn Group.
Analysts expect that LG Display's supply volume to be worth between 1 trillion (US$833 million) and 2 trillion won if the deal is secured. LG Display plans to supply large-size LCD panels from its plant in Guangzhou, China.
Samsung and LG are rivals in the TV industry, with the former representing QLED TV and the latter spearheading OLED TV. However, history shows the two sides can work as partners.
In 2017, Samsung Electronics received LCD screens for 65-inch and 75-inch TVs from LG Display after Sharp abruptly decided to cut its display supply.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Arrivals from high-risk nations required to submit proof of 'negative' virus test results

South Korea has also ordered regular flights from such countries to limit the number of passengers to 60 percent of @ @ @ @ @ for countries with large outbreaks will face strict entry processes when returning to South Korea @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with latest figures)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday started to require foreigners arriving from high-risk countries to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the new coronavirus, as a steady rise in imported cases has strained its anti-virus fight.
All foreign arrivals from the four countries -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan -- are obligated to hand in health certificates proving they have tested negative for COVID-19 on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
South Korea has also ordered regular flights from such countries to limit the number of passengers to 60 percent of capacity. Those who depart for countries with large outbreaks will face strict entry processes when returning to South Korea, health authorities said.
Strict quarantine regulations on arrivals from Pakistan and Bangladesh have been already in place. South Korea began to suspend visa issuance and non-scheduled flights from the two countries from June 23.
Arrivals receive instructions from health officials at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Sunday, South Korea said that it is closely monitoring situations in 11 additional countries, hinting it may apply the strict regulation to more countries with large virus outbreaks down the road.
The certificates must be issued by hospitals and testing centers designated by South Korean embassies within 48 hours before their departure.
The virus-free certificates do not exempt the arrivals from the two-week self quarantine. South Korea has been enforcing mandatory 14-day self-quarantines for all travelers, including South Korean nationals, coming from overseas since April 1.
In early May, South Korea eased social distancing, but the steady rise in imported cases as well as those tied to religious facilities have forced health authorities to take a step back and reinforce anti-virus measures.
So far, foreign nationals account for nearly 30 percent of the total imported cases here, which came to 1,872 as of Monday.
Imported cases accounted for nearly 14 percent of the accumulated number of COVID-19 infections here.
South Korea has reported 288 imported cases this month as of Monday, compared with 323 cases detected for all of June. In May, the country reported 192 of such cases.
The country announced 43 more imported cases Monday, posting double-digit numbers for the 18th consecutive day. It marked the highest since March 25 when the reading was 51.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) New virus cases rebound to above 60; imported cases at 4-month high

Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country 's virus fight .
The country identified 43 more @ @ @ @ @ raising the total of such cases to 1,872 .
The reading marked the highest since @ @ @ @ @ was the 18th consecutive day of double-digit increase .

(ATTN: REWRITES lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back to above 60 on Monday as imported cases increased by the largest number in nearly four months amid rises in cluster infections in major cities.
The country added 62 cases, including 19 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,479, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp rise from 44 new virus cases reported Sunday and 35 cases Saturday. It marked the highest since the number of daily virus cases hit 63 on Wednesday.
Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country's virus fight. The country identified 43 more imported cases on Monday, raising the total of such cases to 1,872. The reading marked the highest since 51 on March 25 and was the 18th consecutive day of double-digit increase.
Churchgoers lined up to attend a service at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul on July 12, 2020, as health authorities have beefed up anti-virus prevention measures at churches nationwide. (Yonhap)
Starting Monday, arrivals from four high-risk nations -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan -- must submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure in early last month on the back of the country's strengthened quarantine checks at airports.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June as global virus cases have resurged amid eased lockdowns.
Sporadic cluster infections across the country also continued to weigh on the country's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the local infections last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Cluster infections tied to an apartment building in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul reached 31 as of noon Sunday.
Six cases were identified in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 135 as of noon Sunday.
This photo, taken on July 12, 2020, shows a statement announcing that a person who works at Cheil Worldwide was infected with the new coronavirus and the closure of four floors of GT Tower at Seoul's southern ward of Seocho. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been gripped by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over another wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
A preliminary antibody test showed only one out of 3,055 people tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in South Korea.
South Korea's health minister Park Neunghoo said Sunday herd immunity is "impossible" here and renewed calls for citizens to strictly follow hygiene measures until COVID-19 vaccines become available.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.14 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,204, up 26 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,408,312 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--U.S. sends surveillance plane to air base in Japan: aviation tracker

SEOUL , July 13 ( Yonhap ) -- The United States has deployed a surveillance aircraft to one of its @ @ @ @ @ an aviation tracker has said , for a possible mission near the Korean Peninsula .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- The United States has deployed a surveillance aircraft to one of its air bases in Japan, an aviation tracker has said, for a possible mission near the Korean Peninsula.
An RC-135S Cobra Ball plane departed Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska for Kadena Air Base in Japan's Okinawa, Aircraft Spots said in a Twitter post Sunday, without elaborating on the exact time of its flight.
On Saturday, the aviation tracker said RC-135U Combat Sent departed the Kadena base for a mission in the East Sea.
The U.S. Air Force's E-8C Joint Stars was also deployed to Kadena on Saturday and was spotted flying over Tokyo early Monday, according to another aviation tracker, No Callsign.
The reconnaissance planes have been frequently spotted near the Korean Peninsula in recent months amid North Korea's tension-heightening moves in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by defectors here.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--New virus cases rebound to above 60; imported cases at 4-month high

Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country 's virus fight .
The country identified 43 more @ @ @ @ @ posting double-digit numbers for the 18th consecutive day .
It marked the highest since March @ @ @ @ @ 51 .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back to above 60 on Monday as imported cases and cluster infections in major cities continued to rise.
The country added 62 cases, including 19 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,479, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp rise from 44 new virus cases reported Sunday and 35 cases Saturday. It marked the highest since the number of daily virus cases hit 63 on Wednesday.
Imported cases emerged as yet another stumbling block in the country's virus fight. The country identified 43 more imported cases on Monday, posting double-digit numbers for the 18th consecutive day. It marked the highest since March 25 when the reading was 51.
Churchgoers lined up to attend a service at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul on July 12, 2020, as health authorities have beefed up anti-virus prevention measures at churches nationwide. (Yonhap)
Starting Monday, arrivals from four high-risk nations -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan -- must submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure in June on the back of the country's strengthened quarantine checks at airports.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June amid eased global lockdowns.
Sporadic cluster infections across the country also continued to weigh on the country's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the local infections last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Cluster infections tied to an apartment building in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul reached 31 as of noon Sunday.
Six cases were identified in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 135 as of noon Sunday.
This photo, taken on July 12, 2020, shows a statement announcing that a person who works at Cheil Worldwide was infected with the new coronavirus and the closure of four floors of GT Tower at Seoul's southern ward of Seocho. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been gripped by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over a potential new wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.14 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,204, up 26 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,408,312 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Ulsan return to top of K League, keep focus on bigger fish to fry

`` We know exactly what we want to accomplish and where we want to go .
And we 're taking @ @ @ @ @ , '' Kim said .
`` Our players must compete to the absolute best of @ @ @ @ @ stay focused on preparing for upcoming matches .
We want to be at the top @ @ @ @ @ end . ''

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- The view from the top is always nice, but Ulsan Hyundai FC understand there is still a lot of football left this season.
Ulsan returned to first place in the K League 1 table following a 3-1 victory over Daegu FC on Sunday. The away victory in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, lifted Ulsan to 26 points, one ahead of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Jeonbuk eked out a 2-2 draw against Seongnam FC on Saturday after going down 2-0 and have now been held winless in two straight matches.
Members of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrate a goal against Daegu FC during their K League 1 match at Forest Arena in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ulsan had last been in first place on May 23.
At Forest Arena in Daegu, Junior Negrao grabbed a brace for Ulsan and now leads the K League 1 with 14 goals. No one else has scored in double figures so far this season, and the Brazilian striker himself has netted more goals than six of the 12 clubs in the league.
Ulsan's victory also ended Daegu's undefeated run at seven matches. Daegu, with 19 points, are in fifth place, one point back of Pohang Steelers.
The win was surely a gratifying one for Ulsan, coming as it did away from home in a heavy downpour, but head coach Kim Do-hoon tried to keep his excitement in check.
"We know exactly what we want to accomplish and where we want to go. And we're taking one step at a time," Kim said. "Our players must compete to the absolute best of their ability. We'll stay focused on preparing for upcoming matches. We want to be at the top of the table at the end."
Midfielder Lee Chung-yong, a key offseason acquisition who set up Shin Jin-ho's opening goal Sunday, said he's not going to get too excited about taking first place in the middle of July.
After all, this is a club that blew a chance to end a 14-year championship drought in 2019 by losing the final match of the season.
"I am pleased that we pulled out an away win against a tough opponent, and this should boost our collective confidence," Lee said.
Junior Negrao of Ulsan Hyundai FC (R) takes a shot against Daegu FC during the teams' K League 1 match at Forest Arena in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
As for battling Jeonbuk for the top, Lee said: "They're one of many teams that we have to take on, and the race will go down to the wire. If we continue to prepare hard for matches, I think we'll have the last laugh."
Jeonbuk barely got a point against Seongnam FC, who entered Saturday's match on a six-match winless skid.
Seongnam built a 2-0 lead four minutes into the second half but lost a couple of defenders to injuries that left a gaping hole on the backline. Han Kyo-won cut the deficit in half in the 54th and an own goal by Seongnam defender Yeon Je-woon nine minutes later evened the score at 2-2.
Elsewhere on the weekend, a nine-man Incheon United ended their eight-match losing skid with a dramatic 1-1 draw versus Sangju Sangmu on Saturday.
Sangju got on the board in the 47th on Oh Se-hun's header, and then Incheon saw two players sent off over the next 15 minutes.
Han Kyo-won of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (L) takes a dribble during a K League 1 match against Seongnam FC at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 11, 2020, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
With the clock winding down, Ji Eon-hak stunned Sangju with his right-footed equalizer, setting off a celebration worthy of a championship victory.
Sangju were seconds away from improving to 23 points, which would have placed them just two points back of Jeonbuk for second place.
All three matches on Saturday ended in a draw, with Pohang Steelers and Suwon Samsung Bluewings ending in a 1-1 deadlock.
On Sunday, Gangwon FC routed Gwangju FC 4-1 to end their four-match losing streak. Cho Jae-wan had two goals for the winning side.
Lee Jae-won of Seongnam FC (C) is congratulated by teammates Kim Dong-hyun (L) and Lee Tae-hee after scoring a goal against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in a K League 1 match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 11, 2020, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(URGENT) 26 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,

(URGENT) 26 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,204: KCDC


yna--2020-07-13--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional death, total death toll at 289: KCDC


yna--2020-07-13--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 62 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 13,479: KCDC


yna--2020-07-13--(Yonhap Interview) Seoul's trade minister vows to make WTO more responsive if elected head

Yoo made the remarks as she arrived in Geneva on Sunday to participate in the three-day general council meeting at @ @ @ @ @ announce campaign pledges for the top post of the body , which was launched as @ @ @ @ @ disputes in 1995 , during the meeting that starts Wednesday .

GENEVA, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has said she will seek to transform the World Trade Organization (WTO) into a body capable of responding more properly to a changed trade climate if she is elected as new chief.
Yoo made the remarks as she arrived in Geneva on Sunday to participate in the three-day general council meeting at the WTO. She will announce campaign pledges for the top post of the body, which was launched as the final arbiter in trade disputes in 1995, during the meeting that starts Wednesday.
"I will stress the WTO's reform which is suitable to the 21st century, as it has failed to adjust to drastic changes in the world trade climate," Yoo said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. "My slogan is to make the WTO more relevant, resilient and responsive."
She said there is a big gap between trade rules at the WTO's inception and actual trade today because no mobile phones or e-commerce existed at that time.
"If elected, I will try to reform and restore WTO's major functions, such as dispute settlements, in a way suitable to the current situation," Yoo said.
The WTO plans to launch the process to pick its new leader on Sept. 7 as current Director-General Roberto Azevedo of Brazil is set to stand down in August, about a year before his term ends.
Yoo, who declared her candidacy in late June, is competing for the top WTO post with other candidates from seven countries -- Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Moldova, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Britain.
South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee (Yonhap)
Her bid comes as the WTO is stuck in its biggest crisis since its creation over growing uncertainties in global trade rules and fragile collaboration among member nations, in the wake of the United States-China trade war and the coronavirus pandemic.
Yoo said she would step up efforts to enable the WTO to respond more quickly to a global crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Countries tend to impose export restrictions during crises, such as the coronavirus outbreak, but currently, the WTO is not prepared to deal with such a situation promptly," she said.
Yoo further said she would seek to ensure the WTO play a role in bolstering the capabilities of underdeveloped countries and supporting their recovery, as well as developed nations.
"Such a role is important for the sustainable development of all member countries. The WTO may not act as a trade arbiter in the future unless diverse voices are reflected in its trade agreements," she said.
Yoo, a veteran in trade talks, is expected to announce her campaign promises during a session of the general council meeting Thursday (local time).
To become the WTO's new head, she has to overcome the opposition of Japan that has been locking horns with South Korea over a Seoul court's ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate victims of their wartime forced labor.
Japan has reportedly joined hands with Germany, France and other European countries to throw their support behind Nigerian candidate Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is more internationally known.
Yoo is the third South Korean to run for the top post of the Geneva-based trade body. Two South Koreans made unsuccessful bids in 1994 and 2012, respectively.
She was appointed as South Korea's trade minister in February last year, becoming the first woman to be named to the top-ranking position in the 70-year history of the trade ministry. She is fluent in English and served as the presidential office's spokesperson for foreign correspondents.
This image shows the eight candates for the director-general of the World Trade Organization. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--N.K. paper urges thorough preparations against monsoons to minimize damage

`` Damage from floods can be prevented as long as we remain well prepared in advance , '' the Rodong @ @ @ @ @ the ruling Workers ' Party , said in an article .
`` Only complaining , @ @ @ @ @ responding to this work would end up causing irreversible consequences . ''

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper on Monday urged its people to brace for the upcoming summer monsoon season, calling preventive efforts against floods a "war" to support the country's efforts to overcome economic difficulties.
"Damage from floods can be prevented as long as we remain well prepared in advance," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party, said in an article. "Only complaining, hoping for luck and habitually responding to this work would end up causing irreversible consequences."
The paper called the fight against the monsoon season a "war" to safeguard the party's push for a "frontal breakthrough" in the farming sector.
North Korea claimed to have good harvests last year, but observers say that its farming sector was severely hit by typhoons, floods and other natural disasters, possibly deepening its chronic food shortages.
Monsoons usually begin early in the summer season, causing havoc on farming since they mostly bring torrential downpours. This year's monsoon season is expected to start to affect North Korea later this month.
The paper also urged its people to stay alert against extreme weather like the recently reported floods that caused damage in neighboring countries, including China and Japan.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--BAT Korea names new country manager

BAT Korea names new country manager

Kim Eun-ji , 44 , began her new job on July 1 .
She had served mainly in marketing and @ @ @ @ @ since joining the company in 2004 , the company said in a statement .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- British American Tobacco (BAT) Korea said Monday it has appointed a marketing expert as new country manager as it strives to boost sales in Asia's fourth-biggest economy.
Kim Eun-ji, 44, began her new job on July 1. She had served mainly in marketing and sales divisions in BAT Korea since joining the company in 2004, the company said in a statement.
"With a wide range of knowledge in marketing and trade, I will bring a positive change to our journey to business turnaround carefully serving the needs of Korean consumers," she said in the statement.
BAT Korea said the new country manager will lead the local turnaround according to BAT's global business strategy.
BAT Korea's domestic sales fell to 268.2 billion won in 2018 from 413.4 billion won in 2016. In contrast, its outbound shipments jumped to US$300 million from $100 million during the same period.
This file photo provided BAT Korea shows Kim Eun-ji, the company's new country manager for the South Korean market. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Seoul stocks open higher on stimulus hopes

This week , South Korea is also set to release details of the so-called New Deal stimulus package , aimed @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic-hit economy .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened higher Monday on hopes for economic rebound despite rising virus outbreaks around the globe.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 13.51 points, or 0.63 percent, to 2,163.76 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The gains were led by optimism for a quick economic recovery.
South Korea's exports fell 1.7 percent on-year in the first 10 days of July, but a slower rate of decline signaled recovery in outbound shipments.
This week, South Korea is also set to release details of the so-called New Deal stimulus package, aimed at creating jobs and supporting the pandemic-hit economy.
Most large caps traded higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 1.14 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix edging up 0.12 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics shed 1.5 percent, and leading chemical maker LG Chem adding 1.51 percent.
The country's largest automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 1.73 percent. Leading steelmaker POSCO gained 1.1 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,201.45 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.05 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(2nd LD) S. Korea's exports fall 1.7 pct in first 10 days of July

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

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 5 paras)
SEJONG, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 1.7 percent on-year in the first 10 days of July, but a slower pace of contraction signaled a recovery in shipments as more nations lifted coronavirus lockdown measures, customs data showed Monday.
The nation's outbound shipments stood at US$13.3 billion in the July 1-10 period, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports during the 10-day period also declined 1.7 percent.
In the first 10 days of June, exports jumped 20.2 percent on-year, but the daily average exports for last month's 10-day period slipped 9.8 percent.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully shutting their borders.
By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, rose 7.7 percent and those of automobiles gained 7.3 percent over the 10-day period from a year earlier.
By country, shipments to China rose 9.4 percent on-year and shipments to the United States increased 7.3 percent.
South Korea's imports in the 10-day period slipped 9.1 percent on-year to $14.1 billion, according to the data.
Exports dropped for the fourth consecutive month in June due to the growing economic fallout from the pandemic.
Outbound shipments dipped 10.9 percent to $39.2 billion last month, compared with $44 billion posted a year earlier.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has predicted that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year as the global economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s due to the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 6 percent this year, the OECD said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Arrivals from high-risk nations required to submit proof of 'negative' virus test results

SEOUL , July 13 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea on Monday started to require foreigners arriving from high-risk countries @ @ @ @ @ they tested negative for the new coronavirus , as a steady rise in imported cases @ @ @ @ @ .
All foreign arrivals from the four countries -- Bangladesh , Pakistan , Kazakhstan , @ @ @ @ @ to hand in health certificates proving they have tested negative for COVID-19 on a polymerase @ @ @ @ @ test .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday started to require foreigners arriving from high-risk countries to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the new coronavirus, as a steady rise in imported cases has strained its anti-virus fight.
All foreign arrivals from the four countries -- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan -- are obligated to hand in health certificates proving they have tested negative for COVID-19 on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
South Korea has also ordered regular flights from such countries to limit the number of passengers to 60 percent of capacity. Those who depart for countries with large outbreaks will face strict entry processes when returning to South Korea, health authorities said.
Strict quarantine regulations on arrivals from Pakistan and Bangladesh have been already in place. South Korea began to suspend visa issuance and non-scheduled flights from the two countries from June 23.
Arrivals receive instructions from health officials at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Sunday, South Korea said that it is closely monitoring situations in 11 additional countries, hinting it may apply the strict regulation to more countries with large virus outbreaks down the road.
The certificates must be issued by hospitals and testing centers designated by South Korean embassies within 48 hours before their departure.
The virus-free certificates do not exempt the arrivals from the two-week self quarantine. South Korea has been enforcing mandatory 14-day self-quarantines for all travelers, including South Korean nationals, coming from overseas since April 1.
In early May, South Korea eased social distancing, but the steady rise in imported cases as well as those tied to religious facilities have forced health authorities to take a step back and reinforce anti-virus measures.
Imported cases accounted for roughly 13 percent of the accumulated number of COVID-19 infections here as of Sunday.
South Korea has reported 245 imported cases this month as of Sunday, compared with 323 cases detected for all of June. In May, the country reported 192 of such cases.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) S. Korea's exports fall 1.7 pct in first 10 days of July

SEJONG , July 13 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's exports fell 1.7 percent on-year in the first 10 @ @ @ @ @ a slower pace of contraction signaled a recovery in shipments as more nations lifted coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ showed Monday .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details)
SEJONG, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 1.7 percent on-year in the first 10 days of July, but a slower pace of contraction signaled a recovery in shipments as more nations lifted coronavirus lockdown measures, customs data showed Monday.
The nation's outbound shipments stood at US$13.3 billion in the July 1-10 period, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports during the 10-day period also declined 1.7 percent.
In the first 10 days of June, exports jumped 20.2 percent on-year, but the daily average exports for last month's 10-day period slipped 9.8 percent.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully shutting their borders.
By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, rose 7.7 percent and those of automobiles gained 7.3 percent over the 10-day period from a year earlier.
By country, shipments to China rose 9.4 percent on-year and shipments to the United States increased 7.3 percent.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(2nd LD) Southern South Korea hit by devastating downpours

It said downpours of 30-80 mm are forecast for eastern Gangwon Province , with some regions likely to get upward @ @ @ @ @ per hour , which could cause flash flooding .
The KMA also said Seoul , @ @ @ @ @ of Gyeonggi , South Chungcheong and some regions of North Gyeongsang , will get around @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
The southern region and places along the western coast and the resort island @ @ @ @ @ mm of precipitation , the weather service said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with weather forecast in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Some 200 millimeters of rain pounded South Korea's southern regions on Monday, leaving several people dead and causing traffic accidents, flooding and destruction of roads, houses and facilities, officials said.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), 277 mm of rain fell in Sancheong of South Gyeongsang Province for one day by 2 p.m., followed by 228 mm in Buan of North Jeolla Province, 210 mm in Geoje, west of Busan, 158.2 mm in Gwangju and 160.2 mm in Daejeon.
In the southeastern province of South Gyeongsang, the per-hour precipitation reached 30 mm, while southwestern coasts, Incheon and five Yellow Sea islands close to the North Korean border were put under a strong wind advisory, the agency said.
A road in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, is closed to traffic on July 13, 2020, after being hit by a landslide caused by heavy rain, in this photo provided by the provincial government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Hamyang of South Gyeongsang, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, two men -- a farmer and an excavator engineer -- were found dead Monday morning after being swept away by rapids while conducting irrigation-ditch repair work.
Another two men, both in their 50s, were rescued after falling in a river while fishing in a boat in Hapcheon of South Gyeongsang.
In Daegu, 300 km southeast of Seoul, a 64-year-old man died after falling off a 5-meter cliff while descending a mountain amid heavy downpours Sunday afternoon.
A pileup of five cars, including a 25-ton cargo truck and an SUV, occurred on a section of the Seoul-Busan expressway in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7:33 a.m. amid heavy rain, killing the SUV driver and injuring two, including the truck driver.
An SUV crashed into a guardrail on the Namhae Expressway at 9:30 a.m. after skidding on a slippery road. The crash resulted in no casualties but caused traffic congestion.
A residential area in Gwangju remains flooded after heavy downpours in the southwestern city, in this photo provided by a resident. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Flooding and destruction of roads, houses and farming facilities were also reported across the southern areas.
In South Jeolla Province, nine houses were flooded, while Gwangju reported flooding of five houses and a farm road. In Muan, near Gwangju, 357 hectares of rice fields were flooded.
In Busan, battered by 120 mm of rain and strong winds, part of an ancient fortress collapsed, one house was destroyed, many street trees were broken, several riverbed roads were inundated and seven roads were closed to traffic due to flooding.
The southeastern port city was soaked by over 70 mm of rain per hour last Friday, resulting in the flooding of dozens of houses and about 170 vehicles.
In Gimje, North Jeolla Province, a motorist was rescued by emergency service workers after his car got stuck on a flooded road.
In nearby Jeonju, a funeral parlor and KT buildings suffered flood damage.
"The rainy season began on Jeju Island on June 10 and in the southern and central regions on June 24. Generally, the wet season ends in those areas in late July, though the exact period differs from region to region. The current pressure chart indicates the previous pattern is expected to repeat this year," said a KMA official.
The agency said it lifted its heavy rain advisory for most southern areas, but more rain is expected in the southwestern and central parts of the country for most of Tuesday.
Authorities earlier issued a landslide advisory for six southern areas -- Goseong, Namhae, Hamyang, Sancheong, Geoje and Geochang.
It said downpours of 30-80 mm are forecast for eastern Gangwon Province, with some regions likely to get upward of 20 mm of rain per hour, which could cause flash flooding. The KMA also said Seoul, along with the central provinces of Gyeonggi, South Chungcheong and some regions of North Gyeongsang, will get around 10-50 mm of rain throughout Tuesday. The southern region and places along the western coast and the resort island of Jeju could expect 5-30 mm of precipitation, the weather service said.
It added that temperatures across South Korea will remain relatively moderate, reaching only 20-24 C in the afternoon.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Friends, family bid final farewell to Seoul mayor

`` My friend Park Won-soon has been with me for the past 40 years .
It was just a day @ @ @ @ @ that I had discussed property market measures with him .
... ( I 'm ) @ @ @ @ @ '' Lee Hae-chan , chairman of the ruling Democratic Party , said in his mourning @ @ @ @ @ `` symbol of South Korea 's civil activism . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with burial of Park's cremated remains in last para)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Friends, family and supporters gathered in pouring rain Monday to say their final goodbyes to Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a prominent human rights lawyer and civic activist who was regarded as a potential candidate for the next presidential race.
The funeral was also livestreamed online as a precaution against the new coronavirus.
Following an hourslong search involving hundreds of police and rescue officers, the three-term mayor was found dead at Mount Bugak in central Seoul on Friday. The city government later released a handwritten note by Park, who said he was "sorry" to everyone.
The bereaved family and friends of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon carry his photo outside City Hall in central Seoul following a livestreamed funeral on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
His abrupt death came as a shock to the city's 10 million population and the whole country.
While supporters mourned his untimely death, the incident also caused a controversy following reports that one of Park's former secretaries had filed a criminal complaint on sexual harassment just two days before his death.
More than half a million signed an online petition asking the funeral not to be held as a "mayoral funeral," citing the sexual harassment allegations, and a political fight surrounding the case erupted, in some cases seen as posing a threat to the former secretary.
Some even went onto file a petition with the Seoul Administrative Court to prevent the city government from holding the five-day public funeral. The court dismissed the petition Sunday evening, allowing the funeral to go ahead as planned.
Despite the political wrangling, Monday's funeral service was held in a relatively solemn and low-key manner at Seoul City Hall in the city center. Roughly 100 family members, friends, city officials and politicians attended the service that started at 8:30 a.m.
Supporters carrying umbrellas stood outside the City Hall building as they watched the online funeral service live to mourn the late mayor.
Park's funeral preparation committee said Sunday that the funeral will be livestreamed online "in line with the principle of cooperating with the COVID-19 control efforts and be held in a simple manner."
Late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's supporters and pedestrians wait outside of City Hall in central Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"My friend Park Won-soon has been with me for the past 40 years. It was just a day before (his death) that I had discussed property market measures with him. ... (I'm) in grief and misery," Lee Hae-chan, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, said in his mourning speech, calling Park a "symbol of South Korea's civil activism."
City officials voiced regret about the mayor who had led the city's affairs for nearly a decade since he was elected to the post in a 2011 by-election. He was reelected in 2014 and 2018, with his term set to end in 2022.
"The road of the 'citizens' that (Park) had rightly defended for 3,180 days has become a standard not only for Seoul, but for the Republic of Korea," the city's acting Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup said.
"His last request was to protect the people from COVID-19 and to pioneer ways for Seoul to become a standard city in the post-coronavirus age," Seo said, vowing that the city's 75,000 employees will carry on with city affairs.
People visit a memorial altar of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon set up outside City Hall in central Seoul on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Park's daughter, Da-in, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved family, thanked everyone who visited the funeral to mourn and urged the people of Seoul "who have filled his spot" to help make Seoul a better place.
Park's body was cremated at Seoul Memorial Park in southern Seoul and laid to rest next to his parents' tomb at his hometown of Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(2nd LD) USFK commander pays tribute to late war hero Paik

John Tilelli , who headed USFK from 1996 to 1999 , said Paik was a `` soldier 's soldier '' @ @ @ @ @ difficult to put into words the great loss of someone who has meant so much @ @ @ @ @ served in The Republic of Korea and to me personally . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more details in 9th para)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams visited the funeral home for late Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup on Monday, saying he is deeply grateful for Paik's service.
Abrams visited the funeral altar set up at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, together with South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, in a demonstration of the alliance between the two countries.
Abrams and Park each placed a flower before the altar and saluted Paik's portrait.
"We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Gen. Paik Sun-yup," Abrams said in a guestbook message.
Gen. Park Han-ki (L), chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, and United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams salute at the mortuary of the country's most renowned Korean War hero, Paik Sun-yup, at Asan Medical Center in Seoul on July 13, 2020. Paik, South Korea's first four-star general, died on July 10 at age 99. (Yonhap)
Abrams told members of Paik's family that the late general "was at the heart and soul of the ROK-U.S. alliance and we are deeply grateful for his service."
JCS Chairman Park also expressed condolences.
"Carrying on the general's strict military spirit and dedication to the country and the military, we will maintain a watertight military readiness posture and do our best to fulfill our mission to protect the country and the people," Park told reporters at the mortuary.
Korean War hero Gen. Paik Sun-yup dies at 100, controversy over burial at national cemetery Youtube https://youtu.be/9pQdg5HEQp4
Paik, South Korea's first four-star general and most renowned war hero, died Friday at age 99. He is credited for bravely leading key battles during the 1950-53 war and contributing greatly to the modernization of South Korea's armed forces.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, former U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, and other key figures from the political and industrial circles also paid tribute to the late general.
Former USFK commanders also offered their condolences over Paik's death.
"The passing of General and Ambassador Paik Sun-yup marks the closing of the first 70 years of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, while his life and contributions to the Alliance serve as a great role model for the future of this close and invaluable relationship," Walter Sharp, who commanded the USFK from 2008 to 2011, said.
John Tilelli, who headed USFK from 1996 to 1999, said Paik was a "soldier's soldier" and that it is "difficult to put into words the great loss of someone who has meant so much to all of us who served in The Republic of Korea and to me personally."
"He will be greatly missed and has left a legacy not only for the Korean People but for the United States Military," James Thurman, USFK commander from 2011 to 2013, said.
Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in the central city of Daejeon on Wednesday.
United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams visits the mortuary of the country's most renowned Korean War hero, Paik Sun-yup, to pay tribute at Asan Medical Center in Seoul on July 13, 2020. Paik, South Korea's first four-star general, died on July 10 at age 99. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--In-person annual ADB meeting in S. Korea delayed to 2023 due to pandemic

The ADB had planned to hold the in-person meeting in September in South Korea , but the September meeting will @ @ @ @ @ platforms as the pandemic showed no signs of abating globally , the ministry said .

SEJONG, July 13 (Yonhap) -- This year's in-person annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in South Korea has been postponed to 2023 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Seoul's finance ministry said Monday.
The 53rd ADB meeting had been originally scheduled to be held on May 2-5 in Songdo, near Incheon International Airport, but the meeting went virtual because of the pandemic that caused border restrictions.
The ADB had planned to hold the in-person meeting in September in South Korea, but the September meeting will also be based on digital platforms as the pandemic showed no signs of abating globally, the ministry said.
The delay was approved by the ADB earlier in the day and some ADB members will make a final decision in September on whether South Korea will host the 2023 meeting, according to the ministry.
The new coronavirus has infected about 12.7 million people worldwide and killed more than 560,000 since it originated in China late last year.
The virus is expected to take a huge economic toll on the global economy this year.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development expected the world economy to contract 6 percent this year, marking the worst contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Main opposition ups pressure to get to bottom of alleged sex abuse by late Seoul mayor

With Park 's death , the police were to close the case against him in his absence , but opposition @ @ @ @ @ get to the bottom of the allegations raised against the three-term mayor who was a @ @ @ @ @ women 's rights .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- On the funeral day of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday, the main opposition party launched what is likely to become an all-out campaign to press for a probe into allegations that the deceased sexually harassed his former secretary.
The pressure by the United Future Party (UFP) highlights deepening political division over the death of the late Seoul mayor.
Park was found dead at a mountain in Seoul after apparently taking his own life on Thursday. He was facing a criminal complaint on sexual harassment, filed by his former secretary.
With Park's death, the police were to close the case against him in his absence, but opposition lawmakers are increasing calls to get to the bottom of the allegations raised against the three-term mayor who was a lawyer defending human rights and women's rights.
Two lawmakers of the minor left-wing Justice Party, deemed largely cooperative with the ruling Democratic Party, the political home of Park, refused to pay their respects at Park's funeral, saying that doing so would be tantamount to hurting the victim.
A photo of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is carried outside of City Hall in central Seoul following a livestreamed funeral service on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"With the closure of the funeral service, (the UFP) cannot help raising the issue involving the (sexual harassment) victim," the main opposition party's interim leader Kim Chong-in said following a party meeting.
UFP lawmaker Rep. Sung Il-jong also added pressure on the DP over the issue.
"I believe the DP, having been more proactive than anyone in the past '#MeToo' wave, would doubtlessly join the efforts to find the truth," he said, calling for a probe into the case.
Such pressure by the UFP is expected to culminate in a parliamentary confirmation hearing on National Police Agency chief nominee Kim Chang-yong, scheduled for July 20. The case against Park is likely to be the focal point during the hearing.
Releasing a statement under a parliamentary think tank, two UFP lawmakers -- Ha Tae-keung and Kim Woong -- also pressured the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to look into the allegations involving Park.
"The ministry should investigate the sexual harassment allegations related to Mayor Park and illuminate the truth to the public," the statement said.
The United Future Party's interim leader Kim Chong-in (C) speaks during a party meeting on July 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
DP Chairman Lee Hae-chan apologized Monday over the sexual abuse accusations raised against Park.
"I give my apology for the current situation. ... I feel deeply responsible for the unexpected vacancy in the city administration," party spokesman Kang Hoon-sik quoted Lee as saying after a party meeting. Lee also expressed consolation to the alleged victim, Kang said.
Lee vowed that "the party will do its best to keep things like this from happening again."
Park was the third high-profile DP member accused of sexual assault in the #MeToo wave after former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don resigned in April over similar accusations. In 2018, An Hee-jung stepped down as governor of South Chungcheong Province after his secretary exposed his sexual abuse.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--Biz leaders to join event to announce details of Moon's New Deal project

SEOUL , July 13 ( Yonhap ) -- President Moon Jae-in has invited business leaders to a Cheong Wa Dae @ @ @ @ @ details of the Korean version of the New Deal stimulus program , Moon 's office @ @ @ @ @ is seeking full support from the corporate sector for the initiative aimed at reshaping and @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in has invited business leaders to a Cheong Wa Dae event this week to unveil details of the Korean version of the New Deal stimulus program, Moon's office said Monday, as he is seeking full support from the corporate sector for the initiative aimed at reshaping and advancing the nation's economy.
Moon is scheduled to host the ceremony Tuesday, nearly three months after he publicly floated the idea of generating new jobs and fostering economic growth in response to the COVID-19 crisis and preparations for the post-coronavirus era.
He presented the Green New Deal and the Digital New Deal as the two pillars of his administration's new signature policy drive.
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun plans to join the upcoming Cheong Wa Dae ceremony via teleconferencing for discussions on the envisioned Green New Deal, according to Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesman Yoon Jae-kwan. Chung, head of South Korea's leading carmaker, has been aggressive in efforts to explore environment friendly vehicle businesses.
Han Seong-sook, CEO of Naver Corp. that runs the country's No. 1 internet portal, will also take part in the event via teleconferencing in connection with the Digital New Deal, Yoon added. The project is intended to further develop online platforms and other digital infrastructure.
This file photo shows President Moon Jae-in visiting the Gangchon Campus of DUZON Bizon Co. in Gangwon Province on June 18, 2020, to receive a briefing on the Digital New Deal plan. (Yonhap)
Attending the event in person are leaders of major business lobby groups, including Park Yong-man, head of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Sohn Kyung-shik, chief of the Korea Employers Federation, as well as Kim Dong-myeong, head of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions
Kim Myeong-hwan, who leads the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), will be absent. The hard-line KCTU is in a standoff with the government over sharing the burden in coping with the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic.
The Cheong Wa Dae official stressed that the Korean version of the New Deal is a team project.
It is "a project to concentrate national power," Yoo said. "It's a project to overcome the COVID-19 economic crisis at an early date by combining the government's pump-priming role and firms' leading role."
It is also meant to create many jobs and transform "the Republic of Korea into a pacesetting nation," he added, using the country's official name.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Southern South Korea hit by devastating downpours

`` The rainy season began on Jeju Island on June 10 and in the southern and central regions on June @ @ @ @ @ wet season ends in those areas in late July , though the exact period differs @ @ @ @ @ The current pressure chart indicates the previous pattern is expected to repeat this year , @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 2, 8, 10, 11 and last four paras)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Some 200 millimeters of rain pounded South Korea's southern areas on Monday, leaving several people dead and causing traffic accidents, flooding and destruction of roads, houses and facilities, officials said.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), 277 mm of rain fell in Sancheong of South Gyeongsang Province for one day by 2 p.m., followed by 228 mm in Buan of North Jeolla Province, 210 mm in Geoje, west of Busan, 158.2 mm in Gwangju and 160.2 mm in Daejeon.
In the southeastern province of South Gyeongsang, the per-hour precipitation reached 30 mm, while southwestern coasts, Incheon and five Yellow Sea islands close to the North Korean border were put under a strong wind advisory, the agency said.
A road in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, is closed to traffic on July 13, 2020, after being hit by a landslide caused by heavy rain, in this photo provided by the provincial government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In Hamyang of South Gyeongsang, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, two men -- a farmer and an excavator engineer -- were found dead Monday morning after being swept away by rapids while conducting irrigation-ditch repair work.
Another two men, both in their 50s, were rescued after falling in a river while fishing in a boat in Hapcheon of South Gyeongsang.
In Daegu, 300 km southeast of Seoul, a 64-year-old man died after falling off a five-meter cliff while descending a mountain amid heavy downpours Sunday afternoon.
A pileup of five cars, including a 25-ton cargo truck and an SUV, occurred on a section of the Seoul-Busan expressway in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7:33 a.m. amid heavy rain, killing the SUV driver and injuring two, including the truck driver.
An SUV crashed into a guardrail on the Namhae Expressway at 9:30 a.m. after skidding on a slippery road. The crash resulted in no casualties but caused traffic congestion.
A residential area in Gwangju remains flooded after heavy downpours in the southwestern city in this photo provided by a resident. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Flooding and destruction of roads, houses and farming facilities were also reported across the southern areas.
In South Jeolla Province, nine houses were flooded, while Gwangju reported floodings of five houses and a farm road. In Muan, near Gwangju, 357 hectares of rice fields were flooded.
In Busan, battered by 120 mm of rain and strong winds, part of an ancient fortress collapsed, one house was destroyed, many street trees were broken, several riverbed roads were inundated and seven roads were closed to traffic due to flooding.
The southeastern port city was soaked by over 70 mm of rain per hour last Friday, resulting in the flooding of dozens of houses and about 170 vehicles.
In Gimje, North Jeolla Province, a motorist was rescued by emergency service workers after his car got stuck on a flooded road.
In nearby Jeonju, a funeral parlor and KT buildings suffered flood damage.
"The rainy season began on Jeju Island on June 10 and in the southern and central regions on June 24. Generally, the wet season ends in those areas in late July, though the exact period differs from region to region. The current pressure chart indicates the previous pattern is expected to repeat this year," said a KMA official.
The agency said it lifted its heavy rain advisory for most southern areas, but more rain is expected for southwestern areas until Tuesday afternoon, with cumulative precipitation expected to top 300 mm. It also forecast heavy rain for eastern coastal areas in Gangwon Province between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
In addition, authorities issued a landslide advisory for six southern areas -- Goseong, Namhae, Hamyang, Sancheong, Geoje and Geochang.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-13--(LEAD) Ex-secretary calls for probe into alleged sex abuse by late mayor

`` While ( we ) can not elaborate on the details , ( he ) approached close to the victim @ @ @ @ @ her to take a selfie together or put his lips on her bruised knee , @ @ @ @ @ ( He ) sexually abused the victim by making physical contact with her and asking @ @ @ @ @ and invited her to a secret Telegram chat room where he sent obscene texts or @ @ @ @ @ his underwear . ''

(ATTN: RECASTS headline and lead; ADDS details from press conference; RESTRUCTURES)
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- A former secretary on Monday accused late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon of sexually harassing her over a period of at least four years, calling for a transparent and just probe into the potential MeToo case.
"During the long hours of silence, I was in pain, alone ... To protect myself, so powerless and vulnerable against huge power, I wanted to guard myself through the protection of just and fair law," the former secretary said in a statement read out by civic group officials.
Officials at Korea Women's Hot Line and Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, who held a press conference on behalf of the public servant, urged authorities to launch a "proper probe" into the case, which they labeled as typical workplace sexual abuse involving a gap in power.
The case came into spotlight after Park died last week in an apparent suicide, just a day after his former secretary filed a criminal complaint accusing him of sexual misconduct.
"(We're facing) a situation in which the defendant has become absent ... but that doesn't mean the truth disappears," they said, urging the police and the city government to step up their investigation into the case.
Lee Mi-kyoung, who leads the relief center, stressed how the victim was "unable to decline or defy the mayor, as a secretary" and that her request for help fell through as most in the city government told her it must have been a "mistake" or that "it's part of a secretary's job to emotionally support the mayor."
Lee also questioned law enforcement, mentioning how the case was reported to Park as soon as the complaint was filed.
"Under such circumstances, who can trust the country's system and report power-based sexual abuse cases?" she asked.
Kim Jae-ryun (R), a lawyer representing a former secretary of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, speaks at a press conference held at the Korea Women's Hot Line office in western Seoul on July 13, 2020. The panel called for a proper probe into Park's alleged sexual abuse and urged the public to stop attacking the former secretary. (Yonhap)
Kim Jae-ryun, a lawyer representing the victim, said the alleged impropriety, which mostly took place at the mayor's office and a connected bedroom, continued for more than four years, even after the victim was sent to another post within the government.
"While (we) cannot elaborate on the details, (he) approached close to the victim in the process of asking her to take a selfie together or put his lips on her bruised knee," Kim said, "(He) sexually abused the victim by making physical contact with her and asking her to 'hug' him and invited her to a secret Telegram chat room where he sent obscene texts or photos of himself only wearing his underwear."
Kim said her client had requested a transfer to another post following the alleged abuse and shared photos and texts from Park with her friends and colleagues. They have been submitted as evidence to law enforcement authorities, Kim added.
"I wanted to shout at him to not behave like this, within the safety of a court. I wanted to cry out that I'm in pain. I wanted to forgive. I wanted to receive a humane apology and be judged by law in South Korea, which is a law-governed country," she said in the statement announced on Monday.
The former secretary has been at the center of political strife following the three-term mayor and liberal heavyweight's abrupt death.
While some have voiced support and solidarity for the alleged victim, others have accused her of making false allegations and threatened to track her down.
Kim, the lawyer, said the victim has submitted an additional complaint with the police on the "secondary damages" that have been inflicted following Park's death.
"How should I live from now on. But I'm a human being. I'm a living human being. I hope to soundly recover the everyday life and safety of myself and my family," the former secretary said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)