yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) S. Korea investigating new suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu

To prevent the further spread of the disease , South Korea has been speeding up the process to destroy birds @ @ @ @ @ surrounding areas .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout; ADDS photo)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's agricultural ministry said Monday it has identified a new suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu, amid the growing concerns over the disease further straining the local poultry industry.
The new suspected case was reported from a duck farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The country has so far reported 29 farm-related avian influenza cases since late November, including an infection from a guest ranch.
Officials cull birds at a duck farm in Namwon, 389 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Jeolla Province accounted for eight cases, and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital city, took up seven.
The latest case was confirmed from a duck farm in Gurye, 422 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sunday.
To prevent the further spread of the disease, South Korea has been speeding up the process to destroy birds from infected farms and their surrounding areas.
As of Monday, local authorities have culled around 9.6 million birds. All poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of infected farms are culled.
Meanwhile, 42 cases in wild birds have been confirmed since late October.
Authorities are investigating seven more suspected cases from wild bird habitats as well.
Officials control the entry of automobiles into a chicken farm in Gyeongju, 371 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Dec. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) Public disapproval of Moon's presidency close to 60 pct: Realmeter

Yoon , whose two-year tenure finishes in July next year , is said to be a possible presidential candidate of @ @ @ @ @ although he has not clarified yet in public whether he will seek a political career @ @ @ @ @ to leave office in May 2022 .

(ATTN: UPDATES with survey on potential presidential candidates in last 6 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has tied its all-time low, while public disapproval of his job performance has surged to the highest point so far, a poll showed Monday.
In the four-day Realmeter survey conducted on 2,008 people, aged 18 or older, nationwide till last Thursday, 36.7 percent of respondents supported the president, down 2.8 percentage points from the previous week.
Moon's rating had fallen to 36.7 percent, the lowest since he took office in May 2017, in the second week of December and bounced back to 39.5 percent the following week in Realmeter's tracking polls.
The proportion of those who gave a negative assessment of Moon's presidency rose 2 percentage points to a record high of 59.7 percent.
President Moon Jae-in takes off his mask before speaking at the third plenary meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
The survey results appear to have been affected by a string of controversies over the government's COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, police handling of Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu's alleged assault of a taxi driver and whether Land Minister nominee Byeon Chang-heum is suitable ethically for the post, according to the pollster.
It also cited news reports that former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's wife, Chung Kyung-sim, has been convicted of academic and financial wrongdoings and the president's son, Moon Joon-yong, took an artist subsidy for his recent exhibition.
Meanwhile, public support for the ruling Democratic Party (DP) sank 1.3 percentage points to 29.3 percent and that for the main opposition People Power Party gained 2.2 percentage points to 33.8 percent. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
A combined image of (from L) Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon, Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl in this photo provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In a separate Realmeter poll on the favorability of potential presidential candidates, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl ranked first.
His favorability rating -- a measure of whether people like him -- jumped 4.1 percentage points to 23.9 percent in the monthly research conducted from last Monday to Thursday.
The top prosecutor has returned to work, following a weeklong suspension of his duty, as the Seoul Administrative Court accepted his request for an injunction against the justice ministry's disciplinary measure that was authorized by the president. The verdict was issued on Thursday night.
Yoon, whose two-year tenure finishes in July next year, is said to be a possible presidential candidate of the conservative opposition bloc, although he has not clarified yet in public whether he will seek a political career. The president is slated to leave office in May 2022.
DP leader Lee Nak-yon and Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, also a DP member, trailed Yoon with 18.2 percent each, Realmeter said.
It conducted the poll on 2,041 voters across the country, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Naver's V Live streaming platform logs 100 mln global downloads

Naver said the service has 85 percent of visitors from overseas and is available online , as well as on @ @ @ @ @ 's iOS platforms .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top internet portal operator, Naver Corp., said Monday its live streaming platform, V Live, has surpassed an accumulated 100 million downloads globally.
Launched in August 2015, V Live allows K-pop celebrities to broadcast live videos on the internet and chat live with fans from around the globe.
Naver said the service has 85 percent of visitors from overseas and is available online, as well as on Google's Android and Apple's iOS platforms.
This image, provided by South Korea's top Internet portal operator, Naver Corp. on Dec. 28, 2020, shows live streaming platform, V Live. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Naver said the number of live concert shows by K-pop stars on the platform jumped by 1.4 percent on-year this year, with the number of fan meetings jumping more than twofold.
Also the number of paid membership users jumped by 1.9 times this year, compared with a year earlier.
Naver attributed the stellar performance to the novel coronavirus pandemic, coupled with cutting-edge technology, such as the streaming of 4K content on mobile platforms.
Naver also has joined hands with local talent agencies to provide unique content, such as teaching K-pop dance and live streaming exclusive events.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--SM Entertainment to stream free online concert

SEOUL , Dec. 28 ( Yonhap ) -- SM Entertainment said Monday it will hold a free online concert on @ @ @ @ @ year to give comfort to those fighting against the novel coronavirus pandemic across the world @

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- SM Entertainment said Monday it will hold a free online concert on the first day of next year to give comfort to those fighting against the novel coronavirus pandemic across the world.
The "SMTOWN Live" concert will be live streamed this Friday on social media platforms, including YouTube, Twitter and Beyond Live, an online channel run by South Korea's Naver.
Under the theme of "Culture Humanity," SM's top artists like TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, SHINee's Taemin, EXO's Baekhyun and Kai, Red Velvet and NCT will perform at the free-of-charge concert.
SM said the project is designed to bring new hope to people around the world who have been struggling with COVID-19.
Since 2008, top SM artists have jointly toured global cities, like New York, Paris, Tokyo, Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai and many others in the format of the joint SM concert "SMTOWN Live."
The poster of the "SMTOWN Live" concert provided by SM Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Quarter of recent local COVID-19 infections originate among family members: PM

On Monday , South Korea reported 808 new coronavirus cases , the second day in a row that the daily @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 , according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency ( KDCA ) .
@ @ @ @ @ to Saturday , the nation 's daily virus cases hovered around 1,000 .

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- A quarter of all the new local COVID-19 patients over the past month were infected with the virus through family members, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday, calling for extra antivirus precautions inside homes.
"Among the local (COVID-19) patients who tested positive over the past month, 25 percent were found to have been infected via their family members," the prime minister said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response.
He said that recent epidemiological investigations showed a pattern of economically active people in their 40s and 50s contracting the coronavirus first and then transmitting it to their family members.
A total of 44 percent of the recently confirmed COVID-19 patients in their 20s or younger, in particular, were found to have contracted the virus at home, the prime minister added.
Chung stressed that curbing such transmission cases inside homes is critical to taming the current wave of COVID-19 infections nationwide, calling for extra antivirus efforts at home.
"I ask (you) to keep personal sanitation rules at home as well and refrain from any family-related gatherings or events," Chung said.
"This week will be a decisive turning point that could put (the country) on a path to (COVID-19) proliferation or containment," he noted.
On Monday, South Korea reported 808 new coronavirus cases, the second day in a row that the daily infection tally has stayed below 1,000, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). In the 10 days prior to Saturday, the nation's daily virus cases hovered around 1,000.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (C) speaks during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at Seoul City Hall on Dec. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--S. Korea confirms COVID-19 variant from arrivals from Britain

British analysis suggests the new strain may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the old variant .
The @ @ @ @ @ have first occurred in mid-September in London .

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities on Monday confirmed the country's first cases of a more transmissible variant from three arrivals from Britain.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the South Korean nationals who came from Britain last week were confirmed to have the new COVID-19 strain.
British analysis suggests the new strain may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the old variant. The new variant is thought to have first occurred in mid-September in London.
A board shows the arrival time of a flight from London at Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Dec. 24, 2020, as South Korea has suspended flights arriving from Britain until the end of this year over concerns about a new strain of the novel coronavirus. The flight from London carried cargo only with no passengers. (Yonhap)
Separately, an elderly South Korean man, who recently returned from Britain, has posthumously tested positive for COVID-19, with three of his family members confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.
A thorough investigation is ongoing to look into whether they were also infected with the new variant.
South Korea earlier announced that it will suspend flights arriving from Britain until the end of this year.
The country added 808 more COVID-19 cases on Monday, staying below 1,000 for the second straight day, according to the KDCA.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) New infections under 1,000 for 2nd day amid extended virus curbs

Since last Wednesday , the greater Seoul area has banned gatherings of five or more people .
Restaurants in the @ @ @ @ @ fine if they allow gatherings of more than four people .
The strongest-ever measures have @ @ @ @ @ Thursday as well .

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd photo and details in paras 5, 11-17)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily caseload of new coronavirus infections stayed below 1,000 for the second straight day on Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend amid tougher virus curbs that have been extended for another week.
The country added 808 more COVID-19 cases, including 787 local infections, raising the total caseload to 57,680, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily infections fell from 970 cases on Sunday. In the past week, the nation's daily virus cases hovered around 1,000.
This photo taken on Dec. 27, 2020, shows the Homigot Sunrise Square in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which is temporarily closed to prevent people from coming to see the first sunrise of the year. (Yonhap)
Eleven people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 819, with the fatality rate at 1.42 percent.
Adding woes to the country's battle against the pandemic, the KDCA confirmed a new, potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant from three people who arrived from Britain last Tuesday.
On Sunday, the KDCA extended the current Level 2.5 distancing measures in the capital area and the Level 2 restrictions in the rest of the country until Jan. 3 on concerns over the impact on the economy.
Health authorities will decide whether to move on to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme, on Jan. 3.
Instead of applying measures that would deal a heavy blow to millions of small merchants, health authorities have deployed "targeted" virus curbs.
Since last Wednesday, the greater Seoul area has banned gatherings of five or more people. Restaurants in the greater Seoul area face a fine if they allow gatherings of more than four people. The strongest-ever measures have been applied nationwide since last Thursday as well.
Ski resorts and famous tourism venues were shut down to slow the spread of the virus during the Christmas and New Year's holiday season.
Cars line up at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing center in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area, home to half of its 51.6 million population, and Level 2 rules in the rest of the country.
Of the newly identified local infections, 297 cases were reported in Seoul and 188 cases in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported 45 more cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the country's largest port city of Busan adding 34 cases and North Gyeongsang Province reporting 45 new cases.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 295, up from 293 a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 39,268, up 228 from the previous day.
The country, meanwhile, added 21 imported cases, increasing the total to 5,318. Ten cases came from Asian countries except for China, followed by five from the United States and five from Europe.
The country has carried out 4,038,307 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3, including 31,895 tests in the past 24 hours. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
This photo taken on Dec. 27, 2020, shows quarantine officials guiding incoming passengers at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, just west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--N. Korea's paper emphasizes 'self-reliance' as 80-day campaign draws to end

`` Nobody will help us and want us to be strong and prosperous , '' the Rodong Sinmun , the @ @ @ @ @ 's ruling party , said .
`` All we can trust is none other than @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper on Monday urged stepped-up efforts for "self-reliance" as the year-end deadline approaches for its "80-day campaign" aimed at staving off the coronavirus pandemic and achieving economic development goals.
"Nobody will help us and want us to be strong and prosperous," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, said. "All we can trust is none other than our own power."
"The historical lesson learned from socialism campaign shows that achievements earned at the expense of blood could be lost overnight if we fail to grow our own power and depend upon others," the paper added.
North Korea has intensified calls for efforts to be independent of outside help in its economic development since early this year as leader Kim Jong-un expressed frustration with the little progress in easing or lifting sanctions amid stalled denuclearization talks with Washington.
In October, Kim ordered the launch of the "80-day campaign" to achieve the country's national and economic goals by the end of the year ahead of a rare party congress scheduled for January.
Kim has rejected any outside help despite multiple challenges facing his country, including the fallout from the protracted fight against the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions.
He earlier acknowledged the failure in achieving the current economic development plans, saying a new development scheme will be unveiled at the upcoming party meeting.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--KBO contenders still looking to complete foreign player puzzle as 2020 nears end

Rare is a team that enjoys success without significant contributions from foreign players , but on the flip side , @ @ @ @ @ the postseason despite strong performances from foreign players .
In 2020 , the Lotte Giants @ @ @ @ @ games out of the playoffs in seventh place , despite impressive debut seasons from right-hander @ @ @ @ @ the league with 205 strikeouts , and shortstop Dixon Machado , who quickly became one @ @ @ @ @ defenders at any position .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- As the year 2020 winds down, just over half the teams in the South Korean baseball league have taken care of one piece of important business for the new season: signing their three foreign players.
Clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) are each permitted to sign up to three players from overseas, with a maximum of two pitchers. The league's 10 teams almost always sign two pitchers and one position player, and the 2021 season will be no exception.
In this file photo from Oct. 28, 2020, Dixon Machado of the Lotte Giants celebrates his solo home run against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the third inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Rare is a team that enjoys success without significant contributions from foreign players, but on the flip side, a club can still miss the postseason despite strong performances from foreign players. In 2020, the Lotte Giants finished below .500 and nine games out of the playoffs in seventh place, despite impressive debut seasons from right-hander Dan Straily, who topped the league with 205 strikeouts, and shortstop Dixon Machado, who quickly became one of the KBO's best defenders at any position.
It came as no surprise that Machado was one of the first foreign players to re-sign for next season, as he inked his new one-year deal, with a club option for a second season, on Nov. 6. Two weeks later, the Giants signed new pitcher Enderson Franco and then retained Straily on a new one-year deal on Dec. 3.
In this Getty Images file photo from July 26, 2019, Daniel Mengden of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Texas Rangers in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Yonhap)
The Giants are one of six clubs to have filled their foreign player quota for next season. Incidentally, five of those are non-playoff teams from 2020, and their swift action -- relatively speaking, anyway -- seems to indicate their urgency to turn things around in the new season.
The KT Wiz are the only playoff club to have signed three foreign players for 2021. They had huge shoes to fill, as outfielder Mel Rojas Jr., the reigning league MVP, signed with the Japanese club Hanshin Tigers. The Wiz signed switch-hitting, outfielder Zoilo Almonte, coming from Japan, to a $775,000 contract last week.
Both of the Wiz's starters from 2020, Odrisamer Despaigne and William Cuevas, will be back.
In this file photo from Sept. 20, 2020, David Buchanan of the Samsung Lions pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes in the top of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The reigning champions NC Dinos have been curiously quiet. They have already decided to part ways with right-hander Mike Wright, and are said to be in talks with the 19-game winner Drew Rucinski and 30-homer slugger Aaron Altherr for their third and second seasons, respectively.
Runners-up Doosan Bears newly acquired left-hander Ariel Miranda and re-signed designated hitter Jose Miguel Fernandez two days before Christmas. They're also nearing an agreement with right-hander Walker Lockett.
Their two Seoul rivals, LG Twins and the Kiwoom Heroes, both remain one foreign player short.
The Twins have re-signed starter Casey Kelly and first baseman Roberto Ramos, and are looking to replace right-hander Tyler Wilson.
The Heroes will bring back the reigning ERA champion Eric Jokisch for his third season, and signed Josh A. Smith in place of veteran starter Jake Brigham, who will pitch in Taiwan next year.
They still need a new foreign bat after letting go of Addison Russell. The former National League All-Star with the Chicago Cubs was a huge disappointment after joining the Heroes in midseason.
The SK Wyverns, which finished in ninth place just two seasons after winning the Korean Series, beat everyone to the punch. On Oct. 31, just one day after their final regular season game, the Wyverns announced the re-signing of first baseman Jamie Romak and acquisitions of new pitchers, Wilmer Font and Artie Lewicki.
In this file photo from Sept. 24, 2020, Roberto Ramos of the LG Twins watches his three-run home run against the NC Dinos in the top of the third inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Hanwha Eagles, the only team to finish below the Wyverns in 2020, signed two new pitchers, Nick Kingham and Ryan Carpenter, at the end of November, and then added infielder Ryon Healy to the mix a week later.
Of the non-playoff clubs, the sixth-ranked Kia Tigers became the last to complete the puzzle, as they signed new pitcher Daniel Mengden on Christmas Day.
The former Oakland Athletics right-hander has appeared in 60 major league games, including 48 starts, and compiled a 17-20 record with a 4.64 ERA.
The mustachioed 27-year-old joins his former Oakland teammate Aaron Brooks in the Tigers' rotation. Brooks was one of the KBO's best starters in 2020, finishing third in ERA with 2.50 and second in walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) with 1.02. Brooks' season was cut short in late September when he had to return to the United States to attend to family matters, but the Tigers made another one-year commitment to the right-hander in November.
In this file photo from Nov. 20, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears (R) blasts a solo home run against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the second inning of Game 3 of the Korean Series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Samsung Lions, which finished in eighth after an encouraging start, will bring back both of their foreign starters, David Buchanan and Ben Lively. They also signed new outfielder Jose Pirela.
Buchanan will be the highest-paid foreign player next year at $1.5 million. The KBO imposes a $1 million cap only on first-year foreign players.
In this file photo from Oct. 30, 2020, Eric Jokisch of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--New infections under 1,000 for 2nd day amid extended virus curbs

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily caseload of new coronavirus infections stayed below 1,000 for the second straight day on Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend amid tougher virus curbs that have been extended for another week.
The country added 808 more COVID-19 cases, including 787 local infections, raising the total caseload to 57,680, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily infections fell from 970 cases on Sunday. In the past week, the nation's daily virus cases hovered around 1,000.
Eleven people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 819, with the fatality rate at 1.42 percent.
This photo taken on Dec. 27, 2020 shows the Homigot Sunrise Square in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which is temporarily closed to prevent people from coming to see the first sunrise of the year. (Yonhap)
On Sunday, the KDCA extended the current Level 2.5 distancing measures in the capital area and the Level 2 restrictions in the rest of the country until Jan. 3 on concerns over the impact on the economy.
Health authorities will decide whether to move on to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme, on Jan. 3.
Instead of applying measures that would deal a heavy blow to millions of small merchants, health authorities have deployed "targeted" virus curbs.
Since last Wednesday, the greater Seoul area has banned gatherings of five or more people. Restaurants in the greater Seoul area face a fine if they allow gatherings of more than four people. The strongest-ever measures have been applied nationwide since last Thursday as well.
Ski resorts and famous tourism venues were shut down to slow the spread of the virus during the Christmas and New Year's holiday season.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(3rd LD) S. Korea confirms new highly pathogenic bird flu case at duck farm

According to the data compiled by the ministry , the country 's average price of eggs increased 1.3 percent over @ @ @ @ @ December from a year earlier .
The price of duck meat advanced 10.3 percent .

(ATTN: RECASTS with latest outbreak in paras 2-4; CHANGES headline)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday confirmed a highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu in a southwestern duck farm, raising the total to 30.
The latest case was discovered in samples from a duck farm in Jeongeup, 250 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Health authorities were culling poultry within a 3-km radius of the farm and issued a standstill order in poultry farms within a 10-km radius for 30 days, the ministry said.
The country has reported 30 farm-related avian influenza cases since late November, including an infection from a guest ranch.
Officials cull birds at a duck farm in Namwon, 389 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Jeolla Province accounted for eight cases, and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital city, took up seven.
The latest case was confirmed from a duck farm in Gurye, 422 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sunday.
To prevent the further spread of the disease, South Korea has been speeding up the process to destroy birds from infected farms and their surrounding areas.
As of Monday, local authorities have culled around 9.6 million birds. All poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of infected farms are culled.
Meanwhile, 42 cases in wild birds have been confirmed since late October.
Authorities are investigating seven more suspected cases from wild bird habitats as well.
The domestic price of eggs and poultry, meanwhile, has been remaining stable despite the outbreak of the bird flu.
According to the data compiled by the ministry, the country's average price of eggs increased 1.3 percent over the first three-week period of December from a year earlier. The price of duck meat advanced 10.3 percent.
The price of chicken, on the other hand, shed 1.3 percent over the period due to oversupply, the ministry said.
Officials control the entry of automobiles into a chicken farm in Gyeongju, 371 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Dec. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Posted KBO star Kim Ha-seong on way to U.S. ahead of signing deadline

Kim belted a career-high 30 home runs , and his 109 RBIs and 111 runs scored were the second-highest totals @ @ @ @ @ swiped 23 bags for his second career 20-20 season and set a KBO record by @ @ @ @ @ without getting caught .
For the first time in his career , Kim had more @ @ @ @ @ strikeouts ( 68 ) .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- With at least one major league offer in tow, the posted South Korean All-Star shortstop Kim Ha-seong departed for the United States on Monday with his deadline to land a big league deal fast approaching.
A-Spec Corporation, the Seoul-based agency for the Kiwoom Heroes' slugger, confirmed an earlier report that Kim left for the U.S. on Monday.
Kim, a 25-year-old coming off his first 30-homer season, was posted on Dec. 2. Under the terms of the posting agreement between the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and Major League Baseball (MLB), Kim must sign a deal within a 30-day negotiating period. It ends at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on New Year's Day.
In this file photo from Oct. 7, 2020, Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrates his solo home run against the NC Dinos during the bottom of the fifth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
"He isn't traveling just to speak with one club," an official with the agency said. "Right now, he needs to be in the U.S. because the posting deadline is coming up."
Though Kim is headed to the U.S., an industry source said Kim has received a multiyear offer from the Toronto Blue Jays, the only major league club based in Canada. The New York Mets, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers are other teams reportedly interested in Kim.
Kim's big league negotiations are being handled by Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE).
If Kim can't come to an agreement by Jan. 1, he must return to the Heroes and won't be eligible to be posted again until November 2021.
Kim earned his posting eligibility this year by completing his seventh full KBO season, and it was also his most productive campaign to date.
He batted .306/.397/.523 to set career highs in on-base and slugging percentages, while falling .001 point shy of matching his personal best in batting average.
Kim belted a career-high 30 home runs, and his 109 RBIs and 111 runs scored were the second-highest totals of his career. Kim swiped 23 bags for his second career 20-20 season and set a KBO record by stealing his first 20 bases without getting caught. For the first time in his career, Kim had more walks (75) than strikeouts (68).
Should Kim sign, the Heroes will receive a fee depending on the guaranteed amount of Kim's contract.
In this file photo from Sept. 23, 2020, Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrates his two-run home run against the Kia Tigers during the top of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(3rd LD) New infections under 1,000 for 2nd day amid extended virus curbs

(ATTN: UPDATES figures in fifth para)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed below 1,000 for the second straight day on Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend amid tougher virus curbs that have been extended for another week.
The country added 808 more COVID-19 cases, including 787 local infections, raising the total caseload to 57,680, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily infections fell from 970 cases on Sunday. In the past week, the nation's daily infections hovered around 1,000.
This photo taken on Dec. 28, 2020, shows quarantine officials preparing to check enlisted soldiers at an army training camp in Nonsan, 210 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Eleven people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 819, with the fatality rate at 1.42 percent.
Later in the day, health authorities and local governments said 536 new cases were confirmed from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 21 fewer than in the same period the previous day. The greater Seoul area accounted for 76.8 percent of the total with 413 cases.
Adding woes to the country's battle against the pandemic, the KDCA confirmed a new, potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant from three people who arrived from Britain last Tuesday.
The government said it will suspend all flights from London to Incheon until Jan. 7 to prevent the virus variant from spreading in Korea, while making all incoming passengers from Britain and South Africa submit documents that prove they tested negative for COVID-19.
Moreover, the government said it will have most of the passengers who arrived in Korea take an additional virus test before they are discharged from a two-week quarantine.
To contain the pandemic, the government said it will be able to begin vaccinations initially for medical staff, inmates and workers at senior care facilities as early as February.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Monday called for extra antivirus precautions inside homes given a quarter of all the new local COVID-19 patients over the past month were infected with the virus through family members.
He said that this week will be a "decisive turning point" that could put the country on a path to COVID-19 proliferation or containment.
The government has warned against raising the distancing scheme to Level 3 in the greater Seoul area from the current Level 2.5, as it may have a grave impact particularly on the manufacturing and services industries.
Level 3 can be adopted when locally transmitted cases hover between 800 and 1,000 for a week or the daily tally doubles from the previous day.
If the toughest curbs are imposed, more than 2 million shops and facilities will be ordered to shut down.
On Sunday, the KDCA extended Level 2.5 distancing measures in the capital area and the Level 2 restrictions in the rest of the country until Jan. 3.
Health authorities will decide whether to move on to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme, on Jan. 3.
Instead of applying measures that would deal a heavy blow to millions of small merchants, health authorities have deployed "targeted" virus curbs.
Since last Wednesday, the greater Seoul area has banned gatherings of five or more people. Restaurants in the greater Seoul area face a fine if they allow gatherings of more than four people. The strongest-ever measures have been applied nationwide since last Thursday as well.
Ski resorts and famous tourism venues were shut down to slow the spread of the virus during the Christmas and New Year's holiday season.
This photo taken on Dec. 28, 2020, shows a karaoke room, or noraebang, which is closed in line with the government's distancing guidelines in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The country has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area, home to half of its 51.6 million population, and Level 2 rules in the rest of the country.
A relentless spike in virus cases spawned concerns about a shortage of hospital beds and a rise in fatalities. Health authorities have issued a rare order to private hospitals to secure more intensive-care beds for COVID-19 patients.
The third wave of the pandemic is raging across the nation. Of the newly identified local infections, more than 70 percent of cases were reported in the capital and its surrounding areas.
Of the local infections, 297 cases were reported in Seoul and 188 cases in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported 45 more cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the country's largest port city of Busan adding 34 cases and North Gyeongsang Province reporting 45 new cases.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 295, up from 293 a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 39,268, up 228 from the previous day.
The country, meanwhile, added 21 imported cases, increasing the total to 5,318. Ten cases came from Asian countries except for China, followed by five from the United States and five from Europe.
The country has carried out 4,038,307 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3, including 31,895 tests in the past 24 hours. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
The pandemic, which started in China late last year, has killed more than 1.76 million people worldwide and infected more than 80 million as of Monday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.
This photo taken on Dec. 28, 2020, and provided by the Incheon city government shows Jeongseojin, a spot to view the sunrise in Incheon, just west of Seoul. It was temporarily closed to stop the spread of COVID-19. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) Moon approves land minister's appointment amid opposition protests

At the center of the criticism are remarks Byeon made as the then CEO of Seoul Housing & Communities Corp. @ @ @ @ @ 19-year-old service engineer who was killed while repairing a screen door at the subway platform @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 .

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with Moon's approval; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Monday formally appointed his pick to lead South Korea's housing policy amid fierce protests from the main opposition party.
Byeon Chang-heum, the former chief of the state-run housing developer Korea Land & Housing Corp., will assume the top post of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Tuesday.
The move came just hours after the parliamentary Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, where the ruling Democratic Party (DP) holds a majority, passed a report on Byeon's recent parliamentary confirmation hearing in a 17-0 vote during its plenary meeting.
Rep. Jin Sun-mee, the chairwoman of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, passes a confirmation report on Land Minister nominee Byeon Chang-heum during a committee meeting on Dec. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) who belong to the committee, however, boycotted the voting and protested the DP-led passage of the confirmation hearing report.
Byeon was tapped earlier this month to replace Land Minister Kim Hyun-mee, amid a public backlash against the government's failure to curb soaring housing prices in the past three years.
The government's measures backfired and led to a spike in home prices amid low rates and ample liquidity in the market.
Apartment prices in the capital city of Seoul jumped an average of 16.32 percent from June 2017 to November this year despite the measures, according to the Korea Appraisal Board.
The main opposition had denounced Byeon as unfit for the ministerial post and called for his nomination to be withdrawn, citing his past controversial remarks and alleged misdeeds.
In South Korea, the parliamentary confirmation hearing is widely seen as a formality because his appointment does not require approval from the National Assembly.
The prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary confirmation.
At the center of the criticism are remarks Byeon made as the then CEO of Seoul Housing & Communities Corp. (SH) about a 19-year-old service engineer who was killed while repairing a screen door at the subway platform of Guui Station in Seoul in 2016.
Byeon was found to have said during a company meeting after the accident that if the man had paid a little bit of attention, nothing would have happened.
The remarks drew a huge backlash against Byeon for passing the blame for an apparent industrial accident caused by lack of due safety measures onto an individual worker. Opposition lawmakers also lambasted the nominee for what they called a lack of respect for human dignity and life.
Byeon is also facing other allegations raised by opposition lawmakers, including suspicions of hiring several close alumni from his alma mater, Seoul National University, for senior SH posts in the past.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) S. Korea gives conditional approval to Delivery Hero's takeover of Woowa

`` We 've decided to attach the condition on the judgment that there is a high concern that the proposed @ @ @ @ @ it would have a far-reaching impact on various stakeholders of multifaceted markets linked to delivery @ @ @ @ @ restaurants , consumers and delivery workers , '' the regulator said in a statement .

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments, background in paras 6-9)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust regulator on Monday gave a conditional approval to a US$4 billion deal for Germany's Delivery Hero (DH) to buy the country's top food delivery app operator, Woowa Brothers.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said it granted the permission for the takeover on condition that DH sells its food delivery affiliate here, Yogiyo.
DH, which has No. 2 food delivery app brand Yogiyo under its wing, announced in December 2019 that it will acquire an 88 percent stake in Woowa, the operator of delivery app Baedal Minjok, or Baemin.
"We've decided to attach the condition on the judgment that there is a high concern that the proposed takeover could limit competition as it would have a far-reaching impact on various stakeholders of multifaceted markets linked to delivery app platforms, such as restaurants, consumers and delivery workers," the regulator said in a statement.
The graphics show the corporate logos of Baedal Minjok and Yogiyo. (Yonhap)
The KFTC ordered DH to unload a 100 percent stake in its South Korean affiliate Delivery Hero Korea, operator of Yogiyo, within six months. Until the sale is complete, DH should maintain Yogiyo's asset value and service quality at the current level.
Delivery Hero said it expects to receive the final written approval and the deal to be closed in the first quarter of 2021.
"As part of the transaction, a joint venture will be established in Singapore to manage the foodpanda operations of the Delivery Hero Group and Woowa entities in Asia," Delivery Hero said in a statement.
Delivery Hero is expected to put its Korean subsidiary Yogiyo up for sale to complete the takeover, which could change the landscape of the nation's food delivery market.
"We are deeply saddened by the required condition to divest Delivery Hero's subsidiary Delivery Hero Korea in South Korea," Niklas Ostberg, CEO and co-founder of Delivery Hero, said in the statement.
The approval came almost one year after DH requested the KFTC to review the deal in what could herald a shake-up in the fast-growing delivery app market.
Founded in 2010, Woowa Brothers has quickly become the country's top online food delivery services firm, accounting for some 60 percent of the market.
The number of average monthly users of Baemin topped 13 million in September, followed by Yogiyo with 6.6 million, in a country with some 50 million population, according to market researcher Nielsen Koreanclick.
Critics said if the deal is approved, the combined market share of Baemin and Yogiyo will account for some 99 percent, spawning concerns that the merger could lead to a market monopoly and hurt competition.
The KFTC took in to account such concerns, saying that the market dominance from the merger between Baemin and Yogiyo could hamper competition.
The food delivery app market, valued at 10 trillion won ($9.1 billion) last year here, sharply grew this year amid the new coronavirus outbreak, as more people refrained from dining out of concerns about infection risks.
The regulator also said if Baemin and Yogiyo do not compete, it could reduce consumers' benefits and raise commission fees for eateries.
If the two biggest local delivery service providers are merged, consumers may not be able to use food delivery services at a cheaper price as there would be no competition for discount programs.
The regulator said the conditional approval will allow Baemin and Yogiyo to keep competing in order to promote consumers' benefits.
"We also permitted the DH's acquisition of Woowa Brothers so that the two firms create synergy through cooperation by combining DH's technology and Woowa's marketing ability," the watchdog said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Two senior legal officials nominated to lead new high-profile anti-corruption agency

The two were selected with consent from five of the recommendation committee 's seven members , while the other two @ @ @ @ @ the main opposition People Power Party ( PPP ) , walked out of the meeting @ @ @ @ @ nomination process , the committee said .

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- Two senior legal officials were nominated Monday for the inaugural leadership of a powerful investigation agency handling corruption by high-ranking officials.
A seven-member committee entrusted to recommend candidates for the first chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said it has nominated Lee Kun-ree and Kim Jin-wook for the post.
The 57-year-old Lee, a former prosecutor, is currently a vice chairman of the state-run Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission while the 54-year-old Kim, a former judge, is serving as a senior researcher at the Constitutional Court.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaves a meeting room at the National Assembly on Dec. 28, 2020, after a committee picked two candidates for the inaugural leadership of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). (Yonhap)
The two were selected with consent from five of the recommendation committee's seven members, while the other two, who are allied with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), walked out of the meeting in a boycott of the nomination process, the committee said.
The committee added that the two candidates will be formally recommended to President Moon Jae-in for the final choice.
The closure of the protracted nomination process is expected to expedite the launch of the CIO, a core pillar of Moon's presidential campaign pledge to reform so-called powerful investigative institutions, especially the state prosecution service.
By law, the CIO was to go into operation in mid-July, but the PPP had protested its launch and vetoed the committee's nomination process via two committee members on its side.
Led by the ruling Democratic Party, which commands a majority, the National Assembly passed a revised law earlier this month, requiring consent from at least five, not six, of the seven committee members to nominate inaugural CIO chief candidates.
The panel also includes two members from the DP side, the justice minister, the head of the National Court Administration and the head of the Korean Bar Association.
Graphic This image shows photos and profiles of Kim Jin-wook and Lee Kun-ree, both nominated for the inaugural leadership of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on Dec. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Defense ministry vows 'active push' for assessment of conditions for OPCON transfer next year

The ministry also said it will continue close consultations with the U.S. to carry out a Full Operational Capability ( @ @ @ @ @ test , meant to check if Seoul is on course to meet the conditions , @ @ @ @ @ this year , but the two sides were not able to do that fully due @ @ @ @ @

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will work with the United States next year to actively carry out assessments of whether the country is on course to meet the conditions required for retaking wartime operational control of its forces from Washington, the defense ministry said Monday.
The commitment by the South Korean military leadership was made during the biannual meeting to review this year's progress regarding the envisioned OPCON transfer.
"Our military will continue efforts to boost defense capabilities to meet conditions for the transition at an early date," the ministry said in a statement. "We will also proactively push for Korea-U.S. joint evaluation about transition conditions."
The right conditions are South Korea's capability to lead the allies' combined defense mechanism, its capacity for initial responses to the North's nuclear and missile threats and a stable security environment on the peninsula and in the region.
Some critics say that those terms are vague and in-depth discussions are necessary to clarify them.
The ministry also said it will continue close consultations with the U.S. to carry out a Full Operational Capability (FOC) test. The test, meant to check if Seoul is on course to meet the conditions, was supposed to be held this year, but the two sides were not able to do that fully due to the COVID-19 situation.
"The OPCON transfer is one of our government's major policy goals and a key task for achieving our self-defense goal. We should push related projects in an proactive and systematic manner," Suh said while presiding over the meeting.
South Korea and the U.S. have revealed some differences about the issue.
During the bilateral defense ministers' meeting in October, then-U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that it will take time to meet required conditions for the transition, while Suh said that the two sides will work together to get prepared by meeting the conditions at an early date.
Though the transition is not time-based, the current Moon Jae-in administration hopes to retake the OPCON of its troops from Washington within his term that ends in May 2022.
Defense Minister Suh Wook (3rd from R) speaks during a biannual meeting on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--K-pop girl group ITZY to release first English album next month

The album , titled `` Not Shy , '' will be released at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22 , JYP @ @ @ @ @ , said Monday .
It will carry English versions of four main tracks of its @ @ @ @ @ , '' `` Wannabe , '' `` Icy '' and `` Dalla Dalla . ''

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean girl group ITZY plans to release its first English-language album next month, stepping up its entry into the global music market.
The album, titled "Not Shy," will be released at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22, JYP Entertainment, its management agency, said Monday. It will carry English versions of four main tracks of its albums -- "Not Shy," "Wannabe," "Icy" and "Dalla Dalla."
An online countdown event will begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on NOW, a music streaming platform of Naver, South Korea's No. 1 internet portal, the agency said.
ITZY, consisting of Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, Lia and Yuna, debuted in February 2019 and became an instant hit. The band won 10 rookie awards for that year.
"Not Shy," the main track of the band's third EP released in August, was recently selected as one of the best K-pop numbers of 2020 by the U.S. magazine TIME.
This poster, provided by JYP Entertainment, shows the tracklist of ITZY's first English language album, "Not Shy." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(2nd LD) Moon says S. Korea to begin coronavirus vaccine shots in Feb.

The nation 's health authorities announced separately that they have completed signing contracts with three foreign pharmaceutical firms -- AstraZeneca @ @ @ @ @ to obtain vaccines for a total of 36 million people .
The government is nearing @ @ @ @ @ with Moderna to buy doses for 10 million people .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 8-9)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in dismissed criticism Monday that his government has fumbled its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, saying inoculation is expected to start as planned in February next year.
He cited concerns that South Korea might have not secured enough vaccines yet or that its people would take shots too late.
"That's not true," the president said in front of pool reporter and TV cameras at the outset of his weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The government put an interagency support system into operation "several months earlier," and it has made all-out efforts for the supply of vaccines on the basis of experts' opinions, he added.
"We are proceeding (with the program) smoothly in accordance with our original policy," he stressed.
The government expects that it will be able to begin offering shots in February to those on the top of the priority list, including medical staff and workers at elderly care facilities, Moon added.
He said South Korea has "already secured enough volume" of vaccines and is pushing for the acquisition of additional doses in preparation for an emergency situation.
Health authorities said 36 million doses of vaccines will first be provided in the first quarter.
Another 10 million doses will be provided through the World Health Organization's global vaccine project, known as COVAX, they added.
The nation's health authorities announced separately that they have completed signing contracts with three foreign pharmaceutical firms -- AstraZeneca, Janssen and Pfizer -- to obtain vaccines for a total of 36 million people. The government is nearing the conclusion of a contract with Moderna to buy doses for 10 million people.
Moon also reaffirmed full support for vaccine development by domestic drugmakers, which he said is a must-do in terms of "vaccine sovereignty."
In order to terminate the coronavirus so that the people can return to their normal lives, the trio of virus containment, vaccines and treatment is necessary, he pointed out.
On the ongoing wave of large-scale transmissions across the country, Moon said, "There's no royal road to virus control and prevention" and requested continued public cooperation and support.
He noted that 2021 will be his fifth year in office and vowed efforts for no blind spot in his leadership.
Moon's job approval ratings have markedly dropped to below 40 percent in recent weeks, multiple polls showed. He's widely expected to carry out a partial reshuffle soon of the Cabinet and Moon's key Cheong Wa Dae aides.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Kim has delivered a televised speech on Jan. 1 almost every year since he took power following the death of @ @ @ @ @ put forth his annual policy plans and directions .
The speech has been closely watched @ @ @ @ @ reclusive country could be headed for the following year .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
-----------------
(LEAD) Moon says S. Korea to begin coronavirus vaccine shots in Feb.
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in dismissed criticism Monday that his government has fumbled its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, saying inoculation is expected to start as planned in February next year.
He cited concerns that South Korea might have not secured enough vaccines yet or that its people would take shots too late.
-----------------
(2nd LD) S. Korea extends UK flight ban as COVID-19 variant confirmed in arrivals
SEOUL -- South Korea's health authorities on Monday confirmed the country's first cases of a more transmissible variant from three arrivals from Britain, and decided to extend the suspension of flights from the European nation by one more week.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the three members of the South Korean family who came from Britain last week were confirmed to have the new COVID-19 strain.
-----------------
N.K. leader could skip New Year's Day speech ahead of party congress: experts
SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could skip a New Year's Day address later this week because he could unveil policy directions at a Workers' Party congress expected to convene in the coming weeks, experts said Monday.
Kim has delivered a televised speech on Jan. 1 almost every year since he took power following the death of his father in 2011 to put forth his annual policy plans and directions. The speech has been closely watched for signs of where the reclusive country could be headed for the following year.
-----------------
N. Korea logs positive economic growth for 1st time in 3 years in 2019: data
SEOUL -- North Korea's economy grew for the first time in three years last year, data showed Monday.
The reclusive country's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.4 percent last year after two consecutive years of contraction of 4.1 percent in 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2017, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
-----------------
S. Korea to maintain nuclear phaseout scheme, scale back coal power generation
SEOUL -- South Korea said Monday it will gradually diversify its energy mix by using more sustainable sources, such as solar power, and scale back the use of coal and nuclear power, in line with the country's goal to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Under the ninth basic plan on the electricity supply, which will run through 2034, sustainable energy sources will take up 8.6 percent of the country's energy mix, soaring from this year's 3.3 percent, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
-----------------
Seoul stocks hit new high on U.S. stimulus deal, eased Brexit uncertainties
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks set a new record high Monday, backed by a fresh U.S. stimulus deal and eased uncertainties from Brexit. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.74 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 2,808.6.
-----------------
Hanwha Solutions acquires U.S. hydrogen tank maker
SEOUL -- Hanwha Solutions Corp., a South Korean energy solutions company, said Monday it has signed a deal to acquire U.S. hydrogen tank firm Cimarron Composites LLC as part of a diversification strategy.
Hanwha Solutions plans to complete the process to take over an entire stake in the U.S. industrial tank equipment maker by April, the company said in a statement.
-----------------
Inmates infected with COVID-19 at Seoul detention center transferred to prison in southeastern region
SEOUL -- Hundreds of inmates of a Seoul detention center infected with the new coronavirus were transferred to a prison in the southeastern region on Monday, the justice ministry said.
A total of 528 cases linked to Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul was confirmed as of Sunday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). They include 488 inmates and 21 prison officials, and none of them have shown serious symptoms.
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--Inmates infected with COVID-19 at Seoul detention center transferred to prison in southeastern regio

Inmates infected with COVID-19 at Seoul detention center transferred to prison in southeastern region

Several residents from the county of Cheongsong gathered in front of the prison in protest against the transfer , citing @ @ @ @ @ transmission in the community through correctional officers who could come in contact with the patients @

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of inmates of a Seoul detention center infected with the new coronavirus were transferred to a prison in the southeastern region on Monday, the justice ministry said.
A total of 528 cases linked to Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul was confirmed as of Sunday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). They include 488 inmates and 21 prison officials, and none of them have shown serious symptoms.
Of the prisoners, some 350 were moved to a correctional facility in Cheongsong, North Gyeongsang Province, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
They will be accommodated in solitary confinement cells, and medical staff will be dispatched there to take care of them, it added.
Elderly inmates and those with underlying medical conditions were excluded from the transfer, the ministry said. If infected inmates have severe symptoms, they will be sent to hospitals.
Buses carrying inmates infected with the new coronavirus leave Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020, to transfer them to a correctional facility in Cheongsong, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"The Cheongsong prison has been designated as a residential treatment center as there are many solitary confinement units there because it was used for felony offenders," a justice ministry official said.
Several residents from the county of Cheongsong gathered in front of the prison in protest against the transfer, citing the potential risk of virus transmission in the community through correctional officers who could come in contact with the patients.
The county office pledged to take strict measures to prevent infection. After three days of work, correctional officers will go into two-week self-quarantine at a separate facility, Lee Jung-hwan, a county official in charge of safety and disaster control, said.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) Seoul stocks hit new high on U.S. stimulus deal, eased Brexit uncertainties

`` The KOSPI received an uptick push last week from its strong Chinese peers and bulky U.S. over-the-counter trading , @ @ @ @ @ virus from Britain seems to have increased desire to take profit , '' Kiwoom Securities @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks set a new record high Monday, backed by a fresh U.S. stimulus deal and eased uncertainties from Brexit. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.74 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 2,808.6.
Trading volume was high at about 978 million shares worth some 23.6 trillion won (US$21.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 530 to 315.
The index extended its all-time high for a second straight session on strong institutional buying.
Institutions purchased a net 854 billion won, while retail investors sold a net 931 billion won. Foreigners bought a net 52 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,808.6 on Dec. 28, 2020, up 1.74 points or 0.06 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The KOSPI climbed as high as 2,834.59 points early morning on imminent U.S. fiscal spending aimed at coping with the virus fallout, in addition to eased woes over Britain's departure from the European Union (EU).
However, the KOSPI erased most of its earlier gains toward the session's close, largely due to growing concerns over the highly transmissible coronavirus variant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed a new, potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant in three arrivals from Britain.
"The KOSPI received an uptick push last week from its strong Chinese peers and bulky U.S. over-the-counter trading, but the new strain of virus from Britain seems to have increased desire to take profit," Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young said.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.16 percent to a fresh record high of 78,700 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 2.12 percent to 115,500 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics lost 0.63 percent to 789,000 won, and Celltrion dipped 4.03 percent to 333,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver moved down 0.35 percent to 281,000 won, with its rival Kakao declining 0.27 percent to 373,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 0.49 percent to 813,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI dropped 0.71 percent to 559,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, advanced 1.34 percent to 189,500 won, while top steelmaker POSCO gained 0.92 percent to 273,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,096.7 won per dollar, up 6.3 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 0.8 basis point to 0.958 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 0.2 basis point to 1.316 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--S. Korean Bond Yields on Dec. 28, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Dec. 28, 2020

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


yna--2020-12-28--Seoul stocks hit new high on U.S. stimulus deal, eased Brexit uncertainties

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks set a new record high Monday, backed by a fresh U.S. stimulus deal and eased uncertainties from Brexit. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.74 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 2,808.6.
Trading volume was high at about 978 million shares worth some 23.6 trillion won (US$21.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 530 to 315.
The index extended its all-time high for a second straight session on strong institutional buying.
Institutions purchased a net 854 billion won, while retail investors sold a net 931 billion won. Foreigners bought a net 52 billion won.
The KOSPI climbed as high as 2,834.59 points early morning on imminent U.S. fiscal spending aimed at coping with the virus fallout, in addition to eased woes over Britain's departure from the European Union (EU).
However, the KOSPI erased most of its earlier gains toward the session's close, largely due to growing concerns over the highly transmissible coronavirus variant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed a new, potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant in three arrivals from Britain.
"The KOSPI received an uptick push last week from its strong Chinese peers and bulky U.S. over-the-counter trading, but the new strain of virus from Britain seems to have increased desire to take profit," Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young said.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.16 percent to a fresh record high of 78,700 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 2.12 percent to 115,500 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics lost 0.63 percent to 789,000 won, and Celltrion dipped 4.03 percent to 333,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver moved down 0.35 percent to 281,000 won, with its rival Kakao declining 0.27 percent to 373,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 0.49 percent to 813,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI dropped 0.71 percent to 559,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, advanced 1.34 percent to 189,500 won, while top steelmaker POSCO gained 0.92 percent to 273,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,096.7 won per dollar, up 6.3 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--(LEAD) Moon says S. Korea to begin coronavirus vaccine shots in Feb.

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks, details from 7th para; CHANGES photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in dismissed criticism Monday that his government has fumbled its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, saying inoculation is expected to start as planned in February next year.
He cited concerns that South Korea might have not secured enough vaccines yet or that its people would take shots too late.
"That's not true," the president said in front of pool reporter and TV cameras at the outset of his weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The government put an interagency support system into operation "several months earlier," and it has made all-out efforts for the supply of vaccines on the basis of experts' opinions, he added.
"We are proceeding (with the program) smoothly in accordance with our original policy," he stressed.
The government expects that it will be able to begin offering shots in February to those on the top of the priority list, including medical staff and workers at elderly care facilities, Moon added.
He said South Korea has "already secured enough volume" of vaccines and is pushing for the acquisition of additional doses in preparation for an emergency situation.
The nation's health authorities announced separately that they have completed signing contracts with three foreign pharmaceutical firms -- AstraZeneca, Janssen and Pfizer -- to obtain vaccines for a total of 36 million people. The government is nearing the conclusion of a contract with Moderna to buy doses for 10 million people.
Moon also reaffirmed full support for vaccine development by domestic drugmakers, which he said is a must-do in terms of "vaccine sovereignty."
In order to terminate the coronavirus so that the people can return to their normal lives, the trio of virus containment, vaccines and treatment is necessary, he pointed out.
On the ongoing wave of large-scale transmissions across the country, Moon said, "There's no royal road to virus control and prevention" and requested continued public cooperation and support.
He noted that 2021 will be his fifth year in office and vowed efforts for no blind spot in his leadership.
Moon's job approval ratings have markedly dropped to below 40 percent in recent weeks, multiple polls showed. He's widely expected to carry out a partial reshuffle soon of the Cabinet and Moon's key Cheong Wa Dae aides.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

GS 38,250 UP 750 CJ CGV 23,700 DN 100 LIG Nex1 30,550 UP 300 Fila Holdings 43,700 DN 700 HYUNDAIGLOVIS @ @ @ @ @ UP 50 HANWHA LIFE 2,430 DN 15 AMOREPACIFIC 201,000 DN 1,500 FOOSUNG 11,600 UP 100 @ @ @ @ @ POONGSAN 27,200 DN 200 KBFinancialGroup 45,600 UP 150 Hansae 17,950 DN 50 LG HAUSYS 76,400 @ @ @ @ @ UP 150 CSWIND 164,500 UP 6,000 GKL 15,950 DN 350 KOLON IND 39,900 DN 150 @ @ @ @ @ Financial Group 6,050 UP 110 emart 149,500 DN 1,500 지HANKOOK TIRE & TEC HNOLOGY408 50 @ @ @ @ @ 300 HANJINKAL 60,000 DN 500 DoubleUGames 59,400 DN 1,200 CUCKOO 101,000 0 COSMAX 98,400 UP @ @ @ @ @ SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS 789,000 DN 5,000 INNOCEAN 60,400 DN 100 Doosan Bobcat 30,150 UP 150 H.S.ENTERPRISE @ @ @ @ @ DN 500 HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S318500 UP5000 ORION 123,000 DN 2,000 BGF @ @ @ @ @ 378,000 UP 1,500 HDC-OP 24,900 DN 150 WooriFinancialGroup 10,150 0 Big Hit 156,500 DN 1,500 @ @ @

GS 38,250 UP 750
CJ CGV 23,700 DN 100
LIG Nex1 30,550 UP 300
Fila Holdings 43,700 DN 700
HYUNDAIGLOVIS 179,000 DN 3,000
HANAFINANCIALGR 35,850 UP 50
HANWHA LIFE 2,430 DN 15
AMOREPACIFIC 201,000 DN 1,500
FOOSUNG 11,600 UP 100
SK Innovation 178,000 DN 2,500
POONGSAN 27,200 DN 200
KBFinancialGroup 45,600 UP 150
Hansae 17,950 DN 50
LG HAUSYS 76,400 DN 400
Youngone Corp 31,900 UP 150
CSWIND 164,500 UP 6,000
GKL 15,950 DN 350
KOLON IND 39,900 DN 150
HanmiPharm 330,000 DN 2,000
BNK Financial Group 6,050 UP 110
emart 149,500 DN 1,500
지HANKOOK TIRE & TEC HNOLOGY408 50 UP1200
KOLMAR KOREA 48,050 UP 300
HANJINKAL 60,000 DN 500
DoubleUGames 59,400 DN 1,200
CUCKOO 101,000 0
COSMAX 98,400 UP 700
MANDO 59,200 UP 1,100
SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS 789,000 DN 5,000
INNOCEAN 60,400 DN 100
Doosan Bobcat 30,150 UP 150
H.S.ENTERPRISE 13,500 DN 100
Netmarble 124,500 DN 500
HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S318500 UP5000
ORION 123,000 DN 2,000
BGF Retail 138,000 DN 500
SKCHEM 378,000 UP 1,500
HDC-OP 24,900 DN 150
WooriFinancialGroup 10,150 0
Big Hit 156,500 DN 1,500
(END)


yna--2020-12-28--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

KEPCO 27,050 UP 50 SamsungSecu 43,150 UP 200 KG DONGBU STL 11,250 0 IBK 9,480 UP 30 DONGSUH 32,050 UP @ @ @ @ @ SAMSUNG C & T 140,000 UP 1,000 PanOcean 4,830 UP 110 SAMSUNG CARD 35,050 DN @ @ @ @ @ 25,500 UP 50 SHINSEGAE INTERNATIO NAL157000 DN2500 LOTTE TOUR 14,300 DN 500 LG Uplus 12,000 @ @ @ @ @ DN 700 KT & G 88,600 UP 200 DHICO 12,850 DN 500 Doosanfc 50,200 DN @ @ @ @ @ 200 Kangwonland 23,150 UP 50 NAVER 281,000 DN 1,000 Kakao 373,000 DN 1,000 NCsoft 898,000 @ @ @ @ @ 3,500 DSME 27,000 UP 350 DSINFRA 7,780 DN 240 DWEC 4,670 UP 25 DongwonF & @ @ @ @ @ KPS 31,200 UP 550 LGH & H 1,638,000 UP 13,000 LGCHEM 814,000 DN 4,000 KEPCO @ @ @ @ @ 450 HYUNDAIHOMESHOP 82,600 DN 1,000 HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,450 DN 200 Celltrion 333,500 DN 14,000 Huchems @ @ @ @ @ 154,500 DN 2,500 HYUNDAIDEPTST 70,700 UP 200 KIH 80,000 0 LOTTE Himart 31,600 UP 100 @ @ @

KEPCO 27,050 UP 50
SamsungSecu 43,150 UP 200
KG DONGBU STL 11,250 0
IBK 9,480 UP 30
DONGSUH 32,050 UP 50
SamsungEng 12,900 DN 200
SAMSUNG C&T 140,000 UP 1,000
PanOcean 4,830 UP 110
SAMSUNG CARD 35,050 DN 200
CheilWorldwide 21,250 0
KT 25,500 UP 50
SHINSEGAE INTERNATIO NAL157000 DN2500
LOTTE TOUR 14,300 DN 500
LG Uplus 12,000 DN 100
SAMSUNG LIFE 81,400 DN 700
KT&G 88,600 UP 200
DHICO 12,850 DN 500
Doosanfc 50,200 DN 2,200
LG Display 18,050 UP 200
Kangwonland 23,150 UP 50
NAVER 281,000 DN 1,000
Kakao 373,000 DN 1,000
NCsoft 898,000 UP 1,000
KIWOOM 123,000 DN 3,500
DSME 27,000 UP 350
DSINFRA 7,780 DN 240
DWEC 4,670 UP 25
DongwonF&B 178,000 DN 2,000
KEPCO KPS 31,200 UP 550
LGH&H 1,638,000 UP 13,000
LGCHEM 814,000 DN 4,000
KEPCO E&C 17,850 UP 450
HYUNDAIHOMESHOP 82,600 DN 1,000
HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,450 DN 200
Celltrion 333,500 DN 14,000
Huchems 25,600 DN 50
DAEWOONG PHARM 154,500 DN 2,500
HYUNDAIDEPTST 70,700 UP 200
KIH 80,000 0
LOTTE Himart 31,600 UP 100
(MORE)


yna--2020-12-28--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-3

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-3

NamsunAlum 4,440 DN 120 MERITZ SECU 3,970 UP 85 HtlShilla 80,200 DN 700 Hanmi Science 68,000 DN 1,200 SamsungElecMech 167,500 @ @ @ @ @ KSOE 106,500 DN 1,500 MIRAE ASSET DAEWOO 9,490 DN 140 SKC 91,700 UP 100 HyundaiMipoDock @ @ @ @ @ 51,000 UP 900 S-Oil 68,100 DN 900 LG Innotek 180,500 UP 6,500 OCI 81,900 DN @ @ @ @ @ UP 500 HMM 12,900 UP 50 HYUNDAI WIA 47,700 0 KumhoPetrochem 137,500 DN 1,000 HANWHA @ @ @ @ @ 250,000 DN 1,000 HANWHA AEROSPACE 28,400 UP 400 HDC HOLDINGS 10,750 0 SamsungHvyInd 6,920 DN @ @ @ @ @ S-1 85,800 UP 100 LS ELECTRIC 61,200 DN 700 ZINUS 98,600 DN 2,400 KorZinc 416,000 @ @ @ @ @ S & T MOTIV 50,100 UP 500 HyundaiElev 39,600 DN 100 AEKYUNG INDUSTRIAL 24,050 DN @ @ @ @ @ 50 SK 240,000 DN 2,000 ShinpoongPharm 112,500 DN 6,500 Handsome 29,500 UP 50 Asiana Airlines @ @ @ @ @ 300 LOTTE SHOPPING 99,000 DN 1,000 Hanchem 182,500 DN 1,500 ( MORE )

NamsunAlum 4,440 DN 120
MERITZ SECU 3,970 UP 85
HtlShilla 80,200 DN 700
Hanmi Science 68,000 DN 1,200
SamsungElecMech 167,500 0
Hanssem 104,000 UP 500
KSOE 106,500 DN 1,500
MIRAE ASSET DAEWOO 9,490 DN 140
SKC 91,700 UP 100
HyundaiMipoDock 47,550 DN 800
IS DONGSEO 51,000 UP 900
S-Oil 68,100 DN 900
LG Innotek 180,500 UP 6,500
OCI 81,900 DN 4,400
LOTTE CHEMICAL Corp 265,500 UP 500
HMM 12,900 UP 50
HYUNDAI WIA 47,700 0
KumhoPetrochem 137,500 DN 1,000
HANWHA SOLUTIONS 45,050 DN 600
Mobis 250,000 DN 1,000
HANWHA AEROSPACE 28,400 UP 400
HDC HOLDINGS 10,750 0
SamsungHvyInd 6,920 DN 10
SYC 61,100 UP 100
S-1 85,800 UP 100
LS ELECTRIC 61,200 DN 700
ZINUS 98,600 DN 2,400
KorZinc 416,000 UP 3,000
SKTelecom 247,000 0
S&T MOTIV 50,100 UP 500
HyundaiElev 39,600 DN 100
AEKYUNG INDUSTRIAL 24,050 DN 150
Hanon Systems 15,950 UP 50
SK 240,000 DN 2,000
ShinpoongPharm 112,500 DN 6,500
Handsome 29,500 UP 50
Asiana Airlines 4,210 0
COWAY 72,700 UP 300
LOTTE SHOPPING 99,000 DN 1,000
Hanchem 182,500 DN 1,500
(MORE)


yna--2020-12-28--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-2

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-2

BukwangPharm 29,000 DN 1,250 ILJIN MATERIALS 50,400 UP 900 Daewoong 47,100 DN 300 SamyangFood 99,400 DN 400 POSCO INTERNATIONAL 15,200 @ @ @ @ @ TaekwangInd 783,000 UP 2,000 SsangyongCement 6,980 DN 20 LG Corp. 87,600 UP 2,600 YUNGJIN PHARM @ @ @ @ @ DN 550 POSCO CHEMICAL 103,500 DN 1,000 BoryungPharm 20,000 UP 250 L & L 10,000 @ @ @ @ @ 54,800 0 HYUNDAI STEEL 38,250 DN 50 Shinsegae 233,000 DN 3,000 Nongshim 301,000 DN 3,000 @ @ @ @ @ 66,500 UP 3,800 Hyosung 80,900 DN 500 SAMYANGHOLDINGS 74,700 DN 200 ShinhanGroup 33,500 UP 200 @ @ @ @ @ 76,600 UP 3,100 CJ LOGISTICS 164,000 UP 500 DOOSAN 55,900 UP 500 DaelimInd 83,000 DN @ @ @ @ @ UP300 KiaMtr 62,800 UP 1,100 DWS 32,950 DN 100 LGELECTRONICS 124,500 UP 12,500 HANWHA SYSTEMS @ @ @ @ @ 46,250 UP 3,300 GS Retail 34,650 UP 200 Ottogi 585,000 UP 7,000 IlyangPharm 60,700 DN @ @ @ @ @ DN 1,200 KPIC 220,000 0 TAEYOUNG E & C 11,450 UP 150 ( MORE )

BukwangPharm 29,000 DN 1,250
ILJIN MATERIALS 50,400 UP 900
Daewoong 47,100 DN 300
SamyangFood 99,400 DN 400
POSCO INTERNATIONAL 15,200 0
CJ CheilJedang 382,500 0
TaekwangInd 783,000 UP 2,000
SsangyongCement 6,980 DN 20
LG Corp. 87,600 UP 2,600
YUNGJIN PHARM 7,700 DN 260
KAL 26,350 DN 550
POSCO CHEMICAL 103,500 DN 1,000
BoryungPharm 20,000 UP 250
L&L 10,000 DN 100
LOTTE Fine Chem 54,800 0
HYUNDAI STEEL 38,250 DN 50
Shinsegae 233,000 DN 3,000
Nongshim 301,000 DN 3,000
LOTTE 34,750 UP 50
SGBC 66,500 UP 3,800
Hyosung 80,900 DN 500
SAMYANGHOLDINGS 74,700 DN 200
ShinhanGroup 33,500 UP 200
HITEJINRO 32,250 UP 600
Yuhan 76,600 UP 3,100
CJ LOGISTICS 164,000 UP 500
DOOSAN 55,900 UP 500
DaelimInd 83,000 DN 5,400
HANKOOK TECHNOLOGY G ROUP14650 UP300
KiaMtr 62,800 UP 1,100
DWS 32,950 DN 100
LGELECTRONICS 124,500 UP 12,500
HANWHA SYSTEMS 17,150 UP 1,750
DB HiTek 46,250 UP 3,300
GS Retail 34,650 UP 200
Ottogi 585,000 UP 7,000
IlyangPharm 60,700 DN 2,800
F&F 82,200 DN 1,200
KPIC 220,000 0
TAEYOUNG E&C 11,450 UP 150
(MORE)


yna--2020-12-28--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-1

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-1

Hyundai M & F INS 23,500 UP 50 SKNetworks 4,855 UP 70 Daesang 26,400 DN 300 GC Corp 354,000 DN @ @ @ @ @ 35,050 DN 800 HANIL HYUNDAI CEMENT 28,900 0 SAMSUNG SDI CO. , LTD .
559,000 @ @ @ @ @ 2,500 SPC SAMLIP 71,900 UP 700 SAMSUNG SDS 178,000 DN 1,500 KOREA AEROSPACE 25,500 UP @ @ @ @ @ DB INSURANCE 45,100 UP 100 SamsungElec 78,700 UP 900 NHIS 11,700 DN 100 HYUNDAIGREENFOOD 8,830 @ @ @ @ @ DN 300 LS 72,200 DN 300 Binggrae 56,500 UP 500 GCH Corp 33,150 DN 900 @ @ @ @ @ 189,500 UP 2,500 AmoreG 53,500 DN 300 CJ 89,300 UP 900 JWPHARMA 34,400 UP 300 @ @ @ @ @ 7,700 DN 90 SK hynix 115,500 DN 2,500 Youngpoong 544,000 UP 8,000 HyundaiEng & Const @ @ @ @ @ 38,900 DN 100 SamsungF & MIns 196,000 UP 500 HANALL BIOPHARMA 36,300 DN 1,050 Kogas @ @ @ @ @ DN 50 NEXENTIRE 6,100 DN 40 CHONGKUNDANG 217,000 DN 11,000 ORION Holdings 13,950 UP 150 @ @ @ @ @ 167,500 DN 3,500 ( MORE )

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- Monday's closing prices (KRW) of
KOSPI 200 stocks traded on the main Korea Stock Exchange.
Hyundai M&F INS 23,500 UP 50
SKNetworks 4,855 UP 70
Daesang 26,400 DN 300
GC Corp 354,000 DN 9,500
GS E&C 35,050 DN 800
HANIL HYUNDAI CEMENT 28,900 0
SAMSUNG SDI CO.,LTD. 559,000 DN 4,000
POSCO 273,500 UP 2,500
SPC SAMLIP 71,900 UP 700
SAMSUNG SDS 178,000 DN 1,500
KOREA AEROSPACE 25,500 UP 250
KUMHOTIRE 3,700 DN 85
DB INSURANCE 45,100 UP 100
SamsungElec 78,700 UP 900
NHIS 11,700 DN 100
HYUNDAIGREENFOOD 8,830 DN 80
SK Discovery 64,500 DN 300
LS 72,200 DN 300
Binggrae 56,500 UP 500
GCH Corp 33,150 DN 900
LotteChilsung 110,000 DN 1,500
HyundaiMtr 189,500 UP 2,500
AmoreG 53,500 DN 300
CJ 89,300 UP 900
JWPHARMA 34,400 UP 300
LGInt 24,050 DN 150
DongkukStlMill 7,700 DN 90
SK hynix 115,500 DN 2,500
Youngpoong 544,000 UP 8,000
HyundaiEng&Const 36,200 DN 450
CUCKOO HOMESYS 38,900 DN 100
SamsungF&MIns 196,000 UP 500
HANALL BIOPHARMA 36,300 DN 1,050
Kogas 30,800 UP 500
Hanwha 27,900 DN 50
NEXENTIRE 6,100 DN 40
CHONGKUNDANG 217,000 DN 11,000
ORION Holdings 13,950 UP 150
KCC 194,000 DN 5,500
SKBP 167,500 DN 3,500
(MORE)


yna--2020-12-29--Moon pledges speedy provision of emergency virus relief grants from early Jan.

`` As custom measures to help out small business owners and those disenfranchised in terms of labor , we will @ @ @ @ @ early January , as time is of the essence , '' Moon said during the @ @ @ @ @ the year at Cheong Wa Dae .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday the government will swiftly provide the country's third round of emergency relief handouts worth around 9.3 trillion won (US$8.5 billion) to small business owners facing economic difficulties due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
"As custom measures to help out small business owners and those disenfranchised in terms of labor, we will swiftly execute the handouts from early January, as time is of the essence," Moon said during the last weekly Cabinet meeting of the year at Cheong Wa Dae.
The latest virus relief package toward small business owners was decided by the government and the ruling party on Sunday. Specifically, the government will offer relief grants of up to 3 million won for small business establishments affected by the pandemic.
President Moon Jae-in (C) presides over this year's last Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
The move comes as more small merchants and self-employed people are facing the growing burden of paying fixed rent fees amid government orders to suspend their businesses to curb the spread of community transmissions.
Moon also said the government will provide low interest loans and lower insurance costs to ease the burden of fixed costs of small business sites.
The president also explained that the government will offer emergency relief grants to contract workers and freelancers affected by toughened social distancing rules.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--S. Korea's space industry nears 4 tln won in value in 2019: report

South Korea 's space industry was also focused in satellite-related services and equipment last year , which accounted for 68.5 @ @ @ @ @ total size at 2.7 trillion won .
Satellite and launch projectile manufacturing took up 24.1 @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- The value of South Korea's space industry stood at 3.89 trillion won (US$3.5 billion) last year, a report showed Tuesday.
The industry's size slightly dipped from that of 2018, when it reached 3.93 trillion won, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The science ministry has been publishing data on the country's space industry since 2005 to boost policymaking in the sector.
This image, provided by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute on Jan. 1, 2020, shows an image of a space craft. South Korea is working toward launching its first lunar orbiter in 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Last year, private sector sales stood at 3.26 trillion won, accounting for 83.8 percent of the industry's total value, followed by research institutes' spending at 584.9 billion won, or 15 percent of the total.
South Korea's space industry was also focused in satellite-related services and equipment last year, which accounted for 68.5 percent of the industry's total size at 2.7 trillion won. Satellite and launch projectile manufacturing took up 24.1 percent at 939.9 billion won.
The country's space-related investment, which includes spending by companies, research institutes and universities, reached 315.4 billion won last year, up 33 percent from the previous year, mainly due to increased facilities investment, the ministry said.
A total of 9,397 people were working in the country's space industry last year, marking an average 1 percent rise annually over the past decade, according to the data.
South Korea, a relative latecomer to the global space race, has ramped up its space ambitions recently as it prepares to launch its first lunar orbiter in 2022.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


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The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Yonhap News Agency.
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Requests to use the content for any purpose besides the ones mentioned above should be directed in advance to Yonhap's Information Business Department at 82-2-398-3557 or 82-2-398-3552.
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--(LEAD) Moderna agrees to supply vaccines for 20 mln to S. Korea from Q2 2021: Cheong Wa Dae

The volume is double the amount that the government had initially sought to secure from the American biotech firm through @ @ @ @ @ of provision has also been sped up from the initial goal of receiving vaccines starting @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. biotech company Moderna has agreed to supply new coronavirus vaccine doses for 20 million people to South Korea starting in the second quarter of next year, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday.
The agreement was reached in a videoconference between President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel held Monday, according to the South Korean presidential office.
The volume is double the amount that the government had initially sought to secure from the American biotech firm through negotiations. The time frame of provision has also been sped up from the initial goal of receiving vaccines starting from the third quarter.
President Moon Jae-in (R) talks with Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel (on the monitor) via videoconference at the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon told Bancel that he would like to sign an official deal within the year.
Bancel, according to Cheong Wa Dae, responded by saying a swift deal closure within the year is possible and also promised that the company will do its best to facilitate early vaccine provision.
In total, South Korea will have secured vaccines doses for 56 million people if the Moderna deal is sealed, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
Moon and Bancel also agreed to forge a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in research and development between Moderna and South Korea's state institute on infectious diseases.
The two also agreed to cooperate in the area of consignment production of Moderna vaccines by South Korean firms.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--Seoul stocks turn nearly flat on ex-dividend day

Investors were obliged to hold on to their shares until the previous session for year-end dividends .
The final trading @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks pared earlier gains to turn almost flat late Tuesday morning, as investors weigh chances of further price hikes on the ex-dividend day.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 0.47 point, or 0.02 percent, to 2,808.13 as of 11:20 a.m.
Stocks traded choppy on the ex-dividend session, in which investors become eligible to win year-end dividends even after offloading shares.
Investors were obliged to hold on to their shares until the previous session for year-end dividends. The final trading session of 2020 is Wednesday.
Top market cap Samsung Electronics retreated 1.14 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix traded flat.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem gained 0.37 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI spiked 7.16 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics added 3.17 percent, and Celltrion surged 9.62 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest carmaker, retreated 0.53 percent, and leading steelmaker POSCO declined 1.65 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver moved up 0.36 percent, with its rival Kakao climbing 2.28 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,094.3 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.4 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Dec. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-12-29--Human rights groups file constitutional complaint over leafleting ban

Supporters claim the ban is to protect the safety of citizens in border regions from which leaflet-carrying balloons have been @ @ @ @ @ while critics say that it violates the right to freedom of expression and blocks outside @ @ @ @ @ reclusive state .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 30 human rights groups in South Korea filed a constitutional complaint Tuesday over a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea and requested an injunction against the law.
The organizations, including Transitional Justice Working Group and Keunsaem led by North Korean defectors, claimed that the leafleting ban infringes on the human rights of North Koreans and supports the autocratic regime in Pyongyang.
"By using the safety of people in border regions as an excuse, they are giving up on human rights of North Korean people who are thirsty for outside information while supporting the autocratic regime," the human rights groups told reporters.
The National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party, recently passed the bill penalizing the sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into the North despite strong objections by opposition party lawmakers.
Supporters claim the ban is to protect the safety of citizens in border regions from which leaflet-carrying balloons have been sent into the North, while critics say that it violates the right to freedom of expression and blocks outside information from people in the reclusive state.
The government and the ruling party have sought to ban leaflet campaigns after North Korea bristled at such activity and even blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in June in anger. Pyongyang has denounced the leafleting as a violation of inter-Korean agreements and demanded that Seoul take preventive measures.
The unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said that freedom of expression cannot take precedence over the life and safety of people in border regions.
This photo, taken on June 23, 2020, shows a balloon containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets found at a mountain in Hongcheon, a town in South Korea's northeastern province of Gangwon. Tied to the balloon are photos of the North's leader Kim Jong-un, his late grandfather and the North's founder Kim Il-sung and his sister Kim Yo-jong. Fighters for a Free North Korea, a Seoul-based organization of North Korean defectors advocating for North Korean human rights, claimed it sent such balloons toward North Korea from the South Korean border town of Paju, north of Seoul, the previous day. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--Moderna to supply vaccines for 20 mln to S. Korea from Q2 2021: Cheong Wa Dae

SEOUL , Dec. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- U.S. biotech company Moderna will supply new coronavirus vaccine doses for 20 @ @ @ @ @ starting in the second quarter of next year , Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. biotech company Moderna will supply new coronavirus vaccine doses for 20 million people to South Korea starting in the second quarter of next year, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday.
The deal was reached in a video conference between President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel held Monday, according to the South Korean presidential office.
President Moon Jae-in (R) talks with Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel (on the monitor) via video conference at the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--S. Korea to jack up R&D spending for future growth engines

`` The policy reflects the government 's willingness to expand investment in R & D projects in new areas despite @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic , '' the ministry said in a statement .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it plans to invest around 5 trillion won (US$4.5 billion) in research and development (R&D) projects in 2021 to foster new growth engines while seeking green growth.
The amount marks a 19 percent jump from 4.1 trillion won allocated this year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
"The policy reflects the government's willingness to expand investment in R&D projects in new areas despite the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic," the ministry said in a statement.
Under the plan, the country plans to spend 1.5 trillion won on fostering materials, parts and equipment segments.
The country has been pushing to beef up the three areas amid growing protectionism around the globe, including the ongoing trade row with Japan.
South Korea also plans to invest 966.5 billion won in the emerging sectors, including non-memory chips, eco-friendly automobiles and biotechnology products. The amount marks a whopping 43 percent jump from 2020.
In line with the country's green growth policy, South Korea plans to spend 859.2 billion won on R&D projects related to sustainable resources and speed up the growth of the hydrogen economy.
The country earlier set a goal of cutting its greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-29--Biz sentiment for Jan. worsens amid tougher virus curbs: survey

On Sunday , health authorities extended the current Level 2.5 distancing measures in the capital area and the Level 2 @ @ @ @ @ the country until Jan. 3 on concerns over the impact on the economy .

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Business sentiment for January worsened as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of a slowdown despite tougher social distancing rules, a survey showed Tuesday.
The business survey index (BSI) of the country's top 600 companies by sales came to 91.7 for January, down from the 98.9 for December, the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) said in a statement.
A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark means the opposite.
"The third wave of COVID-19 is weighing on business sentiment. The government needs to deliver aggressive policy support to companies struggling with the pandemic," a KERI official said.
On Sunday, health authorities extended the current Level 2.5 distancing measures in the capital area and the Level 2 restrictions in the rest of the country until Jan. 3 on concerns over the impact on the economy.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will decide whether to move on to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme, before the extended deadline.
The BSI has stayed below 100 for 32 consecutive months after reaching 100.3 in May 2018, said KERI, a research institute under the Federation of Korean Industries, South Korea's biggest business lobby.
KERI's analysis for this month gave an index of 93.4, down from 98 a month earlier despite the prolonged pandemic, it said.
KERI said 363 out of the 600 companies responded to the survey, which was conducted from Dec. 15-22.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-12-29--S. Korea delays launch of first homegrown space rocket

The Ministry of Science and ICT said it pushed back the launch of the three-stage rocket with a mock payload @ @ @ @ @ October , adding it also postponed its second launch , carrying a real satellite , @ @ @ @ @ May 2022 .

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it decided to delay the launch of its first locally built space launch vehicle by eight months due to complications in its assembly.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said it pushed back the launch of the three-stage rocket with a mock payload from February next year to October, adding it also postponed its second launch, carrying a real satellite, from October next year to May 2022.
The ministry said it decided to postpone the launches due to changes in the assembly process of the first-stage rocket and delays in acquiring necessary parts.
In this file photo taken Jan. 15, 2020, rocket exhaust and steam rises into the air over the Naro Space Center on Oenaro Island, 485 kilometers south of Seoul, during a test conducted on a 75-ton thrust engine. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been pursuing development of a homegrown space launch vehicle since 2010, earmarking nearly 2 trillion won (US$1.8 billion) for its development.
While the country has sent its 140-ton Naro rocket into space in 2013 after two failed attempts, the first-stage, main rocket on that launch vehicle was built in Russia, with only the second stage being made in South Korea.
The country hopes that the development of the latest Korea Space Launch Vehicle, named Nuri, will lead to the expertise needed to build sophisticated rockets and launch support facilities.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute, which is developing the project, aims to launch a 1.5-ton utility satellite into low Earth orbit using the 200-ton Nuri.
The ministry said qualification models for the first-, second- and third-stage rockets of the Nuri have been assembled, and the first-stage rocket is currently undergoing testing.
The government separately announced it is also pursuing the development of a public communications satellite for launch in the second half of 2027, setting aside a total 411.8 billion won. The geostationary satellite aims to improve the country's disaster safety response system.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-12-29--Coronavirus cases in military reach 500 as 4 new patients reported

One of the two officers in the central city of Gyeryong , where the Army headquarters are located , was @ @ @ @ @ , and the other officer at the same unit also tested positive , according to @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- Two Army officers, one soldier and a civilian worker for the Navy tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of patients among military members to 500, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
One of the two officers in the central city of Gyeryong, where the Army headquarters are located, was confirmed to have been infected, and the other officer at the same unit also tested positive, according to the ministry.
Around 160 members of the unit underwent virus tests, and no additional cases have been reported up until 10 a.m. Tuesday. Contact tracing is also under way, the ministry said.
The soldier in the city of Yangju, just north of Seoul, tested positive while being quarantined due to an earlier confirmed case on his base.
The civilian worker affiliated with a Navy unit in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, contracted the virus following his recent business trip to the greater Seoul area, the ministry said.
Currently, 898 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 3,301 people under stricter antivirus schemes of its own as a preventive step, according to the ministry.
Nationwide, the country added 1,046 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,030 local infections, raising the total caseload to 58,725, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Troops belonging to the Army's 50th division check the driver of an ambulance for fever near its base in the southeastern city of Daegu on Feb. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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