yna--2020-12-07--(3rd LD) Parties on collision course as DP advances bill on corruption probe agency

But its launch is being stalled after a seven-member committee in charge of shortlisting candidates for the first CIO chief @ @ @ @ @ agreed-upon outcome in its three rounds of meetings last month , due mainly to resistance @ @ @ @ @ the committee .

(ATTN: ADDS 7th para, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Political tension heightened Monday as the ruling Democratic Party (DP) unilaterally passed a bill through a parliamentary committee on a new agency to investigate high-profile corruption.
The majority DP railroaded a set of controversial bills through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's sub-panel, including a proposed revision to the law on the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).
Members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) staged a sit-in in front of the committee room, holding pickets and yelling at DP lawmakers. PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young threatened a boycott of all parliamentary activities.
The revision, if approved in a parliamentary plenary session, would effectively strip PPP-side members of a recommendation committee for CIO chief candidates of their veto power.
"We will use all resistance means and measures possible (to block the revision bill), including filibusters and referral to the agenda adjustment committee," Joo said during a meeting of party lawmakers after the bill's passage.
"If we cannot block it with the legal procedures guaranteed by the National Assembly Act, we will boycott all parliamentary schedules and fight outside the National Assembly," he added.
PPP lawmakers started a sit-in protest in front of the main hall of the National Assembly late at night to prevent the DP from convening a plenary session.
Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party rally at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020, to voice their objection to the ruling party's passage of a revised bill on the launch of a special investigative agency for probes into corruption by high-ranking public officials. (Yonhap)
The passage came after President Moon Jae-in expressed hope for the launch of the CIO earlier in the day, renewing his determination to reform powerful institutions, especially the state prosecution service.
The DP is aiming to launch the CIO, a core campaign pledge by President Moon, within this year.
But its launch is being stalled after a seven-member committee in charge of shortlisting candidates for the first CIO chief failed to come to an agreed-upon outcome in its three rounds of meetings last month, due mainly to resistance by two PPP-side members on the committee.
Earlier in the day, the two parties' floor leaders agreed to seek negotiations on the issue of picking the inaugural chief of the new agency.
"(Both parties agreed) to have dense consultation on recommending candidates for the CIO chief," PPP spokesman Rep. Choi Hyung-du said after the meeting between the floor leaders mediated by National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug.
"It is designed to select CIO chief candidates receptible (to both parties, based on) the process that has taken place so far," Choi noted.
Members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) stage a sit-in protest at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Dec. 7, 2020, holding pickets opposing the ruling Democratic Party (DP)'s unilateral passage of a bill through a parliamentary committee on a new agency to investigate high-profile corruption. (Yonhap)
A failure to strike a deal on the issue, however, is likely to create a firestorm of bipartisan tension, with the DP, powered by its command of a hefty parliamentary majority, planning to go it alone and pass the revision to the CIO law this week if an agreement is not made.
In a two-track strategy aimed at preparing against the negotiations' potential breakdown, the DP advanced the revision bill through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's subcommittee, putting it on course to the plenary session.
The DP is adamant that it will pass the envisioned revision through the parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Wednesday.
Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon (L) and People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young exchange greetings during a meeting mediated by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug (C) on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--U.S. not seeing weapons proliferation from N. Korea: O'Brien

`` I think the North Koreans understand that if they started proliferating on a significant scale -- either ballistic missiles @ @ @ @ @ the worst-case scenario weapons of mass destruction especially on the nuclear side or biological or @ @ @ @ @ would really be crossing a redline with not just the United States but the international @ @ @ @ @ quoted as saying .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is not currently engaged in proliferation of weapons at any significant level, U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said, adding such activity would mean crossing the "redline."
"It would be an extraordinarily risky venture for Kim Jong-un to get into the proliferation business when it comes to nuclear weapons. It's something that I am hoping won't happen. We don't see it on the WMD side–we don't see that happening at this point," O'Brien said in a recent interview with U.S. online magazine 19FortyFive.
"I think the North Koreans understand that if they started proliferating on a significant scale -- either ballistic missiles or delivery systems or in the worst-case scenario weapons of mass destruction especially on the nuclear side or biological or chemical as well -- that would really be crossing a redline with not just the United States but the international community," he was quoted as saying.
North Korea has maintained a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests since November 2017.
However, the country unveiled a new and longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile in an October military parade, indicating its continued development of weapons despite its recent lack of weapons testing.
O'Brien warned it would be "extraordinarily unhelpful" for North Korea to engage in proliferation activities.
"We have real concerns on the ballistic missile proliferation side of the ledger but on the weapons of mass destruction side, it's something that would take the crisis to a whole other level," he said.
The top security adviser also underscored threats posed by the North in the cyber realm.
"North Korea has a very sophisticated cyber capability and cyber warfare capability. That's something we take seriously," said O'Brien, according to the online report published Monday.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Brien said Pyongyang has yet to report a mass outbreak of the new coronavirus.
He noted the U.S. will likely be willing to assist the impoverished North if asked for help.
"On humanitarian assistance during the COVID crisis, we have been helpful to friends and foes alike," insisted O'Brien, adding U.S. President Donald Trump has especially been generous with ventilators.
"I think the president's inclination is to always provide humanitarian assistance around the world to whoever needed it when it was a flood or fire or pandemic relief. That's something the United States does and we do it often without respect to the governing party in a country that is seeking assistance," he said.
This photo captured from the Twitter account of the U.S. National Security Council shows U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien (L) and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha posing for a photo during their meeting in Washington on Nov. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Hyundai Motor reports 7 virus cases at local plant

Hyundai has seven domestic plants -- five in Ulsan , one in Asan and one in Jeonju -- and 10 @ @ @ @ @ China and one each in the United States , the Czech Republic , Turkey , @ @ @ @ @ .
Their combined capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles .

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, on Monday reported seven coronavirus cases at one of its domestic plants.
Seven employees at Hyundai's Jeonju plant, 243 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive for COVID-19. Some 2,000 workers took the coronavirus tests on the same day, Hyundai said.
The infections brought the total number of infections at the Jeonju plant to 14, it said. Hyundai mainly produces buses and trucks in Jeonju.
Hyundai could not be reached for comment on whether it has suspended the plant or has such a plan on Tuesday.
The maker of the Sonata sedan and the Palisade SUV suspended the production lines of its domestic plants this year to manage inventories amid the virus crisis.
Hyundai has seven domestic plants -- five in Ulsan, one in Asan and one in Jeonju -- and 10 overseas plants -- four in China and one each in the United States, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India and Brazil. Their combined capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles.
This photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the truck assembly line at its Jeonju plant. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(2nd LD) Parties on collision course as DP advances bill on corruption probe agency

A failure to strike a deal on the issue , however , is likely to create a firestorm of bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ , powered by its command of a hefty parliamentary majority , planning to go it @ @ @ @ @ to the CIO law this week if an agreement is not made .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with bill's passage in paras 1-7; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Political tension heightened Monday as the ruling Democratic Party (DP) unilaterally passed a bill through a parliamentary committee on a new agency to investigate high-profile corruption.
The majority DP railroaded a set of controversial bills through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's sub-panel, including a proposed revision to the law on the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).
Members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) staged a sit-in in front of the committee room, holding pickets and yelling at DP lawmakers. PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young threatened a boycott of all parliamentary activities.
The revision, if approved in a parliamentary plenary session, would effectively strip PPP-side members of a recommendation committee for CIO chief candidates of their veto power.
"We will use all resistance means and measures possible (to block the revision bill), including filibusters and referral to the agenda adjustment committee," Joo said during a meeting of party lawmakers after the bill's passage.
"If we cannot block it with the legal procedures guaranteed by the National Assembly Act, we will boycott all parliamentary schedules and fight outside the National Assembly," he added.
Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party rally at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020, to voice their objection to the ruling party's passage of a revised bill on the launch of a special investigative agency for probes into corruption by high-ranking public officials. (Yonhap)
The passage came after President Moon Jae-in expressed hope for the launch of the CIO earlier in the day, renewing his determination to reform powerful institutions, especially the state prosecution service.
The DP is aiming to launch the CIO, a core campaign pledge by President Moon, within this year.
But its launch is being stalled after a seven-member committee in charge of shortlisting candidates for the first CIO chief failed to come to an agreed-upon outcome in its three rounds of meetings last month, due mainly to resistance by two PPP-side members on the committee.
Earlier in the day, the two parties' floor leaders agreed to seek negotiations on the issue of picking the inaugural chief of the new agency.
"(Both parties agreed) to have dense consultation on recommending candidates for the CIO chief," PPP spokesman Rep. Choi Hyung-du said after the meeting between the floor leaders mediated by National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug.
"It is designed to select CIO chief candidates receptible (to both parties, based on) the process that has taken place so far," Choi noted.
Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon (L) and People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young exchange greetings during a meeting mediated by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug (C) on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
A failure to strike a deal on the issue, however, is likely to create a firestorm of bipartisan tension, with the DP, powered by its command of a hefty parliamentary majority, planning to go it alone and pass the revision to the CIO law this week if an agreement is not made.
In a two-track strategy aimed at preparing against the negotiations' potential breakdown, the DP advanced the revision bill through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's subcommittee, putting it on course to the plenary session.
The DP is adamant that it will pass the envisioned revision through the parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Wednesday.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Korea Exchange delays delisting decision for scandal-ridden Kolon TissueGene

The postponement could indicate that the KRX is waiting for the results of the third phase of Invossa clinical testing @ @ @ @ @

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's main bourse on Monday postponed its decision on whether to delist the scandal-ridden drugmaker Kolon TissueGene, Inc., saying it needs more time to make a final decision.
The postponement is expected to provide tech-heavy KOSDAQ-listed Kolon TissueGene a chance to present another turnaround program to the KOSDAQ market committee under the main Korea Exchange (KRX).
The main stock exchange said it will reopen the review meeting, without giving a timeframe.
This file photo shows the corporate flag of Kolon Group at the group headquarters in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on Jan. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
The postponement came a month after the KRX's earlier assessment that the drugmaker had failed to comply with the listing criteria.
Trading of Kolon TissueGene has been suspended since late May last year, as the government revoked its permit to sell Invossa over mislabeling and false reporting of ingredients.
Three months later, the KRX decided to delist the company, unless it submitted plans for improvement.
Last month, the KRX turned down Kolon TissueGene's proposed measures to improve its financial status, calling them "insufficient." The firm appealed the decision, asking for a second review.
Upon the KRX's latest call, Kolon TissueGene now has seven days to submit a new proposal for improvement.
The postponement could indicate that the KRX is waiting for the results of the third phase of Invossa clinical testing for the United States.
As of its last trading on May 28, Kolon TissueGene's market cap stood at 489.6 billion won, with 34.48 percent stake held by some 65,000 retail investors.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(2nd LD) S. Korea confirms 2 more bird flu cases from poultry farms

A standstill order has also been issued for all poultry farms in the province , banning movement of birds as @ @ @ @ @ the next 48 hours through early Wednesday .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES paras 1-6)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday confirmed two avian influenza (AI) cases, one being highly pathogenic, from poultry farms amid growing concerns over nationwide spread of the virus.
The authorities said a highly pathogenic bird flu of H5N8 strain was found from an egg farm in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, about 105 kilometers south of Seoul.
The province has begun to cull 193,000 chickens at the farm and 7,000 ducks at a nearby farm in a precautionary measure.
A standstill order has also been issued for all poultry farms in the province, banning movement of birds as well as related automobiles for the next 48 hours through early Wednesday.
Another AI outbreak was confirmed Monday at a quail farm in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, about 130 km south of Seoul. Local authorities are looking into whether it is a highly pathogenic strain. The farm is raising 726,000 birds.
Quarantine officials prepare to cull ducks from a poultry farm in Yeongam, 308 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 6, 2020, after it reported a highly pathogenic avian influenza case. (Yonhap)
The country has now confirmed four highly pathogenic AI cases from poultry farms, with the last case reported from a duck farm in Yeongam, 310 km south of Seoul, on Saturday.
To prevent the disease from spreading to other regions, the country culled all poultry within a 3-km radius of the infected farm, destroying around 500,000 birds.
The first farm-related case of this year came from Jeongeup, 290 km south of Seoul, on Nov. 28, followed by a second case in Sangju, 270 km southeast of the capital city, on Wednesday.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is contagious and can cause severe illness and even death in poultry.
South Korea reported its first highly pathogenic AI case in 32 months in late October from Cheonan, 92 km south of Seoul, from wild birds.
Since then, the country has confirmed 15 cases from the wild.
Quarantine officials prepare to cull chickens and ducks from a poultry farm in Yeoju, 105 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(3rd LD) S. Korea warns of continued virus spike as more than 600 infections reported for 2nd day

`` Unless we curb the spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area under Level 2.5 , we will @ @ @ @ @ virus infections and the country 's medical system will falter , which could cause the @ @ @ @ @ raised to Level 3 in all areas , '' Health Minister Park Neunghoo said at @ @ @ @ @ Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS details in paras 6-7)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities warned on Monday that the country's daily virus cases may top 900 next week as a string of cluster infections from private gatherings and infection-prone facilities continued amid a surge in untraceable infection cases. They will streamline test procedures for quick results to rein in fast spread of the new coronavirus.
The country added 615 more COVID-19 cases, including 580 local infections, raising the total caseload to 38,161, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Monday's tally marks the second consecutive day that the daily caseload topped 600. Four additional coronavirus fatalities were reported, bringing the total to 549.
The sharp uptick in daily new virus cases forced health authorities to raise the level of the country's social distancing measures by one notch to 2.5, the second highest under the five-tier system, in the greater Seoul area Tuesday for next three weeks.
The third-highest level of 2 will be applied for the other areas.
Later in the day, health authorities and local governments said an additional 451 infections have been confirmed across the country as of 6 p.m. Monday.
The tentatively compiled figure was lower than the 459 registered during the same time period a day earlier, but the total daily cases to be announced Tuesday could exceed 600 again.
People stand in a long line to take virus tests at a screening center in southwestern Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The current situation is the biggest crisis in the country's virus fight, and the current outbreaks are not confined to specific areas," Na Seong-woong, a senior health official, said during a briefing. "Should the current pace continue, we may report daily new cases of over 900 next week after seeing new virus cases ranging from 550 to 750 this week."
Health authorities said they will adopt quick and accurate epidemiologic investigation by increasing the number of agents and introduce a saliva test.
It will also ease the criteria to release patients from quarantine by reducing the period of isolation to 10 days from 13 days, in order to address a deepening bed shortage for critically ill virus patients.
What is worrisome is that the proportion of virus cases without clear transmission routes stood at 17.8 percent for the past two weeks, sharply up from 15.8 percent a day earlier.
"Unless we curb the spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area under Level 2.5, we will see an explosive spread of virus infections and the country's medical system will falter, which could cause the social distancing level to be raised to Level 3 in all areas," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
The country's social distancing level was raised to Level 2 in the greater Seoul area about two weeks ago, which includes the suspension of entertainment facilities, such as nightclubs.
Starting Dec. 1 for one week, the authorities implemented additional restrictions on saunas, aerobic centers and similar facilities where COVID-19 could easily be spread.
The toughened social distancing steps, however, failed to rein in the accelerating spread of the new virus in the greater Seoul area.
Under the Level 2.5, gatherings with 50 or more people are prohibited, while door-to-door sales businesses, karaoke rooms, indoor fitness facilities and indoor concert venues that offer standing shows will be forced to close, in addition to nightclubs and bars.
Restaurants cannot receive customers after 9 p.m. but can offer takeout and delivery. Cafes are only allowed to serve takeout at all hours.
Movie theaters, internet cafes, private academies, study halls, amusement parks, beauty salons, barber shops, large grocery stores and department stores cannot operate past 9 p.m.
The nighttime curfew for those facilities has already been in place in Seoul since Saturday, as the city government sought to preemptively curb the soaring infections in the capital area. The city's public transportation service was also reduced by 30 percent.
Sports events are allowed without spectators while religious services are only available online or via broadcasts. In-person religious activities, if needed, are permitted with 20 or less participants.
Citizens cross a street in downtown Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020, as the new virus cases stayed above 600 for the second consecutive day. (Yonhap)
Of the 615 new cases announced Monday, 231 were reported in Seoul and 154 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, added 37 more cases. The greater Seoul area is home to about half of the country's 51.6 million population.
The number of imported cases came to 35, up from 32 the previous day. They include 12 from the United States and nine from Europe.
The number of COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms across the country reached 126, up from 125 on Sunday.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 29,301, up 173 from Sunday.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(LEAD) Judges decide not to respond to alleged surveillance of judiciary by prosecutors

The National Conference of Judges , which meets biannually to discuss various issues affecting trials , said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ being discussed , more than a majority of the judges had reservations about the discussions @ @ @ @ @ to remain cautious about the subject .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with details throughout; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean judges on Monday decided not to officially respond to allegations of surveillance of the judiciary by prosecutors, a politically explosive accusation that, if proven, could unseat the country's top prosecutor.
The National Conference of Judges, which meets biannually to discuss various issues affecting trials, said in a statement that while the issue was being discussed, more than a majority of the judges had reservations about the discussions being made public and wanted to remain cautious about the subject.
"Judges are obliged to uphold political impartiality, and there was common awareness of the need to guard against political interpretations of today's discussions and conclusion," it said in the statement.
The topic had been included on the agenda at the last minute, which drew wide media and public attention for its potential political implications.
Before the discussion began, the group said, judges would "comprehensively go over a series of topics and issues, including the prosecution's alleged spying on judges, with an aim to improve the independence of judges and impartiality of trials."
The conference, otherwise a low-profile event had it not been for the ongoing tug-of-war between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, has received unexpected public attention this year.
Last month, the minister suspended Yoon for six counts of alleged irregularities, including the surveillance allegation, the first time a justice minister has taken such a step in the country's history. Yoon has been restored after winning a court's injunction, but he still faces a formal disciplinary session on Thursday.
The conference was being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, with 120 judges participating.
This photo provided by the National Conference of Judges shows judges discussing various issues via teleconference on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(LEAD) K-pop singer Chungha tests positive for coronavirus

`` We 've ordered people who came into contact with TWICE to self-quarantine and get tested , '' said Mnet @ @ @ @ @ under the wing of entertainment giant CJ Group .
`` We 've also notified agencies @ @ @ @ @ encountered a TWICE member at MAMA of the situation . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with TWICE member's testing in paras 6-10; ADDS new photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Singer Chungha has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, her agency said Monday, as a huge wave of mass infections has been penetrating the K-pop industry.
"After being aware that she has come into contact with a COVID-19 patient, Chungha got tested and received the positive result Monday," MNH Entertainment said in an announcement posted on a fansite.
It said the singer has halted all schedules and gone into self-isolation, while her colleagues, staff members and other close contacts have been tested or will be tested soon.
Chungha, one of the most bankable female solo artists in the K-pop scene, was originally set to release the single "X" on Thursday before dropping her first full-length album "Querencia" next month.
"I'm so sorry again and again. I've tried to be cautious, but I think I needed to be more so," Chungha said in a posting. "I'll come back after fully recovering."
This file photo taken Oct. 15, 2020, shows K-pop singer Chungha. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, Sana, a Japanese member of K-pop girl group TWICE, underwent a virus test after meeting with Chungha on Friday last week, her management said.
"Along with Sana, other TWICE members and staffers also got tested on Monday afternoon as a precaution," JYP Entertainment said.
Moreover, crew members and other K-pop singers are subject to COVID-19 tests as TWICE attended a pre-recording session and the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) ceremony in Seoul on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
"We've ordered people who came into contact with TWICE to self-quarantine and get tested," said Mnet, a cable music channel under the wing of entertainment giant CJ Group. "We've also notified agencies of artists who may have encountered a TWICE member at MAMA of the situation."
Many big-name K-pop musicians, including BTS, participated in the MAMA ceremony held on Sunday.
In this photo, provided by CJ ENM, K-pop girl group TWICE performs at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in Seoul on Dec. 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
As South Korea has been struggling with mass COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, some K-pop singers, including members of UP10TION and EVERGLOW, have been confirmed to have the virus.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--S. Korea to announce COVID-19 vaccine procurement plans: official

The amount of vaccines that South Korea has secured so far is expected to be more than 30 million doses @ @ @ @ @ said it would procure 10 million doses through the COVAX Facility procurement program and purchase @ @ @ @ @ negotiations with pharmaceutical firms .

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- The government will announce coronavirus vaccine procurement plans on Tuesday, including how much the country has secured so far and when those vaccines will be available, a foreign ministry official has said.
The amount of vaccines that South Korea has secured so far is expected to be more than 30 million doses as the government had earlier said it would procure 10 million doses through the COVAX Facility procurement program and purchase 20 million doses more through negotiations with pharmaceutical firms.
Tuesday's announcement will likely include details on the total amount of the government's planned vaccine purchases and a timeline for when those purchases will be made, the ministry official said.
The government has been in talks with at least six global drug companies to sign contracts for vaccine purchases, including AstraZeneca Inc., with which the country has already clinched a deal, the official added.
Sources said that the other companies presumably include Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax. Chinese companies are not in the list of potential vendors, sources said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Samsung's foundry biz market share to drop in Q4: report

`` Samsung will increase its 5nm production in order to meet the growing demand for smartphone system-on-chips ( SoCs ) @ @ @ @ @ HPC ) chips , in addition to accelerating its extreme ultra violet deployment , '' @ @ @ @ @ , the development of smartphone SoCs manufactured with the 4nm process and the increase in @ @ @ @ @ both propel Samsung 's earnings performance further . ''

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co.'s share of the global foundry market is expected to decrease in the current quarter from the previous three months, a report showed Monday.
Samsung's share in the global foundry business was estimated at 16.4 percent in the October-December period, down 1 percentage point from three months earlier, according to a report from industry tracker TrendForce.
The South Korean tech giant's revenue from the foundry business was projected to jump 25 percent on-year to US$3.71 billion in the fourth quarter of the year, TrendForce said.
But it was not enough to narrow the gap with the industry's leading player, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).
"Samsung will increase its 5nm production in order to meet the growing demand for smartphone system-on-chips (SoCs) and high performance computing (HPC) chips, in addition to accelerating its extreme ultra violet deployment," TrendForce said. "Moreover, the development of smartphone SoCs manufactured with the 4nm process and the increase in 2.5D advanced packaging capacities will both propel Samsung's earnings performance further."
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on May 21, 2020, shows the company's chip plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
TSMC is expected to further expand its dominance in the fourth quarter, according to TrendForce.
TSMC's market share for the fourth quarter was estimated at 55.6 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from three months earlier. The company was projected to post on-year revenue growth of 21 percent to collect $12.5 billion in the fourth quarter.
Another Taiwanese chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) was expected to take the No. 3 spot in the foundry market, with a 6.9 percent share, with its revenue increasing 13 percent on-year to $1.56 billion in the fourth quarter.
South Korea's DB HiTek Co. was estimated to rank 10th with a 0.9 percent market share, TrendForce said. Its revenue was projected to increase 16 percent on-year to $209 million in the fourth quarter.
"Most of DB HiTek's current business includes wafer starts for industry 4.0 chips, such as AI, IoT, and robotics chips," TrendForce said. "DB HiTek's capacity utilization rate has remained at max levels for 16 consecutive months."
Overall, TrendForce expected the combined revenues of the top 10 foundries in the fourth quarter to increase 18 percent from a year earlier to $21.7 billion.
"Demand in the foundry market has remained strong in the fourth quarter of 2020, as production capacities across the industry remain fully loaded, with the tight supply of wafer capacities leading to a price hike in foundry services and subsequently driving up total quarterly industry revenue," it said.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Samsung said it will unveil its new Micro LED TV product at a webinar Thursday .
The world 's largest @ @ @ @ @ reveal the product 's specification and price , but industry insiders predict it will be @ @ @ @ @ home entertainment use .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
45-year-old workers earn highest labor income during life cycle: data
SEOUL -- The average annual labor income peaked at the age of 45 for South Korean workers in 2017, while those aged 59 began spending more than they earned, data showed Monday.
People aged 45 saw their annual average labor income hit 33.54 million won (US$31,000) per person in 2017 during their life cycle, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
--------------------------------
Japan's info disclosure on Fukushima water disposal insufficient to judge safety: official
SEOUL -- Japan has provided South Korea with insufficient information so far about its plan to release radioactive water into the sea from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, a foreign ministry official said Monday.
Tokyo appears close to announcing the plan to gradually release into the Pacific Ocean more than 1.2 million tons of radioactive water stored in tanks since the 2011 meltdowns following an earthquake and tsunami.
--------------------------------
(LEAD) Rival parties seek last-minute negotiations on contentious corruption probe unit
SEOUL -- Rival parties agreed Monday to seek last-minute negotiations on the contentious issue of picking the inaugural chief of a new investigative unit specializing in corruption by high-ranking government officials.
The agreement between the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) came during a meeting between their floor leaders, Reps. Kim Tae-nyeon and Joo Ho-young, respectively, mediated by National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug.
--------------------------------
(LEAD) Moon offers public apology for 'confusion' related to prosecution reform drive
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in apologized publicly Monday for "confusion" from his administration's push for the reform of powerful institutions, especially the state prosecution service.
He expressed his wish that it would be the "last pang" in efforts for the democratic reform process.
----------------------------------
Samsung to unveil new Micro LED TV this week
SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it will introduce a new Micro LED TV later this week as the South Korean tech giant tries to further boost its presence in the premium TV market.
Samsung said it will unveil its new Micro LED TV product at a webinar Thursday. The world's largest TV producer has yet to reveal the product's specification and price, but industry insiders predict it will be a Micro LED TV for home entertainment use.
-------------------------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 5th session at new record high on chip, pharmaceutical gains
SEOUL -- The South Korean stock market extended its all-time high for a fifth consecutive session Monday, backed by chip and pharmaceutical gains amid the government's strengthened social distancing measures. The Korean won closed unchanged at a nearly 30-month high against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 13.99 points, or 0.51 percent, to close at 2,745.44.
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Roman Catholic group urges prosecution reform

The statement , signed by 3,951 Catholic officials , or around 22 percent of the Roman Catholic clergy here , @ @ @ @ @ of applying double standards by being strict about others ' wrongdoings and forgiving of himself @

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- A Roman Catholic group on Monday called for reform of the prosecution, an issue at the center of an escalating dispute between the justice minister and the nation's top prosecutor.
At a press conference outside the Supreme Prosecutors Office, the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice accused Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl of becoming the biggest obstacle to reform by opposing efforts to create a judicial system that effectively distributes power among state agencies.
"The independence of the prosecution will begin when it relinquishes its monopoly on (investigative power)," the group said in a statement issued at the press conference.
Officials from the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice speak in front of the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020, calling for prosecution reform. (Yonhap)
The statement, signed by 3,951 Catholic officials, or around 22 percent of the Roman Catholic clergy here, also accused the top prosecutor of applying double standards by being strict about others' wrongdoings and forgiving of himself.
The signatories included six bishops, such as the former and current heads of the Archdiocese of Gwangju, but not Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the archbishop of Seoul.
Yoon has been at odds with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae for months, leading Choo to suspend him from duty last month before he was reinstated by a local court.
This compilation image shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--17 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus

Five service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek , some 70 kilometers south of Seoul , on U.S. @ @ @ @ @ others arrived here on commercial flights via Incheon International Airport , west of the capital @ @ @ @ @ , according to the USFK .

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Sixteen American service members and one civilian worker for the U.S. military have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea over the past few weeks, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday.
Five service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on U.S. government-chartered flights, while the others arrived here on commercial flights via Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, between mid-November and Friday, according to the USFK.
Eight of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and the nine others were confirmed to have contracted the virus on their second mandatory test.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus test and quarantine for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.
"All individuals have since been transferred to an isolation facility designated for confirmed COVID-19 cases at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and Osan Air Base," USFK said. "Thorough cleaning of all transportation assets and quarantine rooms has been completed."
The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related coronavirus infections to 408.
This photo taken on Nov. 22, 2020, shows a gate of a U.S. military base in Yongsan, central Seoul. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(LEAD) Rival parties seek last-minute negotiations on contentious corruption probe unit

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Rival parties agreed Monday to seek last-minute negotiations on the contentious issue of picking the inaugural chief of a new investigative unit specializing in corruption by high-ranking government officials.
The agreement between the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) came during a meeting between their floor leaders, Reps. Kim Tae-nyeon and Joo Ho-young, respectively, mediated by National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug.
The DP is aiming to launch the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), a core campaign pledge by President Moon Jae-in, within this year.
But its launch is being stalled after a seven-member committee in charge of shortlisting candidates for the first CIO chief failed to come to an agreed-upon outcome in its three rounds of meetings last month, due mainly to resistance by two PPP-side members on the committee.
"(Both parties agreed) to have dense consultation on recommending candidates for the CIO chief," PPP spokesman Rep. Choi Hyung-du said in a briefing on the Kim-Joo meeting.
"It is designed to select CIO chief candidates receptible (to both parties, based on) the process that has taken place so far," Choi noted.
A failure to strike a deal on the issue, however, is likely to create a firestorm of bipartisan tension, with the DP, powered by its command of a hefty parliamentary majority, planning to go it alone and pass a revision to the CIO law this week if an agreement is not made.
The DP is adamant that it will pass the envisioned revision through the parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Wednesday. If passed as planned, the revision is likely to strip the two PPP-side members of the CIO chief candidate recommendation committee of their combined power to veto the committee's decision.
Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon (L) and People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young exchange greetings during a meeting mediated by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug (C) on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
In a bid to counter the DP, PPP lawmakers decided to filibuster the upcoming plenary session during a party meeting.
In a two-track strategy aimed at preparing against the negotiations' potential breakdown, DP lawmakers on the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee tabled the controversial revision bill at a subcommittee meeting, putting it on course to the plenary session.
Earlier in the day, Moon expressed hope that the CIO will be established, renewing his determination to reform powerful institutions, especially the state prosecution service.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Police reconfirm policy of zero tolerance for DUI offenses

`` The government has toughened guidelines for the punishment of drunk drivers after the Yoon Chang-ho Act took effect in @ @ @ @ @ , referring to a get-tough anti-DUI law named after an Army conscript who was killed @ @ @ @ @ Busan in the same year .

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top police agency on Monday reconfirmed its zero tolerance policy for driving under the influence (DUI) offenses, reacting to the recent death of a Taiwanese student in a traffic accident in Seoul caused by a drunk driver.
Song Min-hun, deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, said that the government has been dealing sternly with DUI offenses and will make consistent efforts to eradicate drunk driving that threatens the lives of the people.
This photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae shows Song Min-hun, deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, speaks on a petition related to the death of a Taiwanese student killed in Seoul in a DUI accident. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Song issued the statement in an answer to a public petition filed with the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae calling for harsh penalties for a DUI offender accused of killing a Taiwanese doctoral student, named Tseng Yi-lin, at a crosswalk in Seoul's Gangnam Ward on Nov. 6.
Tseng was hit by the drunk driver, whose identity was withheld, while crossing the southern Seoul road on a green pedestrian light, according to police.
"The government has toughened guidelines for the punishment of drunk drivers after the Yoon Chang-ho Act took effect in 2018," Song said, referring to a get-tough anti-DUI law named after an Army conscript who was killed by a drunk driver in Busan in the same year.
"The Yoon Chang-ho Act will also be applied to the case (of the Taiwanese student) and the perpetrator will be punished with imprisonment of at least three years or life imprisonment," Song emphasized.
He then offered his heartfelt consolation to the bereaved family of the Taiwanese student, while urging the Korean people to recognize that drunk driving is a serious crime that destroys families and society.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Veteran football administrator faces embezzlement investigation

Officials in the city of Gwangju , 330 kilometers south of Seoul , said Monday that they have asked police @ @ @ @ @ apparent misappropriation by the senior Ki while he was the general manager of the city-run @ @ @ @ @ Gwangju FC , from 2015 to 2019 .

GWANGJU, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- Ki Yeong-ok, a longtime football administrator and father of former South Korean captain Ki Sung-yueng, is facing a police investigation into charges of embezzlement.
Officials in the city of Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, said Monday that they have asked police to look into evidence of apparent misappropriation by the senior Ki while he was the general manager of the city-run K League 1 club, Gwangju FC, from 2015 to 2019.
This photo provided by Busan IPark on Nov. 13, 2020, shows the K League 2 club's new CEO, Ki Yeong-ok. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The city's auditors are claiming that Ki embezzled about 300 million won (US$277,000) of the club's budget for personal use, and they are also accusing two other Gwangj FC staffers of embezzlement.
Ki, 62, coached local high school and under-17 men's national teams through the 1980s and 1990s. Since the late 1990s, Ki has been on the administrative side of the game, working with the Korea Football Association and later serving as president of Gwangju Football Association.
He was named the new CEO of Busan IPark in the second-tier K League 2 on Nov. 11, and he began his duty at the start of December.
His son, Ki Sung-yueng, is playing for FC Seoul after an 11-year international stint that took him to Scotland, Wales, England and Spain. He earned 110 caps for South Korea and captained the national team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--Judges discuss alleged surveillance of judiciary by prosecutors

Last month , the minister suspended Yoon for six counts of alleged irregularities , including the surveillance allegation , the @ @ @ @ @ has taken such a step in the country 's history .
Yoon has been restored @ @ @ @ @ injunction , but he still faces a formal disciplinary session on Thursday .

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean judges on Monday held internal discussions about the prosecution's alleged surveillance of the judiciary, a politically explosive accusation that, if proven, could unseat the country's top prosecutor.
The National Conference of Judges, which meets biannually to discuss various issues affecting trials, said it has decided at the last minute to include the topic on its agenda.
It said judges will "comprehensively go over a series of topics and issues, including the prosecution's alleged spying on judges, with an aim to improve the independence of judges and impartiality of trials."
While the discussions can produce suggestions on the issue, it warned against "political or partisan interpretation" of the discussions.
The conference, otherwise a low-profile event had it not been for the ongoing tug-of-war between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, has received unexpected public attention this year.
Last month, the minister suspended Yoon for six counts of alleged irregularities, including the surveillance allegation, the first time a justice minister has taken such a step in the country's history. Yoon has been restored after winning a court's injunction, but he still faces a formal disciplinary session on Thursday.
The conference, which was being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, with 120 judges participating, is expected to release its outcome later in the day.
This photo provided by the National Conference of Judges shows judges discussing various issues via teleconference on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 5th session at new record high on chip, pharmaceutical gains

SEOUL , Dec. 7 ( Yonhap ) -- The South Korean stock market extended its all-time high for a fifth @ @ @ @ @ by chip and pharmaceutical gains amid the government 's strengthened social distancing measures .
The @ @ @ @ @ a nearly 30-month high against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo, info on drugmakers in para 10)
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean stock market extended its all-time high for a fifth consecutive session Monday, backed by chip and pharmaceutical gains amid the government's strengthened social distancing measures. The Korean won closed unchanged at a nearly 30-month high against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 13.99 points, or 0.51 percent, to close at 2,745.44.
Trading volume was high at about 1.5 billion shares worth some 17.7 trillion won (US$16.4 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 551 to 300.
Retail investors purchased a net 1 trillion won, while foreigners sold a net 89 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 924 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,745.44 on Dec. 7, 2020, up 13.99 points or 0.51 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Stocks traded choppy on soaring new coronavirus cases, but chip and pharmaceutical gains eventually led the KOSPI's rebound.
"Institutions and foreigners sold on profit-taking desire and increased valuation pressure, but individual investors' buying spree for chip shares kept the index in positive terrain," Hana Financial & Investment analyst Lee Young-gon said.
Over the weekend, the government raised the social distancing scheme to the second-highest Level 2.5, ordering karaoke halls and indoor fitness facilities to close and limiting business hours for restaurants, cinemas and department stores.
Large caps traded mixed in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.96 percent to 72,900 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 2.61 percent to 11,800 won. Both firms finished at all-time highs.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics spiked 6.67 percent to 880,000 won, and Celltrion surged 6.18 percent to 403,500 won. The two drugmakers also closed at all-time record highs.
Internet portal giant Naver shed 1.53 percent to 289,500 won, with its rival Kakao lost 1.16 percent to 385,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 3.55 percent to 816,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI dropped 0.91 percent to 546,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, declined 1.53 percent to 193,500 won, while top steelmaker POSCO moved up 1.69 percent to 270,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,182.1 won per dollar, unchanged from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 0.5 basis point to 0.961 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond fell 0.4 basis points to 1.319 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-07--S. Korean Bond Yields on Dec. 7, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Dec. 7, 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--2020-12-08--Ministry toughens guidelines to stamp out sexual misconduct at overseas missions

A local employee at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand accused a senior diplomat posted at the mission of groping @ @ @ @ @ .
The case was highly publicized in both countries after its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern @ @ @ @ @ phone talks with President Moon Jae-in .

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry said Tuesday it will impose tougher guidelines starting next year to stamp out sexual misconduct at its overseas diplomatic missions following an array of such incidents and criticism for mishandling them.
The ministry came under fire in recent months for failing to properly handle successive reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault cases from overseas missions, including an incident involving a senior diplomat once stationed in New Zealand.
A local employee at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand accused a senior diplomat posted at the mission of groping him multiple times in 2017. The case was highly publicized in both countries after its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern brought up the issue during phone talks with President Moon Jae-in.
Under the tougher guidelines, set to take effect on Jan. 1, an overseas mission must report to the foreign ministry in Seoul any complaint it received about alleged sexual misconduct, the ministry said in a release.
To prevent secondary damage or trauma, the mission will be required to physically separate the victim from the alleged perpetrator.
The ministry will also reinforce its "zero tolerance policy" by penalizing the perpetrator with the lowest grade of the personnel assessment on top of disciplinary action.
Other measures will include expanding the ombudsman committee to include experts from the private sector and increasing related education programs for ministry officials, according to the ministry.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Korea Shipbuilding wins US$450 mln order for Myanmar offshore plant

Under the deal , the construction of the offshore facility will be completed by 2024 , the company said in @ @ @ @

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. said Tuesday it has bagged a US$450 million deal to build an offshore plant in seas off Myanmar.
Under the deal, the construction of the offshore facility will be completed by 2024, the company said in an emailed statement.
The plant will be built in the Shwe undersea gas field in the Bay of Bengal, Korea Shipbuilding said.
The deal was signed with South Korea's POSCO International developing gas fields in waters off Myanmar.
This photo provided by Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. on Dec. 8, 2020, shows an offshore plant built by the company in 2013 in the Shwe gas field in waters off Myanmar. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--S. Korean banks' average capital adequacy ratio gains in Q3

The average capital adequacy ratio of 19 commercial and state-run banks stood at 16.02 percent as of end-September , up @ @ @ @ @ end of June , according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service ( FSS @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks saw their financial health improve in the third quarter from three months earlier as they reported higher net profits and raised capital amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Tuesday.
The average capital adequacy ratio of 19 commercial and state-run banks stood at 16.02 percent as of end-September, up 1.46 percentage points from the end of June, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).
A key barometer of financial soundness, the ratio measures the proportion of a bank's capital to its risk-weighted assets.
The rise came as their risky loans expanded at a slower pace than their total capital, which includes net profits.
The FSS said most lenders had higher capital adequacy ratios than the international standard, despite a steady rise in lending stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.
The Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS), an international organization of central banks, advises lenders to maintain a ratio of 8 percent or higher.
At the end of September, KB Koomin, Hana, Shinhan and other major lenders boasted stable capital adequacy ratios of 15-18 percent.
The figure for two state banks -- the Korea Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea -- came to 13.36 percent and 14.33 percent, respectively, because of their higher exposure to coronavirus-hit borrowers.
The ratio for Kakao Bank, one of the country's two internet-only lenders, stood at 13.45 percent, down 0.07 point from three months earlier.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Portion of single-member households tops 30 pct last year

Of such households , people in their 20s accounted for the largest slice of 18.2 percent last year , followed @ @ @ @ @ with 16.8 percent and in their 50s with 16.3 percent , the data showed .

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- The portion of single-member households in South Korea surpassed 30 percent of the total for the first time in 2019, data showed Tuesday, amid a delay in marriage and rapidly aging population.
One-person families accounted for 30.2 percent of the total last year, up 29.3 percent from the previous year, according to the data by Statistics Korea.
Households consisting of a single member totaled 6.15 million in 2019, up from 5.85 million the previous year, the statistics agency said.
One-person households have been on the steady rise since 2015, when the percentage of people living alone hit 27.2 percent.
The data came as more South Koreans are delaying marriage, and the country is undergoing rapid aging.
Of such households, people in their 20s accounted for the largest slice of 18.2 percent last year, followed by people in the 30s with 16.8 percent and in their 50s with 16.3 percent, the data showed.
The statistics agency said 6 in 10 single-member households had jobs last year.
The number of households having a working single member came to 3.67 million as of October 2019, accounting for 60.8 percent of all one-person families.
But their yearly income amounted to 21.2 million won (US$19,500) as of 2018, making up 36.3 percent of the total earnings by all households. Eight in 10 single-member households earned less than 30 million won per year.
The statistics agency said 38 percent of single-member households lived in homes while paying monthly rent last year, trailed by those with their own homes with 30.6 percent and living in homes on lease under a two-year deal, called "jeonse," with 15.8 percent.
One-person households held an average of 160 million won in assets as of end-2019, accounting for 37.2 percent of all households. Their financial debt averaged 20 million won, the data showed.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) 4 more service members test positive for new coronavirus

Currently , 1,688 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities ' guidelines , and the military @ @ @ @ @ people under stricter antivirus schemes of its own as a preventive step , according to @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS plan to mobilize officials for quarantine work in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Four more service members tested positive for the new coronavirus amid continued cluster infections at barracks, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
Three Army officers at the Sangmudae Artillery School in the southwestern county of Jangseong were confirmed to have been infected after coming into contact with a colleague who earlier tested positive, according to the ministry.
The total number of COVID-19 cases reported at Sangmudae has grown to 30.
One soldier stationed in the western city of Incheon also showed symptoms while in isolation after contacting a patient at his unit, bringing the total number of patients there to nine, the ministry said.
Up until Tuesday morning, the military has reported a total of 431 coronavirus cases since the pandemic broke out in the country early this year, with the figure growing faster since mid-November.
Currently, 1,688 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 7,011 people under stricter antivirus schemes of its own as a preventive step, according to the ministry.
Nationwide, the country reported 594 new virus cases on Tuesday, including 566 domestically transmitted ones, raising the total caseload to 38,755.
The defense ministry plans to mobilize around 600 military officials to support the government's handling of the resurgent coronavirus, according to officials.
South Korea is struggling to stem the spread of the virus, particularly in Seoul and the surrounding regions, and President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for mobilizing more personnel for survey and quarantine work.
"We are preparing for sending military officials within this week. Close consultations with health authorities are under way," a ministry official said.
A graphic image on the exterior surface of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul shows a message for service members on Dec. 1, 2020. The "media facade" was organized by the defense ministry. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) Hyundai unveils GV70 SUV amid pandemic

The current Genesis lineup is composed of the G70 , G80 and G90 sedans and the GV80 SUV .
The @ @ @ @ @ car will be added to the lineup by 2021 .

(ATTN: ADDS executive comment in 4th para)
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. on Tuesday unveiled the GV70, the second SUV model under its independent Genesis brand, in a world premiere as it strives to gain a share in the high-end vehicle market.
The midsized GV70 will be launched with a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, a 3.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine or a 2.2-liter diesel engine, with potential price tags between 49 million won and 75 million won (US$45,000-$69,000), the company said in a statement.
Hyundai plans to launch the GV70 in the domestic market later this year and in the United States and other global markets next year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The company will decide on the launching schedules of the GV70 in each market (next year) depending on market demands and coronavirus conditions," Hyundai Vice President Ina Lee said in an online briefing.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the front side of the GV70 SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Hyundai applied its "athletic elegance" design language to the GV70 following the similar aesthetic of the GV80 SUV, which was launched in the local market in January.
The GV70 comes with eight air bags and Signature Genesis design elements that include a deep crest grille, high-tech quad lamps and large front air intakes.
Safety features include forward collision avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention warning, forward attention warning systems and advanced rear occupant alert systems.
The current Genesis lineup is composed of the G70, G80 and G90 sedans and the GV80 SUV. The GV70 SUV and an all-electric car will be added to the lineup by 2021.
The GV70 is an important model for Hyundai to revive sales in the U.S. The GV80 went on sale in the world's most important automobile market last month.
From January to November, Hyundai's U.S. vehicle sales fell 11 percent to 555,991 units from 624,051 during the same period of last year as the pandemic weighed on consumer sentiment.
Globally, its sales declined 16 percent in the first 11 months to 3,369,055 units from 4,026,075 a year ago.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the rear side of the GV70 SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Seoul city to extend COVID-19 test hours amid rapid virus spread

SEOUL , Dec. 8 ( Yonhap ) -- The Seoul city government said Tuesday it will extend the opening hours @ @ @ @ @ until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends .

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul city government said Tuesday it will extend the opening hours of public coronavirus test centers until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends.
Park Yoo-mi, a disease control official at the city government, told a virtual press briefing that the extended hours will help expand testing amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the greater Seoul area.
She also said the city will reinstall drive-thru test centers as part of the effort.
Seoul reported 214 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, the sixth straight day of more than 200 infections a day, including a record high of 295.
The hip Hongdae neighborhood in Seoul is empty on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) S. Korea to secure COVID-19 vaccines for 44 million people

The ministry said it has already signed a deal with AstraZeneca and will ink contracts with three other companies later @ @ @ @ @ has set aside 1.3 trillion won ( US $ 1.2 billion ) of its budget @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments in paras 5, 10-12, 14)
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has secured early access of COVID-19 vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, the health ministry said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it has preordered 64 million doses of vaccines by four drugmakers -- AstraZeneca Inc., Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Moderna -- for 34 million people.
The World Health Organization's global vaccine project, known as COVAX, will supply the vaccine of AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sanopi for 10 million people.
The government will each purchase 20 million doses from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, which requires two shots, and buy 4 million doses from Johnson & Johnson's Janssen, which requires one shot.
The ministry said it has already signed a deal with AstraZeneca and will ink contracts with three other companies later this month, adding it has set aside 1.3 trillion won (US$1.2 billion) of its budget for the vaccine purchase.
A medical worker sterilizes a screening station for COVID-19 in southern Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The preordered vaccines, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population, will be shipped as early as February, but the ministry said it has not yet decided when to kickstart the vaccination program.
"As developments of vaccines are not yet completed, and there are still concerns over their safety and efficacy, we will flexibly decide the vaccination schedule considering various factors," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a briefing.
Health authorities earlier said it would be desirable to begin the vaccine program in the latter half of next year to prepare the process and monitor potential side effects of vaccines in other countries.
The vaccines will be first rolled out to virus-vulnerable groups, such as elderly people, care home residents and front-line health workers, then to the rest of the population in order of risk, including those who are clinically vulnerable.
Health authorities said the government decided to up the vaccine supply from 30 million people to 44 million to better fight the virus, but it won't be in a hurry to inoculate people due to uncertainty over the vaccines' safety and efficacy.
"As the outbreak in South Korea has remained within a manageable level, I think the government doesn't have to hastily deploy vaccines like European nations and the United States as efficacy and safety concerns remain," Lee Hoan-jong, an emeritus professor of Seoul National University, said during the briefing.
"We can secure enough vaccines to deploy them in different groups after closely monitoring potential side effects that may be discovered two or three months after vaccination in other countries."
An entertainment district in western Seoul is empty ahead of the rise of the social distancing level to 2.5, the second highest of the five-tier scheme, on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The ministry said it will establish a task force to administer the large-scale vaccine program across the nation, including cold supply chain management for temperature-controlled vaccines.
Officials said the team will consider establishing specialized centers for vaccines requiring ultra-low temperature storage and renovating current facilities to safely inoculate people.
Health authorities expressed hope that potential COVID-19 vaccines and treatments will help slow down the spread of the virus and cure patients at an early stage.
"Once domestic treatments are commercialized in early 2021, they will enable prevention, early detection and treatment of COVID-19, which could establish the nation's antivirus system," Park said.
South Korean pharmaceutical company Celltrion has been waiting for emergency approval for its antibody coronavirus treatment, which it claimed effectively protects patients with mild symptoms from developing a severe case.
The vaccine procurement came as the country is grappling with the third wave of the pandemic due to a string of cluster infections from private gatherings and infection-prone facilities.
The country added 594 more COVID-19 cases, including 566 local infections, on Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 38,755, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
In response to the sharp hike in new cases, health authorities earlier in the day raised the social distancing level by one notch to 2.5, the second highest under the five-tier system, in the greater Seoul area to be effective for the next three weeks.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--S. Korean shipyards outpace Chinese rivals for 5th month in terms of orders

In the first eleven months of the year , Chinese shipbuilders obtained 6.67 million CGTs in new orders , or @ @ @ @ @ 46 percent of the total new orders .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shipbuilders outpaced their Chinese rivals in terms of new orders for the fifth consecutive month in November, industry data showed Tuesday.
According to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service, South Korean shipyards won new orders totaling 990,000 compensated gross tons (CGTs), representing 60 percent of the 1.64 million CGTs ordered globally in November.
The South Korean shipbuilders were followed by Chinese shipbuilders with 600,000 CGTs, or 37 percent, and Vietnamese shipbuilders with 50,000 CGTs in the month.
This photo provided by Samsung Heavy Industries Co. on April 4, 2020, shows an oil tanker built by the shipbuilder. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Global new shipbuilding orders reached 14.47 million CGTs in the January-November period, a sharp fall from 25.23 million CGTs a year ago.
In the first eleven months of the year, Chinese shipbuilders obtained 6.67 million CGTs in new orders, or 298 ships, taking up 46 percent of the total new orders.
They were trailed by South Korean shipbuilders with 5.02 million CGTs, or 137 ships, and Japanese shipbuilders with 1.18 million CGTs, or 78 ships.
Global order backlogs slightly rose by 30,000 CGTs, or 1 percent, to 67.84 million CGTs at the end of November from a month earlier.
Global order backlogs had been on a downward path since 80.82 million CGTs in January.
While Chinese and Japanese shipbuilders' order backlogs fell last month, only South Korean shipbuilders' order backlogs rose by 420,000 CGTs, or 2 percent, for a second month.
Chinese shipbuilders' order backlogs reached 24.98 million CGTs, or 37 percent of the total, followed by South Korean shipbuilders with 19.36 million CGTs and Japanese shipbuilders with 8.29 million CGTs.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Seoul stocks extend losses late Tue. morning on virus concerns

Overnight , the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.49 percent to 30,069.79 points on rising COVID-19 cases and disappointing jobless @ @ @ @ @ .
The Nasdaq composite gained 0.45 percent , but the S & P 500 lost @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks extended losses late Tuesday morning, as investors turned risk-averse on concerns over the new coronavirus resurgence in global markets.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 30.56 points, or 1.11 percent, to 2,714.88 as of 11:20 a.m.
The KOSPI fared poorly after setting an all-time high for a fifth straight session the previous day.
Investor sentiment weakened as the country's daily new COVID-19 cases continued to hover near the 600-mark despite the tightened social distancing scheme.
Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.49 percent to 30,069.79 points on rising COVID-19 cases and disappointing jobless data in the United States. The Nasdaq composite gained 0.45 percent, but the S&P 500 lost 0.19 percent.
Most large caps traded lower in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 1.23 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix retreated 2.97 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest carmaker, dropped 3.36 percent, and leading steelmaker POSCO declined 1.3 percent.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem fell 1.1 percent, while rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI gained 1.47 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics shed 4.43 percent, and Celltrion declined 4.09 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver fell 1.21 percent, with its rival Kakao down 1.95 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,084.5 won against the U.S. dollar, down 2.4 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Seoul, other areas nationwide under tougher restrictions to curb rising tide of infections

Under the new rules , residents in the greater Seoul area are strongly advised to stay at home , except @ @ @ @ @ gatherings of more than 50 people are not allowed .
Gyms and other indoor sports @ @ @ @ @ schools shut down .

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday implemented stringent coronavirus restrictions, effective for the coming three weeks, as a third wave of the pandemic tightened its grip on the country.
The government imposed the second toughest curbs of the five-tiered virus restriction system in the capital area, which has been experiencing a rapid climb in new cases, and mid-level restrictions in the rest of the country.
The country has been reporting around 600 cases daily, and test positivity rates have been over four percent, four times the numbers seen in October and November.
A "No Entry" sign is seen at a local cinema in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2020. Starting Dec. 8, cinemas in the capital area should shut down after 9 p.m. in line with new coronavirus curbs, (Yonhap)
A notice on a glass wall shows that a bank is shortening its operation hours by one hour in this photo taken on Dec. 8, 2020. All banks in the capital area will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. until Dec. 28 amid rising coronavirus infections. (Yonhap)
The move for Seoul and nearby cities, home to half of the country's 52 million population, came after the government's previous incremental measures failed to tamp down the rapid spread of the virus.
Under the new rules, residents in the greater Seoul area are strongly advised to stay at home, except for essential businesses, and gatherings of more than 50 people are not allowed. Gyms and other indoor sports facilities as well as cram schools shut down.
Big supermarkets, department stores, hair salons, barbershops, cinemas and amusement parks should close at 9 p.m.
A street in the downtown shopping district of Myeongdong is empty on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
A local cinema in Seoul is quiet on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
Spectators are not allowed for sports games and schools should limit the number of students to one third of the total. It is advised that religious services be held remotely or limited to groups of 20 people or less.
Indoor dining at restaurants is still possible until 9 p.m., but coffee shops are mandated to sell only takeout. Train tickets are only available for window seats.
With the new restrictions, 130,000 business establishments in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province remain closed, while 460,000 others operate with limits to their business hours and capacity.
No patrons are seen at a restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, after 9 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
With the implementation of Level 2.5 social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area, train tickets are only available for window seats for three weeks starting on Dec. 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--Girl group TWICE tests negative for COVID-19: agency

Chungha 's infection has sparked a ripple of COVID-19 tests in the local music industry .
Apart from the singers @ @ @ @ @ staff at the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards also got tested .
TWICE appeared on @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Members of K-pop girl group TWICE have tested negative for the new coronavirus, their agency said Tuesday.
"TWICE members, including Sana, and their manager have all tested negative for the new coronavirus," JYP Entertainment said in a statement sent through a text message.
The agency added that Sana will go into home isolation until Dec. 18 in line with guidelines distributed by health authorities, while the remaining members will work as planned.
Members of the nine-piece band got tested for the infectious virus after K-pop soloist Chungha, who met Sana last week, tested positive.
Other K-pop singers who met Chungha -- Mina of Gugudan, Chaeyeon of DIA and Yeonjung of Cosmic Girls -- have all tested negative as well, according to their agencies.
Chungha's infection has sparked a ripple of COVID-19 tests in the local music industry. Apart from the singers who underwent tests, the staff at the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards also got tested. TWICE appeared on the show Sunday.
South Korea reported 594 new virus cases, including 566 domestically transmitted ones, on Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 38,755, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
The government has implemented tightened social distancing measures, the second-highest level under a five-tier scheme, in the greater Seoul area starting Tuesday.
This photo, provided by JYP Entertainment, shows the nine-member girl group TWICE. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
This Oct. 15, 2020, file photo shows K-pop soloist Chungha taking part in a promotion event at Lotte Department Store in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) Biegun to arrive in Seoul for talks on bilateral alliance, N. Korea

The trip is expected to be his last visit to Seoul as the No .
2 American diplomat and the @ @ @ @ @ under the Donald Trump administration that ends its four-year term early next year .

(ATTN: ADDS more info on unification minister's meeting in paras 8,9)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun was set to arrive in Seoul on Tuesday for talks with South Korean officials on the bilateral alliance and the stalled nuclear negotiations with North Korea.
His four-day trip comes amid concern that North Korea could stage provocations to test the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden that has yet to unveil its detailed policy on the communist state.
The trip is expected to be his last visit to Seoul as the No. 2 American diplomat and the U.S. envoy for North Korea under the Donald Trump administration that ends its four-year term early next year.
Biegun is scheduled to land aboard a chartered plane at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, at about 5 p.m., officials said.
Alex Wong, deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, and Allison Hooker, senior director for Asian affairs at the White House's National Security Council, will be among those accompanying him on the trip, according to diplomatic sources.
On Wednesday, Biegun will hold talks with First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun before meeting with Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Lee Do-hoon, to discuss the prolonged deadlock in the denuclearization talks with Pyongyang, the foreign ministry said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha plans to host a banquet for him Friday.
In the file photo taken Sept. 29, 2020, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun makes remarks to the press after holding talks with Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Lee Do-hoon, in Washington, D.C. (Yonhap)
Biegun is scheduled to hold a breakfast meeting with Unification Minister Lee In-young on Thursday, a ministry official told reporters Tuesday.
During his visit, Biegun is also expected to meet with other senior national security officials. He could also pay a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in.
He will also give a lecture at a local think tank, sources said.
Biegun's discussions during the trip are expected to focus on ways to keep the situation on the Korean Peninsula stable. He is likely to send out a message urging Pyongyang to refrain from provocations and return to dialogue.
Denuclearization talks with North Korea have made little progress since the 2019 summit of Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi broke down without a deal.
Other issues he could discuss include the stalled negotiations on determining South Korea's share of the costs to maintain some 28,500 American troops stationed here.
Biegun was appointed in August 2018 as the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea and promoted to deputy secretary in December last year. Despite the promotion, he has concurrently served as the lead interlocutor with the North.
Biegun will depart for home Saturday.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--U.S. flies early warning aircraft, spy planes over S. Korea: aviation trackers

On Monday , the U.S. military also flew the E-8C , or JSTARS , over South Korea 's southern regions @ @ @ @ @ .
It is also known to be capable of closely monitoring the movements of North @ @ @ @ @ including missiles and artillery guns .

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. early warning aircraft and reconnaissance planes have flown over South Korea, aviation trackers showed Tuesday, in an apparent move to monitor North Korea.
One E-3B Sentry airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) jet departed Kadena Air Base in Okinawa and carried out a mission over South Korea and the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, Aircraft Spots tweeted.
This type of aircraft provides all-altitude, all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, according to the U.S. Air Force.
A South Korean E-737 Peace Eye early warning aircraft, along with two RC-12X Guardrails and one EO-5C Crazy Hawk aircraft operated by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), also conducted missions over the peninsula in the day, according to another tracker, No callsign.
The E-3B was also spotted over South Korea the previous day, which is not usual, the aviation tracker noted.
On Monday, the U.S. military also flew the E-8C, or JSTARS, over South Korea's southern regions, according to No callsign. It is also known to be capable of closely monitoring the movements of North Korean troops and equipment, including missiles and artillery guns.
This photo downloaded from the U.S. Air Force website on Dec. 8, 2020, shows a E-3 Sentry aircraft. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The flights came amid speculation that the communist country could undertake provocations, such as missile launches, around the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden next month.
"The deployment of those aircraft appears to be part of their regular operations, and the South Korean and the U.S. assets have staged joint missions on a regular basis," an Air Force officer in Seoul said.
South Korean and U.S. military authorities are closely monitoring North Korean military moves while maintaining a firm readiness posture, and there are "no signs that indicate immediate provocative moves by the North," an officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
This photo, captured from the website of North Korea's Rodong Sinmun on Oct. 10, 2020, shows a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) unveiled during a military parade held in Pyongyang to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) USFK under fire over no-mask dance party amid virus resurgence

Under the USFK antivirus rules currently in place , its members are ordered to keep a minimum 1 meter of @ @ @ @ @ masks when such separation is impossible .
It also orders its personnel to avoid large @ @ @ @ @ South Korean rules , directives and laws .

(ATTN: ADDS background in paras 8-9)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is facing criticism over a dance party held at one of its bases last week at which participants did not wear face masks amid South Korea's heightened social distancing scheme to stem the resurgence of new coronavirus cases.
The party took place at Flightline Tap Room at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on Friday, with dozens of people dancing side by side without wearing masks, according to officials.
On the same day, South Korea's daily number of new COVID-19 cases reached a near nine-month high of 629, with authorities urging citizens to cancel non-vital face-to-face gatherings.
The Seoul government has requested the U.S. military to follow antivirus measures. The U.S. military said Monday that the bar was "closed effective immediately, per command directive."
"The facility has been closed, and we are looking into the matter," a USFK official said.
Under the USFK antivirus rules currently in place, its members are ordered to keep a minimum 1 meter of social distance and to wear masks when such separation is impossible. It also orders its personnel to avoid large crowds and to follow all South Korean rules, directives and laws.
When the party took place, the Seoul metropolitan area was put under social distancing Level 2 -- the third-highest among the country's five-tier virus alert system -- with indoor exercises practiced by groups and year-end parties hosted by hotels banned.
USFK also came under fire in July over its soldiers' unruly Fourth of July celebrations after dozens of complaints were filed in the southeastern city of Busan over wild and dangerous acts by foreigners wearing no face masks.
Following the incident, the U.S. military expressed regret and vowed to take appropriate disciplinary action against those involved.
As of Monday, 408 USFK-affiliated individuals have tested positive for the new virus.
South Korea reported 594 new infections Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 38,755.
This file photo shows a gate of the U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(LEAD) New virus cases under 600, bigger wave of pandemic in offing

SEOUL , Dec. 8 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's new virus cases fell back slightly to below 600 @ @ @ @ @ restrictions in the greater Seoul and other areas began to be implemented .
But health @ @ @ @ @ alert over a further spike in virus cases tied to a slew of cluster infections @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 10-13; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell back slightly to below 600 on Tuesday as tougher virus restrictions in the greater Seoul and other areas began to be implemented. But health authorities still remain on utmost alert over a further spike in virus cases tied to a slew of cluster infections.
The country reported 594 new virus cases, including 566 domestically transmitted ones as of midnight Monday, raising the total caseload to 38,755, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Tuesday's daily tally marks a slight fall from 615 the previous day and 631 on Sunday. Three additional coronavirus deaths were reported, taking the total to 552.
This image provided by Yonhap News TV shows delivery riders on a nearly empty street. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The social distancing Level 2.5, the second-highest level under the five-tier scheme, went into effect Tuesday in the greater Seoul area covering Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, west of Seoul.
In addition, the Seoul city government decided last Saturday to reduce the city's public transportation service by 30 percent after 9 p.m.
In other areas, the third-highest social distancing, Level 2, was imposed. The new restrictions will be effective till Dec. 28.
Health officials have warned of the wider pandemic, predicting that the daily virus cases may near 1,000 next week unless the current spread of the new virus is brought under control.
In a bid to tackle the soaring number of new infections, health authorities plan to adopt a quick and accurate epidemiologic investigation by increasing the number of agents and introduce a saliva test.
It will also ease the criteria to release patients from quarantine by reducing the period of isolation to 10 days from 13 days to prevent hospital bed shortages.
"The number of confirmed cases is not showing signs of a slowdown, hovering around the 600 range," Kang Do-tae, a senior official, said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, adding untraceable confirmed cases accounted for 26 percent of the total.
The ratio of confirmed cases to people taking virus tests rose to the 4 percent range this month from the 1 percent range seen in October and November, he said.
If the three-week restrictions fail to curb the virus spread, the wider wave of the pandemic in the greater Seoul will engulf the entire country, Kang said.
Along with the tough warning, the country's health ministry said it secured early access of COVID-19 vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies -- AstraZeneca Inc., Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Moderna -- and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people.
Citizens wait for virus tests at makeshift facilities in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Dec. 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
Under the Level 2.5 social distancing guidelines, gatherings with 50 or more people are banned, while door-to-door sales businesses, karaoke rooms, indoor sports facilities and indoor concert venues that offer standing shows will be forced to close, in addition to nightclubs and bars.
Restaurants cannot receive customers after 9 p.m. but can offer takeout and delivery. Cafes are only allowed to serve takeout at all hours.
Movie theaters, internet cafes, private academies, study halls, amusement parks, beauty salons, barber shops, large grocery stores and department stores cannot operate past 9 p.m. Sports events are allowed without spectators while religious services are only available online or via broadcasts. In-person religious activities, if needed, are permitted with 20 or fewer participants.
By region, 212 confirmed cases were reported in Seoul and 146 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, west of Seoul, added 27 more cases. The greater Seoul area is home to about half of the country's 51.6 million population.
The number of imported cases came to 28, down from 35 the previous day. They include 17 from the United States and one from Europe.
The number of COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms across the country reached 134, up from 126 on Monday.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 29,650, up 349 from Monday.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--U.S. again designates N. Korea as violator of religious freedom

`` Religious freedom is an unalienable right , and the bedrock upon which free societies are built and flourish .
@ @ @ @ @ -- a nation founded by those fleeing religious persecution , as the recent Commission on @ @ @ @ @ once again took action to defend those who simply want to exercise this essential freedom @ @ @ @ @ State Mike Pompeo said in a released statement .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- The United States on Monday renewed its designation of North Korea as one of the state violators of religious freedom.
It marks the 19th consecutive year the North has been named a state violator of religious freedom.
"Religious freedom is an unalienable right, and the bedrock upon which free societies are built and flourish. Today, the United States -- a nation founded by those fleeing religious persecution, as the recent Commission on Unalienable Rights report noted -- once again took action to defend those who simply want to exercise this essential freedom," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a released statement.
North Korea and nine other states were designated "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for "engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom," according to the statement.
They include Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The U.S. also placed four other countries -- Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia -- on a special watch list for governments that "have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom."
The list also included 10 other entities -- including ISIS and the Taliban -- designated as "Entities of Particular Concern" under a separate 2016 U.S. act of religious freedom.
"The United States will continue to work tirelessly to end religiously motivated abuses and persecution around the world, and to help ensure that each person, everywhere, at all times, has the right to live according to the dictates of conscience," Pompeo said in the statement.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Dec. 8 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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


yna--2020-12-08--4 more service members test positive for new coronavirus

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Four more service members tested positive for the new coronavirus amid continued cluster infections at barracks, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
Three Army officers at the Sangmudae Artillery School in the southwestern county of Jangseong were confirmed to have been infected after coming into contact with a colleague who earlier tested positive, according to the ministry.
The total number of COVID-19 cases reported at Sangmudae has grown to 30.
One soldier stationed in the western city of Incheon also showed symptoms while in isolation after contacting a patient at his unit, bringing the total number of patients there to nine, the ministry said.
Up until Tuesday morning, the military has reported a total of 431 coronavirus cases since the pandemic broke out in the country early this year, with the figure growing faster since mid-November.
Currently, 1,688 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 7,011 people under stricter antivirus schemes of its own as a preventive step, according to the ministry.
Nationwide, the country reported 594 new virus cases on Tuesday, including 566 domestically transmitted ones, raising the total caseload to 38,755.
A graphic image on the exterior surface of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul shows a message for service members on Dec. 1, 2020. The "media facade" was organized by the defense ministry. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-08--(2nd LD) USFK under fire over no-mask dance party amid virus resurgence

(ATTN: ADDS info in paras 6-7)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is facing criticism over a dance party held at one of its bases last week at which participants did not wear face masks amid South Korea's heightened social distancing scheme to stem the resurgence of new coronavirus cases.
The party took place at Flightline Tap Room at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on Friday, with dozens of people dancing side by side without wearing masks, according to officials.
On the same day, South Korea's daily number of new COVID-19 cases reached a near nine-month high of 629, with authorities urging citizens to cancel non-vital face-to-face gatherings.
The Seoul government has requested the U.S. military to follow antivirus measures. The U.S. military said Monday that the bar was "closed effective immediately, per command directive."
"The facility has been closed, and we are looking into the matter," a USFK official said.
Michael Tremblay, garrison commander of Camp Humphreys, and John Gonzales, 51st Fighter Wing commander, have apologized over the incident during their separate phone talks with Pyeongtaek Mayor Jung Jang-seon, the city government said.
The U.S. military is considering additional measures, including expanded coronavirus testing of servicemembers and shutting down more entertainment facilities, according to the city and Seoul's foreign ministry.
Under the USFK antivirus rules currently in place, its members are ordered to keep a minimum 1 meter of social distance and to wear masks when such separation is impossible. It also orders its personnel to avoid large crowds and to follow all South Korean rules, directives and laws.
When the party took place, the Seoul metropolitan area was put under social distancing Level 2 -- the third-highest among the country's five-tier virus alert system -- with indoor exercises practiced by groups and year-end parties hosted by hotels banned.
USFK also came under fire in July over its soldiers' unruly Fourth of July celebrations after dozens of complaints were filed in the southeastern city of Busan over wild and dangerous acts by foreigners wearing no face masks.
Following the incident, the U.S. military expressed regret and vowed to take appropriate disciplinary action against those involved.
As of Monday, 408 USFK-affiliated individuals have tested positive for the new virus.
South Korea reported 594 new infections Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 38,755.
This file photo shows a gate of the U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)