Yonhap News Summary

Kang 's call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi came a day after Seoul decided to take the issue to @ @ @ @ @ WTO ) .
She expressed `` deep regret '' that Japan refuses to lift the @ @ @ @ @ all issues cited by Japan as reasons for the restrictions , her office said .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
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(LEAD) 2 suspected MIS-C cases in S. Korea turn out to be Kawasaki disease
SEOUL -- Two suspected cases of an unknown inflammatory syndrome in children in South Korea turned out to be Kawasaki disease, health authorities here said Wednesday, amid concerns that the disease may be linked to the novel coronavirus.
The two children -- a 4-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy -- were reported in Seoul last month for the first time for the disease, named Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). They have recovered from the disease.
----------------
FM voices regret over Japan's decision to maintain export curbs on S. Korea
SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with her Japanese counterpart Wednesday and expressed "deep regret" that Japan keeps export restrictions imposed on South Korea in a row over wartime forced labor, her office said.
Kang's call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi came a day after Seoul decided to take the issue to the World Trade Organization (WTO). She expressed "deep regret" that Japan refuses to lift the curbs even after Seoul resolved all issues cited by Japan as reasons for the restrictions, her office said.
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(LEAD) Seoul stocks spike to over 3-month high amid recovery hopes, Korean won sharply up
SEOUL -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak to a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, hitting a more than three-month high amid economic recovery hopes. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 59.81 points, or 2.87 percent, to close at 2,147.00, the highest since Feb. 25. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth a record high of 16.8 trillion won (US$13.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 517 to 344.
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Moon asks S. Koreans to tighten vigilance against coronavirus
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in appealed to the public here Wednesday not to lower its guard against the new coronavirus, as South Korea is reporting a rise again in the number of confirmed cases.
He cited continued cluster infections in Seoul and nearby regions, especially from religious facilities, clubs, private educational institutions known as hakwon.
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K-pop artists throw support behind Black Lives Matter movement in U.S.
SEOUL -- K-pop artists from various genres have openly expressed their support behind the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the United States, condemning racism and paying homage to African-American culture as an important source of inspiration for modern day K-pop.
R&B artist Crush is among the K-pop recording artists to raise their voices via social media. The singer, hip-hop star posted an image on Monday that said, "It is not enough to be quietly non-racist, now is the time to be vocally anti-racist."
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Seoul approves use of remdesivir as virus treatment
SEOUL -- South Korea's food and drug administration on Wednesday made an emergency decision to allow the use of remdesivir as a treatment for the new coronavirus, paving the way for inbound shipments of the new drug for the first time.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has decided to allow special imports of the drug using its special measures procedure that allows imports of previously unauthorized substances under special circumstances.
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Army chief visits war remains excavation site in DMZ

His visit to Arrowhead Ridge in the central border town of Cheorwon and other DMZ areas was to check the @ @ @ @ @ and other military activities in supporting peace-building projects , such as the reopening of DMZ @ @ @ @ @ the Army .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Army Chiefs of Staff Gen. Suh Wook visited a war remains excavation site inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Wednesday, encouraging excavation teams to complete what he called the "noble mission" with heavy responsibility, his office said.
His visit to Arrowhead Ridge in the central border town of Cheorwon and other DMZ areas was to check the ongoing demining and excavation operations and other military activities in supporting peace-building projects, such as the reopening of DMZ trail courses, according to the Army.
"The remains excavation operation is a noble mission and a duty of our armed forces," Suh said. "A slew of the war dead has remained buried inside the DMZ. The Army should have a heavy sense of responsibility to return those national heroes to their families and comrades."
The Army launched the excavation work on the ridge, one of the fiercest battlefields during the 1950-53 Korean War, in 2018, after the two Koreas agreed to do joint excavation work there in accordance with a bilateral military accord signed on Sept. 19, 2018.
But the South has carried out the project alone since last year, as the North did not respond to calls for joint work.
Since April 20, when the military resumed the excavation project for this year, it has discovered a total of 133 pieces of bone and 14,839 articles believed to have been left by deceased service members as of Saturday, according to the defense ministry.
Soldiers excavate remains believed to be from a South Korean soldier killed in the 1950-53 Korean War at Arrowhead Ridge in the central section of the Demilitarized Zone in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in this photo released by the defense ministry on May 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(2nd LD) Schools reopen to more pupils amid nagging concerns over virus

School is back in session for about 1.78 million more students -- in the first grade of high school , @ @ @ @ @ and third and fourth grades of elementary school .
This brought to 4.59 million the @ @ @ @ @ have returned to school in three phases .
The fourth , and last , phase @ @ @ @ @ for Monday .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 11-18; ADDS photos)
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- More South Korean students returned to classrooms on Wednesday as part of the government's phased reopening plan, but worries linger over the continued spread of the new coronavirus.
The reopening comes at a time when the country is wrestling with a spike in infections traced to small Protestant churches and cram schools in Seoul and its adjacent areas despite a slowdown in cases tied to bigger clusters, such as a nightlife district and a logistics center.
The country reported 49 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Of them, 48 are from the great Seoul area, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
School is back in session for about 1.78 million more students -- in the first grade of high school, second grade of middle school and third and fourth grades of elementary school. This brought to 4.59 million the total number of students who have returned to school in three phases. The fourth, and last, phase of school resumption is set for Monday.
But they do not all go to school simultaneously. Each school is allowed to run a different schedule to ease classroom crowding. They implement staggered lunches, shifts of student attendance, split sessions, reduced class time and a mix of online and offline classes.
Students stretch during a physical education class at Gwacheon High School in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on June 3, 2020, when South Korea implemented the third phase of school reopening for high school first graders, middle school second graders and elementary school third and fourth graders. (Yonhap)
The South Korean government started reopening schools on May 20. Under the plan, 440,000 high school seniors began in-person classes, followed by 2.37 million students in other year groups, including kindergartners.
According to top educational officials, the reopening is inevitable at a time when a great deal of uncertainty over COVID-19 is holding back normal life activities, including those of students.
They believe staying at home and learning through virtual classes is insufficient for the social and mental development of young Koreans.
But schools, cram schools and business establishments frequently visited by students have reported a steady stream of infection cases.
Students exchange greetings with their teacher while seating in a zigzag arrangement at Samsung Elementary School in Gimhae, 449 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 3, 2020, when South Korea implemented the third phase of school reopening for high school first-graders, middle school second-graders and elementary school third- and fourth-graders. (Yonhap)
The operation of cram schools -- which have mostly stayed open despite government warnings -- is particularly worrisome.
According to the Ministry of Education, 78 COVID-19 patients have been confirmed at 42 private academies since February.
To prevent a potential viral outbreak there, the government is inspecting their safety conditions from June 1-12.
So far, 10,356 cram schools out of 128,837 nationwide were found to have failed to comply with the state quarantine guidelines.
Separately, the government plans to revise a relevant law, based on which the education ministry can punish a private academy that fails to abide by strict quarantine measures, with a fine or a forcible business closure.
The government is also considering introduction of a quick response (QR) code-based entry log at private education institutes to allow easy tracing of potential COVID-19 patients. It's been already running the pilot program at risky venues, including karaoke facilities, bars and churches.
Even with persistent outbreaks, the ministry maintains its position that the coronavirus is under control, with the government's stringent quarantine protocols and testing and tracing capabilities.
The number of schools that switched back to online classes due to COVID-19 came to 519 on Wednesday. It was 838 on last Thursday, a day after schools reopened for more than 2.3 million pupils.
Only five students and three school administrators showed symptoms of COVID-19 at schools, and subsequently tested positive since May 20.
Students living in a dormitory undergo COVID-19 tests at a walk-thru clinic set up at the campus of Choongang High School in Seoul on June 3, 2020. The students were tested despite having no symptoms. (Yonhap)
"We understand that there are worries about the reopening of schools amid clusters of infections emerging in the capital area," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a response meeting Wednesday.
"But the current difficult situation should not stand in children's way for their futures and hopes," he said, "Which explains why we opened schools in cloth tents in the middle of the (Korean) war."
He also emphasized that there hasn't been any transmission case reported at schools.
"In May, we had 50 student infection cases, but none of them contracted the virus at school," he said, adding, "It shows that every party involved puts priority on the prevention of virus spread at schools."
Last week, the government toughened measures to minimize classroom crowding in Seoul and the surrounding area.
Elementary and middle schools are required to cap the number of students at one-third of the total student body and high schools at two-thirds.
It also strongly advised businesses frequented by teenagers to remain closed until June 14. If they choose to remain open, they have to make sure that patrons fill out entry logs, wear masks and maintain at least a 1-meter distance from one another.
High school pupils have their body temperatures checked before heading into classrooms in Gwangju, 329 km south of Seoul, on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Some parents have misgivings about sending their kids to school.
According to the KCDC, the number of infection cases of people aged 10-19 is 661, or 5.7 percent of the country's total caseload of 11,590. Children younger than 10 years old account for 1.37 percent with 159 cases.
Although the figure is not deemed large, it should not be overlooked because young people with mild symptoms can silently carry the virus and infect other family members who are vulnerable.
On a now-closed petition posted on the presidential Cheong Wae Dae, more than 255,000 people asked the government to delay the reopening of schools. In another ongoing petition posted by a teacher, more than 164,000 people have supported the delay.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(LEAD) Seoul stocks spike to over 3-month high amid recovery hopes, Korean won sharply up

Reports suggested that the U.S. is continuing to ship soybeans to China , dismissing earlier news that Beijing may be @ @ @ @ @ state-run importers to stop purchasing American products .
China 's purchase of U.S. soybeans is @ @ @ @ @ Sino-American trade deal signed in January .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak to a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, hitting a more than three-month high amid economic recovery hopes. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 59.81 points, or 2.87 percent, to close at 2,147.00, the highest since Feb. 25. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth a record high of 16.8 trillion won (US$13.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 517 to 344.
Institutions raked in a net 1.16 trillion won, the largest daily tally since 1.64 trillion won on Jan. 18, 2016. Foreigners purchased a net 204.1 billion won. Individuals offloaded a net 1.33 trillion won, the largest since 1.45 trillion won on Sept. 14, 2012.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank trading room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) up 59.81 points, or 2.87 percent, to close at 2,147.00 on June 3, 2020, while the Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar. (Yonhap)
Seoul stocks rallied amid rising economic rebound hopes, further underpinned by the country's a 35.3 trillion-won extra budget proposal to revive the economy against the new coronavirus' economic fallout.
The bill marks the country's third and largest-ever extra budget plan.
"The third extra budget is expected to push up (South Korea's) growth rate by 0.5-0.6 percentage point," KB Securities analyst Oh Jae-young said
The stock market got off to a strong start on optimism for a global economic rebound, backed by rollbacks of lockdowns, despite the spreading anti-racism protests in the United States over the death of an African American man.
"Investor sentiment turned out to be more sensitive to the U.S. economic reopening and the central banks' supply of ample liquidity, rather than uncertainties from the protests," Samsung Securities researcher Seo Jung-hun said.
The latest developments in the Sino-American frictions showed room for easing.
Reports suggested that the U.S. is continuing to ship soybeans to China, dismissing earlier news that Beijing may be pressuring retaliation by pushing its state-run importers to stop purchasing American products. China's purchase of U.S. soybeans is a key component in the Sino-American trade deal signed in January.
The U.S. and China are South Korea's two main trading partners.
Elevated hopes for an economic rebound led to a rally among large caps, particularly chipmakers, financials and steelmakers.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics soared 6.03 percent to 54,500 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix rallied 6.48 percent to 88,700 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics slid 0.48 percent to 626,000 won, but Celltrion advanced 1.34 percent to 227,500 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 5.85 percent to 108,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors adding 0.82 percent to 36,800 won.
The local currency closed at 1,216.80 won per dollar, up 8.60 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 1.5 basis points to 0.866 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 2.3 basis points to 1.150 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 3, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 3, 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--2020-06-03--(LEAD) Hyundai opens 1st hydrogen-charging station for commercial cars

Hyundai established the charging station at its Jeonju plant , 240 kilometers south of Seoul .
It is the carmaker @ @ @ @ @ hydrogen-powered commercial cars and its ninth hydrogen charging station , the company said in a @ @

(ATTN: ADDS 1st photo)
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it has opened the country's first charging station for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles in South Korea.
Hyundai established the charging station at its Jeonju plant, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. It is the carmaker's first charging station for hydrogen-powered commercial cars and its ninth hydrogen charging station, the company said in a statement.
"Hydrogen buses and trucks, as well as hydrogen passenger cars, can charge themselves in the hydrogen commercial charging station as it is located near the roads," a company spokesman said.
The Hyundai Nexo is the country's sole hydrogen-powered passenger model.
This photo, taken on June 3, 2020, shows Hyundai Motor Co.'s first charging station for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles at its Jeonju plant, 240 km south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
Hyundai, which has exported 10-ton hydrogen trucks to Switzerland, plans to launch a localized version of the truck here in 2021.
The move is in line with the Seoul government's efforts to promote hydrogen cars and strengthen the charging infrastructure.
South Korea aims to increase the number of hydrogen charging stations to 310 by 2022 from the current 37 across the country, according to the environment ministry.
To help spread zero-emission and autonomous cars across the country, the country plans to spend 2.2 trillion won (US$1.9 billion) by 2030, with a plan to have the private sector separately invest 60 trillion won in future vehicles, related technologies and facilities.
Hyundai Motor Group will take up 41 trillion won, or 68 percent of the 60 trillion won, under the government-led future mobility plan, the transport ministry said.
Hyundai Motor Group, which aims to morph into a future mobility solutions provider, announced in December 2018 that it will invest 7.6 trillion won in hydrogen car-producing facilities and related R&D activities by 2030.
Under the plan, the group plans to churn out 500,000 hydrogen vehicles in 2030. A hydrogen car is considered to be environmentally friendly since it emits only water vapor as it generates electricity.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the Nexo hydrogen car. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Seoul stocks spike to over 3-month high amid recovery hopes, Korean won sharply up

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak to a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, hitting a more than three-month high amid economic recovery hopes. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 59.81 points, or 2.87 percent, to close at 2,147.00, the highest since Feb. 25. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth a record high of 16.8 trillion won (US$13.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 517 to 344.
Institutions raked in a net 1.16 trillion won, the largest daily tally since 1.64 trillion won on Jan. 18, 2016. Foreigners purchased a net 204.1 billion won. Individuals offloaded a net 1.33 trillion won, the largest since 1.45 trillion won on Sept. 14, 2012.
Seoul stocks rallied amid rising economic rebound hopes, further underpinned by the country's a 35.3 trillion-won extra budget proposal to revive the economy against the new coronavirus' economic fallout.
The bill marks the country's third and largest-ever extra budget plan.
"The third extra budget is expected to push up (South Korea's) growth rate by 0.5-0.6 percentage point," KB Securities analyst Oh Jae-young said
The stock market got off to a strong start on optimism for a global economic rebound, backed by rollbacks of lockdowns, despite the spreading anti-racism protests in the United States over the death of an African American man.
"Investor sentiment turned out to be more sensitive to the U.S. economic reopening and the central banks' supply of ample liquidity, rather than uncertainties from the protests," Samsung Securities researcher Seo Jung-hun said.
The latest developments in the Sino-American frictions showed room for easing.
Reports suggested that the U.S. is continuing to ship soybeans to China, dismissing earlier news that Beijing may be pressuring retaliation by pushing its state-run importers to stop purchasing American products. China's purchase of U.S. soybeans is a key component in the Sino-American trade deal signed in January.
The U.S. and China are South Korea's two main trading partners.
Elevated hopes for an economic rebound led to a rally among large caps, particularly chipmakers, financials and steelmakers.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics soared 6.03 percent to 54,500 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix rallied 6.48 percent to 88,700 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics slid 0.48 percent to 626,000 won, but Celltrion advanced 1.34 percent to 227,500 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 5.85 percent to 108,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors adding 0.82 percent to 36,800 won.
The local currency closed at 1,216.80 won per dollar, up 8.60 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--FM voices regret over Japan's decision to maintain export curbs on S. Korea

By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with her Japanese counterpart Wednesday and expressed "deep regret" that Japan keeps export restrictions imposed on South Korea in a row over wartime forced labor, her office said.
Kang's call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi came a day after Seoul decided to take the issue to the World Trade Organization (WTO). She expressed "deep regret" that Japan refuses to lift the curbs even after Seoul resolved all issues cited by Japan as reasons for the restrictions, her office said.
Kang also urged Japan to swiftly remove the restrictions.
On Tuesday, South Korea's trade ministry said it will resume the dispute settlement proceedings with the WTO over the export curbs Tokyo imposed last July on three of its key display materials seen as intended at hurting Korea's tech industry.
Bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo have remained badly frayed since Japan enforced the export curbs, seen as retaliation against the South Korean Supreme Court's 2018 rulings that ordered Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of forced labor.
Seoul hit back at Tokyo by filing a complaint to the WTO over the export curbs but suspended the move as the two sides agreed to resolve the row through diplomacy.
Seoul had also requested Tokyo provide its clear stance about the export curbs by the end of last month. Japan has given no response.
Besides the trade row, the two diplomats discussed pending issues of mutual concern, including the coronavirus pandemic, her ministry added.
They took note of recent cooperation between the two governments in helping each other's citizens who had been stranded overseas to fly back home safely, and agreed that such cooperation should continue to that end.
Kang and Motegi also exchanged assessments on the latest situation on North Korea, according to the ministry.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha poses for a photo with her Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, ahead of their bilateral talks in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 15, 2020, in this photo provided by Kang's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Hyundai opens 1st hydrogen-charging station for commercial cars

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it has opened the country's first charging station for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles in South Korea.
Hyundai established the charging station at its Jeonju plant, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. It is the carmaker's first charging station for hydrogen-powered commercial cars and its ninth hydrogen charging station, the company said in a statement.
"Hydrogen buses and trucks, as well as hydrogen passenger cars, can charge themselves in the hydrogen commercial charging station as it is located near the roads," a company spokesman said.
The Hyundai Nexo is the country's sole hydrogen-powered passenger model.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the Nexo hydrogen car. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Hyundai, which has exported 10-ton hydrogen trucks to Switzerland, plans to launch a localized version of the truck here in 2021.
The move is in line with the Seoul government's efforts to promote hydrogen cars and strengthen the charging infrastructure.
South Korea aims to increase the number of hydrogen charging stations to 310 by 2022 from the current 37 across the country, according to the environment ministry.
To help spread zero-emission and autonomous cars across the country, the country plans to spend 2.2 trillion won (US$1.9 billion) by 2030, with a plan to have the private sector separately invest 60 trillion won in future vehicles, related technologies and facilities.
Hyundai Motor Group will take up 41 trillion won, or 68 percent of the 60 trillion won, under the government-led future mobility plan, the transport ministry said.
Hyundai Motor Group, which aims to morph into a future mobility solutions provider, announced in December 2018 that it will invest 7.6 trillion won in hydrogen car-producing facilities and related R&D activities by 2030.
Under the plan, the group plans to churn out 500,000 hydrogen vehicles in 2030. A hydrogen car is considered to be environmentally friendly since it emits only water vapor as it generates electricity.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

DAEWOONG PHARM 110,000 UP 3,500 HYUNDAIDEPTST 66,000 UP 900 KIH 57,500 UP 2,100 LOTTE Himart 28,700 UP 200 GS 40,850 @ @ @ @ @ UP 400 HYUNDAILIVART 16,300 UP 100 LIG Nex1 33,600 DN 950 Fila Holdings 40,800 UP @ @ @ @ @ HANAFINANCIALGR 32,250 UP 650 HANWHA LIFE 1,620 UP 60 AMOREPACIFIC 170,000 UP 3,000 LF 14,050 @ @ @ @ @ 90 JW HOLDINGS 5,530 UP 10 SK Innovation 127,500 UP 3,500 POONGSAN 22,250 UP 600 @ @ @ @ @ 14,100 UP 450 LG HAUSYS 71,800 DN 2,600 Youngone Corp 34,050 DN 600 KOLON IND @ @ @ @ @ UP 2,500 BNK Financial Group 5,780 UP 280 emart 118,000 UP 3,000 지HANKOOK TIRE & @ @ @ @ @ KOREA 44,050 UP 450 COSMAX 89,700 UP 500 MANDO 28,050 UP 1,100 SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS 626,000 @ @ @ @ @ 900 Netmarble 97,000 UP 1,600 HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S293500 UP9500 ORION 131,000 @ @ @ @ @ DN 2,000 SKCHEM 92,700 UP 700 HDC-OP 20,750 UP 350 HYOSUNG HEAVY 18,350 UP 450 @ @ @ @ @ END )

DAEWOONG PHARM 110,000 UP 3,500
HYUNDAIDEPTST 66,000 UP 900
KIH 57,500 UP 2,100
LOTTE Himart 28,700 UP 200
GS 40,850 UP 1,600
CJ CGV 25,050 UP 400
HYUNDAILIVART 16,300 UP 100
LIG Nex1 33,600 DN 950
Fila Holdings 40,800 UP 1,300
HYUNDAIGLOVIS 120,500 UP 4,500
HANAFINANCIALGR 32,250 UP 650
HANWHA LIFE 1,620 UP 60
AMOREPACIFIC 170,000 UP 3,000
LF 14,050 UP 250
FOOSUNG 8,290 DN 90
JW HOLDINGS 5,530 UP 10
SK Innovation 127,500 UP 3,500
POONGSAN 22,250 UP 600
KBFinancialGroup 38,600 UP 2,350
Hansae 14,100 UP 450
LG HAUSYS 71,800 DN 2,600
Youngone Corp 34,050 DN 600
KOLON IND 35,000 UP 850
HanmiPharm 246,000 UP 2,500
BNK Financial Group 5,780 UP 280
emart 118,000 UP 3,000
지HANKOOK TIRE & TEC HNOLOGY256 00 UP1050
KOLMAR KOREA 44,050 UP 450
COSMAX 89,700 UP 500
MANDO 28,050 UP 1,100
SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS 626,000 DN 3,000
INNOCEAN 54,500 UP 900
Netmarble 97,000 UP 1,600
HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S293500 UP9500
ORION 131,000 DN 500
BGF Retail 157,500 DN 2,000
SKCHEM 92,700 UP 700
HDC-OP 20,750 UP 350
HYOSUNG HEAVY 18,350 UP 450
WooriFinancialGroup 10,350 UP 650
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

DAEKYO 4,675 DN 15 GKL 15,450 UP 300 Handsome 33,600 UP 800 COWAY 71,500 UP 2,000 LOTTE SHOPPING 92,400 UP @ @ @ @ @ KorElecTerm 38,900 UP 1,900 NamhaeChem 8,030 UP 60 DONGSUH 17,550 UP 50 BGF 4,670 DN @ @ @ @ @ 107,000 UP 4,000 SAMSUNG CARD 31,200 UP 1,300 CheilWorldwide 18,400 UP 100 KT 25,550 UP @ @ @ @ @ LG Uplus 13,300 UP 50 SAMSUNG LIFE 50,700 UP 2,500 KT & G 88,000 UP @ @ @ @ @ LG Display 11,800 UP 700 Kangwonland 25,300 UP 550 NAVER 225,500 DN 8,500 Kakao 249,500 @ @ @ @ @ 18,000 DSME 29,350 UP 1,950 DWEC 3,985 UP 110 Donga ST 89,600 UP 700 POSCO @ @ @ @ @ CheilJedang 299,500 DN 2,500 DongwonF & B 200,000 DN 2,500 KEPCO KPS 32,650 UP 450 @ @ @ @ @ 17,000 LGCHEM 400,500 UP 5,500 KEPCO E & C 17,450 UP 300 HYUNDAIHOMESHOP 69,400 UP @ @ @ @ @ 1,100 HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,050 UP 50 LGELECTRONICS 62,100 UP 2,100 Celltrion 227,500 UP 3,000 Huchems @ @ @ @ @ )

DAEKYO 4,675 DN 15
GKL 15,450 UP 300
Handsome 33,600 UP 800
COWAY 71,500 UP 2,000
LOTTE SHOPPING 92,400 UP 2,400
IBK 9,730 UP 730
KorElecTerm 38,900 UP 1,900
NamhaeChem 8,030 UP 60
DONGSUH 17,550 UP 50
BGF 4,670 DN 20
SAMSUNG C&T 107,000 UP 4,000
SAMSUNG CARD 31,200 UP 1,300
CheilWorldwide 18,400 UP 100
KT 25,550 UP 400
SHINSEGAE INTERNATIO NAL205500 UP7000
LG Uplus 13,300 UP 50
SAMSUNG LIFE 50,700 UP 2,500
KT&G 88,000 UP 600
DHICO 4,875 UP 15
LG Display 11,800 UP 700
Kangwonland 25,300 UP 550
NAVER 225,500 DN 8,500
Kakao 249,500 DN 10,000
NCsoft 792,000 DN 18,000
DSME 29,350 UP 1,950
DWEC 3,985 UP 110
Donga ST 89,600 UP 700
POSCO INTERNATIONAL 16,100 UP 100
CJ CheilJedang 299,500 DN 2,500
DongwonF&B 200,000 DN 2,500
KEPCO KPS 32,650 UP 450
LGH&H 1,387,000 UP 17,000
LGCHEM 400,500 UP 5,500
KEPCO E&C 17,450 UP 300
HYUNDAIHOMESHOP 69,400 UP 1,000
HALLA HOLDINGS 35,000 UP 1,100
HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,050 UP 50
LGELECTRONICS 62,100 UP 2,100
Celltrion 227,500 UP 3,000
Huchems 17,950 UP 300
(MORE)


yna--2020-06-04--Samsung foundation to fund 38.8 bln won for 28 research projects

SEOUL , June 4 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday it will spend more than 38.8 billion @ @ @ @ @ million ) for 28 research projects in the areas of basic science , materials engineering @ @ @ @ @ foundation .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday it will spend more than 38.8 billion won (US$31.8 million) for 28 research projects in the areas of basic science, materials engineering and ICT solutions through its foundation.
Samsung Science & Technology Foundation confirmed the research projects chosen for funding in the first half of 2020, which includes studies related to space science, artificial intelligence (AI) and brain tumor treatments.
Samsung Electronics established the foundation in 2013 to help strengthen development of basic science and future technologies by endowing a total of 1.5 trillion won to promising research projects for 10 years.
It has so far provided about 758.9 billion won in funding for 589 research projects from universities and public research institutes in South Korea.
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows its corporate logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Greater Seoul under threat of further spread, high alert over 'silent' virus spreaders

A large number of the patients linked to church gatherings have shown mild or no symptoms .
Some 70 percent @ @ @ @ @ one of the churches in Incheon showed no signs of the virus as well , @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- New virus cases in greater Seoul continued to rise Thursday amid a steady increase in cases linked to religious gatherings, putting health authorities on high alert over further spread in the densely populated metropolitan area amid concerns over asymptomatic "silent" virus spreaders.
The country added 39 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 33 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,629, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
All of the newly identified domestic transmissions were reported in Seoul and adjacent areas.
A day earlier, the country reported 49 COVID-19 cases, snapping four consecutive days of fewer than 40 new infections.
Church-linked transmissions in Seoul and surrounding areas have been a new source of concern for health authorities, along with cases from clubgoers in the nightlife district of Itaewon and an e-commerce giant's warehouse.
An official hands out hand sanitizers to people waiting in line at a makeshift clinic in Incheon, west of Seoul, on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
As of Thursday, the number of cases tied to 30 small churches in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital city reached 63, up 10 from a day earlier, according to the KCDC.
The number of infections from clubgoers in Itaewon reached 272, and 119 cases were linked to the distribution center run by Coupang as of Wednesday.
Health authorities are particularly concerned about a steady rise in "hidden, silent" virus spreaders in the metropolitan area, as those who come into contact with such people are at risk of contracting COVID-19 unwittingly from asymptomatic virus carriers.
The KCDC estimates around 25-35 percent of patients here tested positive for the coronavirus despite showing no related symptoms.
A large number of the patients linked to church gatherings have shown mild or no symptoms. Some 70 percent of the patients reported from one of the churches in Incheon showed no signs of the virus as well, according to the KCDC.
A spate of cluster infections has forced health authorities to enhance quarantine measures in the metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 50 million population, which will be in place until June 14.
South Korea may consider going back to strict social distancing if the country's virus curve does not sharply flatten by the deadline.
Visitors are tested for the new coronavirus at a makeshift clinic in Incheon, west of Seoul, on June 3, 2020.
In sync with eased social distancing that began in early May, South Korea rolled out the third phase of its plan to reopen schools, with first-year high school students, second-year middle school students and other selected elementary school students returning to their classrooms.
Schools will continue taking precautionary measures, including staggered lunches, adjusting student attendance, reduced class time, and a mix of online and offline classes.
But some schools, most of them located in the metropolitan area, were forced to delay their reopening as concerns linger.
On Wednesday, some 830 kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools remained shut down, accounting for 4 percent of the country's 29,000 schools.
The country no new death, keeping the death toll at 273.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 1,275, up six from a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,499, moving up 32 from the previous day. Around 90 percent of local COVID-19 patients have been cured.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(URGENT) 32 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,49

(URGENT) 32 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,499: KCDC


yna--2020-06-04--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional virus death, death toll now at 273: KCDC


yna--2020-06-04--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 39 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 11,629: KCDC


yna--2020-06-04--Seoul aims to commercialize urban air mobility in 2025

The government plans to begin offering UAM services initially with one to two routes , or terminals , in the @ @ @ @ @ and then to increase the number of terminals to 10 by 2030 , the Ministry @ @ @ @ @ Transport said in a statement .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services in the domestic market in 2025 as it strives to tackle worsening traffic congestion in major cities, the transport ministry said Thursday.
The government plans to begin offering UAM services initially with one to two routes, or terminals, in the Seoul metropolitan area in 2025 and then to increase the number of terminals to 10 by 2030, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement.
"The ministry will join hands with Hyundai Motor Group and other local companies to push forward the UAM commercialization project," a ministry official said, without elaborating on the partnerships.
In this photo, provided by Hyundai Motor and taken Jan. 7, 2020 (local time), Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun (3rd from left) and Eric Allison (L), head of Uber's air taxi service Uber Elevate, pose with other officials behind the 'S-A1' PAV concept jointly developed by Hyundai and Uber at a CES media day held at Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The ministry expects the UAM market to reach 13 trillion won in 2040 and that UAM services will bring customers to their destinations much faster than public transport services, like buses and subways.
The UAM services are designed to travel 30 to 50 kilometers in urban areas, offering transport services in connection with buses, the subway and personal mobility, like electric scooters and kickboards, the statement said.
To promote the UAM services, there should be a "comprehensive industrial ecosystem" in which companies manufacture an air vehicle for the services; offer maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services; and provide flight control systems and insurance services, the official said.
UAM is a key future innovation business that could help overcome urban challenges, like traffic congestion, as well as connect the sky and the ground.
During the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas in January, Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled the S-A1 personal air vehicle (PAV) concept jointly developed with Uber Technologies Inc., and the PAV is a core part of the UAM services.
Hyundai's first concept PAV S-A1 is equipped with electric vertical takeoff and landing and is designed to carry five people, including a pilot. It will be operated initially by a pilot during the early stage of commercialization and driven autonomously once the relevant technologies are developed.
Hyundai said UAM will be commercialized in 2028, and the UAM services will be offered first in overseas markets.
UAM is one of three innovative mobility solutions sought by Hyundai Motor Group, along with purpose built vehicles (PBVs) and the Hub, a place for mobility transfer and community activities.
PBVs allow passengers to enjoy tailored services while traveling to their destinations. Upon personalization, PBVs can function as restaurants, coffee shops and hotels, or even clinics and pharmacies, in addition to being urban shuttles.
PBVs and UAM connect at the Hub, which will be installed across future cities to form a mobility ecosystem. The Hub has a skyport for the PAV on the top and docking stations on the ground for PBVs to approach and depart from multiple directions.
Around 200 companies, including Boeing, Airbus, Hyundai Motor, and Toyota Motor Corp., have jumped into the PAV and UAM business to seek new growth drivers in the rapidly changing automotive industry, Hyundai said.
U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley forecast the global UAM market would reach US$1.5 trillion by 2040.
This image, provided by Hyundai Motor, shows how the carmaker's smart mobility solutions would work once they are fully developed. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(2nd LD) N.K. threatens to scrap military agreement unless Seoul takes action against anti-Pyongyang

(2nd LD) N.K. threatens to scrap military agreement unless Seoul takes action against anti-Pyongyang leaflets

`` If they fail to take corresponding steps for the senseless act against the fellow countrymen , they had better @ @ @ @ @ of the complete withdrawal of the already desolate Kaesong Industrial Park following the stop to @ @ @ @ @ , or shutdown of the North-South joint liaison office whose existence only adds to trouble @ @ @ @ @ the north-south agreement in military field which is hardly of any value , '' she @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 10-12, last 3 paras)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister threatened Thursday to scrap a military tension reduction agreement with South Korea and shut down major exchange projects unless Seoul stops defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the communist nation.
Kim Yo-jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the warning in a statement, adding that good faith and reconciliation can never go together with such hostile activities.
"Clearly speaking, the South Korean authorities will be forced to pay a dear price if they let this situation go on while making sort of excuses," she said in the statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
"If they fail to take corresponding steps for the senseless act against the fellow countrymen, they had better get themselves ready for possibility of the complete withdrawal of the already desolate Kaesong Industrial Park following the stop to tour of Mt. Kumgang, or shutdown of the North-South joint liaison office whose existence only adds to trouble, or the scrapping of the north-south agreement in military field which is hardly of any value," she added.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Yonhap)
Kim also said the summit agreements in 2018 and the military deal intended to stop all kinds of hostility and tension-raising action and the sending of anti-North Korea leaflets runs counter to such agreements.
She pointed her finger directly at the anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border earlier this week by a group of North Korean defectors. The leaflets, totaling about 500,000 and carried by balloons, criticized the North's leader for threatening to take "shocking actual action with a new strategic nuclear weapon."
The leader's sister also called those defectors "human scum" and "rubbish-like mongrel dogs," urging South Korea to take every possible action, including enacting a law against such act without using "freedom of expression" as an excuse anymore.
"If they truly value the North-South agreements and have a will to thoroughly implement them, they should clear their house of rubbish, before thoughtlessly blowing the 'supporting' bugle," she said.
"Before making lame excuses, they should at least make a law to stop the farce of human scum to take thoroughgoing preventive measures against any inglorious things," she added.
North Korea has strongly bristled at anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border, regarding them as a serious hostile act aimed at undermining the authority of its leaders.
South Korea's government has advised against sending such leaflets, citing concerns about the safety of residents in the regions where the leaflet-carrying balloons are launched because the North could take retaliatory military action on the areas.
Defector groups have often ignored such an appeal, citing their right to freedom of expression. Under the current law, it is also impossible to ban the leaflet campaign.
The latest strongly worded statement came as inter-Korean relations have been stalled amid a stalemate in denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington since the no-deal summit in February last year between the North's leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.
In October last year, North Korea demanded Seoul withdraw all its facilities built at the Mount Kumgang resort on the east coast, saying it will build its own international tourist zone there. South Korea shuttered the joint tour project in 2008 after one of its tourist was killed by a North Korean guard.
South Korea closed the joint industrial complex in the North's border town of Kaesong in 2016 after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile provocations. The two Koreas agreed to resume the mountain tours and the industrial park, two major cross-border exchange projects, when things are met in their 2018 summits, but little progress has been made due to global sanctions.
Earlier this year, the two Koreas also temporarily shut down a liaison office in Kaesong due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday's statement marked the third of its kind issued by Kim Yo-jong this year, pointing to her growing involvement and influence in relations with South Korea and the U.S. as the closet aide to her brother, experts said.
In her first-ever official statement in early March, Kim strongly slamming South Korea's presidential office for complaining about the North's short-range projectile launches, claiming they were just an act of self-defense.
Weeks later, she also issued a statement, saying U.S. President Donald Trump had sent a letter to leader Kim and offered assistance for the North's efforts to fend off the coronavirus but cautioned against misjudging the two countries' ties based only on the personal relations of the two leaders.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(2nd LD) S. Korea suffers largest current account deficit in nearly decade in April

The deficit also came one year after the country posted its first current account deficit in 84 months in April @ @ @ @ @ what the BOK had then called an unusually high seasonal increase in dividend payments .

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from a BOK official in paras 6, 10-11)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea suffered the largest current account deficit in almost a decade in April due mainly to a sharp decline in exports caused by the coronavirus pandemic, central bank data showed Thursday.
The country posted a current account deficit of US$3.12 billion in the month, marking a turnaround from a $5.96 billion surplus the month before, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The reading marks the largest current account deficit since January 2011.
Graphic Current Account Balance Trend (END)
The deficit also came one year after the country posted its first current account deficit in 84 months in April 2019, due mostly to what the BOK had then called an unusually high seasonal increase in dividend payments.
This year the deficit was largely attributed to the country's first trade deficit in 99 months.
"(The current account deficit) is largely attributed to exports falling at a faster rate than imports, with the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic coming into full swing," Moon So-sang, head of the BOK's monetary and financial statistics division, told a press briefing.
The country's exports plunged 24.3 percent on-year to $36.9 billion in April, while imports dropped 15.9 percent to $37.8 billion, leaving a $950 million trade deficit for Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The BOK said the country's goods account surplus came to $820 million in April, a sharp decline from a $6.66 billion surplus the previous month and a $5.61 billion surplus in April 2019.
The BOK official predicted the country's current account balance will likely turn to the black in May, noting the country's trade balance has made such a turnaround in the month.
"Fortunately, the trade balance in May has been tallied at a $430 million surplus. Therefore, we are looking somewhat positively that the current account balance too will post a surplus," Moon said.
In April, the service account deficit slightly expanded to $1.42 billion from $1.39 billion a month before.
It also marks a slight expansion from a $1.27 billion deficit in April 2019.
The country's tourism account deficit narrowed to $340 million from $370 million in March and $440 million a year earlier.
Its tourism income sharply declined to $360 million from $2.1 billion a year earlier and $740 million in March as the number of visitors to the country plunged 98.2 percent on-year to some 29,000 amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
The file photo shows stacks of import-export cargo containers at South Korea's largest seaport in Busan, located some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The number of South Koreans going overseas tumbled 98.6 percent to about 31,000. Their overseas spending narrowed to $710 million from $1.11 billion a month before and $2.54 billion in April 2019.
The primary income account posted a $2.29 billion deficit, marking a sharp turnaround from a $930 million surplus the previous month.
It narrowed from a year earlier when the country posted a $4.18 billion deficit in its primary income account.
Its dividend payment account deficit narrowed to $3.01 billion in the month from a $4.87 billion deficit a year before, but it marked a turnaround from a $40 million surplus in March.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--LG Uplus to launch AR glasses in Q3

LG Uplus to launch AR glasses in Q3

The product , weighing only 88 grams , only supports Android-powered devices , the company said .
The price of @ @ @ @ @ been confirmed .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean telecommunications firm, said Thursday it will launch augmented reality (AR) glasses in the third quarter of the year in collaboration with Chinese mixed reality product developer Nreal.
Nreal Light will be the world's first AR glasses to be commercialized in a business-to-consumer (B2C) model, according to LG Uplus.
The product, weighing only 88 grams, only supports Android-powered devices, the company said. The price of the AR glasses has not been confirmed.
LG Uplus hopes the AR headset will attract more customers to its 5G service as they can enjoy more multimedia and gaming content.
With Nreal, owned by Beijing-based Hangzhou Tairuo Technology Co., LG Uplus said it plans to create an AR ecosystem where software and business developers can freely develop applications for AR glasses.
This photo, provided by LG Uplus Corp. on June 4, 2020, shows models using the Nreal Light AR glasses, which LG Uplus plans to launch in the third quarter of the year. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea's No. 3 mobile carrier has been one of the companies actively expanding their presence in the AR sector.
Earlier this year, it joined hands with Nreal, AR software startup Spatial Systems Inc., and mobile chipmaker Qualcomm Technologies Inc. to develop 5G-based AR collaboration solutions. It has announced a partnership with Google on AR content development.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(LEAD) S. Korea to allow consumers to get foreign currencies via delivery service

SEJONG , June 4 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will allow consumers to get foreign currencies via a no-contact @ @ @ @ @ the Korean won into foreign currencies through a digital platform , Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS remarks, details from para 4)
SEJONG, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will allow consumers to get foreign currencies via a no-contact delivery service if they change the Korean won into foreign currencies through a digital platform, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Thursday.
The move is part of the government's efforts to ease regulations as it seeks to revive economic growth and promote contactless industrial sectors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To spur competition in foreign exchange transactions, the government will also allow brokerages and credit card firms to expand their foreign exchange services, Hong said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks at a meeting with economy-related ministers on June 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The government will also allow brokerages to change foreign investors' money into the Korean currency, Hong said.
"In order to step up competition among suppliers of foreign exchange services, foreign exchange and money transfer services of brokerages and credit card firms will be expanded," Hong said.
The government aims to revise laws and ordinances by the end of September to ease such regulations, Hong said.
In another push to create a new growth engine, the government will review measures to commercialize urban air mobility services by 2025.
Cities around the world have studied ways to promote self-flying electric cars to reduce traffic congestion on the ground, but such cars are facing technological and regulatory hurdles.
Hong said the global market for urban mobility services is expected to reach 730 trillion won (US$608 billion) by 2040.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Seoul stocks open higher on economic recovery hopes

The gain is largely attributed to rising hope for an economic rebound .
The country 's largest-ever extra budget proposal @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus also fueled the optimism .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday on hopes of an economic recovery, led by chipmakers.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 32.02 points, or 1.49 percent, to 2,179.02 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The gain is largely attributed to rising hope for an economic rebound. The country's largest-ever extra budget proposal to fight the fallout of the new coronavirus also fueled the optimism.
Large caps mostly traded higher with chipmakers, financials and shipbuilders leading the gain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics jumped 3.12 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 1.8 percent.
Shinhan Financial Group climbed 1.4 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO advanced 0.99 percent. Samsung Heavy Industries shot up 5.45 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,216.55 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.25 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Secret to success for KBO ace: empty mind

`` Over the years , I 've realized winning games as a starter can be really tough , '' Koo @ @ @ @ @ learned so much from those seasons .
Getting hurt last year taught me how important @ @ @ @ @ of my body and stay on the field .
I used to run out of @ @ @ @ @ and I want to address that issue this year . ''

CHANGWON, South Korea, June 4 (Yonhap) -- At the tender age of 23, NC Dinos' starter Koo Chang-mo may already have become the ultimate Zen master in South Korean baseball.
He has figured out how to pitch with an empty mind, a state where he is clear of unnecessary thoughts and his focus is solely on his target.
"When I am on the mound, I am not thinking of anything else but trying to hit the catcher's mitt," Koo told reporters Wednesday prior to a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season game versus the SK Wyverns at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
"And when I get into a jam, I step off the mound and take a deep breath," Koo added. "And then I start pitching without really thinking."
NC Dinos' pitcher Koo Chang-mo speaks at a press conference at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
That approach has clearly worked. Koo is tied for the league lead with four wins and has the sole possession of the lead in ERA with 0.51 and strikeouts with 38. He has been nominated for the Player of the Month award for May.
Koo now has opposing hitters thinking and guessing at the plate, with an array of pitches all coming from the same arm angle. He has been able to command breaking balls so well that he can throw them for strikes or hit corners of the zone to induce weak contact.
In another mind-boggling stat, Koo has thrown first pitch strikes 76.4 percent of the time, a development Koo attributes to newfound confidence on the mound.
To that end, Koo credited his mental skills coach, Woo Jin-hee, for being his biggest influence this year.
Koo made his debut in 2016 as a 19-year-old, and the Dinos have carefully groomed him to be the KBO's next great left-hander who would succeed two current major league pitchers, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays and Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals.
There were more than a few speed bumps along the way for Koo. In his first season as a starter in 2017, he was 7-10 with a 5.32 ERA. He pitched a career-high 133 innings in 23 starts the following year, and pitched to a 5-11 record and a 5.35 ERA.
In 2019, he was limited to 19 starts due to a back injury, but he posted a 3.20 ERA while going 10-7.
Koo Chang-mo of the NC Dinos pitches against the Samsung Lions in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on May 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Over the years, I've realized winning games as a starter can be really tough," Koo said. "I've learned so much from those seasons. Getting hurt last year taught me how important it is to take care of my body and stay on the field. I used to run out of gas in the summer, and I want to address that issue this year."
With the U.S. sports cable giant ESPN televising KBO games this season, Koo's excellent start to the 2020 season has generated much buzz in North America, too.
"I am really happy with all that attention, but at the same time, it puts some pressure on my shoulders because it's still early in the season and I have a long ways to go," Koo said. "I am trying to stay even keeled and keep doing what I've been doing."
Koo has been virtually unhittable in his first five starts in 2020, but he knows he will not always be this dominant in every game this year.
"I will have some bad days down the road, and my goal as a starter is to throw as many innings as I can and contribute to the team's victories," Koo said. "I want to first pitch enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, and then think about winning over 10 games and keeping my ERA below 3.00."
In this file photo, from May 26, 2020, Koo Chang-mo of the NC Dinos returns to the dugout after the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Employment insurance may face depletion this year on virus: report

On Wednesday , the government proposed a third extra budget of 35.3 trillion won to cushion the economic blow from @ @ @ @ @ includes 3.4 trillion won to be used to fund the employment insurance .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state employment insurance scheme could run out of money this year if the novel coronavirus continues to hit the country's job market until year-end, a report said Thursday.
The report from the National Assembly Budget Office estimated that the number of unemployment benefit recipients could reach 1.84 million should April's employment situation last till the end of the year.
In that worst-case scenario, the country may need 3.5 trillion won (US$2.9 billion) to meet jobless claims, which could sharply worsen the employment insurance program's funding conditions, it said.
The insurance plan had 3.5 trillion won in funds before the novel coronavirus outbreak in South Korea on Jan. 20.
Job seekers attend a public briefing on unemployment benefits at a labor ministry office in Seoul on April 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Battered by the pandemic, South Korea lost about 467,000 jobs in April, marking the sharpest monthly decline in more than 21 years.
Payments of unemployment benefits thus jumped about 35 percent on-year to nearly 1 trillion won in April. Payments of unemployment allowances renewed record highs for three months running in April.
On Wednesday, the government proposed a third extra budget of 35.3 trillion won to cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic, which includes 3.4 trillion won to be used to fund the employment insurance.
South Korea introduced the employment insurance program in 1995 as the main employment safety net for regular workers in workplaces of certain sizes. Both employers and employees are obliged to pay monthly premiums.
All employers who hire at least one worker were required to enroll in the employment insurance starting in 1998.
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--S. Korean baseball's minor league to adopt 'robot umpires' in Aug.

KBO umpires have been on the hot seat in recent seasons for their inconsistent strike zone .
In May , @ @ @ @ @ issues with umpires ' performance in a televised interview , the KBO demoted an entire @ @ @ @ @ -- four umpires plus an alternate -- to the Futures League .
The five spent @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean baseball's minor league will start using "robot umpires" in August, a league official said Thursday.
The official with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said about 20 games in the Futures League will have the automated ball-strike system in place this season, and it will be used for the entire 2021 season.
The KBO's top league may follow suit as early as 2022.
In this file photo from April 21, 2020, umpires connect with the video replay center at the Korea Baseball Organization head office in Seoul during a preseason game between the Lotte Giants and the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of the capital. (Yonhap)
Though the system is colloquially called the robot umpire, it doesn't involve any robots standing behind the catcher to make calls.
A radar-based ball-tracking system will identify a pitch's location, and the information will reach the home plate umpire via his earpiece for the call on the field.
Major League Baseball (MLB) experimented with the electronic strike zone in the eight-team independent league called the Atlantic League in 2019. MLB had planned to expand the implementation of the automated system to other minor leagues before the coronavirus pandemic put baseball in North America on hold this spring.
KBO umpires have been on the hot seat in recent seasons for their inconsistent strike zone. In May, after a veteran player raised issues with umpires' performance in a televised interview, the KBO demoted an entire umpiring crew of five officials -- four umpires plus an alternate -- to the Futures League. The five spent 10 days in the minors.
In this file photo from May 24, 2020, umpires during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the LG Twins and the KT Wiz are gathered around the home plate at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(LEAD) S. Korea's 'Peninsula,' 'Heaven' among Cannes' 2020 official selection

The two Korean films made the list of the 2020 Official Selection , consisting of 56 movies , which would @ @ @ @ @ festival not been canceled due to the new coronavirus pandemic .

(ATTN: REWRITES headline, lead; UPDATES with details; EDITS throughout)
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- "Peninsula" by South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho and "Heaven: To The Land of Happiness" by fellow Korean director Im Sang-soo were selected among the 73rd Cannes Film Festival lineup Wednesday (local time).
The two Korean films made the list of the 2020 Official Selection, consisting of 56 movies, which would have been screened had the festival not been canceled due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
The organizers did not distinguish which films were picked as either for competition or non-competition categories.
Other works in the selection included "Mangrove" and "Lover's Rock," both by British filmmaker Steve McQueen, U.S. director Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch," "Druk" by Denmark's Thomas Vinterberg and "Asa Ga Kuru" from Japan's Naomi Kawase.
"Peninsula," starring Gang Dong-won, is the action-thriller sequel to Yeon's 2016 zombie film "Train to Busan."
"Heaven," with veteran actors Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il as the two leads, tells the story of two men who meet by chance and embark on a trip to find happiness.
The 2020 Cannes festival was originally slated for mid-May but was ultimately scrapped due to the COVID-19 situation. Organizers opted to only announce the official selection.
All films will be allowed to be branded with the official Cannes 2020 label at other international festivals, should they happen later this year, and commercial screenings at the box office.
A still image from director Yeon Sang-ho's upcoming zombie movie "Peninsula," released by its distributor, NEW (Yonhap)
(END)


Thursday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 4 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

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


yna--2020-06-04--N. Korea slams Pompeo for saying China poses threat

`` Saying that threat from China stems from the idea of the Communist Party , he reeled off rubbish that @ @ @ @ @ its partners in the West to make the world of the next century the one @ @ @ @ @ U.S. 'liberal democracy ' rules , '' he added .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea lashed out at U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday over his recent remarks calling for safeguarding Western values from Chinese threats, denouncing the appeal as "nonsense" and "rubbish."
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday (local time), Pompeo repeatedly described China's ruling Communist Party as "aggressive" and as an "authoritarian" regime that "views itself as intent upon the destruction of Western ideas, Western democracies and Western values."
On Thursday, the spokesperson for the international affairs department of the North's ruling Workers' Party denounced Pompeo's remarks. It was the first time that the department has issued a statement of its own since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took power.
The statement came amid intensifying tensions between the United States and China.
"It is not the first time that he said nonsense about China over the issues of Hong Kong, Taiwan, human rights and trade disputes. What should not be overlooked here is that he slandered the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over socialism," the spokesperson said.
"Saying that threat from China stems from the idea of the Communist Party, he reeled off rubbish that the U.S. would work with its partners in the West to make the world of the next century the one of the West where the U.S. 'liberal democracy' rules," he added.
The spokesperson then warned the U.S. against having "such a pipe dream of undermining the Communist Party and socialism."
The international affairs department leads the ruling party's diplomatic affairs with socialist countries and is central to maintaining relations with China.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 2,181.64 UP 34.64 points (open)


KOSDAQ 742.87 UP 5.21 points (open)


yna--2020-06-04--Dollar opens at 1,215.5 won DN from 1,216.8 won


yna--2020-06-04--LG Twins rout Samsung Lions to avoid series sweep

Things turned disastrous for the Lions ' defense in the fourth .
Kim Hyun-soo lifted a routine fly to shallow @ @ @ @ @ Seung-kyu , who appeared to have lost the ball in lights , let it drop @ @ @ @ @ a hit .
Third baseman Lee Won-seok was charged with an error when a hard @ @ @ @ @ Chae Eun-seong went off his right hand .
Lee was taken out of the game @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The LG Twins pounded the Samsung Lions 11-0 to avoid a three-game series sweep in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Thursday.
Every batter in the Twins' starting lineup had at least one hit at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, with No. 8 hitter Yoo Kang-nam driving in four runs with two doubles and a two-run home run. Starter Jeong Chan-heon struck out a career-high 11 batters in seven shutout innings, and helped the Twins improve to 17-9.
The Lions, who fell to 12-15, had won the first two games of this three-game midweek series, 2-0 on Tuesday and 12-6 on Wednesday.
Samsung starter Baek Jung-hyun gave up 11 runs in four innings but three of them were unearned, as the defense behind him failed him on multiple occasions.
Yoo Kang-nam of the LG Twins celebrates his two-run double in the bottom of the third inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Twins opened the scoring in the bottom second with Lee Chun-woong's two-run double. They went up 6-0 in the bottom third, thanks to Park Yong-taik's sacrifice fly, Yoo Kang-nam's two-run double and Oh Ji-hwan's RBI single.
Things turned disastrous for the Lions' defense in the fourth. Kim Hyun-soo lifted a routine fly to shallow center but center fielder Park Seung-kyu, who appeared to have lost the ball in lights, let it drop in front of him for a hit. Third baseman Lee Won-seok was charged with an error when a hard grounder off the bat of Chae Eun-seong went off his right hand. Lee was taken out of the game with a bruised right thumb.
Then on a fly ball hit by Roberto Ramos, three Lions' defenders -- Park Seung-kyu, shortstop Lee Hak-ju and left fielder Park Chan-do -- completely missed the ball. Lee called for it in shallow center, but the ball dropped in front of Park Chan-do in left field. The single loaded the bases.
Jeong Chan-heon of the LG Twins pitches against the Samsung Lions in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kim Min-sung then cashed in two runs with a double to right. Right fielder Kim Hun-gon would have caught the ball with a better jump, but instead he let the ball skip past him to give the Twins an 8-0 lead.
Park Yong-taik made it 9-0 with his second sacrifice fly of the evening. Two batters later, Yoo blasted a two-run homer to left field for an 11-0 lead, all but putting the game out of the Lions' reach.
Jeong himself enjoyed a fine day on the mound, though it was overshadowed by his teammates' offensive explosion.
He struck out five of the first six hitters he faced, and surpassed his previous career high in strikeouts with his seventh K in the fifth inning. He added four more over the next two innings.
Jeong's only trouble came with two outs in the top third, when a double, a walk and a wild pitch put runners at second and third. Jeong got Park Chan-do to ground out to second to end that rally, and the Lions never put a man in scoring position against Jeong the rest of the game.
By winning his consecutive starts, Jeong improved to 2-1 for the season and lowered his ERA from 5.06 to 3.52.
Lee Chun-woong of the LG Twins hits a two-run double in the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--U.S. envoy comments on anti-U.S. protest in S. Korea

`` Most demonstrators across the United States today are formed in peaceful protests against racism , bigotry and hatred , @ @ @ @ @ I stand with them .
I share the conviction that those beliefs have no place @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Thursday that he supports peaceful protests against racism in the United States but opposes those who condemn his country.
Harris posted on his Twitter a photo of a group of Korean protestors carrying a placard, reading "U.S. imperialism means 'I can't breathe!'"
"I disagree with these protestors, but respect their right to peacefully protest here in democratic Republic of Korea," he tweeted. "The U.S.A. will investigate fully and transparently George Floyd's killing."
This photo is captured on June 4, 2020, from the Twitter account of U.S. ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
But he said he sides with the anti-racist demonstrations peacefully held in the U.S. as an Asian American who experienced segregation in the 1960s.
"Most demonstrators across the United States today are formed in peaceful protests against racism, bigotry and hatred," he said. "I stand with them. I share the conviction that those beliefs have no place in our society."
But he criticized vandalism, mayhem and destruction committed by some violent protestors.
"To those voices … who take perverse pleasure in what is happening in America today … I say we'll emerge a better country and a stronger democracy and we won't forget," he said.
The death of George Floyd, which was caused by a police officer last month, has triggered a huge wave of protests across the United States and even led to rioting and looting.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--S. Korean military to conduct postponed maritime combined arms drill next week

Sources said that the location of the drill is in adherence with the so-called Sept. 19 pact reached between the @ @ @ @ @ on the Korean Peninsula .
Under the agreement , both sides are barred from carrying @ @ @ @ @ 40 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line that separates the two sides .
In the @ @ @ @ @ out its military exercises using live munitions in Goseong County , just south of the @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military is set to carry out a maritime combined arms drill next week as part of its ongoing efforts to hone the skill of its forces, official sources said Thursday.
The drill, which was originally planned for last month, was put off due to poor weather conditions, will involve the Army, Navy and the Air Force. The live fire training will take place on June 11 at a beach in Uljin, 330 km southeast of Seoul, on the east coast.
The military said that despite the delay, the size of the training maneuver will remain the same, with the Army's multiple launch rocket system firing at a seaborne target and Apache attack helicopters also taking part in the effort to neutralize a mock enemy.
In addition, the Navy is expected to launch its Harpoon anti-ship missiles with the Air Force light attack fighters joining in the fray, with air-to-surface missiles.
Sources said that the location of the drill is in adherence with the so-called Sept. 19 pact reached between the two Koreas to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Under the agreement, both sides are barred from carrying out live fire drills within 40 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line that separates the two sides. In the past, Seoul usually carried out its military exercises using live munitions in Goseong County, just south of the border with North Korea.
This file photos shows South Korean troops conducting a live fire drill with multiple rocket launch systems. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--LS Group's founding family members indicted for illegal inter-affiliate trading

LS-Nikko supposedly provided 233 tons of electrolytic copper to LS Global at cheap prices , with LS Global selling them @ @ @ @ @ 2006 and Dec. 2019 .
Through such arrangements , LS Global was able to rake @ @ @ @ @ of profit , according to the prosecution .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Three founding family members of the South Korean electric cable manufacturing conglomerate LS Group were indicted on Thursday for illegal inter-affiliate trading worth 25.5 billion won (US$20.9 million), prosecutors said.
Koo Ja-hong, chairman of LS-Nikko Copper Inc., the group's copper smelting affiliate, Koo Ja-yub, chairman of LS Cable & System, and Koo Ja-eun, chairman of LS Mtron, were indicted on charges of violating anti-trust law by providing illegal support to a sister company, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office.
LS-Nikko Copper CEO Doh Suk-goo and LS Cable President Myung Roe-hyun were also referred for trial, it added.
According to investigators, LS Corp., the group's virtual holding company, allegedly prodded its affiliates, including LS-Nikko and LS Cable to offer lucrative deals to LS Global Inc., set up in 2005 by members of the group's founding family.
LS-Nikko supposedly provided 233 tons of electrolytic copper to LS Global at cheap prices, with LS Global selling them at higher prices between Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2019. Through such arrangements, LS Global was able to rake in 16.8 billion won worth of profit, according to the prosecution.
Also, LS Global was suspected to have earned 8.7 billion won from such illicit intra-group trading with LS Cable from 2006-2016.
The prosecution alleged that the Koo family pocketed 9.3 billion won after selling their stake in LS Global in 2011 and used the money to maintain managerial control over the group.
In 2018, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), the antitrust watchdog, slapped a combined 26 billion won in fines on four affiliates of LS Group for the charges.
LS Group rebutted the accusations, claiming that LS Global had carried out all transactions at market prices.
The corporate image of LS Group in this photo provided by the company (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(LEAD) As temperature rises in S. Korea, worries grow over wearing face masks

The state weather agency said the daytime temperature peaked at 35.6 C in Pohang , a southeastern port city , @ @ @ @ @ and 34.2 C in Gumi , north of Daegu .
That is 10.3 degrees higher @ @ @ @ @ Pohang , while Daegu and Gumi posted daily highs 6.9 and 6.5 degrees higher than @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest temperatures in paras 1-5)
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The temperature in South Korea's southern inland area hit over 35 C Thursday, raising concerns over the wearing of face masks amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
A heat wave advisory went into effect in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as well as the nearby counties of Cheongdo, Gimcheon, Chilgok, Seongju, Goryeong and Gyeongsan, starting at 11 a.m.
Last year the first heat wave advisory issued in the region was on May 23.
The state weather agency said the daytime temperature peaked at 35.6 C in Pohang, a southeastern port city, 35.1 C in Daegu, and 34.2 C in Gumi, north of Daegu. That is 10.3 degrees higher than the 30-year average in Pohang, while Daegu and Gumi posted daily highs 6.9 and 6.5 degrees higher than the average, respectively.
The advisory comes amid concerns over wearing thick face masks during warm weather.
Health authorities have been trying to search for more realistic anti-virus measures for the summer season, as the outbreak shows no sign of letting up.
The government recently approved thinner face masks in a move that is expected to help cap the price for so-called dental masks.
A local mask manufacturer is scheduled to start selling them online Friday, with each mask tentatively priced at 500 won (40 US cents).
The government currently rations two kinds of thicker, more durable masks at 1,500 won each through pharmacies and designated outlets.
Pedestrians wearing face mask walk past a pharmacy in the central Seoul ward of Jongno on May 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Doosan Heavy's biz shake-up stirs controversy

Market insiders claim that Doosan Heavy 's shift toward the renewable energy sector may hurt its financial status as it @ @ @ @ @ to succeed in the sector amid its reduced presence in the nuclear and coal power @ @ @

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co.'s push to reshape its business portfolio is stirring concerns over the feasibility of the overhaul plan whose centerpiece is reduction of its mainstay coal and nuclear power businesses and expansion of its clout in the renewable energy realm.
In return for 3.6 trillion won (US$2.95 billion) financial support from state-run banks, Doosan Heavy, the leading power equipment maker proposed a shake-up of its business structure to focus more on renewables.
Under the plan, Doosan Heavy will increase its presence in such areas as offshore wind power plants and energy storage systems, as well as making inroads into the tidal power, solar power and other energy sectors.
The cash-strapped company's business line ranges from nuclear and coal power plants to gas turbines for liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants, solar and wind power plants and water desalinization plants.
This file photo shows the logo of Doosan Engineering & Construction Co. based in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
"The restructuring aims to step up renewable energy business that we have long pushed in step with the global energy trend and the government's energy plan," Doosan Heavy spokesman Lee Seung-jae said.
Doosan Heavy has been making efforts to bolster its business of gas turbine for LNG power plant since 2013, according to Lee.
Last year, Doosan Heavy independently developed a turbine for LNG power plants, making it the fifth company in the world to pull off the feat.
Doosan Heavy also has been enhancing its offshore wind power plant business and solar power plant operations since 2006, he said.
The proposed shake-up plan came at a time when its nuclear power plant business has been in an extended slump in sync with the Moon Jae-in administration's nuclear phase-out policy.
Since 2017, the Moon administration has preached a nuclear power phase-out policy that has led to the cancellation of plans to build six new nuclear power plants.
This file photo provided by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. shows a key part of a gas turbine for LNG power plants. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Market insiders claim that Doosan Heavy's shift toward the renewable energy sector may hurt its financial status as it may take a few years to succeed in the sector amid its reduced presence in the nuclear and coal power plant sector.
Creditors and Doosan Heavy are reportedly expected to gain profits from its reshaped business line after at least 3 years.
It is unclear whether Doosan Heavy could expand its presence in gas turbine market, where General Electric Co., Siemens AG. and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems are competing.
Doosan Heavy's gas turbine technology is reported to be at levels slightly below its competitors, who have more experience in the field.
However, the business reorganization of Doosan Heavy is said to be a well-timed decision as the overall size of the global coal-fired power plant market has been contracting after the Paris climate change conference 2015 aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
As sales in the nuclear power plant sector account for about 10 percent of its whole business, the business shake-up would have limited impact on Doosan Heavy's financial status.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--BTS expresses support for Black Lives Matter movement

`` We stand against racial discrimination .
We condemn violence .
You , I and we all have the right @ @ @ @ @ will stand together , '' the boy band wrote on its official Twitter account , @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- K-pop superstars BTS on Thursday expressed support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the United States, joining the worldwide initiative in the music industry to protest against racism and violence.
"We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together," the boy band wrote on its official Twitter account, with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.
The group's agency, Bit Hit Entertainment, said the septet will also contribute to an anti-racism activist group but did not disclose the name of the organization or the amount of money.
BTS supports #BlackLivesMatter movement saying, “We will stand together” Youtube https://youtu.be/ankLaHw9TCk
BTS' message came as the BLM movement has been spreading across the U.S. and the world, following the death of George Floyd, which was caused by a police officer last month.
Global pop stars, like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Beyonce, have paid tribute to Floyd and pledged solidarity with the African-American community on their social media.
Major U.S. music labels, including Universal Music, had a one-day moratorium on business, called Blackout Tuesday, as a means of identifying with the protest.
At the same time, K-pop stars, like Crush and Jay Park, have also raised their voices via social media as part of their homage to African-American culture, which has been an important source of inspiration for K-pop.
Insiders said, given its influence and huge fanbase on the international stage, BTS' joining to the BLM movement is expected to have a great impact.
This image, captured on June 4, 2020, from BTS' Twitter account, shows the K-pop band's message on the Black Lives Matter movement. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Defector-turned-lawmaker espouses anti-North leaflet campaigns

`` In reality , North Korean people are not properly informed about what 's happening in the world ... their @ @ @ @ @ be guaranteed , '' he said .

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A North Korea defector now serving as a lawmaker in the South claimed Thursday the government should not stop activist groups from sending anti-North leaflets across the border to ensure North Korean people's right to know.
Rep. Ji Seong-ho of the main opposition United Future Party was responding to a statement by Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, released earlier in the day.
Kim Yo-jong, in the unusually barbed statement, condemned propaganda leaflet operations at the border by South Korean activist groups and warned the Seoul government to stop the groups from sending the leaflets.
"The behavior of sending leaflets cannot be deemed as a wrong act," Ji said during a press conference at the National Assembly for foreign correspondents in Seoul.
Activists and North Korea defectors have often flown northward hundreds of thousands of fliers carrying explicit criticism against the North Korean regime and its leader at the border, raising the ire of the North.
She warned that such hostile acts could end a key inter-Korean agreement made in 2018, intended to stop military tension at the border.
Ji said the leaflet operations support North Koreans' right to know, and the right should be safeguarded.
"In reality, North Korean people are not properly informed about what's happening in the world ... their right to know needs to be guaranteed," he said.
Ji took office last week as a four-year term lawmaker with the main opposition party. He won a parliamentary seat in the April general elections on a proportional representation ticket.
Ji's turbulent defection story and devotion to enhancing human rights in North Korea became widely known after he appeared during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in January 2018.
Trump introduced Ji as a testimony to the North Korean regime's "cruel dictatorship." Ji held up his crutches as the chamber gave him a round of applause.
Ji lost his limbs while trying to steal some coal to barter for food, Trump said, only to be tortured later by North Korean authorities. He left North Korea in 2006.
The lawmaker said he plans to join the parliamentary standing committee on intelligence.
Going forward, he plans to propose to the parliament a new bill that will facilitate financial compensation for North Korean defectors who suffered human right abuses by the North Korean regime.
Rep. Ji Seong-ho of the main opposition United Future Party speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--Chinese ambassador meets with SK Group chief

The meeting , which took place on Wednesday , was the ambassador 's first meeting with the chief of a @ @ @ @ @ he took office as the top envoy to Seoul in January this year , according @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming has met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and called for greater investment in his country, his embassy said Thursday.
The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, was the ambassador's first meeting with the chief of a top South Korean conglomerate since he took office as the top envoy to Seoul in January this year, according to the embassy.
During the talks, they discussed topics of mutual interest, including enhancing bilateral economic cooperation at the industry level and responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Xing assessed that SK Group has contributed positively to China-South Korea diplomatic ties and that has made a great impression on him, the embassy said.
The ambassador called for SK and other Korean companies to actively expand their investment in China, with hopes that such cooperation will "qualitatively advance" the relationship of the two countries.
In response, Chey noted that China is the country where SK Group has most heavily invested in, with more than 100 affiliated firms in China.
Chey also said that SK has been making efforts to fulfill social responsibility by working with related government agencies in China so as to benefit both countries, according to the embassy.
This photo, provided by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, shows SK Group Chief Chey Tae-won (2nd from L) and Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming (2nd from R) holding a meeting at the embassy building in Seoul on June 3, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--With his KBO club on upswing, data-driven manager praises intangibles

`` The atmosphere in the dugout has been great , and it 's nice to see guys pull for one @ @ @ @ @ before the Lions took on the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul .
@ @ @ @ @ of three against the top-ranked NC Dinos on the weekend and then beat the Twins @ @ @ @ @ games here .
The Lions are 12-14 for the season .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Before he became the manager of the Samsung Lions last fall, Huh Sam-young was the top data analyst for the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club.
But when discussing his club's recent upswing against tough competition on Thursday, Huh didn't refer to any advanced statistics. Instead, he spoke about intangibles in the dugout, precisely the type of things that data-oriented baseball minds love to hate because they can't be backed up by numbers.
"The atmosphere in the dugout has been great, and it's nice to see guys pull for one another," Huh said before the Lions took on the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. The Lions won two out of three against the top-ranked NC Dinos on the weekend and then beat the Twins twice over the past two games here. The Lions are 12-14 for the season.
Members of the Samsung Lions celebrate their 12-6 win over the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Standing in that dugout, I feel like I have a very tight, cohesive team with me," Huh went on. "Kwon Oh-joon, our oldest player (at age 40), is at the center of it all. He's been our loudest cheerleader, and there's so much positive energy around our team now."
Of course, encouraging teammates from the bench can only go so far. The Lions have been getting some much-needed production from Tyler Saladino, a former big leaguer who started out batting a dismal .143 with one home run and two RBIs in his first 13 games. In 10 games since, Saladino has batted .417 with three homers and 13 RBIs. He's working on a seven-game hitting streak, and has recorded at least two hits in five straight games.
Huh said the biggest difference has been Saladino's eye at the plate.
"I think he's doing a much better job picking out pitches he can swing at and pitches he should lay off," the manager said. "He just needed some time to adjust to pitching here."
The Lions signed Saladino mostly for his defensive versatility, and any offensive production they can get from him is considered a bonus. He has appeared at first base, third base, shortstop and left field this season.
Huh said he would like to see some positional versatility from other players, too, so that he'll be able to rotate them around the field and give everyone occasional breathers.
"We've been playing well of late, but we'll eventually hit a bump at some point," Huh said. "I want to be able to use all of my 14 position players and help them conserve energy for the summer."
Tyler Saladino of the Samsung Lions (C) is congratulated by teammates David Buchanan (L) and Kim Dong-yub after hitting a two-run home run against the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--(2nd LD) Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for Samsung's Lee over 2015 merger of key affiliates

They are suspected of involvement in a scheme to facilitate Lee 's managerial succession from his ailing father , Lee @ @ @ @ @ value of Cheil Industries Inc. and lowering that of Samsung C & T prior to @ @ @ @ @ help benefit the heir apparent .

(ATTN: UPDATES with court's hearing schedule in 3rd para)
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean prosecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong, as part of an investigation into a controversial merger between two group units and a suspected accounting fraud, allegedly aimed at cementing his control over the conglomerate.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it sought arrest warrants for Lee and two former top executives, Choi Gee-sung and Kim Jong-joong, from the group's now-disbanded control tower, the Future Strategy Office.
Later in the day, the court announced that it will hold a hearing at 10:30 a.m. on Monday to decide whether to issue the arrest warrants. A decision is expected to come out late at night or early Tuesday.
They are suspected of involvement in a scheme to facilitate Lee's managerial succession from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee, by inflating the value of Cheil Industries Inc. and lowering that of Samsung C&T prior to their merger in 2015 to help benefit the heir apparent.
Lee was the largest shareholder in Cheil Industries with a stake of 23.2 percent.
Prosecutors have also been looking into suspected window dressing at Samsung Biologics, a subsidiary of Cheil Industries in 2015.
They suspect the contract drug manufacturer inflated its valuation by approximately 4.5 trillion won (US$3.64 billion) after fraudulently changing the method used to calculate the value of its stake in Samsung Bioepis, a joint venture with U.S.-based Biogen Inc. After the accounting method was changed, Samsung Biologics swung to a profit.
The prosecution is seeking their arrests on charges including unfair trade, stock price manipulation and violation of external audits.
Kim also faces charge of perjury for his statement at court that the merger was initiated by Cheil Industries and had nothing to do with Lee's succession plan.
Lee was called in by the prosecution twice last week for questioning, and he is said to have denied the charges.
On Tuesday, Lee and Kim asked the prosecution to have outside its experts review the ongoing probe and determine the validity of its potential indictment of them.
Representatives of Lee and the two aides expressed "strong regret" over the prosecution's filing for arrest warrants just after the request was made.
"The prosecution suddenly requested arrest warrants when the related process has just begun," they said. "It has neutralized our legitimate right to an objective judgment from the perspective of experts and the public."
They criticized the prosecution for what they claimed is an "unprecedentedly intense" probe involving more than 50 search and seizure operations and questionings of over 110 people.
Lee was imprisoned for about a year in 2017 for bribing a confidant of former President Park Geun-hye in return for her administration's support for the 2015 merger.
He was released in early 2018 after his sentence was suspended. But the Supreme Court ordered a retrial last year revising the size of the bribes.
Last month Lee made a rare public apology over the group's involvement in the scandals.
Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-04--N. Korea embraces YouTube as new tool for propaganda aimed at wider audience

`` Their purpose is to promote their politics and love for the people to the outside audience in an effective @ @ @ @ @ message to its own people , '' he added .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is adopting a more approachable style to promoting itself, using YouTube videos to reach a broader international audience, posting videos featuring a stylish, English-speaking woman who takes viewers on tours of key spots in Pyongyang.
That's a departure from North Korea's traditional way of sending messages to the outside world: all-serious newscasters using a hyped and bellicose tone to read provocative statements about nuclear or missile tests.
North Korean propagandists had been experimenting with the global video-sharing platform, but they went no farther than uploading edited videos from state media, often featuring Ri Chun-hee, a famous North Korean anchor known for her assertive and dramatic style of delivering news.
North Korea is now embracing a friendlier style to appeal to younger viewers, as seen on recent videos uploaded to channels, like New DPRK and Echo DPRK.
New DPRK, a YouTube channel believed to be run by the North, has recently posted "vlogs," or video logs, of a seven-year-old Ri Su-jin describing the daily lives of kids in Pyongyang.
In one of her videos, Su-jin gives a tour of her apartment building and around her house, showing goods, such as a piano, a fan and a large couch.
This image, captured from the YouTube account New DPRK, shows seven-year-old Ri Su-jin describing the daily lives of children in Pyongyang, in a video uploaded on May 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
This image, captured from the YouTube account Echo DPRK, shows a North Korean woman named Un-A who gives tours around Pyongyang, in a video uploaded on May 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Another YouTube channel, called Echo DPRK, features a woman in her 20's named Un-A speaking in fluent English.
Dressed in a modern-style blouse with her phone in one hand, she gives a tour around Pyongyang, with stops at a luxury department store named Taesong and Ryomyong Street in a calm voice.
Un-A claims to tackle fake news and check facts regarding the coronavirus in a recent video, following a report that North Koreans were panic buying in Pyongyang due to the coronavirus.
In the video, uploaded in April, she interviews shoppers at Taesong in rebuttal to reports that claimed prices had gone up in North Korea.
"I think the fake news is the last thing we need in such fierce battle with COVID-19," she says in the video.
Launched in August 2017, the channel has more than 13,000 subscribers.
Experts say the change in their propaganda style is directed towards foreign audiences.
"It is an adjustment in their propaganda style in response to the emergence of a new online platform," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
"Their purpose is to promote their politics and love for the people to the outside audience in an effective way rather than sending a message to its own people," he added.
From vlogs to mukbang, YouTube is North Korea’s new face of propaganda Youtube https://youtu.be/d3pzCqkQbA4
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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