yna--2020-08-28--(4th LD) Doctors' strike enters last day; another walkout imminent

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details in para 16)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean doctors entered the last day of their three-day nationwide strike Friday to protest the country's medical reform scheme, with another walkout looming in early September amid the deepening tension between the government and physicians.
Tens of thousands of practitioners have joined interns and resident doctors at general hospitals for the walkout, raising their voice against the government's move to increase the number of medical students.
Earlier in the day, the government ordered not only trainee doctors in the wider Seoul area but all across the country to return to their work, warning of possible prison terms as it would cause major difficulties when the country is faced with spiking novel coronavirus cases.
This photo, taken Aug. 27, 2020, shows Severance Hospital, a major general hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The strike is the second of its kind and organized by the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which has some 130,000 members.
The widened order came after the government earlier ordered striking junior doctors at 95 trainee hospitals in the Seoul area to return to work.
The government also reported to police 10 doctors for violating the order issued earlier this week in the Seoul region, making good on its repeated warnings of strong legal action against those who failed to come back to hospitals.
On Wednesday, the government ordered striking trainee doctors and fellows working at training hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon to return to work amid the rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in the capital area.
Those who do not follow the government order without an adequate reason could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
In a joint briefing held at the government complex in Seoul by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency, Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said the extension and seeking of legal action were "inevitable" to "safeguard people's lives and safety," as the resurgence of the coronavirus was posing a great threat to public safety and the doctors' walkout added more trouble to already strained hospitals around the country.
However, the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing the trainee doctors, as well as fellow doctors, at major general hospitals has said it will continue its indefinite walkout as planned.
KIRA has made clear on numerous occasions that its members will not return to work unless the government reconsiders its plans, and a number of trainee doctors have submitted letters of resignation.
The government said the number of trainee doctors that have walked out stood at 6,070, or 68.8 percent, of the 8,825 interns and residents in the country as of late Thursday,
Among fellow doctors, 28.1 percent, or 549, of 1,954 physicians did not report to work during the day, it said.
Meanwhile, out of the 32,787 clinics in the country, 8.9 percent, or 2,926, were closed, it said. The figure is less than the 33 percent participation rate by practitioners tallied in the first walkout earlier this month and down by around 600 from the previous day.
S. Korea's doctors on nationwide strike despite uptick in COVID-19 cases Youtube https://youtu.be/ZNWfUAy2mCc
The justice ministry also reiterated that those who do not follow the government's order will face legal consequences. Doctors who are sentenced to a prison term are at risk of their medical license being revoked.
Choi Dae-zip, president of the Korean Medical Association, called the government's reporting of doctors to police "harsh oppression" in a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Late Friday, the KMA said it plans to launch an indefinite strike starting Sept. 7 if its demands are not met.
Meanwhile, the government said the national exam that tests medical students' clinical skills, slated to take place from Sept. 1 until Oct. 27, will proceed as scheduled, although 2,823 out of 3,172 medical students boycotted the test in protest.
Concerns are looming over service disruptions at major general hospitals, as trainee doctors have vowed to continue their collective actions indefinitely.
The walkout has forced major general hospitals in the greater Seoul area to reduce working hours, delay some scheduled surgeries and cancel appointments, routine checkups and tests.
Internal medicine at Seoul National University, one of the country's major general hospitals, said clinic hours will be shortened starting next week in a move to lessen the work of professor-level doctors.
Other medical workers, including nurses, have complained of their overloaded schedule, pleading that the government and the medical circle both find a breakthrough.
The walkout by practitioners at neighborhood clinics also caused some discomfort, but no major disruptions were reported due to the relatively low number of striking doctors.
Those who do not follow the government order without probable cause could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school, as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Professors of the Seoul National University Hospital released a joint statement later in the day that filing complaints against doctors will further paralyze the country's medical system.
"We need to prevent creating a serious vacuum in the country's medical system by driving young doctors into a corner," they said.
Medical professors of Korea University also expressed support for the strike, hinting they are willing to take group action as well.
Kim Hyun-sook (L), head of the health ministry's medical resources policy department, enters the Seoul Metropolitan Agency on Aug. 28, 2020, to submit a complaint against trainee doctors who were refusing to return to work. Tens of thousands of doctors went on a three-day strike nationwide on Aug. 26 in protest of the government's medical workforce reform. The walkout, the second of its kind, was organized by the association, which has some 130,000 members. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--S. Korean doctors vow to launch indefinite strike starting Sept. 7

Earlier in the day , the government ordered not only trainee doctors in the wider Seoul area but all across @ @ @ @ @ work , warning of possible prison terms , as their actions could cause major difficulties @ @ @ @ @ a spike in novel coronavirus cases .

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean doctors said Friday it has decided to launch a general strike starting early September in protest of the government's new policy that centers on increasing the number of students at medical schools.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents local doctors, said it has decided to launch an indefinite strike starting Sept. 7, expressing disappointment over the country's decision to submit a complaint against 10 trainee doctors who were refusing to return to work.
"If our demands are not met, we will stage a general strike starting on the day indefinitely," Choi Dae-zip, who heads the KMA, said.
Doctors on Friday entered the last day of their three-day nationwide strike in protest of the government's medical reform scheme despite a widened return-to-work order.
Doctors hold up signs criticizing the government at a Seoul hospital on Aug. 26, 2020, as tens of thousands of doctors went on a full-scale strike nationwide for a three-day run earlier in the day in protest of the government's medical workforce reform. The walkout, the second of its kind, was organized by the Korean Medical Association, which has some 130,000 members. (Yonhap)
Tens of thousands of practitioners have joined interns and resident doctors at general hospitals for the walkout, raising their voice against the government's move to increase the number of medical students.
Earlier in the day, the government ordered not only trainee doctors in the wider Seoul area but all across the country to return to work, warning of possible prison terms, as their actions could cause major difficulties, with the country facing a spike in novel coronavirus cases.
The government also reported to police 10 doctors for violating the order issued earlier this week in the Seoul region, making good on its repeated warnings of strong legal action against those who failed to come back to hospitals.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school, as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Local doctors, however, say that increasing the number of new doctors will only lead to more competition among doctors and will not help ease the disparity in medical infrastructure among regions.
Doctors also protest against the plan to include traditional oriental medicine in the nation's public health insurance system, as they consider the field to be less scientific and vital.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(URGENT) Doctors to stage indefinite strike starting Sept. 7

(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--2020-08-28--(3rd LD) S. Korea to restrict operations of eateries, coffee chains in greater Seoul over pandemic

It said emergency services can only be offered at set dates and time , with only essential care givers to @ @ @ @ @ can take care of children .
Besides the greater Seoul region , the local government @ @ @ @ @ closure of child care centers at their discretion .

(ATTN: ADDS closure of day care centers, nurseries for kids in paras 19-21; CHANGES top photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday that it will begin to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area this weekend in the latest move to contain the fast spread of the new coronavirus.
Under the plan set to take effect Sunday, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The move -- set to last until Sept. 6 -- is part of the government's strengthened anti-virus curbs, as South Korea is struggling to curb spiking virus cases.
In the case of franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, a measure apparently taking into account reported cluster infections tied to coffee shops.
When customers visit coffee chains for takeaway, they should enforce quarantine measures, such as making entry logs, wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.
Tables and chairs are moved to a corner of a large cafe in downtown Seoul in preparation for the government's heightened social distancing rules that go into effect on Aug. 30, 2020. Authorities said for the next week, franchise cafes will only be allowed to offer takeout to patrons. South Korea has been trying to stem a spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. (Yonhap)
Instead of raising the level of social distancing to the highest Level 3, health authorities unveiled stronger and "tailored" anti-virus curbs over vulnerable groups and risk-prone facilities.
South Korea has been cautious about raising anti-virus curbs to the top level due to the far-reaching impacts on the economy.
"While keeping social distancing guidelines at Level 2, the government has decided to implement stronger quarantine measures starting Sunday for eight days," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a briefing.
"We will also prepare to raise the level of social distancing to Level 3 at any time."
Franchise coffee chains, fast-food operators and eateries centering on nighttime services were panicked by the government's announcement, as their business will be severely restricted.
Major coffee chains have introduced delivery services in recent years, but most of their sales are generated by coffee purchases by visiting customers.
"We have many takeout-focused outlets, but we will be affected by the government's move, as large stores accepting customers have been on the rise," said an official at Ediya Coffee, the largest coffee chain in the country in terms of store numbers.
Fast-food operators, including McDonald's and Lotteria, scrambled to explore how to handle the new restrictions, as many of their stores operate for 24 hours.
Owners of small eateries focusing on nighttime food services viewed the government's measures as an order tantamount to closing their stores, voicing complaints and concerns about the restrictions.
An eatery owner wrote on an online community that the ban would drive it out of business.
Meanwhile, South Korea will suspend the operation of indoor sports facilities, including fitness centers and billiard halls, in the wake of virus infections at indoor sports centers.
The government also expanded no-assembly orders from large academies to almost all cram schools in the wider Seoul area. Only online lectures will be permitted.
The stricter measures are expected to affect around 380,000 restaurants and bakeries, some 63,000 cram schools and about 28,000 indoor facilities.
The country's health authorities added that as part of its latest effort to stem the spread of the infectious illness, all day care centers and nurseries in Seoul and surrounding regions will be closed starting Sunday.
"This is a mandatory move that must be followed," the health ministry said, stressing that even in the case of emergency day care services for young children, strict restrictions will be applied.
It said emergency services can only be offered at set dates and time, with only essential care givers to report to work so they can take care of children. Besides the greater Seoul region, the local government can opt to order the closure of child care centers at their discretion.
This photo, taken on Aug. 24, 2020, shows a lecturer teaching an online class at a cram school in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
In regard to protecting the elderly from the risk of infection, visits to nursing homes and facilities will be banned.
Health authorities will also make one-third of all employees at government agencies and public institutions work at home. They also recommended private companies take similar steps.
South Korea's new virus cases have been in the triple digits since Aug. 14, with more than 3,800 new cases identified across the nation over the past 15 days.
Earlier in the day, the country extended stricter social distancing guidelines in the greater capital region for one more week as the number of new infections has not shown signs of easing. In mid-August, the country raised anti-virus curbs to Level 2 in the Seoul region and expanded it across the nation last Sunday.
Under the Level 2 scheme, indoor meetings of 50 or more people and open-air gatherings of 100 or more people are banned in principle. So-called risk-prone facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, internet cafes and buffet restaurants, have been ordered to shut down.
The highest anti-virus curbs can be issued when the number of daily virus cases reaches a two-week average of 100-200 and the doubling of new COVID-19 cases occurs more than twice a week.
If the Level 3 guidelines are issued, gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned, and offline school classes will be suspended. All sports events will be banned, and public facilities will be ordered to close.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Jeju to ban partying at guesthouses amid virus spread

`` We have reached a conclusion that parties at guesthouses can lead to the spread of COVID-19 .
Thus , @ @ @ @ @ to ban gatherings of 10 or more people at guesthouses in the region , '' @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju said Friday it will ban guesthouses from hosting parties with 10 or more participants, amid concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus.
The decision comes as an owner of a guesthouse in Jeju, along with an employee, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day. The guesthouse had hosted parties with guests this week.
Health authorities carried out virus tests on 15 others who had close contact with the two patients. All of them have tested negative.
"We have reached a conclusion that parties at guesthouses can lead to the spread of COVID-19. Thus, we have issued an order to ban gatherings of 10 or more people at guesthouses in the region," Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong said in a statement.
This photo shows a guesthouse on the southern resort island of Jeju, which reported two COVID-19 patients on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Jeju added two additional COVID-19 patients on Friday, raising its total caseload to 21. South Korea has reported 19,077 new coronavirus cases.
To stem the virus spread, South Korea applied Level 2 social distancing in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for two weeks starting Aug. 16. The government expanded the scheme nationwide Sunday.
However, since the country's virus situation showed no signs of letup, the government decided to extend the Level 2 distancing for one more week Friday, with tighter virus measures to take place from Sunday to Sept. 6 in the greater Seoul area.
Under the Level 2 distancing, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people are strongly restricted. Sports events must be held without crowds, while facilities with high infection risks, such as bars and internet cafes, have to suspend their business.
If the current restrictions are elevated to the highest level, all gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(3rd LD) Doctors' strike enters last day despite widened return-to-work order

In a joint briefing held at the government complex in Seoul by the Ministry of Health and Welfare , the @ @ @ @ @ National Police Agency , Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said the extension and seeking of @ @ @ @ @ '' to `` safeguard people 's lives and safety , '' as the resurgence of @ @ @ @ @ great threat to public safety and the doctors ' walkout added more trouble to already @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS statement from local hospitals in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Doctors entered the last day of their three-day nationwide strike Friday in protest of the government's medical reform scheme despite a widened return-to-work order.
Tens of thousands of practitioners have joined interns and resident doctors at general hospitals for the walkout, raising their voice against the government's move to increase the number of medical students.
Earlier in the day, the government ordered not only trainee doctors in the wider Seoul area but all across the country to return to their work, warning of possible prison terms as it would cause major difficulties when the country is faced with spiking novel coronavirus cases.
This photo, taken Aug. 27, 2020, shows Severance Hospital, a major general hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The strike is the second of its kind and organized by the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which has some 130,000 members.
The widened order came after the government earlier ordered striking junior doctors at 95 trainee hospitals in the Seoul area to return to work.
The government also reported to police 10 doctors for violating the order issued earlier this week in the Seoul region, making good on its repeated warnings of strong legal action against those who failed to come back to hospitals.
On Wednesday, the government ordered striking trainee doctors and fellows working at training hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon to return to work amid the rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in the capital area.
Those who do not follow the government order without an adequate reason could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
In a joint briefing held at the government complex in Seoul by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency, Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said the extension and seeking of legal action were "inevitable" to "safeguard people's lives and safety," as the resurgence of the coronavirus was posing a great threat to public safety and the doctors' walkout added more trouble to already strained hospitals around the country.
However, the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing the trainee doctors, as well as fellow doctors, at major general hospitals has said it will continue its indefinite walkout as planned.
KIRA has made clear on numerous occasions that its members will not return to work unless the government reconsiders its plans, and a number of trainee doctors have submitted letters of resignation.
The government said the number of trainee doctors that have walked out stood at 6,070, or 68.8 percent, of the 8,825 interns and residents in the country as of late Thursday,
Among fellow doctors, 28.1 percent, or 549, of 1,954 physicians did not report to work during the day, it said.
Meanwhile, out of the 32,787 clinics in the country, 8.9 percent, or 2,926, were closed, it said. The figure is less than the 33 percent participation rate by practitioners tallied in the first walkout earlier this month and down by around 600 from the previous day.
S. Korea's doctors on nationwide strike despite uptick in COVID-19 cases Youtube https://youtu.be/ZNWfUAy2mCc
The justice ministry also reiterated that those who do not follow the government's order will face legal consequences. Doctors who are sentenced to a prison term are at risk of their medical license being revoked.
Choi Dae-zip, president of the Korean Medical Association, called the government's reporting of doctors to police "harsh oppression" in a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
"The action by the health ministry will only provoke doctors' anger and aggravate the situation," he said, warning of a continued strike indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the government said the national exam that tests medical students' clinical skills, slated to take place from Sept. 1 until Oct. 27, will proceed as scheduled, although 2,823 out of 3,172 medical students boycotted the test in protest.
Concerns are looming over service disruptions at major general hospitals, as trainee doctors have vowed to continue their collective actions indefinitely.
The walkout has forced major general hospitals in the greater Seoul area to reduce working hours, delay some scheduled surgeries and cancel appointments, routine checkups and tests.
Internal medicine at Seoul National University, one of the country's major general hospitals, said clinic hours will be shortened starting next week in a move to lessen the work of professor-level doctors.
Other medical workers, including nurses, have complained of their overloaded schedule, pleading that the government and the medical circle both find a breakthrough.
The walkout by practitioners at neighborhood clinics also caused some discomfort, but no major disruptions were reported due to the relatively low number of striking doctors.
Those who do not follow the government order without probable cause could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school, as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Professors of the Seoul National University Hospital released a joint statement later in the day that filing complaints against doctors will further paralyze the country's medical system.
"We need to prevent creating a serious vacuum in the country's medical system by driving young doctors into a corner," they said.
Medical professors of Korea University also expressed support for the strike, hinting they are willing to take group action as well.
Kim Hyun-sook (L), head of the health ministry's medical resources policy department, enters the Seoul Metropolitan Agency on Aug. 28, 2020, to submit a complaint against trainee doctors who were refusing to return to work. Tens of thousands of doctors went on a three-day strike nationwide on Aug. 26 in protest of the government's medical workforce reform. The walkout, the second of its kind, was organized by the association, which has some 130,000 members. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Cheong Wa Dae expresses regret at Abe's resignation, hope for quick health recovery

The statement came shortly after Abe made public a plan to step down for health reasons .
He has been @ @ @ @ @ ulcerative colitis , which led him to quit the job in 2007 , just one @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's presidential office on Friday expressed its regret at the news of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to resign and wished him a speedy health recovery.
"We regret the sudden resignation announcement by Prime Minister Abe, who has long played many roles for the development of South Korea-Japan relations," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement.
It noted that Abe has left "various meaningful accomplishments" as Japan's longest-serving prime minister.
The South Korean government will continue cooperation with the new Japanese prime minister to promote friendly bilateral ties, he added.
The statement came shortly after Abe made public a plan to step down for health reasons. He has been suffering from a recurrence of ulcerative colitis, which led him to quit the job in 2007, just one year into his first term.
Under Abe's second tenure, relations between Seoul and Tokyo have been at a low ebb over the issues of Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women and forced labor during World War II. Korea was under its colonization from 1910-45.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok speaks at a press briefing, in this file photo. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(2nd LD) (profile) Defense chief nominee seen as field ops expert, fit for OPCON transfer drive

The current Moon Jae-in government has sought to retake operational control of its troops from the U.S. within his term @ @ @ @ @ , though it is not time-based but conditions-based .
The two countries have been working @ @ @ @ @ on course to meet the conditions for the transition .

(ATTN: ADDS nominee's comments in last 3 paras)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister nominee Suh Wook, the current Army chief of staff, is seen as an expert in field military operations and fit to lead South Korea's envisioned retaking of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States.
After a parliamentary hearing process, the 57-year-old general will replace Jeong Kyeong-doo as defense minister. Jeong is leaving after two years on the job. He was the first defense minister hailing from the Air Force in nearly three decades.
Suh was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1985 after graduating from the Korea Military Academy, and has served in various prominent posts in the Army and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Suh has led the Army since April 2019.
"He has ample experiences in field maneuvers and military operations, and has expertise in joint and combined operations," Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok said. "We expect him to contribute to maintaining a strong readiness posture based on experiences and insight through his service for more than 30 years."
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook speaks during a parliamentary meeting in Seoul on July 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Army general is also seen well suited to push for the envisioned OPCON transfer of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul based upon his career at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command between 2011 and 2014.
The current Moon Jae-in government has sought to retake operational control of its troops from the U.S. within his term which ends in May 2022, though it is not time-based but conditions-based. The two countries have been working to verify if Seoul is on course to meet the conditions for the transition.
"He is the right person to push for the OPCON transfer based upon the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance and defense reform without a hitch to build a strong military," Kang added.
President Moon appears to be seeking stability over drastic changes and reforms in his final years in office while trying to "balance" among all armed forces by choosing the figure from the Army, according to experts.
If approved, he will be the first defense minister with an Army background under the Moon administration. Jeong's predecessor and Moon's first defense minister, Song Young-moo, was a retired Navy admiral.
Suh is also known to have a good understanding of Moon's governing philosophy and knowledge of the inter-Korean military relationship.
During his service at the JCS' chief directorate of operations, he was engaged in the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement signed on Sept. 19, 2018, which calls for halting all hostile acts against each other and pushing for trust-building measures, officials said.
"It is my honor to be nominated. I also feel heavy responsibility," Suh said. "I will do my best to achieve strong national security and to build a strong and proud military for the people by embracing together armed forces of all branches and officers."
Asked about his plan regarding the OPCON transfer push, the nominee said he "will strive to meet the required conditions."
The right conditions are South Korea's capabilities to lead the allies' combined defense mechanism, its capacity for initial responses to the North's nuclear and missile threats, and a stable security environment on the peninsula and in the region.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (C) speaks during a meeting of military commanders in Seoul on June 19, 2019, which was attended by Army Chief of Staff (R) Gen. Suh Wook and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Park Han-ki. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(News Focus) Abe's planned exit raises expectations for shift in frayed Seoul-Tokyo ties

Capping weeks of burgeoning rumors on his health and path forward as premier , Abe announced his intent to bow @ @ @ @ @ watched here for its implications on the relations between the two countries still haunted by @ @ @ @ @ 's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula .

By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's envisioned departure from office due to a chronic illness is raising expectations for a shift for the better in relations between Seoul and Tokyo, long strained over wartime history and trade.
Capping weeks of burgeoning rumors on his health and path forward as premier, Abe announced his intent to bow out -- a move closely watched here for its implications on the relations between the two countries still haunted by mutual animosity stemming from Tokyo's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
"I have decided to step aside from my post," the country's longest-serving premier told a press conference, adding he will stay in office until a successor is picked.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference at his residence in Tokyo on Aug. 28, 2020, in this photo released by Kyodo News. (Yonhap)
Marked by historical revisionism and a push for heavier armament that evoked bitter memories of Japan's past militarism, Abe's second term since 2012 has seen a grab bag of unfortunate events with Korea, many linked to the two countries' historical and territorial spats.
But the planned exit of the hawkish premier could give much-needed room for Seoul and Tokyo to explore realistic ways to mend fences and look to the future to jointly confront such shared challenges as North Korea's military threat, analysts said.
"Abe's departure could set the mood or generate a momentum for a turnaround in relations between Korea and Japan, given that he was one of Japan's post-war representative, revisionist, right-wing politicians," said Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics, at Handong Global University.
"South Korea might need to make the best use of the transitional period in Japanese politics to get bilateral relations back on track," he added.
Relations between the two countries have been on a downward trajectory since Japan imposed stricter export restrictions in July last year in retaliation for the 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate victims of wartime forced labor.
Tokyo went further by removing South Korea from its "white list" of favored trade partners in the following month, triggering a similar step from South Korea in a tit-for-tat move.
Seoul hit back with a plan to end its military intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo, though it suspended the plan months later due to opposition from the United States, which sees the pact as a crucial platform to promote its trilateral security cooperation with its two Asian allies.
Tensions have continued to heighten as the long-simmering issues of Japan's wartime sexual slavery and forced labor have continued to flare up, with the conservative Japanese government refusing to fully accede to victims' calls for sincere contrition and compensation.
A 2015 deal between Seoul and Tokyo to address the conundrum surrounding former sex slaves, euphemistically called "comfort women," raised the prospect of an end to the wartime humanitarian issue. But its enforcement fell apart amid criticism that the deal was reached without full consent from the victims.
During Abe's stint, the forced labor issue was also brought to the fore following the 2018 court ruling. But Korea and Japan have failed to compromise, with Tokyo insisting that all colonial-era reparation issues were settled under a 1965 treaty that normalized bilateral ties.
In December 2018, historical animus appeared to be spilling over into the security domain, as a Japanese maritime aircraft conducted a menacing flyby close to a South Korean warship, claiming that the vessel locked its fire control radar on the plane.
To restore ties with Japan, President Moon Jae-in has reiterated Seoul's two-track approach of separating the cooperation agenda from historical issues, calling for a resolution of thorny issues through dialogue. But such calls seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
"Abe has done politics in a unique way, taking the lead in pushing for policy initiatives and seldom wavering by factional pressures," Nam Chang-hee, a professor of international politics at Inha University, said.
"But the power dynamics of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party is still at work, and the right-wing group, Japan Conference, still exercises influence, meaning Abe's successor, whoever that may be, would find it difficult to make an abrupt policy shift," he added.
As for Abe's successor, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister, and others have been mentioned.
Suga, a close aide to Abe, could favor policy stability if elected, while Ishiba is a less likely candidate given his weak foothold within the ruling party, observers said.
A change in Japan's policy toward South Korea can lead to a thaw in bilateral ties only when Seoul is ready to embrace it, experts said, calling for the Moon administration to pay more policy attention to improving the relationship.
"Even though a diplomatic opportunity arises from the departure of Abe, there is no guarantee that the Seoul government is ready to grab it in a more flexible manner," said Chun In-young, a professor emeritus at Seoul National University.
"Seoul has so far focused mostly on relations with Pyongyang and Beijing, a reason why I am cautious to be optimistic that relations with Japan will improve soon," he added.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(URGENT) Cheong Wa Dae says it's sorry for Abe's sudden announcement to resign, expresses hope for h

(URGENT) Cheong Wa Dae says it's sorry for Abe's sudden announcement to resign, expresses hope for his quick health recovery


yna--2020-08-28--(LEAD) Moon visits public hospital, checks sickbed shortage concern amid coronavirus spread

As it takes some time for the effect of the current Level Two restrictions to spring up , raising the @ @ @ @ @ a matter to be `` reviewed and judged with prudence , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ the toughest regulations would `` suspend our daily routines '' and that jobs would be @ @ @ @ @ we will have to endure a truly enormous economic blow . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with Moon's remarks on social distancing rules in paras 8-9)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in made an on-site inspection of a public hospital in Seoul on Friday to check its preparedness to accommodate the fast growing number of COVID-19 patients.
His visit to the National Medical Center came amid concerns that hospitals especially in Seoul and nearby areas might be running out of sickbeds.
Speaking to hospital officials, Moon asked if they have a plan to deal with a surge in infections, which are occurring faster than full recoveries theses days. He expressed worries, in particular, about a possible lack of sickbeds for patients with serious symptoms or chronic diseases.
President Moon Jae-in (R) talks with officials at the National Medical Center in Seoul over concerns about a possible shortage of sickbeds for COVID-19 patients on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Joo Young-soo, chief of the hospital's planning and policy, said it is responding to the problem in close cooperation with other hospitals in the greater capital area.
Lee Chang-joon, a health official in attendance at the session, pointed out that currently a shortage of doctors and other medical staff to treat critically ill patients is a bigger problem than that of hospital beds.
Many full-time and trainee doctors nationwide have been staging a general strike in protest against the government's medical sector reform drive.
Moon did not mention the matter during his hourlong visit to the hospital.
On the issue of further strengthening the government's social distancing guidelines for the public, Moon reaffirmed his prudent stance.
As it takes some time for the effect of the current Level Two restrictions to spring up, raising the stage to the highest is a matter to be "reviewed and judged with prudence," he said. Moon earlier publicly warned that the toughest regulations would "suspend our daily routines" and that jobs would be lost, adding that "we will have to endure a truly enormous economic blow."
Around 75 percent of sickbeds for COVID-19 patients are occupied in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon as of Friday, according to authorities.
But only 19 beds remain available for the treatment of seriously ill coronavirus patients, they said.
President Moon Jae-in (R) visits the National Medical Center in Seoul to inspect its capability to accommodate a growing number of coronavirus patients on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Seoul church vows to take legal action against President Moon for 'disease control failure'

`` Our church has been stigmatized as an offender due to comments by President Moon .
So our congregation is @ @ @ @ @ as well as the virus infection , '' a group representing the church members and @ @ @ @ @ said in a press conference in downtown Seoul .
`` We can not help taking @ @ @ @ @ instead of the government . ''

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul church at the center of the recent spike in coronavirus outbreaks said Friday that it will take legal action against President Moon Jae-in for allegedly exposing the church's congregants to the virus as a result of his government's "failure" to control the disease.
Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul has emerged as a hotbed of the resurgence in COVID-19 infections in South Korea, with about 980 cases linked to the organization so far.
At the same time, about 300 confirmed patients have been traced to an anti-government rally held on Aug. 15 in central Seoul. Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon of the church was also among those who tested positive after participating in the rally.
"Our church has been stigmatized as an offender due to comments by President Moon. So our congregation is suffering from mental distress, as well as the virus infection," a group representing the church members and others who attended the rally said in a press conference in downtown Seoul. "We cannot help taking legal action against Moon, instead of the government."
They said they will file a group suit and demand compensation from Moon.
Representatives of Sarang Jeil Church hold a press conference in downtown Seoul on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Their statement came after the president strongly criticized the church for hampering the government's fight against the coronavirus during a meeting with Protestant leaders on Thursday.
He said a "specific church is rejecting and obstructing the government's coronavirus-related guidelines," without mentioning the name of the church but apparently referring to Sarang Jeil Church.
The group claimed those who tested positive after attending the rally are just victims of the government's failure to stem the spread of the virus.
"The participation in the Aug. 15 demonstration is the result of individual congregants' choice, and the government has no rights to force (a ban)."
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Samsung Foundation of Culture names former PM as new chief

Kim Hwang-sik , who served as South Korea 's prime minister between 2010 and 2013 , will succeed Samsung Electronics @ @ @ @ @ head of Samsung Foundation of Culture .
He will serve a four-year term .

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Foundation of Culture, a cultural foundation run by South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group, on Friday named a former prime minister as its new chief.
Kim Hwang-sik, who served as South Korea's prime minister between 2010 and 2013, will succeed Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong as head of Samsung Foundation of Culture. He will serve a four-year term.
With the latest appointment, Kim will now lead two Samsung foundations. He has been head of Ho-Am Foundation since December 2018.
Lee, Samsung Group's de facto leader, reportedly decided not to seek another term at Samsung Foundation of Culture.
Samsung Foundation of Culture was established in 1965 by Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull. It currently operates South Korea's leading art museums, Leeum and Ho-Am.
Samsung Group runs four foundations for social, cultural and welfare projects.
Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation, which runs hospitals and child education programs, is currently headed by Lee Jae-yong. Samsung Welfare Foundation is led by Lee's sister Lee Seo-hyun.
This file photo shows former South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik. Samsung Foundation of Culture said on Aug. 28, 2020, that Kim has been nominated as its new chief. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(2nd LD) Doctors' strike enters last day despite widened return-to-work order

(ATTN: COMBINES with a story slugged doctors strike-executive order; UPDATES with more info throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Doctors entered the last day of their three-day nationwide strike Friday in protest of the government's medical reform scheme despite a widened return-to-work order.
Tens of thousands of practitioners have joined interns and resident doctors at general hospitals for the walkout, raising their voice against the government's move to increase the number of medical students.
Earlier in the day, the government ordered not only trainee doctors in the wider Seoul area but all across the country to return to their work, warning of possible prison terms as it would cause major difficulties when the country is faced with spiking novel coronavirus cases.
This photo, taken Aug. 27, 2020, shows Severance Hospital, a major general hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The strike is the second of its kind and organized by the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which has some 130,000 members.
The widened order came after the government earlier ordered striking junior doctors at 95 trainee hospitals in the Seoul area to return to work.
The government also reported to police 10 doctors for violating the order issued earlier this week in the Seoul region, making good on its repeated warnings of strong legal action against those who failed to come back to hospitals.
On Wednesday, the government ordered striking trainee doctors and fellows working at training hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon to return to work amid the rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in the capital area.
Those who do not follow the government order without an adequate reason could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
In a joint briefing held at the government complex in Seoul by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency, Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said the extension and seeking of legal action were "inevitable" to "safeguard people's lives and safety," as the resurgence of the coronavirus was posing a great threat to public safety and the doctors' walkout added more trouble to already strained hospitals around the country.
However, the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing the trainee doctors, as well as fellow doctors, at major general hospitals has said it will continue its indefinite walkout as planned.
KIRA has made clear on numerous occasions that its members will not return to work unless the government reconsiders its plans, and a number of trainee doctors have submitted letters of resignation.
The government said the number of trainee doctors that have walked out stood at 6,070, or 68.8 percent, of the 8,825 interns and residents in the country as of late Thursday,
Among fellow doctors, 28.1 percent, or 549, of 1,954 physicians did not report to work during the day, it said.
Meanwhile, out of the 32,787 clinics in the country, 8.9 percent, or 2,926, were closed, it said. The figure is less than the 33 percent participation rate by practitioners tallied in the first walkout earlier this month and down by around 600 from the previous day.
S. Korea's doctors on nationwide strike despite uptick in COVID-19 cases Youtube https://youtu.be/ZNWfUAy2mCc
The justice ministry also reiterated that those who do not follow the government's order will face legal consequences. Doctors who are sentenced to a prison term are at risk of their medical license being revoked.
Choi Dae-zip, president of the Korean Medical Association, called the government's reporting of doctors to police "harsh oppression" in a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
"The action by the health ministry will only provoke doctors' anger and aggravate the situation," he said, warning of a continued strike indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the government said the national exam that tests medical students' clinical skills, slated to take place from Sept. 1 until Oct. 27, will proceed as scheduled, although 2,823 out of 3,172 medical students boycotted the test in protest.
Concerns are looming over service disruptions at major general hospitals, as trainee doctors have vowed to continue their collective actions indefinitely.
The walkout has forced major general hospitals in the greater Seoul area to reduce working hours, delay some scheduled surgeries and cancel appointments, routine checkups and tests.
Internal medicine at Seoul National University, one of the country's major general hospitals, said clinic hours will be shortened starting next week in a move to lessen the work of professor-level doctors.
Other medical workers, including nurses, have complained of their overloaded schedule, pleading that the government and the medical circle both find a breakthrough.
The walkout by practitioners at neighborhood clinics also caused some discomfort, but no major disruptions were reported due to the relatively low number of striking doctors.
Those who do not follow the government order without probable cause could have their licenses revoked and even face imprisonment of less than three years or a fine of less than 30 million won (US$25,000).
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school, as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Kim Hyun-sook (L), head of the health ministry's medical resources policy department, enters the Seoul Metropolitan Agency on Aug. 28, 2020, to submit a complaint against trainee doctors who were refusing to return to work. Tens of thousands of doctors went on a three-day strike nationwide on Aug. 26 in protest of the government's medical workforce reform. The walkout, the second of its kind, was organized by the association, which has some 130,000 members. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The site selection has been delayed so far as the rival candidate counties of Uiseong and Gunwi , some 330 @ @ @ @ @ have been unable to reach a compromise , with Gunwi insisting on hosting the envisioned @ @ @ @ @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
----------------
(2nd LD) Seoul reports at least 146 new infections, extends ban on rallies of 10 or more
SEOUL -- New virus cases in South Korea's capital reached 146, data showed on Friday, slightly falling from the previous day's record high but still remaining in triple digits due to cluster infections.
With the latest figures, the city's COVID-19 caseload totaled 3,532 as of midnight, according to the data by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the city government.
----------------
(LEAD) Nationwide second wave of infections feared as more cases reported in provinces
SEOUL -- New coronavirus cases in South Korea are spreading fast to provinces, raising concerns over a possible nationwide second wave of infections.
Of 359 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported here Friday, 75, or 21 percent, were from regions other than the greater Seoul area, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
----------------
Moon visits public hospital, checks sickbed shortage concern amid coronavirus spread
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in made an on-site inspection of a public hospital in Seoul on Friday to check its preparedness to accommodate the fast growing number of COVID-19 patients.
His visit to the National Medical Center came amid concerns that hospitals especially in Seoul and nearby areas might be running out of sickbeds.
----------------
Two southeastern counties of Uiseong, Gunwi to co-host new military airport
SEOUL -- The defense ministry on Friday officially named two southeastern counties as the site for a new military airport, four years after the government decided to relocate the military airport in the southeastern city of Daegu.
The site selection has been delayed so far as the rival candidate counties of Uiseong and Gunwi, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, have been unable to reach a compromise, with Gunwi insisting on hosting the envisioned airport on its own.
----------------
(LEAD) Army chief Gen. Suh Wook tapped as defense minister: Cheong Wa Dae
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in has nominated Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook as new defense minister, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.
If appointed after a National Assembly confirmation hearing, Suh would replace Jeong Kyeong-doo. If so, he would become the first defense chief with an Army background under the Moon administration.
----------------
Seoul stocks finish higher on U.S. Fed's dovish signal
SEOUL -- South Korean shares closed higher Friday on the U.S. Fed Reserve's dovish gesture, but gains were trimmed due to the heightened social distancing level in the greater Seoul area. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.35 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 2,353.8. Trading volume was high at about 1.3 billion shares worth some 15.3 trillion won (US$12.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 583 to 253.
----------------
(3rd LD) New virus cases drop below 400, enhanced antivirus curbs to take place in greater Seoul area
SEOUL -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea dropped to below 400 on Friday, but health authorities decided to enforce tougher social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area for one more week with enhanced guidelines to further stem another nationwide wave of infections.
The country reported 371 new COVID-19 cases, including 359 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,077, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
----------------
S. Korea to sell 3 tln won worth of Treasury bills in September
SEJONG -- South Korea plans to sell 3 trillion won (US$2.5 billion) worth of Treasury bills next month to support its expansionary fiscal policy, the finance ministry said Friday.
The bills, which have a maturity of 63 days, will be sold in three separate auctions throughout September, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(2nd LD) Army chief Gen. Suh Wook tapped as defense minister: Cheong Wa Dae

Born in Gwangju , 270 kilometers south of Seoul , in 1963 , Suh graduated from Korea Military Academy in @ @ @ @ @ the South Korea-U.S .
Combined Forces Command from 2011 to 2014 .
He then served @ @ @ @ @ First Corps and chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with Cabinet reshuffle speculation in last 3 paras; ADDS byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in has nominated Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook as new defense minister, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.
If appointed after a National Assembly confirmation hearing, Suh would replace Jeong Kyeong-doo. If so, he would become the first defense chief with an Army background under the Moon administration.
Moon's first defense minister was a retired Navy admiral, Song Young-moo, and Jeong is a former fighter pilot who served as Air Force chief.
Cheong Wa Dae cited Suh's adequate experience in both field maneuvers and military operation as well as his expertise on the combined operations of South Korea and the United States, which are longtime allies.
On the basis of more than 30 years of experience in the military, Suh is expected to contribute to maintaining a firm defense posture, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said.
He is also the right figure to make the military strong and trusted by the people by pushing for such core policy tasks as the transfer of wartime operational control from the U.S. and defense reform, Kang added.
Born in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, in 1963, Suh graduated from Korea Military Academy in 1985. He served at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command from 2011 to 2014. He then served as commanding general of the First Corps and chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
This file photo shows Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook, who was nominated as the new defense minister on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon had been widely expected to carry out a Cabinet shake-up this month to affect at least two ministers, having already replaced several of his senior secretaries recently.
The pick of only one new minister nominee, called by media here a "one-point Cabinet reshuffle," came presumably in consideration of the government's all-out fight against the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in South Korea.
For instance, the president is unlikely to change his health minister at least until the coronavirus situation is brought under control, observers said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--(LEAD) (profile) Defense chief nominee seen as field ops expert, fit for OPCON transfer drive

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 4 paras)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister nominee Suh Wook, the current Army chief of staff, is seen as an expert in field military operations and fit to lead South Korea's envisioned retaking of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States.
After a parliamentary hearing process, the 57-year-old general will replace Jeong Kyeong-doo as defense minister. Jeong is leaving after two years on the job. He was the first defense minister hailing from the Air Force in nearly three decades.
Suh was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1985 after graduating from the Korea Military Academy, and has served in various prominent posts in the Army and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Suh has led the Army since April 2019.
"He has ample experiences in field maneuvers and military operations, and has expertise in joint and combined operations," Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok said. "We expect him to contribute to maintaining a strong readiness posture based on experiences and insight through his service for more than 30 years."
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook speaks during a parliamentary meeting in Seoul on July 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Army general is also seen well suited to push for the envisioned OPCON transfer of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul based upon his career at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command between 2011 and 2014.
The current Moon Jae-in government has sought to retake operational control of its troops from the U.S. within his term which ends in May 2022, though it is not time-based but conditions-based. The two countries have been working to verify if Seoul is on course to meet the conditions for the transition.
"He is the right person to push for the OPCON transfer based upon the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance and defense reform without a hitch to build a strong military," Kang added.
President Moon appears to be seeking stability over drastic changes and reforms in his final years in office while trying to "balance" among all armed forces by choosing the figure from the Army, according to experts.
If approved, he will be the first defense minister with an Army background under the Moon administration. Jeong's predecessor and Moon's first defense minister, Song Young-moo, was a retired Navy admiral.
Suh is also known to have a good understanding of Moon's governing philosophy and knowledge of the inter-Korean military relationship.
During his service at the JCS' chief directorate of operations, he was engaged in the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement signed on Sept. 19, 2018, which calls for halting all hostile acts against each other and pushing for trust-building measures, officials said.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (C) speaks during a meeting of military commanders in Seoul on June 19, 2019, which was attended by Army Chief of Staff (R) Gen. Suh Wook and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Park Han-ki. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Ruling party to take preemptive quarantine measures for nat'l convention

The capital area has been put under Level Two social distancing guidelines since Aug. 19 , which ban indoor gatherings @ @ @ @ @ and outdoor events of 100 or more people .
Level Three calls for restricting all @ @ @ @ @ social and economic purposes , and gatherings of 10 or more people are not permitted @

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party said Friday it will hold its national convention, slated for Saturday to elect its new leader, under strict quarantine guidelines mandated by the Level Three social distancing rules, the toughest in a three-tier system.
Only the most essential personnel will be on hand at the venue of the convention, a studio on the second floor of the party headquarters building in Seoul's Yeouido while candidates for the party's chairperson and Supreme Council members will stand by in separate rooms.
Democratic Party lawmakers hold a news conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Aug. 14, 2020, to announce preparations for its national convention. (Yonhap)
In the case of reporters and media workers, only some 10 people will be allowed to cover the event on the scene.
The capital area has been put under Level Two social distancing guidelines since Aug. 19, which ban indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor events of 100 or more people. Level Three calls for restricting all outdoor activities except for essential social and economic purposes, and gatherings of 10 or more people are not permitted.
The government on Friday announced its decision to retain its Level Two social distancing requirements in Seoul and the surrounding areas for another week despite the recent surge in COVID-19 transmissions.
Aware of the seriousness of the situation, the ruling party said it will preemptively apply Level Three rules to its national convention.
For instance, the candidates will immediately leave the convention venue after briefly taking part in the convention according to the pre-arranged schedule, it said.
Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the front-runner in the ruling party's leadership race, will pre-record his speech, as he cannot take part in the convention due to self-quarantine imposed earlier this month for being possibly exposed to the virus at a radio station.
Several party leaders, including outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon, have been under self-quarantine since coming into contact with a photojournalist who tested positive earlier this week. The party officials all tested negative for the virus on Thursday night.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-28--Church-related coronavirus cases near 1,500 this month

South Korea had brought the virus spread under control until early August , but more than 4,000 new cases have @ @ @ @ @ two weeks , mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government @ @ @ @ @ Liberation Day on Aug. 15 .

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- Churches have again emerged as a hotbed of South Korea's coronavirus outbreaks, with nearly 1,500 new infections related to religious facilities reported this month alone, officials said Friday.
As of noon, 1,460 COVID-19 cases were reported from 12 churches across the country, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
South Korea had brought the virus spread under control until early August, but more than 4,000 new cases have been identified in the past two weeks, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government march in the capital on Liberation Day on Aug. 15.
Cluster infections at churches were mainly due to members' failure to properly wear face masks during in-person worship services, according to officials.
To prevent the further spread of the virus, the government earlier banned religious facilities from holding face-to-face services.
"Infections stemming from churches are fast spreading to local communities," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said during a regular press briefing, urging the religious community to abide by the authorities' social distancing guidelines.
Adding to concerns is the high proportion of elderly patients among the confirmed cases. Of the 1,460 patients, 539, or 36.2 percent, were aged 60 or older, with 24 in critical conditions.
On Thursday, President Moon Jae-in held a meeting with leaders of the nation's Protestant community and asked for their support in the government's fight against the virus.
South Korea reported 371 new virus cases Friday, raising the nation's total caseload to 19,077.
Representative members of the United Christian Churches of Korea hold a meeting on COVID-19 in Seoul on Aug. 19, 2020, as the virus rages again in the country, especially centering on churches in recent days. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Russian warplanes violate S. Korea's air defense zone again

A country declares an air defense identification zone for the early identification of foreign military aircraft approaching its airspace .
@ @ @ @ @ part of its airspace , a foreign warplane should make a prior notification before approaching @ @ @ @ @ customs .
( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean officials said Saturday two Russian military planes briefly violated the country's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) the previous day for the second time in 10 days.
The planes, presumed to be Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft, entered the zone over the East Sea off Uljin, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday afternoon without prior notice, the military officials said.
They stayed about 30 minutes before exiting toward Japan's air defense identification zone.
The Air Force responded with warnings and maneuvers to drive them out, they said.
The aircraft did not intrude into the nation's territorial airspace, according to the officials.
The incursion occurred on the last day of a South Korea-U.S. summertime combined military exercise. The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training began Aug. 18.
On Aug. 19, six Russian military aircraft, including two Tu-95MS strategic bombers, violated the KADIZ in the East Sea for about 20 minutes, prompting the Air Force to scramble fighter jets to turn them back.
Russia's Il-38 maritime patrol plane is seen in this photo captured from the website of Japan's Chief of Staff, Joint Staff office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A country declares an air defense identification zone for the early identification of foreign military aircraft approaching its airspace. Though the zone is not part of its airspace, a foreign warplane should make a prior notification before approaching it in line with international customs.
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin settles for no-decision vs. Orioles

Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took a bad route to the hit and had to make a sliding stop to @ @ @ @ @ past him .
He then made a poor throw back to no-man 's land in @ @ @ @ @ getting up .
Ryu alertly picked up the ball and threw it to second to @ @ @ @ @ runner got in safely with a deft swimming slide motion .

(ATTN: UPDATES with final score in paras 4, 24)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug 29 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin has taken a no-decision for his second straight outing.
The South Korean left-hander gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Friday (local time). He was done after six innings with the score tied at 2-2, and the Blue Jays scored the go-ahead run in the bottom sixth to put Ryu in line for a win.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The bullpen, which entered the game with the fourth-lowest ERA in Major League Baseball (MLB) with 3.29, lost that lead in the top of the eighth, with Jordan Romano serving up a game-tying, solo home run to Renato Nunez.
The Blue Jays walked off on the Orioles 5-4 with a two-run home run by Randal Grichuk in the bottom 10th. The Orioles had scored a run in the top of the 10th to go up 4-3, but with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Grichuk delivered the knockout punch with a blast over the center field wall off Cole Sulser.
Ryu struck out seven and walked a batter -- his first free pass issued in three starts. Ryu remained at 2-1 but lowered his ERA from 3.19 to 3.16.
In five August starts, Ryu has given up just five runs in 28 innings for a 1.61 ERA, with 31 strikeouts against six walks.
Ryu was starting on an extra day's rest, after the Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox on Thursday decided not to play their game at Sahlen Field in protest against a recent police shooting of a black man in Wisconsin.
Ryu gave up at least a hit in every inning he pitched against the Orioles and managed to avoid trouble until the infield defense behind him cracked in the sixth inning.
Ryu gave up a leadoff bunt single to Hanser Alberto in the first and dodged a bullet when center fielder Randal Grichuk made a spectacular diving catch on a deep fly by Anthony Santander. Ryu finished the inning on a double play ball by Jose Iglesias.
The left-hander struck out the first two batters of the second, and a two-out single by Ryan Mountcastle didn't amount to anything.
It was much the same story in the third, with Ryu striking out the first two batters and giving up a hit, before leaving the inning unscathed.
Iglesias led off the fourth inning with a single but was stranded there, as Ryu induced two flyouts and a groundout against the next three batters.
The Blue Jays spotted Ryu a 2-0 lead in the bottom fourth, thanks to back-to-back solo home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez off Baltimore starter John Means.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Pat Valaika tried to start a rally for the Orioles with a single to open the top of the fifth, but he was erased on a 6-4-3 double play ball by Andrew Velazquez. Cedric Mullins went down swinging for the final out of the inning.
Despite consistent traffic on the base paths, Ryu didn't really have a high-stress situation through the first five innings. He needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in the fourth and nine more in the fifth.
But then Ryu pitched himself into trouble in the sixth. Alberto led off with his third hit of the game against Ryu -- also the Orioles' fourth leadoff single of an inning -- and two batters later, Iglesias singled to left.
Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took a bad route to the hit and had to make a sliding stop to keep the ball from rolling past him. He then made a poor throw back to no-man's land in the infield as he was getting up. Ryu alertly picked up the ball and threw it to second to nab Iglesias, but the runner got in safely with a deft swimming slide motion.
Ryu walked Renato Nunez to load the bases but got Pedro Severino to fan on a curveball in the dirt for the second out.
Ryu then worked the count to 2-2 against Mountcastle. One strike away from escaping the jam without any damage, Ryu induced a groundball to third baseman Travis Shaw for what should have been an inning-ending play.
Shaw instead bounced a throw to first baseman Guerrero Jr., who was unable to pick it up and allowed two runners to score for a 2-2 tie.
Ryu, who rarely shows emotions during games, looked visibly frustrated with the play. It was initially scored as an error but was changed to an infield single. Ryu regrouped and struck out Valaika to end the inning.
The Blue Jays came through for Ryu in the bottom sixth, as Guerrero Jr., who led off the frame with a double, came around to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by reliever Tanner Scott.
The Blue Jays turned to the bullpen to start the seventh. Thomas Hatch worked a scoreless seventh, but Romano, who had allowed one earned run all season in his previous 14 innings, gave up a towering solo shot to Nunez with two outs in the eighth that made it a 3-3 game.
Romano left the game later in the inning with an apparent finger injury, but the rest of the Jays' bullpen managed to keep it tied and take the game to the extra innings. The O's went ahead in the 10th on Alberto's single, only to see it go for naught as Grichuk played the walk-off hero.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) New virus cases in S. Korea remain in 300s for 2nd day

To stem the virus spread , health authorities first applied the second highest out of a three-tier social distancing system @ @ @ @ @ for two weeks starting Aug. 16 .
The western port city of Incheon was put @ @ @ @ @ later before the government expanded the scheme nationwide last Sunday .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS photo; UPDATES with more info and health minister's remarks throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea remained in the 300s on Saturday for the second straight day, but sporadic cluster infections linked to churches and a rally in the greater Seoul area are still putting the country's virus fight at risk.
The country reported 323 new COVID-19 cases, including 308 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,400, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Saturday's daily tally marks a drop from the previous day when the country's new virus cases came to 371 and a sharp drop from 441 on Thursday. Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks.
Since Aug. 14, a combined 4,630 cases have been reported in South Korea, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and the Aug. 15 Liberation Day rally in central Seoul.
Tables and chairs are moved to a corner of a large cafe in downtown Seoul in preparation for the government's heightened social distancing rules that go into effect on Aug. 30, 2020. Authorities said for the next week, franchise cafes will only be allowed to offer takeout to patrons. South Korea has been trying to stem a spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. (Yonhap)
Of the 308 locally transmitted cases, 244 were identified in the capital area, home to half of the country's 51 million population. Seoul added 124 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 100 and 20 cases, respectively, it said.
Other major cities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding 14 cases and the southeastern port city of Busan confirming five more cases, the KCDC said.
As of Friday, Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections -- reported 978 COVID-19 cases. The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 25 locations, with 66 cases reported in nine different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
At least 294 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, with 116 cases identified in 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area, as of Friday.
The number of cases traced to a door-to-door business establishment in Seoul jumped to 66, with 49 of them detected in South Jeolla Province as of Friday. In the southeastern city of Gwangju, a table tennis club reported 14 COVID-19 cases.
To stem the virus spread, health authorities first applied the second highest out of a three-tier social distancing system in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for two weeks starting Aug. 16. The western port city of Incheon was put under the measures three days later before the government expanded the scheme nationwide last Sunday.
However, since the country's virus situation showed no signs of letting up, the government decided Friday to extend the Level 2 distancing for one more week, with tighter antivirus measures to take place from Sunday to Sept. 6 in the greater Seoul area.
Also the government said Friday that it will begin to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area.
Under the plan set to take effect Sunday, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The move is set to last until Sept. 6.
In the case of franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, a measure apparently taking into account reported cluster infections tied to coffee shops.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo speaks during a teleconference of the Central Disease Control Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2020, amid the resurgence of COVID-19 in the country. (Yonhap)
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said extending the social distancing campaign in the wider Seoul area is an inevitable choice to lessen possibly bigger socioeconomic losses.
He further asked owners of coffee chains, restaurants and other businesses to actively cooperate with the order despite frustration.
Health authorities said they are looking into options of moving to the toughest Level 3 distancing but are cautious about the plan as it could heavily undermine people's social and economic activities.
If the current restrictions are elevated to the highest level, gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned. Not only high-risk facilities, such as clubs, but also mid-risk facilities, including movie theaters, wedding halls and cafes, would be advised to suspend their operations.
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 15, with five of them detected at quarantine checkpoints at airports and harbors. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 2,797.
South Korea reported five more deaths from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 321.
The country's virus fatality rate currently stands at 1.65 percent, the KCDC said.
Health authorities said the number of daily deaths has spiked from an average of between none and two, mainly because of an increase of elderly COVID-19 patients in critical condition.
They further said the country could possibly see more deaths from the virus as the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 64, up six from a day earlier.
The number is sharply up from 10 recorded on Aug. 19, according to the KCDC.
The total number of people released from isolation after making full recoveries stood at 14,765, up 214 from the previous day.
A street lined with restaurants is nearly empty during lunchtime in Seoul's Seodaemun Ward on Aug. 28, 2020, as many people tend to eat lunch while avoiding close contact with other people amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin settles for no-decision vs. Orioles

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug 29 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin has taken a no-decision for his second straight outing.
The South Korean left-hander gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Friday (local time). He was done after six innings with the score tied at 2-2, and the Blue Jays scored the go-ahead run in the bottom sixth to put Ryu in line for a win.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The bullpen, which entered the game with the fourth-lowest ERA in Major League Baseball (MLB) with 3.29, lost that lead in the top of the eighth, with Jordan Romano serving up a game-tying, solo home run to Renato Nunez.
Ryu struck out seven and walked a batter -- his first free pass issued in three starts. Ryu remained at 2-1 but lowered his ERA from 3.19 to 3.16.
In five August starts, Ryu has given up just five runs in 28 innings for a 1.61 ERA, with 31 strikeouts against six walks.
Ryu was starting on an extra day's rest, after the Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox on Thursday decided not to play their game at Sahlen Field in protest against a recent police shooting of a black man in Wisconsin.
Ryu gave up at least a hit in every inning he pitched against the Orioles and managed to avoid trouble until the infield defense behind him cracked in the sixth inning.
Ryu gave up a leadoff bunt single to Hanser Alberto in the first and dodged a bullet when center fielder Randal Grichuk made a spectacular diving catch on a deep fly by Anthony Santander. Ryu finished the inning on a double play ball by Jose Iglesias.
The left-hander struck out the first two batters of the second, and a two-out single by Ryan Mountcastle didn't amount to anything.
It was much the same story in the third, with Ryu striking out the first two batters and giving up a hit, before leaving the inning unscathed.
Iglesias led off the fourth inning with a single but was stranded there, as Ryu induced two flyouts and a groundout against the next three batters.
The Blue Jays spotted Ryu a 2-0 lead in the bottom fourth, thanks to back-to-back solo home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez off Baltimore starter John Means.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Pat Valaika tried to start a rally for the Orioles with a single to open the top of the fifth, but he was erased on a 6-4-3 double play ball by Andrew Velazquez. Cedric Mullins went down swinging for the final out of the inning.
Despite consistent traffic on the base paths, Ryu didn't really have a high-stress situation through the first five innings. He needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in the fourth and nine more in the fifth.
But then Ryu pitched himself into trouble in the sixth. Alberto led off with his third hit of the game against Ryu -- also the Orioles' fourth leadoff single of an inning -- and two batters later, Iglesias singled to left.
Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took a bad route to the hit and had to make a sliding stop to keep the ball from rolling past him. He then made a poor throw back to no-man's land in the infield as he was getting up. Ryu alertly picked up the ball and threw it to second to nab Iglesias, but the runner got in safely with a deft swimming slide motion.
Ryu walked Renato Nunez to load the bases but got Pedro Severino to fan on a curveball in the dirt for the second out.
Ryu then worked the count to 2-2 against Mountcastle. One strike away from escaping the jam without any damage, Ryu induced a groundball to third baseman Travis Shaw for what should have been an inning-ending play.
Shaw instead bounced a throw to first baseman Guerrero Jr., who was unable to pick it up and allowed two runners to score for a 2-2 tie.
Ryu, who rarely shows emotions during games, looked visibly frustrated with the play. It was initially scored as an error but was changed to an infield single. Ryu regrouped and struck out Valaika to end the inning.
The Blue Jays came through for Ryu in the bottom sixth, as Guerrero Jr., who led off the frame with a double, came around to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by reliever Tanner Scott.
The Blue Jays turned to the bullpen to start the seventh. Thomas Hatch worked a scoreless seventh, but Romano, who had allowed one earned run all season in his previous 14 innings, gave up a towering solo shot to Nunez with two outs in the eighth that made it a 3-3 game.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--New virus cases below 400 for 2nd day, social distancing toughened in greater Seoul

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea were below 400 on Saturday for the second straight day, but sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area are still putting the country's virus fight at risk.
The country reported 323 new COVID-19 cases, including 308 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,400, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Saturday's daily tally marks a drop from the previous day when the country's new virus cases came to 371. Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks.
Since Aug. 14, a combined 4,630 cases have been reported in South Korea, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and the Aug. 15 Liberation Day rally in central Seoul.
Tables and chairs are moved to a corner of a large cafe in downtown Seoul in preparation for the government's heightened social distancing rules that go into effect on Aug. 30, 2020. Authorities said for the next week, franchise cafes will only be allowed to offer takeout to patrons. South Korea has been trying to stem a spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. (Yonhap)
Of the 308 locally transmitted cases, 244 were identified in the capital area, home to half of the country's 51 million population. Seoul added 124 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 100 and 20 cases, respectively, it said.
Other major cities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding 14 cases and the southeastern port city of Busan confirming five more cases, the KCDC said.
As of Friday, Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections -- reported 978 COVID-19 cases. The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 25 locations, with 66 cases reported in nine different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
At least 294 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, with 116 cases identified in 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area, as of Friday.
The number of cases traced to a door-to-door business establishment in Seoul jumped to 66, with 49 of them detected in South Jeolla Province as of Friday. In the southeastern city of Gwangju, a table tennis club reported 14 COVID-19 cases.
To stem the virus spread, health authorities first applied the second highest out of a three-tier social distancing system in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for two weeks starting Aug. 16. The western port city of Incheon was put under the measures three days later before the government expanded the scheme nationwide last Sunday.
However, since the country's virus situation showed no signs of letting up, the government decided Friday to extend the Level 2 distancing for one more week, with tighter antivirus measures to take place from Sunday to Sept. 6 in the greater Seoul area.
Also the government said Friday that it will begin to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area.
Under the plan set to take effect Sunday, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The move is set to last until Sept. 6.
In the case of franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, a measure apparently taking into account reported cluster infections tied to coffee shops.
Health authorities said they are looking into options of moving to the toughest Level 3 distancing but are cautious about the plan as it could heavily undermine people's social and economic activities.
If the current restrictions are elevated to the highest level, gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned. Not only high-risk facilities, such as clubs, but also mid-risk facilities, including movie theaters, wedding halls and cafes, would be advised to suspend their operations.
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 15, with five of them detected at quarantine checkpoints at airports and harbors. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 2,797.
South Korea reported five more deaths from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 321.
The total number of people released from isolation after making full recoveries stood at 14,765, up 214 from the previous day.
A street lined with restaurants is nearly empty during lunchtime in Seoul's Seodaemun Ward on Aug. 28, 2020, as many people tend to eat lunch while avoiding close contact with other people amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Stocks set for mild gains in coming week despite virus woes: analysts

Investor caution grew in the wake of the South Korean health minister 's remark on Friday that the government will @ @ @ @ @ level of social distancing to ( the highest ) Level 3 at any time '' @ @ @ @ @ not flatten .

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks are likely to log mild gains in the coming week despite rising virus concerns, analysts said Saturday, citing growing hopes for COVID-19 vaccines and the U.S. stimulus plan.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,353.8 points on Friday, up 2.14 percent from 2,304.59 a week ago.
The KOSPI gained in the first three sessions, buoyed by optimism for COVID-19 vaccine development and investor rush for bargain hunting.
The index dipped over 1 percent Thursday, as the country's new COVID-19 cases peaked at 441, spooking investors with speculations of a lockdown.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,353.80 on Aug. 28, 2020, up 9.35 points or 0.4 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Investor caution grew in the wake of the South Korean health minister's remark on Friday that the government will "prepare to raise the level of social distancing to (the highest) Level 3 at any time" if the case numbers do not flatten.
But such concerns may be partially offset by the hopes of the coronavirus vaccine development and the U.S. stimulus efforts, analysts said.
"Raising the quarantine scheme to level 3 may hurt the domestic consumption," said Kiwoom Securities analyst Kim Young-hwan.
"But on the flip side, we've seen some favorable events for gains, such as the Fed's comments on average inflation targeting, the positive reports on the COVID-19 vaccine tests and the prolonged short-selling ban," he added.
Earlier on Friday, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the Fed may continue efforts to support the pandemic-hit economy even if U.S. inflation exceeds its target level of 2 percent.
Global markets hailed his remark as a sign of a prolonged low-interest rate.
In the coming week, China's manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) will be posted on Monday.
South Korea's August import-export data and gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the April-June period are due Tuesday.
Eurozone's July retail sales and the U.S. August unemployment data are to be released Friday.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 5 additional coronavirus deaths, total at 321: KCDC

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


yna--2020-08-29--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 323 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 19,400: KCDC


yna--2020-08-29--Trump again attacks Democratic rival Biden over KORUS FTA

`` You know about the Korea deal .
Hillary Clinton 's deal , along with Biden .
They promised 250,000 @ @ @ @ @ jobs , and they were right , except all those jobs went to South Korea @ @ @ @ @ to us , '' Trump told a group of cheering supporters in Manchester , New @ @

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden on Friday over his support for a free trade pact with South Korea.
"You know about the Korea deal. Hillary Clinton's deal, along with Biden. They promised 250,000 jobs. Right? 250,000 jobs, and they were right, except all those jobs went to South Korea. They didn't come to us," Trump told a group of cheering supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire.
His remark came one day after he called the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) "horrendous" in his acceptance speech delivered at the White House, while arguing he has "reversed and made a great deal for our country."
The Korea-U.S. FTA was implemented by the former U.S. administration under Barack Obama in 2012 but was revised in 2019 at the Trump administration's request.
Under the renegotiated deal, Seoul agreed to double the number of U.S. vehicles entering its market without having to meet its local industrial regulations to 50,000 per year from 25,000.
The U.S., on the other hand, was given a 20-year extension on its right to impose 25 percent import tariffs on South Korean pickup trucks until 2041.
Many observers, however, believe the revision of the Korea-U.S. FTA may have weakened the countries' trade relations.
In 2019, the United States' exports to South Korea rose 5.1 percent from a year earlier, which marked a sharp decline from a 16 percent on-year hike the year before.
Seoul's outbound shipments to the U.S. went up 0.9 percent in 2019, also slowing from a 6 percent increase in 2018.
This Reuters photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump greeting his supporters, along with his wife, Melania, after delivering his acceptance speech at the White House on Aug. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .