yna--2020-08-29--(Yonhap Feature) Individual entrepreneurs striving to survive prolonged coronavirus crisis

It instead imposed some new restrictions , which include pick-up orders only at Starbucks and other major franchise coffee shops @ @ @ @ @ from Sunday .
Eating in at restaurants and bakeries after 9 p.m. will be banned @ @ @ @ @ the deadline .
Health authorities said further toughening the social distancing rules to Level Three @ @ @ @ @ `` final means , '' saying they will be prepared to enforce it immediately if @ @

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Like many other self-employed professionals here, Julia Mellor, an Australian specialist in traditional Korean alcoholic drinks, is striving hard to keep her business running, afflicted by COVID-19 and strict social distancing restrictions.
Mellor wouldn't just wait for the pandemic to be over. She is responding to drawn-out unpredictability by resetting her business model in order to turn the crisis into another opportunity.
An invariable asset is her can-do spirit. What also remains unchanged is her goal of helping more people around the world get familiarized with makgeolli, Korea's indigenous rice wine, and other alcoholic beverages, called "sool" in general.
"The recent rapid coronavirus spread has indeed impacted our business once again," Mellor said, with South Korea teetering on the brink of a new wave of massive nationwide transmissions.
Julia Mellor (C), an Australian living in Seoul, poses for a commemorative photo with participants in her class on makgeolli brewing at her lab in the Insadong district of the capital, in this photo provided by Mellor. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
For years, Mellor has been in the vanguard of efforts to publicize Korean sool.
Prior to the coronavirus flare-ups, she had focused on researching Korean sool brewing and offering related in-person classes for expats and travelers at her lab in the Insadong district of Seoul.
The taster program came to a halt in early spring, when South Korea suffered a large-scale coronavirus outbreak.
She reopened the group class in May coupled with an additional local brewery and gourmet restaurant tour project.
A renewed round of rapid cluster infection spread, centered in the Seoul metropolitan area this time, has derailed her scheme.
"While we just finished the first batch of students, we were set to start the second course in the first week of September -- but whether or not we will be able to do that remains unclear," she said.
Seats and tables at a Starbucks outlet in Seoul are put aside as part of social distancing measures. (Yonhap)
In late June, the government introduced the three-tier social distancing guidelines. It announced a decision Friday to formally extend the current Level Two by another week in Seoul and nearby areas.
It instead imposed some new restrictions, which include pick-up orders only at Starbucks and other major franchise coffee shops in the region, effective from Sunday. Eating in at restaurants and bakeries after 9 p.m. will be banned, with takeout available after the deadline. Health authorities said further toughening the social distancing rules to Level Three will be used as a "final means," saying they will be prepared to enforce it immediately if necessary.
Mellor, who has gone through a number of challenges living in South Korea for 14 years, is adapting to the growing uncertainty with her down-to-earth stance.
She's shifting her main business model to online education, marketing and PR activities on the country's booze in her own way to tackle the "new normal."
"We are taking a realistic, if not pessimistic, approach that further waves will likely happen and we need to be prepared for that," she said.
She's working on virtual brewing training, with a makgeolli brewing course series coming soon. She's also campaigning to support the export of Korea's alcoholic products.
The Sool Connection is at the heart of her fresh initiative.
It is designed to serve as a portal or platform on everything about Korea's traditional sool. She has a longer-term aim of establishing a related research center.
Whether successful or not, the coronavirus-caused troubles are shaping up as a turning point for her career and business. Someday, Mellor may see time-honored makgeolli brewing listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of humanity like Korea's tradition of kimjang (also spelled gimjang), which is the making and sharing of kimchi.
"Of course, any positive recognition for the tradition of makgeolli brewing in the international sphere is good progress," she noted.
Han Sook-choung, a veteran English-language tutor and education program developer based in Seoul, is another energetic person busy seeking to turn the coronavirus crisis into an opportunity by moving her work online.
Han Sook-choung offers an online English tutoring service in this photo provided by her. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
She used to offer offline one-on-one coaching to company workers or job seekers, including flight attendant hopefuls. She also runs a meeting and event space to share, named URLounge, in southern Seoul.
"Last year, fortunately, I diversified my business portfolio from in-person tutoring and space lease to internet marketing," she said. "The coronavirus outbreak has killed my face-to-face lesson and space lease revenue almost completely."
The forced break has given her some time to recharge herself and reconsider her business strategy.
"I had no other choice but to streamline and remodel my business focus," she said. "I've shifted the weight to online, which has turned out to be a big success."
Currently, she concentrates on online lessons using Skype, which has enabled her to meet an increasing number of students "regularly and more conveniently."
She's also preparing to publish an English education book, tentatively titled "Changing English Speaking Habits: 14 Days of Home Training."
Afterwards, she plans to spend more time and energy on creating YouTube content.
The coronavirus crisis, in a sense, has opened up new opportunities for innovating her work routine, according to Han, better known by her English name Stella in the market.
"It's a sliver lining. Rather than grumbling over the coronavirus, or being depressed, I've tried to see a potential bright side," Stella said. "For a sole proprietor like me, I think the importance of positive thinking can't be overemphasized."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Quasi third distancing at greater Seoul area starting tomorrow ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Abe resigns over @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Virus cases could go up to 800 , or even 2,000 next week @ @ @ @ @ llbo ) -- Quasi3rd social distancing starting Sunday ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Daily new @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 , depending on social distancing ( Segye Times ) -- Daily new virus cases @ @ @ @ @ trend ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- 8 yrs of Abe administration ( JoongAng Ilbo ) @ @ @ @ @ in greater Seoul area ( Hankyoreh ) -- Abe resigns after 7 yrs 8 months @ @ @ @ @ 2.5-level social distancing , restaurants ' night hours limited ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- @ @ @ @ @ virtually 2.5-level ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Aug. 29.
Korean-language dailies
-- Quasi third distancing at greater Seoul area starting tomorrow (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Abe resigns over health reasons (Kookmin Daily)
-- Virus cases could go up to 800, or even 2,000 next week: KCDC chief (Donga llbo)
-- Quasi3rd social distancing starting Sunday (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Daily new virus cases can even reach 2,000, depending on social distancing (Segye Times)
-- Daily new virus cases to reach 2,000 amid this trend (Chosun Ilbo)
-- 8 yrs of Abe administration (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Virtually 3rd social distancing in greater Seoul area (Hankyoreh)
-- Abe resigns after 7 yrs 8 months (Hankook Ilbo)
-- 2.5-level social distancing, restaurants' night hours limited (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Govt expands 2-level distancing...virtually 2.5-level (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Greater Seoul to remain under Level 2 restrictions next week (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Social distancing strengthened in Greater Seoul (Korea Herald)
-- Japan PM Shinzo Abe says he's resigning for health reasons (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Ruling party kicks off convention to pick new chairman amid pandemic

After coming in indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient , Rep. Lee Nak-yon was placed under self-quarantine till the end @ @ @ @ @ campaigned from home since last week , he has arranged to deliver his acceptance speech @ @ @ @ @ chairmanship .

By Park Boram
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) is set to kick off a convention to elect its new leader and top party representatives Saturday in an unprecedented virtual congress arranged in response to the rapid spread of the new coronavirus.
The convention, set to begin at 1 p.m. at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, will be attended by only a limited number of party members in person to avert any potential COVID-19 infection risks.
It was initially arranged as a mass event involving hundreds of party members and delegates at a sports arena, but the party shifted it into a virtual, livestreamed event earlier this month in light of the recent surge in virus transmissions in Seoul and the broader capital area.
The two-year party chairmanship is up for grabs, along with five top party representative seats.
The three candidates for the Democratic Party's chairmanship pose for photos after a joint speech event on Aug. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
Former Prime Minister Rep. Lee Nak-yon was leading the opinion polls for candidates by an overwhelming margin, trailed by former Home Minister and former four-term lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ju-min.
According to the latest Gallup Korea survey, conducted from Aug. 18-20, 48 percent of the 1,002 people polled threw their support behind Lee. Kim had 15 percent support, and Park was favored by 8 percent.
Winning the chairmanship is expected to further cement Lee's apparent bid for the presidency. He had been leading the opinion polls for presidential candidates for over a year, though he lost the lead to Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung in latest polls in August.
A total of eight party members, including Rep. Noh Woong-rae and Rep. So Byung-hoon, are running for the five top party representative seats.
The convention, however, will be held without the on-site presence of major convention players, including Lee Nak-yon, the party's outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon.
After coming in indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient, Rep. Lee Nak-yon was placed under self-quarantine till the end of the month. Having campaigned from home since last week, he has arranged to deliver his acceptance speech virtually if he wins the chairmanship.
Outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and the floor leader have also been under self-quarantine after coming into contact with a photojournalist who tested positive earlier this week.
Both of the party leaders tested negative, but they were unlikely to join the event in person and may address the event online.
Despite the recent setbacks overshadowing the convention, the party said it will push ahead with it as rescheduled, in thorough compliance with quarantine requirements.
The party's convention preparation committee said it will keep the simultaneous assemblage on and around the convention stage to less than 10 people throughout the event, a standard required under the country's toughest Level Three social distancing.
The DP has been angling for a major face-lifting effect from the convention, as it is desperately seeking to reboot itself amid low public support ratings for the party.
Stagnating approval ratings for the Moon Jae-in administration have also been weighing on the party.
Party officials were, however, positive that the convention may provide a fresh impetus.
"Unlike our initial misgivings, the voting rates among party members and delegates turned out pretty high ... supporters and party members seem to have rallied around the party against difficult situations like the pandemic," a party official said.
This photo, captured from a television debate on Aug. 27, 2020, shows the three candidates for the Democratic Party's next chairmanship in an online, virtual debate. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(Yonhap Interview) Confidence and command regained, KBO pitcher Chad Bell enjoys summer resurgence

`` It was hard to get away from that , after seeing my success last year , '' said Bell @ @ @ @ @ any sliders in each of his first three starts .
`` Pounding fastballs did n't @ @ @ @ @ ) , but I did n't make the adjustments fast enough , because I did @ @ @ @ @ pitches were great , either .
Confidence in those two pitches ( slider and curveball @ @ @ @ @ and I will try to keep building off of that . ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- When he was mowing down hitters in the second half of the 2019 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, Hanwha Eagles' left-hander Chad Bell didn't throw his slider much.
He was quite effective with his fastball, with opposing batters hitting only .210/.279/.292 against that pitch. On the other hand, they teed off on Bell's sliders, to the tune of .327/.402/.529.
In this file photo from July 27, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Over his final eight starts of 2019, from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, Bell went 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA and didn't allow a run in five of the six wins. And Bell used his slider less than 10 percent of the time in four of those eight outings.
Almost exactly a year later, the story has changed dramatically. In two of his past three starts, Bell threw his slider nearly a quarter of the time, making it the second-most-used pitch after his fastball.
And the results? Bell is 2-0 with only one run allowed in 19 innings in those three games.
They are also only two victories for the season for the resurgent ace, who missed some time at the start of the season and again in July with forearm issues. He had been 0-7 with a 7.94 ERA in his first 10 starts through Aug. 9.
Bell tossed six scoreless innings against the Samsung Lions in a no-decision on Aug. 15, with a season-high seven strikeouts. He followed that up with six innings of one-run ball against the KT Wiz on Aug. 21 for his first W of 2020. He set a new season best with eight Ks.
Then on Thursday, Bell held the Lions scoreless over a season-high seven innings to win his second consecutive start in the Eagles' 7-0 win. For the first time this year, he didn't walk anyone.
Bell credited his late-summer bounceback to better command of breaking balls.
"My curveball and slider have been a lot more consistent," Bell told Yonhap News Agency in a phone interview Friday. "I made a couple of adjustments on my delivery. On my slider especially, the velocity jumped a little bit, and the break is a lot later and sharper."
In this file photo from Aug 21, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles (L) is greeted by teammates after completing the top of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the KT Wiz at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
This season, opponents are batting .250/.269/.250 against Bell's sliders.
Bell conceded that he may have been "stubborn" in relying too much on his fastball earlier this season.
"It was hard to get away from that, after seeing my success last year," said Bell, who didn't throw any sliders in each of his first three starts. "Pounding fastballs didn't work (early this season), but I didn't make the adjustments fast enough, because I didn't feel like my breaking pitches were great, either. Confidence in those two pitches (slider and curveball) has really jumped, and I will try to keep building off of that."
Bell said a loose body inside his elbow gave him trouble early in the season, and in particular, it affected his recovery time between starts.
In this file photo from Aug. 21, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the KT Wiz in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"I felt like it was throwing me off mechanically. It was hard to get back all the way to 100 percent," Bell said, adding that he won't need an operation as long as he can pitch pain-free the rest of the season.
"I've changed a bit of between-start routines," he said. "(My trainers and I) have found something that works right now, and we're going to keep going with that. My pitch count is back up to normal, right around 100 pitches, and (the elbow) doesn't seem to be affecting my stuff."
Bell admitted it had been "frustrating" at times to see how all the work he was putting in between starts wasn't paying off. That and some rough outings on the mound conspired to take away some confidence from the pitcher, but the turnaround this month has addressed that issue.
In this file photo from Aug. 21, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the KT Wiz in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"Mentally, it got to me a bit, when I was trying to do too much," he said. "But I proved I can pitch here last year. When I am on, 100 percent, I am going to get people out.
Among starters in August, Bell ranks second in opponents' batting average with .197, fourth in opponents' on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) with .588 and fourth in walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) with 1.09,
Though Bell is finally pitching like the ace that he was last season, it has come too late for the Eagles. Through Thursday's action, they remained in last place at 24-65-1 (wins-losses-ties). They were 23 games out of the fifth and the final playoff spot with 52 games remaining, all but mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
For Bell, his objective for the rest of the season is twofold. One, he wants to stay healthy and "keep giving guys a chance to win every time I am out there." Two, he wants to see young pitchers continue their growth.
The 31-year-old American reeled off names like Kang Jae-min and Yun Dae-kyung as talented young pitchers to watch.
Kang, a 23-year-old rookie selected in the fourth round of last year's draft, has been a revelation out of the bullpen in the second half. He has a 2.03 ERA in 26 2/3 innings with 35 strikeouts and zero home runs allowed. He has come on strong in August, with no run given up in his last 10 innings across 10 outings.
In this file photo from Aug. 9, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Yun is late to the party, pitching in his first KBO season at 26. Since his debut on June 3, Yun has posted a 1.67 ERA across 27 innings. He hasn't been charged with an earned run over his past 12 appearances, covering 12 innings.
"It's a lot of fun to see their energy," Bell said. "They're going to make mistakes. But you see them play hard every day and love being at the field. The one impressive thing about them is they don't look scared. They're confident when they're out there."
Bell said the key for these young hurlers is to keep learning, saying he'll be there for them to ask any questions they may have.
"If they want to learn, they're going to be successful," he said. "I am still figuring stuff out and I've played for 10 years. When you think you've all got it figured out, that's when things may not start going well for you."
In this file photo from July 5, 2020, Chad Bell of the Hanwha Eagles pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--N. Korea yet to face major outbreak but will need assistance: U.N. rapporteur

To North Koreans , the special rapporteur noted he may not be heard by those living in North Korea , @ @ @ @ @ know that there are many , many people around the world and organizations , willing @ @ @ @ @ better life ... and that we will never stop in our struggle until that happens @ @

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea may not have yet experienced a major outbreak of the potentially deadly new coronavirus but will require serious international assistance if it does, given its poor health system, the special U.N. rapporteur on North Korean human rights situation insisted Friday.
Tomas Ojea Quintana said he or anyone else at the world body had not enough information to accurately tell the current situation in the impoverished North, but noted the country may not have yet faced a "major outbreak in the whole country."
"I don't want to base my statement on speculations. I wish I could have the information about this so then I can help the government and the people suffering from an outbreak of COVID-19 to overcome this situation," he said in a virtual seminar hosted by Washington-based nongovernmental organization, the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.
The captured image from the website of Washington-based nongovernmental organization, the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, shows Tomas Ojea Quintana, special U.N. rapporteur on the human rights situation in North Korea, speaking in an online seminar on Aug. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ojea Quintana partly attributed such a lack of information from North Korea to Pyongyang shutting down its borders in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he noted has also led to a dramatic reduction in the number of North Koreans escaping the communist state.
"We are losing eyes and ears to see and understand what is actually going on in North Korea, at the moment," he said, adding Pyongyang has also cut the number of international aid workers stationed there.
The U.N. rapporteur insisted the North may be moving in the wrong direction by further isolating itself from the rest of the world, also narrowing its doors for humanitarian assistance.
"Given the poor health conditions of the vast majority of the population and the poor infrastructure with regards to health in the country, the outbreak of COVID-19 in North Korea would be a disaster," he said. "It is our challenge, I think as an international community, to avoid further isolation. It is not the answer."
On a related note, the special rapporteur said he would "very clearly" support proposed barter or goods-to-goods transactions between the South and North Korea if they are aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to the North, noting the U.N. too offers its assistance in goods, not only to North Korea but any other country in need.
The special rapporteur also repeated his concerns over the treatment of North Korean defectors in China, urging Beijing to comply with the U.N. convention on refugees.
"Coming from a treaty ratified by the government of China, they should demonstrate that they are a state that respects their own commitment," said Ojea Quintana.
China refuses to recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates them back to their communist homeland, where they often face severe punishment.
Ojea Quintana argued the U.S., as well as the U.N. Security Council, must discuss and push for ways to improve North Korean human rights conditions in connection with their efforts to denuclearize the North.
To North Koreans, the special rapporteur noted he may not be heard by those living in North Korea, but said they "should know that there are many, many people around the world and organizations, willing to help them enjoy a better life...and that we will never stop in our struggle until that happens."
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Korean group BTS makes historic landing on British music chart

`` `` We feel humbled and honoured to have earned a new personal best on the UK Official Singles Chart @ @ @ @ @ we give all credit to ARMY - without their support and love from Day 1 @ @ @ @ @ come this far , '' the South Korean septet was quoted as saying , referring @ @ @ @ @ called ARMY .

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean boy group BTS set yet another milestone in South Korea's music history Saturday, with its new song "Dynamite" grabbing the No. 3 spot on Britain's Official Top 100 Singles Chart in the first week of its release.
No. 3 on the British music chart marks the highest debut spot for any South Korean musician so far.
This photo, released by Big Hit Entertainment on Aug. 21, 2020, shows K-pop band BTS attending a virtual press conference, broadcast through YouTube, to mark the release of its new song, "Dynamite." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
BTS' best performance on the UK's Official Singles Chart was the 13th spot.
"The entry marks the group's strongest Week 1 entry on the chart, being their highest charting song to date and first Top 10 single. Their previous UK singles chart peak was Number 13 with Boy With Luv ft. Halsey last April," the Official Charts said.
""We feel humbled and honoured to have earned a new personal best on the UK Official Singles Chart. First and foremost, we give all credit to ARMY - without their support and love from Day 1, we wouldn't have come this far," the South Korean septet was quoted as saying, referring to its global fan base called ARMY.
Psy is the only South Korean musician to have ever taken the top spot on the Official Singles Chart with his 2012 global hit "Gangnam Style."
"Dynamite" has already made a successful debut on the Billboard, taking the 30th spot on its Pop Songs radio airplay chart earlier this week.
The online edition of American business magazine Forbes has noted BTS' new song may "explode to No. 1" on Billboard Hot 100 when the chart is refreshed next week.
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Trump wants allies to bear burden, pay fair share: security adviser

`` We want to make sure that our allies bear the burden and pay their fair share when it comes @ @ @ @ @ , when it comes to defending the alliance , '' O'Brien said in a webinar @ @ @ @ @ , a U.S. think tank based in Washington .
`` It ca n't just be @ @ @ @ @ ''

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States wants its allies to pay their fair share when it comes to defending their common values, the U.S. national security adviser said Friday, amid a deadlock in talks with South Korea on how much the latter should pay for hosting U.S. troops.
Robert O'Brien, assistant to President Donald Trump for national security affairs, said the U.S. president contends it cannot just be the U.S. writing the checks.
"We want to make sure that our allies bear the burden and pay their fair share when it comes to defending the global commons, when it comes to defending the alliance," O'Brien said in a webinar hosted by the Atlantic Council, a U.S. think tank based in Washington. "It can't just be the U.S. anymore."
Seoul and Washington have held a series of negotiations since late last year to set South Korea's share under a burden-sharing scheme, known as the Special Measures Agreement.
The talks resumed earlier this month after what Assistant Secretary of State Clarke Cooper, in charge of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau at the State Department, called a "pause."
Seoul has offered to increase its annual contribution by 13 percent from the US$870 million it paid under last year's agreement. Washington, on the other hand, seeks a 50 percent spike to $1.3 billion per year. That is down considerably from its initial demand of $5 billion.
The U.S. currently maintains about 28,500 service members in South Korea.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


(Copyright)

The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the @ @ @ @ @ News Agency .

All information carried by the Yonhap News Agency, including articles, photographs, graphics, audio and video images, and illustrations (collectively, the content) is owned by the Yonhap News Agency.
The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Yonhap News Agency.
Any violation can be subject to a compensation claim or civil and criminal lawsuits.
Requests to use the content for any purpose besides the ones mentioned above should be directed in advance to Yonhap's Information Business Department at 82-2-398-3557 or 82-2-398-3552.
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) Gov't issues back-to-work orders to 278 striking doctors

The Korean Medical Association ( KMA ) , which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country , ended their three-day @ @ @ @ @ and resident doctors at general hospitals continued their action , and the KMA also vowed @ @ @ @ @ on Sept. 7 unless the government withdraws its new policies , including a plan to @ @ @ @ @ students .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities issued back-to-work orders to 278 striking doctors across the country Saturday as their collective action continues in protest of a medical reform plan.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country, ended their three-day walkout Friday. But interns and resident doctors at general hospitals continued their action, and the KMA also vowed to launch an indefinite strike on Sept. 7 unless the government withdraws its new policies, including a plan to increase the number of medical students.
The government has ordered not only junior doctors in the wider Seoul area but all those across the country to return to work, warning of possible prison terms, as the country is faced with spiking novel coronavirus cases.
A doctor from Seoul National University Hospital holds a sign in protest of the government's medical reform plan on Aug. 29, 2020, despite doctors ending their three-day walkout a day earlier. (Yonhap)
The Central Disease Control Headquarters said Saturday that it has conducted an on-site inspection into 10 training hospitals in the country and sent out the executive orders to 278 juniors doctors working at emergency rooms and intensive care units.
The Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing the trainee doctors, as well as fellow doctors, at major general hospitals have said they will continue their walkout indefinitely unless the government reconsiders its plans.
Those who do not follow the government order without a legitimate 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).
The KIRA plans to hold an emergency meeting late Saturday night to discuss whether to continue its strike.
"We will decide on the future course of our collective actions at an emergency meeting at 10 p.m.," KIRA chief Park Ji-hyun said on social media.
The government said the percentage of trainee doctors that walked out Friday stood at 75.8 percent, it said, while that of fellow doctors came to 35.9 percent.
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, according to health authorities.
A total of 2,141 clinics in the country, or 6.4 percent, were closed Friday, it said. The figure is less than the 33 percent participation rate by practitioners tallied in the first walkout earlier this month.
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)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) N. Korea broadcasts encrypted spy message on YouTube for first time

She repeated phrases such as `` No .
23 on Page 564 , No .
19 on Page 479 '' @ @ @ @ @ the post , which had been viewed 2,500 times as of 11 a.m .
The @ @ @ @ @ the radio .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info from para 6; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday broadcast a series of mysterious numbers, presumed to be an encrypted message to its spies in the South, for the first time on YouTube.
A video clip was posted on the state-run Radio Pyongyang's YouTube account, in which a female announcer read what she described as "an information technology review assignment of the remote education university for No. 719 expedition agents."
She repeated phrases such as "No. 23 on Page 564, No. 19 on Page 479" for about one minute in the post, which had been viewed 2,500 times as of 11 a.m. The numbers were not broadcast on the radio.
This image, captured from the YouTube account of North Korea's Radio Pyongyang, shows a video clip broadcasting a series of mysterious numbers, presumed to be an encrypted message sent by North Korea to its spies in the South, for the first time on YouTube. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
North Korea has broadcast such seemingly random numbers via radio since the Cold War era, as recently as March 7 and 13.
But this is the first time that Pyongyang has used the global video-sharing platform to send the apparently coded messages.
The video attracted more than 10,000 views, but it was later deleted for unknown reasons.
Pyongyang had suspended such broadcasts in 2000, when the two Koreas held a historic summit, and resumed them in June 2016, when South Korea was ruled by then-conservative President Park Geun-hye.
Experts were divided over whether the North's broadcasts were aimed at sending instructions for espionage missions. Some analysts said the move was a deceptive strategy aimed at sparking tension within South Korea.
A computer-generated image of North Korea's broadcast of mysterious numbers, presumed to be an encrypted message to its spies, on YouTube, provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) 2 South Koreans kidnapped from fishing vessel off Ghana

`` The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will make all-out efforts to secure the release of the abducted sailors through close @ @ @ @ @ home and in Ghana and Nigeria , '' an official said .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details in paras 3-6)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean nationals have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in waters off Ghana, Seoul officials said Saturday.
A Ghanaian-flagged fishing vessel was attacked in waters 200 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Tema on Friday (local time), according to foreign ministry officials and Dryad Global, a London-based maritime security consultancy.
A total of 50 crewmen, including two South Koreans, were aboard the vessel AP 703. The pirates took only the Koreans and headed toward Nigeria. The remaining 48 Ghanaian crewmembers are returning to their country, officials said.
The safety and location of the Korean sailors, as well as the identity of the kidnappers, are not known.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to form teams to deal with the incident at its headquarters and related overseas missions.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will make all-out efforts to secure the release of the abducted sailors through close cooperation with related agencies at home and in Ghana and Nigeria," an official said.
The incident came two months after five Korean sailors were abducted in waters off Benin in western Africa.
They were aboard the Ghanaian vessel Panofi Frontier when it was attacked by an armed group on June 24.
They were released in southern Nigeria a month later.
A computer-generated image of a fishing vessel in western Africa provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOR FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(2nd LD) Former PM Lee Nak-yon elected ruling party's new chairman

The new chairman said he will also consider support measures for people 's livelihood for the upcoming Chuseok traditional holiday @ @ @ @ @ second round of COVID-19 response emergency handouts , while pledging closer collaboration with the opposition @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 4-9; ADDS photos)
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon was elected the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Party on Saturday in a party convention held remotely in response to the spread of the new coronavirus.
Lee, now a lawmaker and one of the leading potential presidential candidates, overwhelmingly won the election to head the party, which controls an absolute majority of 176 of the total 300 parliamentary seats, for two years.
He beat former Interior Minister and former four-term lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ju-min.
"I accept your order (to lead the party) with a sense of heavy responsibility," Lee said in his acceptance speech to party members and delegates, broadcast from his home in central Seoul.
He mentioned the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying economic and social difficulties as the most urgent issues the party is facing now.
"In close cooperation with the government and based on broad public participation, I will work to help (the country) overcome this national crisis better and more quickly," he said.
The new chairman said he will also consider support measures for people's livelihood for the upcoming Chuseok traditional holiday, as well as the second round of COVID-19 response emergency handouts, while pledging closer collaboration with the opposition parties.
"I will pour all my efforts ... so that I can pave the way for the success of the Moon Jae-in administration and another winning (of the presidency for the DP)," Lee noted.
The convention also elected five members of its leadership council -- Rep. Noh Woong-rae, Rep. Shin Dong-kun, Rep. Yang Hyang-ja, Rep. Yeom Tae-young and Rep. Kim Jong-min.
Lee's election victory is expected to boost his potential bid for the presidency. He had been leading the opinion polls of presidential candidates for over a year, before he was overtaken by Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung in the latest polls in August.
Addressing the convention in a videotaped message, President Moon Jae-in said the party's new leadership is tasked with "making the National Assembly an institution trusted (by the people) and promoting national unity in cooperation with the opposition parties."
"The country needs to overcome the crisis as soon as possible (as it is facing) difficulties due to the resurgence of COVID-19, flood damage and the economic situation," Moon said.
This photo, provided by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), shows Rep. Lee Nak-yon delivering his acceptance speech after winning the party's chairmanship at a party convention on Aug. 29, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The convention, held at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, was attended by only a limited number of party members in person to avert any potential COVID-19 infection risks.
It was initially arranged as a mass event involving hundreds of party members and delegates at a sports arena, but the party shifted it into a virtual, livestreamed event earlier this month in light of the recent surge in virus transmissions in Seoul and the broader capital area.
The simultaneous assemblage on and around the convention stage was kept to fewer than 10 people throughout the event, a standard required under the country's toughest Level Three social distancing, as precautionary measures.
The convention was also held without the on-site presence of major convention players, including the newly elected Chairman Lee Nak-yon himself, the party's outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon.
After coming in indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient, Rep. Lee Nak-yon, was placed under self-quarantine till the end of the month. Having campaigned from home since last week, he delivered his acceptance speech virtually after winning the chairmanship.
Outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and the floor leader have also been under self-quarantine after coming in contact with a photojournalist who tested positive earlier this week.
Both of the party leaders tested negative, but they did not attend the event in person, with the outgoing chairman addressing the convention in a pretaped video message.
The DP has been angling for a major face-lifting effect from the convention, as it is desperately seeking to reboot itself amid low public support ratings for the party.
Stagnating approval ratings for the Moon administration have also been weighing on the party.
This photo, provided by the Democratic Party, shows the five members of its leadership council, elected at a party convention on Aug. 20, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Typhoon Maysak expected to affect S. Korea next week

It is expected to pass through 1,050 kilometers west of Japan 's Okinawa Island as of 3 a.m. Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ reach waters some 210 kilometers south-southeast of Seogwipo , Jeju Island , by 3 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ away from the southern port city of Busan by 2 p.m. Thursday , the KMA @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak was churning toward the Korean Peninsula on Saturday from waters east of the Philippines and is expected to affect the Korean Peninsula in the middle of next week, weather authorities said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that as of 3 a.m., the season's ninth typhoon was traveling some 950 kilometers west-northwest of Manila at a speed of 8 kilometers per hour.
It is expected to pass through 1,050 kilometers west of Japan's Okinawa Island as of 3 a.m. Sunday.
The typhoon is forecast to reach waters some 210 kilometers south-southeast of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, by 3 p.m. Wednesday and then 40 kilometers away from the southern port city of Busan by 2 p.m. Thursday, the KMA said.
Although Maysak is a mid-strength typhoon at the moment, it could become a very powerful one with a maximum wind speed of 47 meters per second around Monday, the KMA said.
Maysak is expected to bring heavy rain to southern provinces Tuesday and the rest of the country from Wednesday to Thursday, the agency said.
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Maysak's expected path as of 3 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) Former PM Lee Nak-yon elected ruling party's new chairman

Lee 's election victory is expected to boost his potential bid for the presidency .
He had been leading the @ @ @ @ @ for over a year , before he was overtaken by Gyeonggi Gov .
Lee Jae-myung @ @ @ @ @ August .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon was elected the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Party on Saturday in a party convention held remotely in response to the spread of the new coronavirus.
Lee, now a lawmaker and one of the leading potential presidential candidates, overwhelmingly won the election to head the party, which controls an absolute majority of 176 of the total 300 parliamentary seats, for two years.
He beat former Interior Minister and former four-term lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ju-min.
Lee's election victory is expected to boost his potential bid for the presidency. He had been leading the opinion polls of presidential candidates for over a year, before he was overtaken by Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung in the latest polls in August.
Addressing the convention in a videotaped message, President Moon Jae-in said the party's new leadership is tasked with "making the National Assembly an institution trusted (by the people) and promoting national unity in cooperation with the opposition parties."
"The country needs to overcome the crisis as soon as possible (as it is facing) difficulties due to the resurgence of COVID-19, flood damage and the economic situation," Moon said.
This photo, provided by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), shows Rep. Lee Nak-yon, a candidate for its chairman, delivering a speech in a recorded video at a remote party convention at its headquarters in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2020. He has self quarantined since Aug. 18 after he came in indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient (Yonhap)
The convention, held at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, was attended by only a limited number of party members in person to avert any potential COVID-19 infection risks.
It was initially arranged as a mass event involving hundreds of party members and delegates at a sports arena, but the party shifted it into a virtual, livestreamed event earlier this month in light of the recent surge in virus transmissions in Seoul and the broader capital area.
The simultaneous assemblage on and around the convention stage was kept to fewer than 10 people throughout the event, a standard required under the country's toughest Level Three social distancing, as precautionary measures.
The convention was also held without the on-site presence of major convention players, including the newly elected Chairman Lee Nak-yon himself, the party's outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon.
After coming in indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient, Rep. Lee Nak-yon, was placed under self-quarantine till the end of the month. Having campaigned from home since last week, he delivered his acceptance speech virtually after winning the chairmanship.
Outgoing Chairman Lee Hae-chan and the floor leader have also been under self-quarantine after coming in contact with a photojournalist who tested positive earlier this week.
Both of the party leaders tested negative, but they did not attend the event in person, with the outgoing chairman addressing the convention in a pretaped video message.
The DP has been angling for a major face-lifting effect from the convention, as it is desperately seeking to reboot itself amid low public support ratings for the party.
Stagnating approval ratings for the Moon administration have also been weighing on the party.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(URGENT) Former PM Lee Nak-yon elected ruling party's new chairman

(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--(3rd LD) New virus cases in S. Korea remain in 300s for 2nd day

Kwon Jun-wook , a senior health official , said the country could possibly see more deaths from the virus , @ @ @ @ @ ill COVID-19 patients reached 64 , up six from a day earlier .
The number @ @ @ @ @ 14 on Aug. 14 , when the country began to see the triple-digit daily rise @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info, latest tally throughout; CHANGES photo)
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, as officials urged citizens to abide by enhanced social distancing measures, warning the coming week may be the last chance to stop a massive outbreak.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 323 new COVID-19 cases, including 308 local infections, over the past 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 19,400. Five more patients died, raising the death toll to 321.
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, Saturday marks the 16th consecutive day of triple-digit jumps.
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.
This photo, taken on Aug. 29, 2020, shows a sign saying that a student from Yonsei University has been cofirmed with the novel coronavirus. (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.
Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul -- a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections -- reported 1,018 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday, up 40 from a day earlier. The number surpassed 1,000 17 days after the first person was confirmed on Aug. 12.
The church-linked cases also led to infections in at least 25 locations, with 154 cases reported in nine different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
A total of 212 patients have been reported from the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul, up 13 from a day earlier, the KCDC said. Of them, 116 cases were identified in 10 different provinces and municipalities outside the greater Seoul area.
The KCDC said 49.2 percent of the COVID-19 patients linked to the rally are in their 60s, followed by 18.8 percent in their 50s and 13.2 percent in their 40s.
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.
The 2.5 Level, set to take effect Sunday, is the last chance to stop a nationwide massive outbreak, the government said. Health experts said the tighter antivirus measures are quasi-Level Three.
"The current situation in the greater Seoul area is very serious, and requires concentrated and powerful social distancing," said Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, at the press briefing.
Yoon further said there will be no other choice but to raise the social distancing to the highest level if the current situation does not improve over the next eight days.
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.
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.
Police, meanwhile, said they will take stern actions against those assaulting people demanding face mask use on public transportation.
The move comes after a series of cases occurred, involving people physically attacking others who had demanded they wear a face mask to ride the bus or subway.
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.
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.
Kwon Jun-wook, a senior health official, 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 also sharply up from 14 on Aug. 14, when the country began to see the triple-digit daily rise.
Most of those who tested positive this month were 60 years old or above, an age group that is more likely to show critical health complications caused by the COVID-19 virus, according to Kwon.
Health authorities once again asked that people aged over 60 take extra caution, such as avoiding going out as much as possible.
The country's virus fatality rate currently stands at 1.65 percent while those aged 80 or over came to 21.1 percent, the KCDC said.
The fatality rate of COVID-19 patients suffering from existing diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, came to a whopping 97.2 percent, the KCDC said.
The KCDC said a total of 155 COVID-19 patients in critical condition have been administered with remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola.
The medication developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences Inc. started to be supplied to treat COVID-19 patients here earlier last month.
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 avoid close contact with others amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--Gov't issues back-to-work orders to 278 striking doctors

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities issued back-to-work orders to 278 striking doctors across the country Saturday as their collective action continues in protest of a medical reform plan.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country, ended their three-day walkout Friday. But interns and resident doctors at general hospitals continued their action, and the KMA also vowed to launch an indefinite strike on Sept. 7 unless the government withdraws its new policies, including a plan to increase the number of medical students.
The government has ordered not only junior doctors in the wider Seoul area but all those across the country to return to work, warning of possible prison terms, as the country is faced with spiking novel coronavirus cases.
A doctor from Seoul National University Hospital holds a sign in protest of the government's medical reform plan on Aug. 29, 2020, despite doctors ending their three-day walkout a day earlier. (Yonhap)
The Central Disease Control Headquarters said Saturday that it has conducted an on-site inspection into 10 training hospitals in the country and sent out the executive orders to 278 juniors doctors working at emergency rooms and intensive care units.
The Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) representing the trainee doctors, as well as fellow doctors, at major general hospitals have said they will continue their walkout indefinitely unless the government reconsiders its plans.
Those who do not follow the government order without a legitimate 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).
The government said the percentage of trainee doctors that walked out Friday stood at 75.8 percent, it said, while that of fellow doctors came to 35.9 percent.
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, according to health authorities.
A total of 2,141 clinics in the country, or 6.4 percent, were closed Friday, it said. The figure is less than the 33 percent participation rate by practitioners tallied in the first walkout earlier this month.
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)


yna--2020-08-29--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2007 -- Taliban insurgents free the last seven South Korean hostages in Afghanistan , putting an end to the 43-day @ @ @ @ @ of 12 others a day before .
The release of the hostages kidnapped on July @ @ @ @ @ after the Taliban agreed to free the South Koreans in exchange for the withdrawal of @ @ @ @ @ units from Afghanistan by the year 's end .

Aug. 30
1920 -- Lee Dong-hui takes office as prime minister of the Korean government in exile. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.
1949 -- Six students singled out as the first batch of students to study abroad on government funding, head to the United States.
1968 -- The Federation of Korean Trade Unions, South Korea's first umbrella body of labor unions, is launched.
1962 -- South Korea establishes ties with El Salvador.
1972 -- The two Koreas open a plenary session of the first inter-Korean Red Cross talks in Pyongyang.
1995 -- South Korea signs an extradition treaty with Argentina.
2001 -- The government lifts "green belt restrictions" on 330-million-square meters of land in seven major cities. It also made public identities of 169 people who molested minors.
2007 -- Taliban insurgents free the last seven South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, putting an end to the 43-day hostage crisis following the release of 12 others a day before. The release of the hostages kidnapped on July 19 came just two days after the Taliban agreed to free the South Koreans in exchange for the withdrawal of South Korea's 200-member reconstruction units from Afghanistan by the year's end.
2010 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il calls for reopening international nuclear talks while stressing the importance of the "rising generation" taking the "baton of the traditional friendship" with China. Kim made these remarks at a banquet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.
2013 -- A Seoul court asks prosecutors for written approval from parliament to arrest lawmaker Lee Seok-ki of the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party (UPP) on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.
2014 -- "Roaring Currents," a film depicting Admiral Yi Sun-sin's dramatic victory over Japanese naval forces during Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), becomes the most profitable film in South Korea. It had 128.48 billion won in domestic sales, according to the Korean Film Council, topping the previous mark of 128.47 billion won set by Hollywood science fiction "Avatar" in 2010.
2018 -- South and North Korea are unable to carry out a planned joint field survey of a cross-border railway because of the United Nations Command's disapproval. The U.S.-led UNC did not approve the movement of related equipment through the Demilitarized Zone, which bisects the two Koreas, due to Seoul's failure to meet its guideline of providing notification 48 hours in advance.
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--N. Korea broadcasts encrypted spy message on YouTube for first time

She repeated phrases such as `` No .
23 on Page 564 , No .
-19 on Page 479 '' @ @ @ @ @ the posting , which had been viewed 2,500 times as of 11 a.m .
The @ @ @ @ @ the radio .

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday broadcast a series of mysterious numbers, presumed to be an encrypted message to its spies in the South, for the first time on YouTube.
A video clip was posted on the state-run Radio Pyongyang's YouTube account, in which a female announcer read what she described as "an information technology review assignment of the remote education university for No. 719 expedition agents."
She repeated phrases such as "No. 23 on Page 564, No. -19 on Page 479" for about one minute in the posting, which had been viewed 2,500 times as of 11 a.m. The numbers were not broadcast on the radio.
North Korea has broadcast such seemingly random numbers via radio since the Cold War era, as recently as March 7 and 13.
But this is the first time that Pyongyang has used the global video-sharing platform to send the apparently coded messages.
A computer-generated image of North Korea's broadcast of mysterious numbers, presumed to be an encrypted message to its spies, on YouTube, provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--2 South Koreans reportedly kidnapped from fishing vessel off Ghana

A total of 50 crewmen , including two South Koreans , were aboard the vessel AP 703 , and the @ @ @ @ @ , according to Dryad Global .

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean nationals have been reportedly kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in waters off Ghana.
A Ghanaian-flagged fishing vessel was attacked in waters 200 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Tema on Friday (local time), according to Dryad Global, a London-based maritime security consultancy, and Seoul officials.
A total of 50 crewmen, including two South Koreans, were aboard the vessel AP 703, and the pirates abducted only the Koreans, according to Dryad Global.
The incident came two months after five Korean sailors were abducted in waters off Benin in western Africa.
They were aboard the Ghanaian vessel Panofi Frontier when it was attacked by an armed group on June 24.
They were released in southern Nigeria a month later.
A computer-generated image of a fishing vessel in western Africa provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOR FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(2nd LD) 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: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with more info and a health official'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, as officials urged citizens to abide by enhanced social distancing measures, warning the coming week may be the last chance to stop a massive outbreak.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 323 new COVID-19 cases, including 308 local infections, over the past 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 19,400. Five more patients died, raising the death toll to 321.
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.
The 2.5 Level, set to take effect Sunday, is the last chance to stop a nationwide massive outbreak, the government said. Health experts said the tighter antivirus measures are quasi-Level Three.
"The current situation in the greater Seoul area is very serious, and requires concentrated and powerful social distancing," said Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, at the press briefing.
Yoon further said there will be no other choice but to raise the social distancing to the highest level if the current situation does not improve over the next eight days.
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.
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.
Police, meanwhile, said they will take stern actions against those assaulting people demanding face mask use on public transportation.
The move comes after a series of cases occurred, involving people physically attacking others who had demanded they wear a face mask to ride the bus or subway.
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--2020-08-30--Retail sales up 4.4 pct in July on online sales of groceries amid pandemic

Convenience stores were the sole winners among offline shops on rising demand for sanitary items , with their revenue edging @ @ @ @ @ prolonged rainy season also led to more sales of daily items such as umbrellas , @ @ @ @ @ period .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Retail sales in South Korea advanced 4.4 percent in July from a year earlier as online platforms have enjoyed a spike in demand for groceries and home appliances amid the new coronavirus pandemic, data showed Sunday.
The combined sales of 26 major offline and online retailers reached 11.46 trillion won (US$9.67 billion) last month, up from 10.98 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Online platforms led the growth, with their revenue advancing 13.4 percent over the period, the data showed.
Sales of foodstuffs through online platforms shot up 46 percent on-year as more people refrained from visiting supermarkets.
With the country's social distancing scheme in force, consumers also bought more daily items and furniture online, with the segment advancing 26.3 percent over the period.
Sales of tour packages, however, dipped 16.3 percent from online platforms, as global air travel was virtually suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Offline stores, which had been falling behind online shops even before the virus outbreak, continued to lose ground, with their sales decreasing 2.1 percent on-year in July.
Convenience stores were the sole winners among offline shops on rising demand for sanitary items, with their revenue edging up 3.7 percent. The prolonged rainy season also led to more sales of daily items such as umbrellas, rising 14.3 percent over the period.
Supermarkets, however, saw their sales drop 5.5 percent on-year in July as consumers paid less visits amid the rainy season coupled with the virus pandemic. Sales of clothes and sports goods especially dropped 21.2 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively.
Department stores saw their revenue drop 2.1 percent over the period, but their sales of foreign fashion brands shot up 32.5 percent.
Over the first half of 2020, the combined retail sales reached 66.79 trillion won, up 3.7 percent from the previous year. Shipments by online stores advanced 17.5 percent, while those of offline stores dipped 6 percent.
In 2019, retail sales in South Korea rose 4.8 percent on-year. Revenue at online shopping malls advanced 14.2 percent, while that of offline stores shed 0.9 percent.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--Yoo to visit Geneva as WTO begins selection process for new head

Yoo was appointed as trade minister in February last year , becoming the first woman to be named to the @ @ @ @ @ history of the trade ministry .
She is fluent in English and served as the @ @ @ @ @ foreign correspondents .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade minister, who is running to become the new head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), plans to visit Geneva this week as the international body begins the selection process for its next leader.
Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee will head to Switzerland on Monday as the WTO plans to launch the first round of the selection process on Sept. 7, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
During the first round, representatives from 164 member states will provide a maximum of four preferences, after which three candidates will be removed from the list. A total of three rounds of the selection process will be held.
She is competing against candidates from seven countries -- Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Moldova, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Britain.
Yoo plans to contact representatives from the members states to call for their support, the ministry said.
South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, who is running to be the next director general of the World Trade Organization, speaks during a press conference at the WTO headquarters in Geneva on July 16, 2020, after presenting her views on her goals for the trade body. (Yonhap)
Yoo is the third South Korean to run for director-general of the WTO. Two South Koreans made unsuccessful bids in 1994 and 2012.
Yoo was appointed as trade minister in February last year, becoming the first woman to be named to the top-ranking position in the 70-year history of the trade ministry. She is fluent in English and served as the presidential office's spokesperson for foreign correspondents.
The candidate has been insisting that she plans to rebuild trust in the multilateral trading system by making it more relevant, resilient and responsive.
Her bid to become the next WTO head comes amid the frayed relationship between South Korea and Japan.
South Korea reopened its complaint at the WTO last month as Japan has remained unresponsive to Seoul's repeated requests to lift the regulations.
Last year, Japan abruptly imposed restrictions on exports of key industrial materials to South Korea, which are crucial in the production of chips and displays. The WTO plans to decide later this month whether to set up a panel to look into South Korea's complaint against Japan.
Yoo pointed out that it is also important for Japan to have a fully functioning WTO so that disputes can be settled, which is one of her top priorities.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--34 infection cases traced to Protestant church in Daegu

About 30 more cases were detected in recent days among members of the city 's Sarang Church , putting the @ @ @ @ @ church at 34 as of Sunday .
Five of them tested positive after attending mass @ @ @ @ @ central Seoul , according to the city government .

DAEGU, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- A total of 34 COVID-19 cases have been traced to a Protestant church in the southern city of Daegu, putting the city on high alert against a potential resurgence of mass infections.
About 30 more cases were detected in recent days among members of the city's Sarang Church, putting the total caseload related with the church at 34 as of Sunday. Five of them tested positive after attending mass rallies on Aug. 15 in central Seoul, according to the city government.
It marks the biggest infection cluster in Daegu since thousands of COVID-19 cases were confirmed inside the fringe religious sect Shincheonji's Daegu branch in March.
The city sent emergency text messages to citizens late Saturday, reminding local churches of the nationwide ban on church gatherings and regular services currently in place.
The city also prodded those who have COVID-19 symptoms after contacting Sarang Church members or joining the rallies in Seoul to come forward to be tested immediately.
Currently, the city is running COVID-19 tests on members of the church after securing a list of some 100 members, according to city officials.
The city also ferreted out dozens of businesses, including clubs that operated in violation of quarantine requirements, and slapped administrative orders on them, such as business suspensions and fines, the officials also said.
This undated file photo shows a QR code-based entry log system at a church. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--ERA for Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin lowered following scoring change

The South Korean left-hander was initially charged with two earned runs in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Sahlen @ @ @ @ @ York , on Friday .
Both runs were scored in the top of the sixth @ @ @ @ @ Shaw , after fielding a grounder by Ryan Mountcastle , bounced a throw past first @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin has a sub-3.00 ERA after all.
Following an official Major League Baseball (MLB) scoring change Saturday (U.S. local time), Ryu's ERA for the season was lowered from 3.16 to 2.92.
The South Korean left-hander was initially charged with two earned runs in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Friday. Both runs were scored in the top of the sixth inning when third baseman Travis Shaw, after fielding a grounder by Ryan Mountcastle, bounced a throw past first base with the bases loaded.
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)
The miscue allowed two runners to cross the plate. It was at first recorded as an error by Shaw, and Ryu wasn't charged with any earned runs but was quickly changed to an infield single by Mountcastle with no error in the play.
With the somewhat baffling decision, Ryu had two earned runs to his name, as his ERA went from 2.68 to 3.16.
Asked about the scoring after the game, Ryu said he figured the club would take care of it.
This image captured from Major League Baseball's official website on Aug. 30, 2020, shows the changed scoring for Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays, who was charged with one earned run instead of two against the Baltimore Orioles under the previous ruling. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
And it was apparently taken care of, as Ryu ended up getting saddled with only one earned run on the play. Mountcastle's batted ball remained an infield single, but Shaw has been charged with a throwing error.
Official scoring in MLB can change upon appeal. Ryu had a similar experience while with the Los Angeles Dodgers in July last year, when two runs he'd allowed to the Boston Red Sox were changed from earned runs to unearned runs.
Ryu's ERA for August went down from 1.61 to 1.29, third best in the MLB among all qualified starters.
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)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--(LEAD) New virus cases below 300 as social distancing toughened in greater Seoul

Sunday 's daily tally marks a drop from the previous day when the country 's new virus cases came to @ @ @ @ @ number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two @ @ @ @ @ as new clusters have been emerging in recent days throughout the country .
Clusters tied @ @ @ @ @ led by an ultra-right pastor and a massive rally held in the capital on Aug. @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details and tougher social distancing measures in paras 7-14)
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea fell below 300 on Sunday for the first time in five days as health authorities extended tougher social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area for one more week.
South Korea reported 299 new COVID-19 cases, including 283 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,699, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Two more patients died, raising the death toll to 323.
Sunday's daily tally marks a drop from the previous day when the country's new virus cases came to 323. Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks and may rise again as new clusters have been emerging in recent days throughout the country. Clusters tied to a Seoul Protestant church led by an ultra-right pastor and a massive rally held in the capital on Aug. 15 continue to grow.
Of the 283 locally transmitted cases, 203 were identified in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51 million population.
Seoul added 114 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 77 and 12 cases, respectively, it said.
Other major cities reported additional infections, with the southeastern city of Daegu adding 30 cases and the southeastern port city of Busan confirming six more cases, the KCDC said.
Congregants of a Protestant church in Seoul's Nowon Ward wait to take a coronavirus test at a makeshift screening center in the district on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
The decline came as South Korea began to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
Under the plan that lasts until next 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.
For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, as cluster infections traced to coffee shops have been reported.
South Korea also began to 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.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 16 imported cases, raising the accumulated number of imported cases to 2,813.
Of the 16 imported cases, 10 were South Koreans and six were foreigners. They came from the United States, Mexico, the Philippines, Iraq, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Russia.
The KCDC said the total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 14,903, up 138 from the previous day.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--New virus cases below 300 as social distancing toughened in greater Seoul

SEOUL , Aug. 30 ( Yonhap ) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea fell below @ @ @ @ @ first time in five days as health authorities extended tougher social distancing measures in the @ @ @ @ @ more week .

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea fell below 300 on Sunday for the first time in five days as health authorities extended tougher social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area for one more week.
South Korea reported 299 new COVID-19 cases, including 283 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,699, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Two more patients died, raising the death toll to 323.
Sunday's daily tally marks a drop from the previous day when the country's new virus cases came to 323. Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks.
Of the 283 locally transmitted cases, 203 were identified in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51 million population.
Seoul added 114 more cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and western port city of Incheon reported 77 and 12 cases, respectively, it said.
Other major cities reported additional infections, with the southeastern city of Daegu adding 30 cases and the southeastern port city of Busan confirming six more cases, the KCDC said.
Congregants of a Protestant church in Seoul's Nowon Ward wait to take a coronavirus test at a makeshift screening center in the district on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--(URGENT) 138 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 14,903: KCDC


yna--2020-08-30--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 additional coronavirus deaths, total at 323: KCDC


yna--2020-08-30--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 299 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 19,699: KCDC


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 30 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-08-30--S. Korea begins 8-day biz restriction of eateries, coffee chains in greater Seoul over pandemic

Under the plan that lasts until next Sunday , restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m. , and only @ @ @ @ @ permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m .

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea began Sunday to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the greater Seoul area in an effort to contain the fast spread of the new coronavirus.
Under the plan that lasts until next 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.
For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, as cluster infections traced to coffee shops have been reported.
When customers visit coffee chains for takeaway, they should follow quarantine measures, such as making entry logs, wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.
This file photo shows tables and chairs that are not being used to maintain social distancing at a cafe in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The move is part of the government's strengthened virus curbs in Seoul and the surrounding areas, home to half of the country's 51 million population, as the country is struggling to curb spiking virus cases.
Instead of raising the level of social distancing to the highest Level Three, the country unveiled stronger and "tailored" virus curbs Friday for vulnerable groups and risk-prone facilities, a move widely viewed as Level 2.5.
The government has been cautious about raising the social distancing guidelines to Level Three from the current Level Two due to the far-reaching impact on the economy.
Meanwhile, South Korea began to 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.
To protect 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 from home. They also recommended private companies take similar steps.
In mid-August, the government raised virus curbs to Level Two in the Seoul region for two weeks and expanded it across the nation starting last Sunday.
Health authorities extended the current step for one more week in the wider Seoul region, as the number of new infections has not shown signs of easing.
This photo, taken on Aug. 24, 2020, shows a lecturer teaching an online class at a cram school in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-30--U.S. requires negative COVID-19 test for all military people for trip to S. Korea

The measure comes as the U.S .
Forces Korea ( USFK ) has reported a large number of COVID-19 patients @ @ @ @ @ home country .
As of Friday , USFK reported 168 virus patients among its population @ @ @ @ @ , or 85.7 percent , tested positive upon arrival or during their mandatory two-week quarantine @ @ @ @

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Army on Sunday began to require all American soldiers, families and other related civilians to have a negative test result for the new coronavirus prior to their departure for South Korea, officials said.
The measure comes as the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has reported a large number of COVID-19 patients among new arrivals from their home country. As of Friday, USFK reported 168 virus patients among its population, and 144 of them, or 85.7 percent, tested positive upon arrival or during their mandatory two-week quarantine period after arrival.
"All Army personnel will have to produce a negative COVID test before departing the U.S. This negative test result should be as close as possible to the departure date," Lt. Col. Michael Nicholson of the Eighth Army said in a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency.
The U.S. military initially declared that all U.S. Army soldiers, civilians and family members conducting official travel outside the U.S. will come under a 14-day movement restriction and submit a negative virus test prior to their departure.
But it amended the guidance to eliminate the pre-travel quarantine rule for those going to South Korea, as the country already imposes a mandatory 14-day quarantine rule for new arrivals, according to the Eighth Army.
"Given that the Republic of Korea already requires a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival, the Department of the Army amended its previous guidance for personnel going to Korea in order to eliminate the double requirement on our personnel," Nicholson said.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus test and are quarantined for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.
"Newly arrived personnel do not interact with the local Korean communities until they are cleared and released from their mandatory 14-day quarantine," the military added.
U.S. officers wait for American service personnel to arrive at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on April 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


(Copyright)

The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the @ @ @ @ @ News Agency .

All information carried by the Yonhap News Agency, including articles, photographs, graphics, audio and video images, and illustrations (collectively, the content) is owned by the Yonhap News Agency.
The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Yonhap News Agency.
Any violation can be subject to a compensation claim or civil and criminal lawsuits.
Requests to use the content for any purpose besides the ones mentioned above should be directed in advance to Yonhap's Information Business Department at 82-2-398-3557 or 82-2-398-3552.
(END)


yna--2020-08-29--(LEAD) Typhoon Maysak expected to affect S. Korea next week

SEOUL , Aug. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- Typhoon Maysak was churning toward the Korean Peninsula on Saturday from waters @ @ @ @ @ is expected to affect the Korean Peninsula in the middle of next week , weather @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 2-5)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak was churning toward the Korean Peninsula on Saturday from waters east of the Philippines and is expected to affect the Korean Peninsula in the middle of next week, weather authorities said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that as of 9 p.m., the season's ninth typhoon was traveling some 920 kilometers east-northeast of Manila at a speed of 13 kilometers per hour.
It is expected to travel south of Japan's Okinawa Island and reach waters some 160 kilometers east of Seogwipo, South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, at around 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The typhoon is forecast to pass near the southeastern port city of Busan and the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan.
It is expected to reach some 30 kilometers away from Busan by 2 p.m. Thursday and travel around 20 kilometers away from Ulsan by 3 p.m. the following day, the KMA said.
Although Maysak is a mid-strength typhoon at the moment, it could become a very powerful one with a maximum wind speed of 47 meters per second around Monday, the KMA said.
Maysak is expected to bring heavy rain to southern provinces Tuesday and the rest of the country from Wednesday to Thursday, the agency said.
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Maysak's expected path as of 3 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-31--Two more service members test positive for new coronavirus

The total number of COVID-19 patients among military members stood at 107 as of 10 a.m. Monday .
The previous @ @ @ @ @ five more patients : one Army officer in Daegu , one full-time reserve soldier in @ @ @ @ @ , and three Air Force members in Seongnam .

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- An airman stationed in the city of Seongnam near Seoul and an Army soldier in the southeastern city of Daegu tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Monday.
Both are presumed to have been infected with COVID-19 after coming into contact with their colleagues who tested positive earlier, according to the ministry.
At the Seongnam base, five service members tested positive so far, with the first patient being reported Saturday after returning from vacation in mid-August.
"All the other members of the unit tested negative," the ministry said in a message to reporters.
Since last week, the ministry has restricted all service members from vacationing and off-installation trips to stem the spread of the virus.
The total number of COVID-19 patients among military members stood at 107 as of 10 a.m. Monday. The previous day, the ministry reported five more patients: one Army officer in Daegu, one full-time reserve soldier in the adjacent county of Yecheon, and three Air Force members in Seongnam.
Currently, 1,011 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 2,960 people under stricter anti-virus schemes of its own as a preventive step.
South Korea has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases since the middle of this month, mostly in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, and the authorities have imposed stricter social distancing guidelines in the region since Sunday.
On Monday, the country reported 248 new COVID-19 cases, including 238 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
This photo taken by a Yonhap News TV reporter shows medical workers moving a confirmed patient of the new coronavirus to the Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020, as the city reported 30 new daily COVID-19 cases, the highest in more than five months. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)