yna--2020-01-10--IOC says it is 'ready to accept' N. Korea as co-host with S. Korea for 2024 Winter Youth Olympics

`` From the very beginning , it was part of our approach that we would be ready to accept the @ @ @ @ @ to be a partner of the organization , if the political circumstances will hopefully allow @ @ @ @ @ referring to North Korea by its official acronym , Democratic People 's Republic of Korea @

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said Friday the top Olympic body is "ready to accept" North Korea as the co-host with South Korea for an upcoming youth elite sporting competition on the divided peninsula.
South Korea's Gangwon Province was awarded the right to host the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, following a vote during the 135th IOC Session on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland. As the sole preferred host of the competition, Gangwon earned 79 votes in support of its bid from 81 voting IOC members.
In this EPA photo, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (2nd from R) holds a card showing the name of Gangwon Province of South Korea as the host of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, following an election at the 135th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Jan. 10, 2020. Others with Bach are, from left: Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, Choi Moon-soon, governor of Gangwon Province, and, to Bach's left, Park Yang-woo, South Korean minister of culture, sports and tourism. (Yonhap)
Gangwon is home of PyeongChang, the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. PyeongChang's neighboring towns of Gangneung and Jeongseon also staged ice and alpine skiing events during the 2018 Olympics. For the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, Gangwon Province plans to use its existing facilities, and infrastructure built for the 2018 Olympics will also come in handy in four years' time.
Following Gangwon's election, Bach said the 2024 competition would also present an opportunity to "build bridges and to contribute to understanding and peace."
To that end, the IOC is open to having the two Koreas share responsibilities in hosting the Winter Youth Olympics, Bach said.
"From the very beginning, it was part of our approach that we would be ready to accept the national Olympic committee of DPRK to be a partner of the organization, if the political circumstances will hopefully allow," Bach said, referring to North Korea by its official acronym, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
At PyeongChang 2018, the Koreas marched in as one at the opening ceremony and assembled a unified team in women's hockey -- the first joint Korean team in Olympic history. But any sort of inter-Korean dialogue, sporting or otherwise, has all but stopped amid heightening tensions in the region.
Beyond the 2024 Youth Olympics, South Korea is also hoping to co-host the 2032 Summer Games with North Korea, though the current political and diplomatic climate may suggest it could be a difficult mission to accomplish.
Asked if the IOC will play a more active role to try to bring the Koreas closer, at least in sports, Bach said his organization has to respect "the overall political development."
In this EPA photo, South Korean and international Olympic officials hold the contracts for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics to be held in the South Korean province of Gangwon, during the 135th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Jan. 10, 2020. From left: Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, Choi Moon-soon, governor of Gangwon Province, Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, and Ng Ser Miang, an IOC member from Singapore. (Yonhap)
"We'll now wait for the reaction to this offer (to co-host the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics) at an appropriate time," Bach said. "This isn't the moment yet to do more than to issue an invitation for the continued dialogue with all the parties involved."
The 2024 Winter Youth Olympics is the first IOC competition whose host has been determined by a revamped bidding process.
Last October, the IOC formed Future Host Commissions for both Winter and Summer Olympics, in order to ensure more flexibility in the selection of host cities. These commissions make recommendations to the Executive Board, which in turn will make recommendations to the IOC Session.
Octavian Morariu, head of the Future Host Winter Commission, was effusive in his praise for Gangwon's bid and highlighted the opportunity to promote peace in Korea.
"The proposition from Gangwon had several advantages," he said. "Certainly it leverages sport and Olympics values to promote dialogue on the Korean Peninsula. Definitely, that was a very important aspect to be considered."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--S. Korea eliminated in Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tournament

Iran never trailed in the fifth set , though South Korea tried to conjure up one last fight .
Down @ @ @ @ @ three consecutive points , only to see Jeon Kwang-in 's serve fault set up a @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea crashed out of the Asian Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tournament on Saturday, following a loss to Iran in the first knockout match of the competition.
A desperate comeback effort by the 24th-ranked South Korea fell just short, as world No. 8 Iran prevailed 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 15-13) in the semifinals of the qualifying event at Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium in Jiangmen, China.
South Korea has now lost 10 of its past 11 meetings against Iran.
Jeon Kwang-in had a match-best 16 points in the losing cause. Iran dominated South Korea in blocks with a 17-7 advantage.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, Jeon Kwang-in of South Korea (R) watches the ball after his spike against Iran during the teams' semifinals match at the Asian Olympic men's volleyball qualification tournament at Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium in Jiangmen, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Only the winner of this qualifying tournament will compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The other semifinals match will pit Qatar against China later Saturday.
South Korea hasn't played in the Olympic men's volleyball tournament since 2000.
The pesky South Koreans surprised Iran by taking the opening set. Park Chul-woo's ace, Jeon Kwang-in's spike and Choi Min-ho's block helped stake South Korea to a 16-10 lead. Iran cut the deficit to 23-22, before Choi and Park got the final two points for South Korea.
But that only seemed to have poked the bear, as Iran claimed the next two sets with an array of powerful spikes and timely blocks.
South Korea refused to go down so easily, taking a 13-9 lead in the fourth set. Iran kept eating into that deficit, and a block on a Jeon Kwang-in spike made it an 18-18 tie.
The teams kept trading points until it got to 22-22. South Korea then scored three straight points, the highlights being Hwang Taek-eui's ace and Park Chul-woo's kill.
But South Korea ran out of steam in the deciding fifth set. Iran scored the first two points of the frame, prompting South Korean coach Im Do-hun to call a quick timeout.
Iran never trailed in the fifth set, though South Korea tried to conjure up one last fight. Down 13-9, South Korea got three consecutive points, only to see Jeon Kwang-in's serve fault set up a match point.
Iran committed a serve fault of its own to give South Korea life, but Milad Ebadipour's spike finished off the set and the match.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, Jung Ji-seok of South Korea (R) hits a spike against Milad Ebadipour (L) and Ali Shafiei of Iran during the teams' semifinals match at the Asian Olympic men's volleyball qualification tournament at Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium in Jiangmen, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--S. Korea beats Chinese Taipei, 1 win away from Olympic women's volleyball tournament

Chinese Taipei battled from an early deficit to force an 8-8 tie in the fourth set , but South Korea @ @ @ @ @ points .
The score promptly became 15-10 in favor of South Korea , which cruised @ @ @ @ @ to close out the match .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Without its best player, South Korea rallied to defeat Chinese Taipei at the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament on Saturday, moving within one win of clinching a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games.
South Korea reached the final of the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament with a 3-1 (18-25, 25-9, 25-15, 25-14) win over Chinese Taipei at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, South Korean players celebrate a point against Chinese Taipei in their semifinals match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Having lost its captain and top attacker, Kim Yeon-koung, to an abdominal injury, world No. 9 South Korea bounced back from a lackluster first set to avoid an upset loss at the hands of the 32nd-ranked Chinese Taipei.
In Sunday's final, South Korea will meet the winner of the other semifinals match between Thailand and Kazakhstan. Only the champion will compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
South Korea is trying to make it to its third straight Olympics in women's volleyball.
Kim only played a few points in the first set in the final preliminary match on Thursday, and after getting some treatment at a local hospital on Friday, she sat out the entire semifinal on Saturday.
Chinese Taipei took advantage of Kim's absence in the opening set and its onslaught caught South Korea off guard in a relatively easy, 25-18 win.
But the pendulum quickly swung in South Korea's favor in the second set. Holding an 8-6 lead, South Korea scored the next seven points, with Kang So-hwi stepping up on the attack. Kim Hee-jin scored three straight points in one stretch, combining two aces with a hard spike, as South Korea dominated Chinese Taipei for a 25-9 set win.
The momentum remained fully on the South Korean side in the third set. Middle blockers Yang Hyo-jin and Kim Su-ji also got in on the offensive action, helping South Korea to a 25-15 set win.
Chinese Taipei battled from an early deficit to force an 8-8 tie in the fourth set, but South Korea pulled away with three straight points. The score promptly became 15-10 in favor of South Korea, which cruised the rest of the way to close out the match.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, Kang So-hwi of South Korea (R) hits a spike against Huang Chin-Hsuan (L) and Hsieh Yi-Chen of Chinese Taipei in their semifinals match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--S. Korea provides $500,000 in aid to Madagascar over food crisis

In a ceremony , Lim said the country has suffered its worst drought for several years in its southern region @ @ @ @ @ change and El Nino .

CAIRO, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government has provided Madagascar with US$500,000 in emergency aid as the island country's food crisis has continued to worsen, Seoul's embassy there said Saturday.
It was delivered by South Korean Ambassador to Madagascar Lim Sang-woo to the local office of the World Food Programme.
In a ceremony, Lim said the country has suffered its worst drought for several years in its southern region as a result of climate change and El Nino.
The money will be used especially to support children in the nation.
Around 900,000 residents in the southern part of Madagascar are estimated to be suffering food shortages.
South Korea opened its embassy in the Indian Ocean country in July 2016.
South Korean Ambassador to Madagascar Lim Sang-woo (2nd from R) poses for photos during a food aid provision ceremony held at the World Food Programme's office in the country on Jan. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by the embassy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Cheong Wa Dae silent on N. Korea's ridicule of S. Korea's 'mediator' role

`` But they seem not to know that there is a special liaison channel between the top leaders of the @ @ @ @ @ '' Kim said in an statement translated into English and carried by the Korean Central @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The office of President Moon Jae-in issued no immediate formal response Saturday to North Korea's statement mocking his efforts to facilitate nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington.
Kim Kye-gwan, formerly the North's top nuclear negotiator, took issue with Cheong Wa Dae's announcement Friday that it conveyed U.S. President Donald Trump's congratulatory birthday message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Returning from a trip to Washington D.C., Chung Eui-yong, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, told reporters that Trump had asked Moon to deliver the message to Kim.
He said the South had conveyed it to the North, making headlines here. Moon has, meanwhile, declared plans to resume full-scale efforts for dialogue with the North and for resuming inter-Korean projects.
Kim, currently a foreign ministry adviser, effectively warned Moon not to meddle in North Korea-U.S. relations any more.
He said the South's authorities had sent Trump's message "in an extremely urgent notice."
"But they seem not to know that there is a special liaison channel between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S.," Kim said in an statement translated into English and carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK stands for the communist nation's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim added the North had earlier received the message from Trump on the occasion of the North Korean leader's Jan. 8 birthday.
He said the Moon administration "seems it still has lingering hope for playing the role of 'mediator' in the DPRK-U.S. relations."
"It is somehow presumptuous for South Korea to meddle in the personal relations between Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un and President Trump," he added.
A view of Cheong Wa Dae is shown in this file photo provided by Yonhap News TV. (Yonhap)
His statement suggests Pyongyang is implementing its typical strategy of seeking to talk only with Washington, bypassing Seoul.
Cheong Wa Dae has not responded yet to it publicly and has been waiting for Pyongyang's response to Moon's overtures in his New Year's address.
Moon proposed the two Koreas jointly create the conditions for Kim Jong-un to make an agreed-upon visit to South Korea. He called for dialogue on various joint projects and exchanges including for upcoming sports events.
The North's foreign ministry adviser, however, made no mention of it in the statement.
He also left the door open for denuclearization talks with Washington.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--(2nd LD) Nuke talks only possible when U.S. fully accepts N.K. demands: Pyongyang official

`` It can be said that the reopening of dialogue between the DPRK and the U.S. may be possible only @ @ @ @ @ latter 's absolute agreement on the issues raised by the former , but we know @ @ @ @ @ neither ready nor able to do so , '' he said .
DPRK stands for @ @ @ @ @ , the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea .

(ATTN: ADDS photo, more info in 7th para)
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Former North Korean chief nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan said Saturday that dialogue with the United States can resume only when it fully accepts Pyongyang's demands.
Kim, currently foreign ministry adviser, also stressed the North would never engage in a negotiation to exchange its core nuclear facility for partial sanctions relief as it did in the no-deal Hanoi summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February last year.
The remarks, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, followed the North Korean leader's New Year's Day message that warned of a "new strategic weapon" test and "shocking actual action" in a display of frustration over the stalemated nuclear talks with Washington.
"It can be said that the reopening of dialogue between the DPRK and the U.S. may be possible only under the condition of the latter's absolute agreement on the issues raised by the former, but we know well that the U.S. is neither ready nor able to do so," he said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"We know well about the way we should go and will go on our way," he added.
The advisor's tone apparently represents a gradual hardening of Pyongyang's stance, which analysts say appears intended to ratchet up pressure on Washington to make concessions.
Claiming to have taken unrewarded steps such as its moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, the North has demanded the removal of "all obstacles" that threaten the security of the North and hamper its development. The demands are seen as calls for sanctions relief and security assurances.
"There will never be such negotiations as that in Vietnam, in which we proposed exchanging a core nuclear facility of the country for the lift of some U.N. sanctions in a bid to lessen the sufferings of the peaceable people even a bit," he said.
"There is no need for us to be present in such talks, in which there is only unilateral pressure, and we have no desire to barter something for other thing at the talks like traders," he added.
Calling the relations between the leaders of the U.S. and the North "not bad," the former negotiator said that the North received Trump's personal letter congratulating the North Korean chairman on his recent birthday.
But he said it would be "absent-minded" to anticipate the North's return to dialogue because of the leaders' friendly relations.
"It is absentminded to think of either making us return to the dialogue with the U.S. by taking the advantage of such relations or creating an atmosphere for it," he said.
"We have been deceived by the U.S., being caught in the dialogue with it for over one year and a half, and that was the lost time for us," he added.
He went on to say that the North Korean leader has "personal" feelings toward Trump, but the chairman would not discuss the state affairs on the basis of such feelings.
"What is clear is that we will never lose our time again, being taken in by the U.S. trick as in the past," he said.
The adviser also derided the South's presidential office for announcing the delivery of Trump's congratulatory message to the North, while underplaying Seoul's role as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang.
"South Korea, not a member of the U.S. clan, went so frivolous as to convey the greetings from the U.S. president. It seems it still has lingering hope for playing the role of "mediator" in the DPRK-U.S. relations," he said.
"It is somehow presumptuous for south Korea to meddle in the personal relations between Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un and President Trump," he added.
The U.S. and the North last held their working-level nuclear talks in Sweden in October. But the negotiation ended fruitlessly with Pyongyang accusing Washington of having come to the table empty-handed.
Since then, the North has ramped up pressure on the U.S. to show flexibility to break the logjam in the negotiations with provocative saber-rattling and rhetoric.
The U.S. has continued to signal that the door for dialogue remains open.
This file photo shows then North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan attending a seminar in Beijing on Sept. 18, 2013. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--(LEAD) Nuke talks only possible when U.S. fully accepts N.K. demands: Pyongyang official

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with KCNA English report)
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Former North Korean chief nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan said Saturday that dialogue with the United States can resume only when it fully accepts Pyongyang's demands.
Kim, currently foreign ministry adviser, also stressed the North would never engage in a negotiation to exchange its core nuclear facility for partial sanctions relief as it did in the no-deal Hanoi summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February last year.
The remarks, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, followed North Korean leader's New Year's Day message that warned of a "new strategic weapon" test and "shocking actual action" in a display of frustration over the stalemated nuclear talks with Washington.
"It can be said that the reopening of dialogue between the DPRK and the U.S. may be possible only under the condition of the latter's absolute agreement on the issues raised by the former, but we know well that the U.S. is neither ready nor able to do so," he said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"We know well about the way we should go and will go on our way," he added.
The advisor's tone apparently represents a gradual hardening of Pyongyang's stance, which analysts say appears intended to ratchet up pressure on Washington to make concessions.
"There will never be such negotiations as that in Vietnam, in which we proposed exchanging a core nuclear facility of the country for the lift of some U.N. sanctions in a bid to lessen the sufferings of the peaceable people even a bit," he said.
"There is no need for us to be present in such talks, in which there is only unilateral pressure, and we have no desire to barter something for other thing at the talks like traders," he added.
Calling the relations between the leaders of the U.S. and the North "not bad," the former negotiator said that the North received Trump's personal letter congratulating the North Korean chairman on his recent birthday.
But he said it would be "absent-minded" to anticipate the North's return to dialogue because of the leaders' friendly relations.
"It is absentminded to think of either making us return to the dialogue with the U.S. by taking the advantage of such relations or creating an atmosphere for it," he said.
"We have been deceived by the U.S., being caught in the dialogue with it for over one year and a half, and that was the lost time for us," he added.
He went on to say that the North Korean leader has "personal" feelings toward Trump, but the chairman would not discuss the state affairs on the basis of such feelings.
"What is clear is that we will never lose our time again, being taken in by the U.S. trick as in the past," he said.
The adviser also derided the South's presidential office for announcing the delivery of Trump's congratulatory message to the North, while underplaying Seoul's role as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang.
"South Korea, not a member of the U.S. clan, went so frivolous as to convey the greetings from the U.S. president. It seems it still has lingering hope for playing the role of "mediator" in the DPRK-U.S. relations," he said.
"It is somehow presumptuous for south Korea to meddle in the personal relations between Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un and President Trump," he added.
The U.S. and the North last held their working-level nuclear talks in Sweden in October. But the negotiation ended fruitlessly with Pyongyang accusing Washington of having come to the table empty-handed.
Since then, the North has ramped up pressure on the U.S. to show flexibility to break the logjam in the negotiations with provocative saber-rattling and rhetoric.
The U.S. has continued to signal that the door for dialogue remains open.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Nuke talks only possible when U.S. 'fully' accepts N.K. demands: Pyongyang official

In addition , Kim noted that the North received U.S. President Donald Trump 's letter congratulating North Korean leader Kim @ @ @ @ @ .
But he said it would be `` foolish '' to anticipate the North returning @ @ @ @ @ leader 's friendly relations .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Former North Korean chief nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan said Saturday that dialogue with the United States can resume only when it fully accepts Pyongyang's demands.
In a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim, currently foreign ministry adviser, also stressed the North would not engage in negotiations on partial sanctions relief for dismantling the entirety of its core nuclear facility.
In addition, Kim noted that the North received U.S. President Donald Trump's letter congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his recent birthday. But he said it would be "foolish" to anticipate the North returning to dialogue based on the leader's friendly relations.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Korean software developer seeks overseas push via tie-ups with IT giants

`` This is the right time for our software to go global , '' Kim said at his press meeting @ @ @ @ @ on the sidelines of CES 2020 .
`` I believe our software has reached the @ @ @ @ @ need to better expand our global presence by working together with global companies like Amazon @ @

By Joo Kyung-don
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- Hancom Group, South Korea's leading office software developer, aims to expand its global presence by strengthening collaboration with information technology (IT) giants from the United States and China, the group's chief has said.
Hancom was one of some 390 South Korean firms that showcased its products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest tech expo, in Las Vegas, Nevada, which wrapped up its 2020 edition Friday.
Kim Sang-chul, chief of Hancom, said the group's top goal is to go global by boosting business ties with U.S. tech titan Amazon and China's state-run iFlytek.
"This is the right time for our software to go global," Kim said at his press meeting Wednesday, with Korean reporters on the sidelines of CES 2020. "I believe our software has reached the world-class level, and we need to better expand our global presence by working together with global companies like Amazon."
This photo provided by Hancom Group on Jan. 9, 2020, shows the group's Chairman Kim Sang-chul at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
According to Kim, Hancom's global presence only accounts for 0.5 percent in the global office software market that is dominated by Microsoft Corp. but aims to increase that market share to 5 percent in the near future.
"Five percent global market share in this industry means you can make 1 trillion won (US$860 million) in sales," Kim said. "We'll first target the Southeast Asian market."
In 2018, Hancom posted sales of 216 billion won.
Hancom signed as a South Korean partner to Amazon Web Services (AWS), a cloud platform, and provides its office software solutions.
"Last year, Amazon ramped up its battle against Microsoft, and to better get closer to its target, Amazon needs us," Kim said. "Amazon and Hancom are moving forward together and as Linux and cloud-based systems rise, I think we can get new opportunities."
With Chinese tech leader iFlytek, Hancom will beef up its artificial intelligence-powered education business. Last year, Hancom set up an AI joint venture with iFlytek named Accufly AI.
"We'll blend our forte with Chinese firms' ability to enter the new global market," Kim said. "We're currently in talks with three major Chinese companies."
Kim said U.S.-China trade tensions actually provide a good business opportunity to Hancom.
"Chinese firms can't enter the U.S. and vice versa," he said. "But if they join hands with us and create a joint venture than they can enter both the U.S. and China markets, which is also good for us."
This image provided by Hancom Group on Jan. 9, 2020, shows its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--(URGENT) N. Korea received Trump's letter congratulating Kim on his birthday: Pyongyang official

(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--2020-01-11--(URGENT) N.K. official says dialogue possible when 'U.S. fully accepts our demands'


yna--2020-01-11--S. Korea's 'pneumonia-like' illness case unrelated to China outbreaks: KCDC

`` She tested negative for the new type of the coronavirus , '' the KCDC said .
It said that @ @ @ @ @ determine why she got sick , the agency was sure it was not because of @ @ @ @ @ parts of China .
Chinese authorities who have been grappling with the illness said 41 @ @ @ @ @ infected with the virus .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's public safety and health agency on Saturday said that it has confirmed that the single "pneumonia-like" illness case reported earlier in the week is not related to the outbreaks in China.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said it carried out a so-called pan-coronavirus test on the patient under quarantine and confirmed the illness was not caused by a new strain of the coronavirus that has made people sick in Wuhan, Hubei Province.
The 36-year-old Chinese women visited the city in central China last month started showing symptoms like coughing and inflammation of the throat. She visited a local hospital early last week, although she was initially diagnosed with pneumonia.
"She tested negative for the new type of the coronavirus," the KCDC said. It said that while it still needs to determine why she got sick, the agency was sure it was not because of the illness that spread through parts of China. Chinese authorities who have been grappling with the illness said 41 patients suffering pneumonia-like symptoms were infected with the virus.
The KCDC said that based on the latest test, and the state of the patient's health, it consulted doctors and decided to allow her to leave. It also announced that it is halting monitoring of people she had come in contact with.
China claimed that the pneumonia-like sickness is not transmitted from person to person and of all people that have fallen ill so far, only one has died.
Seoul will maintain close watch on people entering the country from Wuhan and will continue to ask visitors to the city to take extra care of personal hygiene and contact doctors if they feel sick after returning.
A KCDC official at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, uses sensors to check the temperatures of people entering the country on Jan. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2001 -- Then U.S. President Bill Clinton expresses `` regret '' over the killing of South Korean citizens by U.S. @ @ @ @ @ War .
He acknowledged that U.S. soldiers `` killed or injured an unconfirmed number of @ @ @ @ @ , a hamlet in southeastern South Korea , in July 1950 , barely a month @ @ @ @ @ .
Bereaved families claim at least 248 people were killed .

Jan. 12
1988 -- North Korea's Olympic Committee declares its decision to boycott the Seoul Olympics.
2001 -- Then U.S. President Bill Clinton expresses "regret" over the killing of South Korean citizens by U.S. soldiers during the 1950-1953 Korean War. He acknowledged that U.S. soldiers "killed or injured an unconfirmed number of Korean refugees" in Nogeun-ri, a hamlet in southeastern South Korea, in July 1950, barely a month after the war broke out. Bereaved families claim at least 248 people were killed.
2006 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visits the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Kim's visit to the high-tech city near Hong Kong is seen as an indication of North Korea's willingness to reform its economy.
2007 -- North Korea hands over a South Korean fishing boat, with its engineer aboard, that crossed into North Korean waters in December 2006 in the East Sea.
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--U.S. unit seen stepping up preparations for rotational deployment to Korea

SEOUL , Jan. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- A U.S. Army unit appears to be quickening preparations for its upcoming @ @ @ @ @ , with its recent social media post saying its heavy equipment is `` on its @ @ @ @ @ ''

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. Army unit appears to be quickening preparations for its upcoming rotational deployment to South Korea, with its recent social media post saying its heavy equipment is "on its way to the port."
The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas, is expected to arrive in Korea in the coming months for a nine-month rotational mission. It will replace the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division.
"Rail head operations are just one part of deploying the brigade to Korea," the unit wrote on Facebook.
"Dagger Brigade's equipment is on its way to the port. Next step, load it onto ships," it added, referring to the unit's nickname.
In an earlier post, the unit said that routine rotations to Korea "add to the defense of the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen relationships with our allies and partners."
The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division transports its heavy equipment in preparation for its upcoming rotational deployment to South Korea in this photo posted on Facebook by the unit on Jan. 10, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Seoul to launch electronic travel authorization for foreign visitors

The ministry also said it has steadily increased the number of visa-waiver countries to boost inbound travelers and human exchanges @ @ @ @ @ to such efforts , the ratio of visa-exempt nationals among all foreign visitors in South @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 , it noted .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to launch an electronic travel authorization (ETA) system for foreign visitors next year, following the parliament's approval of a relevant law early this week, the Ministry of Justice said Saturday.
The National Assembly's plenary session on Thursday passed a revision of the Immigration Law on the introduction of the ETA system to help facilitate the entry of foreign tourists and prevent illegal stays by foreigners, the ministry said.
Under the legal revision, citizens from visa-waiver countries will be allowed to obtain an ETA online before traveling to South Korea. Those with a valid ETA will be exempted from submitting a disembarkation card and can easily enter the country through ETA-only counters at airports.
The ministry said it plans to implement the ETA system next year after completing the development of relevant systems.
The ministry also said it has steadily increased the number of visa-waiver countries to boost inbound travelers and human exchanges with foreign countries. Thanks to such efforts, the ratio of visa-exempt nationals among all foreign visitors in South Korea rose to 53 percent in 2018, it noted.
At the same time, however, the share of visa-waiver foreign nationals among all illegal stayers has risen to 54.1 percent, forcing local immigration officials to strengthen entry interviews with newly arrived foreigners.
Thus, foreign visitors are forced to wait a long time at airports, while some of them are turned back for suspicions about their intention to illegally stay, the ministry said, explaining the purpose of the ETA system.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Korea to open 30 new Korean-language institutes overseas this year

SEOUL , Jan. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will open 30 new state-supported Korean-language institutes across the globe @ @ @ @ @ demand for Korean-language education , driven by the global sensation of K-pop and other Korean @ @ @ @ @ has said .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will open 30 new state-supported Korean-language institutes across the globe this year to meet growing demand for Korean-language education, driven by the global sensation of K-pop and other Korean cultural content, an official has said.
"Boosted by the popularity of K-pop idol group BTS, a boom of learning Korean is growing globally. So (the King Sejong Institute Foundation) plans to establish 30 more King Sejong Institutes this year," Kang Hyoun-hwa, the foundation's chief, said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency.
Named after the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) king, the inventor of the Korean alphabet Hangeul, the institutes offer language education programs outside of the country.
The foundation under the culture ministry is in charge of operating the global network of King Sejong Institutes.
There are currently 180 such institutes in 60 countries across the globe, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allotted 33.2 billion won (US$28.6 million) to increase them to 210 this year.
In 2019, South Korea opened 16 new King Sejong Institutes across the globe.
The regions for the planned addition of the state-run Korean-language institutes this year include Southeast Asia, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central and South America and Africa.
"BTS' fan club, 'Army,' unites with its unique energy and tries to go beyond just (consuming) and liking the band by directly understanding (the band) through learning the Korean language," Kang said.
"The foundation will focus on expanding King Sejong Institutes in countries with less infrastructure such as Africa and South America," she noted.
Kang said that this year the foundation will also kick off a special project to nurture non-Korean teachers who could provide Korean-language lectures at King Sejong Institutes.
Kang Hyoun-hwa, chief of the King Sejong Institute Foundation (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--(CES 2020) Tech show wraps up 4-day journey highlighting AI, mobility solutions

Samsung , which prepared the largest booth among exhibitors , unveiled its tennis-ball like robot , Ballie , at the @ @ @ @ @ Through this rolling bot , which the company likes to call an `` intelligent companion @ @ @ @ @ need for personalized technology and vowed to develop advanced AI and Internet of Things ( @ @ @ @ @ smart devices can better interact with one another .

By Joo Kyung-don
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- The world's biggest tech expo wrapped up its four-day journey here Friday after global players introduced their latest achievements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and mobility solutions.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, featured some 4,500 exhibiting firms with more than 170,000 people visiting their booths to see the latest consumer technologies and products.
This year, South Korea was represented by a record 390 exhibitors, with a large number of startups making their way to the annual tech show.
This file photo, taken Jan. 7, 2020, shows people at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Yonhap)
Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. again anchored South Korea's tech prowess at the show, with both emphasizing AI and "connected experience."
Samsung, which prepared the largest booth among exhibitors, unveiled its tennis-ball like robot, Ballie, at the company's pre-show keynote. Through this rolling bot, which the company likes to call an "intelligent companion," Samsung stressed the need for personalized technology and vowed to develop advanced AI and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions so that smart devices can better interact with one another.
Samsung also introduced its latest home appliances, such as shoe refresher and 8K QLED TVs.
In this file photo, taken Jan. 6, 2020, Kim Hyun-suk, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Co.'s consumer electronics division, introduces a rolling bot, Ballie, at the company's keynote event ahead of Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Yonhap)
LG showed off its OLED display technology at CES 2020, with a new version of its rollable TV and a massive OLED exhibition, the Wave, comprised of some 200 flexible OLED screens.
The company also emphasized AI this year, setting up "ThinQ Zone" at its booth, where visitors can experience LG's latest AI-powered products such as a virtual fitting room and cooking robot.
While the two South Korean tech giants largely focused on AI, other home grown conglomerates took the CES 2020 stage with mobility solutions.
A Consumer Electronics Show (CES) attendee sees LG Electronics Inc.'s virtual fitting room service, ThinQ Fit, at the company's CES booth in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's top automaker, displayed an air taxi concept at its booth and announced that it will develop urban air travel service in collaboration with Uber. Its auto parts affiliate, Hyundai Mobis Co., introduced an advanced self-driving automation technology and a hydrogen fuel cell electric system.
SK Group, South Korea's No. 3 conglomerate, also presented mobility solutions after its four affiliates formed a joint booth. Its telecommunications arm SK Telecom Co. showcased 5G-powered mobility and media service, while SK Innovation introduced its achievements in electric vehicle (EV) batteries and advanced materials.
This file photo, taken on Jan. 8, 2020, shows Hyundai Motor Group's personal air vehicle concept, S-A1, at its booth at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Yonhap)
In its first CES appearance, power-equipment centered Doosan Group introduced a smart construction process management solution and a hydrogen fuel cell-powered drone.
A number of South Korean government officials and business leaders were at CES 2020.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, the first South Korean minister to visit the CES since 2004, checked the booths of major South Korean firms including Samsung and LG. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was one of the panels for a CES session on smart city development.
Major business leaders in attendance included Park Yong-maan, chief of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
This file photo, taken Jan. 8, 2020, shows Sony's electric vehicle concept, Vision-S, at the company's booth at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Yonhap)
Among major global players, Google and Amazon were busy promoting their AI tools at CES 2020, showing that AI's power can be extended from smart home to automobiles.
Japanese electronics giant Sony delivered a big surprise at CES 2020 by introducing the Vision-S EV concept. U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines made an impressive CES debut by introducing exoskeletons for freight loaders and airport display tailored to individual passengers.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--U.N. sanctions panel approves humanitarian aid activities for two agencies

On Tuesday , the committee gave the green light to the Doctors Without Borders and Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit that @ @ @ @ @ into the North that are required for emergency medical support and repairs to a drinking @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Security Council committee on sanctions against North Korea has approved the applications by two aid agencies for humanitarian activities in the communist state, its website showed Saturday, the first such approval this year.
On Tuesday, the committee gave the green light to the Doctors Without Borders and Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit that have applied to bring items into the North that are required for emergency medical support and repairs to a drinking water supply system, respectively.
Under the sanctions exemptions that will remain valid for six months, the Doctors Without Borders can bring 65 items, including medical microscopes, ambulances and tuberculosis diagnosis kits, to the North.
Detailed items the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit are allowed to bring were not made public.
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Ministry lodges protest over Iranian envoy's reported mention of possible end of Seoul-Tehran ties

`` We called in the ambassador as we felt the need to deliver our concerns had it been true that @ @ @ @ @ Korea to maintain friendly bilateral ties has directly talked of the severing of ties , @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry has called in Iran's top envoy in South Korea to lodge a protest over his reported remarks hinting at the possibility that Tehran could sever ties with Seoul should it send troops to the tense Strait of Hormuz, an official said Saturday.
On Friday, the ministry brought in Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Badamchi Shabestari and checked if he made the remarks as reported in the local daily Joong-Ang Ilbo on the day, according to the official.
The ambassador reportedly told the ministry that he did not directly mention the possible severing of the bilateral ties, although he said Seoul's participation in a U.S.-led maritime security campaign in the strait could have an impact on the Seoul-Tehran ties.
"We called in the ambassador as we felt the need to deliver our concerns had it been true that an ambassador who is in Korea to maintain friendly bilateral ties has directly talked of the severing of ties," the official said.
"We have listened sufficiently to his explanations," the official added.
Seoul has been mulling whether to send forces to the strategically vital waterway off Iran as the U.S. is calling on its allies to join efforts to safeguard the strait amid high military tensions between Washington and Tehran.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Seoul city to turn old highway into 7.6 km-long park

The masterplan for the park was selected through an international competition .
The winning bid is based on the theme @ @ @ @ @ with memories and traces of the past , '' according to the city .

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- In another attempt to emulate New York's landmark High Line, the Seoul city government unveiled a plan to build a gigantic linear park on the site of the country's oldest highway, which will be turned into an underground roadway.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it plans to spend 57.3 billion won (US$49.3 million) for the oblong-shaped park stretching 7.6 kilometers and measuring 40 to 55 meters in width. The narrow shape of the park will be due to the former highway structure.
The envisioned park, set to completely open in 2024, boasts an area of 110,000 square meters, roughly eight times larger than Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul, according to the city government.
This image, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, shows a pond in the envisioned highway-turned-park after completion. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The 7.6 km-stretch, connecting Sinwol interchange and a junction near the National Assembly in western Seoul, is part of the Gyeongin Expressway, the country's first highway that opened in 1968.
The highway connecting Seoul and the surrounding Incheon and Gyeonggi areas was once seen as an important artery for transporting goods during the country's rapid economic development.
Critics, however, have recently accused the old highway of causing traffic congestion and worsening air pollution with up to 190,000 vehicles passing through the roadway daily.
The highway-turned-park is the latest in the city's urban redevelopment projects of turning dilapidated roads into parks. For this project, the city plans to take the highway underground and build a park above it.
"The city has transformed industrial areas into venues for the public ... we plan to make the park into Seoul's new green belt," a city official said.
The masterplan for the park was selected through an international competition. The winning bid is based on the theme "creating a new future with memories and traces of the past," according to the city.
This image, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, shows an indoor garden in the envisioned highway-turned-park after completion. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

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


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(END)


yna--2020-01-11--(LEAD) S. Korea beats Chinese Taipei, 1 win away from Olympic women's volleyball tournament

Chinese Taipei battled from an early deficit to force an 8-8 tie in the fourth set , but South Korea @ @ @ @ @ points .
The score promptly became 15-10 in favor of South Korea , which cruised @ @ @ @ @ to close out the match .

(ATTN: ADD details, final opponent in paras 4-5)
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Without its best player, South Korea rallied to defeat Chinese Taipei at the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament on Saturday, moving within one win of clinching a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games.
South Korea reached the final of the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament with a 3-1 (18-25, 25-9, 25-15, 25-14) win over Chinese Taipei at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, South Korean players celebrate a point against Chinese Taipei in their semifinals match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Having lost its captain and top attacker, Kim Yeon-koung, to an abdominal injury, world No. 9 South Korea bounced back from a lackluster first set to avoid an upset loss at the hands of the 32nd-ranked Chinese Taipei.
Without Kim, five South Koreans scored in double figures, led by Kim Hee-jin with 18 points.
In Sunday's final, South Korea will face world No. 14 Thailand, with a spot in the Tokyo Olympics at stake. South Korea has lost four of its past five matches against Thailand, a slide that began in the semifinals of the 2018 Asian Games.
South Korea is trying to make it to its third straight Olympics in women's volleyball. Thailand has never played in the Olympics.
Kim only played a few points in the first set in the final preliminary match on Thursday, and after getting some treatment at a local hospital on Friday, she sat out the entire semifinal on Saturday.
Chinese Taipei took advantage of Kim's absence in the opening set and its onslaught caught South Korea off guard in a relatively easy, 25-18 win.
But the pendulum quickly swung in South Korea's favor in the second set. Holding an 8-6 lead, South Korea scored the next seven points, with Kang So-hwi stepping up on the attack. Kim Hee-jin scored three straight points in one stretch, combining two aces with a hard spike, as South Korea dominated Chinese Taipei for a 25-9 set win.
The momentum remained fully on the South Korean side in the third set. Middle blockers Yang Hyo-jin and Kim Su-ji also got in on the offensive action, helping South Korea to a 25-15 set win.
Chinese Taipei battled from an early deficit to force an 8-8 tie in the fourth set, but South Korea pulled away with three straight points. The score promptly became 15-10 in favor of South Korea, which cruised the rest of the way to close out the match.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 11, 2020, Kang So-hwi of South Korea (R) hits a spike against Huang Chin-Hsuan (L) and Hsieh Yi-Chen of Chinese Taipei in their semifinals match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-11--Rallies held against gov't, prosecution

Rallies held against gov't, prosecution

SEOUL , Jan. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- Two different groups of citizens took to the streets of Seoul on @ @ @ @ @ Moon Jae-in administration and the other calling for the resignation of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl @ @ @ @ @ the continued social conflict over reforming the state prosecution .

SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Two different groups of citizens took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday, one criticizing the Moon Jae-in administration and the other calling for the resignation of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, in a sign of the continued social conflict over reforming the state prosecution.
Members of conservative groups, many holding the national flags of South Korea or the United States, began a rally on a large square in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, at around 2:30 p.m., demanding Moon's resignation.
They also condemned the replacement of several senior prosecutors close to the prosecution chief, which they view as aimed at thwarting the prosecution's probe into two high-profile scandals involving Cheong Wa Dae.
Members of conservative groups critical of President Moon Jae-in stage a rally on a large square in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Jan. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Investigations are under way into allegations that Cheong Wa Dae officials might have meddled in the 2018 mayoral election in the southern city of Ulsan. Song Cheol-ho, a longtime friend of Moon, ran in the election and won it.
The presidential office is also accused of abusing its power to stop a 2017 internal inspection of Yoo Jae-soo, then director general of the Financial Services Commission, over suspicions of graft. Yoo is also known to have personal ties to Moon.
Another group of citizens staged a candlelight vigil in Gwanghwamun, starting late afternoon, claiming that the prosecutor general should quit and the government should continue its push to reform his powerful organization.
The two different groups of protesters were separated by fences and police, with their rallies running concurrently for hours.
Supporters of the Moon Jae-in administration hold a candlelight vigil on a large square in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Jan. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--S. Korea beat Iran to clinch knockout berth at Olympic men's football qualifying tournament

Coached by Kim Hak-bum , South Korea opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over China last Thursday .
And @ @ @ @ @ , South Korea assured themselves of at least the second seed in Group C. Their @ @ @ @ @ Uzbekistan at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit on Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. local time , or @ @ @ @ @

SONGKHLA, Thailand, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea defeated Iran 2-1 on Sunday to secure a knockout berth at the Olympic men's football qualifying tournament in Thailand.
Midfielder Lee Dong-jun scored for the second straight match and forward Cho Gue-sung netted a stunner, as South Korea picked up their second victory at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand.
Lee Dong-jun of South Korea celebrates his goal against Iran during the teams' Group C match at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand, on Jan. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Reza Shekari had Iran's lone goal in the second half.
This event doubles as the continental qualification tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the top three teams to compete in Japan later this year.
There are four groups of four teams, and the top two nations from each group will reach the quarterfinals.
Coached by Kim Hak-bum, South Korea opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over China last Thursday. And with their second straight win, South Korea assured themselves of at least the second seed in Group C. Their final group match is against Uzbekistan at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit on Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. local time, or 7:15 p.m. in Seoul.
Kim replaced seven members of the starting lineup from Thursday's win, and Lee, who came off the bench in the first match, and Cho, who didn't play against China, both made their first starts.
Both moves paid dividends for South Korea.
Lee scored his winner against China only moments before the final whistle. On Sunday, he put the team on the board after 22 minutes by pouncing on a rebound after a hard shot from Maeng Seong-ung.
Cho Gue-sung of South Korea (L) takes a shot past Aref Aghasi of Iran during the teams' Group C match at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand, on Jan. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Maeng, who nearly scored in the 15th minute with a mid-range strike, once again tested goalkeeper Habib Far Abbasi. The shot led to a juicy rebound, and Lee was right on the doorstep to slot it home for a 1-0 lead.
Cho, making his first start of the tournament, doubled the advantage in the 35th minute with a thunderous strike from just outside the box. His left-foot shot, set up by Maeng, traveled through the legs of defender Aref Aghasi, and Far Abbasi couldn't get to the ball in time despite his desperate dive.
Iran cut the deficit in half in the 54th, when Shekari snuck behind the defense to head home a Reza Dehghani cross. And Iran continued to put pressure on South Korea the rest of the second half, forcing Kim to bring a couple of defensive-minded players off the bench.
During added time, goalkeeper Song Bum-keun made a key save to preserve the win for South Korea, denying Ali Shojaei from point-blank range on the left side.
South Korea are going for their ninth consecutive Olympic appearance.
South Korea head coach Kim Hak-bum directs his players during a Group C match against Iran at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand, on Jan. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Startups Minister Park Young-sun named to Davos Forum's board

Park told reporters on Jan. 3 that she 'd been offered a position on the board for the annual meeting @ @ @ @ @ Forum ( WEF ) .
She then said in a radio interview on Friday that @ @ @ @ @ board .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun has become the first South Korean cabinet minister to join the Stewardship Board at a Davos Forum Platform, the ministry announced Sunday.
Park told reporters on Jan. 3 that she'd been offered a position on the Stewardship Board for the Platform for Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Production. It is one of 18 Platforms for the annual Davos Forum, hosted annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Park then said in a radio interview on Friday that she will serve on the Stewardship Board and added, "It goes to show how much the Davos Forum values policies for SMEs and startups."
The Stewardship Board is made up of cabinet ministers and corporate executives from around the world. At the Davos Forum, they'll discuss key issues and projects in the field of advanced manufacturing and production
According to the WEF, these Platforms are designed to aggregate and integrate efforts to define interconnected problems, search for solutions and take action. Other areas covered by the Platforms include cybersecurity, consumption, digital economy, energy and healthcare.
The annual forum is held at the end of January in the Swiss town of Davos, bringing together CEOs from its 1,000 member companies, politicians, scholars and religious leaders, among others. Their discussions cover topics of global concern, including globalization, international conflicts and environmental issues.
This photo provided by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups shows its minister, Park Young-sun, speaking at a function for SMEs in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Presidential spokesperson expected to run in April election

`` Ko seems to have made up her mind to run in the general election .
But it has yet @ @ @ @ @ constituency she will run in , '' a key ruling Democratic Party ( DP ) @ @ @ @ @ interview with Yonhap News Agency .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung is leaning towards running in the upcoming general election, a ruling party official said Sunday.
"Ko seems to have made up her mind to run in the general election. But it has yet to be decided which electoral constituency she will run in," a key ruling Democratic Party (DP) official said in a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency.
The official said Ko will likely wrap up her current position as presidential spokesperson by Thursday, the deadline by which public officials must resign if they want to run in the April 15 election.
The DP is reportedly considering several constituencies for Ko, including those currently held by Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee and Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae.
Kim has announced she will not run for re-election and will instead focus on her Cabinet post, while Choo was appointed to her post earlier this month.
The DP has not yet reached a decision on where Ko would run, given that it has not finished assigning local and proportional representatives.
In a recent organizational change at Cheong Wa Dae, two senior officials left the presidential office apparently to run in the general elections.
A file photo of Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--(LEAD) Samsung Electronics ranks 18th worldwide in market cap

`` The chipmaking business will lead an overall improvement in earnings , '' said Kim Dong-won , an analyst at @ @ @ @ @ set the target price for Samsung at 70,000 won , up from the previous 63,000 @ @ @ @ @ operating income to rise 50 percent to 41.4 trillion won for the year .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 5 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chipmaker, saw its market cap vault 10 notches over the past year to rank 18th worldwide, as the South Korean tech giant has continued to build up gains on a rosy earnings outlook, data showed Sunday.
Samsung's market cap reached US$301.65 billion as of Thursday, up $95.08 billion from Jan. 2, 2019, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.
Over the cited period, Samsung, also the world's largest smartphone maker, rallied 51 percent to close at 58,600 won Thursday. On Friday, the tech giant reached a fresh all-time high of 59,500 won.
Foreign investors have scooped up Samsung shares by snatching up a net 627 billion won this month to Friday, betting that the tech firm's earnings will improve down the road.
The median target price for Samsung was put at 67,900 won as of Friday.
This image shows Samsung Electronics Co. hitting an all-time high on Jan. 10, 2020, on the Seoul bourse. (Yonhap)
In its earnings guidance last week, Samsung Electronics delivered estimate-beating fourth-quarter earnings on a slight recovery in chip prices, although it suffered its worst performance in four years in 2019 due to a prolonged slump in the chipmaking sector.
Samsung estimated its fourth-quarter operating income at 7.1 trillion won (US$6.1 billion), down 34.26 percent from a year earlier, but the reading was well above the median market estimate of 6.5 trillion won, as chip prices bottomed out and its smartphones drew better-than-expected market response.
The Korean tech giant expected its fourth-quarter sales at 59 trillion won in the three-month period, down 0.5 percent on-year. The fourth-quarter sales estimate stood at 60.5 trillion won on average.
For all of 2019, Samsung predicted its operating profit at 27.71 trillion won, marking a 52.9 percent on-year drop and the lowest since 2015, when the comparable figure was 26.4 trillion won.
Full-year sales are expected to reach 229.52 trillion won, a 5.8 percent fall from 2018, the tech giant said. It is the lowest level since 2016, when the comparable figure was 201.8 trillion won.
Samsung Electronics did not break down performances of its respective business divisions, saying it will announce the detailed earnings later this month.
Samsung, also the world's largest smartphone market, has posted sluggish earnings since late 2018 due to a supply glut of chip products, following a two-year memory chip boom.
However, the tech firm is widely expected to see improved earnings this year on the back of a recovery in chip prices and eased supply glut.
"The chipmaking business will lead an overall improvement in earnings," said Kim Dong-won, an analyst at KB Securities. The analyst set the target price for Samsung at 70,000 won, up from the previous 63,000 won, expecting Samsung's operating income to rise 50 percent to 41.4 trillion won for the year.
Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee saw the value of his holdings of Samsung Electronics stocks rise to 14.86 trillion won as of Friday, up 2.29 trillion won, or 18.29 percent, from the end of November. The bedridden business tycoon holds a 4.18 percent stake in Samsung.
Over the cited period, Samsung Electronics surged 18.85 percent, driven by a foreign buying binge.
The country's state pension fund, the National Pension Service, also enjoyed a 18.59 percent rise in the value of its Samsung stocks over the cited period to 38.43 trillion won. The rise was in part because of the No. 1 institutional investor's increased stake in the tech behemoth.
It jacked up its stake to 9.55 percent during the fourth quarter of last year from the previous 9.14 percent.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2018 -- South Korea agrees to hold working-level talks with North Korea over the latter 's plan to send an @ @ @ @ @ Winter Olympic Games , held from Feb. 9-Feb. 25 , the same year .
The @ @ @ @ @ later at Panmunjeom , led to a series of exchanges between the divided Koreas , @ @ @ @ @ the historic first summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim @ @ @ @ @ ( END )

Jan. 13
1903 -- A group of more than 100 Koreans lands in Honolulu, Hawaii, after traveling across the Pacific Ocean on the S.S. Gaelic, marking the first wave of Korean emigration to the United States.
1969 -- Samsung Electric Industries Co., now Samsung Electronics Co., is founded in the city of Daegu and begins manufacturing electronic appliances, such as TVs, calculators, refrigerators, air conditioners and washers. Samsung Electronics eventually became South Korea's largest company and the world's leading computer memory chipmaker.
2000 -- Park Tae-joon takes office as South Korea's 32nd prime minister. The founder and honorary chairman of the steelmaking giant POSCO died of lung complications at the age of 84 in December 2011.
2006 -- South Korea agrees with the United States to resume imports of American beef without bones. The agreement lifts a U.S. beef import ban put in place in December 2003, when an outbreak of mad cow disease was reported in the U.S.
2007 -- Nine South Koreans kidnapped by Nigerian insurgents are released and officially handed over to South Korean authorities in the African country. The nine employees of South Korean builder Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. were abducted a week earlier when a group of unidentified insurgents stormed their sleeping quarters at a gas pipeline construction site in the southern state of Bayelsa.
2009 -- North Korea releases a Japanese drug smuggling suspect after five years in captivity in what appears to be a move to preserve relations with Japan. Yoshiaki Sawada, a former department director of Enterprise Co., Ltd, of Japan was arrested in North Korea in October 2003.
2012 -- South Korea's state election watchdog decides to allow candidates to use Twitter and other social networking sites for their election campaigns year-round. The decision by the National Election Commission (NEC) came after the Constitutional Court ruled that using such online and mobile media to reach out to voters "fits into the election law that seeks fair opportunity, transparency and low-cost campaigns."
2018 -- South Korea agrees to hold working-level talks with North Korea over the latter's plan to send an art troupe to the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, held from Feb. 9-Feb. 25, the same year. The talks, held two days later at Panmunjeom, led to a series of exchanges between the divided Koreas, which were eventually followed by the historic first summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on April 27.
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Sales of eco-friendly SUVs on rise: data

Industry sources said demand for eco-friendly SUVs is set to further rise as automakers are ready to introduce more revamped @ @ @ @ @ pushing to further expand the presence of electric vehicles and other eco-friendly autos here .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Sales of eco-friendly SUVs, including ones powered by hydrogen, jumped last year as fuel and environment-conscious customers increasingly opted for such cars, industry data showed Sunday.
According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers' Association (KAMA), some 48,700 eco-friendly SUVs were sold here last month, accounting for 8.5 percent of the total shipments of SUVs in the country, marking all-time highs in both volume and the market share.
This file photo taken May 2, 2019, shows a Niro EV being charged at the EV Trend Korea expo at an exhibition hall in COEX in southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In 2014, the market share for eco-friendly SUVs reached a meager 0.1 percent but began to spike in 2016 on the back of a diversified lineup.
Kia Motors Corp.'s Niro hybrid ranked first with some 20,240 units sold last year, followed by Hyundai Motor Co.'s Kona Electric with 13,500 units, Kia's Niro EV with 6,000 and Hyundai's Nexo with some 4,000 units, according to the data.
Among carmakers, Kia Motors led the pack with some 27,800 eco-friendly SUVs sold last year.
Industry sources said demand for eco-friendly SUVs is set to further rise as automakers are ready to introduce more revamped versions and the government is pushing to further expand the presence of electric vehicles and other eco-friendly autos here.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Population growth slowest in 2019, aged citizens hit new record high

The country 's overall population remained nearly unchanged at a little less than 51.85 million as of end-December , up @ @ @ @ @ from a year earlier , marking the slowest on-year gain since the country began publishing @ @ @ @ @ according to the data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- The number of people aged over 65 years in South Korea climbed to a new high last year, breaching the 8 million mark for the first time in history, while the country's overall population grew at the slowest pace ever, data showed Sunday.
The country's overall population remained nearly unchanged at a little less than 51.85 million as of end-December, up only 23,802 or 0.05 percent from a year earlier, marking the slowest on-year gain since the country began publishing related data in 2008, according to the data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The growth rate also marked a sharp drop from the year before when the population increase dipped below the 0.1 percent mark for the first time to 0.09 percent.
What is concerning is that the aged population, or people aged 65 years or older, continued to increase rapidly, adding 376,507 from a year earlier to over 8.02 million as of end-2019.
South Korea is one of the world's fastest aging societies with the proportion of people aged 65 years or older out of the entire population coming to 14.2 percent in 2018, making the country an "aged society."
As of end-2019, the percentage shot up to 15.5, exceeding an earlier estimate by the Bank of Korea of 14.9 percent.
The country also continues to suffer from one of the world's lowest birthrates, which is feared to cause population reductions in the near future.
In 2019, the number of people aged 14 years or less dropped by more than 161,000 from a year earlier, with the number of working age population, or those aged between 15 years and 64 years, also falling by more than 190,000 over the cited period, according to the ministry data.
The number of people aged 14 years or less came to 6.46 million, accounting for 12.5 percent of the total, the lowest since 2008.
With the steady increase in the aged population and the drop in the number of youths, the average age of the population climbed to a record high of 42.6 years, compared with 42.1 years in 2018 and 37 years in 2008.
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--BTS' 'Idol' becomes 6th music video to top 600 mln YouTube views

With the feat , BTS now has six music videos that have reached 600 million views , with the others @ @ @ @ @ '' `` DNA , '' `` Fire , '' `` Fake Love '' and `` @ @ @ @ @ a milestone that no other K-pop artist has achieved .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- The music video of BTS' song "Idol" reached 600 million YouTube views Sunday, becoming the band's sixth video to accomplish the milestone.
The music video of "Idol," the lead track of BTS' repackaged album "Love Yourself: Answer" released in 2018, achieved the feat early Sunday morning, according to the band's management agency, Big Hit Entertainment.
The music video, which won the Music Video of 2018 at the E! People's Choice Awards, grabs the eyes with its impressive color palette and reimagined images capturing traditional Korean culture.
With the feat, BTS now has six music videos that have reached 600 million views, with the others being "MIC Drop," "DNA," "Fire," "Fake Love" and "Boy With Luv," a milestone that no other K-pop artist has achieved.
"DNA," meanwhile, is the most viewed of the septet's music videos, hitting 900 million YouTube views last week.
BTS is currently preparing to release a new album titled "Map of the Soul: 7" on Feb. 21.
This image, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, is from the music video of the BTS song "Idol." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Concerns still linger over African swine fever in S. Korea

The country has not reported additional ASF cases at local farms since early October , but dead wild boars continue @ @ @ @ @ disease , mostly along the inter-Korean border , according to them .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is still battling African swine fever after the first confirmed case was reported in September last year with the number of wild boars infected with the deadly animal disease continuing to rise, authorities said Sunday.
The country has not reported additional ASF cases at local farms since early October, but dead wild boars continue to be found with the disease, mostly along the inter-Korean border, according to them.
The number of such cases rose to 66 as of Friday, with 11 cases being confirmed in the last 10 days, the authorities said.
In May, North Korea confirmed its first outbreak of African swine fever at a pig farm near its border with China. South Korea has also reported 14 cases of pigs infected with the disease on farms since September.
It remains unclear whether the disease came from the North.
The disease does not affect humans but is deadly to pigs. There are currently no vaccines nor cures for it.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals or their remains, unlike other animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, which is airborne.
Local authorities have been deploying hundreds of soldiers and civilian hunters to areas bordering North Korea for operations to shoot and kill wild boars.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--S. Korea set to unveil new history textbooks following yearslong controversy

The new textbooks , the first revised version to be published following the row , more clearly indicate historic facts @ @ @ @ @ Korean War as beginning with the North 's invasion of the South .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's education ministry is expected to introduce new history textbooks in March, sources said Sunday, following a yearslong debate on the controversial textbooks that were authored by the conservative Park Geun-hye administration.
The textbooks authored and published under the disgraced former president had been criticized for their right-leaning values and alleged attempts to distort facts related to her late father Park Chung-hee's 18-year dictatorship.
Two years after her appointment in 2013, Park ordered a rewrite of the history books, calling on the need to remove "left-leaning" details and establish "correct" history education.
The liberal Moon Jae-in government scrapped the policy in 2017 and began a probe into the controversial textbooks, which found that officials were mired in a number of misconducts, including the fabrication of a public poll result on the history textbooks.
These pages from a revised history textbook highlight the accomplishments of female independence fighters during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910-45. (Yonhap)
The new textbooks, the first revised version to be published following the row, more clearly indicate historic facts, such as specifying the Korean War as beginning with the North's invasion of the South.
Most textbooks increased the amount and depth of details of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea and wartime atrocities.
Some textbooks carry special pages featuring the forced wartime labor of Koreans and the territorial dispute over Dokdo, the country's easternmost islets, which has been a thorn in Seoul-Tokyo relations.
They also introduced modern-day activities related to the colonial past, such as a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that ordered Tokyo's compensation of forced labor or the weekly Wednesday rally that are held in protest of wartime sexual slavery.
The textbooks also highlight the feats of female independence fighters, which were considered to have been insufficiently covered in history textbooks.
These pages from a revised history textbook show details of Japan's wartime atrocities, including the issue of sexual slavery of Korean women. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Court to begin review of ex-president's graft scandal

The Supreme Court had also ordered a review of the case , in which Park was sentenced to five years @ @ @ @ @ a 2.7 billion-won fine , on views that additional charges should be acknowledged .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court is set to begin a review this week of its ruling over disgraced former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached in 2017 following a bribery scandal that rocked the country.
Park was impeached midterm in March 2017 on allegations she and her close friend abused their power and received billions of won in bribery from top conglomerates, including Samsung and Lotte.
The Seoul High Court is scheduled to begin the retrial Wednesday, roughly five months after the country's top court ordered the appeals court to review the case, citing procedural issues.
The appellate court had initially handed down a 25-year prison term and a 20 billion-won (US$17 million) penalty to the former president.
The court, meanwhile, will also combine another case in which Park was charged with illegally receiving funds from the state spy agency.
The Supreme Court had also ordered a review of the case, in which Park was sentenced to five years in prison in addition to a 2.7 billion-won fine, on views that additional charges should be acknowledged.
The former president is not expected to appear for the retrial. She has boycotted all court schedules since October 2017.
The bribery case was one of the biggest political scandals in the country's modern history. Tens of millions of people poured into the streets between October and December 2016 to hold candlelight vigils demanding her exit.
Park was impeached by parliament in December 2016, a decision that was upheld by the Constitutional Court in March 2017, permanently removing her from office a year before the scheduled end of her five-year term.
The succeeding Moon Jae-in administration, often associated with the candlelight movement, pledged to reform the country's chaebol, or family-controlled conglomerates, that are often criticized for their excessive influence on politics.
Former President Park Geun-hye (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--S. Korea, U.S. Army chiefs to meet in Washington this week

During his seven-day official visit starting on Sunday , Suh is scheduled to meet with U.S. Chief of Staff of @ @ @ @ @ to reaffirm the allies ' staunch alliance and find ways to boost exchanges and cooperation @ @ @ @ @ to the Army .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook will visit the United States this week for talks with his U.S. counterpart to discuss ways to boost ties between their services, Suh's office said Sunday.
During his seven-day official visit starting on Sunday, Suh is scheduled to meet with U.S. Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville to reaffirm the allies' staunch alliance and find ways to boost exchanges and cooperation between the militaries, according to the Army.
The general is also planning to visit the U.S. Army Futures Command, through which he will learn its visions and strategies for advancement, the Army added.
This file photo shows Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook giving a congratulatory speech at a conference on the "fourth industrial revolution, future war and world politics" in Seoul on July 29, 2019. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--(LEAD) PEFs' assets decreasing amid misselling fiasco

The derivatives are structured to track the performance of constant maturity swaps -- swaps that allow the purchaser to fix @ @ @ @ @ on a swap of Treasury bonds of the United States or Britain or the yield @ @ @ @ @ bonds .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Cash inflows into private equity funds have decreased this year amid a misselling fiasco that spooked investors in South Korea last year, industry data showed Sunday.
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), private equity funds under management came to 411.25 trillion won (US$354 billion) as of Thursday, compared with 412.4 trillion won at the end of last year.
Last year, PEFs brought in 79 trillion won, with the average cash inflow reaching 6.6 trillion won per month. In December alone, 6.77 trillion won was funneled into PEFs.
But the pace of cash inflows into PEFs has declined this month as investors shunned the risky but high return-generating investment tool.
South Korea's financial regulator is planning to punish the heads of two commercial lenders for their improper sales of derivatives-linked products this month, according to industry sources.
In October, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said about 20 percent of 3,954 cases detected may violate laws or internal rules in selling the derivatives but further investigation is needed into the two leading lenders -- Woori Bank and KEB Hana Bank.
Some financial firms were suspected of failing to offer enough information to investors or of violating internal rules that protect elderly customers when they sold the derivatives, according to the FSS.
Since mid-August, the FSS has been probing Woori Bank, KEB Hana Bank, brokerage firms and asset managers that sold the derivative products linked to foreign interest rates.
In late November, the FSS said the two banks should provide compensation for up to 80 percent of their customers' losses from a recent misselling of derivatives linked to overseas interest rates.
The derivatives are structured to track the performance of constant maturity swaps -- swaps that allow the purchaser to fix the duration of received flows on a swap of Treasury bonds of the United States or Britain or the yield of Germany's 10-year state bonds.
The products turned into losers as bond yields in the U.S., Britain and Germany have unexpectedly sunk amid speculation that central banks in major economies may aggressively slash their interest rates.
Meanwhile, local banks are planning to file a lawsuit against Lime Asset Management Co., which amassed money via banks for such improper products.
The company faced suspicions that it had engaged in trading irregularities to bolster fund yields. In late October, Lime Asset Management was forced to freeze withdrawals from funds worth nearly 850 billion won because it failed to liquidate assets to meet redemption requests by clients.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Hyundai seeks to boost annual U.S. sales to 1 mln units by 2025

FOUNTAIN VALLEY , California , Jan. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- Hyundai Motor Co. , South Korea 's largest carmaker @ @ @ @ @ annual sales in the United States to over 1 million cars over the next five @ @ @ @ @ top global operating officer has said , which would mark a whopping 40 percent spike @ @ @ @ @ here last year .

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, California, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, seeks to increase its annual sales in the United States to over 1 million cars over the next five years, the company's top global operating officer has said, which would mark a whopping 40 percent spike from about 710,000 cars sold here last year.
Hose Munoz, also the CEO of both Hyundai Motor North America and Hyundai Motor America, unveiled the ambitious target in a press briefing held Thursday, the same day the South Korean automaker said its annual sales climbed 4.7 percent to 710,007 units last year from 677,946 cars the year before.
The photo provided by Hyundai Motor Co. shows the GV80, the first SUV model by Hyundai's independent luxury brand, the Genesis, that is set to hit the South Korean market in January 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The increase came despite a 1.1 percent drop in overall vehicle sales in the U.S. in 2019. It also marked a turnaround from a 1.1 percent on-year drop in Hyundai's U.S. sales in 2018.
Munoz noted the company's sales were expected to increase only slightly this year to about 728,000 cars but begin a steep rise in 2021 and reach 1 million units in 2025.
To this end, the company will further enhance and expand its lineup of SUVs, which accounted for more than 50 percent of Hyundai's overall sales in the U.S. last year.
The bold sales target is also centered around Hyundai's independent, luxury brand Genesis.
The Genesis has so far introduced three vehicles models in the U.S. -- the G70, G80 and G90 sedans -- whose combined sales more than doubled from a year earlier in 2019.
It is set to launch its first-ever SUV, the GV80, first in South Korea this week and possibly before the end of the first half in the U.S.
Munoz also vowed improved customer services, saying nothing will be possible unless the customers are happy with their products and services.
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--Samsung Electronics ranks 18th worldwide in market cap

Samsung estimated its fourth-quarter operating income at 7.1 trillion won ( US $ 6.1 billion ) , down 34.26 percent @ @ @ @ @ but the reading was well above the median market estimate of 6.5 trillion won , @ @ @ @ @ and its smartphones drew better-than-expected market response .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chipmaker, saw its market cap vault 10 notches over the past year to rank 18th worldwide, as the South Korean tech giant has continued to build up gains on rosy earnings outlook, data showed Sunday.
Samsung's market cap reached US$301.65 billion as of Thursday, up $95.08 billion from Jan. 2, 2019, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.
Over the cited period, Samsung, also the world's largest smartphone maker, rallied 51 percent to close at 58,600 won Thursday. On Friday, the tech giant reached a fresh all-time high of 59,500 won.
Foreign investors have scooped up Samsung shares by snatching up a net 627 billion won this month to Friday, betting that the tech firm's earnings will improve down the road.
The median target price for Samsung was put at 67,900 won as of Friday.
In its earnings guidance last week, Samsung Electronics delivered estimate-beating fourth-quarter earnings on a slight recovery in chip prices, although it suffered its worst performance in four years in 2019 due to a prolonged slump in the chipmaking sector.
Samsung estimated its fourth-quarter operating income at 7.1 trillion won (US$6.1 billion), down 34.26 percent from a year earlier, but the reading was well above the median market estimate of 6.5 trillion won, as chip prices bottomed out and its smartphones drew better-than-expected market response.
The Korean tech giant expected its fourth-quarter sales at 59 trillion won in the three-month period, down 0.5 percent on-year. The fourth-quarter sales estimate stood at 60.5 trillion won on average.
For all of 2019, Samsung predicted its operating profit at 27.71 trillion won, marking a 52.9 percent on-year drop and the lowest since 2015, when the comparable figure was 26.4 trillion won.
Full-year sales are expected to reach 229.52 trillion won, a 5.8 percent fall from 2018, the tech giant said. It is the lowest level since 2016, when the comparable figure was 201.8 trillion won.
Samsung Electronics did not break down performances of its respective business divisions, saying it will announce the detailed earnings later this month.
Samsung, also the world's largest smartphone market, has posted sluggish earnings since late 2018 due to a supply glut of chip products, following a two-year memory chip boom.
However, the tech firm is widely expected to see improved earnings this year on the back of a recovery in chip prices and eased supply glut.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--State-run lab to launch Mt. Paekdu volcano research

The peak is also known to be the birthplace of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and led to @ @ @ @ @ `` Paekdu bloodline , '' regarding the Kim family .
But some historians say the @ @ @ @ @ in Russia .

DAEJEON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- A state-funded science institute on Sunday announced plans to start research on volcanic activities at Mount Paekdu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, located along the North Korea-China border.
A four-member team, set to be launched this month, will conduct the research in line with growing interest in the mountain's volcano activities and preemptive preparations for a possible joint study with North Korea, according to the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.
The mountain was once considered a dormant volcano, but recent signs have indicated possibilities of an eruption, leading to numerous international research on the mountain.
This photo, provided by James Hammond, shows Cheonji, or Heaven Lake, on the top of Mount Paekdu. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Historic records show the mountain erupted once in 946 and again in 947 during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), covering the southern half of the peninsula with emissions measuring roughly 1 meter in height.
The institute said it plans to pump in 1.6 billion won (US$1.4 million) over the next four years to develop a volcanic plumbing system to better detect signs of eruption.
It also plans to research the exact period of past eruptions through rock samples extracted from Ulleung Island in the East Sea and Mount Halla in the country's southern resort island of Jeju.
Mount Paekdu is revered in both South and North Korea.
South Korea considers the 2,744-meter peak as one of the peninsula's most sacred places as it's known as the birthplace of Dangun, the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, founded more than 4,000 years ago.
North Korea regards the peak as sacred because it's where Kim Il-sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of the current leader, set up a secret military base for anti-Japanese, independence struggles during the 1910-45 colonial rule.
The peak is also known to be the birthplace of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and led to the coining of the term "Paekdu bloodline," regarding the Kim family. But some historians say the late leader was actually born in Russia.
Most recently, "Ashfall," a blockbuster disaster film featuring some of South Korea's top film stars, was released, sparking fresh interest in the mountain.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--S. Korea's exports to Iran dip nearly 90 pct in 2019

In the January-November period , Seoul 's shipments to the Middle East country came to US $ 259 million , @ @ @ @ @ same period a year earlier , according to the data from the state-run Korea Trade-Investment @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports to Iran dropped nearly 90 percent from a year earlier in the first 11 months of last year, the fastest rate among the top 20 export countries, data showed Sunday.
In the January-November period, Seoul's shipments to the Middle East country came to US$259 million, down 88.6 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to the data from the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
The amount still marked the 14th largest, but the rate the drop was by far the highest among the 20 largest export countries to Iran.
China continued to top the list despite a 38.8 percent on-year decline in its exports to Iran, while Germany took the sixth spot after a 49.1 percent drop in its shipments to Iran.
Such declines apparently followed U.S.-led sanctions that were put back in place after Washington withdrew in 2018 from its nuclear deal with Iran.
As of October 2019, 83 foreign companies with previous operations in Iran had stopped doing any business in Iran, according to KOTRA.
Some, however, have expanded their trading with Iran.
Shipments from the United Arab Emirates to Iran climbed 16.8 percent on-year over the cited period to reach the second-largest amount by a single country, while those of India spiked 43.8 percent.
(END)


yna--2020-01-12--PEFs' assets decreasing amid misselling fiasco

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Cash inflows into private equity funds have decreased this year amid a misselling fiasco that spooked investors in South Korea last year, industry data showed Sunday.
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), private equity funds under management came to 411.25 trillion won (US$354 billion) as of Thursday, compared with 412.4 trillion won at the end of last year.
Last year, PEFs brought in 79 trillion won, with the average cash inflow reaching 6.6 trillion won per month. In December alone, 6.77 trillion won was funneled into PEFs.
But the pace of cash inflows into PEFs has declined this month as investors shunned the risky but high return-generating investment tool.
South Korea's financial regulator is planning to punish the heads of two commercial lenders for their improper sales of derivatives-linked products this month, according to industry sources.
In October, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said about 20 percent of 3,954 cases detected may violate laws or internal rules in selling the derivatives but further investigation is needed into the two leading lenders -- Woori Bank and KEB Hana Bank.
Some financial firms were suspected of failing to offer enough information to investors or of violating internal rules that protect elderly customers when they sold the derivatives, according to the FSS.
Since mid-August, the FSS has been probing Woori Bank, KEB Hana Bank, brokerage firms and asset managers that sold the derivative products linked to foreign interest rates.
In late November, the FSS said the two banks should provide compensation for up to 80 percent of their customers' losses from a recent misselling of derivatives linked to overseas interest rates.
The derivatives are structured to track the performance of constant maturity swaps -- swaps that allow the purchaser to fix the duration of received flows on a swap of Treasury bonds of the United States or Britain or the yield of Germany's 10-year state bonds.
The products turned into losers as bond yields in the U.S., Britain and Germany have unexpectedly sunk amid speculation that central banks in major economies may aggressively slash their interest rates.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-13--Stocks open higher on chemicals, telecoms

The local currency was trading at 1,157.8 won against the U.S. dollar , up 3.6 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened a tad higher on Monday, as investors scooped up chemical and telecom shares.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.63 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,209.02 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Major large-cap shared were mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics was unchanged while major chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.4 percent.
In contrast, SK Telecom, the country's top mobile carrier, was up 0.22 percent. KT, the No. 2 mobile operator, added 0.38 percent, and No. 3 player LG Uplus increased 0.78 percent.
LG Chem, the country's top chemicals firm, advanced 1.86 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,157.8 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.6 won from the previous session's close.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-13--Yonhap news advisory for Monday, Jan. 13

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency .
Your queries are welcome .
Yonhap 's @ @ @ @ @ reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 ( general ) and 82-2-398-3460 ( economics ) , and @ @ @ @ @ yna.co.kr or sam @ yna.co.kr .

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency. Your queries are welcome. Yonhap's English-language news desk can be reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 (general) and 82-2-398-3460 (economics), and by email at sshim@yna.co.kr or sam@yna.co.kr.
General
-- National Assembly to vote on revision to Criminal Procedure Act
-- Academy Award nominations to be announced
-- Gov't reaction to N.K.'s statement on inter-Korean ties, nuclear talks
Economy & Finance
-- Exports data for first 10 days of Jan.
-- S. Korea's efforts to nurture hydrogen economy
(END)


yna--2020-01-13--Korea's exports up 5.3 pct in first 10 days of January

The country 's exports stood at US $ 13.3 billion in the January 1-10 period , compared with $ 12.7 @ @ @ @ @ last year , according to the Korea Customs Service .

SEJONG, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports rose 5.3 percent in the first 10 days of January, mainly due to rising shipments of semiconductors, customs data showed Monday.
The country's exports stood at US$13.3 billion in the January 1-10 period, compared with $12.7 billion in the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jan. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

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


KOSPI 2,204.49 DN 1.90 points (open)


KOSDAQ 673.76 UP 0.73 points (open)


yna--2020-01-13--Dollar opens at 1,158.5 won DN from 1,161.3 won