yna--2020-09-01--(4th LD) Samsung heir Lee indicted in high-profile succession case

The investigation team led by senior prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun said in a press release that they reached a conclusion that @ @ @ @ @ the case , given `` the clear-cut facts supported by evidence , the gravity of @ @ @ @ @ to resolve the public 's suspicions surrounding the case . ''

(ATTN: ADDS defendant's response in paras 11-13, photo)
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors indicted Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong without physical detention Tuesday for his role in a controversial merger and alleged accounting fraud, in the latest development of the tumultuous legal saga that has dogged him for years.
Lee, the vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was charged with unfair trading, stock manipulation, breach of trust in relation to the 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates seen as a key step toward his succession, and alleged accounting fraud at the pharmaceutical unit of Samsung Biologics.
Ten other former and incumbent Samsung executives, including Choi Gee-sung and Kim Jong-joong, who had led the group's now-disbanded control tower, the Future Strategy Office, were also indicted on similar charges.
The investigation team led by senior prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun said in a press release that they reached a conclusion that judicial judgment is necessary in the case, given "the clear-cut facts supported by evidence, the gravity of the case and the need to resolve the public's suspicions surrounding the case."
Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics (Yonhap)
Prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun, head of the investigation team, speaks during a press briefing at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Prosecutors suspect that Lee was involved in a companywide scheme to plan the merger of Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung C&T and fraud in a way to take over control of the country's biggest conglomerate from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee, who suffered a heart attack in 2014.
They, in particular, believe that the value of Cheil, of which Lee was the largest shareholder with a stake of 23.2 percent, was inflated and that of Samsung C&T was lowered intentionally prior to the merger.
Lee is also suspected of being part of the alleged plan to inflate the value of Samsung Bioepis, a joint venture between Samsung Biologics, a subsidiary of Cheil Industries, and the U.S.-based Biogen Inc.
The prosecution said Tuesday the merger was done for "the (father-to-son) succession and the consolidation of Lee's power with minimum possible cost," calling it "a grave act of crime that disrupts the capital market order" and "disregards investors' interest."
"Stern law enforcement on the systematic financial crimes by a corporate will help enhance the fairness and transparency of the capital market," it added.
Lee has consistently denied the allegations since the investigation started in November 2018.
After the decision came out, the legal team representing Lee released a statement that the investigators had come to a foregone conclusion by "setting its goal from the beginning."
They called the indictment "unreasonable" and "unfair" and reiterated that the merger was "a legal business activity."
The prosecution also failed to offer new information "worthy of counterarguments" because most of the points were previously and extensively discussed and vetted during a hearing on an arrest warrant request and a discussion session by an external panel, they said.
This photo, provided by Samsung Electronics on June 30, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (2nd from L) listening to an executive's briefing during a visit to a production facility of Semes Co., a Samsung group affiliate that makes semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment, in Cheonan, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Filing the charges against Lee came two months after the prosecution's independent panel recommended in June not to do so, citing difficulties substantiating some of the prosecution's claims.
On June 26, the 14-member panel, including one chairperson, concluded in a 10-3 vote that the prosecution's investigation into the high-profile succession case was not warranted, following a lengthy discussion at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul.
The prosecution has accepted most recommendations by the panel since the system was introduced in January 2018 to keep its power in check and guarantee the fairness of its investigations.
Since the recommendation, prosecutors have gathered various opinions from management and accounting professors and experts in efforts to build up a case against Lee.
The prosecution argued Tuesday that the panel did not sufficiently offer reasons and grounds to drop charges against Lee.
Pursuing the case gained ground as a matter of principle after listening to internal and external voices, including those who had different thoughts about the case from the investigators, it said.
The latest development dashed Samsung's de facto leader's hopes to put an end to the prolonged legal battle and focus on the management of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the group.
Lee is up against yet another round of court trials after he was released from prison in February 2018 on a suspended sentence in a corruption case that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye.
He was arrested and charged in February 2017 for giving bribes to then President Park's friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the government's backing of the 2015 merger.
The undated file photo shows the headquarters of Samsung Electronics in southern Seoul, behind the flag of South Korea's prosecution. (Yonhap)
This composite image shows Samsung's heir and de facto leader Lee Jae-yong against a background of the prosecution's logo and building. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-01--(LEAD) Gov't, striking doctors still sparring over reform plan

Data showed that 83.9 percent of trainee doctors have taken part in the strike as of Monday , while the @ @ @ @ @ 32.6 percent .
Hospitals in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Tuesday said 92 percent @ @ @ @ @ city are on strike .
Jeonbuk National University Hospital in Jeonju confirmed that all of @ @ @ @ @ doctors had not reported to work .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with more info in paras 4, 12-13; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government urged striking doctors on Tuesday to end their walkout amid the resurgence of coronavirus outbreaks in the country as a plan to increase admission quotas has been unconditionally put on hold.
Earlier this week, a Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) task force voted in favor of an indefinite walkout of its members. Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme.
"The government has stopped all moves to increase quotas for medical schools and has stressed it is open to discussing the matter after the COVID-19 crisis has been overcome," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official, said in a daily briefing.
Trainee doctors at Pusan National University Hospital hold up signs denouncing the government's medical reform plan, in downtown Busan, 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Data showed that 83.9 percent of trainee doctors have taken part in the strike as of Monday, while the percentage of fellow doctors reached 32.6 percent. Hospitals in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Tuesday said 92 percent of trainee doctors in the city are on strike. Jeonbuk National University Hospital in Jeonju confirmed that all of its 181 interns and resident doctors had not reported to work.
Besides interns and resident trainee doctors, staff at general hospitals have openly supported the strike and warned they too could take collective action in the face of back-to-work orders for medical staff on strike.
Son claimed that doctors should reconsider the ongoing strike in the face of government concessions.
The country reported 235 new coronavirus cases, including 222 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,182, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The total caseload surpassed the 20,000 mark for the first time since the country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the government is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022.
Yoon said KIRA needs to make clear its stance on proposals to open new public medical schools that can broaden the reach of health care services and plans to include traditional Korean medicine in the nation's public health insurance system.
A Seoul National University Hospital trainee doctor holds up signs critical of the government's medical reform plan, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities said that creating a new public medical school requires the passage of a law, which can only be handled by the National Assembly and is not something that can be interfered with.
Trainee doctors and the Korean Medical Association (KMA) said the walkout will be maintained until the government scraps the reform plan outright. Interns, residents and fellow doctors also formed a joint emergency response committee with medical students to better make their views known.
The doctor groups have said they are willing to hold public discussions with the government on all outstanding matters if the government withdraws its reform plan.
Doctors have argued that the government's medical reform plan is not the answer to resolving challenges facing the medical sector, claiming more investment into rural hospitals and overhauling the country's medical insurance scheme must be carried out first.
They also said that while the strike is taking place, doctors have volunteered to work at COVID-19 screening centers and are helping to treat patients with the infectious illness.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-01--(LEAD) Fans to celebrate BTS' Jungkook's birthday with fireworks

It said the Chinese fans have asked the ward 's permission as the special birthday party is aimed at providing @ @ @ @ @ to the fan base of BTS across the world , struggling with COVID-19 .

(ATTN: ADDS more photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of Chinese fans of BTS member Jungkook will hold an online fireworks event in the South Korean southern port city of Busan to celebrate his birthday Tuesday, the local government said.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Haeundae Beach in Busan, the birthday event will be streamed online for about 10 minutes, according to the government office of Haeundae Ward.
BTS celebrates topping Billboard Hot 100, now ready to win 2021 Grammy Awards Youtube https://youtu.be/ItWSIsN_2Qw
Complying with the social distancing guidelines against the novel coronavirus pandemic in Busan, the event's organizers will not hold any programs at the site, the ward office said.
It said the Chinese fans have asked the ward's permission as the special birthday party is aimed at providing comfort to Army, referring to the fan base of BTS across the world, struggling with COVID-19.
A KTX train, covered with images of BTS member Jungkook, is on standby at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020, in this photo provided by Korea Railroad Corp. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
At the same time, Jungkook's Chinese fans delivered more birthday support on a train of the Korea Train Express (KTX), the South Korean high-speed train operator.
They put up an advertisement wrapping around the outside of a nearly 400-meter train, covered with images of Jungkook.
It is the first time in 16 years that KTX has allowed such an advertisement on the exterior of a train.
On Tuesday, coinciding with Jungkook's birthday, BTS landed at No. 1 on Billboard's main singles chart with its latest single "Dynamite," becoming the first South Korean singer or group to achieve the feat.
A KTX train, covered with images of BTS member Jungkook, is on standby at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020, in this photo provided by Korea Railroad Corp. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
BTS member Jungkook (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-01--S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 1, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 1, 2020

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


yna--2020-09-01--(LEAD) Samsung heir braces for yet another legal battle; Samsung on alert over uncertainties

Lee 's lawyers criticized that the prosecutors appear to have predetermined the indictment from the start of their investigation and @ @ @ @ @ the court why the indictment of Lee is unfair .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 5th para)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Group was once again on alert Tuesday after its heir apparent Lee Jae-yong was indicted for his alleged role in a controversial merger and fraudulent accounting.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted Lee, the de facto leader of South Korea's top conglomerate, without detention on charges of violation of capital market laws and occupational breach of trust after investigating a controversial merger between two Samsung affiliates a few years ago.
Prosecutors suspect that Lee and the group's top management were involved in a calibrated scheme to intentionally lower the value of Samsung C&T Corp., prior to its merger with Cheil Industries Inc. in 2015, so as to facilitate Lee's managerial succession from his ailing father, Kun-hee.
Samsung has been strongly denying such allegations, saying Lee was not involved in any decision-making process regarding the 2015 merger and that there was no stock price manipulation or unfair trading.
Lee's lawyers criticized that the prosecutors appear to have predetermined the indictment from the start of their investigation and said they will prove to the court why the indictment of Lee is unfair.
This file photo taken on June 8, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong leaving the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after attending a hearing on the prosecution's arrest warrant. (Yonhap)
The latest indictment adds another burden to Samsung as Lee is still dealing with a bribery case that put him behind bars a couple years ago.
Lee was imprisoned for about a year in 2017 for bribing a confidant of former President Park Geun-hye in return for her administration's support for the 2015 merger.
He was released in February 2018 after his sentence was suspended by an appeals court, but the Supreme Court last year ordered a retrial.
Despite ongoing legal battles, Lee has been active in business fields, visiting various manufacturing facilities and research centers to check the group's plan to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and renewed tensions between the United States and China.
But industry insiders said that the latest indictment may limit Lee's moves and could delay Samsung's investment decisions as Lee is expected to go through another long, drawn-out court case for years.
Lee recently had meetings with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun to discuss possible cooperation in electric vehicle (EV) and mobility businesses.
Lee has been especially focusing on Samsung's chip business since he got out of jail in 2018.
In April last year, Samsung Electronics, the group's crown jewel, announced a vision to become the world's No. 1 logic chipmaker by 2030 by investing 133 trillion won (US$111 billion) and bolstering its competitiveness in the system LSI and foundry businesses.
Industry insiders said that the latest indictment particularly minimizes chances of Samsung pursing a big merger and acquisition (M&A) deal.
Samsung has yet to report an acquisition of a major global firm since it bought automotive tech giant Harman International Industries for $8 billion in November 2016.
This photo taken on Aug. 31, 2020, shows Samsung Group's corporate flag at its office building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Samsung was hoping Lee would avoid indictment as an independent panel of experts in June concluded that prosecutors should not indict him.
The independent panel system was introduced two years ago to enhance neutrality and fairness of prosecutors' probes into cases that are of great public interest.
Since the introduction of the scheme in 2018, the prosecution has mostly followed the panel's decision.
To enhance its public image and improve its corporate culture, Lee made a rare public apology in May over the succession-related allegations and vowed not to hand down his Samsung managerial rights to his children.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--With each passing start, Kim Kwang-hyun proving his worth in Cardinals' rotation

Advanced data suggest Kim has been rather lucky this season .
Prior to Tuesday 's outing , opponents were hitting @ @ @ @ @ in play ( BABIP ) against Kim , while the league average was .289 .
@ @ @ @ @ hard-hit rate of 44.4 percent , which would place him among the 15 worst in @ @ @ @ @ had pitched enough innings to qualify .
On the flip side , his soft contact @ @ @ @ @ Kim near the bottom .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- By now, the St. Louis Cardinals are probably regretting not putting Kim Kwang-hyun in their starting rotation from the beginning of the season.
After opening the year as the team's closer, Kim has moved into the rotation and thrived there. Perhaps that's even an understatement, as Kim has surrendered just one earned run in his four starts covering 20 2/3 innings, for a tiny 0.44 ERA.
The latest gem came against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati on Tuesday (local time), when Kim threw five shutout innings in a 16-2 rout. He improved to 2-0 after holding the Reds to three hits.
In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
As a starter, Kim has allowed only 12 hits, while striking out 11 and walking six. Opponents have only managed four extra-base hits against the left-hander.
Kim had been an MVP-winning starting pitcher for 13 years in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), before he signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals last winter. They felt short of guaranteeing him a spot in the rotation, though, only saying Kim would get every opportunity to win a starting job in spring.
Kim did all he could in spring training by throwing eight shutout innings. But then the coronavirus pandemic hit and baseball had to pause. Back for summer camp in July, Kim came out of the pen and picked up a save, as the Cardinals began to prepare him for the closer role.
Kim made his big league debut as the ninth-inning man on Opening Day on July 24 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and gave up two runs -- one unearned -- to preserve a 5-4 win.
The Cardinals were soon forced into a two-week hiatus due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the club. With injuries to multiple starters compounding the issue, the Cardinals turned to Kim, an experienced starter, to fill a hole in the rotation.
Kim's first start came on Aug. 17 against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up a run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings, and that remains the only earned run Kim has allowed so far in the rotation.
He continued to have the Reds' number, with 11 shutout frames against the National League Central rival across two starts with seven strikeouts and six hits.
In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Advanced data suggest Kim has been rather lucky this season. Prior to Tuesday's outing, opponents were hitting only .189 on batted balls in play (BABIP) against Kim, while the league average was .289. Kim had also allowed a hard-hit rate of 44.4 percent, which would place him among the 15 worst in the majors, if Kim had pitched enough innings to qualify. On the flip side, his soft contact of 9.3 percent would put Kim near the bottom.
Before this game, Kim had an ERA of 1.08, but his fielding independent pitching (FIP), an ERA-like metric that measures a pitcher's effectiveness without the aid of defense, was 3.79. Having a higher FIP than ERA typically means the pitcher has been fortunate and that his ERA will likely regress toward the mean.
Kim has indeed received plenty of help from his defense, both infield and outfield. Sooner or later, though, hard grounders will start finding holes through the infield, and deep flies to the warning track will not be caught by diving or jumping outfielders as often. Kim doesn't miss a lot of bats, either.
For now, though, Kim is going to enjoy the ride, which has been quite historic.
Since ERA became an official stat in 1913, only one other left-hander had a lower ERA than Kim over his first four major league starts: that's Fernando Valenzuela, with a 0.25 ERA during his Cy Young Award season for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, U.S. hold phone talks on stalled N.K. dialogue

Lee Do-hoon and his U.S. counterpart , Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun , who doubles as Washington 's chief @ @ @ @ @ view that an early resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang is `` necessary '' to make @ @ @ @ @ achieve complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula , the ministry said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6-9)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States held phone talks Wednesday on joint efforts to resume stalled dialogue with North Korea, the foreign ministry said.
Lee Do-hoon and his U.S. counterpart, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who doubles as Washington's chief nuclear envoy, shared the view that an early resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang is "necessary" to make substantive progress in efforts to achieve complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.
"The two sides had consultations about ways to forge the conditions and push for dialogue," the ministry said in a press release.
"The two countries agreed to more closely communicate and cooperate on North Korea's nuclear and other issues bilaterally and multilaterally by actively utilizing planned international diplomatic events," it added.
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the two countries' summit in Hanoi in February last year ended without a deal. The deadlock has also thrust into doubt Seoul's drive for inter-Korean reconciliation and economic cooperation.
Biegun also held his first phone talks with South Korea's new First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun since Choi was appointed last month.
The deputy secretary congratulated Choi on his inauguration and voiced expectation that the two sides will cooperate closely for the continued development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the ministry said.
Choi, in turn, called for the two countries to continue communicating transparently so as to "stably" deal with their pending bilateral issues.
Choi, formerly presidential secretary for peace planning, took office on Aug. 18 as Seoul and Washington face a set of tough issues such as stalled defense cost-sharing negotiations and coordination on inter-Korean economic cooperation.
The latest talks came as the allies strive to maintain close diplomatic communication on North Korea issues and other bilateral issues despite the new coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted face-to-face diplomacy.
This photo, taken on July 8, 2020, shows South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon (R), and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun standing for a press availability at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun enjoys breezy victory in blowout

The Cardinals gave Kim a 6-0 lead before he even took the mound .
They sent 11 batters to the @ @ @ @ @ the first inning and roughed up starter Sonny Gray for five hits and three walks @ @ @ @ @ Fowler and Kolten Wong each produced two-run hits , as they chased Gray , who @ @ @ @ @ this game , with two outs in the first inning .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with final score)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- As victories go, this was about as stress-free as it could get for Kim Kwang-hyun.
The St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter cruised to his second victory of the season in a 16-2 blowout over the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati on Tuesday (local time). Kim gave up only three hits and struck out four in five shutout innings at Great American Ball Park, while lowering his ERA to a miniscule 0.83.
Kim was done after five innings with the Cardinals ahead 13-0, and he watched his teammates put up three more runs in the rout.
Kim also beat the Reds for his first major league win on Aug. 22, when he held them scoreless for six innings.
Kim hasn't allowed an earned run over his past three starts, spanning 17 frames. In four major league starts, Kim has a 0.44 ERA.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Cardinals gave Kim a 6-0 lead before he even took the mound. They sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and roughed up starter Sonny Gray for five hits and three walks. Brad Miller, Dexter Fowler and Kolten Wong each produced two-run hits, as they chased Gray, who had a 1.94 ERA before this game, with two outs in the first inning.
With a comfortable lead, Kim walked Joey Votto to start the bottom first, but got Nick Castellanos to bounce into a double play on the first pitch. Kim then struck out Matt Davidson on a slider, completing a tidy, 12-pitch inning.
The Cardinals scored twice more in the top second, courtesy of a two-run homer by Miller.
Kim struck out the first two batters of the bottom second and then pitched around a walk to Aristides Aquino to keep it an 8-0 game.
Tommy Edman's double made it a 9-0 St. Louis lead in the top third, not that Kim needed any more help.
Kim gave up consecutive one-out singles in the bottom third but then got Castellanos ground into his second double play of the game to escape the jam.
With one out in the fourth, Eugenio Suarez doubled down the left field line for the first extra-base hit against Kim. Suarez was stranded there, as Kim got a flyout and a groundout against the next two batters.
Kim had a much easier time in the top fifth, with a couple of flyouts followed by a strikeout. It turned out to be Kim's first and final clean inning.
Andrew Knizner's pinch-hit single made it 13-0 for the Cardinals in the top sixth, and with Kim's pitch count up to 85 and the top of the Reds' lineup coming up for the third time against him, the Cardinals turned to the bullpen to begin the bottom sixth.
The Cardinals pounded out 18 hits in support of Kim and finished with 23 hits, including five doubles and two home runs.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin looking to extend hot streak vs. Marlins

The Marlins themselves were busy at the deadline , as they brought in outfielder Starling Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks @ @ @ @ @ the Pittsburgh Pirates is viewed as the best position player to switch jerseys Monday , @ @ @ @ @ boost to the Marlins ' offense that rank near the bottom in major categories , @ @ @ @ @ runs scored and on-base plus slugging percentage ( OPS ) .
At the time of @ @ @ @ @ .827 OPS was higher than that of any incumbent Miami player .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin will try to keep his hot streak going in a battle of unlikely postseason hopefuls.
The Blue Jays will face the Miami Marlins for the second game of their two-game set at Marlins Park in Miami at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday (local time), or 7:40 a.m. Thursday in South Korea.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
This will be Ryu's second meeting against the Marlins. On Aug. 11, Ryu held the Marlins to a run on two hits over six innings for a no-decision. The lone run came courtesy of a solo home run by Brian Anderson.
Ryu is 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA entering this game, and posted a 1.29 ERA in August to lead all American League starters.
The Blue Jays, at 18-16, are holding down the second Wild Card spot in the American League. The Marlins are 16-15, good for second place in the National League East.
Under the expanded playoff format, the top two teams from each division, plus two teams with the next best records in each league, will advance to the postseason this year. Both the Blue Jays and the Marlins wouldn't have been expected to contend in a normal, 162-game season, but they may just squeeze after the abbreviated, 60-game season.
In this Associated Press file photo from Aug. 11, 2020, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Miami Marlins during the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York. (Yonhap)
And the Blue Jays showed they mean business at Monday's trade deadline, acquiring veterans to shore up their injury-plagued starting rotation and infield. The Marlins were a willing partner in one such deal, as they shipped versatile infielder Jonathan Villar to Toronto for a player to be named later.
Villar had one of two Marlins' hits against Ryu in the pitcher's last meeting against the team.
The Marlins themselves were busy at the deadline, as they brought in outfielder Starling Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The former All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates is viewed as the best position player to switch jerseys Monday, and should provide an immediate boost to the Marlins' offense that rank near the bottom in major categories, such as batting average, runs scored and on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). At the time of the trade, Marte's .827 OPS was higher than that of any incumbent Miami player.
In this Getty Images file photo from Aug. 22, 2020, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays (L) bumps fists with his catcher Reese McGuire before a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Yonhap)
The key for Ryu is to be more efficient with his pitches. He threw his season-high 98 pitches over six innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his previous start last Friday. He battled through a 31-pitch sixth inning, during which the O's scored twice to pull into a 2-2 tie.
No Blue Jays starter has thrown a pitch in the seventh inning this season. That's somewhat by design, as the Blue Jays are reluctant to have their starters go through an opposing lineup more than three times if they can avoid it. Advanced data have shown that starters' numbers are worse when they face the same hitters for a third time than when they do so earlier in the same game.
In this Getty Images file photo from Aug. 17, 2020, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the second inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. (Yonhap)
While pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, Ryu went at least seven innings in 15 of his 29 starts.
For the first time through the order, Ryu held opponents to an .187/.218/.276 line with four home runs. But when going through the same lineup for a third time, Ryu allowed a .283/.299/.435 line with seven home runs.
In a much smaller sample this year, opponents are batting .150/.190/.217 the first time they face Ryu, but the line improves to .350/.409/.650 for Ryu's third time through the order.
In this EPA file photo from Aug. 7, 2020, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays watches his team in action against the Boston Red Sox in a Major League Baseball regular season game at Fenway Park in Boston. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--S. Korea's exports of eco-friendly cars up 23 pct in H1

In May , the country said eco-friendly cars will take up at least 90 percent of the combined automobiles owned @ @ @ @ @ , in line with the country 's new energy drive that centers on breaking away @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of eco-friendly automobiles rose nearly 23 percent in the first half of 2020 from a year earlier, data showed Wednesday.
Outbound shipments of eco-friendly cars, including electric vehicles, reached US$3.16 billion in the January-June period, taking up 20 percent of the country's total automobile exports, according to the data compiled by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
Over the cited period, however, South Korea's overall exports of cars dipped 27.3 percent to reach $15 billion as the COVID-19 pandemic has undermined consumer sentiment around the world.
Exports of eco-friendly cars reached $5.9 billion for all of 2019, up from $3.6 billion posted two years earlier, KITA added.
"South Korea's exports of eco-friendly cars are expected to continue to grow down the road as the government is also lending a hand to the segment," KITA said in its report.
In May, the country said eco-friendly cars will take up at least 90 percent of the combined automobiles owned by governmental bodies by 2030, in line with the country's new energy drive that centers on breaking away from traditional sources of fuel.
South Korea's overall exports, meanwhile, extended their slump to a sixth month in August as the resurgence of the new coronavirus around the globe continued to strain business activities.
Outbound shipments came to $39.6 billion last month, down 9.9 percent from $44 billion posted a year earlier.
In August, exports of cars fell 12.8 percent on-year. Shipments of electric automobiles, however, edged down by a smaller margin of 2.3 percent.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Sep. 2 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-09-02--Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, U.S. hold phone talks on stalled N.K. dialogue

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States held phone talks Wednesday on joint efforts to resume stalled dialogue with North Korea, the foreign ministry said.
Lee Do-hoon and his U.S. counterpart, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who doubles as Washington's chief nuclear envoy, shared the view that an early resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang is "necessary" to make substantive progress in efforts to achieve complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.
"The two sides had consultations about ways to forge the conditions and push for dialogue," the ministry said in a press release.
"The two countries agreed to more closely communicate and cooperate on North Korea's nuclear and other issues bilaterally and multilaterally by actively utilizing planned international diplomatic events," it added.
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the two countries' summit in Hanoi in February last year ended without a deal. The deadlock has also thrust into doubt Seoul's drive for inter-Korean reconciliation and economic cooperation.
The latest talks came as Seoul and Washington strive to maintain close diplomatic communication on North Korean issues and other bilateral issues despite the new coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted face-to-face diplomacy.
This photo, taken on July 8, 2020, shows South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon (R), and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun standing for a press availability at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--SK E&C signs 1 tln won takeover deal

SK E&C signs 1 tln won takeover deal

SEOUL , Sept. 2 ( Yonhap ) -- SK Engineering & Construction Co. , a leading South Korean builder , @ @ @ @ @ signed a deal to acquire EMC Holdings , a local environmental management company , for @ @ @ @ @ US $ 843 million ) to make inroads into eco-friendly businesses .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- SK Engineering & Construction Co., a leading South Korean builder, said Wednesday that it has signed a deal to acquire EMC Holdings, a local environmental management company, for about 1 trillion won (US$843 million) to make inroads into eco-friendly businesses.
SK E&C said its share purchase agreement inked with private equity fund Affirma Capital on Tuesday could be closed by the end of this year.
SK E&C said it will develop recycling and reuse technology based on EMC Holdings' businesses.
"We can pursue eco-friendly businesses as we obtain a future growth driver through the acquisition," SK E&C CEO Ahn Jae-hyun said in comments provided by the company.
EMC Holdings is the holding company of Environment Management Corp., a major environmental management company, which runs about 970 sewage and wastewater treatment facilities across South Korea.
SK E&C is an unlisted construction arm of SK Group, a South Korean telecom-to-chemicals conglomerate.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) Military doctors to be assigned to civilian COVID-19 hospitals in greater Seoul area

Starting Friday , the Armed Forces General Hospital in Seoul will also begin accepting COVID-19 patients in critical condition , @ @ @ @ @ are getting ready for the move , the ministry said , adding that discussions are @ @ @ @ @ authorities to use more beds at the military hospital for new coronavirus patients .

(ATTN: ADDS latest COVID-19 patient among service members, more details in last 4 paras, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of military doctors will be sent to civilian hospitals in Seoul and the metropolitan area to support the government's handling of a growing number of new coronavirus patients in the region, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
Twenty-two military doctors will be assigned to nine hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 patients, including the Incheon Medical Center in the western city of Incheon and the Seobuk City Hospital in Seoul, in phases starting Friday, according to the ministry.
"The central government asked for 53 medical doctors, and we are working on the additional support," the ministry said in a release.
Currently, the defense ministry mobilized 24 military doctors and nurses for quarantine efforts at Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to South Korea.
This photo taken by a Yonhap News TV reporter shows medical workers moving a confirmed patient of the new coronavirus to the Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020, as the city reported 30 new daily COVID-19 cases, the highest in more than five months. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Starting Friday, the Armed Forces General Hospital in Seoul will also begin accepting COVID-19 patients in critical condition, and 68 doctors and nurses are getting ready for the move, the ministry said, adding that discussions are under way with the health authorities to use more beds at the military hospital for new coronavirus patients.
The recent spike in the number of infections in the greater Seoul area has caused concern about the possible shortage of sickbeds particularly for those with serious symptoms.
On Wednesday, South Korea reported 267 additional COVID-19 cases, including 101 patients residing in Seoul. Since mid-August, the country has seen triple-digit rises in the daily number of fresh cases.
Among military members, one more Army soldier tested positive, bringing the total number of infections at the barracks to 109.
The soldier stationed in the southeastern city of Daegu has been in isolation after coming in close contact with an officer who earlier tested positive. The soldier was confirmed to be infected in his second test, which was administered after he showed symptoms.
Currently, 760 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 1,521 people under a stricter antivirus plan of its own as a preventive step, according to the ministry.
A service member checks the temperature of a driver at the entrance of the Armed Forces General Hospital in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Small merchants' sales at 6-month low over stricter virus curbs

An index gauging the average sales of small merchants across the nation reached 0.75 in the final week of August @ @ @ @ @ period of last year when the index was at 1 , according to Korea Credit @ @ @ @ @ smaller firms .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean small merchants' revenues, when measured by consumers' card spending, sharply fell to the lowest in six months last week as the country imposed stricter social distancing over a resurgence of virus cases, data showed Wednesday.
An index gauging the average sales of small merchants across the nation reached 0.75 in the final week of August, compared with the same period of last year when the index was at 1, according to Korea Credit Data, a consultancy for smaller firms.
The reading translates to smaller merchants' revenues amounting to 75 percent of the level recorded in the same period of last year.
The figure also marked the lowest since the final week of February when the first wave of the virus outbreak gripped the country.
This photo, taken on Sept. 1, 2020, shows a closed shop in Seoul's shopping district of Myeongdong as South Korea imposed stricter anti-virus curbs to fight the flare-up in virus cases. (Yonhap)
The fall in sales came as the country expanded stricter social distancing across the nation on Sept. 23 to contain the fast spread of COVID-19.
Health authorities began to impose further stringent anti-virus curbs in the greater Seoul region on Sunday, restricting operations of restaurants and franchise coffee chains for eight days.
Merchants operating mom and pop stores in Seoul, in particular, suffered a sharp decline in revenues, the data showed.
South Korea has been struggling to contain the spike in virus cases since Aug. 14 when the number of daily virus infections reached 103.
The country's new virus cases stayed below 300 for the fourth straight day on Wednesday, but its additional virus infections have been in the triple digits for three weeks.
The image, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows payment with a credit card. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--U.N. human rights office in Seoul calls on N.K. to clarify 316 cases of missing people

`` On the International Day of the Disappeared , let us remember all those who have disappeared in the DPRK @ @ @ @ @ on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has communicated 316 cases to the DPRK requesting information to @ @ @ @ @ , '' the office wrote on Twitter .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul office of the U.N. human rights body has called on North Korea to clarify the fate of 316 cases of missing people, including South Korean and Japanese nationals, on the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Seoul made the call in a tweet Sunday, noting 11 passengers and crew members from South Korea who disappeared in the North's 1969 hijacking of a Korean Air flight and 12 Japanese nationals abducted in the 1970s and 80s.
The tweet came as the office marked the special day aimed at increasing public awareness of people who disappeared involuntarily, including those imprisoned or kidnapped at places unknown to their families.
"On the International Day of the Disappeared, let us remember all those who have disappeared in the DPRK. The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has communicated 316 cases to the DPRK requesting information to clarify their fates and whereabouts," the office wrote on Twitter.
DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"The DPRK must clarify the fate of all cases of disappearances. It should work with the international community to initiate credible investigations to determine the fate and whereabouts of all those disappeared in the DPRK," it added.
On Monday, Tomas Ojea Quintana, the special U.N. rapporteur on the North Korean human rights situation, also urged Pyongyang to end its "practice of enforced disappearance."
"North Korea must respond to families of all those who were abducted throughout years, and immediately end the practice of enforced disappearance of persons in secretive detention camps," he tweeted.
The OHCHR opened its Seoul office in 2015 to monitor the human rights situation in the North and collaborate with concerned governments and civil society to help enhance human rights in the reclusive country.
This image shows tweets by the Seoul office of the U.N. human rights body, captured from its Twitter account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Military doctors to be assigned to civilian COVID-19 hospitals in greater Seoul area

Starting Friday , the Armed Forces General Hospital in Seoul will also begin accepting COVID-19 patients in critical condition , @ @ @ @ @ are getting ready for the move , the ministry said , adding that discussions are @ @ @ @ @ authorities to use more beds at the military hospital for COVID-19 patients .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of military doctors will be sent to civilian hospitals in Seoul and the metropolitan area to support the government's handling of a growing number of new coronavirus patients in the region, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
Twenty-two military doctors will be assigned to nine hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 patients, including the Incheon Medical Center in the western city of Incheon and the Seobuk City Hospital in Seoul, in phases starting Friday, according to the ministry.
"The central government asked for 53 medical doctors, and we are working on the additional support," the ministry said in a release.
Currently, the defense ministry mobilized 24 military doctors and nurses for quarantine efforts at Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to South Korea.
Starting Friday, the Armed Forces General Hospital in Seoul will also begin accepting COVID-19 patients in critical condition, and 68 doctors and nurses are getting ready for the move, the ministry said, adding that discussions are under way with the health authorities to use more beds at the military hospital for COVID-19 patients.
The recent spike in the number of infections in the greater Seoul area has caused concern about the possible shortage of sickbeds particularly for those with serious symptoms.
This photo taken by a Yonhap News TV reporter shows medical workers moving a confirmed patient of the new coronavirus to the Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020, as the city reported 30 new daily COVID-19 cases, the highest in more than five months. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--N. Korea begins rehearsing for military parade to mark party founding anniv.: 38 North

Satellite imagery taken on Aug. 31 of the `` Mirim airfield '' in Pyongyang shows `` hundreds of vehicles parked @ @ @ @ @ adjacent to the parade grounds , and thousands of troops in formations near or in @ @ @ @ @ Il Sung Square , '' 38 North said in a report posted on its website @

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have begun rehearsals for a military parade it is expected to hold next month to mark the 75th party founding anniversary, a U.S. monitoring website said Wednesday, amid speculation Pyongyang could use the event to showcase its new strategic weapons.
Satellite imagery taken on Aug. 31 of the "Mirim airfield" in Pyongyang shows "hundreds of vehicles parked in the northwest parking lots adjacent to the parade grounds, and thousands of troops in formations near or in the area that replicates Kim Il Sung Square," 38 North said in a report posted on its website.
"North Korea has been widely expected to hold a major military parade on October 10 this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea. These images provide the first evidence that rehearsals are underway," it said.
"The Mirim facility, which is located on the eastern side of Pyongyang, is typically used as a rehearsal location for parades. Compared to previous years, training appears to have started slightly later than usual, possibly due to COVID-19 and anti-pandemic measures or severe weather constraints," it added.
North Korea tends to mark every fifth or 10th anniversary with larger-scale events, such as military provocations, including missile launches, or parades of troops, newly developed strategic weapons and other military hardware.
This year's party founding anniversary draws keen attention as leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year's message that he will soon showcase a "new strategic weapon," expressing frustration with little progress in denuclearization negotiations with the United States.
North Korea has refrained from large-scale public events amid its nationwide anti-virus campaign, but signs have been detected that it is preparing to hold a military parade to mark the upcoming anniversary.
In June, South Korea's defense ministry said in a report to lawmakers that the North is making preparations to hold a large-scale military parade, with new buildings spotted under construction at the Mirim airfield in Pyongyang.
Leader Kim visited a typhoon-hit area last week and urged "an all-out campaign" of completing the recovery so that the country can mark the party founding anniversary next month "with proud of achievement."
North Korean soldiers march during a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Sept. 9, 2018, to mark the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Pompeo says S. Korea and other allies will unite against China

`` So whether it 's our friends in India , our friends in Australia , friends in Japan or South @ @ @ @ @ have all come to see the risk to their own people , to their own @ @ @ @ @ see them partner with the United States to push back on every front that we @ @ @ @ @ , '' Pompeo added .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that South Korea and other U.S. allies will join U.S. efforts to tackle what he called economic and political aggression from China.
"I think you are seeing the entire world begin to unite around the central understanding that the Chinese Communist Party simply is going to refuse to compete in a fair, reciprocal, transparent way," the top U.S. diplomat said in an interview with U.S. cable network Fox Business News.
"So whether it's our friends in India, our friends in Australia, friends in Japan or South Korea, I think they have all come to see the risk to their own people, to their own countries, and you'll see them partner with the United States to push back on every front that we've talked about this evening," Pompeo added.
This image captured from the website of U.S. news network Fox News shows U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaking in an interview broadcast on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
His remark came one day after the United States' No. 2 diplomat, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, expressed hope for South Korea and other countries to join the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Initiative, viewed by many as a new mechanism aimed at countering the growing presence of China in the region and throughout the globe.
"Our strategy is to push back against China in virtually every domain," Biegun said in a webinar held Monday on the sidelines of the annual U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum.
"The purpose here can be to create a critical mass around the shared values and interests of those parties in a manner that attracts more countries in the Indo-Pacific and even from around the world," he said.
Pompeo said the fronts of confrontation with China included Chinese firms stealing intellectual property and Chinese nationals spying on the U.S.
"The previous administration had refused to confront this challenge. And you've seen us do it in places -- we've done it with respect to telecommunications, Huawei," the secretary of state said, referring to the Chinese telecom giant.
Washington placed an export ban on Huawei in May 2019 and has since been urging its allies to follow suit, citing dangers of information and technology leaks to the Chinese firm.
In July, Washington shut down a Chinese consulate in Houston, alleging it was part of a larger Chinese espionage effort.
On a similar note, the U.S. secretary of state said the U.S. now seeks to shut down all Confucius Institutes in the U.S., arguing that many students and officials there may be collaborating with the Chinese government.
"I hope the answer is zero," Pompeo said when asked how many of 75 or more such institutions here would be left standing by the end of the year.
"I think that everyone's coming to see the risk associated with them and the recruitment of spies and collaborators inside of those institutions. I think these institutions can see that, and I'm hopeful we will get them all closed out before the end of this year," he added.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--PM says this week is crucial in antivirus fight, requests people's patience

He also expressed concern about the possibility that virus transmissions will gain pace during and after the nation 's Chuseok @ @ @ @ @ start at the end of this month .
This year , Chuseok , one of @ @ @ @ @ , falls on Oct. 1 and a five-day holiday period begins the day earlier .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stressed Wednesday this week marks a "crucial watershed" in South Korea's fight against the new coronavirus and asked the people to have patience over strict social distancing rules.
"This week, in particular, (the government) appeals (to the public) for having patience and joining the fight against COVID-19," he said during a daily inter-agency meeting on efforts to contain the virus spread.
He said this week will be a "crucial watershed to determine the spread or plateau of COVID-19."
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a meeting on responding to the novel coronavirus spread at the government office complex in Sejong, an administrative town 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
His remarks came as the so-called Level 2.5 social distancing restrictions are in place in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, where around half of the nation's 52-million population reside.
"There are still violations of related regulations at such places as some churches, restaurants and cafes," Chung noted in the session held in Sejong, an administrative town 130 kilometers south of Seoul.
He urged a concerted campaign against the virus so that efforts by many people won't be in vain.
He also expressed concern about the possibility that virus transmissions will gain pace during and after the nation's Chuseok holiday season, which will start at the end of this month. This year, Chuseok, one of Korea's biggest annual celebrations, falls on Oct. 1 and a five-day holiday period begins the day earlier.
Chung emphasized that the Chuseok holiday shouldn't become another trigger for the spread of the virus.
He requested that the people plan for the holidays with a top priority on the antivirus efforts.
Regarding medical doctors' strike in protest at the government's reform drive, he reiterated a call for them to return to work immediately.
It's regrettable that an association of trainee doctors nationwide continues the collective action despite the government's decision to hold off on a push for the expansion of medical school admissions and to postpone the annual national licensing exam for doctors by a week, with no preconditions attached.
"There is little time left," he said. "The later your return is, the bigger the suffering of the patients will be."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun poised for breezy victory in blowout

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun has put himself in line for his second victory in a breezy outing helped by a potent offense.
Kim tossed five shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday (local time), giving up just three hits and striking out four. He lowered his ERA to a miniscule 0.83 and left with the Cardinals up 13-0.
Kim picked up his first major league win against the same Reds on Aug. 22, when he held them scoreless for six innings.
Kim hasn't allowed an earned run over his past three starts, spanning 17 frames.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Cardinals gave Kim a 6-0 lead before he even took the mound. They sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and roughed up starter Sonny Gray for five hits and three walks. Brad Miller, Dexter Fowler and Kolten Wong each produced two-run hits, as they chased Gray, who had a 1.94 ERA before this game, with two outs in the first inning.
With a comfortable lead, Kim walked Joey Votto to start the bottom first, but got Nick Castellanos to bounce into a double play on the first pitch. Kim then struck out Matt Davidson on a slider, completing a tidy, 12-pitch inning.
The Cardinals scored twice more in the top second, courtesy of a two-run homer by Miller.
Kim struck out the first two batters of the bottom second and then pitched around a walk to Aristides Aquino to keep it an 8-0 game.
Tommy Edman's double made it a 9-0 St. Louis lead in the top third, not that Kim needed any more help.
Kim gave up consecutive one-out singles in the bottom third but then got Castellanos ground into his second double play of the game to escape the jam.
With one out in the fourth, Eugenio Suarez doubled down the left field line for the first extra-base hit against Kim. Suarez was stranded there, as Kim got a flyout and a groundout against the next two batters.
Kim had a much easier time in the top fifth, with a couple of flyouts followed by a strikeout. It turned out to be Kim's first and final clean inning.
Andrew Knizner's pinch-hit single made it 13-0 for the Cardinals in the top sixth, and with Kim's pitch count up to 85 and the top of the Reds' lineup coming up for the third time against him, the Cardinals turned to the bullpen to begin the bottom sixth.
The Cardinals pounded out 18 hits in support of Kim.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Release of new BTS movie postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19

The group also won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards ( VMAs ) -- Best Pop , Best @ @ @ @ @ Best K-pop -- on Monday for `` ON , '' the lead song for `` @ @ @ @ @ 7 '' released in February .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The release of a documentary film on K-pop group BTS has been postponed in South Korea amid a surge in new coronavirus cases across the country since mid-August, the band's agency announced Wednesday.
Big Hit Entertainment said the opening date for "Break The Silence: The Movie," originally planned for Sept. 10, has been postponed indefinitely, citing the rise in virus transmissions nationwide.
The company said that overseas openings will be held according to schedules previously announced but could change, depending on circumstances in the country or region.
This image provided by CGV shows a poster for "Break The Silence: The Movie," a new documentary film on K-pop group BTS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The fourth theatrical film on the K-pop septet is scheduled to hit theaters in over 70 countries on Sept. 10, with a rollout in an additional 40-plus regions on Sept. 24.
The film produced by Big Hit Three Sixty, a content production subsidiary of Big Hit, chronicles the group during its 2019 "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" world tour through the United States, Europe and Asia.
On Tuesday BTS debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's main singles chart with its latest single "Dynamite," becoming the first South Korean singer or group to achieve the feat.
The group also won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) -- Best Pop, Best Group, Best Choreography and Best K-pop -- on Monday for "ON," the lead song for "Map of the Soul: 7" released in February.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Aug. 31, 2020, shows K-pop band BTS' performance of "Dynamite," which was aired on the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) New infections stay under 300 for 4th day; virus fight harried by untraceable cases, critical

(LEAD) New infections stay under 300 for 4th day; virus fight harried by untraceable cases, critically ill patients

It marked a sharp increase from just nine patients reported on Aug. 18 .
A higher number of critically ill @ @ @ @ @ 's COVID-19 deaths can also rise further down the road , and the country may @ @ @ @ @ in the near future as well .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of additional new coronavirus cases stayed below 300 for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, probably helped by the enhanced social distancing scheme, but the growing number of untraceable infections, together with more critically ill patients, is making the country's virus fight tougher.
The country reported 267 new COVID-19 cases, including 253 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,449, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked the 21st consecutive day of triple-digit rises. The country has been reporting three-digit new COVID-19 cases since Aug. 14, led by group infections from a conservative church in the capital city.
A quarantine staff member stands at a makeshift virus test center inside Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
The daily new infections continued to snowball to 441 on Thursday, far below the record high of 909 cases reported in late February. But a huge chunk of infections reported over the past few weeks came from the greater Seoul area that houses half of the country's 51-million population.
Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 98 cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the west port city of Incheon reported 79 and 10 cases, respectively.
Other major municipalities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding 10 cases and the central city of Daejeon reporting 14 new cases.
A total of 1,083 cases has been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, according to the latest data released on Monday.
Another group of 419 patients has been reported from the Aug. 15 anti-government demonstration in central Seoul, with cases identified not only in the capital city area but in different provinces across the country.
A church in Yeongdeungpo Ward, western Seoul, has so far reported 34 cases as well, the KCDC said.
Tables at a convenience store in Seoul are empty late at night on Sept. 1, 2020, as South Korea implemented enhanced social distancing guidelines, under which people are banned from eating at such shops after 9 p.m. in the greater Seoul area. (Yonhap)
Despite the latest slowdown in daily new cases, whether South Korea is bringing the latest spike in virus cases under control is still unclear.
According to the KCDC, the ratio of new patients with unidentified transmission routes hit a new record high of 24.3 percent over the past two weeks, indicating there could be more unknown infections in local communities.
The number of patients in serious or critical conditions came to 124, soaring 20 from the previous day.
It marked a sharp increase from just nine patients reported on Aug. 18. A higher number of critically ill virus patients implies the country's COVID-19 deaths can also rise further down the road, and the country may run out of hospital beds in the near future as well.
Health authorities say this week will be a critical juncture as the country can observe the effect of the Level 2 social distancing scheme that was implemented in greater Seoul on Aug. 16 and nationwide on Aug. 23.
Under the Level 2 scheme, indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned in principle. So-called risk-prone facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, have been ordered to shut down.
If the current restrictions are elevated to the highest level, gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned.
On Sunday, South Korea also implemented a quasi-Level 3 scheme in the Seoul metropolitan area. Under enhanced guidelines, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery are permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery is permitted regardless of operating hours.
South Korea added two new deaths, raising the death toll to 326. The fatality rate reached 1.59 percent.
The number of newly identified imported cases came to 14.
Of the cases, seven patients were from the United States, and two were from the Philippines. There were cases from Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, and Ukraine as well.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 15,356, up 158 from the previous day. This means around 75 percent of the patients reported have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 1,980,295 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--LG to unveil new smartphone with rotating form factor

Information on LG 's new mobile device , known by its codename `` Wing , '' has been leaked by @ @ @ @ @ days .
They predicted the new LG phone to have a 6.8-inch main panel and @ @ @ @ @ around 4 inches .

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. said Wednesday its new smartphone with a unique form factor will be unveiled later this month as it seeks to overcome a long slump in its mobile business.
In a 20-second video invitation for the upcoming launch event on Sept. 14, LG hinted that its new device will be a dual-screen smartphone with a rotating form factor.
The video showed that the handset's main display could rotate clockwise to reveal a secondary screen under it and create a T-shape design.
"Life gets better in unexpected ways when you discover the unexplored," LG said in the video.
This image, captured from LG Electronics Inc.'s video for its new smartphone launch event, shows a phone with a T-shape design. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Information on LG's new mobile device, known by its codename "Wing," has been leaked by foreign tech reviewers in recent days. They predicted the new LG phone to have a 6.8-inch main panel and a smaller secondary screen of around 4 inches.
The new smartphone is expected to come with a triple camera setup, with a 64-megapixel main sensor.
LG has yet to confirm any specifications for the upcoming handset, but it revealed that the device is made under the company's new smartphone strategy Explorer Project.
For the project, LG said it has joined hands with global streaming service providers, such as Ficto, Tubi and Rave, to provide better video content for smartphones.
LG said it will also work with Qualcomm Technologies Inc., the world's leading mobile solutions provider, and seek new opportunities with Naver Whale, a web browser developed by South Korea's top web portal operator Naver.
This image, provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Sept. 2, 2020, shows the date and the time of its new smartphone launch event. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
LG said the Explorer Project is designed for its innovative smartphones only, so its existing premium smartphone lineup will run separately.
LG has been trying to turn around its struggling mobile business with new smartphones.
LG's Mobile Communications division posted an operating loss of 206.5 billion won (US$174 million) in the second quarter of the year, extending its losses to the 21st consecutive quarter. Its revenue also declined 18.9 percent on-year to 1.31 trillion won in the April-June period.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--North Korea braces for another powerful typhoon

`` A warning has been issued in the country that Typhoon No .
9 , coming from the Philippines , @ @ @ @ @ country .
As such , we are taking active measures to prevent damage in the @ @ @ @ @ '' the Rodong Sinmun , the official newspaper of the ruling party , said in @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper on Wednesday urged efforts to prevent damage from another typhoon heading toward the Korean Peninsula as the country grapples to recover from a previous typhoon.
The North was hit by Typhoon Bavi last week that caused flooding and destruction in many areas, including its southwestern province of Hwanghae, known as a major rice-producing region. Leader Kim Jong-un visited the province, calling for recovery efforts though he said the damage is "smaller than expected."
"A warning has been issued in the country that Typhoon No. 9, coming from the Philippines, is likely to affect the country. As such, we are taking active measures to prevent damage in the country's eastern regions," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party, said in an article Wednesday.
Typhoon Maysak, the ninth tropical storm of the season, will likely hit the country's eastern regions, with some areas expected to receive up to 400 millimeters of rain Wednesday and Thursday, according to state media.
"We need to come up with thorough measures to prevent accidents and natural disasters," leader Kim was quoted as saying in the paper.
The paper added that officials were taking several measures so as to minimize damage in crop fields, factories and in the fishing industry in Kangwon Province and in northeastern areas, including North and South Hamgyong provinces.
The latest typhoon comes as North Korea suffers from a double whammy of coronavirus concerns and deepening economic woes, and fresh concerns over damage caused by recent heavy downpours.
This photo, captured from North Korea's Central TV, shows inundation due to Typhoon Bavi in the North's western port of Nampo on Aug. 27, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
This satellite image provided by the National Meteorological Satellite Center shows Typhoon Maysak's movement as of 4 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2020. The season's ninth typhoon was moving north-northwest about 270 kilometers south of Okinawa, Japan, as of 3 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-02--(5th LD) Typhoon Maysak set to make landfall on S. Korea's southern coast

It was expected to make landfall north of Busan at around 3:00 a.m. Thursday before moving northward to the country @ @ @ @ @ It was then expected to travel to North Korea before downgrading near the North 's @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Masak pummeled southern parts of South Korea with heavy rains and strong winds Wednesday, flooding streets, causing power outages and grounding hundreds of flights.
The season's ninth typhoon was barreling toward the southern coastal regions at 32 kph over seas some 117 kilometers south of Seogwipo in Jeju as of 8:30 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Its maximum wind speed was 45 meters per second.
Maysak is forecast to be one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the country in years.
It was expected to make landfall north of Busan at around 3:00 a.m. Thursday before moving northward to the country's eastern coastal regions. It was then expected to travel to North Korea before downgrading near the North's eastern city of Chongjin on Thursday night.
Strong waves are seen at Seogwipo, Jeju, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cars are stranded along a flooded road in Jeju as Typhoon Maysak hit the resort island on Sept. 2, 2020 on course to the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)
As of Wednesday evening, the entire country was under the influence of Maysak, with the city of Busan sealing off Geoga Bridge that links the city to the nearby island of Geoje for safety reasons.
More than 40 scheduled trains on the country's seven rail lines, including Gyeongbu Line, have been canceled or partly suspended.
The agency said that Maysak may be more powerful than Typhoon Bavi that hit the country last week and was expected to follow a similar route as Typhoon Maemi, which left 131 people dead or missing and 4.2 trillion won (US$3.5 billion) in damage in 2003.
The weather agency forecast the typhoon to affect most parts of the country with heavy rains and strong winds.
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Maysak's expected path as of 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
High waves roll toward a lighthouse in seas near Seogwipo, Jeju, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Typhoon warnings were in place for seas surrounding Jeju, the south coast, southern waters of the West Sea and the East Sea as well as parts of South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces.
A record level of rain, measuring more than 120 millimeters per hour, hammered part of Jeju, with the other areas under the warnings experiencing rains of up to 50 millimeters per hour.
The wind speed in Jeju and areas along the south coast reached 44 meters per second, according to the weather agency. A wind speed of 40 mps can topple big rocks and moving vehicles.
A heavy rain alert for all of Seoul was also issued Wednesday evening with a separate typhoon alert set to take effect for the capital at midnight.
Power was disrupted at about 30,000 households in Jeju, as strong winds damaged power cables.
An electronic board at Jeju International Airport in Jeju shows that some flights have been canceled due to Typhoon Maysak on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Workers are clearing a road in Jeju Island after strong wind accompanied by Typhoon Maysak toppled a street tree on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
More than 400 domestic flights, including 180 scheduled to depart from Jeju, have been canceled at airports across the country, according to Korea Airports Corp.
Thousands of ships in coastal areas have evacuated to brace against the storm. The coast guard has designated parts of seas south and east of the peninsula as danger zones and restricted ships from operating on affected routes.
Jeju's Cheonjin port was submerged in water while strong wind toppled a street tree, damaging cars parked nearby. Including this, a total of 364 instances of damage have been reported in the island.
Some education offices in affected areas advised schools to reschedule classes or run classes online due to safety concerns.
The regional governments of South Gyeongsang Province, Busan and Ulsan went into an emergency response mode, bracing for the arrival of the typhoon.
In addition to Maysak, the season's tenth typhoon, Haishen, was also moving northward from waters northwest of Guam at the speed of 22 kph. Via Japan, the typhoon is forecast to reach the South Gyeongsang Province next Monday.
Showers were expected across South Korea over the weekend due to the typhoon.
Boats are docked at the southeastern port city of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) Police raid house of controversial pastor at center of coronavirus spike

He is also alleged to have violated a self-quarantine order and attended a massive anti-government rally in downtown Seoul on @ @ @ @ @ members and his political followers from around the country .
Two days later , he @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 3-4, photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean police on Wednesday raided the house of Jun Kwang-hoon, the pastor at the center of the recent spike in coronavirus outbreaks in the country.
Police also raided three other facilities related to Jun's Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul to secure evidence that the church has impeded the government's efforts to slow the virus spread.
The two-hour operation ended around 6:40 p.m.
The police said they may summon Jun for questioning, if necessary. after analyzing the materials they seized.
Jun, who was discharged from hospital earlier in the day after being treated for COVID-19, is suspected of intentionally concealing the list of church's congregation, thereby hampering the state's contact tracing and isolation operation.
In this image captured from Yonhap News TV, police leave the house of Jun Kwang-hoon, the chief pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, at the center of the recent spike in coronavirus outbreaks in South Korea, in northeastern Seoul after a search and seizure operation on Sept. 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
He is also alleged to have violated a self-quarantine order and attended a massive anti-government rally in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, leading church members and his political followers from around the country. Two days later, he tested positive for COVID-19.
On Aug. 16, the government and the Seoul city reported Jun and his church officials to police for allegedly violating infectious disease prevention laws.
Later that week, police and officials from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) launched a nearly five-hour search operation at the church to obtain a list of its members.
The search operation Wednesday was to secure additional materials about the church members, police said.
The church and Jun have been magnets for conservatives critical of the Moon Jae-in government who flock to the church from around the country to attend Jun's sermons and political rallies.
As of Wednesday, a total of 1,117 cases have been traced to the Church, according to the KCDC.
Jun Kwang-hoon, a conservative pastor who has led anti-government rallies in central Seoul, boards an ambulance in Seoul on Aug. 17, 2020. He tested positive for the new coronavirus on the day. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(2nd LD) Doctors' strike at crossroads amid talks with ruling party

They have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of rural @ @ @ @ @ of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment .

(ATTN: UPDATES data in para 10)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The long-drawn strike by doctors in protest over the government's medical reform plan has reached a crossroads, as they are in talks with the ruling party to resolve differences, sources said Wednesday.
A group of doctors, represented by the Korean Medical Association's (KMA) chief Choi Dae-zip, met the ruling Democratic Party's policy committee chief Han Jeoung-ae late Tuesday to exchange views on how to end the standoff that comes as the country tries to cope with a resurgence of coronavirus cases.
Han said at the meeting that lawmakers can review all key issues from scratch, proposing to create a special commission to address matters that can improve the quality of the country's medical field.
The lawmaker said the reform plan cannot be changed, though how the plan is implemented can be discussed going forward.
Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party (L row) hold talks with representatives of the Korean Intern Resident Association in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020. The two sides exchanged views on the government's medical reform plan that has triggered a doctors' strike. (Yonhap)
If talks progress, details on how to end the walkout can be ironed out through extensive dialogue between all interested parties, the sources said.
Earlier this week, a task force of the Korean Intern and Resident Association voted in favor of an indefinite walkout by its members.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme. The KMA, with over 130,000 members, has backed the move, with staff and major hospitals also siding with trainee doctors and medical students.
Doctors have steadfastly opposed the reform plan that will expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022.
They have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of rural areas, and the provision of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment.
Data showed that 85.4 percent of trainee doctors took part in the strike as of Wednesday, while the percentage for fellow doctors stood at 29.7 percent. The figures compare to Tuesday's 77.8 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
The government, which has so far baulked at scrapping the reform plan, said it will respect the outcome of talks between parliament and doctors.
A trainee doctor at Seoul National University Hospital in downtown Seoul holds a sign denouncing the government's medical reform plan, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The government is watching the discussions taking place and wishes for an amicable outcome," said ministry spokesman Son Young-rae, adding that the government will respect any understandings reached.
The country reported 267 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, including 253 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,449.
This marked the fourth day in a row that new coronavirus cases have stayed below 300, but health authorities remain vigilant as untraceable and critically ill patients are still at large.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) North Korea braces for another powerful typhoon

`` A warning has been issued in the country that Typhoon No .
9 ( Maysak ) , coming from @ @ @ @ @ to affect the country .
As such , we are taking active measures to prevent @ @ @ @ @ eastern regions , '' the Rodong Sinmun , the official newspaper of the ruling party @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 7-8, 10-11, photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper on Wednesday urged efforts to prevent damage from another typhoon heading toward the Korean Peninsula as the country grapples to recover from a previous typhoon.
The North was hit by Typhoon Bavi last week that caused flooding and destruction in many areas, including its southwestern province of Hwanghae, known as a major rice-producing region. Leader Kim Jong-un visited the province, calling for recovery efforts though he said the damage is "smaller than expected."
"A warning has been issued in the country that Typhoon No. 9 (Maysak), coming from the Philippines, is likely to affect the country. As such, we are taking active measures to prevent damage in the country's eastern regions," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party, said in an article Wednesday.
This photo, captured from North Korea's Korean Central TV on Sept. 2, 2020, shows vessels being brought to safety in the eastern province of Gangwon to protect against Typhoon Maysak. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Typhoon Maysak, the ninth of the season, will likely hit the country's eastern regions, with some areas expected to receive up to 400 millimeters of rain Wednesday and Thursday, according to state media.
"We need to come up with thorough measures to prevent accidents and natural disasters," leader Kim was quoted as saying in the paper.
The paper added that officials were taking several measures so as to minimize damage in crop fields, factories and in the fishing industry in Kangwon Province and in northeastern areas, including North and South Hamgyong provinces.
This photo, captured from North Korea's Korean Central TV on Sept. 2, 2020, shows residents in the eastern province of Gangwon preparing for Typhoon Maysak. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Residents are ready to evacuate from within 4 kilometers of the coast in Goseong, Kangwon Province, according to the North's Korean Central TV. Tongcheon City moved its residents in coastal areas to shelters, while fixing vessels to safe docks.
Roof blocks are pressed with heavy dust bags and road signs are chained in other parts of the province.
The latest typhoon comes as North Korea suffers from a double whammy of coronavirus concerns and deepening economic woes, and fresh concerns over damage caused by recent heavy downpours.
North Korean state media also warned against another typhoon, Haishen, expected to hit the communist nation early next week.
The 10th typhoon is forecast to hit Japan's southern island of Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula on Monday.
This photo, captured from North Korea's Central TV, shows inundation due to Typhoon Bavi in the North's western port of Nampo on Aug. 27, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(MORE)


yna--2020-09-02--(LEAD) S. Korea, Singapore agree on 'fast-track' entry program for biz people amid COVID-19

`` The agreement with Singapore , the logistical and financial hub , is expected to contribute to not only the @ @ @ @ @ , but also the stable management of global supply chains under the COVID-19 situation , @ @ @ @ @ a press release .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 5-6)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Singapore agreed Wednesday to introduce a "fast-track" entry program this week for essential trips by businesspeople and others in exception to coronavirus entry restrictions, the foreign ministry said.
During telephone talks, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Singaporean counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan, reached the agreement on the streamlined entry procedures set to take effect on Friday.
"The agreement with Singapore, the logistical and financial hub, is expected to contribute to not only the two countries' economic recovery, but also the stable management of global supply chains under the COVID-19 situation," the ministry said in a press release.
Under the entry program, a South Korean businessperson with a negative coronavirus test and a travel pass from the Singaporean government can fly to Singapore. Upon arrival, he or she must undergo another test, and negative results will exempt him or her from quarantine.
In a separate press release, Singapore's foreign ministry said that the fast track will help "restore connectivity and support economic recovery with the necessary public health safeguards."
"The ministers reaffirmed the importance of bilateral cooperation to jointly overcome both countries' common challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the Singaporean ministry said.
It is South Korea's fourth such fast-track entry program, following ones with China, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
South Korea has been pushing to create such streamlined entry programs with other countries, stressing that essential business trips should be allowed to mitigate the fallout of the pandemic and spur the world's economic recovery.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (L) and her Singaporean counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan, pose for a photo before their talks in Singapore on March 3, 2018 in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--(4th LD) Typhoon Maysak set to make landfall on S. Korea's southern coast

Maysak was forecast to make landfall between Busan and Geoje at around 1:00 a.m. Thursday before moving northward to the @ @ @ @ @ .
It was then expected to travel to North Korea before downgrading near the North @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday night .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Maysak was barreling toward South Korea on Wednesday, putting the country on high alert over what was forecast to be one of the most powerful typhoons in years.
The typhoon was moving at 19 kph over seas some 190 kilometers south of Seogwipo in Jeju as of 3:00 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Its maximum wind speed was 45 meters per second.
Maysak was forecast to make landfall between Busan and Geoje at around 1:00 a.m. Thursday before moving northward to the country's eastern coastal regions. It was then expected to travel to North Korea before downgrading near the North's eastern city of Chongjin on Thursday night.
Strong waves are seen at Seogwipo, Jeju, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Pedestrians struggle to hold onto their umbrellas at Seogwipo in Jeju on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
The agency said that Maysak may be more powerful than Typhoon Bavi that hit the country last week and was expected to follow a similar route as Typhoon Maemi, which left 131 people dead or missing and 4.2 trillion won (US$3.5 billion) in damage in 2003.
The weather agency forecast the typhoon would affect the country's southern and eastern coastal areas while pouring heavy rains and bringing strong winds in the inner land area as well.
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Maysak's expected path as of 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
High waves roll toward a lighthouse in seas near Seogwipo, Jeju, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Heavy rain was expected in the areas, with rain of more than 400 mm soaking Jeju and parts of the country's eastern coastal regions, such as Gangwon and North and South Gyeongsang provinces.
The weather agency also issued a heavy rain alert for all of Seoul Wednesday evening.
Maximum wind speed was forecast at up to 50 mps near Busan and maximum wind speed of 33 mps was predicted. A wind speed of 40 mps can topple big rocks and moving vehicles.
With the typhoon approaching the country, a typhoon warning has been issued for seas surrounding Jeju, the south coast, southern waters of the West Sea and the East Sea as well as parts of South Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces.
Strong winds measuring 28 mps hit areas in Jeju and the southern coastal region, with heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunder observed in Gyeongsang.
Power was disrupted at more than 7,000 households in Jeju, as strong winds damaged power cables.
The warning was expected to be expanded across the country, including the greater Seoul area, on early Thursday.
An electronic board at Jeju International Airport in Jeju shows that some flights have been canceled due to Typhoon Maysak on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Workers are clearing a road in Jeju Island after strong wind accompanied by Typhoon Maysak toppled a street tree on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
More than 400 domestic flights, including 180 scheduled to depart from Jeju, have been canceled at airports across the country, according to Korea Airports Corp.
Thousands of ships in coastal areas have evacuated to port cities to brace against the storm. The coast guard has designated parts of seas south and east of the peninsula as danger zones and restricted ships from operating on affected routes.
Jeju's Cheonjin port was submerged in water while strong wind toppled a street tree, damaging cars parked nearby. Including this, a total of 52 instances of damage have been reported in the island.
Some education offices in affected areas advised schools to reschedule classes or run classes online due to safety concerns.
The regional governments of South Gyeongsang Province, Busan and Ulsan went into an emergency response mode, bracing for the arrival of the typhoon.
In addition to Maysak, the season's tenth typhoon, Haishen, was also moving northward from waters northwest of Guam at the speed of 22 kph. Via Japan, the typhoon is forecast to reach the South Gyeongsang Province next week.
Showers were expected across South Korea over the weekend due to the typhoon.
Boats are docked at the southeastern port city of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-02--Number of young drug offenders jumps from 2016-19: lawmaker

`` The internet makes it easy for people to conveniently purchase narcotics and get them delivered to their home , @ @ @ @ @ that the related authorities should work together to cover `` the blind spots '' of @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of teenagers and people in their 20s busted for drug-related crimes jumped between 2016 and 2019, a lawmaker said Wednesday, citing data from the National Police Agency.
A record number of 10,411 individuals were caught in illegal drug cases last year, while the tally was in the 8,000 level from 2016-2018, according to data released by Rep. Kim Yong-pan of the main opposition People Power Party.
From 2016-2019, the number of teenage drug offenders more than doubled to 164 from 81, and the tally jumped 82.5 percent to 2,422 from 1,327 for those in their 20s, the data showed.
Kim attributed the spike to illicit drug trading on online platforms, including chatting applications.
"The internet makes it easy for people to conveniently purchase narcotics and get them delivered to their home," he said, adding that the related authorities should work together to cover "the blind spots" of crackdown operations.
The data showed 2,109, or 20.3 percent, of drug criminals were found to have traded drugs online in 2019, up from 1,120 or 12.7 percent in 2016.
Other age groups also saw an uptick in the tally of drug-related criminals, except for those in their 40s.
In 2019, 2,499 people in their 30s, 2,207 in their 40s, 1,572 in their 50s and 1,295 at 60 or older were rounded up for drug-related crimes.
A computer-generated image depicting young adults and illicit drugs provided by Yonhap News TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)