yna--2020-10-29--'Josee' to give comfort to people amid coronavirus pandemic: director

`` It is not a reprisal of the 2003 film , but it 's a new creation of the novel @ @ @ @ @ adding that the 2020 animated film will be released in South Korea in January .
@ @ @ @ @ many Korean fans of the 2003 film .
I hope they will like mine if @ @ @ @ @ new translation . ''

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The director of the closing film of this year's Busan film festival said Thursday that he hopes the animated work, "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," will give comfort to people who have been confined at home due to the protracted coronavirus pandemic.
Directed by Kotaro Tamura, the animated adaptation of a Japanese short story of the same name by Seiko Tanabe is a coming-of-age story of a girl in a wheelchair, nicknamed Josee, and her boyfriend Tsuneo.
It is the first animated film to close the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in 13 years since "Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone" by Hideaki Anno in 2007.
"In the film, Josee has been staying at home and longing for the outer world. Later, she overcomes all difficulties and obstacles," the director said in an online conference during BIFF's closing on Friday after a 10-day run.
This image provided by the 25th Busan International Film Festival shows a scene from "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"It's like us today. We have to stay at home due to the COVID-19 scare, and our desire or yearning to go outside has intensified," he said. "At this moment, I think my film can resonate with people of all ages and of all countries."
Tamura said as Josee goes out into the world, she begins communicating with society both in a physical and mental way. Thanks to Josee, Tsuneo also grows and acknowledges how to blend into the society.
"This shows the way she is connected with society," he said. "I wanted to look more deeply into this process in my film."
The director said this is the point that distinguishes his animated edition from the live-action film released in 2003 and even from the original novel written in 1985.
This image provided by the 25th Busan International Film Festival shows a scene from "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
His interpretation focuses on the pursuit of dreams of Josee and Tsuneo in the setting of present-day Japan, while the 2003 movie pictures Josee's growth and the couple's romance in a bittersweet tone.
"The novel doesn't give a clear conclusion about the Josee-Tsuneo relationship, and the 2003 film has the ending that many people know well," he said. "In my film, I tried to finish the story in a new way."
He said his animated "Josee" will be a new variation of the original story, with hand-drawn characters and soft pastel colors increasing the plausibility of their pursuit of dreams.
"It is not a reprisal of the 2003 film, but it's a new creation of the novel," he said, adding that the 2020 animated film will be released in South Korea in January. "I know there are many Korean fans of the 2003 film. I hope they will like mine if they see it as a new translation."
This photo provided by the 25th Busan International Film Festival shows director Kotaro Tamura of "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--S. Korea to sell 12.4 tln won worth of Treasurys in November

The ministry will issue 2.9 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 2.4 trillion won @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance .

SEJONG, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to sell 12.4 trillion won (US$10.9 billion) in state bonds next month, the finance ministry said Thursday.
The ministry will issue 2.9 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 2.4 trillion won in five-year bonds in November, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
It also intends to sell 3 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 10 years and 1 trillion won in 20-year Treasurys, while floating 3.1 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 30 years.
South Korea issued 15.8 trillion won in state bonds this month.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--(LEAD) Samsung Engineering's Q3 net profit down 15.9 pct on one-off losses

SEOUL , Oct. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Engineering Co. , a construction affiliate of Samsung Group , said @ @ @ @ @ fell 15.9 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier due to one-off losses @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with company's comments, details and stock prices; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Engineering Co., a construction affiliate of Samsung Group, said Thursday that its net profit fell 15.9 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier due to one-off losses from its overseas projects.
The company posted a net profit of 59.6 billion won (US$52.6 million) in the July-September period, compared with a net profit of 70.8 billion won a year earlier, the plant builder said in a regulatory filing.
Samsung Engineering said the decline of net profit in the third quarter is blamed on one-off losses from its overseas joint ventures with foreign partners.
The company said its operating profit edged up 0.3 percent on-year to 100 billion won in the third quarter.
The operating profit was 27.9 percent higher than the market consensus, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.
Still, sales fell 2 percent to 1.6 trillion won from 1.63 trillion won over the cited period, according to the company.
Shares in Samsung Engineering fell 2.35 percent to 10,400 won, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.79 percent loss.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--Mando Q3 net income down 25.3 pct. to 39.2 bln won

The operating profit was 27.3 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .
( END @

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Mando Corp. on Thursday reported its third-quarter net profit of 39.2 billion won (US$34.6 million), down 25.3 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 65.6 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 70.4 billion won a year ago. Sales rose 2.3 percent to 1.5 trillion won.
The operating profit was 27.3 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--U.S. ambassador awarded Seoul honorary citizenship

The government cited two particular instances -- the opening of a garden at the ambassador 's residence in 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ native to Korea and the U.S. and allowed nearby local students to experience urban farming @ @ @ @ @ the residence to tourists walking in the historic district of Jeongdong during night festivals over @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris received honorary citizenship of Seoul on Thursday in recognition of his efforts to promote ties between the city and his country.
Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup awarded a certificate of honorary citizenship to Harris at City Hall.
The city government said Harris has actively cooperated with municipal affairs since the beginning of his term in July 2018 and expanded friendly ties between Seoul and its sister and friendship cities in the United States.
The government cited two particular instances -- the opening of a garden at the ambassador's residence in 2019, which was planted with crops native to Korea and the U.S. and allowed nearby local students to experience urban farming, and the opening of the residence to tourists walking in the historic district of Jeongdong during night festivals over the past two years.
Seoul is a sister or friendship city to five U.S. cities -- Honolulu, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Houston.
This photo shows U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris (L) receiving a certificate of honorary citizenship of Seoul from acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup at City Hall on Oct. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--K-pop artist CL says new song 'HWA' marks new beginning

`` I think it 's really good that a lot of people around the world -- Koreans and Asians -- @ @ @ @ @ look like them express themselves and music ... it seems that the boundary has faded @ @ @ @ @ not K-pop and pop , but all just pop , '' she said , mentioning @ @ @ @ @ .

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- CL, the fierce and talented rapper and singer of disbanded girl group 2NE1, said her new song "HWA" marks a new beginning in her identity as a solo musician.
CL, whose real name is Lee Chae-rin, released two new songs, "HWA" and "Five Star," on Thursday following a 10-month hiatus after dropping her project solo album "In the Name of Love."
The singer, who called music a "language" that helps her express herself, said that the hiatus from music was tough for her.
"I felt stuck since I didn't have something to play with. I needed it to express myself and to learn and accept new things," she said in a press conference streamed online in Seoul.
This photo, provided by CL, shows the cover for her latest single "HWA" that was released on Oct. 29, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In that sense, CL said her new song "HWA" is something that "marks a new beginning and a milestone in identity as CL."
The singer said she tried to embody Korean elements in her new song -- by wearing outfits by Korean designers and doing promotional activities at spots that can represent Korean culture.
Her performance of "HWA" set to air on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" later Thursday, for instance, was filmed at South Korea's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, where modern Korean artist Yang Haegue's work is on exhibition.
She said Korean elements have been a source of inspiration for her music, mentioning how she was intrigued during a visit to late Korean designer Andre Kim's studio, picking the fashion legend as a major source of inspiration for the visuals of "HWA."
As a person who grew up watching MTV and wondering why there weren't pop stars that resemble her appearance, CL said she was excited and ecstatic about the global hype surrounding K-pop.
"I think it's really good that a lot of people around the world -- Koreans and Asians -- can see how people who look like them express themselves and music ... it seems that the boundary has faded a lot. It's not K-pop and pop, but all just pop," she said, mentioning latest K-pop sensations like BTS.
This photo, provided by CL, shows the singer posing during an online press conference in Seoul on Oct. 29, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
CL, who spent most of her musical career as part of 2NE1, which has not been active since 2016, said going solo has not been easy.
"The four were in it together, and now I have to do all the roles that the four filled. I had to learn that ... I'm learning, although I'm not very good yet," she said.
"But I want to learn. Now that I've set up a crew and I'm quite close to them, I wanted to do things that I wanted to do freely and was curious how my music was consumed."
But the singer, who said she used to intentionally separate her professional and personal identities, said after all the experiences she's gone through, she now feels more comfortable with herself.
"I think I've become more friendly with the identity of CL ... Whatever I say I'm speaking as myself -- not as Chae-rin or not as CL. It became like that since I released my project album and since I could start telling my stories."
CL is set to release her album on Nov. 30.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--September sees 165,000 fewer restaurant, hotel workers amid pandemic

The total workforce employed by businesses of one or more employees numbered 18,576,000 on the last business day of September @ @ @ @ @ 0.6 percent , from the same month last year , the ministry said .

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The number of people working in the restaurant and hotel sectors dropped by 165,000 last month from a year earlier due to a resurgence of the coronavirus, government data showed Thursday.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor said the number of people employed in facility management, which includes the travel industry, and retail and wholesale, also dropped by 65,000 and 56,000, respectively.
This photo shows a notice announcing the temporary closure of a business in Itaewon, Seoul, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
September saw the government impose tougher social distancing rules on dining in and assembling in large numbers due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases the previous month,
The total workforce employed by businesses of one or more employees numbered 18,576,000 on the last business day of September, down 112,000, or 0.6 percent, from the same month last year, the ministry said.
In August, the on-year decrease was smaller at 90,000, indicating the overall workforce shrank further in September because of the new outbreak attributed to mass rallies in central Seoul on Aug. 15.
The statistics also showed, however, that the public administration sector grew by 198,000 people, thanks to the government's large-scale jobs programs prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The manufacturing sector posted a drop of 70,000 people, continuing a downward trend that started in February but shrinking by less than in August.
The number of regular employees dropped by 241,000, the sharpest decrease since workforce surveys began in June 2009.
This photo shows a buffet restaurant in Seoul on Oct. 12, 2020, the same day it reopened after being closed for nearly two months due to the government's toughened social distancing rules. (Yonhap)
Kwon Gi-seob, a ministry official overseeing employment policy, told reporters that the decline in regular workers was mostly seen in the hotel, restaurant and education industries, and downplayed the likelihood of a restructuring.
Meanwhile, temporary workers increased by 181,000, likely because the government created a large number of temporary jobs in the public sector as part of its jobs programs.
In August, the average worker's salary was 3,379,000 won (US$2,986), up only 5,000 won, or 0.1 percent, from the same month last year.
Regular employees' salaries dropped 0.5 percent to 3,557,000 won, while temporary workers' salaries increased by 6.7 percent to 1,626,000 won.
The ministry explained that regular employees saw a decrease in bonus payments due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, the average salary of temporary workers increased because they were fewer in number, especially in the hotel and restaurant industries.
Also in August, workers labored an average of 153.9 hours the entire month, down eight hours, or 4.9 percent, from the same month last year.
The ministry attributed this to fewer working days, 0.9 day less than last year, and more leaves and business suspensions caused by the pandemic.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--Justice ministry begins inspection of Seoul prosecution office over financial scam probe

The move came a day after Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae ordered the ministry to examine the decision-making process at the @ @ @ @ @ by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl at that time .
The two have been at odds @ @ @ @ @ pertaining to prosecution reforms and corruption cases .

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Justice has begun inspecting the prosecution's decision in 2018 to drop charges against an asset management firm that is now at the center of a snowballing financial scandal, legal sources said Thursday.
The ministry's inspection team on Wednesday secured the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office's internal document regarding its 2018 probe into Optimus Asset Management, according to the sources.
The move came a day after Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae ordered the ministry to examine the decision-making process at the office, which was headed by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl at that time. The two have been at odds over a range of issues pertaining to prosecution reforms and corruption cases.
These photos show Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl (R) on Oct. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Optimus is under suspicion of soliciting thousands of people to buy funds worth about 1.2 trillion won (US$1.06 billion) by promising to invest their money in safe public institutions, and actually funneling most of the money into risky assets, causing huge losses to the investors.
In October 2018, the state-run Korea Communications Agency, which invested 106 billion won in Optimus, requested the prosecution to investigate the company over fraud, embezzlement and other allegations.
But the prosecution cleared Optimus executives of the charges after a seven-month investigation.
During a parliamentary session Monday, she slammed the investigation team for not even tracing bank accounts of those involved.
The next day, Choo instructed the ministry to look into whether the prosecutors properly handled the case. She also ordered inspectors to look into allegations that former senior prosecution officials may have lobbied the investigation team on behalf of the suspects.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-29--(LEAD) Seoul stocks fall on global virus surge

`` The ( overnight ) stock market crash in the U.S. and Europe largely came from the uncontained outbreaks of @ @ @ @ @ Securities analyst Seo Sang-young .
`` It may keep investor sentiment down for a while @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed lower Thursday on foreign and institutional selling as new coronavirus outbreaks in major global economies continued to surge at an alarming rate. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 18.59 points, or 0.79 percent, to close at 2,326.67.
Trading volume was moderate at about 488 million shares worth some 10.1 trillion won (US$8.9 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 641 to 221.
The KOSPI started out with a sharp fall, tracking the 3.43 percent plunge on the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wednesday (New York time). The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite tumbled 3.73 percent and the S&P 500 plummeted 3.53 percent amid massive foreign selling.
Foreigners sold a net 536 billion won, the largest sell-off after Aug. 31. Retail investors purchased a net 980 billion won, while institutions offloaded a net 476 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,326.67 on Oct.29, 2020, down 18.59 points or 0.79 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
"The (overnight) stock market crash in the U.S. and Europe largely came from the uncontained outbreaks of COVID-19," said Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young. "It may keep investor sentiment down for a while," he added.
Daily COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. soared in the past week, with heavily populated parts of Europe tightening quarantine measures.
After briefly plummeting below the 2,300-level, the KOSPI erased much of its losses in the afternoon, thanks to the massive advances by pharmaceutical heavyweights.
Most large caps closed lower in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics dropped 1.53 percent to 58,100 won. The tech giant reported robust third-quarter earnings shortly before the session's open.
No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix lost 1.45 percent to 81,700 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics skyrocketed 9.42 percent to 697,000 won after it announced it opened a new research and development center in the U.S., and Celltrion spiked 4.33 percent to 253,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver closed flat at 298,500 won, with its rival Kakao dipping 1.01 percent to 343,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem gained 1.4 percent to 651,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI edged up 0.35 percent to 431,500 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, fell 2.02 percent to 170,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,131.4 won per dollar, down 0.8 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 1.3 basis points to 0.927 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 1.6 basis points to 1.218 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Samsung Engineering-led consortium wins US$3.6 bln deal in Mexico

Samsung Engineering said it will be responsible for the engineering , procurement and construction ( EPC ) for the second @ @ @ @ @ the total six packages for the refinery project .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Engineering Co., a plant construction unit of Samsung Group, said Friday its consortium has clinched a US$3.6 billion deal to build refinery facilities in Mexico.
The company said its Mexican subsidiary, the Samsung Ingenieria Manzanillo, S.A. de C.V. and Asociados Constructores DBNR, S.A. de C.V. (AC DBNR) consortium, received a letter of intent from PTI Infraestructura de Desarrollo, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of the Mexican state-owned oil company, Pemex, for the Dos Bocas refinery project on Mexico's southern Gulf Coast.
Samsung Engineering said it will be responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for the second and third packages out of the total six packages for the refinery project.
The second package includes the Diesel Hydrodesulfurization unit, the gasoil hydrodesulfurization unit, the naphtha hydro-treating unit and the naphtha reformer, while the third package includes the fluid catalytic cracking unit.
The refinery will have a daily processing capacity of 340,000 barrels of crude oil.
Samsung Engineering said it has received the EPC order through the successful progress of its front-end engineering design (FEED) job for the Dos Bocas refinery project.
An engineering company is better positioned to win an EPC deal in a plant project if it obtains the FEED deal for it.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Hyundai Heavy to be chosen as preferred bidder for Aegis destroyer project

`` We will do our best to continue the project without a hitch in accordance with due procedures and regulations @ @ @ @ @ said , vowing to take `` appropriate steps , if necessary '' after the court @ @ @ @ @ suspected officials .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The arms procurement agency plans to pick Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. as a preferred bidder for an indigenous Aegis-equipped destroyer development project despite a suspected leak of classified information by military officers to the company, officials said Friday.
Several Navy officers now stand trial, as they allegedly allowed Hyundai officials in 2014 to secretly film confidential documents related to the Korea Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) project to build a next-generation 6,000 ton-class destroyer.
Citing the ongoing probe, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., which is also vying for the 21 billion-won (US$17.6 million) project, filed for a court injunction against the project. In August, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) reviewed their basic design proposals and gave Hyundai higher scores.
"The Seoul Central District Court dismissed Daewoo's application on Tuesday, saying it is unclear if Hyundai uses the information that it allegedly illegally acquired," a DAPA official told reporters.
Following the ruling, the agency decided to continue the project and will officially announce a preferred bidder early next month to sign a contract within this year, the official added.
The agency plans to complete the design by the second half of 2023 and begin its construction in 2024.
"We will do our best to continue the project without a hitch in accordance with due procedures and regulations," a DAPA official said, vowing to take "appropriate steps, if necessary" after the court makes a ruling on the suspected officials.
This photo, provided by the Navy, shows Sejong the Great, a 7,600-ton Aegis-equipped destroyer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(2nd LD) N. Korea says S. Korea responsible for death of fisheries official

`` The conservative forces allegedly valuing 'human rights ' with great concern for it kept mum about ... the opening @ @ @ @ @ another citizen of its side when he was swimming across a river in the area @ @ @ @ @ to enter the DPRK that killed him , '' the KCNA said , referring to @ @ @ @ @ name .

(ATTN: ADDS more details, background)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Friday that South Korea is the first to blame for the death of a fisheries official killed at sea last month because the South failed to exercise proper control over its citizen.
But the North also said such an "accidental" incident should not lead inter-Korean relations to a "catastrophe." It also said it tried its best, unsuccessfully, to search for the body of the South Korean official to return it to his family.
The 47-year-old fisheries official was fatally shot by the North's military while adrift in the North Korean side of the Yellow Sea, according to the South's military. He went missing the previous day while on duty near the western border island of Yeonpyeong.
"Explicitly speaking, the recent inglorious incident in the waters of the West Sea of Korea was the result of improper control of the citizen by the South side in the sensitive hotspot area at a time when there are tension and danger due to the vicious virus sweeping the whole of South Korea," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"Therefore, the blame for the incident first rests with the South side," the KCNA said.
North Korea also tried its best to retrieve the body of the official to "no avail," it added.
"We are regretful for this and have decided to take sustained necessary measures in the future, too, in the relevant field," it said, without further explanation of the measures.
The North also said it "does not want to see the repetition of any unpleasant precedents in which accidental incidents led the north-south relations to a catastrophe."
South Korea called for swift efforts for a joint probe into the killing.
"We call for the inter-Korean military hotlines to be reconnected first for communication between the two Koreas," Cho Hey-sil, deputy spokesperson of the unification ministry, said at a regular press briefing.
The North accused South Korea's main opposition People Power Party of using the incident as an opportunity for "attaining their dirty political purposes" and slandering the communist nation by raising the issue of human rights.
"The conservative forces allegedly valuing 'human rights' with great concern for it kept mum about ... the opening of indiscriminate machine gunfire into another citizen of its side when he was swimming across a river in the area along the Military Demarcation Line to enter the DPRK that killed him," the KCNA said, referring to North Korea by its official name.
The agency appears to be referring to an incident in 2013 when South Korean troops at the border shot and killed a man trying to swim across the Imjin River to defect to the North.
Last week, Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation, raised the issue during a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly and denounced the North's killing of the official. Earlier this month, he also urged Pyongyang to punish those responsible for the killing and to compensate the official's family.
Shortly after the incident in September, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered an unusually quick apology, saying that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the "unsavory" incident.
The two Koreas, however, remain far apart on what happened during the incident, including whether the official's body was set on fire. Pyongyang remains unresponsive to Seoul's calls for a joint probe.
Inter-Korean relations have remained stalled since the no-deal summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump early last year.
The relations chilled further recently after the North blew up a joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong and cut off cross-border communication in protest of the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by activists in the South.
In the file photo, taken Oct. 19, 2020, a Navy ship searches for the body of a South Korean government official who was fatally shot by North Korean soldiers last month in waters near the western maritime border. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Gov't resumes discount coupon program for travel, dining sectors

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said the government will start releasing discount coupons for travel programs , restaurants @ @ @ @ @ country , in stages at 2 p.m. Friday , as part of a 90.4 billion-won @ @ @ @ @ ) project to revitalize domestic spending .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The government on Friday resumed a national discount coupon program aimed at resuscitating the domestic travel and dining industries that have suffered severely from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said the government will start releasing discount coupons for travel programs, restaurants and lodging facilities around the country, in stages at 2 p.m. Friday, as part of a 90.4 billion-won (US$76.2 million) project to revitalize domestic spending.
The program was first introduced in August but was soon suspended due to a resurgence of new virus clusters.
The travel coupons will offer 30 percent discounts on 1,112 tour products. Also if a person dines out three times, a 10,000 won refund will be offered on the fourth occasion.
Separate coupons that offer 30,000 won to 40,000 won discounts for hotels and other lodging facilities will be distributed to 1 million customers starting Nov. 4.
In light of concerns that the program, which promotes social gatherings, could end up prompting another mass outbreak, officials said the program is subject to change depending on the disease control situation.
"We decided to resume the program based on a comprehensive review of the situation, where mass transmissions are under control and antivirus medical measures remain sufficient," a government official said.
This Sept. 1, 2020, file photo shows an empty restaurant in the Songdo international business district in Incheon, west of Seoul, amid a new nationwide COVID-19 outbreak that began in mid-August. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Seoul stocks extend losses late Friday morning on tech slump

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded by 0.52 percent to 26,659.11 on Thursday ( New York time ) on the @ @ @ @ @ after plunging 3.43 percent the previous session on pandemic panic-selling .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares extended losses late Friday morning despite the overnight Wall Street rebound, as major tech giants suffered a slump.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 20.57 points, or 0.88 percent, to 2,306.1 as of 11:20 a.m.
Stocks widened losses after a weak start, led by a retreat in top cap techs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded by 0.52 percent to 26,659.11 on Thursday (New York time) on the improved third-quarter economic growth, after plunging 3.43 percent the previous session on pandemic panic-selling.
In Seoul, most large caps traded lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics dropped 0.86 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slid 0.37 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics slipped 0.14 percent, and Celltrion shed 2.37 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, declined 1.47 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver lost 2.01 percent, with its rival Kakao down 1.9 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 3.84 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO dipped 1.18 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,127.65 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.75 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--U.S. Amb. Harris says S. Korea, U.S. fought 'side by side against invasion from the north'

`` Our two nations ' commitment and resolve to democracy was put to the test as we fought side by @ @ @ @ @ against invasion from the North , '' he said according to a transcript posted on @ @ @ @ @ Embassy in Seoul

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris has said that South Korea and the United States had fought together against "invasion from the north" during the Korean War, amid a controversy over Chinese President Xi Jinping's characterization of the conflict as the fight against U.S. "imperialist invaders."
Harris made the remarks at an anniversary event for the Korea Times on Thursday, as he stressed the two countries' fight for democracy under the alliance, which he said was "forged in blood in the crucible of war."
Last Friday, Xi cast the war as the fight against what he termed imperialist invaders during a speech to mark the 70th anniversary of China's participation in the 1950-53 conflict that Beijing refers to as the fight to "resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea."
"Our two nations' commitment and resolve to democracy was put to the test as we fought side by side with the sending states against invasion from the North," he said according to a transcript posted on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul
"Our fight to protect the right of this Republic to determine its destiny continues to shape the partnership between the United States and the Republic of Korea today," he added.
This photo, taken on July 27, 2020, shows U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris attending a Seoul event honoring the participation of U.N. forces in the 1950-53 Korean War. (Yonhap)
Following the controversy over Xi's characterization of the Korean War, Seoul's foreign ministry reiterated that the "undeniable historical fact" was that the war was caused by North Korea's invasion.
The war, the first major armed conflict of the Cold War, broke out after North Korean troops invaded the South on June 25, 1950, with backing from China and the then Soviet Union. It ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically at war.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 30 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

(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--2020-10-30--LG Electronics partners with foodmaker to expand AI-powered services

For now , 23 HMR products from Dongwon F & B , including dumplings and congees , are available for @ @ @ @ @ food items will be provided for the oven 's AI cooking system in the future @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Friday signed a partnership with a local food firm to expand the use of its artificial intelligence-powered services in kitchen appliances amid the pandemic-driven stay-at-home trend.
The South Korean tech powerhouse joined hands with Dongwon F&B Co. so that more LG DIOS light wave oven owners can use the product's AI feature in cooking foods, especially easy-to-cook meals.
When users scan a barcode of Dongwon F&B's home meal replacement (HMR) products via the LG ThinQ app, the smart oven will automatically set the optimal temperature and cooking time after receiving information from a cloud server, the company said.
For now, 23 HMR products from Dongwon F&B, including dumplings and congees, are available for the service, and more food items will be provided for the oven's AI cooking system in the future, LG said.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Oct. 30, 2020, shows Kim Jae-ok (R), the CEO of Dongwon F&B Co., and Song Dae-hyun, who leads the home appliance and air solutions unit at LG Electronics, posing for the camera after signing a partnership in Seoul. (Yonhap)
LG has been forging partnerships with food companies in recent years, so that more of its kitchen appliance users can benefit from the products' AI services.
With CJ Cheiljedang Corp., the country's leading food processing firm, LG signed a deal that allows its kimchi refrigerators to detect packaged kimchi and set the optimal temperature and cooling time for the fermented food.
LG signed a similar partnership with Pulmuone Co. last year for the owners of its smart light wave ovens.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) Biden vows not to extort S. Korea with troop withdrawal threats

Biden praised South Korea 's miraculous rise from the ashes of the war to become `` a shining example of @ @ @ @ @ powerhouse . ''
He said the South has also been `` a global leader in @ @ @ @ @ and a strong ally in the region , to advance our shared prosperity , values @ @ @ @ @ to meet global challenges . ''

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; ADDS full text of Biden's special contribution as related article)
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden pledged Friday to strengthen the alliance with South Korea, rather than "extorting Seoul with reckless threats to remove our troops," and keep pressing toward North Korea's denuclearization through "principled diplomacy."
Biden made the pledge in a special article contributed exclusively to Yonhap News Agency just days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, reciting the catch phrase of the Korea-U.S. alliance, "Katchi Kapshida," or "We Go Together."
"As president, I'll stand with South Korea, strengthening our alliance to safeguard peace in East Asia and beyond, rather than extorting Seoul with reckless threats to remove our troops," Biden said in the article, titled "Hope for Our Better Future."
"I'll engage in principled diplomacy and keep pressing toward a denuclearized North Korea and a unified Korean Peninsula, while working to reunite Korean Americans separated from loved ones in North Korea for decades," he said.
Biden's first contribution to a South Korean media outlet in the election year came four days before he will face off President Donald Trump in what has already become one of the most contentious presidential races in modern U.S. history.
This AFP photo shows U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaking in a political rally in Warm Springs, Georgia, on Oct. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
Biden recalled his 2013 visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the inter-Korean border.
"I will never forget standing less than 100 feet away from North Korea at the DMZ with my granddaughter, Finnegan, beside me. I felt the pain of division on the Korean Peninsula and the separation of families since the Korean War," he said.
"It was more visceral, because earlier in the day, I had just laid the wreath at the War Memorial of Korea to honor the 36,574 American soldiers who died during war," he said, stressing that the alliance between the two countries was "forged in blood."
Biden praised South Korea's miraculous rise from the ashes of the war to become "a shining example of a flourishing democracy and economic powerhouse." He said the South has also been "a global leader in the fight against COVID-19; and a strong ally in the region, to advance our shared prosperity, values, and security, and to meet global challenges."
In this file photo, taken Dec. 8, 2013, then visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his granddaughter, Finnegan, are seen looking at North Korea through binoculars during a visit to a guard post near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that bisects the two Koreas. (Pool Photo) (Yonhap)
Biden said the about 2 millions Korean Americans in the U.S. have made "innumerable" contributions, "especially during these tough times when the United States is at a crossroads, facing a pandemic, a recession, and an election that will decide our futures for a very long time."
"For more than a century, Korean Americans have made our country strong -- from the very first immigrants in Hawaii on January 13, 1903, to the rising entrepreneurs and business owners driving us forward now," he said.
Biden promised efforts to help all immigrants, including undocumented Koreans.
"I've fought my whole career to support hard-working immigrant families who came to America to build a better life," Biden wrote in his special contribution. "I'll work to fix our broken immigration system, provide a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented Koreans, and recognize the tens of thousands of Korean adoptees as the Americans they are."
"I'll fight for a better future for all our children and grandchildren. Katchi Kapshida," he said.
The U.S. election is watched closely in South Korea because it will have a profound impact on how the U.S. deals with a series of key issues facing the two countries, including North Korea's denuclearization.
Trump has held three historical meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to meet with a North Korean leader in June 2018, when the two held the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit.
Biden insists the three Trump-Kim meetings with no "thought-out plans" have achieved nothing, except giving the North Korean leader the global recognition that he had long desired.
He also maintains the U.S.' relationships with its key allies, including South Korea, have significantly deteriorated under the Trump administration.
"He (Trump) embraces every dictator in sight, and he pokes his finger in the eye of all our friends," Biden said earlier in an interview with U.S. TV network CBS News' "60 Minutes."
This image captured from the website of U.S. television network CBS shows Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaking in an interview with CBS News' "60 Minutes" that was broadcast on Oct. 25, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Trump has often criticized U.S. allies, including South Korea, as free riders.
"Our allies in many ways treat us worse than the enemy. The enemy, at least we have our guard up. Our allies, what they've done to us in terms of military protection and trade is disgraceful," Trump said earlier Thursday while speaking at a political rally in Tampa, Florida.
The Trump administration is viewed to be using a possible drawdown of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with Seoul to set the latter's share of burden in maintaining some 28,500 U.S. soldiers there.
Seoul has offered to increase its cost sharing burden by 13 percent from the US$870 million it paid under last year's agreement, but the negotiations are currently deadlocked, with Washington reportedly seeking a 50 percent spike to $1.3 billion, which still marks a sharp drop from $5 billion a year Trump initially demanded.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Female employees hit harder by economic fallout from COVID-19: data

`` ( The government ) will try its best to help women find new jobs in a more stable and @ @ @ @ @ a public internship program for women having a career break , and an employment support @ @ @ @ @ next year , '' said Kim Kyung-sun , the vice minister of the Ministry of @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The new coronavirus pandemic has had a more negative impact on the employment of women than that of men in South Korea, data showed Friday.
The number of employed women stood at 11.58 million last month, down 2.4 percent from 11.87 million a year earlier, according to a report on female employment trends by the Korean Women's Development Institute.
In the same period, the number of employed men slipped 0.7 percent on-year to 15.43 million.
The figures showed that the decline in employment was much sharper among working women than their male counterparts, indicating that the economic fallout from the pandemic has been more severe for the female workforce.
This file photo shows a woman looking at a job recruitment bulletin board at an employment support center in western Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The data also showed that the rate of economic participation dropped more significantly among women.
In September, 52.7 percent of women were economically active, down 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier. The percentage of men who were economically active came in at 72.6 percent, dipping 0.7 percentage point in the same period.
"On top of enforcing employment policies in place, we need to think of ways to protect jobs for women in the in-person service industry (which is most affected by COVID-19), such as child care, and those vulnerable in the job market," Kim Nan-joo, a researcher at the institute, said.
"(The government) will try its best to help women find new jobs in a more stable and structured manner. There is a public internship program for women having a career break, and an employment support system is set to start next year," said Kim Kyung-sun, the vice minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) SK Innovation swings to Q3 loss on weak demand

For the three months that ended in September , SK Innovation swung to a net loss of 16.13 billion won @ @ @ @ @ ) from a net profit of 174.26 billion won in the same period of last @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .

(ATTN: REWRITES throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- SK Innovation Co., South Korea's largest refiner and major battery maker, said Friday it shifted to a net loss in the third quarter from a year earlier due to low demand for petrochemical products amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the three months that ended in September, SK Innovation swung to a net loss of 16.13 billion won (US$14 million) from a net profit of 174.26 billion won in the same period of last year, the company said in a statement.
"The coronavirus pandemic continued to weigh down demand for petrochemical products this year through the third quarter. Declining oil prices was also a downside factor for the bottom line," a company spokeswoman said over the phone.
SK Innovation posted net losses in the past three quarters.
This photo, taken on May 6, 2020 shows SK Group's headquarters in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
Higher oil prices usually allow a refiner to sell its petrochemical products at higher prices, though it cannot pass most of the increased prices on to customers.
The company also shifted to an operating loss of 28.94 billion won in the third quarter from an operating profit of 330.11 billion won a year ago. Sales fell 32 percent to 8.42 trillion won from 12.37 trillion won during the cited period.
From January to September, SK Innovation shifted to a net loss of 1.91 trillion won from a net profit of 554.74 billion won in the year-ago period.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Hyundai E&C bags US$2 bln plant deal in Iraq

In a regulatory filing , the South Korean builder said it signed the contract with the state-run Basra Oil Co. @ @ @ @ @ facility in the southern state of Basra .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., a major builder here, said Friday it has clinched a 2.2 trillion-won (US$1.99 billion) deal to build a residue upgrading complex in Iraq.
In a regulatory filing, the South Korean builder said it signed the contract with the state-run Basra Oil Co. to build the residue upgrading facility in the southern state of Basra.
The residue upgrading facility produces high-valued chemical products, such as propylene and gasoline, using residue left after refining crude oil.
Hyundai E&C said it will break the ground for the facility in January to complete it by July 2025.
The deal accounts for 11.7 percent of the company's revenue last year, it noted.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) LG Chem shareholders OK battery spin-off plan

LG Chem has said it is on track to boost its production capacity to 100 gigawatt hours by the end @ @ @ @ @ is enough to supply batteries for about 1.7 million electric cars .

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with approval of spin-off plan and details; CHANGES headline)
By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, Oct. 30. (Yonhap) -- LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's leading chemical company, said Friday its shareholders approved the company's proposal for the spin-off of its battery business.
The move will pave the way for LG Chem to launch the new entity -- tentatively called LG Energy Solutions and to be wholly owned by LG Chem -- on Dec. 1.
In September, the world's largest supplier of EV batteries announced a plan to spin off its battery business to better cope with growing demand from global automakers that have been racing to roll out eco-friendly vehicles.
The EV battery market has been on a roll as automakers around the world race to go electric and eco-friendly due to tightened regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists say are to blame for global warming.
LG Chem has said the spin-off is meant to secure massive capital for investment at a time when it spends more than 3 trillion won (US$2.6 billion) in facility investment per year.
LG Chem said it will study the possibility of an initial public offering of the new entity, though it said no decision has been made yet.
In September, LG Chem Chief Financial Officer Cha Dong-seok suggested that the new entity is likely to be listed on the stock market in late 2021 or early 2022.
LG Chem's factory in Cheongju, a city located about 130 kilometers south of Seoul (Yonhap)
LG Chem broke ground on its battery cell assembly plant in the Lordstown area of northeast Ohio in the first half of this year in a joint venture with U.S. auto giant General Motors.
The Ohio plant will be LG Chem's second EV battery-making facility in the United States following its Michigan plant built in 2012.
LG Chem has also four battery plants -- one each in South Korea and Poland, and two in China.
LG Chem has said its order backlog for EV batteries is currently valued at more than 150 trillion won.
LG Chem is a key supplier of batteries for electric vehicles, including those of GM, Ford, Renault, Volvo, Audi, Volkswagen and Daimler, as well as South Korea's largest carmaker, Hyundai Motor Co., and its smaller affiliate, Kia Motors Corp.
LG Chem has said it is on track to boost its production capacity to 100 gigawatt hours by the end of this year, which is enough to supply batteries for about 1.7 million electric cars.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--PM calls for response readiness against COVID-19 on Halloween weekend

`` I ask that related agencies and local governments focus all their efforts on antivirus work so that the Halloween @ @ @ @ @ becoming a source of a mass virus spread , '' Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The prime minister on Friday called on state and local health authorities to maintain response readiness against potential COVID-19 cluster transmissions during the upcoming Halloween weekend.
"I ask that related agencies and local governments focus all their efforts on antivirus work so that the Halloween weekend does not end up becoming a source of a mass virus spread," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a government meeting.
The meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters was held at the provincial government office of North Gyeongsang Province in Andong, 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
Chung also asked young people to refrain from organizing Halloween gatherings at nightclubs, as well as to wear masks and maintain personal hygiene.
A street in Itaewon, a major nightlife district in Seoul, is relatively quiet on Oct. 29, 2020, two days before Halloween. Popular clubs in the district have decided to close during the Halloween weekend to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
"Fortunately major nightclubs in Seoul decided to suspend business (during the Halloween weekend), but we cannot remain at ease, given the festive nature of Halloween celebrations," Chung added.
Health authorities have sounded the alarm over possible infections among partygoers this weekend, citing a cluster outbreak traced to a large Itaewon club in May.
Many popular clubs in Seoul's hip districts of Itaewon, Hongdae and Gangnam decided to close this Halloween weekend to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
A government inspection team plans to visit entertainment facilities nationwide between 10 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Sunday to enforce social distancing guidelines, such as keeping entry logs and maintaining a distance between tables.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (R) presides over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the provincial government office of North Gyeongsang Province in Andong, 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--One more military officer tests positive for new coronavirus

Currently , 75 service members are in isolation according to the health authorities ' guidelines , and 1,127 others are @ @ @ @ @ in accordance with the military 's tougher guidance , according to the ministry .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- An Army officer in the northeastern county of Inje has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday.
The noncommissioned officer was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 late Thursday after coming in contact with his colleague who tested positive earlier this week after visiting a local bank that earlier reported a virus patient, according to the ministry.
The latest case raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 163.
Currently, 75 service members are in isolation according to the health authorities' guidelines, and 1,127 others are quarantined as a preventive step in accordance with the military's tougher guidance, according to the ministry.
Nationwide, the country added 114 more COVID-19 cases, including 93 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 26,385, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
A street in Itaewon, a major nightlife district in Seoul, is disinfected to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on Oct. 29, 2020, two days before Halloween. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Minister urges N. Korea to cooperate in turning DMZ into 'experimental space for coexistence'

Mentioning the killing of a South Korean government official by North Korean soldiers near the western sea border last month @ @ @ @ @ incident serves as a reminder of the fact that such border areas , including the @ @ @ @ @ starting point in efforts to secure `` peaceful coexistence '' between the two Koreas .

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Lee In-young called Friday for North Korea to cooperate in efforts to turn the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two sides into "experimental space for coexistence."
Lee made the remarks in an opening speech during an international forum held in the border town of Cherwon to discuss how to develop the world's most heavily fortified border into a peace zone.
"The South and the North are a single community of life and security," Lee told the forum. "Now is the time for us to pay attention to the possibility of the DMZ as a platform for cooperation in tackling such issues as infectious diseases, public health and climate change."
"I believe that once the South and the North join hands, the DMZ could be turned into experimental space of coexistence where the possibility of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula can be tested in advance," he added.
The DMZ, about 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, is one of the world's most heavily fortified borders, with the rival Koreas technically in a state of conflict as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed in their summit talks in 2018 to turn the DMZ into a "peace zone" and take practical measures to implement the deal.
In his speech at the U.N. General Assembly session last year, Moon also called for the two Koreas and the international community to work together to that end. Little progress, however, has been made since, amid chilled inter-Korean relations.
"I would like to take this event as a chance to urge North Korea to carry out the agreements reached by their leaders," the minister said.
Mentioning the killing of a South Korean government official by North Korean soldiers near the western sea border last month, Lee said that the incident serves as a reminder of the fact that such border areas, including the DMZ, should be the starting point in efforts to secure "peaceful coexistence" between the two Koreas.
In the file photo taken Sept. 15, 2020, Unification Minister Lee In-young waves toward North Korean soldiers during a visit to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in Paju, north of Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Lock&lock Q3 net profit up 15.6 pct. to 5.5 bln won

Operating profit for the July-September period was 9.6 billion won , up 50.2 percent from a year ago , the @ @ @ @ @ filing .
Sales rose 4.4 percent to 134.2 billion won .
( END )

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Lock&lock Co. on Friday reported its third-quarter net income of 5.5 billion won (US$4.8 million), up 15.6 percent from a year earlier.
Operating profit for the July-September period was 9.6 billion won, up 50.2 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales rose 4.4 percent to 134.2 billion won.
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Apple's new iPhone 12 heats up 5G competition in S. Korea

The country 's 5G phone market has so far been dominated by local tech giants , such as Samsung Electronics @ @ @ @ @ , but the newest iPhone models -- Apple 's first smartphones to support the high-speed @ @ @ @ @ heat up competition .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Apple Inc. launched its new iPhone 12 in South Korea on Friday, joining the fierce competition for the local 5G phone market.
The country's 5G phone market has so far been dominated by local tech giants, such as Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., but the newest iPhone models -- Apple's first smartphones to support the high-speed network -- are expected to heat up competition.
South Korea commercialized the 5G network in April last year as the first in the world.
Apple Inc.'s new iPhone 12 models are displayed at the company's store on Oct. 30, 2020, in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
Local telecom operators have aggressively promoted Apple's devices since the iPhone 12 and its high-end Pro model became available for preorder on Oct. 23 here.
SK Telecom Co., the country's largest wireless provider, started delivering preorders for the new iPhone to 3,500 buyers.
The carrier plans to hold a launch event for the new iPhone later in the day at its new flagship store in the trendy neighborhood of Hongik University, western Seoul.
Another telecom giant, KT Corp., also held an online launch event on Thursday night, featuring popular local YouTubers. The carrier has partnered with Netflix Inc. to release a new payment plan that bundles the popular video streaming service in line with the launch of the new iPhone.
Rival carrier LG Uplus Corp. also held a launch event at its flagship store in southern Seoul on Thursday night.
Apple Inc.'s store in southern Seoul is crowded with visitors on Oct. 30, 2020. The company released its new iPhone 12 and its higher-end Pro model for sale in the local market the same day. (Yonhap)
Analysts expect migration to 5G in the local market to pick up with the release of the new iPhone, considering Apple's popularity in South Korea.
"With the launch of strategic 5G phones, monthly user growth in the network is expected to reach 1 million," Hana Investment analyst Kim Hong-sik said in a report.
There were 8.7 million 5G mobile accounts in the country as of August, up 800,000 from the previous month, which accounted for 12.4 percent of South Korea's total 70 million mobile subscriptions.
Apple held the second spot in the local smartphone market in the second quarter of the year with a 19 percent share, behind Samsung at 67 percent, according to industry tracker Counterpoint Research.
The U.S. tech giant's new iPhone 12 mini and the Pro Max models, also announced during its product unveil event earlier this month, is expected to be available for preorders later this year in the local market.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Special contribution by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden

I 've fought my whole career to support hard-working immigrant families who came to America to build a better life @ @ @ @ @ taught to me by my faith -- to treat every single person with dignity , @ @ @ @ @ and to protect the vulnerable .
I 'll work to fix our broken immigration system @ @ @ @ @ citizenship for undocumented Koreans , and recognize the tens of thousands of Korean adoptees as @ @ @ @ @ I 'll continue to make health care more affordable by protecting and building on the @ @ @ @ @ that more Korean American families can obtain high-quality health insurance .
Unlike President Trump , @ @ @ @ @ strip millions of people of their health coverage in the middle of a pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ every child has access to a quality education , regardless of their background , and @ @ @ @ @ to pursue their dream of a post-high school education .

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The following is the full text of a special contribution by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden. The exclusive contribution made to Yonhap News Agency on Thursday marks the first of its kind to a South Korean media company in the year of the U.S. presidential election, which will be held Tuesday.
Hope for Our Better Future
By Vice President Joe Biden
I will never forget standing less than 100 feet away from North Korea at the DMZ with my granddaughter, Finnegan, beside me. I felt the pain of division on the Korean Peninsula and the separation of families since the Korean War. It was more visceral, because earlier in the day, I had just laid the wreath at the War Memorial of Korea to honor the 36,574 American soldiers who died during war.
This was in 2013, during my trip to South Korea to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the alliance forged in blood between our two countries. As I said then, I have a profound respect for the Korean people and for everything that South Korea has accomplished since the Korean War.
Out of the ashes of war, South Korea has shown the world the "miracle of the Han River," becoming a shining example of a flourishing democracy and economic powerhouse. It has been a global leader in the fight against COVID-19; and a strong ally in the region, to advance our shared prosperity, values, and security, and to meet global challenges.
Words matter -- and a president's words matter even more. As President, I'll stand with South Korea, strengthening our alliance to safeguard peace in East Asia and beyond, rather than extorting Seoul with reckless threats to remove our troops. I'll engage in principled diplomacy and keep pressing toward a denuclearized North Korea and a unified Korean Peninsula, while working to reunite Korean Americans separated from loved ones in North Korea for decades.
I am grateful for the innumerable contributions made by almost two million Korean Americans -- especially during these tough times when the United States is at a crossroads, facing a pandemic, a recession, and an election that will decide our futures for a very long time.
This year, we've seen the best of America carry us forward: heroic doctors, nurses, grocers, restaurant owners, entrepreneurs, and other essential workers -- so many of them Korean Americans whose love of this country makes us stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous.
For more than a century, Korean Americans have made our country strong -- from the very first immigrants in Hawaii on January 13, 1903, to the rising entrepreneurs and business owners driving us forward now. As Senator, I was proud to help pass a bill in 2002 that celebrated one hundred years of Korean immigration -- recognizing the community's courage, sacrifice, and successes that have helped America stand as a beacon of freedom and hope to the world.
As President, I'll continue to defend the American Dream for everyone, so every Korean American family has the same fair shot at prosperity and a better future. I'll stand against racism in every form, directing the Justice Department to prioritize hate crimes, and working to heal today's divisions, not fan the flames.
President Trump knew how deadly COVID-19 was back in January and did nothing to control it. More than 225,000 Americans are dead. Some 30 million have lost jobs, hours, wages. One in five small businesses have shut down, many of them Korean American-owned small businesses. Trump's failed leadership has tanked our economy and shattered hope for many Korean Americans.
As President, I'll get right to work building our economy back better -- getting real relief out to millions of hard-hit small businesses. I've called for ensuring small businesses with fewer than 50 employees get new relief. I'll boost their long-term access to credit and capital, and work to ease the language barriers that can hold back many Korean American business owners.
Through it all, my economic recovery plan will reward work, not just wealth, creating millions of good-paying jobs of the future. Independent economists at Moody's Analytics found that my plan creates 7 million more jobs -- and $1 trillion more in economic growth -- than President Trump's would. And I won't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000 a year, period.
I've fought my whole career to support hard-working immigrant families who came to America to build a better life. I practice the principles taught to me by my faith -- to treat every single person with dignity, to welcome the stranger, and to protect the vulnerable. I'll work to fix our broken immigration system, provide a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented Koreans, and recognize the tens of thousands of Korean adoptees as the Americans they are. I'll continue to make health care more affordable by protecting and building on the Affordable Care Act, so that more Korean American families can obtain high-quality health insurance. Unlike President Trump, I would never seek to strip millions of people of their health coverage in the middle of a pandemic. Also I'll make sure every child has access to a quality education, regardless of their background, and that every student can afford to pursue their dream of a post-high school education.
Many Koreans left their homeland and made tremendous sacrifices so their children could achieve the American Dream. My own great grandparents came to the United States from Ireland, filled with hope. I'm running to restore all our hopes and dreams, and build America back better --- as a country of opportunity, unity, and new beginnings. As President, I'll fight for a better future for all our children and grandchildren. Katchi Kapshida.
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Samsung launches mobile device locator app

`` Once a device has been offline for 30 minutes , it produces a BLE signal that can be received @ @ @ @ @ the company said .
`` If you report your device as lost via SmartThings Find @ @ @ @ @ or tablet that has opted into helping find misplaced devices can alert the Samsung server @ @ @ @ @ will in turn notify you . ''

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Friday launched a mobile application that allows users to easily locate their misplaced smart devices.
SmartThings Find is now available on Samsung's Galaxy devices globally after the service was tested by 6 million users in South Korea, the United States and Britain for about two months, the company said.
The South Korean tech giant will provide a new software update for the service on Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 8 or later, Galaxy Watch smartwatches powered by Tizen 5.5 or above, and Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds.
The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technologies to help people find their Galaxy products.
Samsung said the service allows users to find their missing devices even if they are offline.
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Oct. 30, 2020, shows the company's SmartThings Find app, which allows users to locate their misplaced smart devices, running on Galaxy smartphones. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Once a device has been offline for 30 minutes, it produces a BLE signal that can be received by other devices," the company said. "If you report your device as lost via SmartThings Find, any nearby Galaxy smartphone or tablet that has opted into helping find misplaced devices can alert the Samsung server about its location, which will in turn notify you."
The service also provides integrated map directions and sounds for users to quickly find a lost device.
"Once you're close to your device, you can choose to either have your device 'ring' or locate it using the augmented reality-based search nearby function, which displays color graphics that increase in intensity when you are getting closer to your device," Samsung added.
Samsung said it plans to start expanding such solutions to tracking tags early next year, so that users can locate not only Galaxy devices but also other items.
"We are excited to also be working closely with leading companies in the item-finding space to both expand this experience and enable you to find more of the belongings you care about most," said Jung Jae-yeon, who heads the SmartThings Team at Samsung's mobile communications business.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) From MVP-worthy slugger to bearded aces, foreign players dominate KBO statistical leaderboard

(LEAD) From MVP-worthy slugger to bearded aces, foreign players dominate KBO statistical leaderboards

On the hitting side , KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. has been a threat to win the batting Triple @ @ @ @ @ season , though he has come up short in the batting title .
Rojas led @ @ @ @ @ runs and 135 RBIs but fell to third place in batting average with .349 after @ @ @ @ @ Ah-seop of the Lotte Giants finished at .352 .
Choi Hyoung-woo of the Kia Tigers @ @ @ @ @ with one more game left on Saturday .

(ATTN: UPDATES stats throughout)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- It's hardly a secret that foreign players are counted on to carry the offensive and pitching loads for their clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Rare is a team that can win a title or even just contend for a postseason spot without strong performances of foreign players.
This year, stars from overseas have made their presence felt more so than in recent seasons.
On the hitting side, KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. has been a threat to win the batting Triple Crown for most of the season, though he has come up short in the batting title. Rojas led the KBO with 47 home runs and 135 RBIs but fell to third place in batting average with .349 after going 1-for-5 Friday. Son Ah-seop of the Lotte Giants finished at .352. Choi Hyoung-woo of the Kia Tigers is the leader with .354 with one more game left on Saturday.
The last batting Triple Crown winner was Lotte Giants' slugger Lee Dae-ho in 2010. No foreign player has pulled off that feat.
In this file photo from Oct. 11, 2020, Mel Rojas Jr. of the KT Wiz hits a solo home run against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the fifth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Rojas Jr. is the first foreign hitter with an outright KBO home run title since Larry Sutton, of the now-defunct Hyundai Unicorns, in 2005. There have been only two foreign batting champions since KBO teams were allowed to import players in 1998: Eric Thames (.381) in 2015 and Cliff Brumbaugh (.343) in 2004.
Even without the Triple Crown, Rojas Jr. is a strong MVP candidate, as he has carried the Wiz to their first-ever postseason.
In this file photo from Sept. 6, 2020, Eric Jokisch of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the KT Wiz during the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Trailing Rojas in the home run department is the LG Twins' first-year import, Roberto Ramos, with 38. He has missed time with assorted injuries throughout the season, and he likely would have put more pressure on Rojas if he'd stayed healthy.
Rojas and Ramos will be the first pair of foreign players to finish 1-2 in a home run race in KBO history.
In the contact department, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears entered Friday with 198 hits, needing four more in his final game to set a new single-season record. He went 1-for-4 to finish with 199 hits.
Seo Geon-chang of the Nexen (now Kiwoom) Heroes established the record with 201 hits in 2012, when he played the entire 128-game season. Fernandez has played all 143 games so far.
On the mound, bearded aces have ruled the day.
Kiwoom Heroes' left-hander Eric Jokisch is scheduled to start Friday against the Bears, with an ERA title on the line. He was charged with two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, but maintained his ERA lead at 2.14. He finished ahead of two pitchers whose seasons were long done: Dan Straily of the Lotte Giants and Aaron Brooks of the Kia Tigers, both at 2.50.
In this file photo from Oct. 18, 2020, Dan Straily of the Lotte Giants pitches against the NC Dinos during the bottom of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears, who also sports a beard, pitched eight shutout innings in Friday's game versus the Heroes to pick up win No. 20. He broke a tie with Drew Rucinski of the Dinos for the outright lead in the category.
LG Twins' right-hander Casey Kelly, who would give Jokisch and Straily a run for the money with facial hair, has been one of the very best in the second half of the season, with an 11-1 record and a 2.22 ERA. He had been 4-6 with a 4.38 ERA in his first 15 starts of the season.
The top six pitchers in innings pitched and top four in strikeouts are all foreign hurlers. Straily, in particular, led the way with 205 Ks, becoming only the second foreign pitcher and 10th pitcher overall in league history to surpass the 200-strikeout mark.
In this file photo from Oct. 15, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears celebrates his single against the Hanwha Eagles during the bottom of the fifth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Straily's teammate, shortstop Dixon Machado, has been one of the league's top defenders at any position this year, that rare player who is loved by advanced fielding numbers and also passes the eye test with highlight-reel plays.
Among homegrown stars, NC Dinos' catcher Yang Eui-ji, the runner-up in last year's MVP voting, has put together another MVP-worthy season. While playing his typically stout defense, Yang also became the first catcher in league history with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. He had 33 homers and 124 RBIs through Friday.
Yang's teammate, Na Sung-bum, would be the easy choice for the Comeback Player of the Year Award if the KBO had one. After missing 121 of 144 games last season with a devastating knee injury, Na returned with a career-high 34 home runs, along with 112 RBIs and a .327/.394/.602 line.
In this file photo from Oct. 16, 2020, Na Sung-bum of the NC Dinos (R) celebrates with teammate Lee Myung-ki after hitting a walk-off single against the Lotte Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Na, 31, is expected to be posted for interested major league clubs this offseason. The former outfielder spent most of this season as designated hitter and his defensive upside may be limited, but he has proven he can hit for power and average at this level.
Another player who will likely be posted is the Heroes' shortstop Kim Ha-seong, who is enjoying the best offensive season of his career at just the right time.
Kim joined the 20-20 club for the second time this season with a career-high 30 home runs and 23 steals. He finished with .306/.397/.523, all of which are his career-best marks. He finished the season with more walks (75) than strikeouts (68) for the first time.
In this file photo from Oct. 7, 2020, Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run against the NC Dinos during the bottom of the fifth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--KBO postseason matchups set on last day of reg. season for contenders

The first of the possible two Wild Card games is Sunday between the Twins and the Heroes at the Twins @ @ @ @ @ Stadium in Seoul .
The Twins will carry a built-in advantage of a victory and @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday to move on .
If they lose Sunday , they 'll get another @ @ @ @ @ a tie Monday .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- It took them the entire 144-game schedule, and South Korean baseball contenders now know whom they'll face in the postseason starting next month.
The postseason matchups in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) were set on Friday, the last day of meaningful games for playoff-bound clubs. The NC Dinos, who clinched the top seed last Saturday, and the Kia Tigers, who were eliminated from the race last week, are scheduled to play a makeup game on Saturday.
Members of the Doosan Bears stand behind the banner celebrating their sixth consecutive trip to the Korea Baseball Organization postseason after defeating the Kiwoom Heroes 2-0 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
The KT Wiz, the Doosan Bears, the LG Twins and the Kiwoom Heroes had already secured the remaining four postseason spots, with only their seeding to be determined on Friday.
The Wiz grabbed the No. 2 seed despite falling to the Hanwha Eagles 4-3 on Friday. At 81-62-1, they're heading into the first postseason in franchise history.
The Bears, defending Korean Series champions, began Friday in fifth place but jumped to No. 3 by beating the Heroes 2-0 and having the SK Wyverns beat the Twins 3-2.
The Bears and the Twins finished with identical 79-61-4 records, but the Bears held the tiebreak edge by winning the season series 9-6-1.
The Heroes 80-63-1 ended in fifth place. Though they had one more win than the two teams above them, the Heroes trailed in winning percentage, .564 to .559. The winning percentage in the KBO is defined as wins divided by the sum of wins and losses, with ties excluded from the equation.
As the second seed, the Wiz will get a bye to the second round, which starts on Nov. 9. The Bears team will advance straight to the first round, set to start next Wednesday, and will face the winner of the Wild Card round.
The first of the possible two Wild Card games is Sunday between the Twins and the Heroes at the Twins' home, Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. The Twins will carry a built-in advantage of a victory and will only need a tie on Sunday to move on. If they lose Sunday, they'll get another crack at a win or a tie Monday.
LG Twins players watch their team in action against the SK Wyverns in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes, though, must win two consecutive games. Since the Wild Card format was introduced in 2015, no fifth seed has advanced to the next stage. Only once has a fifth-seed even won a game -- the Tigers in 2016.
The Wild Card winner will advance to the best-of-three first round, which starts next Wednesday.
The series used to be a best-of-five but has been shortened this year. Following a delayed started to the regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the postseason is beginning in November for the first time in league history, and the KBO sought to crown the champion before December.
The second round will remain best-of-five, and the Korean Series is still best-of-seven.
The Dinos will make their second Korean Series appearance. In 2016, they were swept by the Bears in four straight games.
The top seed has won the Korean Series about 80 percent of the time.
KT Wiz players smile in the dugout during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Hanwha Eagles at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) Nearly flawless, Bears' Alcantara earns 20th win in KBO season finale

The game had significant postseason implications for both clubs .
The Bears began the day in fifth place , having @ @ @ @ @ playoff spots , and ended up moving up to third place thanks to their own @ @ @ @ @ the LG Twins , who came into Friday ranked third but finished in fourth after @ @ @ @ @ 3-2 .

(ATTN: UPDATES with playoff seeding in para 14)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Bears' right-hander Raul Alcantara was nearly perfect on the mound Friday, capping off a strong season with his best start in South Korea to date.
Alcantara claimed his league-best 20th win by throwing eight shutout innings against the Kiwoom Heroes at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, helping the Bears to a 2-0 victory in their final game of the 2020 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season.
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
The second-year KBO pitcher was perfect through 5 2/3 innings and gave up just two singles while striking out five. He ended the year at 20-2 with a 2.54 ERA.
To wit: Alcantara lost his Opening Day start on May 5. Then over his next 30 starts, he went 20-1. His last loss came on Aug. 26.
Though Alcantara has struck out his share of batters this season -- he came in ranked second overall with 177 -- he relied more on soft contact early in the count to work his way through the Heroes' lineup.
He retired the first 17 batters he faced -- via five strikeouts, seven groundouts, two infield pop flies and three line drives to first baseman Oh Jae-il. No. 9 hitter Huh Jung-heop broke the string of zeroes with a single to right field. After a visit from pitching coach Kim Won-hyong, Alcantara retired the next batter to close out the sixth inning.
"I wasn't paying attention to the perfect game bid. I was just trying to make one good pitch after another," the Dominican pitcher said through an interpreter afterward. "When I gave up that first hit, I told myself, 'Okay, there's that hit. I am going to start fresh now.'"
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Alcantara then worked a clean seventh inning on 11 pitches, and needed another 11 pitches to retire the side in order in the eighth.
After Addison Russell led off the top ninth with a single, on Alcantara's 104th pitch of the night, the Bears' bench had seen enough. Closer Lee Young-ha made sure Alcantara would get his 20th win by retiring the next three batters in order.
Alcantara said the coaching staff's plan had been to pull him if one batter reached base in the ninth inning.
"I was feeling fine physically, but I had also thrown over 100 pitches," Alcantara said. "I think the final score proves that we made the right decision."
Only three balls left the infield against Alcantara, who threw 77 of his 104 pitches for strikes.
He touched 155 kilometers per hour with his fastball, after averaging a league-best 151.6 kph prior to this game.
The game had significant postseason implications for both clubs. The Bears began the day in fifth place, having already secured one of five playoff spots, and ended up moving up to third place thanks to their own victory and a loss by the LG Twins, who came into Friday ranked third but finished in fourth after losing to the SK Wyverns 3-2.
Alcantara said he embraced the pressure-packed, playoff-like buildup to Friday's start.
"I go into every start trying to help the team win," he said. "I want to thank my manager (Kim Tae-hyoung) for giving me the opportunity to start such an important game. I am obviously pleased that I got my 20th win and I rewarded my manager's trust in me."
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Bears' Fernandez falls 1 shy of 200 hits in KBO

Batting in the No .
2 spot , Fernandez got a single off starter Eric Jokisch in the bottom of @ @ @ @ @ his second time up , with two outs in the bottom second , Fernandez grounded @ @ @ @ @ Russell .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears came up just one hit short of the 200-hit mark in South Korean baseball on Friday, while also falling three shy of setting a new single season record.
The designated hitter for the Bears went 1-for-4 against the Kiwoom Heroes in the teams' final Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Fernandez ended with 199 hits while playing all 144 games for the second straight season.
Last year, he had 197 hits to lead all players. He was taking aim at the all-time record of 201 hits, set by Seo Geon-chang of the Heroes in 2014, but once again couldn't even get to the 200-plateau.
Batting in the No. 2 spot, Fernandez got a single off starter Eric Jokisch in the bottom of the first inning. In his second time up, with two outs in the bottom second, Fernandez grounded out to second baseman Addison Russell.
Fernandez stepped up for the third time with one out in the bottom fifth, and grounded out to first base.
In the bottom seventh, Fernandez grounded out to second again. He didn't get another plate appearance as the Bears closed out a 2-0 victory.
As a consolation prize, Fernandez became the sixth player in league history to lead the league in hits in consecutive seasons.
Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears (L) is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Kia Tigers in the top of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) Bears defeat Heroes in final KBO regular season game, snatch 3rd seed for postseason

The Bears also climbed from fifth to third in the standings , thanks to a combintion of their victory and @ @ @ @ @ Twins , who began the day in third but finished in fourth .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with playoff seeding in paras 4-5)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Starter Raul Alcantara tossed eight shutout innings for his league-leading 20th win, as the Doosan Bears blanked the Kiwoom Heroes 2-0 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul to close out their Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season on Friday.
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Alcantara lost his perfect game bid with two outs in the sixth inning, while allowing just two hits and striking out five to finish the season at 20-2 with a 2.54 ERA.
The Bears scored a run in each of the first two innings, and Alcantara made that early advantage stand.
The Bears also climbed from fifth to third in the standings, thanks to a combintion of their victory and a loss by the LG Twins, who began the day in third but finished in fourth.
The Heroes ended in fifth place. They will face the Twins in Sunday's Wild Card game at Jamsil.
The Bears opened the game with three straight singles off Kiwoom starter Erick Jokisch, the third hit being Oh Jae-il's RBI single.
Kim Jae-ho of the Doosan Bears reacts after scoring a run against the Kiwoom Heroes during the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
They doubled their lead in the second inning thanks to Oh Jae-won's RBI double. Kim Jae-ho scored all the way from first, as second baseman Addison Russell did a double pump before making his relay throw to home plate.
And that was more than enough for Alcantara, who got 11 groundouts in an efficiently dominant performance. Only three balls left the infield against Alcantara.
Alcantara was perfect through 5 2/3 innings. No. 9 hitter Huh Jung-heop broke the perfect bid with a single, but Alcantara retired the next batter to close out the sixth inning. He then pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings to keep the Bears in front.
Alcantara was pulled after allowing a leadoff single to Addison Russell in the top ninth, and closer Lee Young-ha slammed the door shut by retiring the next three batters.
Heo Kyoung-min of the Doosan Bears celebrates after hitting a single against the Kiwoom Heroes during the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Nearly flawless, Bears' Alcantara earns 20th win in KBO season finale

The game had significant postseason implications for both clubs .
The Bears began the day in fifth place , having @ @ @ @ @ playoff spots , and can move up to as high as third place if the @ @ @ @ @ into Friday ranked third , lose to the SK Wyverns .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Bears' right-hander Raul Alcantara was nearly perfect on the mound Friday, capping off a strong season with his best start in South Korea to date.
Alcantara claimed his league-best 20th win by throwing eight shutout innings against the Kiwoom Heroes at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, helping the Bears to a 2-0 victory in their final game of the 2020 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season.
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
The second-year KBO pitcher was perfect through 5 2/3 innings and gave up just two singles while striking out five. He ended the year at 20-2 with a 2.54 ERA.
To wit: Alcantara lost his Opening Day start on May 5. Then over his next 30 starts, he went 20-1. His last loss came on Aug. 26.
Though Alcantara has struck out his share of batters this season -- he came in ranked second overall with 177 -- he relied more on soft contact early in the count to work his way through the Heroes' lineup.
He retired the first 17 batters he faced -- via five strikeouts, seven groundouts, two infield pop flies and three line drives to first baseman Oh Jae-il. No. 9 hitter Huh Jung-heop broke the string of zeroes with a single to right field. After a visit from pitching coach Kim Won-hyong, Alcantara retired the next batter to close out the sixth inning.
"I wasn't paying attention to the perfect game bid. I was just trying to make one good pitch after another," the Dominican pitcher said through an interpreter afterward. "When I gave up that first hit, I told myself, 'Okay, there's that hit. I am going to start fresh now.'"
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Alcantara then worked a clean seventh inning on 11 pitches, and needed another 11 pitches to retire the side in order in the eighth.
After Addison Russell led off the top ninth with a single, on Alcantara's 104th pitch of the night, the Bears' bench had seen enough. Closer Lee Young-ha made sure Alcantara would get his 20th win by retiring the next three batters in order.
Alcantara said the coaching staff's plan had been to pull him if one batter reached base in the ninth inning.
"I was feeling fine physically, but I had also thrown over 100 pitches," Alcantara said. "I think the final score proves that we made the right decision."
Only three balls left the infield against Alcantara, who threw 77 of his 104 pitches for strikes.
He touched 155 kilometers per hour with his fastball, after averaging a league-best 151.6 kph prior to this game.
The game had significant postseason implications for both clubs. The Bears began the day in fifth place, having already secured one of five playoff spots, and can move up to as high as third place if the LG Twins, who came into Friday ranked third, lose to the SK Wyverns.
Alcantara said he embraced the pressure-packed, playoff-like buildup to Friday's start.
"I go into every start trying to help the team win," he said. "I want to thank my manager (Kim Tae-hyoung) for giving me the opportunity to start such an important game. I am obviously pleased that I got my 20th win and I rewarded my manager's trust in me."
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--Bears defeat Heroes in final KBO regular season game

It was a game with major postseason implications for both clubs .
They had already secured spots but the seeding @ @ @ @ @ air .
The Bears entered Friday in fifth place , and depending on results by @ @ @ @ @ No .
3 LG Twins , the Bears could climb to as high as third @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- Starter Raul Alcantara tossed eight shutout innings for his league-leading 20th win, as the Doosan Bears blanked the Kiwoom Heroes 2-0 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul to close out their Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season on Friday.
Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Alcantara lost his perfect game bid with two outs in the sixth inning, while allowing just two hits and striking out five to finish the season at 20-2 with a 2.54 ERA.
The Bears scored a run in each of the first two innings, and Alcantara made that early advantage stand.
It was a game with major postseason implications for both clubs. They had already secured spots but the seeding was still up in the air. The Bears entered Friday in fifth place, and depending on results by the second-ranked KT Wiz and No. 3 LG Twins, the Bears could climb to as high as third place.
The Bears opened the game with three straight singles off Kiwoom starter Erick Jokisch, the third hit being Oh Jae-il's RBI single.
Kim Jae-ho of the Doosan Bears reacts after scoring a run against the Kiwoom Heroes during the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
They doubled their lead in the second inning thanks to Oh Jae-won's RBI double. Kim Jae-ho scored all the way from first, as second baseman Addison Russell did a double pump before making his relay throw to home plate.
And that was more than enough for Alcantara, who got 11 groundouts in an efficiently dominant performance. Only three balls left the infield against Alcantara.
Alcantara was perfect through 5 2/3 innings. No. 9 hitter Huh Jung-heop broke the perfect bid with a single, but Alcantara retired the next batter to close out the sixth inning. He then pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings to keep the Bears in front.
Alcantara was pulled after allowing a leadoff single to Addison Russell in the top ninth, and closer Lee Young-ha slammed the door shut by retiring the next three batters.
Heo Kyoung-min of the Doosan Bears celebrates after hitting a single against the Kiwoom Heroes during the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-30--(LEAD) Prosecution raids two brokerages over high-profile financial scam case

Investigators from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office raided the headquarters of Shinhan Investment Corp. and Korea Investment & Securities @ @ @ @ @ secure materials related to Lime Asset Management .

(ATTN: REVISES headline; UPDATES with a raid on Korea Investment in paras 1-2)
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution on Friday raided two brokerage houses in connection with a snowballing financial fraud scandal involving a hedge fund, officials said.
Investigators from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office raided the headquarters of Shinhan Investment Corp. and Korea Investment & Securities Co. in western Seoul to secure materials related to Lime Asset Management.
Shinhan faces disciplinary action from the Financial Supervisory Service for misselling Lime funds.
Lime is under probe over its alleged cover-up of massive losses and subsequent suspension of fund redemption worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won (US$1.39 billion).
The case is developing into a high-profile lobbying scandal, in which former and incumbent high-ranking government officials and politicians are embroiled.
Earlier this week, the prosecution raided KB Securities, which also distributed Lime funds.
This undated file photo shows the headquarters of Shinhan Investment Corp. in Seoul. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)