yna--2020-09-28--Two flights redirected from Incheon airport due to reported drone activity

`` We could find neither the drone nor the person who flew it .
The planes that landed at Gimpo @ @ @ @ @ to Incheon ) , '' an official from the airport operator said .

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Two flights were diverted from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Monday due to a report of suspected drone activity, airport officials said.
The airport suspended operations of all flights between 6:59 p.m. to 7:44 p.m. and redirected a passenger airplane and a cargo flight to nearby Gimpo International Airport after a report was filed that an object suspected to be a drone was spotted around the airport.
The police said they sent officers to the site but did not find a drone.
"We could find neither the drone nor the person who flew it. The planes that landed at Gimpo International Airport will return (to Incheon)," an official from the airport operator said.
On Saturday, five airplanes headed to Incheon were also redirected to Gimpo due to drone activities. Police then found a middle-aged real estate agent was flying a drone to make a promotional video of an apartment.
Shown in this undated file photo is a sign installed in central Seoul, which bans use of drones in the area. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(3rd LD) Moon expresses condolences over death of S. Korean official in shooting by N. Korean troops

The remarks represented the first public statement Moon made in person in connection with the case that happened just north @ @ @ @ @ , known as the Northern Limit Line ( NLL ) , last week .
The @ @ @ @ @ by the North 's troops after crossing the border on a floating object .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details of Cheong Wa Dae's briefing in last 4 paras; ADDS photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in expressed his condolences Monday and offered a public apology over the death of a South Korean civil servant in a shooting by North Korean troops, calling it a "regrettable and unfortunate" incident.
"Regardless of how the victim went to the North Korean waters, I offer words of deep condolences and consolation to the bereaved family members over their grief," he said.
The tragedy should have not occurred despite the peninsula being divided, he added.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during his meeting with senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon was speaking in front of pool reporters and cameras during a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides.
The remarks represented the first public statement Moon made in person in connection with the case that happened just north of the western sea border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), last week. The 47-year-old fisheries official was killed by the North's troops after crossing the border on a floating object.
Moon also apologized to the South Korean people over their "shock and fury," noting that the government should protect the safety and security of the people under all circumstances.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and other critics have accused the South's military of having been "incompetent" and the left-leaning Moon administration of only "begging" for talks with the North despite the killing of the official.
Moon attached a "special" meaning to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's own apology over the case.
"It's unprecedented and very unusual to have apologized immediately and directly as the supreme leader of North Korea," he said.
The North admitted that its border guards fired more than 10 gunshots against what it described as an "intruder" but denied the South's announcement that they had burned his body.
In Pyongyang's formal notice sent to Seoul, Kim was quoted as saying that he's "very sorry" for the "unintended, unsavory" incident.
It shows that Kim is taking the case seriously and also represents a confirmation of his desire that inter-Korean relations won't head toward a breakdown, according to Moon.
He stressed the need to find the truth behind the incident and explore "substantive" ways to prevent the recurrence of such a case.
To that end, the two Koreas should restore dialogue and cooperate with each other, he emphasized, pointing out that their military communication line remains severed.
He voiced hope that the incident will eventually turn into an opportunity for Seoul and Pyongyang to resume dialogue and cooperation and improve their ties.
"I hope that we will be able to revive the embers of dialogue and open the waterway for cooperation starting with resolving this case (together)," Moon said.
This combined image provided by Yonhap News TV shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae, meanwhile, rebutted criticism that Moon had been negligent in handling the shooting incident.
Kim Chong-in, who heads the PPP, said that Moon had kept mum on the grave security-related issue "for 47 hours" after receiving the first written report on it at around 6:36 p.m. on Sept. 22.
Amid a flood of news reports taking issue with Moon's "belated" first public message, delivered indirectly, on the incident, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said the president required time to reach a "resolute decision." He said it took time to analyze and confirm relevant intelligence on the case that happened across the border.
Kang added that "crisis management" is a fundamental element for the president to consider at such a juncture of whether the two Koreas will be drawn back into confrontation.
A photo of Cheong Wa Dae provided by Yonhap News TV (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--In phone talks with Moon, Putin says Russia set to cooperate on Korea peace: Cheong Wa Dae

Putin also took note of the Moon administration 's push for the normalization of inter-Korean relations and expressed `` expectations @ @ @ @ @ dialogue `` by the parties concerned , '' Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday in phone talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that Moscow is ready to continue cooperation on efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Putin also took note of the Moon administration's push for the normalization of inter-Korean relations and expressed "expectations" for the resumption of dialogue "by the parties concerned," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said after their 35-minute conversation.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in holds phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by Moon's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The phone conversation came on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Seoul and Moscow establishing their diplomatic ties.
Moon told Putin that his government will continue the drive for the denuclearization of Korea and the establishment of permanent peace despite "difficult conditions."
Moon requested Russia's constructive role and support, Kang said.
Moon and Putin exchanged opinions on the security situations on the peninsula, Kang added without elaborating whether they discussed the recent fatal shooting by North Korean troops of a South Korean fisheries official.
The leaders agreed to develop the "friendly, cooperative" relations between Seoul and Moscow in a more mutually beneficial and forward-looking way.
Putin was quoted as saying that South Korea is one of Russia's "important cooperation partners" in the Asia-Pacific region.
Putin added he expects active cooperation between the two countries in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), innovative technologies, medical tourism, agricultural machinery production, the Arctic route development, and the oil, gas and shipbuilding industries, the spokesman said.
Regarding the response to COVID-19, Moon suggested close cooperation for the development and equitable supply of vaccines.
Moon then asked Russia to join the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), based in Seoul, and Putin promised "consideration" of the issue through the health authorities, Kang added.
Moon requested Russia's support for South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Air Busan aims to raise 89 bln won in rights offering

Air Busan will issue 30 million shares at 2,970 won per share , first to existing holders on Dec. 7-8 @ @ @ @ @ offering on Dec. 10-11 , the company said in a statement .

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Air Busan Co., the budget carrier unit of Asiana Airlines Inc., said Monday it seeks to raise 89 billion won (US$76 million) in a rights offering in December to secure operating capital.
Air Busan will issue 30 million shares at 2,970 won per share, first to existing holders on Dec. 7-8 and then in a public offering on Dec. 10-11, the company said in a statement.
"Faced with an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the airline business, the company has decided on the rights issue," a company official said.
Air Busan will list the shares on the main Korea Exchange on Dec. 30, bringing the company's outstanding shares to a total o 82.07 million, the statement said.
Asiana Airlines Inc., which holds a controlling 44 percent stake in the low-cost carrier, plans to inject 30 billion won into the rights offering.
Local airlines have suspended most of their flights on international routes since March as countries strengthened entry restrictions amid virus fears.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Vice FM holds talks with Australian ambassador about economic, vaccine cooperation

They also held out expectations that cooperation in vaccine development , between private sectors as well as the two countries @ @ @ @ @ Facility , will soon bear fruit in the battle against the pandemic .

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun held talks with Australian Ambassador to Seoul James Choi on Monday and discussed bilateral cooperation related to the economy and vaccine development, the foreign ministry said.
In the meeting, they expressed hope that the two countries will continue to enhance cooperation in the post-COVID-19 era, especially in such fields as a hydrogen-based economy, the ministry said in a release.
They also held out expectations that cooperation in vaccine development, between private sectors as well as the two countries' participation in the COVAX Facility, will soon bear fruit in the battle against the pandemic.
The COVAX Facility is a World Health Organization (WHO)-led multilateral initiative aimed at securing equitable vaccine availability. South Korea and Australia are among the 14 countries that have formed a consultative "Friends" group so as to facilitate the launch of the mechanism as a multilateral platform.
Australian ambassador to Seoul James Choi (L) and First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun greet with a fist bump ahead of their bilateral meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul, in this photo provided by the ministry, on Sept. 28, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(2nd LD) Discussions on U.S. intermediate missile deployment in S. Korea premature: U.S. envoy

Claiming that China test-fired missiles 225 times last year alone , which is more than the number of launches by @ @ @ @ @ the world combined , Billingslea called on China to come forward and discuss the matter @ @ @ @ @ is not a request but its legal obligation .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS more comments, background info throughout, photo)
By Oh Seok-min and Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States is not ready yet to talk with allies about deployment of its specific military capabilities, a senior U.S. official said Monday, as Washington is considering deploying intermediate-range missiles in East Asia to counterbalance China's growing capabilities.
Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control, also said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency and other local media outlets in Seoul that North Korea's recent apology for the killing of a South Korean fisheries official is a good first step toward resolving the issue.
Billingslea arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a two-day visit.
The trip came as the U.S. has been considering deploying intermediate-range missiles in Asia to counter China after withdrawing from the 1988 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) last year amid speculation that South Korea could be one of the candidate sites.
Claiming that China test-fired missiles 225 times last year alone, which is more than the number of launches by all the other countries in the world combined, Billingslea called on China to come forward and discuss the matter with the U.S., which is not a request but its legal obligation.
South Korea is already home to a U.S. missile defense system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which was installed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in 2017 despite strong protests from China.
"We have had no discussions with the U.S. on the possible hosting of U.S. intermediate-range missiles," a defense ministry official said. "No official request from the U.S. side for discussions regarding the issue has been made."
In a pre-trip interview with Yonhap, Billingslea said the purpose of his visit is to discuss "the rapid Chinese buildup of nuclear weapons and ballistic and conventional missiles." The envoy also said he has "additional intelligence to share with our ally regarding the Chinese programs."
Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control (L), and Ham Sang-wook, deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, pose for photo with an elbow bump ahead of their bilateral meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul in this photo provided by the ministry Sept. 28, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, the U.S. envoy held talks with Ham Sang-wook, deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, and the two sides agreed to hold high-level talks on arms control in Washington at an early date, according to the foreign ministry.
During the talks, they also exchanged views on key international regimes on arms reduction and nonproliferation, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and discussed ways for further cooperation in that field, it added.
"The two sides agreed to hold a South Korea-U.S. senior-level meeting on arms control and nonproliferation and also agreed to continue to strengthen communication on key related issues at each level," the ministry said in a press release.
During the talks, they also exchanged views on key international regimes on arms reduction and nonproliferation, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and discussed ways for further cooperation in that field, it added.
He also paid a courtesy call on First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun.
Military vehicles transport equipment to the site of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in the town of Seongju, about 220 km south of Seoul, on May 29, 2020, as part of an upgrade, in this photo released by a group of residents and activists opposing the installation of the missile defense system. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Police to ban drive-in rallies of 9 cars or fewer on weekend

`` During a massive rally , there is a high possibility of virus transmissions , as a large number of @ @ @ @ @ place and chant slogans and sing songs , '' said Son Young-rae , a senior @ @ @ @ @ briefing earlier in the day .
He added that the country should avoid making the @ @ @ @ @ 15 rallies , and that the government will swiftly and sternly act to disperse illegal @ @

SEOUL. Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Police on Monday reaffirmed their plan to prohibit all drive-in rallies planned for Saturday by conservative groups, if they pose a danger to public health.
"We've learned that some groups were planning to hold a drive-in rally of nine vehicles at a time, as the Seoul city government and health authorities have banned (outdoor) gatherings of 10 people or more," the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said in a briefing.
Previously, the police issued a ban on all protests, regardless of size, in no-rally zones designated by city and provincial governments.
The undated file photo shows drive-in rallies. (Yonhap)
A rally with nine or fewer could be also banned even if it takes place outside the no-rally zones, when it is deemed dangerous to public health, the police said.
Citing Supreme Court precedents, the police stressed that drive-in rallies were also subject to the Act on Assembly and Demonstration. They also emphasized a need to block all kinds of rallies to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus.
The police said the Aug. 15 anti-government demonstration, blamed for approximately 600 coronavirus cases, became much bigger than previously expected, with small groups joining forces with one another on that day.
The police also voiced concern that most conservative groups had yet to withdraw their plans for weekend rallies and urged them to cancel the plans, given mounting "public concern."
Traffic around Gwanghwamun Square is halted as anti-government demonstrations organized by the Sarang Jeil Church and the conservative Freedom Union confront police on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The police said they have so far banned a total of 137 rallies slated for the Oct. 3 National Foundation Day in downtown Seoul, as each involve 10 people or more.
On Saturday, subways won't stop at stations near planned demonstration spots in central Seoul and charter buses registered with the city will be urged to deny entry to suspected protestors. Also police will strictly enforce regulations to prevent illegal parking by buses from other cities, in order to stop a large number of crowds from gathering in central Seoul.
Police also warned of strong execution of authority including arrests and ticketing to maintain law and order.
"During a massive rally, there is a high possibility of virus transmissions, as a large number of people come together in one place and chant slogans and sing songs," said Son Young-rae, a senior health official, during a briefing earlier in the day. He added that the country should avoid making the same mistake of the Aug. 15 rallies, and that the government will swiftly and sternly act to disperse illegal gatherings.
Police cordon off an area at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, as a number of groups move to hold protest rallies amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in the capital city. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Former vice spy chief gets 8-month prison term in political meddling case

Those projects could not be justified as being within the scope of intelligence service as the act of following a @ @ @ @ @ constitutes meddling in domestic politics , which is categorically prohibited by the NIS , the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- A former deputy intelligence chief got a prison sentence on Monday for illegally spending taxpayers' money in pursuing political projects to benefit the conservative administration of former President Lee Myung-bak.
Lee Jong-myeong, a former third deputy director at the National Intelligence Service (NIS), was sentenced to eight months in jail for inflicting losses to state coffers and embezzling while on duty.
This file photo taken on March 26, 2018, shows Lee Jong-myeong, a former spy agency official, attending a trial in a political meddling case. (Yonhap)
The Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of squandering some 570 million won (US$485,436) in budget to pursue two prohibited political campaigns from 2011 to 2012 under the Lee administration.
At the order of then-NIS Director Won Sei-hoon, Lee launched the projects aimed at dealing a blow to Lee's predecessors, late former President Kim Dae-jung and late former President Roh Moo-hyun.
The projects sought to track down Kim's rumored slush fund and bring home from abroad a suspected financial donor to Roh's close aide, respectively, according to court records.
"He committed crimes to protect the administration, not the country, ill-using the fact that (the budget spending of) the spy agency is rarely put under internal inspection," the court said, delivering the prison sentence.
Those projects could not be justified as being within the scope of intelligence service as the act of following a former president's secret fund constitutes meddling in domestic politics, which is categorically prohibited by the NIS, the court also said.
The court ruling, however, cleared Lee of other charges, including a violation of the National Intelligence Service Act for putting tails on other liberal figures, including late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and the wife of Roh.
The court also recognized Lee's decades of service at the military before joining the NIS and track record of no prior crimes in handing out the 8-month sentence, it said.
Having been indicted on the same charges in 2017, Won was recently sentenced to a seven-year prison term at an appellate court. The prosecution handling the case has appealed the sentence to the Supreme Court.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Local gov'ts stay on high alert for coronavirus transmissions during Chuseok

All provincial and municipal governments are to enforce Level 2 social distancing measures in the country 's three-tier distancing scheme @ @ @ @ @ on Monday declared the coming two weeks until Oct. 11 as a special quarantine period @ @ @ @ @ , indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor meetings of 100 or more @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- With slightly more than one day left before the start of the three-day Chuseok holiday, local governments nationwide are on extra high alert due to fears that the holidays may create conditions for an influx of the coronavirus from outside visitors.
In recent weeks, provincial and municipal authorities have stepped up social distancing and advised against hometown visits or travel during the Chuseok holiday beginning Wednesday. South Koreans will enjoy five days off this week, as the holiday period also includes the National Foundation Day.
The authorities are particularly unnerved by a constant stream of cluster infections throughout the country and instances of untraceable COVID-19 infections.
This composite photo shows an uncrowded expressway, the Chuseok holiday marked in a calendar and hometown visitors. (Yonhap)
All provincial and municipal governments are to enforce Level 2 social distancing measures in the country's three-tier distancing scheme, after the central government on Monday declared the coming two weeks until Oct. 11 as a special quarantine period. Under Level 2 guidelines, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor meetings of 100 or more people are banned.
All local governments will maintain no-assembly administrative orders for all high-risk facilities, including clubs, bars and door-to-door sales promotion centers.
Other virus-prone facilities, which are now allowed to operate on a limited basis, will be forced to close if any infection is reported from them.
Some local governments, including those of Busan and Sejong, have decided to temporarily close their enshrinement and cemetery facilities during the Chuseok holiday, asking citizens to conduct their ancestral rites online.
In principle, all local governments will ban face-to-face meetings at nursing facilities for elderly patients and nursing hospitals during Chuseok.
Most cultural and sports facilities will be closed during the holiday and public institutions will refrain from organizing Chuseok celebration events and gatherings of any size.
This composite photo provided by Yonhap News TV shows an expressway toll gate and an online ancestral rites site. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Local governments will also operate 24-hour emergency situation rooms to respond swiftly to any outbreak of coronavirus, while strengthening quarantine and disinfection efforts for bus and train terminals, airports, ports and popular tourist destinations.
"It is feared that the Chuseok holiday may become an important turning point in authorities' fight against COVID-19," a quarantine official in Busan said.
"Local governments have mapped out various quarantine measures so citizens are required to refrain from travel and stay home as much as possible during Chuseok," the official said.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--Main creditor mulls selling Asiana Airlines at 'right time'

`` It 's a demanding job to sell Asiana together with its affiliates in a package deal or to sell @ @ @ @ @ .
We will consider selling Asiana either way at the right time , '' Lee @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- The main creditor of Asiana Airlines Inc. and SsangYong Motor Co. said Monday it will consider selling the carrier at the right time and closely monitor the carmaker's business sustainability for a possible cash injection.
Lee Dong-gull, chairman of the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), made the remarks in the first media briefing held after he was appointed to his second three-year term early this month.
"It's a demanding job to sell Asiana together with its affiliates in a package deal or to sell it separately from the affiliates. We will consider selling Asiana either way at the right time," Lee said.
This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2020, shows KDB Chairman Lee Dong-gull delivering a briefing on the state bank's business strategies in an online press conference held at the KDB headquarters building in Yeouido, Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
On Sept. 11, Asiana's creditors -- the KDB and the Export-Import Bank of Korea -- decided to end a drawn-out deal to sell the debt-ridden carrier as they failed to iron out differences over acquisition terms with HDC Hyundai Development Co. amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The HDC-led consortium signed the deal to acquire Asiana from Kumho Industrial Co. as well as new Asiana shares to be issued and the carrier's six affiliates for 2.5 trillion won (US$2.1 billion).
But HDC demanded renegotiations with Kumho and the creditors over the terms and another round of due diligence on the country's second-biggest airline to reflect the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the airline industry, which was rejected by the creditors.
HDC is widely expected to file a suit against Kumho Industrial to retrieve some of the advance payment as its consortium paid 250 billion won, or 10 percent of the acquisition price, to Kumho Industrial.
As for possible financial support to SsangYong Motor, the chairman said it depends on the company's ability to continue as a going concern.
"I've heard HAAH Automotive Holdings, Inc. expressed its intention to acquire (SsangYong Motor), but it's not a matter over which creditors have a say. I was notified that the two sides are in close consultations," he said.
HAAH Automotive Holdings is a California company that imports vehicles for the U.S. market.
When contacted by Yonhap News Agency several times, the U.S. company stated, "HAAH Automotive Holdings does not comment on rumor and speculation."
The U.S. company reportedly suggested it will make an investment worth 300 billion won for the control of SsangYong Motor and is in talks with the carmaker's Indian parent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Mahindra, which owns a 74.65 percent stake in SsangYong Motor, said in August it will give up its status as the biggest shareholder of SsangYong if it finds a new investor.
Mahindra has said it does not have a plan to inject fresh capital into SsangYong.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--State cultural facilities reopen after monthslong shutdown

As of 11 a.m. , 44 people had visited the museum , while 80 visitors came to a special exhibition @ @ @ @ @ of `` The New National Treasures of Korea , '' according to the national museum @

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Months after having been shut down due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, major state-run cultural facilities reopened to the public on Monday under strict distancing and sanitary measures.
But their resumption seems quieter than expected as the country remains vigilant against the risk of a relapse in local coronavirus infections after the Chuseok holiday, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving that starts Wednesday.
The National Museum of Korea is closed in this file photo taken on Aug. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The National Museum of Korea opened its doors from 10:30 a.m. Monday, with all visitors required to make a prior booking for admission and up to 200 people allowed to enter the museum's main hall every 30 minutes.
As of 11 a.m., 44 people had visited the museum, while 80 visitors came to a special exhibition gallery for the ongoing exhibition of "The New National Treasures of Korea," according to the national museum.
It said there are still many admission vacancies throughout the upcoming five-day holiday as some 25-123 people have reserved tickets for the different time slots on Wednesday.
The National Folk Museum of Korea said only 20 people booked a ticket for Monday, far behind the ceiling of 100 visitors per hour.
Twenty-seven people made a reservation to visit the National Hangeul Museum on Monday, which has set the hourly limit at 100. It is still easy to reserve a slot for the exhibition "Korean Pop Lyrics: Melodies of Life" during Chuseok.
This photo shows the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
State-run galleries and art centers, including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), will resume operations from Tuesday.
MMCA also runs an online reservation system to limit the number of hourly visitors at its four branches -- two in Seoul and one each in Gwacheon and Cheongju.
On the other hand, the National Theater of Korea canceled its planned shows during the Chuseok period to comply with the government's campaign against small and large gatherings. It will stage performances from mid-October.
The Seoul Arts Center will begin its newly adapted schedule with the 2020 Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music from Oct. 9-16.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. agree to hold high-level arms control talks in Washington

In the recent interview , Billingslea said the U.S. is willing to help South Korea prepare against missile threats from @ @ @ @ @ will be up to Seoul to decide what defense capabilities it wants to build .

(ATTN: ADDS details from ministry release; REPLACES photo)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed Monday to hold high-level talks on arms control in Washington at an early date, the foreign ministry said.
The two sides reached the agreement during talks between Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control, and Ham Sang-wook, deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, in Seoul, the ministry said.
"The two sides agreed to hold a South Korea-U.S. senior-level meeting on arms control and nonproliferation and also agreed to continue to strengthen communication on key related issues at each level," the ministry said in a press release.
During the talks, they also exchanged views on key international regimes on arms reduction and nonproliferation, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and discussed ways for further cooperation in that field, it added.
The U.S. diplomat arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a two-day visit. On Monday, he paid a courtesy call on First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and discussed bilateral relations.
Billingslea's visit comes as Washington has ramped up its call on its allies and friends in Asia to join its various initiatives to counter Chinese threats, including developing defense capabilities.
In a pre-trip interview with Yonhap News Agency, Billingslea said the purpose of his visit is to discuss "the rapid Chinese buildup of nuclear weapons and ballistic and conventional missiles." The envoy also said he will share "additional intelligence to share with our ally regarding the Chinese programs."
Observers expect that Billingslea could use this trip to step up the U.S. call for Seoul to cooperate in its push for the deployment of medium- and intermediate-range missiles in Asia.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said last year that the U.S. wants to deploy conventional ground-based missiles in Asia, a day after the U.S. withdrew from the 1988 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed with the former Soviet Union.
China has strongly objected to the idea and warned South Korea and Japan against such deployments.
In the recent interview, Billingslea said the U.S. is willing to help South Korea prepare against missile threats from its neighbors, but it will be up to Seoul to decide what defense capabilities it wants to build.
Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control (L), and Ham Sang-wook, deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, pose for photo with an elbow bump ahead of their bilateral meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul in this photo provided by the ministry Sept. 28, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(2nd LD) Prosecutors drop charges against justice minister in special favors probe

On June 14 , the aide told Choo that Seo 's vacation had been taken care of and that it @ @ @ @ @ 's note would be sent at a later date , as soon as it became @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 5 paras; RAISES background to 3rd para)
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and her son, who have been suspected of gaining special favors during the latter's military service in 2017.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office said it withdrew the charges against Choo, her 27-year-old son surnamed Seo, a former aide to Choo and a former military officer assigned to Seo's base at the time.
Choo has come under fire over allegations that she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party to extend her son's medical leave after he underwent knee surgery in June 2017.
"It is difficult to conclude based on our investigation that a deceptive scheme or external pressure was used to request and take leave," the prosecution said in a statement.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
Seo did his mandatory military service in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Eighth Army.
He took medical leave from June 5-14, extended it once through June 23, and then used four personal vacation days.
Whistleblowers have alleged that Seo did not return to his unit at the end of his second medical leave, even though his personal vacation had yet to be approved.
Defense ministry documents have also appeared to indicate that Choo or her husband made a phone call to the ministry to inquire about getting the first medical leave extended.
"(Seo) did not return to his base because his vacation had been approved, and therefore it does not qualify as desertion," the prosecution said.
Choo's then-aide did contact a military officer at Seo's request to find out about extending medical leave, but only to learn the procedural steps, according to the prosecution.
"It is difficult to view that as illicit solicitation," it said.
The prosecution also noted no clear evidence of Choo's personal involvement, including any request by her or her husband to the defense ministry. It said it retrieved text messages exchanged between Choo and her then-aide.
On June 14, the aide told Choo that Seo's vacation had been taken care of and that it was agreed that a doctor's note would be sent at a later date, as soon as it became available.
A week later, Choo asked in a message that the aide get in touch with her son. The message included the phone number of a military officer.
In response, the aide wrote that he had spoken to the officer and asked for another extension, and would hear back following an internal review.
The prosecution said that Choo wrote in response to its queries on Saturday that she had asked her aide to find out about her son's situation but never ordered an extension of leave.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- North Korea has shown no unusual moves near the western maritime border with South Korea , the Joint @ @ @ @ @ , after Pyongyang warned the South not to intrude into its waters in search of @ @ @ @ @ killed by the North .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
---------------------------
(LEAD) Main opposition dials up pressure on gov't over recent shooting case
SEOUL -- The main opposition party ratcheted up criticism on the Moon Jae-in government Monday over the recent shooting death of a South Korean fisheries official by the North Korean military.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has been taking aim at what it brands as the government's failure to prevent the death of the 47-year-old civil servant last Tuesday.
---------------------------
(LEAD) Prosecutors drop charges against justice minister in special favors probe
SEOUL -- Prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and her son, who have been suspected of gaining special favors during the latter's military service in 2017.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office said it withdrew the charges against Choo, her 27-year-old son surnamed Seo, a former aide to Choo and a former military officer assigned to Seo's base at the time.
---------------------------
(2nd LD) Moon expresses condolences over death of S. Korean official in shooting by N. Korean troops
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in expressed his condolences Monday and offered a public apology over the death of a South Korean civil servant in a shooting by North Korean troops, calling it a "regrettable and unfortunate" incident.
"Regardless of how the victim went to the North Korean waters, I offer words of deep condolences and consolation to the bereaved family members over their grief," he said.
---------------------------
S. Korea to buy foreign bonds via repo deals for liquidity supply
SEOUL -- South Korea will buy foreign currency-denominated bonds via repurchase agreements from local banks when needed in a bid to pump dollar liquidity into the financial system, the central bank said Monday.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) and the finance ministry said they have drawn up a system to purchase foreign currency-denominated bonds held by local banks, such as U.S. government bonds, via repo deals.
---------------------------
5 more USFK service members test positive for new coronavirus
SEOUL -- Five American service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday.
Four service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on government chartered flights between Sept. 10 and 25, and the remainder arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, on a commercial flight on Sept. 11, according to the U.S. military.
---------------------------
(LEAD) No unusual N.K. movement detected near maritime border: JCS
SEOUL -- North Korea has shown no unusual moves near the western maritime border with South Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday, after Pyongyang warned the South not to intrude into its waters in search of the body of a citizen killed by the North.
South Korea has been searching for the body of the 47-year-old fisheries official shot and killed by North Korean soldiers earlier last week after he drifted into their waters near the Yellow Sea border between the two sides.
---------------------------
Fans create 2nd forest in Seoul in celebration of BTS leader RM's birthday
SEOUL -- A second fan-made forest named after RM, the leader of the popular K-pop boy band BTS, in celebration of his birthday opened in Seoul on Monday, an environmental group said.
At "RM Forest No. 2," located on the Ichon side of Han River Park, three hackberry trees and 200 stocks of spirea were planted to celebrate RM's 26th birthday, which fell on Sept. 12, according to the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement.
---------------------------
FM Kang asks Kyrgyzstan to support S. Korean minister's bid for top WTO post
SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has asked her Kyrgyzstan counterpart to support South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Kang's office said Monday.
During Saturday's phone talks, Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov gave an affirmative assessment of Yoo's experiences and expertise in trade issues, saying it is important to select a competent WTO director-general for countries like Kyrgyzstan with high reliance on trade, according to Kang's office.
---------------------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks gain over 1 pct on Wall Street rally, bargain hunting
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks advanced more than 1 percent Monday, buoyed by stock rallies in the United States and a bargain hunting rush here. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 29.29 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,308.08.
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(LEAD) Seoul stocks gain over 1 pct on Wall Street rally, bargain hunting

Analysts , however , warned that market uncertainties are likely to remain high ahead of the Chuseok holiday that falls @ @ @ @ @ as investors may shift to the selling mode for profit-taking .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks advanced more than 1 percent Monday, buoyed by stock rallies in the United States and a bargain hunting rush here. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 29.29 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,308.08.
Trading volume was moderate at about 598 million shares worth some 8.8 trillion won (US$7.5 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 750 to 123.
Foreigners sold a net 64 billion won, with retail investors dumping a net 98 billion won. Institutions bought a net 150 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,308.08 on Sept. 28, 2020, up 29.29 points or 1.29 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Local stocks rebounded over the 2,300-point level, after the KOSPI's weak performance last week.
Stocks fared well throughout the session, tracking strong advances in U.S. tech giants, such as Apple, Microsoft and Tesla.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.26 percent to 10,913.56 the previous session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.34 percent, with the S&P 500 adding 1.6 percent.
"A U.S. stock rebound over last week and the recent stock plunge here seem to have sparked a bargain hunting rush among investors," said Hana Financial Investment researcher Lee Young-gon.
Analysts, however, warned that market uncertainties are likely to remain high ahead of the Chuseok holiday that falls from Wednesday to Sunday, as investors may shift to the selling mode for profit-taking.
In Seoul, most large caps closed higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.52 percent to 58,200 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.48 percent to 82,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver added 1.19 percent to 298,500 won, with its rival Kakao spiking 4.98 percent to 369,000 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics gained 1.48 percent to 685,000 won, while Celltrion lost 1.35 percent to 305,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, jumped 3.24 percent to 175,500 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem slipped 0.16 percent to 626,000 won, but rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI advanced 2.18 percent to 421,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,173.6 won per dollar, down 1.3 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, mostly closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 1.2 basis points to 0.843 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond slipped 0.8 basis point to 1.117 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 28, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Sep. 28, 2020

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


yna--2020-09-28--(LEAD) Main opposition dials up pressure on gov't over recent shooting case

The leader argued that the government seems to have not taken any action to save the official even though it @ @ @ @ @ in the initial phase of the case .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition party ratcheted up criticism on the Moon Jae-in government Monday over the recent shooting death of a South Korean fisheries official by the North Korean military.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has been taking aim at what it brands as the government's failure to prevent the death of the 47-year-old civil servant last Tuesday.
After disappearing last Monday from an inspection boat in waters near the western sea border with North Korea, he was shot dead by North Korean soldiers on the sea the next day after drifting across to the northern side of the sea border.
His body was set on fire on the sea the same day, according to the defense ministry here.
Renewing its criticism, leaders of the PPP swiped at Moon and his administration during the party's top council meeting.
"President Moon has himself said several times that the responsibility of safeguarding the lives of the people lies with the president. But concerning the latest incident, he has stayed mum," interim PPP leader Kim Chong-in said.
The leader argued that the government seems to have not taken any action to save the official even though it was aware of the situation in the initial phase of the case.
Kim also pressed Moon to "come forward to the press and clarify his stance."
Speaking at the same meeting, PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young also pledged efforts to get to the bottom of the "riddle-laden" death.
"I will go all the way to interrogate (those responsible) by (launching) a parliamentary probe or through the regular parliamentary inspection (of the administration)," Joo noted.
The floor leader also called for an official parliamentary probe into the case whose cause and proceedings, he said, are "laden with riddles."
Joo played down the apology North Korea offered to the South over the shooting case last week, claiming that many people around the president are falsely representing the apology as a good chance in the inter-Korean relationship.
He also accused the ruling Democratic Party of refusing to pass a parliamentary resolution condemning the shooting death by the North and hold an emergency parliamentary interpellation session on the case.
In black suits and masks, lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party hold a protest rally at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Wearing black face masks and black suits symbolizing mourning for death, PPP lawmakers staged a rally in front of the main assembly building in protest of the shooting death.
The opposition lawmakers blamed Moon for the death, carrying a placard that says, "Where are you, President? One of our nationals has died."
People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young gives a speech during the party's protest rally at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
At the initiative of the ruling Democratic Party, the rival parties had sought to pass a resolution denouncing the North's recent shooting through the National Assembly's plenary session Monday.
But the plan fell through as the parties failed to narrow their differences on the terms of the resolution, party officials said.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-28--(LEAD) Prosecutors drop charges against justice minister in special favors probe

Whistleblowers have alleged that Seo did not return to his unit at the end of his second medical leave , @ @ @ @ @ had yet to be approved .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 2nd para)
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and her son, who have been suspected of gaining special favors during the latter's military service in 2017.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office said it withdrew the charges against Choo, her 27-year-old son surnamed Seo, a former aide to Choo and a former military officer assigned to Seo's base at the time.
"It is difficult to conclude based on our investigation that a deceptive scheme or external pressure was used to request and take leave," the prosecution said in a statement.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choo came under fire amid allegations that she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party to extend her son's medical leave after he underwent knee surgery in June 2017.
Seo did his mandatory military service in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Eighth Army.
He took medical leave from June 5-14, extended it once through June 23, and then used four personal vacation days.
Whistleblowers have alleged that Seo did not return to his unit at the end of his second medical leave, even though his personal vacation had yet to be approved.
Defense ministry documents have also appeared to indicate that Choo or her husband made a phone call to the ministry to inquire about getting the first medical leave extended.
"(Seo) did not return to his base because his vacation had been approved, and therefore it does not qualify as desertion," the prosecution said.
Choo's then-aide did contact a military officer at Seo's request to find out about extending medical leave, but only to learn the procedural steps, according to the prosecution.
"It is difficult to view that as illicit solicitation," it said.
The prosecution also noted no clear evidence of Choo's personal involvement, including any request by her or her husband to the defense ministry.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--(LEAD) NC Dinos' Yang Eui-ji voted MVP of virtual KBO All-Star Game

The annual All-Star Game had been set for July 25 but was never played .
The start of the regular @ @ @ @ @ more than a month to May 5 due to the coronavirus outbreak , and in @ @ @ @ @ usual 144 games into a tighter calendar , the league decided to scrap the All-Star @ @

(ATTN: CLARIFIES stats in para 7)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- NC Dinos' catcher Yang Eui-ji has been voted the MVP of the virtual All-Star Game in South Korean baseball.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Tuesday that Yang received 65 out of 82 media votes to earn the award after a contactless All-Star competition this month, with the winning side determined by individual players' win probability added (WPA), an advanced statistic that measures a player's contribution to a team's victory, from Sept. 8-27.
Yang Eui-ji of the NC Dinos celebrates a hit against the LG Twins in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The annual All-Star Game had been set for July 25 but was never played. The start of the regular season was pushed back by more than a month to May 5 due to the coronavirus outbreak, and in an attempt to squeeze the usual 144 games into a tighter calendar, the league decided to scrap the All-Star Game.
The KBO still held voting to keep fans engaged, and the selected starters will wear special patches on their jerseys the rest of the season.
The All-Star teams were the Dream Team, made up of players from the Doosan Bears, SK Wyverns, KT Wiz, Samsung Lions and Lotte Giants, and the Nanum Team, with players from the Kiwoom Heroes, LG Twins, NC Dinos, Kia Tigers and Hanwha Eagles.
The 12 positions to be filled are starting pitcher, middle reliever, closer, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, left fielder, center fielder, right fielder and designated hitter.
The Nanum Team won the WPA race 13-5, with the team with the higher WPA total each day earning a point. Yang led all Nanum hitters with an average WPA of 0.0585. Yang batted .370 in 19 games during the Sept. 8-27 period, with six home runs and 26 RBIs. He earned a trophy, along with 2 million won (US$1,700) in prize money and a gold bar worth 700,000 won, courtesy of Shinhan Bank, the KBO's title sponsor.
Yang also won the virtual home run derby, with players earning points for home runs -- a grand slam was worth four points and a three-run home run was worth three points, and so forth. Yang collected 11 points from his six home runs, which included a grand slam on Sept. 18. Yang will receive another gold bar worth 700,000 won.
In this file photo from Sept. 18, 2020, Yang Eui-ji of the NC Dinos watches his grand slam against the SK Wyverns in the top of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Slain S. Korean official sought defection to North: Coast Guard

`` Based on the investigation so far , we believe that he intended to defect to the North , '' @ @ @ @ @ he `` knew the waters around Yeonpyeong Island well , '' an island in the @ @ @ @ @ Limit Line ( NLL ) , a de facto inter-Korean sea border , where the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Coast Guard said Tuesday that the South Korean fisheries official shot to death by the North Korean military at sea last week was trying to defect to the North.
The Coast Guard reached the conclusion based on the intelligence retrieved from the military, the analysis of the tidal current on the day of the incident and other circumstantial evidence.
"The official was wearing a life jacket and hanging onto a floating object when he was spotted by the North," said Yoon Seong-hyun, chief of the investigation team, during a briefing to announce its midway investigation results.
"Also North Korea knew the official's personal details, such as his name, age, hometown and height."
A South Korean fishing boat leaves the western border island of Yeonpyeong on Sept. 26, 2020. A South Korean official was killed by North Korean soldiers in the North's waters near the de facto maritime border on Sept. 22. (Yonhap)
The team also analyzed the direction of the tidal current on Sept. 21 when he went missing and concluded that he couldn't have reached where he was found unless he swam to get there.
Yoon said an accident or a suicide was considered very unlikely, although the investigation team did not rule out such scenarios.
The team concluded that a pair of slippers found on the deck of the government ship monitoring fishing boats belonged to the 47-year-old official, which were sent to the National Forensic Service for more analysis.
Yoon said the team also analyzed the ship's closed circuit TV footage, 731 clips in total, but could not find any important information about the man.
"Based on the investigation so far, we believe that he intended to defect to the North," Yoon said, adding that he "knew the waters around Yeonpyeong Island well," an island in the front-line areas near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a de facto inter-Korean sea border, where the official went missing.
The photo provided by the brother of the deceased fisheries official shows the man's identification card left on the boat. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--(LEAD) S. Korean app developers cry foul over Google's 30 pct fee on all apps

`` We have clarified the language in our payments policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods @ @ @ @ @ to use Google Play 's billing system , '' Google said in a post , @ @ @ @ @ developers a one-year grace period to adopt the system , while it will start enforcing @ @ @ @ @ Play store 's new apps Jan. 20 .

(ATTN: ADDs more info in para 4 and from para 11)
By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Google Inc. faced strong backlash from South Korean developers after it announced Monday (U.S. time) it will enforce its app market's billing system, which charges a 30 percent fee to all app developers.
While Google has taken a 30 percent cut for all in-app purchases on the Play store through its billing system, some apps have circumvented the rule by using other systems, such as direct credit card payments.
"We have clarified the language in our payments policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods in their apps are required to use Google Play's billing system," Google said in a post, adding it would give app developers a one-year grace period to adopt the system, while it will start enforcing the billing system on the Play store's new apps Jan. 20.
Google said in the post the policy change will not affect the majority of app developers as nearly 97 percent of those that sell digital goods already use the Play's billing system. It added that just 2 percent of South Korean app developers would be affected by the policy change.
The move has prompted an outcry from South Korean app developers that worry it will harm the local app industry.
Last month, even before Google's official announcement, the Korea Internet Corporations Association, which represents major local tech companies, such as top portal operator Naver Corp., requested the country's telecommunications regulator, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), to look into the then purported policy changes.
The group argued the move would lead to more fees on app users and further solidify the dominance of Google, which holds a strong grip on the local app market.
Google's Play Store held a 63.4 percent share of total app store sales in the country last year at 6 trillion won (US$5 billion), compared with Apple's App Store with a 24.4 percent stake at 2.3 trillion won, according to the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association.
Local app developers have also argued that Google's move could be in violation of local telecommunications rules that prohibit unfair restrictions for users choosing services.
Han Sang-hyuk, the chairman of the KCC, told lawmakers earlier this month that he views Google's enforcement of its billing system as a violation but is currently reviewing the matter.
Google downplayed the concerns, saying it was committed to an open system and would comply with local laws.
"Developers are not required to use Google Play. Android provides flexibility to use many other Android app tools without using Google Play's billing system," said Purnima Kochikar, a director at Google Play, in an online briefing, citing other options, such as Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Store and ONE Store operated by the country's top mobile carrier, SK Telecom Co.
Google also took aim at the country's top Internet portal operator Naver and top messenger operator Kakao Corp., citing that they were able to achieve success in overseas markets through Google Play.
"Naver and Kakao operate unique billing systems to meet domestic market requirements. However, they enjoy the convenience built by Google Play's billing system in overseas markets," she said, pointing to the popularity of Kakao's manga app Piccoma and Naver's Line Manga in the Japanese market via its billing system.
Amid discontent among local developers, Google announced that it would spend 115 billion won over the next 12 months to support South Korean app developers that provide digital content services, and provide user benefits such as discounts.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--King of Sweden says N. Korea's fatal shooting of S. Korean citizen should be resolved through dialog

King of Sweden says N. Korea's fatal shooting of S. Korean citizen should be resolved through dialogue

STOCKHOLM , Sept. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf has said during his meeting with @ @ @ @ @ here the recent shooting death of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea should @ @ @ @ @ according to the speaker 's aides .

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf has said during his meeting with the South Korean parliamentary speaker here the recent shooting death of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea should be resolved through dialogue, according to the speaker's aides.
The king made the remark after listening to details on the shooting death of the 47-year-old South Korean civil servant last week by the North Korean military from National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug on Monday morning (Sweden time).
He paid a courtesy call on the king at the Swedish royal palace during his six-day trip to Sweden and Germany, part of his parliamentary diplomacy aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Park briefed the king on the incident and informed him of North Korea's subsequent apology delivered to the South.
In response, the king said the North Korean apology seems to have averted further escalation of tension between the two Koreas.
The king also stressed that dialogue needs to be the key to resolving the situation, according to Park's aides.
In this photo provided by the office of the National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf receives Park for a meeting in his royal palace in Stockholm on Sept. 28, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
They said the meeting marks the Swedish royal palace's first reception of a foreign dignitary since the first outbreak of the new coronavirus in Sweden in March.
Also during the meeting, the king highly appreciated South Korea's COVID-19 response and Park proposed the two countries collaborate to develop COVID-19 vaccines and medicine, the sources said.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Duty-free sales up for 4th month in Aug. but still below pre-pandemic level

It marked the fourth straight month of gains since April , when sales fell below the 1 trillion-won threshold for @ @ @ @ @ years .

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Duty-free sales in South Korea rose for the fourth straight month in August on increased purchases by Chinese vendors, but revenues remained below the pre-pandemic level, industry data showed Tuesday.
Combined sales at duty-free shops here reached 1.44 trillion won (US$1.23 billion) last month, up 15.3 percent from the previous month, according to the Korea Duty Free Shops Association.
It marked the fourth straight month of gains since April, when sales fell below the 1 trillion-won threshold for the first time in four years.
Despite some recovery, duty-free sales remained at half of pre-pandemic figures, it said.
"Sales recently rose by some 10 percent every month, as Chinese vendors increased duty-free purchases amid reviving domestic demand in China," a duty-free store official said.
In August, the number of visitors to local duty-free shops reached around 592,000, up from about 517,000 in July, according to the data.
Local duty-free operators have been struggling in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the virus outbreak has disrupted air travel.
South Korean duty-free operators are desperate to overcome the industry-wide slump with belt-tightening measures, including increasing the number of closing days at some outlets in major local cities and cutting their overseas operations.
Only a few customers are spotted at duty-free stores at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, in this photo taken Sept. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Seoul stocks trade higher late Tue. morning on U.S. stimulus hopes

The local currency was trading at 1,169.15 won against the U.S. dollar , up 4.45 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares continued to trade higher late Tuesday morning on the back of overnight advances on Wall Street amid hopes for new fiscal stimulus talks.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 18.99 points, or 0.82 percent, to 2,327.07 as of 11:20 a.m.
The market got off to a strong start after a 1.29 percent jump the previous session.
Investor sentiment improved, following reports on progress for the new U.S. fiscal stimulus plan.
Market uncertainties from the U.S. presidential race remained a risk, pegging the KOSPI from further gains, according to analysts.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.51 percent to close at 24,474.12 on Monday (New York time). The tech-laden Nasdaq composite added 1.87 percent, and the S&P 500 advanced 1.61 percent.
In Seoul, most large caps traded higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.52 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advancing 2.18 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem climbed 2.72 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI gained 2.02 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics rose 0.44 percent, and Celltrion advanced 0.59 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, hiked 1.71 percent, while internet portal giant Naver declined 0.84 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,169.15 won against the U.S. dollar, up 4.45 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Top diplomats of S. Korea, Britain hold strategic talks

Britain is undergoing a transition period after its parliament ratified the agreement to leave what is now the 27-member regional @ @ @ @ @ It has until Dec. 31 to negotiate with the EU the terms for their future @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and Britain held talks in Seoul on Tuesday about ways to enhance bilateral relations after Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her British counterpart, Dominic Raab, held the fifth South Korea-Britain Strategic Dialogue to discuss a broad range of issues, including trade and antivirus cooperation, the foreign ministry said.
Raab arrived in Seoul for a single-day trip that included a visit in the morning to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
During the strategic talks, the ministers were expected to discuss ways to elevate their relations in areas including trade and investment even after Britain completely withdrew from the EU, known as Brexit.
Britain is undergoing a transition period after its parliament ratified the agreement to leave what is now the 27-member regional bloc in late January. It has until Dec. 31 to negotiate with the EU the terms for their future relationship.
Seoul and London have been striving to maintain the existing bilateral frameworks and further promote their close partnership in the post-Brexit era. They have signed the bilateral "continuity" free trade agreement (FTA) to allow businesses to keep trading freely after Brexit.
Among other issues likely to be discussed are joint efforts to develop and ensure the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and cooperation in issues related to climate change.
They last held their strategic dialogue in London in 2018.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaks during an ASEAN Regional Forum session held via videoconference, in this photo provided by her office Sept. 12, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This EPA photo shows British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at an event in London, Britain, on April 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--NC Dinos' Yang Eui-ji voted MVP of virtual KBO All-Star Game

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- NC Dinos' catcher Yang Eui-ji has been voted the MVP of the virtual All-Star Game in South Korean baseball.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Tuesday that Yang received 65 out of 82 media votes to earn the award after a contactless All-Star competition this month, with the winning side determined by individual players' win probability added (WPA), an advanced statistic that measures a player's contribution to a team's victory, from Sept. 8-27.
Yang Eui-ji of the NC Dinos celebrates a hit against the LG Twins in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The annual All-Star Game had been set for July 25 but was never played. The start of the regular season was pushed back by more than a month to May 5 due to the coronavirus outbreak, and in an attempt to squeeze the usual 144 games into a tighter calendar, the league decided to scrap the All-Star Game.
The KBO still held voting to keep fans engaged, and the selected starters will wear special patches on their jerseys the rest of the season.
The All-Star teams were the Dream Team, made up of players from the Doosan Bears, SK Wyverns, KT Wiz, Samsung Lions and Lotte Giants, and the Nanum Team, with players from the Kiwoom Heroes, LG Twins, NC Dinos, Kia Tigers and Hanwha Eagles.
The 12 positions to be filled are starting pitcher, middle reliever, closer, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, left fielder, center fielder, right fielder and designated hitter.
The Nanum Team won the WPA race 13-5, and Yang led all players with 0.0585 WPA. Yang batted .370 in 19 games during the Sept. 8-27 period, with six home runs and 26 RBIs. He earned a trophy, along with 2 million won (US$1,700) in prize money and a gold bar worth 700,000 won, courtesy of Shinhan Bank, the KBO's title sponsor.
Yang also won the virtual home run derby, with players earning points for home runs -- a grand slam was worth four points and a three-run home run was worth three points, and so forth. Yang collected 11 points from his six home runs, which included a grand slam on Sept. 18. Yang will receive another gold bar worth 700,000 won.
In this file photo from Sept. 18, 2020, Yang Eui-ji of the NC Dinos watches his grand slam against the SK Wyverns in the top of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Hyundai Mobis to buy back 221 bln won worth of stocks

The company said it will cancel 62.5 billion worth of stocks out of the 983,000 shares to be bought and @ @ @ @ @ than six months to prop up the stock prices .

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea's biggest auto parts maker, said Tuesday it will buy back 221 billion won (US$189 million) worth of its stocks in the fourth quarter to enhance shareholder value.
Hyundai Mobis plans to buy back 983,000 stocks from Oct. 5 through Dec. 28 to stabilize the stock prices and improve shareholder value, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The company said it will cancel 62.5 billion worth of stocks out of the 983,000 shares to be bought and hold the remainder for more than six months to prop up the stock prices.
Hyundai Mobis is a key affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, which has Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. under its wing.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--BLACKPINK becomes No. 2 global artist by YouTube subscribers

The group has gained 8 million new subscribers over the past three months , including 4.5 million after the release @ @ @ @ @ That '' and 3.5 million following `` Ice Cream , '' according to YG Entertainment @

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean girl group BLACKPINK became the second most-subscribed musician on YouTube on Tuesday, its management agency said.
The official YouTube channel of BLACKPINK saw the number of its subscribers surpass 48.8 million, pushing down the American DJ Marshmello to No. 3, according to YG Entertainment.
Justin Bieber topped the list with 57.2 million subscribers.
The group's popularity on the global video-sharing platform hiked after it dropped its hit song "How You Like That" in June, a pre-release for its upcoming album, titled "The Album."
In July, it rose to fifth place in terms of YouTube subscribers among worldwide singers, and No. 1 for a female artist, outpacing Ariana Grande.
It beat Ed Sheeran and Eminem to grab the third-highest position thanks to the release of "Ice Cream," featuring Selena Gomez, in late August.
This photo, provided by YG Entertainment, shows South Korean girl group BLACKPINK. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The group has gained 8 million new subscribers over the past three months, including 4.5 million after the release of "How You Like That" and 3.5 million following "Ice Cream," according to YG Entertainment.
The company attributed the achievement to "consistent attention and expectations from loyal fans."
Meanwhile, YG Entertainment said "Bet You Wanna," a track from the girl group's upcoming studio album, features American rapper Cardi B.
It is another international collaboration for BLACKPINK, following "Ice Cream" featuring Selena Gomez.
Cardi B is a renowned American rapper and songwriter, whose latest song "WAP," featuring Megan Thee Stallion, has hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart multiple times.
The quartet's first full-length album is set to be released Friday. The music video of the title song "Lovesick Girls" will also be revealed to the public on YouTube on the same day.
This photo, released by YG Entertainment on Sept. 28, 2020, shows a poster for the title song "Lovesick Girls" from K-pop group BLACKPINK's first full album that is scheduled to come out on Oct. 2. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A teaser poster of BLACKPINK, released by YG Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Sep. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-09-29--Officer at arms procurement agency tests positive for virus

He was among 22 agency officials who went through the virus test and quarantined after his wife , who also @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the virus last week in the first virus case among the agency @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- An Air Force officer working at the arms procurement agency has tested positive for the new coronavirus, officials said Tuesday.
The officer at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration is believed to have been infected with COVID-19 after his wife tested positive for the virus, according to officials.
He was among 22 agency officials who went through the virus test and quarantined after his wife, who also works at the agency, tested positive for the virus last week in the first virus case among the agency personnel.
The newly confirmed patient originally tested negative for the virus but was confirmed to have the virus earlier in the day after feeling ill, officials said.
The latest case raised the number of virus cases at the agency to two.
Among service members and military-related individuals, 112 have been infected so far.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-29--Retail sales sharply up in Aug. on brisk online sales

After keeping the number of daily new virus cases under control for more than five months , South Korea added @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27 .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Retail sales in South Korea moved up 6.6 percent in August from a year earlier due to a sharp rise in online sales amid the new coronavirus pandemic, data showed Tuesday.
The combined sales of 26 major offline and online retailers reached 11.9 trillion won (US$10 billion) last month, up from 11.16 trillion won last year, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
After keeping the number of daily new virus cases under control for more than five months, South Korea added more than 100 cases on Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27.
The figures recently returned to two digits, but cluster infections and untraceable cases are still causing problems.
Online platforms led the growth, with their revenue advancing 20.1 percent over the period, the data showed.
In contrast, sales from offline stores dipped 2.4 percent as people avoided crowded places. The longest rainy season in nearly 50 years, which ran from late June to mid-August, weighed down on the sales as well.
Customers shop for groceries at a supermarket located in Seoul on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
At online stores, sales of foodstuffs shot up 43 percent over the period. The demand for home appliances, such as air conditioners and fans, also moved up 28 percent, according to the data.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the sales of travel packages and entertainment tickets from online platforms dipped 6.3 percent on-year.
Offline stores, on the other hand, continued to lose ground.
Convenience stores were the sole winners thanks to rising demand for sanitary items, such as protective masks, with their revenue advancing 2.3 percent. Sales of other health-related items, such as vitamin pills, lent a hand to the strong sales as well.
Department stores saw their revenue drop 6.5 percent on-year in August, due to weak sales of fashion items due to the pandemic. Sales of food decreased nearly 30 percent on-year as this year's Chuseok holiday, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, fell weeks later than 2019.
Sales at supermarkets decreased 2.3 percent due to a sharp decrease in the demand for sales, affected by the prolonged rainy season coupled with the virus pandemic.
In the first six months of the year, the combined retail sales reached 66.79 trillion won, up 3.7 percent from the previous year. Shipments by online stores advanced 17.5 percent, while those of offline stores dipped 6 percent.
In 2019, retail sales in South Korea rose 4.8 percent on-year. Revenue at online shopping malls advanced 14.2 percent, while that of offline stores shed 0.9 percent.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Hyundai Heavy wins 420 bln won order for 4 crude carriers

Under the deal with companies from Europe and Oceania , Hyundai Heavy will complete the construction of the 300,000-ton very @ @ @ @ @ first half of 2022 , Korea Shipbuilding said .
The names of the buyers were @ @ @

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. said Tuesday that its shipbuilding unit Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. secured a 420 billion won (US$359 million) deal to build four crude carriers.
Under the deal with companies from Europe and Oceania, Hyundai Heavy will complete the construction of the 300,000-ton very large crude carriers by the first half of 2022, Korea Shipbuilding said. The names of the buyers were not revealed.
With the latest orders, Korea Shipbuilding has so far won orders this year to build seven crude carriers, taking up 40 percent of the deals for 16 such vessels placed around the globe, the company said.
Korea Shipbuilding also said it is expected to win additional orders, as a slew of deals for crude carriers have been under way.
Korea Shipbuilding, the subholding company of Hyundai Heavy Holdings Industries Co., has three shipbuilders, Hyundai Heavy, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., under its wing.
A crude carrier built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. sails on a sea trial, in this photo provided by Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Defense ministry verified N. Korean order to burn body of dead official: opposition leader

SEOUL , Sept. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- The defense ministry has confirmed with the help of its special intelligence @ @ @ @ @ burning of the body of a South Korean fisheries official after he was shot dead @ @ @ @ @ , the main opposition floor leader said Tuesday .

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry has confirmed with the help of its special intelligence that North Korea ordered the burning of the body of a South Korean fisheries official after he was shot dead by its soldiers last week, the main opposition floor leader said Tuesday.
"The Ministry of National Defense has verified through special intelligence that (North Korea) told (its officials) to apply fuel oil and burn (the body)," People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young said in an interview with YTN Radio.
"It's not what the defense ministry judged for itself, but what it has heard accurately (through special intelligence)," Joo told the radio channel.
Whether the North burned the body after its military shot dead the 47-year-old South Korean fisheries official on the northern side of the inter-Korean maritime border last Tuesday has been a point of dispute.
The South Korean defense ministry said last Thursday North Korea shot and killed the official drifting at sea before dousing his body with oil and setting it on fire.
But in a following written notice to the South the next day, the North partly rebutted the ministry's announcement, saying it only burned a floating material after the man disappeared at sea following the North's firing of about 10 gunshots.
Joo accused the ruling Democratic Party of opting for the North Korean side of the story, and said the explanation by the South Korean defense ministry should be trusted.
People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young speaks during the party's protest rally at the National Assembly on Sept. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--S. Korean app developers cry foul over Google's 30 pct fee on all apps

`` We have clarified the language in our payments policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods @ @ @ @ @ to use Google Play 's billing system , '' Google said in the post , @ @ @ @ @ developers a one-year grace period to adopt the system , while it will start enforcing @ @ @ @ @ Play store 's new apps Jan. 20 .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Google Inc. faced strong backlash from South Korean developers after it announced Monday (U.S. time) it will enforce its app market's billing system, which charges a 30 percent fee to all app developers.
While Google has taken a 30 percent cut for all in-app purchases on the Play store through its billing system, some apps have circumvented the rule by using other methods, such as direct credit card payments.
"We have clarified the language in our payments policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods in their apps are required to use Google Play's billing system," Google said in the post, adding it would give app developers a one-year grace period to adopt the system, while it will start enforcing the billing system on the Play store's new apps Jan. 20.
Google said in the post the policy change will not affect the majority of app developers as nearly 97 percent already use Play's billing system.
The move has prompted an outcry from South Korean app developers that worry it will harm the local app industry.
Last month, even before Google's official announcement, the Korea Internet Corporations Association, which represents major local tech companies, such as top portal operator Naver Corp., requested the country's telecommunications regulator, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), to look into the then purported policy changes.
The group argued the move would lead to more fees on app users and further solidify the dominance of Google, which holds a strong grip on the local app market.
Google's Play Store held a 63.4 percent share of total app store sales in the country last year at 6 trillion won (US$5 billion), compared with Apple's App Store with a 24.4 percent stake at 2.3 trillion won, according to the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association.
Local app developers have also argued that Google's move could be in violation of local telecommunications rules that prohibit unfair restrictions for users choosing services.
Han Sang-hyuck, the chairman of the KCC, told lawmakers earlier this month that he views Google's enforcement of its billing system as a violation but is currently reviewing the matter.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--S. Korean baseball fans thankful for early morning MLB postseason games on Chuseok

Should Choi be activated , there will be three South Korean players in this year 's postseason .
With the @ @ @ @ @ battling in the opening round , at least one of those three is guaranteed to @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean baseball fans will have a lot to thank for this week.
On the morning of Thursday, which also happens to be Chuseok, or the Korean Thanksgiving, two South Korean pitchers will start postseason games for their respective clubs.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the New York Yankees in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays will be on the hill for Game 2 of the American League (AL) Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, starting at 5 a.m. Korean time at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
One hour later, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals will take the mound to open the National League (NL) Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres, at Petco Park in San Diego.
This will be the first time in MLB postseason history for two South Korean pitchers to start on the same day.
During the regular season, Ryu and Kim started on the same day four times, and both notched victories in their final regular season outing last Thursday. They became the first pair of South Korean pitchers to win on the same day in the majors in 15 years.
In this UPI photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals catches a line drive off the bat of Avisail Garcia of the Milwaukee Brewers during the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Rays also feature a South Korean player in infielder Choi Ji-man. Choi is recovering from a left hamstring injury and has taken fielding and batting practices during his rehab. The Rays have until 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday to finalize their first-round roster.
Should Choi be activated, there will be three South Korean players in this year's postseason. With the Blue Jays and the Rays battling in the opening round, at least one of those three is guaranteed to play in the next stage.
There are no offdays during the Wild Card Series. The Blue Jays-Rays series will end no later than Friday morning, Korean time, and the Cardinals-Padres series will finish Saturday morning if it goes the distance.
In this Associated Press file photo from Sept. 11, 2020, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays is in action against the Boston Red Sox during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--(LEAD) New virus cases smallest since early August, upcoming holiday crucial for virus fight

`` Daily new local infections are on a downward trend , and new ( local ) infections have also stayed @ @ @ @ @ straight days , '' Second Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae said in a government response @ @ @ @ @ the country should not be at ease , as virus tests by private medical facilities @ @ @ @ @ the weekend than weekdays . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more info, remarks and photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 50 on Tuesday for the first time since early August, but the country remains vigilant against possible cluster infections during a major holiday this week.
The country added 38 more COVID-19 cases, including 23 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 23,699, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily new cases are the lowest in 49 days since Aug. 11, when the country reported 34 cases, just before a new cluster of infections emerged from a church and an anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15.
Daily new local infections also stayed in double digits for the fifth straight day after the country reported 95 on Friday, 49 on Saturday, 73 on Sunday and 40 on Monday, the KDCA said.
A signboard in central Seoul says the government bans rallies amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Daily new local infections are on a downward trend, and new (local) infections have also stayed in the double-digits for five straight days," Second Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae said in a government response meeting. "However, the country should not be at ease, as virus tests by private medical facilities tend to be fewer on the weekend than weekdays."
Despite the fall in new virus cases, health authorities remain vigilant ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the autumn harvest celebration, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday. Tens of millions of people are expected to travel across the country for family gatherings.
The country also has a three-day break from Oct. 9 to 11, when Hangeul Day, which celebrates the Korean alphabet, is combined with the weekend, prompting the government to designate Monday to Oct. 11 as a special period for strengthened virus curbs.
Health authorities have been urging people to stay home over the holidays, but to better contain local transmissions of COVID-19, they unveiled more tailored guidelines last week under the Level 2 distancing in the country's three-tier scheme.
At the current level, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are banned, and outdoor meetings of 100 or more people are also prohibited. Sports events are allowed without spectators.
By region, Seoul added 11 new virus cases, and nearby Gyeonggi Province had six new patients, according to the KDCA. It marks the first time since Aug. 11 that daily new cases from the wider Seoul area recorded below 20.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding three new cases, North Gyeongsang Province reporting two new cases and North Chungcheong Province with one case, the KDCA said.
Cluster infections continued at workplaces, nursing homes, churches and day care centers, especially in the greater Seoul area.
Cases traced to a nursing hospital in Seoul's northern ward of Dobong came to 27 as of Monday. A total of 28 infections were tied to a gym in Seoul's western ward of Gwanak.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients stood at 115, down five from the previous day, according to the authorities.
The country also reported 15 new imported cases, up from 10 a day earlier, the KDCA said.
South Korea reported one additional death, raising the death toll to 407. The fatality rate was 1.72 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 21,470, up 178 from the previous day.
A worker sprays disinfectant on a train at Suseo Station in Seoul on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Samsung remains No. 1 player in German smartphone market in Q2: report

SEOUL , Sept. 29 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Electronics Co. maintained its top position in the German smartphone market @ @ @ @ @ the year , a report showed Tuesday , as the South Korean tech giant strives @ @ @ @ @ Apple Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. amid the pandemic .

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. maintained its top position in the German smartphone market in the second quarter of the year, a report showed Tuesday, as the South Korean tech giant strives to fend off challenges from Apple Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. amid the pandemic.
Samsung was the largest smartphone vendor in Germany with a market share of 37 percent in the April-June period, up 1 percentage point from a year earlier, according to industry tracker Counterpoint Research.
"The strong performance of new low-end Galaxy A series models A21s and A41 helped it hold this position," Counterpoint Research said.
U.S. tech juggernaut Apple was the runner-up with a market share of 23 percent in the second quarter, up 6 percentage points from a year ago, thanks to strong demand for its new iPhone SE.
Huawei came in third with a second-quarter market share of 18 percent, down 2 percentage points from a year earlier, followed by its Chinese compatriot Xiaomi Corp. with a 5 percent market share.
This undated photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows the company's Galaxy A21s smartphone. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The German smartphone market in the second quarter shrank 27 percent from a year ago and 15 percent from the previous three months as COVID-19 forced Europe's largest economy to impose a nationwide lockdown in mid-March, according to the market researcher.
Counterpoint Research, however, predicted that smartphone sales in Germany rose in the third quarter as the market started to recover slowly from the low reached in April.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-29--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun to start postseason opener vs. Padres

Two established big league starters , Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright , had been expected to pitch in the first @ @ @ @ @ .
Flaherty last started Friday , and he would have had four days ' rest @ @ @ @ @ the Game 1 starter .
Instead , he 'll go Game 3 , if necessary @ @ @ @ @ season outing came Saturday , and he will follow Kim for Game 2 on four @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun will make his big league postseason debut in the team's very first game of the campaign.
St. Louis manager Mike Shildt announced Monday (U.S. local time) that Kim will start in Game 1 of the National League (NL) wild-card series against the San Diego Padres. The first pitch at Petco Park in San Diego is 2 p.m. Wednesday (local time), and 6 a.m. Thursday in South Korea.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Padres finished as the fourth seed and will host the fifth-seeded Cardinals in every game of the series at Petco Park.
Starting Game 1 of a playoff series can both be a burden and a privilege for someone as unproven as Kim. On the other hand, Kim isn't your ordinary rookie, either.
He put in 13 years with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), winning a regular season MVP and four Korean Series championships in the process. He has his share of big game experience, having recorded saves to close out two of the four title runs in 2010 and 2018.
In this Getty Images file photo from Sept. 19, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. (Yonhap)
In his first major league regular season, Kim went 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA in eight appearances, seven of them starts. Kim began the season as the closer but moved into the rotation in mid-August. As a starter, Kim pitched 24 consecutive innings without surrendering an earned run and had a 1.42 ERA in 38 innings from the rotation.
Kim will be pitching on five days' rest. In his final regular season start last Thursday, Kim held the Milwaukee Brewers to a run on five hits in five innings.
Two established big league starters, Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright, had been expected to pitch in the first two games for the Cardinals. Flaherty last started Friday, and he would have had four days' rest if he had been named the Game 1 starter. Instead, he'll go Game 3, if necessary. Wainwright's final regular season outing came Saturday, and he will follow Kim for Game 2 on four days' rest.
But that also meant if the series were to go to a deciding Game 3, the Cardinals would need to lean on Kim to save their season in his first career postseason start. As experienced as Kim is in the KBO, the Cardinals apparently weren't comfortable putting Kim in that win-or-go home situation.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals smiles after finishing the top of the fifth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
During the truncated, 60-game season, clubs only played opponents within their own division and the corresponding division in the other league. The Cardinals, based in the NL Central, and the Padres, coming out of the NL West, didn't face each other during the regular season.
Taking on the Padres might have dented Kim's ERA: The Padres ranked third in the NL in both runs (325) and home runs (95), while finishing fourth with a .798 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).
Against left-handers, the Padres had 27 homers to tie for second most in the league. Their .763 OPS against southpaws put them in eighth.
Their lineup is led by three mashers in the middle: four-time All-Star Manny Machado, veteran slugger Wil Myers and MVP candidate Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the most dynamic young players in the game today.
Myers led the clubs with a .959 OPS and Machado drove in the most runs with 47. Tatis Jr. hit the most homers with 17 and led the Padres with 11 steals. He also led baseball with 102 hard-hit balls, defined as batted balls with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph.
In this Associated Press photo, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres (R) is congratulated by Eric Hosmer after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants during the top of the fourth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sept. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kim mostly kept the ball in the park during the regular season, allowing three homers in 39 innings. Kim will not blow away hitters with dominant stuff -- he had 24 strikeouts and 12 walks -- but has used his two most-trusted pitches, a four-seam fastball and slider, to great effects. Kim has thrown those two pitches almost 80 percent of the time and has changed speeds to keep hitters off balance.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)