yna--2020-08-04--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun tests negative for novel coronavirus

The left-hander , who joined the Cardinals from the 2020 season , made his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates @ @ @ @ @ Louis on July 24 , the Cardinals ' first game of the 60-game regular season @ @ @ @ @ in the team 's 5-4 victory .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' closer Kim Kwang-hyun has tested negative for the novel coronavirus as the Major League team has been suffering an outbreak, a source here said Tuesday.
Staying in Milwaukee with his teammates, he is healthy and waiting for the resumption of games, according to the source close to Kim.
The club has reported 13 positive COVID-19 cases so far, including seven players, since two infections were first confirmed on Friday (U.S. time).
The Cardinals are now quarantining in Milwaukee and are receiving daily tests, MLB announced.
With the Cardinals' three-game weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers postponed, their scheduled games against the Detroit Tigers, starting Tuesday, were also put on hold.
The left-hander, who joined the Cardinals from the 2020 season, made his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 24, the Cardinals' first game of the 60-game regular season. He earned a save in the team's 5-4 victory.
In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the ninth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--SK Telecom to develop delivery robot service using 5G tech

Woowa Brothers currently operates the delivery robot in limited areas in Suwon , south of Seoul , based on the @ @ @ @ @ two companies have tested the 5G technology on the delivery robot since June at Konkuk @ @ @ @ @ Seoul .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Tuesday it has partnered with the country's top delivery operator Woowa Brothers Corp. to develop a robot delivery service using 5G technology.
The two companies signed an agreement to introduce SK Telecom's 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) technology into Woowa Brothers' autonomous delivery robot, according to a statement from SK Telecom.
Woowa Brothers currently operates the delivery robot in limited areas in Suwon, south of Seoul, based on the 4G LTE network. The two companies have tested the 5G technology on the delivery robot since June at Konkuk University's campus in eastern Seoul.
Woowa Brothers Corp.'s delivery robot roams around Konkuk University in eastern Seoul in November last year, in this photo provided by SK Telecom Co. on Aug. 4, 2020. The two companies agreed to develop an autonomous robot delivery service using 5G mobile edge computing technology. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
They expect the 5G MEC technology to improve the service's stability and accuracy.
MEC is a key technology to deliver ultra-low latency data communication in 5G networks, allowing companies to offer improved solutions in cloud gaming, smart factories and autonomous driving. It minimizes latency by providing a "shortcut" for data transmission through small-scale data centers at 5G base stations.
SK Telecom said the two companies plan to deploy the service in areas unreachable by vehicles and during hours difficult to operate for delivery workers.
The telecom operator has lately focused on developing robot services using 5G MEC technology.
In a separate statement, the carrier said it has partnered with local robotics firm Robotis Co. to develop an autonomous robot for factories using 5G MEC.
The two companies plan to deploy the robot in factories for tasks such as remote maintenance and cargo loading.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Doosan Logistics Solution inks system solution order from Thailand

Doosan Logistics Solution , a subsidiary wholly owned by Doosan , was established in May last year to make inroads @ @ @ @ @ , the company said .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- System integrator Doosan Logistics Solution Co. has signed a 16 billion-won (US$13 million) deal with Thailand's state-run petrochemical company PTT Global Chemical to provide equipment to automate the Thai company's logistics center, its parent Doosan Corp. said Tuesday.
PTT Global Chemical's logistics center will be built in Rayong, 180 kilometers south of Bangkok, Doosan said.
This photo shows a logo of Doosan Group in front of the group's building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Doosan Logistics Solution, a subsidiary wholly owned by Doosan, was established in May last year to make inroads into the automation solution business, the company said.
Doosan Group, including Doosan, has been struggling to tide over its cash shortage crisis triggered by its power plant maker Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(URGENT) S. Korea to supply 132,000 housing units in greater Seoul area to stabilize home prices

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


yna--2020-08-04--New virus cases again over 30, imported cases still on high plateau

Of the imported cases , seven were South Koreans and 14 foreigners .
Seven of them tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ at either an airport or a seaport , while 14 others were confirmed to have @ @ @ @ @ , according to the public health agency .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 34 more cases of the new coronavirus Tuesday, with the number of imported cases almost twice that of local infections, health authorities said.
The new cases -- 21 imported cases and 13 local infections -- raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 14,423, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The number of new COVID-19 cases had been in the 30s since Friday, when South Korea reported 36 new virus cases. The number fell to 31 on Saturday, 30 on Sunday and 23 on Monday.
Pedestrians walk in front of a coffee shop in southern Seoul on Aug. 3, 2020. At least 10 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in connection with the coffee shop. (Yonhap)
Of the local infections, Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul accounted for the largest share with 11, followed by Seoul with nine and the southern city of Gwangju with two, the KCDC said.
Of the imported cases, seven were South Koreans and 14 foreigners. Seven of them tested positive for the virus in the screening process at either an airport or a seaport, while 14 others were confirmed to have the virus while under self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 2,482 in South Korea.
The country reported no additional deaths, with the death toll remaining at 301, according to the KCDC.
The KCDC said South Korea's fatality rate of people infected with the virus was 2.09 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,352, up 72 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,579,757 tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(URGENT) 72 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 13,352: KCDC


yna--2020-08-04--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus deaths, death toll at 301: KCDC


yna--2020-08-04--(2nd LD) Nat'l Assembly overwhelmingly approves revisions to real estate regulation bills

Unilaterally supported by the DP , a revision to the law concerning reports on real estate transactions also passed through @ @ @ @ @ will newly require information on a house lease contract , including its contractors , the @ @ @ @ @ fees , as well as the lease period to be reported to concerned municipalities within @ @ @ @ @ .
The new rule will go into effect on June 1 next year .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last para)
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly passed legislation on Tuesday that is meant to rein in speculative property transactions and increase taxation for multiple home owners.
The revisions of laws on the income tax, corporate tax and property ownership tax have been approved in a plenary session led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which dominates 176 seats out of the total 300 in the National Assembly.
The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), which has 103 seats, boycotted the voting session in protest against what they believed to be a lack of bipartisan discussion.
The move comes as the soaring property values have fueled public discontent toward the Moon Jae-in government despite its desperate efforts to make homes more affordable, especially in the capital Seoul.
The government announced measures to raise the property ownership tax for owners of multiple homes on July 10. On Tuesday, it unveiled a plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in the capital area over the next eight years in its latest action to cool a surge in prices.
The bills, a follow-up to the July 10 measures, would increase the tax burden for people with more than one house and those who are believed to engage in speculative home buying.
The revisions will raise the property ownership tax rate for owners of multiple homes from the current 0.6-3.2 percent to 1.2-6 percent, and it will also apply a maximum of 20 percent, from the current 10 percent, in corporate tax on companies that own multiple homes.
Under the change, owners who have more than one house in state-designated speculative areas will need to pay heavier transfer taxes. Those who sell a house within two years of purchase will also face heftier transfer tax.
Also purchase rights for apartment units will be considered the same as homeownership from January.
The local tax law has also been revised to calm the jittery property market by raising the property acquisition tax rate to a maximum of 12 percent from the current 3.5 percent for people who are given a house worth more than 300 million won (US$251,000) in state-designated speculative areas.
Countering the opposition protest that the revisions will increase tax burden, Rep. Park Hong-keun of the DP said during the plenary session that "only 0.99 percent of the entire public is subject to property ownership taxation."
UFP lawmaker Rep. Choo Kyung-ho accused the ruling party of ramming the bills through the assembly in a process "that can hardly be called democratic."
South Korean National Assembly holds a voting session for a set of revisions aimed at calming the local property market on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Unilaterally supported by the DP, a revision to the law concerning reports on real estate transactions also passed through the assembly. The revision will newly require information on a house lease contract, including its contractors, the amount of rental deposit or fees, as well as the lease period to be reported to concerned municipalities within 30 days of the deal. The new rule will go into effect on June 1 next year.
A set of three separate bills have also been approved, opening the way to accelerate the launch of a new investigative body targeting corruption by high-ranking government officials, tentatively named the Corruption Investigation Office For High-ranking Officials.
The revised laws legally paved the way to hold a parliamentary hearing on the confirmation of a nominee to head the new body.
Also passed during the session was a revision to the National Sports Promotion Act, aimed to prevent bullying and violence by sports trainers following the apparent suicide of former Gyeongju triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon who was verbally and physically abused by a head coach and triathletes.
Another bill to revise the Government Organization Act also won parliamentary approval during the session, paving the way for the government's plan to elevate the administrative power and independence of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that has been at the center of South Korea's efforts to contain the new coronavirus.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Olympic speed skating champion Lee Seung-hoon apologizes over assault allegations

`` Over the past two years , I had time to look back ( at myself ) .
No matter @ @ @ @ @ I am the one to be blamed and who needs to repent , '' the @ @ @ @ @ he will take care so as not to repeat the same mistakes .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Two-time Olympic speed skating gold medalist Lee Seung-hoon apologized Tuesday over allegations of physically assaulting teammates.
"I give my apologies for causing concern in regard to the unwholesome affairs following the PyeongChang Olympics," Lee said in a video posted to YouTube.
"Over the past two years, I had time to look back (at myself). No matter what, I realized that I am the one to be blamed and who needs to repent," the 32-year-old said, adding that he will take care so as not to repeat the same mistakes.
The apology came after Lee's one-year suspension ended last month. The Korea Skating Union (KSU) delivered the penalty in July 2019, saying it had gathered sufficient testimonies from witnesses to conclude that Lee assaulted two younger teammates on multiple occasions.
Lee was accused of beating up on two teammates at a team hotel and a restaurant during international competitions in 2011, 2013 and 2016.
Lee is one of South Korea's most decorated Winter Olympic athletes, having captured two gold and three silver medals in four different events across three Winter Games.
The apology also came as the sports community is having a wake-up call over bullying and violence cases involving athletes.
In a reform bid, the National Assembly on Tuesday passed a revision to the National Sports Promotion Act, aimed at preventing bullying and violence by sports trainers and athletes following the apparent suicide of former Gyeongju triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon who was verbally and physically abused by a head coach and fellow triathletes.
An image of speed skating gold medalist Lee Seung-hoon, captured from a YouTube video on Aug. 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Uzbek nationals with COVID-19 attended religious gathering: health authorities

Local health authorities said movements of all coronavirus infected people who went to the service will be made public as @ @ @ @ @ response comes as four of the six infected people showed no symptoms , raising concerns @ @ @ @ @ as well .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Six Uzbek nationals infected with the coronavirus took part in a religious gathering attended by some 340 people, raising concerns of community spread, health authorities in North Chungcheong Province said Tuesday.
They were confirmed to have contracted the contagious disease in the last two days, after having attended an Islamic service held in Cheongju, 137 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday, local quarantine officials said.
Officials said that while attendees claimed to have worn protective masks throughout the gathering, testimonies have surfaced suggesting that milk and bread was served at the event.
"It is the understanding of health authorities that participants may not have abided by the two-meter social distancing rule and that they took off their masks while eating," a source said.
He said organizers for the Islamic service have been requested to provide the names of all people present, adding COVID-19 screening will be carried out on everyone there.
Local health authorities said movements of all coronavirus infected people who went to the service will be made public as a precautionary measure. The response comes as four of the six infected people showed no symptoms, raising concerns that others may be asymptomatic as well.
Besides those at the service, authorities have checked a handful of people who dined with the infected people on Saturday, with seven turning up negative so far.
South Korea reported 34 more cases of the new coronavirus Tuesday, health authorities said. The new cases -- 21 imported cases and 13 local infections -- raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 14,423, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Flood alerts issued along 3 North Korean rivers: N.K. media

An official at North Korea 's weather agency was quoted in the news report as saying that many parts of @ @ @ @ @ 40 millimeters of rain per hour from Monday night through Tuesday and Pyonggang County in @ @ @ @ @ rainfall of more than 100 mm .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea issued flood alerts in areas along three western rivers Tuesday as heavy rain continued to lash many parts of the country, a North Korean media report said.
The flood alerts were issued near the Taedong River, the Chongchon River and the Ryesong River for Thursday and Friday, according to the North's Korean Central Television.
All the three rivers empty into the Yellow Sea, with the Taedong running through the capital city of Pyongyang.
An official at North Korea's weather agency was quoted in the news report as saying that many parts of the country received up to 40 millimeters of rain per hour from Monday night through Tuesday and Pyonggang County in Gangwon Province experienced a cumulative rainfall of more than 100 mm.
As central North Korea comes under the influence of Typhoon No. 4, further torrential rains were forecast for the areas while the precipitation in inland Gangwon Province is predicted to be over 500 mm, he also said, referring to Typhoon Hagupit.
These photos, captured on Aug. 4, 2020, from a news report by the North's Korean Central Television, show a North Korean weather agency official and a map showing forecasts of heavy rains. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(3rd LD) Damage from heavy rain continues to grow in S. Korea, leaving 15 dead, 11 missing

More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes in the last four days , while some 7,192 hectares of @ @ @ @ @ as of 6 a.m. , according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with details in paras 2-7, 10-11)
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Damage from heavy rain in South Korea's central region earlier this week continued to grow, leaving 15 dead and 11 missing as of Tuesday.
More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes in the last four days, while some 7,192 hectares of farmland were swamped or buried as of 6 a.m., according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
Most recently, deaths were reported in Asan, Pyeongtaek and Gapyeong, all in the central Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces, as landslides engulfed a makeshift workplace and a mountainside accommodation.
A farmer examines the damage at an agricultural facility in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
A ginseng field is destroyed due to heavy rain in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
A man in his 50s, who went missing after falling into a manhole in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, was found dead. Two other men who were swept away by rushing water the day before were found dead.
Several other people were reported missing, including a man in his 60s who got swept away by water while driving a truck in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province.
A total of 1,072 people from 648 households were forced to leave their homes. More than half of them were in North Chungcheong Province, followed by residents of Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Seoul.
Property damage continued to snowball, with 2,085 private assets and 1,921 public facilities suffering damage from the downpour.
Jamsu Bridge, which links Seoul's southern and northern parts over the Han River, is partially submerged following heavy rain on Aug. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Jamsu Bridge, which links the southern and northern parts of Seoul over the Han River, is submerged on Aug. 4, 2020, following heavy rain. (Yonhap)
Around one-third of the damage was reported at houses, while damage was also reported at warehouses, agricultural plastic houses and cattle sheds, according to the government.
Public facilities, such as roads and bridges, railways and water reservoirs were also destroyed.
Authorities have completed restoration of roughly half of the damaged properties, with more than 41,000 police and fire authorities, as well as volunteers, mobilized.
But some roads and railways -- 40 roads and six railway routes, including the Chungbuk, Taebaek and Yeongdong lines -- remained suspended.
An official uses an excavator to restore a road covered by soil following a landside in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
In Seoul, most riverside roads that had entry restricted as water levels rose were back in operation, with the exception of Jamsu Bridge, which links the capitals' southern and northern parts over the Han River.
Trekking routes at 10 national parks, including Mount Bukhan, Taebaek and Songni, as well as 16 underpasses and 92 parking lots adjacent to streams and rivers, remained under restriction.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency response meeting on the heavy rain that has pounded the country's central reigion, at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Aug. 4, 2020, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In an emergency meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae, President Moon Jae-in urged relevant ministries to take preventive measures to the "extent that could be seen as excessive."
Moon asked officials to put their best efforts toward prevention of additional casualties by restricting access to dangerous areas and evacuating areas preemptively. He also reminded officials to pay attention to possible landslides, while controlling dams and reservoirs to prevent floods.
This photo, provided by Korea Rail Road Corp., shows company officials visiting Samtan Station on the Chungbuk Line in North Chungcheong Province on Aug. 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Weather forecasts, meanwhile, showed that the downpour is likely to continue for the next few days.
Around 100-300 mm of rain was expected in parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong provinces, with precipitation hitting 500 mm in some areas.
"Due to a lot of rain, damage has been reported in the central region, prompting streams and reservoirs to overflow, toppling embankments and submerging underpasses. Outdoor activities should be refrained from as more damage is expected from rain," the weather agency said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--'Robot umpire' system makes official debut in KBO minor league game

Overall , the robot umpire system `` may help enhance fairness ( of judgment ) if its correct decisions could @ @ @ @ @ when a decision between a ball or a strike is difficult to make , '' @ @ @ @ @ stipulation that his comments only represent his personal view .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- So-called robot umpires officially debuted in a Korea Baseball Organization minor league match Tuesday as the sports organization is preparing to use the system for the entire 2021 season.
The automated ball-strike system, simply known as robot umpires, was used for the first time, in a Futures League game between the Hanwha Eagles and LG Twins at LG Champions Park in Icheon, southeast of Seoul.
The debut came after the radar and camera-based ball-tracing system was installed at the baseball stadium, as well as at the Masan Baseball Stadium, and underwent tests for three minor games last week.
The robot umpires will call balls and strikes in a total of 26 minor league games this season to have their reliability and accuracy validated.
The home plate umpire calls a strike, aided by so-called robot umpires, during the Futures League game between the Hanwha Eagles and LG Twins at LG Champions Park in Icheon, southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 4, 2020.
Before the start of the match, chief umpire Jeong Eun-jae was seen using an earphone that is connected to the robot umpires via a smartphone. He received the call of ball or strike from the system and then gave a matching hand signal in his pre-match practice.
Besides the ball or strike calls, the other judgments are made by human umpires the same as before.
Though the system is colloquially called the robot umpire, or robo-ump, there is no actual robot standing behind the catcher.
A camera-based ball-tracking system will identify where a pitch ends up with the information going to the home plate umpire
The KBO has announced plans to use the automated system in the second tier Futures League for the entire 2021 season and apply it to the KBO's top league as early as 2022.
According to a KBO umpire who has tested the system during another game, the system went smoothly, except for some minor glitches.
"I was a little perplexed at the machine giving a strike call over what I saw as a ball," umpire Kim Seon-soo told Yonhap News Agency. But overall, there were only minor differences over his and the machine's decisions, he said.
The mobile application that transfers calls from the machine to the umpire's earphone also disconnected during the test match and on some occasions there was a delay in making calls, he added.
Overall, the robot umpire system "may help enhance fairness (of judgment) if its correct decisions could provide references to go to when a decision between a ball or a strike is difficult to make," he said, with the stipulation that his comments only represent his personal view.
KBO officials test a robot umpire system before the Futures League game between the Hanwha Eagles and LG Twins at LG Champions Park in Icheon, southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--KCDC becomes external agency responsible for infectious disease control

The move comes as the National Assembly passed revisions to the Government Organization Act earlier in the day , giving @ @ @ @ @ its personnel , structure and budget .
It will still be under the health ministry @ @ @ @ @ led by a vice minister-level official with considerable administrative authority .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) will become an external agency with expanded powers over the country's response to infectious illnesses, officials said Tuesday.
The move comes as the National Assembly passed revisions to the Government Organization Act earlier in the day, giving the KCDC independent powers over its personnel, structure and budget. It will still be under the health ministry, but it will be led by a vice minister-level official with considerable administrative authority.
"Under the change, the public health and safety agency will be the 'control tower' for all contagious outbreaks, giving it sway in times of health emergencies," an official source said.
The full change will go into effect one month after the revisions are officially proclaimed by the government.
The KCDC started to grow following the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak here in 2003, and became even more important as the country struggled with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic it has played a critical part in Seoul's fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Besides becoming a larger organization with greater responsibility, the agency will set up so-called disease response centers in major population areas that will allow it to detect potential outbreaks more quickly.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Hanmi exports drug candidate material technology to MSD

Hamni will get US $ 10 million as initial contract payment with additional fees to be secured with the development @ @ @ @ @ total value of the arrangement can reach $ 860 million , with the South Korean @ @ @ @ @ royalty payments from MSD if sales begin in earnest .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Hanmi Pharmaceutical said Tuesday that it has exported technology for a liver treatment drug material to leading global drugmaker Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD).
The deal is for the efinopegdutide (HM12525A) candidate material that has potential to be used on people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) conditions, a kind of liver inflammation and damage caused by excess fat in the organ.
The South Korean pharmaceutical firm said the contract is an exclusive licensing agreement for the development, manufacture and commercialization of efinopegdutide. It claimed findings from the latest phase 2 studies have provided compelling clinical evidence that the material can be used on people with NASH.
Hamni will get US$10 million as initial contract payment with additional fees to be secured with the development of the efinopegdutide. The total value of the arrangement can reach $860 million, with the South Korean company entitled to two digit royalty payments from MSD if sales begin in earnest.
The drugmaker, however, said that overall payment it can receive is contingent on regulatory permission and success of the drug if it reaches the market, so the total may be smaller than the present estimate.
Efinopegdutide was originally developed as an insulin secretion and obesity control, in cooperation with Janssen Pharmaceutica, a Belgian company owned by Johnson & Johnson. A deal to develop and market the drug was reached in late 2015, but shortfalls related to blood sugar level control issues caused the agreement to fall through.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical's main office in southeastern Seoul (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(LEAD) Nat'l Assembly overwhelmingly approves revisions to real estate regulation bills

(ATTN: UPDATES with more development in last 6 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly passed legislation on Tuesday that is meant to rein in speculative property transactions and increase taxation for multiple home owners.
The revisions of laws on the income tax, corporate tax and property ownership tax have been approved in a plenary session led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which dominates 176 seats out of the total 300 in the National Assembly.
The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), which has 103 seats, boycotted the voting session in protest against what they believed to be a lack of bipartisan discussion.
The move comes as the soaring property values have fueled public discontent toward the Moon Jae-in government despite its desperate efforts to make homes more affordable, especially in the capital Seoul.
The government announced measures to raise the property ownership tax for owners of multiple homes on July 10. On Tuesday, it unveiled a plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in the capital area over the next eight years in its latest action to cool a surge in prices.
The bills, a follow-up to the July 10 measures, would increase the tax burden for people with more than one house and those who are believed to engage in speculative home buying.
The revisions will raise the property ownership tax rate for owners of multiple homes from the current 0.6-3.2 percent to 1.2-6 percent, and it will also apply a maximum of 20 percent, from the current 10 percent, in corporate tax on companies that own multiple homes.
Under the change, owners who have more than one house in state-designated speculative areas will need to pay heavier transfer taxes. Those who sell a house within two years of purchase will also face heftier transfer tax.
Also purchase rights for apartment units will be considered the same as homeownership from January.
The local tax law has also been revised to calm the jittery property market by raising the property acquisition tax rate to a maximum of 12 percent from the current 3.5 percent for people who are given a house worth more than 300 million won (US$251,000) in state-designated speculative areas.
Countering the opposition protest that the revisions will increase tax burden, Rep. Park Hong-keun of the DP said during the plenary session that "only 0.99 percent of the entire public is subject to property ownership taxation."
UFP lawmaker Rep. Choo Kyung-ho accused the ruling party of ramming the bills through the assembly in a process "that can hardly be called democratic."
South Korean National Assembly holds a voting session for a set of revisions aimed at calming the local property market on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Unilaterally supported by the DP, a revision to the law concerning reports on real estate transactions also passed through the assembly. The revision will newly require information on a house lease contract, including its contractors, the amount of rental deposit or fees, as well as the lease period to be reported to concerned municipalities within 30 days of the deal. The new rule will go into effect on June 1 next year.
A set of three separate bills have also been approved, opening the way to accelerate the launch of a new investigative body targeting corruption by high-ranking government officials, tentatively named the Corruption Investigation Office For High-ranking Officials.
The revised laws legally paved the way to hold a parliamentary hearing on the confirmation of a nominee to head the new body.
Also passed during the session was a revision to the National Sports Promotion Act, aimed to prevent bullying and violence by sports trainers following the apparent suicide of former Gyeongju triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon who was verbally and physically abused by a head coach and triathletes.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Ministry to examine regulations to decide whether to reinvestigate diplomat in New Zealand sexual ab

Ministry to examine regulations to decide whether to reinvestigate diplomat in New Zealand sexual abuse case

The Seoul official denied such claims on Monday , stressing that the foreign ministry had proposed ways to cooperate with @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand within the scope of not waiving diplomatic immunity , such as allowing embassy @ @ @ @ @ probe in written interviews , but Wellington has refused .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry will look into related regulations before deciding whether to reinvestigate a senior diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a local embassy employee in New Zealand, an official said Tuesday.
On Monday, the ministry said it ordered the diplomat to return home immediately from his current post in the Philippines, as New Zealand has been pressuring South Korea to cooperate with a police investigation into the case.
When asked by reporters Tuesday whether the ministry plans to reinvestigate the diplomat, a ministry official said, "We need to look into regulations."
"He has been ordered to return, and should have to do so at an early date," the official added.
The New Zealander employee has accused the diplomat of groping parts of his body on three occasions in 2017. The case has drawn fresh attention after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue in a phone call with President Moon Jae-in last week.
The diplomat left Wellington in February 2018 and is now stationed in the Philippines.
Upon his return, the diplomat is expected to undergo a two-week mandatory self-isolation in line with South Korea's control measures against the coronavirus, according to a source close to the matter.
New Zealand has expressed disappointment that Seoul did not waive immunity so as to allow the investigation to proceed, according to news reports in New Zealand.
The Seoul official denied such claims on Monday, stressing that the foreign ministry had proposed ways to cooperate with the ongoing police investigation in New Zealand within the scope of not waiving diplomatic immunity, such as allowing embassy officials to comply with the probe in written interviews, but Wellington has refused.
New Zealand Ambassador Philip Turner arrives at the foreign ministry building in Seoul on Aug. 3, 2020, to discuss the case of a South Korean diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a New Zealander embassy employee while stationed in Wellington in 2017. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Moroccan-British contemporary artist Hassan Hajjaj to hold 1st Asian exhibition in Seoul

SEOUL , Aug. 4 ( Yonhap ) -- Five women dressed in hijabs and caftan dresses are seen with motorbikes @ @ @ @ @ Morocco .
Standing before the camera , they stare into the lens not as passive @ @ @ @ @ bravado-filled poses .

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Five women dressed in hijabs and caftan dresses are seen with motorbikes in the narrow streets of Morocco. Standing before the camera, they stare into the lens not as passive presences but with bold and bravado-filled poses.
In "Henna Angels," a 2010 photograph by Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj, the camera presents the women in bold and vibrant ways, applying the kind of shot-from-below compositions seen in fashion magazines or swag-rich hip-hop music videos.
This image provided by Barakat Contemporary on Aug. 4, 2020, shows Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj's 2010 photograph "Henna Angels." Hajjaj will hold his first Asian exhibition at the art gallery in central Seoul from Aug. 5-Sept. 27. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The piece, part of Hajjaj's "Kesh Angels" photography series, will be presented at the internationally renowned contemporary artist's first solo Asian exhibition, titled "A Taste of Things to Come," at the Barakat Contemporary in central Seoul from Wednesday to Sept. 27.
Hajjaj was born in 1961 in the northern Moroccan city of Larache and immigrated to Britain during his teenage years.
Self-taught and working principally in photography, he was influenced by his Moroccan and British identities to shape his art, often mixing rhythmic colors and patterns of North Africa with a cosmopolitan flare he acquired while growing up in London.
This image provided by Barakat Contemporary on Aug. 4, 2020, shows Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj's 2018 photography "Ghetto Gastro." Hajjaj will hold his first Asian exhibition at the art gallery in central Seoul from Aug. 5-Sept. 27. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Hajjaj's numerous solo and group exhibitions include those at London's Hayward Gallery, the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He has also worked with pop singers Madonna, Cardi B and Billie Eilish for magazine photo shoots.
Some of Hajjaj's leading photography series -—including "My Rockstars," Kesh Angels," "Dakka Marrakchia" and "Legs" —- are presented along with the 26-minute-long multi-frame video piece "My Rockstars Experimental Vol. 2."
At an instant glance, Hajjaj's works exude mesmeric qualities, drawing the viewer into photos that mix rhythmic North African-themed colors with luxury brand logos such as Louis Vuitton.
This image provided by Barakat Contemporary on Aug. 4, 2020, shows Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj's 2012 photograph "Che Lovelace." Hajjaj will hold his first Asian exhibition at the art gallery in central Seoul from Aug. 5-Sept. 27. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Even the portraits themselves are surrounded with unique frames created with everyday commercial goods from Morocco, including drinks, cans of food, toys, recycled tires and matchboxes.
Rather than being mere decorations, the frames are reinterpretations of Morocco's traditional mosaic patterns and tiles from Hajjaj's perspective, adding a layer of expression in representing his artistic vision that meshes traditional North African visual elements with cosmopolitan and capitalistic traits.
In addition to his photographs, the artist's boutique in Morocco is recreated at the exhibition, offering a chance to see the full range of Hajjaj's artistic vision spanning the fields of fashion, design, art and commerce.
For the exhibition, the gallery's walls and floor were also covered with wallpaper in patterns of camels and traffic signposts seen in Morocco.
"The gallery space itself will provide an utterly new kind of spatial and temporal experience, like stepping into one of Hajjaj's works," Kim Min-jung, a curator at Barakat Contemporary, said.
This image provided by Barakat Contemporary on Aug. 4, 2020, shows Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj's 2013 photograph "Blaize." Hajjaj will hold his first Asian exhibition at the art gallery in central Seoul from Aug. 5-Sept. 27. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Foreigners caught escaping from designated quarantine facilities

The 39-year-old Vietnamese man , who entered the hotel on July 23 to self-quarantine for two weeks under Korean law @ @ @ @ @ the facility without permission by using a descending life line from his room on the @ @ @ @ @ was caught using the emergency fire device on a surveillance camera but monitoring staff failed @ @ @ @ @ police said .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Two unlawful defection attempts were reported at a government-designated coronavirus quarantine facility for foreigners in Incheon, west of Seoul, in less than 20 days, police said Tuesday, despite authorities' repeated pledges to heighten supervision of arrivals from abroad.
According to police, a Vietnamese national escaped from an Incheon hotel designated by the health ministry as a temporary foreign quarantine accommodation around 4 a.m. Monday before being detained in Seoul eight hours later.
The 39-year-old Vietnamese man, who entered the hotel on July 23 to self-quarantine for two weeks under Korean law, was accused of leaving the facility without permission by using a descending life line from his room on the fifth floor. The man was caught using the emergency fire device on a surveillance camera but monitoring staff failed to detect his escape, police said.
This file photo shows arrivals from overseas undergoing quarantine procedures at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
On July 21, an American man in his 20s was detained by police after escaping from the same hotel and is now awaiting deportation. The man was found to have left the facility through an unmonitored emergency exit and bought cigarettes at a convenience store about 100 meters away.
Following the repeated escape attempts, Incheon police have increased the number of patrol officers tasked with monitoring the hotel by six to 33, who are on duty 24 hours a day in three shifts.
Under the quarantine measures that took effect in early April, all entrants from overseas -- both Koreans and foreigners -- are obliged to self-quarantine at their residences or government-designated facilities for 14 days. Violators of the self-quarantine rules are fined and deported.
In late July, three Vietnamese nationals were arrested after escaping from a COVID-19 quarantine facility in Gimpo, west of Seoul.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- South Korea on Tuesday unveiled an unprecedented plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in Seoul and adjacent @ @ @ @ @ years in its latest struggle to contain a further rise in housing prices , which @ @ @ @ @ Moon Jae-in administration 's approval ratings .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
-----------------
(3rd LD) Japanese company to appeal S. Korean court decision on asset seizure: reports
SEOUL/TOKYO -- A Japanese company plans to appeal a South Korean court decision on the seizure of its assets here to compensate victims of wartime forced labor, reports said Tuesday, a move that would defer the judicial process feared to worsen tensions between the two countries.
Nippon Steel Corp. will file an appeal immediately, as a branch of the Daegu District Court has become able to kick off the procedure to liquidate some of its stake in PNR, a joint venture established with Korea's top steelmaker, POSCO, according to Japan's Kyodo News and NHK.
-----------------
(2nd D) New virus cases again over 30, imported cases still on high plateau
SEOUL -- South Korea reported 34 more cases of the new coronavirus Tuesday, with the number of imported cases almost twice that of local infections, health authorities said.
The new cases -- 21 imported cases and 13 local infections -- raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 14,423, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
-----------------
(2nd LD) Damage from heavy rain continues to grow in S. Korea, leaving 13 dead, 13 missing
SEOUL -- Damage from heavy rain that pounded the country's central region earlier this week continued to grow, leaving 13 dead and 13 missing as of Tuesday.
More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes, while some 5,751 hectares of farm land were swamped or buried as of 6 a.m., according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
-----------------
(News Focus) Seoul's last-ditch home supply plan still in doubt over its viability
SEOUL -- South Korea on Tuesday unveiled an unprecedented plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in Seoul and adjacent areas over the next eight years in its latest struggle to contain a further rise in housing prices, which have even dragged down the Moon Jae-in administration's approval ratings.
But the plan's viability is being questioned by experts over its effectiveness as ample liquidity caused by rock-bottom borrowing costs can't find a place to park and the project will take a long time to be completed.
-----------------
(3rd LD) S. Korea to add 132,000 housing units in greater Seoul area to stabilize home prices
SEOUL -- South Korea plans to supply 132,000 housing units in Seoul and its neighboring area, in the latest effort to stabilize home prices and ease fears of shortages, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Tuesday.
The government will ease some construction rules, allowing redevelopment projects of aging apartment buildings to increase their floor area ratio to up to 500 percent to build more homes, Hong said.
-----------------
(LEAD) 4 pct of remdesivir-administered patients in S. Korea show abnormal response
SEOUL -- Four out of 106 novel coronavirus patients in South Korea have shown abnormal responses after being administered with remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola, health authorities here said Tuesday.
The medication developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences Inc. has been supplied to 108 COVID-19 patients in critical condition since early July, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
-----------------
Private detective businesses permitted beginning this week
SEOUL -- Private detective businesses will be officially permitted in South Korea, beginning later this week, following the parliamentary passage of a relevant legal revision early this year, the nation's police agency said Tuesday.
A revision of the Credit Information Use and Protection Act is to take effect on Wednesday, removing the ban on the use of the term "private investigator," called "tamjeong" in Korean, in business or personal titles, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).
-----------------
S. Korea identifies 22 virus cases among arrivals from high-risk nations
SEOUL -- South Korea said Tuesday it has identified more than 20 new coronavirus cases among arrivals from six designated high-risk nations since requiring all foreigners from the countries to hand in virus-free certificates beginning last month.
A total of 22 infections were identified among the arrivals from the high-risk nations from July 13 through Monday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Eighteen of them were found at the screening checkpoint.
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Seoul to donate coins collected from Cheonggye Stream

`` We are proud the lucky coins harboring the hopes and wishes of Cheonggye Stream visitors will be used as @ @ @ @ @ funds for children , '' said Jo Sung-il , chief executive of Seoul Facilities Corp. @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Coins tossed by visitors into a wishing well at Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul last year will be donated to a scholarship foundation and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), officials said Tuesday.
The Seoul metropolitan government said it will deliver 27 million won (US$22,613) raised from the artificial stream to the city-funded Seoul Scholarship Foundation to help high school students in need.
A total of 19,000 foreign coins collected will also be given to the Korean Committee for the UNICEF to support children in developing countries suffering from water shortages, it said.
"We are proud the lucky coins harboring the hopes and wishes of Cheonggye Stream visitors will be used as scholarships for teenagers and relief funds for children," said Jo Sung-il, chief executive of Seoul Facilities Corp., which manages the stream.
Tossing coins into the well has been a popular activity among visitors since the stream was restored in 2005.
The city has since donated about 407 million won and 361,000 foreign coins collected from the wishing well to domestic and international charity organizations.
This photo, provided by the Seoul metropolitan government, shows coins tossed into a wishing well at Cheonggye Stream in the capital. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(3rd LD) Japanese company to appeal S. Korean court decision on asset seizure: reports

The appeal is expected to allow the company to buy time before the forced sale of its assets , which @ @ @ @ @ stage for sharper confrontation between the countries whose ties have already been frayed over trade @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 11-14)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL/TOKYO, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- A Japanese company plans to appeal a South Korean court decision on the seizure of its assets here to compensate victims of wartime forced labor, reports said Tuesday, a move that would defer the judicial process feared to worsen tensions between the two countries.
Nippon Steel Corp. will file an appeal immediately, as a branch of the Daegu District Court has become able to kick off the procedure to liquidate some of its stake in PNR, a joint venture established with Korea's top steelmaker, POSCO, according to Japan's Kyodo News and NHK.
This photo, released by Kyodo News, shows the headquarters of Nippon Steel Corp. in Tokyo. (Yonhap)
The appeal is expected to allow the company to buy time before the forced sale of its assets, which observers said would set the stage for sharper confrontation between the countries whose ties have already been frayed over trade and other colonial-era issues.
Nippon Steel has until the end of Sunday to file the appeal before last year's court decision on the asset seizure is finalized.
The assets subject to sales are the 30 percent stake held by Nippon Steel in PNR -- worth about 400 million won (US$335,000) by face value.
Tokyo has rejected the compensation calls, arguing the forced labor issue was already settled under a bilateral 1965 treaty that normalized the two countries' ties after Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Japan has indicated that it would take retaliatory steps -- on top of its export curbs -- should the court decision be executed. The steps could include higher tariffs, financial sanctions, temporary recall of Japan's top envoy in Seoul and visa restrictions, observers said.
"In close cooperation with the relevant company, we would like to continue to undauntedly respond with all options in our sight from the standpoint of protecting rightful economic activities of Japanese enterprises," Tokyo's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
The South Korean government has refused to step into the fray, reiterating that it honors the court decision in line with a constitutional principle that guarantees the separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers.
But it has been bracing for the possibility of Japan's retaliatory measures. As a tit-for-tat move, Seoul could reactivate its suspended decision to end a military intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo, called the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), analysts said.
Kim In-chul, the spokesman for the foreign ministry here, reiterated that Seoul can terminate GSOMIA at any time.
"On Nov. 22 last year, our government suspended its decision to end GSOMIA on the premise that it can end the pact anytime," he told a regular press briefing. "The concept of extending the pact every year no longer applies now."
Kim was responding to a reporter's question of whether Seoul should notify Tokyo of its intent to end GSOMIA later this month if it wants to do so.
The 2016 pact stipulates that such a notice for terminating the pact should come three months before Nov. 23 -- the date when the deal was sealed. Otherwise, the pact is automatically renewed.
The asset seizure decision is based on the Korean Supreme Court's ruling in 2018 that ordered Nippon Steel to pay four forced labor victims 100 million won each to make reparations for their suffering.
The plaintiffs later asked the district court to seize the company's shares. The court granted the request in January last year and sent a notice of the seizure decision to Tokyo to formally deliver it to the company, but Tokyo refused to accept the document.
In June, the court published the notice on its website for a legal procedure, which is taken when such notices are unable to be delivered. As the two-month public notification has ended, the court can proceed with the procedure toward the sale of the company's assets unless the Japanese company files an appeal.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--Nat'l Assembly overwhelmingly approves revisions to real estate regulation bills

The government announced measures to raise the property ownership tax for owners of multiple homes on July 10 .
On @ @ @ @ @ plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in the capital area over the next eight @ @ @ @ @ to cool a surge in prices .

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly passed legislation on Tuesday that is meant to rein in speculative property transactions and increase taxation for multiple home owners.
The revisions of laws on the income tax, corporate tax and property ownership tax have been approved in a plenary session led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which dominates 176 seats out of the total 300 in the National Assembly.
The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), which has 103 seats, boycotted the voting session in protest against what they believed to be a lack of bipartisan discussion.
The move comes as the soaring property values have fueled public discontent toward the Moon Jae-in government despite its desperate efforts to make homes more affordable, especially in the capital Seoul.
The government announced measures to raise the property ownership tax for owners of multiple homes on July 10. On Tuesday, it unveiled a plan to supply more than 130,000 homes in the capital area over the next eight years in its latest action to cool a surge in prices.
The bills, a follow-up to the July 10 measures, would increase the tax burden for people with more than one house and those who are believed to engage in speculative home buying.
The revisions will raise the property ownership tax rate for owners of multiple homes from the current 0.6-3.2 percent to 1.2-6 percent, and it will also apply a maximum of 20 percent, from the current 10 percent, in corporate tax on companies that own multiple homes.
Under the change, owners who have more than one house in state-designated speculative areas will need to pay heavier transfer taxes. Those who sell a house within two years of purchase will also face heftier transfer tax.
Also purchase rights for apartment units will be considered the same as homeownership from January.
The local tax law has also been revised to calm the jittery property market by raising the property acquisition tax rate to a maximum of 12 percent from the current 3.5 percent for people who are given a house worth more than 300 million won (US$251,000) in state-designated speculative areas.
South Korean National Assembly holds a voting session for a set of revisions aimed at calming the local property market on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--K League mulling rescheduling regular season games for upcoming Asian football tournaments

Under the 2020 season calendar , which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic , 12 K League 1 clubs @ @ @ @ @ round of five games in October after completing the first-phase 22 matches .
They will @ @ @ @ @ , Final A and Final B , to decide the eventual rankings of the season @

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean football league said Tuesday that it is considering adjusting its 2020 regular season fixtures to avoid an overlap with Asia's top club football tournament in October.
"We're taking into account plans to hold final round matches of K League 1 in October before and after the Asian Champions League schedule," said the Korea Professional Football League (K League).
According to an announcement by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the remaining Group G and Group H matches for the AFC Champions League will take place from Oct. 17-Nov. 1 in Malaysia.
Two K League 1 clubs, the Suwon Samsung Bluewings and the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, are in Group G and in Group H, respectively.
Game schedules for Group E and Group F, to which FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai belong, respectively, have not been fixed yet, but they are expected to be held in October-November.
Under the 2020 season calendar, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 12 K League 1 clubs will go into the final round of five games in October after completing the first-phase 22 matches. They will be divided into two groups, Final A and Final B, to decide the eventual rankings of the season.
The K League said it has plans to hold two of the five final-round matches on weekdays in August and September, and the remaining three after the Asian Championship competition schedules.
Moreover, as the four K League clubs traveling to Malaysia for the AFC Champions League will have to be quarantined for 14 days upon returning home, the league schedule might be extended to December.
This file photo, from Feb. 19, 2020, shows mask-wearing fans attending an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League match between the home team Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Vissel Kobe at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(2nd LD) Damage from heavy rain continues to grow in S. Korea, leaving 13 dead, 13 missing

More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes , while some 5,751 hectares of farm land were swamped or @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from presidential meeting in paras 14-16, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- Damage from heavy rain that pounded the country's central region earlier this week continued to grow, leaving 13 dead and 13 missing as of Tuesday.
More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes, while some 5,751 hectares of farm land were swamped or buried as of 6 a.m., according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
Most recently, six deaths were reported in Pyeongtaek and Gapyeong, both in Gyeonggi Province, as landslides engulfed a makeshift workplace and a mountainside accommodation.
A farmer examines the damage at an agricultural facility in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
A ginseng field is destroyed due to heavy rain in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
A man in his 50s, who went missing after falling into a manhole in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, was found dead.
Six people were reported missing, including a man in his 60s who got swept away by water while driving a truck in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province.
A total of 1,025 people from 629 households fled their homes. More than half of them were in North Chungcheong Province, followed by 391 in Gyeonggi, 70 in Gangwon and nine in Seoul.
Property damage continued to snowball, with 1,483 private assets and 1,475 public facilities suffering damage from the downpour.
Jamsu Bridge, which links Seoul's southern and northern parts over the Han River, is partially submerged following heavy rain on Aug. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Jamsu Bridge, which links the southern and northern parts of Seoul over the Han River, is submerged on Aug. 4, 2020, following heavy rain. (Yonhap)
Around one-third of the damage was reported at houses, while damage was also reported at warehouses, agricultural plastic houses and cattle sheds, according to the government.
Public facilities, such as roads and bridges, railways and water reservoirs were also destroyed.
Authorities completed restoring more than half of the damaged properties, with more than 25,000 police and fire authorities as well as volunteers mobilized.
But some roads and railways -- 44 roads and six railway routes, including the Chungbuk, Taebaek and Yeongdong lines -- remained suspended.
An official uses an excavator to restore a road covered by soil following a landside in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
In Seoul, most riverside roads that had entry restricted as water levels rose were back in operation, with the exception of Jamsu Bridge, which links the capitals' southern and northern parts over the Han River.
Trekking routes at 10 national parks, including Mount Bukhan, Taebaek and Songni, as well as 16 underpasses and 92 parking lots adjacent to streams and rivers, remained under restriction.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency response meeting on the heavy rain that has pounded the country's central reigion, at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Aug. 4, 2020, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In an emergency meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae, President Moon Jae-in urged relevant ministries to take preventive measures to the "extent that could be seen as excessive."
Moon asked officials to put their best efforts toward prevention of additional casualties by restricting access to dangerous areas and evacuating areas preemptively. He also reminded officials to pay attention to possible landslides, while controlling dams and reservoirs to prevent floods.
This photo, provided by Korea Rail Road Corp., shows company officials visiting Samtan Station on the Chungbuk Line in North Chungcheong Province on Aug. 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Weather forecasts, meanwhile, showed that the downpour is likely to continue for the next few days.
Around 100-300 mm of rain was expected in parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong provinces, with precipitation hitting 500 mm in some areas.
"Due to a lot of rain, damage has been reported in the central region, prompting streams and reservoirs to overflow, toppling embankments and submerging underpasses. Outdoor activities should be refrained from as more damage is expected from rain," the weather agency said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--(LEAD) Seoul stocks almost hit 2-year high on economic rebound hopes

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index ( KOSPI ) jumped 28.93 points , or 1.29 percent , to close @ @ @ @ @ touching the year 's high of 2,284.66 points .
The closing marks the highest since @ @ @ @ @ , 2018 .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares rallied Tuesday, nearly hitting a two-year high, as signs of economic recovery improved investor sentiment. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 28.93 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,279.97, after briefly touching the year's high of 2,284.66 points. The closing marks the highest since 2,309.57 points on Oct. 2, 2018.
Trading volume was moderate at about 713 million shares worth some 15.1 trillion won (US$12.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 677 to 171.
Foreigners sold a net 58 billion won, extending their selling streak to a third consecutive session. Retail investors purchased a net 185 billion won, while institutions offloaded a net 149 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,279.97 on Aug. 4, 2020, up 28.93 points or 1.29 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Estimate-beating July manufacturing data in the United States, China and Europe raised hopes for a global economic rebound, despite the resurgence of new coronavirus outbreaks.
The U.S. manufacturing index by the Institute for Supply Management rose to 54.2 in July, up from 52.6 in June. A reading above 50 marks expansion.
China's Caixin Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) stood at 52.8 over the cited period, with an advance in key manufacturing indices in Europe as well.
"Investor sentiment was boosted by upbeat manufacturing data in both the U.S. and China," Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities Co., said.
In Seoul, most large caps closed in positive terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.88 percent to 57,300 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slipped 0.24 percent to 81,600 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem rose 1.1 percent to 642,000 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor surged 4.33 percent to 132,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors advancing 3.65 percent to 41,150 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics slid 0.14 percent to 735,000 won, but Celltrion advanced 1 percent to 302,000 won.
Internet giant Naver retreated 1.11 percent to 311,000 won, while its rival Kakao added 1.09 percent to 370,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,194.10 won per dollar, down 0.70 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 0.3 basis point to 0.802 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond jumped 1.5 basis points to 1.055 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-04--S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 4, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 4, 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--2020-08-05--Doosan Bobcat produces small excavators in China

Doosan Bobcat has produced 1- and 2-ton excavators at its plant in the Chinese southeastern city of Suzhou to immediately @ @ @ @ @ of bringing excavators into the country from its Czech plant , the company said .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Construction equipment maker Doosan Bobcat Co. said Wednesday that it has mass-produced small-sized excavators in China to expand its presence in the Chinese market.
Doosan Bobcat has produced 1- and 2-ton excavators at its plant in the Chinese southeastern city of Suzhou to immediately response to market demand instead of bringing excavators into the country from its Czech plant, the company said.
The local production of excavators in China will help increase its market share to the 10 percent range within three years from the current 5 percent, Doosan Bobcat said.
This photo, provided by Doosan Bobcat Co., shows the E17 excavator, one of its small-sized excavators being produced at its plant in the Chinese southeastern city of Suzhou. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Doosan Bobcat plans to expand the sales of excavators produced in China to emerging markets, like Southeastern Asian countries and Oceania, it said.
Sales of under 3-ton excavators in China reach 7,000 units annually, growing approximately 80 percent on average annually between 2016 and 2019, Doosan Bobcat said.
In addition, Doosan Bobcat started selling small-sized loaders in 2017 and producing them in China last year, it said.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--S. Korea calls on N.K to cooperate in giving notification of release of dam water

`` Even if inter-Korean relations turn sour politically and militarily , we look forward to cooperation at its elementary form @ @ @ @ @ disasters , as it is a nonpolitical and humanitarian issue , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ impact on the lives of North and South Korean residents . ''

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry on Wednesday urged North Korea to cooperate in sharing information on natural disasters, days after the communist country discharged water from a border dam without prior notice in violation of an inter-Korean agreement.
On Monday, the North partially opened the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam on the western inter-Korean border and sent water into the Imjin River, a move that put authorities here on alert against a potential rise in water levels in the South.
"The water level at Pilseung Bridge rose twice last night and exceeded 5 meters," Yoh Sang-key, the ministry's spokesperson, said in a regular press briefing.
"Even if inter-Korean relations turn sour politically and militarily, we look forward to cooperation at its elementary form by exchanging information on natural disasters, as it is a nonpolitical and humanitarian issue," he said. "It has a direct impact on the lives of North and South Korean residents."
"Neighboring countries around the world also cooperate by exchanging information on disasters. We, as one nation, have no reason not to," he added.
Under an agreement signed between the two Koreas in October 2009, the North agreed to notify the South in advance of its plans to open the floodgates, following a deadly accident that killed six South Koreans after the North discharged water from Hwanggang Dam without notice.
This file photo shows the Pilseung Bridge in the upper region of the Imjin River. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Imported car sales rise 1.7 pct in July amid pandemic

Last July , Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of @ @ @ @ @ August , it removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea rose 1.7 percent in July from a year earlier on strong sales of German vehicles, an industry association said Wednesday.
The number of newly registered foreign vehicles rose to 19,778 units last month from 19,453 a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) said in a statement.
The three bestselling models were Mercedes-Benz's E300 4MATIC sedan, Volkswagen's Tiguan 2.0 TDI sport utility vehicle and Mercedes-Benz's E250 sedan, the statement said.
Imported brands accounted for 15.04 percent of South Korea's passenger vehicle market in June, down from 15.68 percent a year ago. Their market share for July will be available in September, KAIDA said.
German brands -- Audi-Volkswagen Korea, BMW Group Korea and Mercedes-Benz Korea -- sold a combined 13,413 vehicles last month, up 12 percent from 12,006 a year ago.
Japanese carmakers continued to struggle despite aggressive marketing over a protracted trade spat between South Korea and Japan.
Their combined sales declined 40 percent to 1,614 units last month from 2,674 a year ago, the statement said.
Five Japanese brands are available in the Korean passenger vehicle market -- Toyota Motor Corp. and its luxury brand Lexus; Honda Motor Co.; and Nissan Motor Co. and its premium brand Infiniti.
In June, Nissan announced it will withdraw its operations from South Korea by December, as it is hard to regain sustainable growth here due to the worsening business environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Japanese carmaker plans to pull the Nissan and premium Infiniti brands out of South Korea as part of its global business reorganization.
Last July, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of semiconductors and displays. In August, it removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in trade procedures.
South Korea views the moves as retaliation against 2018 Supreme Court rulings here ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
From January to July, foreign carmakers sold a total of 148,014 autos, up 15 percent from 128,767 in the same period of last year, KAIDA said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Celebrities provide donations to help heavy rain victims

Actor Park Seo-joon , star of the hit TV drama `` Itaewon Class '' and also known for his cameo @ @ @ @ @ `` Parasite , '' has donated 100 million won ( US $ 83,927 ) to @ @ @ @ @ by the Korea Disaster Relief Association , according to the association Tuesday .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Top actors and celebrities in South Korea have offered hefty donations to assist victims of the recent heavy rain that has left 15 dead and nearly 1,600 people forced out of their homes.
Actor Park Seo-joon, star of the hit TV drama "Itaewon Class" and also known for his cameo appearance in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," has donated 100 million won (US$83,927) to an emergency relief fund operated by the Korea Disaster Relief Association, according to the association Tuesday.
This file photo shows actor Park Seo-joon posing for photos during the opening ceremony of the Asiana International Short Film Festival in Seoul on Oct. 31, 2019. (Yonhap)
Star comedian-emcee Yoo Jae-suk of MBC TV's weekend variety program "Hangout with Yoo" has also donated 100 million won, while actor Song Joong-ki, actress Yoo In-na, singers Jang Yoon-jeong and Kim Jong-kook, and TV personality Jang Sung-kyu each offered 50 million won to the fund, according to the association.
Reports of damaged properties continued to rise, with damage reported at 4,281 private and public facilities across the country as of Wednesday morning.
Some 1,300 houses were submerged or buried, while damage was also reported at 705 warehouses and cattle sheds. The death toll is also feared to rise, with 11 people still missing from flash floods and landslides.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun ordered the Ministry of Interior and Safety to swiftly review a proposal to declare the heavily affected Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces as special disaster zones.
This file photo shows South Korean comedian Yoo Jae-suk posing for photos during a publicity event for the variety TV show "Busted!" in Seoul on Nov. 8, 2019. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--(LEAD) New virus cases over 30 for 2nd day as imported, local infections rise

Of the imported cases , 11 were South Koreans and seven foreigners .
Six of them tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ at either an airport or a seaport , while 12 others were confirmed to have @ @ @ @ @ , according to the public health agency .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 5, 7, 9, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 33 more cases of the new coronavirus Wednesday due to a continued rise in local infections coming in from overseas and locally transmitted cases.
The new cases, including 18 imported cases, raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 14,456, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The number of new COVID-19 cases had been in the 30s since Friday, when South Korea reported 36 new virus cases. The number briefly fell to 23 on Monday.
Foreigners wait to take COVID-19 virus tests at a clinic in Cheongju, 137 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the local infections, six were reported from central North Chungcheong Province. The virus cases are believed to be tied to a religious gathering in Cheongju, 137 kilometers south of Seoul.
Some 340 people, mainly foreign nationals, are believed to have attended an Islamic service on Friday. Six Uzbeks were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after attending the gathering.
Seoul reported five more cases, followed by Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital city with two, the KCDC said.
As of noon Tuesday, a total of 12 cases have been traced to a coffee shop and a restaurant, both of them located in southern Seoul, up two from a day earlier, the authorities said.
Of the imported cases, 11 were South Koreans and seven foreigners. Six of them tested positive for the virus in the screening process at either an airport or a seaport, while 12 others were confirmed to have the virus while under self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
This undated file photo shows medical workers in protective masks. (Yonhap)
The daily number of imported cases has increased by a double-digit number for 41 consecutive days.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 2,500 in South Korea.
The country reported one more additional death, with the death toll standing at 302, according to the KCDC.
The KCDC said South Korea's fatality rate of people infected with the virus was 2.09 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,352, up 72 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,598,187 tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Ssangyong Cement Industry Q2 net profit down 6 pct. to 53.7 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the April-June period rose 7.5 percent on-year to 90.7 @ @ @ @ @ 9.2 percent to 385.2 billion won .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Cement Industry Co. on Wednesday reported its second-quarter net profit of 53.7 billion won (US$ 45.1 million), down 6 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the April-June period rose 7.5 percent on-year to 90.7 billion won. Revenue decreased 9.2 percent to 385.2 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Seoul stocks trade higher late Wednesday morning

But the gain was limited , as some investors also cashed in recent profits .
The main bourse closed at @ @ @ @ @ two years in the previous session .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded higher late Wednesday morning as investors continued to bet on anticipated economic stimulus moves by Washington and the falling number of new coronavirus patients in the United States.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 14.83 points, or 0.65 percent, to 2,294.80 as of 11:20 a.m.
But the gain was limited, as some investors also cashed in recent profits. The main bourse closed at the highest level in nearly two years in the previous session.
Top market cap Samsung Electronics slid 1.4 percent, as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of its announcement of new mobile devices. No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix lost 1.23 percent.
Chemical firms gathered ground, with LG Chem rising 3.89 percent. Oil refiner SK Innovation jumped 9.09 percent.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical shot up to the daily permissible limit of 29.91 percent. Samsung Biologics climbed 5.17 percent, and Celltrion added 2.32 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,190.60 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.50 won from the previous session's close.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--(LEAD) Gov't to push forward home supply plan: finance minister

`` With the presale price cap for newly built apartments and the system to retrieve excessive gains from the reconstruction @ @ @ @ @ , residents do not want SH and LH take the lead in their apartment reconstruction @ @ @ @ @ returns , '' Kwon Dae-jung , a professor in the department of real estate at @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd photo and Seoul city official's explanation in paras 5-8, background in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will push forward its latest housing supply plan in greater Seoul area as scheduled despite simmering discord with the Seoul city government, the finance minister said Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the government announced it will supply 132,000 housing units in Seoul and its neighboring areas by 2028 by easing regulations for reconstruction of aged apartments, which centers on allowing up to 50 floors for redeveloped residential buildings, in its latest efforts to curb rising home prices.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki delivers a speech in a meeting with officials in charge of real estate policies at Government Complex Seoul on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
In a briefing held after the release of the government's supply plan, however, the Seoul city government said it will stick to its basic urban plan that restricts apartment buildings to a maximum of 35 floors.
"The Seoul city government didn't oppose the (central government's) plan to supply more homes, and it asked for amendments in the current rules involving the private-sector reconstruction projects," Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said in a meeting with officials in charge of real estate policies in Seoul.
As for the minister's comments, a Seoul city official said that the city government called on the central government to ease regulations on rebuilding apartments in the greater Seoul area in exchange for providing some public homes.
Associations of residents in apartment complexes awaiting to be reconstructed want the government to ease regulations on their apartments' reconstruction. Such associations are regarded as business entities seeking gains from reconstruction of apartment complexes.
But the government's latest home supply plan will allow state-run companies such as the Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH) and the Seoul Housing & Communities Corp. (SH) to become the operator of apartment rebuilding projects to supply more public homes to the underprivileged.
The projects led by SH and LH are not welcomed by the associations because they do not bring expected gains from the reconstruction of their apartments.
"The government will cooperate with the Seoul city government and representatives of apartment reconstruction projects to push ahead with the home supply plan," Hong said.
This photo taken July 15, 2020, shows high-rise apartment buildings in the southeastern Seoul ward of Songpa as seen from an observatory at Lotte World Tower, also in Songpa. Songpa is regarded as one of the four southern Seoul wards where housing prices are higher compared with other areas of the capital. (Yonhap)
The measures follow dozens of previous ones released under the Moon Jae-in administration in the past three years to stabilize the real estate market. But the past measures fell short of having brought rising housing prices under control.
Experts said the new supply plan won't have an immediate effect on the market as it will take at least three to five years before the proposed homes will be ready for the people in need.
They said it will be possible to provide more public homes through redevelopment of areas with smaller residences, instead of reconstructing existing apartment complexes.
"With the presale price cap for newly built apartments and the system to retrieve excessive gains from the reconstruction already a headache for them, residents do not want SH and LH take the lead in their apartment reconstruction projects due to lack of returns," Kwon Dae-jung, a professor in the department of real estate at Myungji University, said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--S. Korea finalizes smallest-ever increase in minimum wage amid pandemic slowdown

The labor unions had a chance to object to the commission 's decision by last Thursday .
But they did @ @ @ @ @ push for a comprehensive reform of the minimum wage system .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government on Wednesday announced next year's minimum wage of 8,720 won (US$7.32) per hour, up 1.5 percent from this year. The increase will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor made a public notice of the new minimum wage set by the Minimum Wage Commission on July 14.
It marks the smallest-ever increase since the system was introduced in 1988, as the nation is struggling with an economic slowdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The next lowest hike was 2.7 percent in 1998, when the nation was hit by the Asian financial crisis.
The minimum wage will uniformly apply to all workplaces regardless of types. The new rate translates into 1,822,480 won for employees who work for 40 hours per week.
Labor commissioners had initially demanded a 16.4 percent increase to 10,000 won, while those representing employers had sought a 2.1 percent cut to 8,410 won.
The rate was finally set at 1.5 percent, proposed by members representing public interests.
The labor unions had a chance to object to the commission's decision by last Thursday. But they did not appeal, opting to push for a comprehensive reform of the minimum wage system.
Park Joon-shik, chief of the Minimum Wage Commission, exits a press conference at the government complex in Sejong, central South Korea, on July 14, 2020, after announcing the panel's decision to increase next year's minimum hourly wage by 1.5 percent year-on-year to 8,720 won. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--POSCO, Hyundai Steel to cut steel output over coronavirus

Al Remeithi , chairman of the worldsteel economics committee , said he expects steel demand to decline significantly in most @ @ @ @ @ second quarter , noting customers have been hit by a general freeze in consumption , @ @ @ @ @ supply chains .

By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- POSCO, the world's fifth-biggest steelmaker by output, and other local steel mills plan to cut their crude steel production due to a sharp decline in global steel demand over the coronavirus pandemic, company officials said Wednesday.
Earlier this year, POSCO had planned to produce 36.7 million tons of crude steel in 2020, but it revised down its estimates of output to 35.3 million tons.
"The revision came due to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic," as demand from key clients -- automakers, construction companies and shipbuilders -- declined due to the virus, he said.
The flag of South Korean steelmaker POSCO (Yonhap)
Last year, POSCO produced 38 million tons of crude steel, a slight hike from its initial target of 37.5 million tons.
Hyundai Steel Co., South Korea's second-biggest steelmaker by output, also plans to flexibly adjust its output this year if economic recovery is delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, an official at Hyundai Steel said.
Hyundai Steel, a key affiliate of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group, produced 9.8 million tons in the first half of this year, compared with its annual target of 21 million tons in 2020.
The World Steel Association said in June that major steel-using sectors in South Korea are expected to see a double-digit decline due to falling export markets and a weak domestic economy.
The association also forecast that global steel demand will contract by 6.4 percent to 1,654 million tons due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The nonprofit organization, whose members represent around 85 percent of global steel production, said it expects global steel demand to recover to 1,717 million tons in 2021, up 3.8 percent from 2020.
This file photo shows the main gate of Hyundai Steel Co.'s plant in Dangjin, about 120 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Al Remeithi, chairman of the worldsteel economics committee, said he expects steel demand to decline significantly in most countries, especially during the second quarter, noting customers have been hit by a general freeze in consumption, by shutdowns and by disrupted supply chains.
"With the easing of restrictions that started in May, we expect the situation to gradually improve, but the recovery path will be slow," Remeithi said in comments posted on the website of worldsteel.
"If the virus can be contained without second and third peaks, and if government stimulus measures are continued, we could see a relatively quick recovery."
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Aug. 5 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-08-05--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin vows to perform well in next game

`` They are preparing to go back to safe Korea , '' he said .
`` Some would feel this @ @ @ @ @ others say it 's long .
I 'll do well even though I am left @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' starter Ryu Hyun-jin said Wednesday that he has refreshed his mind to get ready to make a turnaround from his worse-than-expected previous outings.
"I performed poorly in the last games," the left-hander with his new short, neat haircut said in a video interview. "I had my hair cut to get myself up for the next match."
He will start the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday (U.S. time). It is Ryu's third outing of the 60-game 2020 season, which was shortened due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In his first game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 25, he got a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
His next start was poorer as he suffered his first loss against the Washington Nationals last Friday, allowing nine hits and five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Ryu's ERA now sits at 8.00, compared with last year's league-leading 2.32 ERA while he was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 33-year-old southpaw joined the Toronto Blue Jays after inking a four-year US$80 million contract as a free agent last December. He'd spent the past seven years with the Dodgers.
Ryu said the main issue was his fastball command, and he is making all-out efforts to improve his pitches in the upcoming game.
"I couldn't control the locations of my pitches in two previous games," he said. "I've studied my pitches and done a lot of things."
He said his wife and daughter, now staying in Florida, will go back to South Korea soon, as the U.S. state is struggling with a spike in new COVID-19 cases.
"They are preparing to go back to safe Korea," he said. "Some would feel this season is short, or others say it's long. I'll do well even though I am left alone."
In this image, captured from a video interview with local press on Aug. 5, 2020, Toronto Blue Jays' pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin answers questions from media. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Former TV reporter indicted in alleged blackmail case

The inmate claimed that Lee repeatedly pressed him by sharing the voice recording of a conversation between the reporter and @ @ @ @ @ of his family being investigated by prosecutors .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- A former TV reporter was indicted and referred for trial on Wednesday in an alleged blackmail case involving a key aide to the nation's top prosecutor.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office announced its indictment of Lee Dong-jae, a former reporter of cable network Channel A, on attempted extortion charges, 20 days after he was put under pre-trial detention on July 17.
The 35-year-old Lee is suspected of using his close ties with ranking prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, a close associate of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, to blackmail a jailed financier into leaking allegedly corrupt acts by Rhyu Si-min, a pro-government commentator now serving as chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
The inmate claimed that Lee repeatedly pressed him by sharing the voice recording of a conversation between the reporter and Han and indicated the possibility of his family being investigated by prosecutors.
The reporter denied the accusation.
Contrary to expectations, the prosecution didn't mention whether Han and Lee colluded in the alleged blackmail case in the former reporter's indictment.
The prosecution said it will investigate further before deciding whether to push to punish Han as an accomplice in the alleged blackmail case.
This file photo taken on July 17, 2020, shows former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae appearing at a Seoul court to attend his arrest warrant hearing. (Yonhap)
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--17 added to antitrust watchlist during May-July period

SEOUL , Aug. 5 ( Yonhap ) -- The number of companies affiliated with major conglomerates under tight restrictions increased @ @ @ @ @ data showed Wednesday , as they expanded investment in areas that can take advantage of @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- The number of companies affiliated with major conglomerates under tight restrictions increased in the May-July period, data showed Wednesday, as they expanded investment in areas that can take advantage of the virus pandemic.
The total number of affiliates under such restrictions reached 2,301 as of the end of July, up 17 firms from three months earlier, according to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).
Major business groups newly launched or acquired 56 new affiliates, while offloading 39 others.
Under South Korean fair trade law, affiliates of large conglomerates with assets exceeding 10 trillion won (US$8.3 billion) are restricted from making equity investments in their affiliated companies or offering loan guarantees to each other.
This graphic shows logs of major companies in S. Korea. (Yonhap)
The conglomerates are also required to make public filings on their non-listed affiliates and are barred from engaging in excessive trading among affiliates.
SM Group, a construction and shipping conglomerate, added six new affiliates, while Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's most popular mobile messenger application, put five new affiliates under its wing.
The FTC said the net increase in the number of new affiliates came as the groups expanded investment in their digital content and online service-related businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kakao Enterprise Co., an artificial intelligence arm of Kakao, acquired RemoteMonster Inc., which develops real-time communication technologies. Kakao M Corp., an entertainment arm, also acquired three new content creators.
Naver Corp., the leading online portal operator, established a new online insurance firm. Netmarble Corp., a major game developer, purchased an animation producer as well.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--Downpours continue to grip S. Korea

Downpours continue to grip S. Korea

The downpours have killed 15 and left 11 missing as of 6 a.m. , according to the Central Disaster and @ @ @ @ @ 1,600 were forced to leave their homes , with two-thirds of them based in the @ @ @ @ @ Chungcheong .

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Damage from the heavy rain that has pounded South Korea's metropolitan and central regions continued to grow on Wednesday, with the precipitation forecast to continue next week.
The downpours have killed 15 and left 11 missing as of 6 a.m., according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. Nearly 1,600 were forced to leave their homes, with two-thirds of them based in the provinces of South and North Chungcheong.
Reports of damaged properties continued to rise, with damage reported at 4,281 private and public facilities across the country. Some 1,300 houses were submerged or buried, while damage was also reported at 705 warehouses and cattle sheds.
In addition to buildings, 936 roads and bridges also suffered damage from the heavy rain. A total of 277 landslides were reported, and essential facilities such as waterworks, sewage and railways were also affected.
Restoration efforts are under way in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
To restore damaged facilities and help evacuees, the government has mobilized more than 48,800 rescue and volunteer workers as well as nearly 5,800 pieces of heavy equipment, such as excavators and water pumps.
While around 55 percent of damaged facilities have been temporarily restored, 37 roads, including Jamsu Bridge, which connects the southern and northern parts of the Han River in Seoul, remained closed. Six rail routes -- including Chungbuk, Taebaek and Yeongdong -- were partially or completely restricted.
Entry bans remained in place at 251 trekking routes at nine national parks as well as 16 underpasses and 93 parking lots adjacent to streams and rivers to prevent accidents.
This photo, provided by the Goseong county office in Gangwon Province on Aug. 5, 2020, shows a road that flooded after heavy rain. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun ordered the Ministry of Interior and Safety to swiftly review a proposal to declare Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces as special disaster zones.
Special disaster zones are designated upon requests by provincial governors. When a request is deemed reasonable by the interior ministry, it is then approved by the prime minister and the president.
A riverside park in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, is submerged in this photo provided by the Cheorwon county office on Aug. 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-05--New virus cases over 30 for 2nd day as imported, local infections rise

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 33 more cases of the new coronavirus Wednesday due to a continued rise in local infections coming in from overseas and locally transmitted cases.
The new cases, including 18 imported cases, raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 14,456, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The number of new COVID-19 cases had been in the 30s since Friday, when South Korea reported 36 new virus cases. The number briefly fell to 23 on Monday.
Foreigners wait to take COVID-19 virus tests at a clinic in Cheongju, 137 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the local infections, six were reported from central North Chungcheong Province. The virus cases are believed to be tied to a religious gathering in Cheongju, 137 kilometers south of Seoul.
Seoul reported five more cases, followed by Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital city with two, the KCDC said.
Of the imported cases, 11 were South Koreans and seven foreigners. Six of them tested positive for the virus in the screening process at either an airport or a seaport, while 12 others were confirmed to have the virus while under self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 2,500 in South Korea.
The country reported one more additional death, with the death toll standing at 302, according to the KCDC.
The KCDC said South Korea's fatality rate of people infected with the virus was 2.09 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,352, up 72 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,598,187 tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)