yna--2020-03-07--U.S. senators introduce bill to help Korean Americans reunite with N.K. family members

`` Fathers , mothers , grandparents , aunts , uncles , brothers and sisters awoke one day to the reality @ @ @ @ @ see or hear from their families again , all due to an impenetrable border and @ @ @ @ @ South , '' Sullivan said .
`` Given the changing dynamics in this bilateral relationship @ @ @ @ @ new hope for these family members to connect and possibly reunite , if even for @ @ @ @ @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Yonhap) -- Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill aimed at helping Korean Americans reunite with family members in North Korea.
Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) on Thursday introduced the bipartisan Korean War Divided Families Reunification Act, which directs the U.S. secretary of state to prioritize arranging reunions for the family members separated since the 1950-53 Korean War.
This AP file photo shows Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI). (Yonhap)
"Reuniting Korean Americans who were separated from their loved ones in North Korea seven decades ago is an urgent moral imperative," Hirono said in a press release. "This important legislation calls on the State Department to advocate for the inclusion of Korean Americans in reunions between divided families in North and South Korea. The reality is most divided family members are in their 80s and 90s so we must act swiftly to give these families the opportunity to reconnect."
Korean Americans have had little to no contact with their North Korean family members since the war, while South and North Koreans have held 20 face-to-face reunions and multiple video link reunions since 1985, according to the press release.
More than 22,000 Koreans have taken part in the reunions, and the bill aims to include Korean Americans in future reunions.
"Fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters awoke one day to the reality that they would likely never see or hear from their families again, all due to an impenetrable border and hostilities between the North and South," Sullivan said. "Given the changing dynamics in this bilateral relationship, I believe there is new hope for these family members to connect and possibly reunite, if even for a short time."
Companion legislation introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) is currently pending in the House of Representatives.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--S. Korea-U.S. defense cost talks not affected by virus: official

`` With that , we certainly see the Koreans now have opportunity to come back to the table , and @ @ @ @ @ of everyone involved here in the United States .
It 's an expectation of Secretary @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo .
It 's an expectation of President ( Donald ) Trump for the Koreans @ @ @ @ @ to what we have been discussing , '' Cooper said .
`` But it 's @ @ @ @ @ we have modern ways of communicating .
Face-to-face is preferred , but we are certainly @ @ @ @ @ teleconference . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Yonhap) -- The coronavirus has not affected defense cost-sharing negotiations between South Korea and the United States, a State Department official said Friday.
At a press briefing, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper was asked if the coronavirus outbreak is affecting scheduling of negotiations with South Korea and Japan, two countries with which the U.S. seeks to reach an agreement on sharing the cost of stationing American troops there.
Talks between Seoul and Washington have stalled as the Trump administration has demanded a significant increase in South Korea's financial contributions under a new Special Measures Agreement.
This AFP file photo shows the U.S. Department of State in Washington. (Yonhap)
"The conversations haven't stopped," Cooper said. "They have embassies here in Washington. We have embassies in Seoul and Tokyo. Our senior negotiator, my colleague Jim DeHart, is in direct contact with his counterparts in Seoul and in Tokyo. So no, nothing has slowed down."
The last time South Korean and U.S. negotiators sat down for talks was in January in Washington. The U.S. has warned that some 9,000 Korean civilians working on American bases on the peninsula will be furloughed starting April 1 if the two sides fail to reach a deal.
"With that, we certainly see the Koreans now have opportunity to come back to the table, and this is certainly an expectation of everyone involved here in the United States. It's an expectation of Secretary (of State Mike) Pompeo. It's an expectation of President (Donald) Trump for the Koreans to come back and respond to what we have been discussing," Cooper said. "But it's certainly within the timeframe and we have modern ways of communicating. Face-to-face is preferred, but we are certainly not immune from using video teleconference."
As of Friday, there were 6,593 cases of COVID-19 in South Korea, with 44 deaths.
U.S. Forces Korea has reported seven infections among its 28,500 troops and their family members.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-03-06--(News Focus) Anti-Tada bill a major setback for Korea's innovation drive

Although Tada set its prices higher than those of conventional taxis when it started last year , its basic fares @ @ @ @ @ $ 3.40 ) are not very different from those of normal taxis in Seoul , @ @ @ @ @ a starting rate of 3,800 won in February .
Tada links customers to vans driven @ @ @ @ @ 's 12,000 contracted drivers .

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's passage of a bill against the ride-hailing service Tada is a major setback for the country's drive for innovation, experts said Thursday.
The bill allows Tada service operator Value Creators & Company (VCNC) to rent out its vans with drivers for at least six hours at airports and ports, and only for tour purposes. Currently, a chauffeur-driven Tada van can serve customers without limitations on the hours of service and rental area.
The move illustrates the escalating tug of war over the country's growing mobility market between technology-driven mobility companies and taxi drivers.
Tada, launched in October 2018, has won 1.7 million registered users in an indication of public endorsement for the new mobility option in a country where it is not easy to grab a taxi in busy commercial areas, especially at night.
Although Tada set its prices higher than those of conventional taxis when it started last year, its basic fares of 4,000 won (US$3.40) are not very different from those of normal taxis in Seoul, which rose 19 percent to a starting rate of 3,800 won in February. Tada links customers to vans driven by one of the service's 12,000 contracted drivers.
The revised law is set to fully take effect 18 months after it is proclaimed.
In this photo taken on Dec. 10, 2019, a Tada van runs on a road in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
The passage drew strong backlash from the business community and venture startups for undermining the impetus for deregulation at a time when South Korea is pushing to foster innovative sectors as its new growth engines.
Car-sharing app SoCar, which wholly owns VCNC, has expressed regret over the bill's passage and said it will soon stop providing the Tada service, which means "ride" in Korean.
SoCar Chief Executive Lee Jae-woong condemned the passage, saying, "It didn't reflect the interest of the public and the growth potential of a new industry in the era of new mobility platforms. Instead, it only focused on protecting the interests of the taxi industry."
The Federation of Korean Taxi Workers' Union welcomed the passage of the revision bill.
"The passage has laid the foundation for new ride platforms to continue their services without unnecessary social conflicts between taxis and new platform providers," the federation said in a statement.
The parliamentary passage came just two weeks after Lee and VCNC CEO Park Jae-uk were found not guilty in the Seoul Central District Court.
The court acquitted the two of charges of violating the passenger transport service act with the new service.
The two were indicted in October 2019 without physical detention for allegedly running a transportation business without a license.
"The Tada service is provided in a contract that offers users a tailored rental service in time of need via minute-based reservation. It is a rental car service based on mobile application," the court said.
The lawmakers' decision is apparently aimed at winning hearts and minds of the country's 300,000 taxi drivers and their families ahead of the April 15 general elections, experts said.
"The decision is politically motivated, and it is worrisome that lawmakers have passed a bill that restricts competition in the new mobility platform industry," said Sung Taeyoon, an economics professor at Yonsei University.
The professor said it will set a precedent in which an innovative business services provider cannot take root in an industry if existing players oppose the newcomers.
Lee Jae-woong (L), the chief of car-sharing app operator SoCar, and Park Jae-uk, who leads SoCar's subsidiary Value Creators & Company, answer questions from reporters on Feb. 19, 2020, after a Seoul court acquitted them over illegality of the app-based business. (Yonhap)
Taxi drivers are concerned that the Tada service could eventually take away their passengers and upend the local transportation industry, just like Uber and other global ride-hailing giants have transformed transportation in cities around the world.
"We can't find any reasons to continue the Tada service while knowing it will be terminated in one and a half years," a Tada spokeswoman said over the phone.
Kim Byoung-youn, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said the restrictions on service hours and location are nothing less than a ban on the Tada service.
With the sharing economy gaining traction worldwide amid rising demand for ride-sharing, e-mobility and autonomous driving services, the country is backpedaling without even taking a step forward in terms of innovation, the analyst said.
"It is most desirable for the government to put disputes between existing players and new entrants in an industry into the hands of the markets," he said.
A key issue lies in whether Tada should be considered a type of rental car service or an illegal taxi service operating without a license.
Local transport laws allow rental cars with a capacity of 11-15 seats to be legally leased with a driver.
In July, the transport ministry came up with a plan to help settle the conflict between the taxi industry and new platform companies and seek mutual growth.
In the ministry's proposal, car-hailing services like Tada should chip in a certain portion of their earnings to a state-managed fund to be established for the purchase of taxi driver licenses amid oversupply.
VCNC didn't accept the government's proposals, but the taxi industry accepted them. The proposed conditions are included in the revision bill.
In this photo taken on Oct. 23, 2019, members of a Seoul-based taxi association hold a rally against the Tada service in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-06--Controversial bill against ride-hailing services passes parliament

A transport platform operator will be able to rent 11-15 seat vans for the purpose of tours .
But vehicles @ @ @ @ @ least six hours , and the outsourcing of drivers is permitted only when vehicles will @ @ @ @ @ seaports .

SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Friday passed a controversial bill aimed at slapping new regulations on Tada, a popular ride-hailing service, amid heated debate over whether to permit the service.
The revision to the passenger transport service act, commonly seen as a means of outlawing Tada, calls for restricting the outsourcing of drivers for the use of rental vans with 11-15 seats to tour purposes only.
Tada -- which means "to ride" in Korean -- was launched in October 2018 and has become South Korea's leading ride-offering service. But taxi drivers have fiercely protested against Tada, condemning it as an illegal call taxi service.
The legislative move drew attention as a Seoul court ruled in favor of Tada as a legitimate rental car service on Feb. 19 in a landmark decision that will likely uphold the mobility platform industry.
The centerpiece of the revised bill is to recognize mobility platform businesses such as Tada as part of passenger transport services.
A transport platform operator will be able to rent 11-15 seat vans for the purpose of tours. But vehicles should be rented for at least six hours, and the outsourcing of drivers is permitted only when vehicles will be returned at airports or seaports.
Under the bill, rental cars are recognized as a type of transport platform business, which proponents argue will effectively allow Tada to continue operating.
A day earlier, the chief of the parliamentary judiciary committee invoked his right to pass the bill despite some lawmakers' opposition.
The panel claimed that the measure amounts to permitting ride-hailing service providers to operate within legal boundaries if they register for licenses.
The government also stressed that the bill, if passed, will permit rental car-based services provided by Tada and its rivals to consistently operate.
"The proposal will help ease social conflicts and allow various mobility platform operators to stably push for innovative business within (legal) boundaries," the land and transport ministry said in a statement.
But the passage of the bill will prevent Tada from providing the current level of services as it stipulates strict conditions for rental.
The revised act will take effect one year after it is proclaimed. A six-month grace period will be given, but for operations, Tada should obtain related transport licenses and face regulations similar to those applied to the taxi industry.
Lee Jae-woong, chief of SoCar, which owns the operator of Tada, vehemently protested against the proposal, claiming that it will stifle the growth of the innovation-driven business.
"The government and the National Assembly that banned innovations and deprived (people) of a chance for a new dream are dead," Lee said on his Facebook page Wednesday after the measure was approved by the judiciary panel.
This photo shows a rental car operated by ride-hailing service Tada and a taxi. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-06--(6th LD) S. Korea's virus cases near 6,600, with another cluster of infections looming

Virus cases in Busan rose by three to 95 , with 33 patients linked to a Christian church in the @ @ @ @ @ patients linked to Shincheonji .
The 33 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are @ @ @ @ @ three-day retreat that ended on Feb. 17 , officials said .
It is still unclear @ @ @ @ @ the virus .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest toll in 4th para)
SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's coronavirus caseload approached 6,600 on Friday, with most new virus infections still occurring in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province. Another alarming cluster of infections was reported in a small city near Daegu.
The 309 new cases, which were identified over the past 16 hours on Friday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 6,593, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
Friday's additional cases followed the 518 new cases detected on Thursday, the 438 new cases on Wednesday, the 516 new cases on Tuesday and the 600 new cases on Monday.
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, according to the KCDC and local governments.
About 60 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
However, health authorities have shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
A pharmacist talks with a customer though a transparent plate at a drugstore in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 6, 2020, as part of preventive measures against the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Of the 518 new cases, which were detected on Thursday, 367 are in Daegu and 123 in North Gyeongsang, the KCDC said.
The total confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang stood at 4,694 and 984, respectively.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported infections. Gyeonggi Province saw its confirmed cases rise by 10 to 120. Three patients and five medical staff at Bundang Jaesaeng General Hospital, south of Seoul, tested positive for the virus after they came into contact with a 77-year-old cancer patient who was admitted to the hospital last Sunday and tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Another alarming cluster of infections was reported in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan, which is adjacent to both Daegu and its neighboring Cheongdo County.
Of the 123 new cases detected on Thursday in North Gyeongsang Province -- which surrounds Daegu, Cheongdo and Gyeongsan -- 56 cases came from Gyeongsan, including 46 cases at a nursing home in Bonghwa County, Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters.
Health authorities are "closely watching the situation in Gyeongsan," Kim said.
On Thursday, the government designated Gyeongsan as the nation's third "special care zone" over virus infections. Along with Daegu, Cheongdo, where a total of 116 infections have been identified so far, was designated as such a zone on Feb. 21. The central government provides more medical resources and staff to these zones.
Gyeongsan in North Gyeongsang has reported a total of 282 confirmed cases, with more than 60 percent of cases being related to Shincheonji followers.
Employees of the National Red Cross prepare emergency relief kits packed with basic necessities like instant food in the southwestern city of Gwangju on March 6, 2020, for delivery to impoverished people experiencing difficulties amid the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Aside from Daegu and North Gyeongsang, cases of community spread with unknown origins, mostly cluster and sporadic outbreaks, are gradually on the rise. Seoul's confirmed cases rose by four to 105, with 14 cases linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward. Another 13 cases in Seoul came from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward.
Virus cases in Busan rose by three to 95, with 33 patients linked to a Christian church in the Dongnae district and another nine patients linked to Shincheonji. The 33 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are tied to the church's three-day retreat that ended on Feb. 17, officials said. It is still unclear how they were infected with the virus.
In the central cities of Cheonan and Asan, 58 of the total 92 patients were tied to a Zumba dance class last month in Cheonan, officials said.
A total of 765 virus patients with mild or moderate symptoms in Daegu have been admitted to isolation facilities, Kim said, adding that more than 800 patients will be admitted to such facilities next week.
To help deal with the psychological impact on virus patients who were admitted to isolation facilities, the government will provide telephone hotline services for them, Kim said.
Also, the government will give one-month free trials of video streaming service Watcha, a Korean version of Netflix, to such patients, Kim said.
Kim said it is "too early to say" about the prospects of the fast-spreading virus, renewing calls for people to refrain from going outside or attending religious gatherings over the weekend.
A foreign resident wearing a face mask and a hat with a face shield waits at an immigration office in Seoul on March 6, 2020, to apply for voluntary departure from the country amid concern about the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said clusters of infections accounted for 71.7 percent of total confirmed cases as of Friday, up 2.3 percentage points from a day earlier.
A growing number of newly confirmed cases have come from infections at internet cafes or karaoke rooms, Jeong said, calling for such facilities to step up containment measures.
South Korea has not conducted autopsies on patients who died from the new coronavirus, Jeong said, but she noted that postmortem results are necessary to understand how the virus attacks the lungs.
"To more accurately understand this illness, there is a need for an autopsy," Jeong said, adding that it is difficult to get agreement for this from family members.
South Korea had released 108 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of Thursday, up 20 from a day earlier, the KCDC said.
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 21,832 as of Thursday, up 22 from the day before, it said. The country has tested a total of 158,456 suspected cases, with 136,624 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-06--(3rd LD) Charity groups reject Shincheonji's 12 bln-won donation

`` We decided not to receive 10 billion deposited in the account of the Daegu office of the Community Chest @ @ @ @ @ church in Daegu , '' said Mayor Kwon Young-jin .
`` Shincheonji should focus more @ @ @ @ @ quarantine measures , instead of paying money . ''

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with 2nd rejection, minor edits)
SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- Two charity groups said Friday they've rejected a donation by a minor religious sect at the center of a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in South Korea, citing negative publicity associated with the group.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus donated 12 billion won (US$10.1 million) to the Seoul-based Community Chest of Korea on Thursday, saying that it feels responsibility for the massive number of virus infections. But the Community Chest of Korea offered to return it Friday.
The charity confirmed that the donation was made without prior consultations with the group.
"We've verified the intention to make the massive donation," the organization said. "Considering morally and legally sensitive situations surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, we agreed with the Shincheonji church to return it."
Later Friday, Shincheonji sought to donate the 12 billion won to Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association but that donation was rejected as well.
In a statement, Hope Bridge said it already had agreements in place to work with other fundraising organizations.
The Daegu municipal government, meanwhile, also refused to accept part of the donation through the charity.
The church earlier said its branch in Daegu has offered 10 billion won and that its headquarters granted 2 billion won.
"We decided not to receive 10 billion deposited in the account of the Daegu office of the Community Chest of Korea by the Shincheonji church in Daegu," said Mayor Kwon Young-jin. "Shincheonji should focus more on supporting the government's quarantine measures, instead of paying money."
Kwon cited cases of Shincheonji followers who refuse to be admitted to state-run treatment centers for coronavirus patients or to be tested for infection.
Last week, the city government took legal action against the local church for hindering the government-led disease control efforts by providing false information.
The branch of the Shincheonji church in the southeastern city of Daegu is thought to be the epicenter of the latest spike in infections. The number of COVID-19 infections in the country reached 6,593 on Friday.
Earlier this week, Lee Man-hee, the founder of the homegrown religion, apologized for the spread of the disease and vowed to fully cooperate with government efforts to combat it.
The Community Chest of Korea (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(LEAD) N. Korea slams European countries for taking issue with recent projectile firings

A spokesperson of the North 's foreign ministry said in a statement that the firings were part of `` routine @ @ @ @ @ '' adding that condemning them is `` nothing more than a logic that we should @ @ @ @ @ self-defence . ''

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, UPDATES throughout with English-version statement)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday slammed five European nations for taking issue with its recent projectile firings, warning such "reckless behavior" would invite "yet another momentous reaction."
On Thursday, Belgium, Britain, Estonia, France and Germany -- all U.N. Security Council member countries -- issued a joint statement, calling North's firings of two projectiles, presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, on Monday a provocation that violated U.N. resolutions.
North Korea's media claimed that the launches were part of a long-range artillery firing drill overseen by leader Kim Jong-un.
A spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry said in a statement that the firings were part of "routine drills of our army," adding that condemning them is "nothing more than a logic that we should give up our right to self-defence."
"The illogical thinking and sophism of these countries are just gradually bearing a close resemblance to the U.S. which is hostile to us," said the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
"The reckless behavior of these countries instigated by the U.S. will become a fuse that will trigger our yet another momentous reaction," it added.
The statement, however, did not elaborate on what the momentous reaction would be.
Monday's firings were the first of their kind in more than three months and the first since the North threatened earlier this year to showcase a "new strategic weapon" in the near future.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(LEAD) 103 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus concerns

Austria was also added to the list as the country will request all people flying in from South Korea , @ @ @ @ @ Iran to submit documents proving they are not infected with the virus from Monday .

(ATTN: UPDATES figures)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A total of 103 countries and territories were imposing entry restrictions or stricter quarantine procedures on people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Saturday, despite Seoul's stepped-up efforts to ease the measures.
As of 2 p.m., 36 countries and territories were enforcing an entry ban on people who have been in South Korea during the past two weeks, according to the foreign ministry website.
The tally is down by one from late Friday's tally, as Sao Tome Principe, an African island nation, was deleted due largely to confusion from within its government, a ministry official said.
Bhutan has been newly added to the list since late Friday as it announced it will bar the entry of all foreigners over the next two weeks.
Austria was also added to the list as the country will request all people flying in from South Korea, some regions in China and Iran to submit documents proving they are not infected with the virus from Monday.
The number of those imposing an entry ban on people from Korea's two main epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks -- Daegu city and the nearby North Gyeongsang Province in the southeast -- remained unchanged at six, including Japan.
But Japan is expected to be reclassified as it has announced it will temporarily adopt a two-week quarantine and suspend the no-visa entry program for South Koreans starting Monday through end-March.
Effective Saturday, Fiji bars the entry of people from all of Korea, expanding the restriction from Daegu and Cheongdo, a county in North Gyeongsang Province.
Seoul has stepped up diplomatic efforts to persuade foreign countries to refrain from taking what it calls "excessive" restriction measures, reassuring them of Korea's active and prompt containment efforts to fight the virus.
On Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry hosted a second briefing for foreign diplomats, less than two weeks after the first session, in a bid to reinforce such calls.
A total of 15 countries and territories, including 18 Chinese provinces, are currently quarantining people from South Korea or other virus-affected countries at designated facilities.
The number of countries and territories imposing stricter immigration controls or recommending quarantine programs for Koreans stood at 45.
South Korea's virus cases topped 7,000 on Saturday, with a death toll standing at 44.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--N. Korea slams European countries for taking issue with recent projectile firings

Monday 's firings were the first of their kind in more than three months and the first since the North @ @ @ @ @ showcase a `` new strategic weapon '' in the near future .

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday slammed five European nations for taking issue with its recent projectile firings, saying that it is "unreasonable" to criticize a sovereign country's ordinary military training.
On Thursday, Belgium, Britain, Estonia, France and Germany issued a statement, calling North's firings of two projectiles, presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, on Monday a provocation that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.
North Korea's media claimed that the launches were part of a long-range artillery firing drill overseen by leader Kim Jong-un.
A spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry said in a statement that the firings were part of a "customary training," adding that condemning them is tantamount to demanding "us to give up our right to self-defense."
"Those countries' unreasonable thinking and obstinacy increasingly look just like the United States," said the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
"Reckless behavior by such countries abetted by the U.S. could become a fuse that could precipitate our grave and yet another response," it added.
Monday's firings were the first of their kind in more than three months and the first since the North threatened earlier this year to showcase a "new strategic weapon" in the near future.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(4th LD) Virus-hit apartment complex under lockdown, all cases linked to religious sect

DAEGU , March 7 ( Yonhap ) -- A virus-hit apartment tower here has been placed under lockdown as a @ @ @ @ @ infected with the new coronavirus , with all the cases traced to a religious sect @ @ @ @ @ , city officials said Saturday .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS details in paras 4-6)
DAEGU, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A virus-hit apartment tower here has been placed under lockdown as a third of its residents were infected with the new coronavirus, with all the cases traced to a religious sect related to most infections here, city officials said Saturday.
The mass infection case is the latest in a series of cluster outbreaks at hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare-related facilities in South Korea, which account for over 70 percent of total infections here.
According to the city's health authorities, 46 out 142 residents at the apartment block were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. It is the first case of a South Korean residential complex being put under lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The city authorities said 94 of the residents were members of the Shincheonji church, including all 46 who were diagnosed with the contagious disease.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
More than 63 percent of all confirmed cases in the country traced to the Shincheonji church, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.
South Korea has so far reported 7,041 cases of the new coronavirus, with more than 6,000 infections occurring in Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, the two epicenters of virus outbreak here.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried working women who are under 35 years old.
The city government said it has sent text messages to residents notifying them of a full entry and exit ban, which applies to all residents and delivery workers.
Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin also said the city has identified 10 places that are suspected as group residences for Shincheonji followers, adding the city plans to look into the venues and take appropriate measures.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows a notice in front of an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(5th LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 7,000; mass infection-hit apartment in Daegu under lockdown

A virus-hit apartment in Daegu was placed under lockdown as one third of its residents were infected with the novel @ @ @ @ @ religious sect related to most infections here .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES lead with latest figures)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's virus cases topped 7,000 on Saturday with most new virus infections in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
A virus-hit apartment in Daegu was placed under lockdown as one third of its residents were infected with the novel coronavirus and traced to a religious sect related to most infections here.
The country reported 274 new cases of the novel coronavirus over the past 16 hours, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 7,041, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year,
A total of 36 are in critical condition, while 118 have been released, up 10 from a day earlier, after fully recovering from the novel coronavirus, the KCDC added.
Health officials enter the health ministry in Sejong on March 7, 2020, after a public servant working for the ministry was diagnosed with COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheong Province also increased by five.
Also among the cases was a pregnant woman in the southeastern port city of Busan.
The 38-year-old, who is in her second trimester, is assumed to have contracted the virus from her husband who was confirmed as a patient while working in Daegu.
In Sejong, a public servant who works at the government complex where around 15,000 people commute, tested positive.
By infection route, those from group infections, such as religious services, hospitals and welfare facilities, accounted for 72.8 percent of the total, according to the KCDC.
Concerns over group infections further rose after residents at an apartment in Daegu were put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.
Daegu city authorities said 46 out of the 142 residents at the city-run apartment for unmarried women were confirmed to have been infected.
They added that 94 of the residents, including the 46 who tested positive, were members of Shincheonji, the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
A total of 63.5 percent of the country's infections are linked to Shincheonji, the fringe religious sect that is known to have more than 210,000 members nationwide.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after mass infections of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities said they plan to focus on potential cases among non-Shincheonji followers in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
"With over 90 percent of Shincheonji followers tested, infections in Daegu are showing signs of stabilizing as tests of high-risks groups are mostly complete," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters. "However, the situation is not easy as 9 to 10 percent of ordinary citizens have tested positive."
Kim said the health authorities are also putting in more efforts to contain secondary and tertiary transmissions by identifying transmission routes. Earlier in the day, the Daegu city government imposed an administrative order for Shincheonji followers to be tested.
The vice minister urged cooperation in containing the virus in areas outside of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Kim said.
People wait in line to buy masks in front of a local supermarket in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 19,620 as of Friday, down 2,212 from the day before, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 171,422 suspected cases, with 151,802 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 274 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 7,041

(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--2020-03-07--(4th LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 6,700, mass infection reported at apartment in Daegu

SEOUL , March 7 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ total number of infections to 6,767 , with most new virus infections still in the @ @ @ @ @ the epicenter of the virus outbreak here , and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province .

(ATTN: ADDS details of cases in Busan, Sejong in paras 8-10)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 6,767, with most new virus infections still in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
Another mass infection case came from an apartment complex in Daegu, with a third of its residents infected with the novel coronavirus.
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
A total of 36 are in critical condition, while 118 have been released, up 10 from a day earlier, after fully recovering from the novel coronavirus, the KCDC added.
Health officials enter the health ministry in Sejong on March 7, 2020, after a public servant working for the ministry was diagnosed with COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheong Province also increased by five.
Also among the cases was a pregnant woman in the southeastern port city of Busan.
The 38-year-old, who is in her second trimester, is assumed to have contracted the virus from her husband who was confirmed as a patient while working in Daegu.
In Sejong, a public servant who works at the government complex where around 15,000 people commute, tested positive.
By infection route, those from group infections, such as religious services, hospitals and welfare facilities, accounted for 72.8 percent of the total, according to the KCDC.
Concerns over group infections further rose after residents at an apartment in Daegu were put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.
Daegu city authorities said 46 out of the 142 residents at the city-run apartment for unmarried women were confirmed to have been infected.
They added that 94 of the residents, including the 46 who tested positive, were members of Shincheonji, the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
A total of 63.5 percent of the country's infections are linked to Shincheonji, the fringe religious sect that is known to have more than 210,000 members nationwide.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after mass infections of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities said they plan to focus on potential cases among non-Shincheonji followers in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
"With over 90 percent of Shincheonji followers tested, infections in Daegu are showing signs of stabilizing as tests of high-risks groups are mostly complete," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters. "However, the situation is not easy as 9 to 10 percent of ordinary citizens have tested positive."
Kim said the health authorities are also putting in more efforts to contain secondary and tertiary transmissions by identifying transmission routes. Earlier in the day, the Daegu city government imposed an administrative order for Shincheonji followers to be tested.
The vice minister urged cooperation in containing the virus in areas outside of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Kim said.
People wait in line to buy masks in front of a local supermarket in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 19,620 as of Friday, down 2,212 from the day before, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 171,412 suspected cases, with 151,802 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(LEAD) Public servant at Sejong gov't complex infected with coronavirus

`` We told ( the patient ) that we 'll be able to meet soon in a healthy condition and @ @ @ @ @ not have to feel guilty , '' Kim said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 2-3)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A public servant working at the main government complex in Sejong has been infected with the new coronavirus, government and Sejong city officials said Saturday.
The patient, a health ministry employee in her twenties, works at a building at the government complex where roughly 15,000 people work. She does not work for the unit that oversees the virus outbreak.
The ministry has temporarily closed the building for disinfection and plans to monitor other employees who have been in contact with the patient.
Health officials at the Sejong city government said the patient is assumed to have contracted the virus at a Zumba class she took in February.
The Zumba instructor was earlier confirmed as a virus patient after attending a Zumba workshop in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
The health ministry and the Sejong health office said they are identifying the infection route.
A file photo of the health ministry's logo (Yonhap)
Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters that the ministry will make sure to minimize the incident's impact on government affairs, adding that such an infection can occur in any organization.
"We told (the patient) that we'll be able to meet soon in a healthy condition and that (she) does not have to feel guilty," Kim said.
Two infections have occurred in the government complex city, 130 kilometers south of Seoul. The latest case is not yet included in the tally.
Health officials enter the government complex in Sejong on March 7, 2020, to disinfect an office after a public servant was diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--Public servant at Sejong gov't complex infected with coronavirus

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A public servant working at the main government complex in Sejong has been infected with the new coronavirus, government and Sejong city officials said Saturday.
The patient, a woman in her twenties who works for the health ministry, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. She does not work for the unit that is overseeing the virus outbreak.
Health officials at the Sejong city government said the patient is assumed to have contracted the virus at a Zumba class she took in February.
The Zumba instructor was earlier confirmed as a virus patient after attending a Zumba workshop in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
The health ministry and the Sejong health office said they are identifying the infection route and have temporarily closed part of the ministry office for disinfection.
A file photo of the health ministry's logo (Yonhap)
Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters that the ministry will make sure to minimize the incident's impact on government affairs, adding that such an infection can occur in any organization.
"We told (the patient) that we'll be able to meet soon in a healthy condition and that (she) does not have to feel guilty," Kim said.
Two infections have occurred in the government complex city, 130 kilometers south of Seoul. The latest case is not yet included in the tally.
Health officials enter the government complex in Sejong on March 7, 2020, to disinfect an office after a public servant was diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--Shim Eun-kyung wins best actress at Japanese academy awards

`` I did n't expect to win this award , so I 'm not prepared for a speech .
I @ @ @ @ @ Shim said in Japanese , shedding a tear of joy .
`` I 'll keep @ @ @ @ @ you very much . ''

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung has won best actress at this year's Japanese academy awards for a Japanese film about a young female reporter who delves into a political scandal.
At the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize Awards ceremony held in Tokyo on Friday, Shim was awarded outstanding performance by an actress for her lead role as a Korean Japanese reporter in "The Journalist."
She beat Fumi Nikaido of "Fly Me to the Saitama," Mayu Matsuoka of "Listen to the Universe," Rie Miyazawa of "No Longer Human" and Sayuri Yoshinaga of "The Bucket List."
Shim became the first South Korean actor or actress to clinch the honor at the Japanese academy awards that launched in 1978.
In 2010, South Korean actress Bae Doo-na was nominated in the category for "Air Doll" but did not earn the trophy.
"I didn't expect to win this award, so I'm not prepared for a speech. I'm so sorry," Shim said in Japanese, shedding a tear of joy. "I'll keep doing my best. Thank you very much."
Directed by Michihito Fujii, "The Journalist" is a story of a young female reporter born to a Japanese father and a Korean mother. She delves into a political scandal in which many Japanese big-name politicians are involved.
The film took best picture at the Japanese awards, while Tori Matsuzaka, who starred as an elite bureaucrat in the movie, was named best actor.
In this photo captured from the Twitter account of the Japan Academy Film Prize Awards, South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung poses after winning best actress for her performance in "The Journalist" at the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize Awards held in Tokyo on March 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(3rd LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 6,700, mass infection reported at apartment in Daegu

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 4, 8-13)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 6,767, with most new virus infections still in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
Another mass infection case came from an apartment complex in Daegu, with a third of its residents infected with the novel coronavirus.
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
A total of 36 are in critical condition, while 118 have been released, up 10 from a day earlier, after fully recovering from the novel coronavirus, the KCDC added.
Health officials enter the health ministry in Sejong on March 7, 2020, after a public servant working for the ministry was diagnosed with COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheong Province also increased by five.
By infection route, those from group infections, such as religious services, hospitals and welfare facilities, accounted for 72.8 percent of the total, according to the KCDC.
Concerns over group infections further rose after residents at an apartment in Daegu were put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.
Daegu city authorities said 46 out of the 142 residents at the city-run apartment for unmarried women were confirmed to have been infected.
They added that 94 of the residents, including the 46 who tested positive, were members of Shincheonji, the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
A total of 63.5 percent of the country's infections are linked to Shincheonji, the fringe religious sect that is known to have more than 210,000 members nationwide.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after mass infections of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities said they plan to focus on potential cases among non-Shincheonji followers in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
"With over 90 percent of Shincheonji followers tested, infections in Daegu are showing signs of stabilizing as tests of high-risks groups are mostly complete," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters. "However, the situation is not easy as 9 to 10 percent of ordinary citizens have tested positive."
Kim said the health authorities are also putting in more efforts to contain secondary and tertiary transmissions by identifying transmission routes. Earlier in the day, the Daegu city government imposed an administrative order for Shincheonji followers to be tested.
The vice minister urged cooperation in containing the virus in areas outside of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Kim said.
People wait in line to buy masks in front of a local supermarket in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 19,620 as of Friday, down 2,212 from the day before, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 171,412 suspected cases, with 151,802 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(3rd LD) Virus-hit apartment complex under isolation, most cases linked to religious sect

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin also said the city has identified 10 places that are suspected as group residences for Shincheonji @ @ @ @ @ plans to look into the venues and take appropriate measures .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 3-4, 10; CORRECTS figure in 6th para)
DAEGU, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A virus-hit apartment tower here has been under tight control as a third of its residents were infected with the new coronavirus, city officials said Saturday.
According to the city's health authorities, 46 out 142 residents at the apartment block were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The city put the residential complex under group isolation.
The city authorities said 94 of the residents were members of the Shincheonji church, including all 46 who were diagnosed with the contagious disease.
The religious sect, deemed responsible for the virus outbreak here, has been associated with around 60 percent of all confirmed cases in the country.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
South Korea has so far reported 6,767 cases, with more than 5,000 infections reported in Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried working women who are under 35 years old. A total of 142 people live in 137 flats.
Cohort isolation is a way to contain the virus by putting patients and medical personnel under a group quarantine.
Following a mass infection at a hospital ward in Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province near Daegu, province officials recently carried out cohort isolation at 581 welfare facilities as part of precautionary measures.
The city government said it has sent text messages to residents notifying them of a full entry and exit ban, which applies to all residents and delivery workers.
Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin also said the city has identified 10 places that are suspected as group residences for Shincheonji followers, adding the city plans to look into the venues and take appropriate measures.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows a notice in front of an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

1948 -- Kim Koo , an independence fighter and politician , sends a letter to North Korea proposing a meeting @ @ @ @ @ of the two Koreas .

March 8
1948 -- Kim Koo, an independence fighter and politician, sends a letter to North Korea proposing a meeting in Pyongyang of the leaders of the two Koreas.
1957 -- South Korea establishes diplomatic ties with Turkey.
1986 -- South Korea finishes third at the first Winter Asian Games, hosted by Sapporo, Japan.
2001 -- President Kim Dae-jung visits the United States for a summit with U.S. President George W. Bush.
2009 -- North Korea holds elections to pick representatives to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly, the North's rubber-stamp parliament.
2015 -- Park In-bee picks up her 13th LPGA win in Singapore.
2016 -- South Korea announces its own set of sanctions over North Korea's fourth nuclear test two months earlier.
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(2nd LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 6,700, mass infection reported at apartment in Daegu

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; REPLACES photos)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 6,767, with most new virus infections still in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
Another mass infection case came from an apartment complex in Daegu, with a third of its residents infected with the novel coronavirus.
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
The country has released 118 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of Friday, up 10 from a day earlier, the KCDC added.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after mass infections of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheong Province also increased by five.
Residents at an apartment in Daegu have been put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
The city's health authorities said 46 out of 142 residents at the apartment were confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19.
They added that 94 of the residents were found to be followers of the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
About 60 percent of the country's confirmed cases have been linked to a Daegu branch of the fringe religious sect Shincheonji.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried women who are under 35 years old.
Health officials enter the health ministry in Sejong on March 7, 2020, after a public servant working for the ministry was diagnosed with COVID-19. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities said they plan to focus on potential cases among non-Shincheonji followers in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
"With over 90 percent of Shincheonji followers tested, infections in Daegu are showing signs of stabilizing as tests of high-risks groups are mostly complete," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters. "However, the situation is not easy as 9 to 10 percent of ordinary citizens have tested positive."
Kim said the health authorities are also putting in more efforts to contain secondary and tertiary transmissions by identifying transmission routes. Earlier in the day, the Daegu city government imposed an administrative order for Shincheonji followers to be tested.
The vice minister urged cooperation in containing the virus in areas outside of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Kim said.
People wait in line to buy masks in front of a local supermarket in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 19,620 as of Friday, down 2,212 from the day before, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 171,412 suspected cases, with 151,802 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(2nd LD) Virus-hit apartment complex under isolation, most cases linked to religious sect

The apartment block , which consists of two five-story buildings , is run by the city for unmarried working women @ @ @ @ @ old .
A total of 142 people live in 100 flats .

(ATTN: REPLACES photo with images of apartment complex; UPDATES figures throughout)
DAEGU, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A virus-hit apartment tower here has been under tight control as a third of its residents were infected with the new coronavirus, city officials said Saturday.
According to the city's health authorities, 46 out 142 residents at the apartment block were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The city put the residential complex under group isolation.
The city authorities said 94 of the residents were members of the Shincheonji church, which is largely responsible for the virus outbreak here.
The religious sect has been associated with around 60 percent of all confirmed cases in the country.
Among the patients who have been infected, 14 have been hospitalized, while the remaining 32 were waiting to be transported to hospitals.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
South Korea has so far reported 6,767 cases, with more than 5,000 infections reported in Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried working women who are under 35 years old. A total of 142 people live in 100 flats.
Cohort isolation is a way to contain the virus by putting patients and medical personnel under a group quarantine.
Following a mass infection at a hospital ward in Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province near Daegu, province officials recently carried out cohort isolation at 581 welfare facilities as part of precautionary measures.
The city government said it has sent text messages to residents notifying them of a full entry and exit ban, which applies to all residents and delivery workers.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows a notice in front of an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after group transmissions of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--Another Korean Air flight attendant infected with new coronavirus

Korean Air said the other cabin crew who were on the same flight tested negative , adding it plans to @ @ @ @ @ other flight attendants as part of precautionary measures .

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A second cabin crew member of Korean Air Lines Co. has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, company and local government officials said Saturday.
According to them, a 36-year-old Korean Air flight attendant has tested positive for COVID-19 after serving on a Los Angeles-Incheon route late last month.
Another Korean Air cabin crew member on the same KE012 flight that departed Los Angeles on Feb. 20 was earlier confirmed as a virus patient on Feb. 25.
Korean Air said the other cabin crew who were on the same flight tested negative, adding it plans to extend its quarantine of 30 other flight attendants as part of precautionary measures.
A file photo of Korean Air crew members (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--102 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus concerns

As of 10 a.m. , 36 countries and territories were enforcing an entry ban on people who have been in @ @ @ @ @ two weeks , according to the foreign ministry website .

By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A total of 102 countries and territories were imposing entry restrictions or stricter quarantine procedures on people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Saturday, despite Seoul's stepped-up efforts to ease the measures.
As of 10 a.m., 36 countries and territories were enforcing an entry ban on people who have been in South Korea during the past two weeks, according to the foreign ministry website.
The tally is down by one from late Friday's tally, as Sao Tome Principe, an African island nation, was deleted due largely to confusion from within its government, a ministry official said.
Bhutan has been newly added to the list since late Friday as it announced it will bar the entry of all foreigners over the next two weeks.
The number of those imposing an entry ban on people from Korea's two main epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks -- Daegu city and the nearby North Gyeongsang Province in the southeast -- remained unchanged at six, including Japan.
But Japan is expected to be reclassified as it has announced it will temporarily adopt a two-week quarantine and suspend the no-visa entry program for South Koreans starting Monday through end-March.
Effective Saturday, Fiji bars the entry of people from all of Korea, expanding the restriction from Daegu and Cheongdo, a county in North Gyeongsang Province.
Seoul has stepped up diplomatic efforts to persuade foreign countries to refrain from taking what it calls "excessive" restriction measures, reassuring them of Korea's active and prompt containment efforts to fight the virus.
On Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry hosted a second briefing for foreign diplomats, less than two weeks after the first session, in a bid to reinforce such calls.
A total of 15 countries and territories, including 18 Chinese provinces, are currently quarantining people from South Korea or other virus-affected countries at designated facilities.
The number of countries and territories imposing stricter immigration controls or recommending quarantine programs for Koreans stood at 45.
South Korea added 483 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 6,767, with 44 deaths.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(LEAD) Virus-hit apartment complex under isolation, most cases linked to religious sect

The apartment block , which consists of two five-story buildings , is run by the city for unmarried women who @ @ @ @ @ .
A total of 141 people live in 137 flats .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details in first 5 paras)
DAEGU, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A virus-hit apartment tower here has been under tight control as a third of its residents were infected with the new coronavirus, city officials said Saturday.
According to the city's health authorities, 46 out 141 residents at the apartment block were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The city put the residential complex under group isolation.
The city authorities said 94 of the residents were members of the Shincheonji church, which is largely responsible for the virus outbreak here.
The religious sect has been associated with around 60 percent of all confirmed cases in the country.
Among the patients who have been infected, 14 have been hospitalized, while the remaining 32 were waiting to be transported to hospitals.
A janitor walks through an empty underground market in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea has so far reported 6,767 cases, with more than 5,000 infections reported in Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried women who are under 35 years old. A total of 141 people live in 137 flats.
Cohort isolation is a way to contain the virus by putting patients and medical personnel under a group quarantine.
Following a mass infection at a hospital ward in Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province near Daegu, province officials recently carried out cohort isolation at 581 welfare facilities as part of precautionary measures.
The city government said it has sent text messages to residents notifying them of a full entry and exit ban, which applies to all residents and delivery workers.
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--Trump says U.S. is working closely with S. Korea on virus

`` Now , can we do that ?
Yeah , we can do that , but that 's not effective @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` We 're doing the whole thing in one stop @ @ @ @ @ in South Korea .
That 's a very different thing . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 6 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and South Korea have been working closely together as allies to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
The president spoke during a visit to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, as his administration grapples with an increasing number of infections in the country.
"We're working closely with South Korea," Trump said. "They're also in a much different position. They have a lot of people that are infected; we don't. They're in a much different position. But we are working very closely with South Korea. As you know, we're allies."
Trump claimed that the two countries have been carrying out similar testing for COVID-19, with South Korea asking the U.S. for "advice."
"And the whole world is relying on us," he said. "South Korea is very much reliant on the information we're giving them, and they're reliant on the vaccines that we will come up with."
The president also sought to minimize the effectiveness of South Korea's drive-thru testing centers, saying they are taking samples from people.
"Now, can we do that? Yeah, we can do that, but that's not effective like what we're doing," he said. "We're doing the whole thing in one stop. They're doing samples in South Korea. That's a very different thing."
South Korea reported 483 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday (local time), bringing the nation's total to 6,767. So far, 44 people in the country have died from the disease.
This photo by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, published via the Associated Press, shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking to members of the press as Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looks on at the agency's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(LEAD) S. Korea's virus cases top 6,700, mass infection reported at apartment in Daegu

SEOUL , March 7 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ number of infections to 6,767 , with most new virus infections still in the southeastern @ @ @ @ @ epicenter of the virus outbreak here , and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; RESTRUCTURES; minor edits)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 483 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 6,767, with most new virus infections still in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
So far, 44 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
The country has released 118 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of Friday, up 10 from a day earlier, the KCDC added.
A medical staffer takes a sample from a potential COVID-19 patient aboard an ambulance at a makeshift drive-thru clinic for coronavirus patients in Daegu, 300 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheongapartment Province also increased by five.
Residents at an apartment in Daegu have been put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
The city's health authorities said 46 out of 142 residents at the apartment were confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19.
They added that 94 of the residents were found to be followers of the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
About 60 percent of the country's confirmed cases have been linked to a Daegu branch of the fringe religious sect Shincheonji.
The city government said it has sent text messages to the apartment residents notifying them of a full entry and exit ban, which applies to all residents and delivery workers.
The apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried women who are under 35 years old.
A Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) regular season game between the home team BNK Sum and Shinhan Bank S-Birds is under way behind closed doors at BNK Center in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on March 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities again advised people to refrain from unnecessary activities and avoid crowded areas over the weekend, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters.
Kim said the health authorities will be focusing on detecting patients among ordinary citizens in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
Soldiers disinfect Daegu International Airport on March 6, 2020, as part of measures against the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--S. Korea reports 367 new cases of coronavirus, total now at 7,134

A majority of the new cases again came from the southeastern city of Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province , @ @ @ @ @ virus outbreak that together account for more than 90 percent of all infection cases , @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 367 additional cases of the new coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections here to 7,134.
A majority of the new cases again came from the southeastern city of Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak that together account for more than 90 percent of all infection cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Of the 367 new cases, which were detected Saturday, 294 cases came from Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of about 2.5 million that is located some 300 kilometers from Seoul.
About 60 percent of confirmed cases here have been linked to a Daegu branch of a religious sect, Shincheonji.
Daegu's total infection cases now stands at 5,378.
North Gyeongsang Province, one of the most severely hit areas, saw its infection cases rise 32 to 1,081, according to the KCDC.
Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province each reported 12 additional cases. Their totals now stand at 120 and 142, respectively.
So far, 50 people, mostly with preexisting medical conditions, have died of the respiratory disease that originated in China late last year.
South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu where 46 residents tested positive for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 367 new cases of coronavirus, total now at 7,134


yna--2020-03-08--Korea's geostationary environmental monitoring satellite in orbit

The Chollian-2B that blasted off atop the Ariane-5 rocket from French Guiana on Feb. 18 ( local time ) is @ @ @ @ @ 35,786 kilometers above the equator , according to the Ministry of Science and ICT .

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's geostationary environmental monitoring satellite has successfully reached its designated orbit around the Earth, the science ministry said Sunday.
The Chollian-2B that blasted off atop the Ariane-5 rocket from French Guiana on Feb. 18 (local time) is now in fixed orbit some 35,786 kilometers above the equator, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The 3.4-ton satellite stationed at 128.25 degrees longitude will undergo a full systems optimization process in the coming months.
The satellite will start providing real-time data on ocean conditions from October, which will be followed by the monitoring of atmospheric information over East Asia in 2021.
Among other things, the Chollian-2B is equipped with the Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) with "machine learning" capabilities that can observe and track fine dust and 20 types of air pollutants, including ozone, sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde.
The ministry said that once the satellite is fully operational, it can work in concert with the Chollian-2A satellite launched in late 2018.
The country spent 386.7 billion won (US$324.9 million) on the Chollian-2B project, which began in 2011.
The ministry said the life cycle of the satellite is 10 years, the same as the Chollian-2A.
This image provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT shows the Chollian-2B in orbit around the Earth. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--SK Telecom to establish gaming joint venture with Singapore, Thai telcos

SK Telecom said it took about a year to complete the project , adding that the companies will keep searching @ @ @ @ @ developers that can help the joint venture .

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's leading mobile carrier, said Sunday it will establish a joint venture with major telecommunication firms from Singapore and Thailand to better develop gaming and esports services for the Southeast Asian market.
SK Telecom said it has joined hands with Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (Singtel) and Advanced Info Service Public Company Ltd. (AIS) of Thailand to set up a joint venture that focuses on providing gaming platform services.
The three companies will have equal shares in the joint venture, which will start its services later this year.
In this photo provided by SK Telecom Co., SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho poses for a photo after signing an agreement for a joint venture with Singtel and AIS following a video conference at his office in Seoul on March 5, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The latest deal marks the expansion of the partnership signed between SK Telecom and Singtel last February. Then, the two sides agreed to cooperate in the region's gaming sector.
Instead of developing mobile or online games, the joint venture, whose name has yet to be unveiled, aims to provide a global social network of gamers and operate businesses related to esports and media content.
Its services may include broadcasting esports competitions using virtual reality technology and making video content of professional esports players, according to SK Telecom.
SK Telecom said it took about a year to complete the project, adding that the companies will keep searching for new partners and game developers that can help the joint venture.
Meanwhile, SK Telecom said the joint venture agreement was signed remotely by CEOs on Thursday following a video conference linking Seoul, Singapore and Bangkok, apparently due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
SK Telecom has been one of the active telecommunication firms expanding its presence in the gaming industry.
Last year, it launched an esports joint venture with U.S. sports and entertainment company Comcast Spectacor and also joined forces with Microsoft Corp. for a 5G-based cloud gaming service in South Korea.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

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

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


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(END)


yna--2020-03-07--(6th LD) S. Korea's virus cases top 7,000; mass infection-hit apartment in Daegu under lockdown

So far , 48 people , mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses , have died in South Korea from the @ @ @ @ @ China late last year .
Of them , four more deaths have been reported in @ @ @ @ @ KCDC .

(ATTN: UPDATES death toll in 4th para)
SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's coronavirus cases topped 7,000 on Saturday with most new infections in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the outbreak here, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
A virus-hit apartment in Daegu was placed under lockdown as one third of its residents were infected with the novel coronavirus and traced to a religious sect related to most infections here.
The country reported 274 new cases of the novel coronavirus over the past 16 hours, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 7,041, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
So far, 48 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year. Of them, four more deaths have been reported in Daegu, according to the KCDC.
A total of 36 are in critical condition, while 118 have been released, up 10 from a day earlier, after fully recovering from the novel coronavirus, the KCDC added.
Health officials enter the health ministry in Sejong on March 7, 2020, after a public servant working for the ministry was diagnosed with COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Of the 483 new cases, which were detected on Friday, a majority were reported in the country's southeastern region. Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province reported 390 and 65 more cases, respectively, according to the KCDC.
The total cases in the two hardest-hit regions reached 6,133, accounting for 90.6 percent of the total infections here, with some 5,000 virus patients coming from Daegu.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province reporting three and 10 more cases, respectively. Cases in North Chungcheong Province also increased by five.
Also among the cases was a pregnant woman in the southeastern port city of Busan.
The 38-year-old, who is in her second trimester, is assumed to have contracted the virus from her husband who was confirmed as a patient while working in Daegu.
In Sejong, a public servant who works at the government complex where around 15,000 people commute, tested positive.
By infection route, those from group infections, such as religious services, hospitals and welfare facilities, accounted for 72.8 percent of the total, according to the KCDC.
Concerns over group infections further rose after residents at an apartment in Daegu were put into group isolation following mass infections at the residential complex.
"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.
Daegu city authorities said 46 out of the 142 residents at the city-run apartment for unmarried women were confirmed to have been infected.
They added that 94 of the residents, including the 46 who tested positive, were members of Shincheonji, the religious sect at the center of cluster infections in the city.
A total of 63.5 percent of the country's infections are linked to Shincheonji, the fringe religious sect that is known to have more than 210,000 members nationwide.
This photo taken on March 7, 2020, shows an apartment complex in Daegu that has been under isolation after mass infections of the new coronavirus broke out among its residents. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities said they plan to focus on potential cases among non-Shincheonji followers in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million.
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
Health authorities, however, have recently shifted their focus to testing ordinary citizens in Daegu, citing an alarming level of community spread in the city.
"With over 90 percent of Shincheonji followers tested, infections in Daegu are showing signs of stabilizing as tests of high-risks groups are mostly complete," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters. "However, the situation is not easy as 9 to 10 percent of ordinary citizens have tested positive."
Kim said the health authorities are also putting in more efforts to contain secondary and tertiary transmissions by identifying transmission routes. Earlier in the day, the Daegu city government imposed an administrative order for Shincheonji followers to be tested.
The vice minister urged cooperation in containing the virus in areas outside of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, citing that the next few days are likely to be "critical."
"Nationwide infections in areas outside of special care zones have stagnated, but to make a clear judgment, the next few days will be critical," Kim said.
People wait in line to buy masks in front of a local supermarket in the southeastern city of Daegu on March 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 19,620 as of Friday, down 2,212 from the day before, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 171,422 suspected cases, with 151,802 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The World Health Organization said the virus is transmitted through droplets or close contact. The best measures to protect yourself from the virus are to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and avoid mass gatherings, health officials said.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--(2nd LD) S. Korea mulling sending chartered flight to bring nationals home from Iran

`` The South Korean Embassy in Iran is carrying out a survey on people there over whether they are willing @ @ @ @ @ flight , '' an official from the foreign ministry here said .

(ATTN: UPDATES figures in 2nd para)
SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is reviewing a plan to send a chartered flight to Iran to bring its citizens home from the coronavirus-hit Islamic country this week, government officials said Sunday.
The number of Iran's COVID-19 cases had reportedly risen to 6,566, with 194 deaths, as of 12 p.m. on March 8 (local time), raising concerns about the safety of Koreans in the country suffering shortages of medicine and medical equipment.
It marks the third most coronavirus infections in the world, following China and South Korea.
"The South Korean Embassy in Iran is carrying out a survey on people there over whether they are willing to get aboard a chartered flight," an official from the foreign ministry here said.
He said the foreign ministry is in talks with the Tehran government to help its citizens come home within this week.
About 100 out of 220 South Korean residents in Iran are expected to take the flight, the official said.
A chartered Korean Air B747-400 with South Koreans from Wuhan lands at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on Feb. 1, 2020. The passenger jet brought back some 330 people from the Chinese city that has become the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
But due to the international sanctions against the Middle East country, Seoul is seeking ways to arrange a flight from a third country, instead of sending a flag carrier directly.
The entrants from Iran will undergo coronavirus tests, while those with symptoms of virus infection will be quarantined for about 14 days.
South Korea has airlifted its nationals from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus, and from the Diamond Princess, a quarantined cruise ship moored off the coast of Japan, last month.
South Korea evacuated nearly 900 South Koreans in Wuhan in three batches on Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and Feb 12, and they were put under 14-day quarantines at facilities.
With only a few of the evacuees testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the rest of them were released from the designated facilities by Feb. 27.
The country also sent a presidential plane on Feb. 19 to bring six nationals and a Japanese spouse out of 14 South Koreans aboard the Japanese cruise ship. They were transported to a medical facility in the country for a 14-day quarantine.
As of Sunday, South Korea had reported a total of 7,313 confirmed coronavirus cases and 50 deaths since the deadly virus was first diagnosed on Jan. 20 here.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--(2nd LD) PM urges cooperation for 'smooth' mask distribution amid virus angst

Under the measure that will take effect Monday , citizens will be able to buy only two protective masks per @ @ @ @ @ designated days of the week , depending on the final number of their year of @ @

(ATTN: MOVES 2nd photo; UPDATES figures in last para)
SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister on Sunday called for citizens' cooperation to resolve the supply shortage of face masks and ensure smooth distribution amid growing public anger over the bungled supply scheme.
Under the measure that will take effect Monday, citizens will be able to buy only two protective masks per week from pharmacies, on designated days of the week, depending on the final number of their year of birth.
"To make the system smoothly operate, there is a desperate need for people to actively cooperate," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a televised message to the public.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun holds a meeting with government officials over the new coronavirus in the city hall of the southeastern city of Gyeongsan on March 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Even if you feel inconvenient, I ask you to show a mature sense of civil awareness, based on concessions, consideration and cooperation, so that people who really need face masks can buy them," he stressed.
The goal of the measure is to allow an even distribution of face masks amid a serious supply shortage, as many people have had to wait in long lines to purchase them through designated public channels.
On Feb. 25, South Korea decided to limit mask exports to a maximum of 10 percent of total output and distribute 50 percent through government and public organizations.
Despite the government's measures, citizens were waiting in long lines for hours to purchase a few masks via public channels, complaining about short supply.
Last week, the government decided to effectively ban mask exports and implement a new distribution system that restricts the supply of masks to two per person from five via public channels.
South Korea also unveiled a revised guideline that temporarily advises the reuse of cotton or disposable masks in environments with a low risk of infection.
The country had reported 179 additional cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday, bringing the total number of infections here to 7,313.
Citizens wait in long lines in front of a pharmacy in Jongno, central Seoul, on March 6, 2020, to buy face masks provided by the government via public channels. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-08--(LEAD) Women's basketball league suspended for 2 weeks due to coronavirus

With the latest decision by the WKBL , all professional leagues in South Korea have come to a halt in @ @ @ @ @ of the novel COVID-19 virus .

(ATTN: UPDATES figures in 4th para)
SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean women's basketball federation on Sunday decided to suspend its professional league for two weeks, joining other sports organizations in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) said the regular season will be put on hold, starting with a match scheduled for Tuesday. The WKBL has played its games behind closed doors for about two weeks.
It said it will check the situation thoroughly before resuming the league two weeks later.
South Korea had reported 7,313 virus patients and 50 deaths as of Sunday. The government raised the virus alert to the highest level last month amid a rapid increase in infections, asking its people to refrain from outdoor activities.
With the latest decision by the WKBL, all professional leagues in South Korea have come to a halt in the fallout from the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus.
The South Korean professional football league postponed the start of the 2020 season, which was originally set on Feb. 29, while the South Korean baseball league canceled all of its preseason games slated for mid-March.
The men's pro basketball league has been suspended since March 1, while the country's professional volleyball governing body ceased both men's and women's professional leagues from Tuesday last week.
The Samsung Life Bluemix and BNK Sum play a regular season game of the Women's Korean Basketball League without spectators at Yongin Gymnasium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on Feb. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)