yna--2020-06-15--Pentagon reaffirms 'robust' defensive posture after N.K. threats

Inter-Korean ties have chilled as the North has released a spate of strongly worded statements slamming the South for failing @ @ @ @ @ from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North .
The North has also warned that it @ @ @ @ @ military pact signed to reduce border tensions and destroy the joint liaison office .

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon reaffirmed Sunday its commitment to keeping a "robust" combined defensive posture to respond to any situation involving North Korea, after Pyongyang hinted at military action against the South.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened Pyongyang will take "a next step" against the South and gave an instruction for the army to take necessary measures. Seoul urged the North to comply with past inter-Korean agreements.
"We remain committed to maintaining a robust combined defensive posture," John Supple, a Pentagon spokesperson said in response to a query by Yonhap News Agency. He declined to comment on the recent statements by the North Korean government.
Inter-Korean ties have chilled as the North has released a spate of strongly worded statements slamming the South for failing to stop North Korean defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North. The North has also warned that it may scrap a 2018 inter-Korean military pact signed to reduce border tensions and destroy the joint liaison office.
The U.S. State Department expressed disappointment last week after the North vowed to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines and refused to answer the South's phone calls via liaison and military hotlines.
This Reuters photo shows the Pentagon logo in the briefing room at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Jan. 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--N.K.'s paper warns of continued retaliatory action against S. Korea on summit anniv.

`` The veiled hostile policy and inability of the South Korean authorities have resulted in the complete breakdown of inter-Korean @ @ @ @ @ , '' it said .
`` It is pathetic that the South Korean authorities have @ @ @ @ @ up rubbish that gives out only disgusting odor , nor has it any ability .
@

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will take action after action to punish South Korea over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets, the country's main newspaper said Monday, after the sister of leader Kim Jong-un warned of military action against the South.
North Korea has criticized South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, denouncing the sending of leaflets into the communist state as a hostile act that violates a series of peace agreements. Last week, the North vowed to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines in the first in a series of steps it will take against South Korea.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim, ratcheted up tensions further by threatening that it is high time to break with South Korea, and she gave instructions for the army to take necessary measures to punish the South.
"Relentless retaliatory acts will continue," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said. "Our invincible revolutionary powerful military will launch an act that will take revenge for our people who have become angrier than ever."
"It is the clear willingness of our people and soldiers that no one should be tolerated for hurting the dignity of our supreme leadership," it added. "Retaliatory plans built on such a strong anger have solidly turned into our national consensus."
This file photo shows Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)
The paper lambasted South Korea for making little efforts to stop the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by activists despite its agreement to prevent such activity, blaming Seoul for causing "worst-ever" tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a summit in April 2018 and agreed to stop all kinds of hostile activity, including the sending of propaganda leaflets across the border.
"The veiled hostile policy and inability of the South Korean authorities have resulted in the complete breakdown of inter-Korean relations and generated worst-ever tensions," it said. "It is pathetic that the South Korean authorities have had no intention to clean up rubbish that gives out only disgusting odor, nor has it any ability."
The paper lashed out at the South as the two Koreas marked the 20th anniversary of the June 15 Declaration adopted after the first-ever inter-Korean summit between then President Kim Dae-jung and then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang in 2000.
North Korean media outlets, including the Rodong Sinmun, however, have made no mention of the summit so far amid heightened cross-border tension.
kokob@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--BTS' 'Bang Bang Con' becomes world's biggest paid online concert: company

The concept of `` Bang Bang Con '' revolved around `` rooms , '' with `` bang '' being the @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Throughout the show , the stage production changed constantly , presenting five types @ @ @ @ @ , so as to suit the themes of the songs the band performed .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- A concert streamed by K-pop giant BTS on Sunday became the world's biggest paid online music event in terms of number of viewers, the band's management company said Monday.
Big Hit Entertainment announced that "Bang Bang Con: The Live," which was streamed over around 100 minutes remotely from a studio in Seoul on Sunday, drew some 756,000 viewers from across the world.
Fans from 107 countries or regions, including South Korea, United States, China, Britain and Japan, logged in to view the online event, the company added.
Big Hit said that the size of Sunday's online crowd roughly amounted to the combined audience of 15 stadium concerts.
"Despite the difficulties the concert industry is going through due to COVID-19, BTS is being evaluated as opening new possibilities through its online concert," Big Hit said.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows a highlight from K-pop band BTS' online concert "Bang Bang Con: The Live," held on June 14, 2020. The event drew around 756,000 viewers across the globe, according to the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The concept of "Bang Bang Con" revolved around "rooms," with "bang" being the Korean word for "room." Throughout the show, the stage production changed constantly, presenting five types of scenes, or rooms, so as to suit the themes of the songs the band performed.
The set list consisted of 12 songs, performed on various intricately produced stages, with the show seamlessly woven together through intermission-type talk segments throughout.
Having teamed up with U.S. streaming service startup Kiswe Mobile, "Bang Bang Con" allowed viewers to watch the entirety of the show through six different camera angles.
The K-pop septet will drop its fourth full-length album in Japan, titled "Map Of The Soul: 7 - The Journey," on July 15.
The 13-track album will include original Japanese songs, like "Stay Gold" and "Your Eyes Tell," and the Japanese versions of the group's previous songs, including "ON," Boy With Luv," and "Fake Love."
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows a highlight from K-pop band BTS' online concert "Bang Bang Con: The Live," held on June 14, 2020. The event drew around 756,000 viewers across the globe, according to the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Samsung Bioepis' ophthalmology biosimilar candidate receives clinical approvals in 8 markets

Lucentis was the first to reach the market for AMD with sales of some US $ 3.7 billion globally last @ @ @ @ @ been overtaken by rival drug Eylea , with $ 4 billion in U.S. sales and @ @ @ @ @ other markets in 2019 .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pharmaceutical firm Samsung Bioepis Co. said Monday that it has won approvals in major countries to conduct clinical trials for its new ophthalmology biosimilar candidate.
SB15 is a biosimilar candidate referencing Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Eylea, a blockbuster therapy to treat age-related (wet) macular degeneration (AMD). It is a chronic eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a blind spot in the visual field.
SB15 received the green light from health authorities in eight countries, including phase three clinical trials in South Korea and the United States, the company said.
The approvals come as Samsung Bioepis recently completed clinical trials of another AMD biosimilar candidate dubbed SB11 that references Novartis' Lucentis.
This undated photo, provided by Samsung Bioepis Co., shows its factory. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Samsung Bioepis is currently the front runner in developing biosimilars for the two drugs, which together account for the lion's share of the global AMD market in terms of value.
Lucentis was the first to reach the market for AMD with sales of some US$3.7 billion globally last year. It has since been overtaken by rival drug Eylea, with $4 billion in U.S. sales and another $2.1 billion in other markets in 2019.
The two market leaders are approaching the end of their patent life, with Lucentis due to lose protection in the U.S. next year and in Europe in 2022, while Eylea's patents will end in 2020 and 2021 in the two markets, respectively.
Biosimilars are defined by the FDA as products that are "highly similar to an already approved biological product," which has "no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety and effectiveness from the reference product."
Samsung Bioepis is a joint venture between Samsung BioLogics -- a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group -- and its U.S. partner Biogen Inc.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Seoul stocks open lower on coronavirus resurgence fears

The drop was largely attributed to investor concerns of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic feared amid the rollback @ @ @ @ @ economies , analysts said .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened lower Monday amid global concerns of a coronavirus resurgence.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 13.74 points, or 0.64 percent, to 2,118.56 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The drop was largely attributed to investor concerns of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic feared amid the rollback of economic lockdowns in major economies, analysts said.
Most large caps traded lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 1.72 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shedding 1.17 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics spiked 5.09 percent, while leading automaker Hyundai Motor dropped 0.97 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,208.75 won against the U.S. dollar, down 4.95 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Samsung unveils BTS edition of Galaxy S20 smartphones, earbuds

The Galaxy Buds Plus BTS edition and its charging case are also available in purple and will feature the band @ @ @ @ @ iconography .
It also comes with photo cards of the band right in the box @

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday unveiled a special edition of its Galaxy smartphones and earbuds in collaboration with K-pop sensation BTS.
The South Korean tech giant introduced the BTS edition of the Galaxy S20 Plus 5G, S20 Plus and the Galaxy Buds Plus.
The design of the Galaxy S20 Plus BTS edition highlights a purple glass and metal exterior. It also carries the boy band's logo and purple heart iconography on the back.
The BTS edition of the Galaxy S20 Plus will be available in both 5G and LTE variants, Samsung said. It also comes with pre-installed BTS-inspired themes and a fan community platform, Weverse.
In South Korea, the 5G variant of the Galaxy S20 Plus BTS edition will be sold for 1.397 million won (US$1,155), with pre-orders starting from July 1.
The Galaxy Buds Plus BTS edition and its charging case are also available in purple and will feature the band's logo and purple heart iconography. It also comes with photo cards of the band right in the box.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Buds Plus BTS edition opened on Monday at Samsung's offline stores and Weverse Shop. It will be available for online pre-order at Samsung.com from Friday. The price of the BTS earbuds has been set at 220,000 won in South Korea.
Samsung said the devices will be globally available from July 9, which marks the seventh anniversary of the BTS fan collective.
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on June 15, 2020, shows the Galaxy S20 Plus BTS edition smartphone. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 15 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

(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--2020-06-15--Tougher regulations eyed to stop S. Korean boats' illegal fishing overseas

SEOUL , June 15 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea said Monday it will revamp its regulations to prevent possible @ @ @ @ @ Korean-flagged boats operating overseas , after the country had been on the verge of being @ @ @ @ @ nations engaging in unregulated fishing .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Monday it will revamp its regulations to prevent possible illegal fishing activities by South Korean-flagged boats operating overseas, after the country had been on the verge of being labeled as one of the nations engaging in unregulated fishing.
Previously, inspections had been carried out for illegal fishing activities only on foreign-flagged boats arriving in South Korea.
The new measure will be implemented on the first batch of 12 deep-sea squid fishing boats in July, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
In September 2019, the U.S. made a preliminary decision to name South Korea as a country that engages in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, after a South Korean boat was caught doing unauthorized fishing near the Antarctic.
The decision was later lifted in January, but South Korea has been making efforts to bolster its control over illegal fishing activities to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The European Union made a similar decision on South Korea in 2013, which was lifted in 2015.
Local authorities plan to especially beef up surveillance on poaching of banned marine creatures, such as sharks and whales, by South Korean boats.
The ministry said it will also hand out official maps of the exclusive economic zones for fishing boats to prevent potential conflicts on waters.
For fishing boats without an authorized fisheries observer on board, the ministry plans to monitor their activities through video surveillance systems.
Fishermen search for tuna on the open sea in this undated file photo released by the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association on March 11, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSDAQ 745.60 DN 0.46 points (open)


KOSPI 2,114.41 DN 17.89 points (open)


yna--2020-06-15--Dollar opens at 1,206.0 won UP from 1,203.8 won


yna--2020-06-15--S. Korea to help companies win more overseas orders

SEJONG , June 15 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's finance minister said Monday the government will spare no @ @ @ @ @ overseas orders this year , as part of its efforts to revive economic growth amid @ @ @ @

SEJONG, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance minister said Monday the government will spare no efforts to help companies win overseas orders this year, as part of its efforts to revive economic growth amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said such efforts would help companies clinch overseas orders worth US$30 billion this year
The government will set up total funds of 3.7 trillion won ($3.07 billion) to aid local firms in winning overseas orders, Hong said.
Hong said South Korea plans to launch negotiations with Cambodia to sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in July.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks at a meeting with economy-related ministers on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The two nations launched a joint feasibility study on their potential FTA in November last year.
South Korea and Cambodia completed the study last month and agreed to start domestic procedures to pave the way for official talks.
South Korea's exports to Cambodia reached $696 million in 2019, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier. Its imports from Cambodia came to $335 million, up 6.8 percent on-year.
South Korea mainly ships textile materials and used freight trucks to Cambodia and imports finished clothing goods.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(LEAD) FM discusses coronavirus cooperation with ASEAN chief

In addition to talks with Lim , Kang discussed COVID-19 developments with her Kenyan counterpart , Raychelle Omamo , later @ @ @ @ @ the phone talks held at the request of Omamo , the two sides agreed to @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease and to expand ties in the healthcare sector through the United Nations and @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details of FM's talks with Kenyan counterpart in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with the chief of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday and discussed ways for greater cooperation amid the coronavirus pandemic, her office said.
During the phone call with Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, Kang said South Korea is looking into measures that would allow special entry of businesspeople from ASEAN member states, as exemptions to current entry restrictions over the COVID-19 outbreak, to enable essential economic activities.
Explaining South Korea's virus outbreak situation and its continued quarantine efforts, she called for the ASEAN secretariat to take an active role in uniting the will and capabilities of ASEAN nations to overcome the pandemic.
She added that expanding cooperation with ASEAN in health-related fields will be a key topic for South Korea, in line with the New Southern Policy, a signature initiative being pushed for by the Moon Jae-in government to deepen ties with Southeast Asian partners.
In response, Lim agreed that ASEAN and South Korea should continue to work closely together so as to help boost economies hurt by the coronavirus outbreak.
He also expressed thanks for South Korea's US$5 million provision to the ASEAN countries via a cooperation fund to provide coronavirus test kits and protective gear.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) shakes hands with ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi ahead of their meeting in Busan, in this photo provided by her ministry, on Nov. 24, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In addition to talks with Lim, Kang discussed COVID-19 developments with her Kenyan counterpart, Raychelle Omamo, later in the day. During the phone talks held at the request of Omamo, the two sides agreed to work closely to eradicate the infectious disease and to expand ties in the healthcare sector through the United Nations and other international agencies.
Omamo thanked Kang for the shipment of critical quarantine materials to Kenya and the sharing of knowhow.
South Korea has been widely lauded for containing the outbreak better than most countries by combining aggressive testing, contact tracing and quarantine measures that make use of latest technology.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(LEAD) Ruling party elects standing committee heads in unilateral voting

The extra budget bill is unlikely to win early parliamentary approval , as the DP is seeking , with the @ @ @ @ @ accounts , the key committee in charge of budget examination , yet to be created @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 7-12)
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) went it alone and elected the chairmen of the National Assembly's six key standing committees without the main opposition party Monday after bipartisan negotiations fizzled out.
Convening a full-floor assembly session, the DP and minor parties elected six DP lawmakers to head six out of the total 18 parliamentary standing committees without the participation of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP).
Since the new term started on May 30, the National Assembly has been at a standstill as the two rival parties couldn't agree on how to distribute the 18 committee chairmen posts.
Both parties sought to take the legislation and judiciary committee, the gateway to the final plenary session.
As weeks-long bipartisan negotiations yielded no results, the DP, which controls 176 out of the 300 assembly seats, pushed ahead with the voting to elect the chairmen of the six committees, including those on finance, foreign affairs, health and defense affairs.
In protest, UFP lawmakers boycotted the voting and picketed outside of the main assembly hall.
"Today is the day when (the politics of negotiations at) the National Assembly disappeared from history and one-party dictatorship began," UFP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said at the opening of the session before walking out.
Joo later offered to step down as UFP's floor leader, holding himself accountable for failing to counter the voting.
"Having had to form some of the standing committees without a bipartisan agreement, I am very regretful and sorry," National Assembly Speaker Rep. Park Byeong-seug said before tabling the vote.
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug presides over a plenary assembly session on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
DP is planning to get the National Assembly started right away to process a number of important pending bills, including a government proposal of the third COVID-19 response extra budget worth 35.3 trillion won (US$29 billion).
The extra budget bill is unlikely to win early parliamentary approval, as the DP is seeking, with the parliamentary committee on budget and accounts, the key committee in charge of budget examination, yet to be created amid the bipartisan wrangling.
In the Monday voting, four-term DP lawmaker Rep. Yun Ho-jung was elected to the chairmanship of the legislation and judiciary committee and two other DP representatives, Yoon Hu-duk and Song Young-gil were elected to head the finance and foreign affairs committees, respectively.
United Future Party lawmakers picket a National Assembly plenary session in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(3rd LD) Moon urges N. Korea not to backtrack on agreed-upon peace efforts

`` To North Korea , I request that it not close the window of dialogue , '' he said in @ @ @ @ @ official event to commemorate the first-ever summit between the leaders of the two Koreas .
@ @ @ @ @ Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju , just south of the Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) @

(ATTN: UPDATES lead paras with Moon's video message for summit anniversary; ADDS photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called Monday on North Korea to leave the door for dialogue open, emphasizing the need for the two Koreas to build mutual trust based on the spirit of the 2000 historic summit accord.
"To North Korea, I request that it not close the window of dialogue," he said in a video message for an official event to commemorate the first-ever summit between the leaders of the two Koreas. The ceremony was held at Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
In a symbolic move, Moon appeared in the video wearing a blue tie that South Korea's late president Kim Dae-jung wore two decades ago when he signed the June 15 Joint Declaration with then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader Kim Jong-un, after their summit talks in Pyongyang.
President Moon Jae-in delivers a video message for a ceremony on June 15, 2020, to commemorate the first-ever summit between the leaders of the two Koreas in this photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Rep. Kim Hong-gul, a son of Kim Dae-jung, delivered the tie to Moon, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Moon reiterated a call for the two Koreas to resolve pending issues via "communication and cooperation."
"The most important thing is trust between South and North Korea," he added. "We must develop trust between the two sides through constant dialogue."
Speaking at the weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides earlier in the day, the president said he's commemorating the anniversary with a "heavy heart," apparently referring to frosty inter-Korean ties highlighted by Pyongyang's decision to cut all communication lines with Seoul and even threaten military action.
"The direction the two Koreas should go together is clear," he said. "We should not stop the current inter-Korean relations again, which have overcome a longtime severance and the crisis of a war with difficulty."
President Moon Jae-in (2nd from L) speaks at a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon cited his own summit deals with Kim in 2018, one reached at the truce village of Panmunjom and the other in the North's capital.
He said his government would make "incessant" efforts to implement summit agreements.
"(We) can't let the promise of peace on the Korean Peninsula, which I and Chairman Kim Jong-un made in front of 80 million Koreans, revert," Moon stressed.
The April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration represent a "solemn promise" for both South and North Korea to implement faithfully, he added.
The promise constitutes a "firm principle that shouldn't be swayed by any change in security conditions," Moon said. "(The North) should not attempt to put (inter-Korean relations) back to the era of confrontation by cutting communication and creating tensions."
Noting that denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang are in a drawn-out stalemate, Moon proposed that the two sides make it their initiative to produce a "breakthrough" in the peace process.
"We have come to a time when we cannot wait any more for the conditions to improve," he said, proposing that the two sides push for joint projects that they can decide themselves as the "master of the Korean Peninsula's fate."
He also raised the need for the South's National Assembly to formally approve major inter-Korean deals.
If those agreements had been ratified by the National Assembly and had "continuity" despite a power shift, inter-Korean relations "would have developed much more than now," he said.
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Over the weekend, Kim Yo-jong, an influential sister of the North's leader, issued yet another provocative statement saying that the military would be in charge of a next step to respond to the distribution of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets by some activists here across the border.
South Korea's ruling Democratic Party also urged Pyongyang to patiently take a "trust-based" approach.
North Korea needs to "understand differences in the political systems of South and North Korea and have trust in the commitment of the Moon Jae-in administration and the Democratic Party," Lee Hae-chan, head of the liberal party, said.
The party's floor leader, Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, called on Washington to support the development of inter-Korean ties, asking the U.S. to help get sanctions exemptions for the resumption of the Kaesong industrial complex and the Mount Kumgang tour program.
A total of 173 lawmakers with the DP and other liberal parties submitted a resolution calling for the declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War that finished in an armistice.
The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), in contrast, condemned the Moon administration's policy on North Korea.
"The government's peace process and humiliating policy toward North Korea have collapsed," UFP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said.
Under Moon's presidency, he argued, South Korea has failed to hold close consultations, especially with the U.S. and Japan, on the North Korea issue amid deepened diplomatic rifts with the two major powers.
The conservative party plans to submit a resolution demanding Pyongyang halt provocations and abandon its nuclear program.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(2nd LD) Minister emphasizes summit spirit as Pyongyang threatens military action

`` The June 15 Declaration carries a historic meaning in that it reaffirmed that the South and the North are @ @ @ @ @ to Korean Peninsula problems , '' he said .
`` The government will continue to @ @ @ @ @ on the Korean Peninsula by adhering to South-North agreements , including the June 15 Declaration @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with minister's address at commemorative event in paras 6-8)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea should remember the spirit of reconciliation ingrained in the first-ever summit of their leaders held two decades ago, the unification minister said Monday, as tensions are growing after Pyongyang threatened to take military action against the South.
Minister Kim Yeon-chul made the remark in a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the June 15 Declaration adopted during the summit in Pyongyang in 2000 between then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
"What we have to do is to remind ourselves of the June 15 spirit at a time when the South-North relations are about to lose their directions," the minister said during an event to mark the anniversary.
"The June 15 Joint Declaration is a historic event that served as a watershed moment for the history of division," he added. "Through the June 15 Declaration and its implementation process, we have learned that peace cannot be achieved on its own."
Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul delivers a speech during an event hosted by the ruling Democratic Party on June 15, 2020, to mark the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit held in 2000. (Yonhap)
Kim noted that the summit spirit is not subservience to the stronger but autonomy, not confrontation but peace, and not division but unification, adding, "We should bear that in mind if we do not want to lose our directions amid the current crisis."
Later in the day, Kim attended an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the inter-Korean summit at the Odusan Unification Observatory and voiced his regret over not holding a joint event with the North.
South Korea had been seeking to hold joint inter-Korean events on the occasion but the North did not respond to South Korea's offers for cross-border exchange or cooperation.
"South Korea will value and adhere to the agreements signed between the two Koreas, including the June 15 Declaration," Kim said in his address.
North Korea has blasted South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, denouncing the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the communist state as a hostile act that violates a series of peace agreements. Last week, the North vowed to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines in the first in a series of steps it will take against South Korea.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim, ratcheted up tensions further by threatening that it is high time to break with South Korea, and she gave instructions for the army to take necessary measures to punish the South. The unification ministry urged Pyongyang to comply with past inter-Korean agreements.
Relations between the two Koreas have remained chilly, with the North not responding to any talks and cross-border cooperation since a no-deal summit between Pyongyang and Washington in February last year.
The unification minister said that peace can be realized only through mutual respect and recognition, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and negotiations that he said would help reduce cross-border tension.
Yoh Sang-key, the ministry's spokesperson, told reporters during a regular press briefing that South Korea remains committed to the implementation of all inter-Korean summit agreements.
"The June 15 Declaration carries a historic meaning in that it reaffirmed that the South and the North are main players when it comes to Korean Peninsula problems," he said. "The government will continue to work toward peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula by adhering to South-North agreements, including the June 15 Declaration."
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Ruling party elects standing committee heads in unilateral voting

As weeks-long bipartisan negotiations yielded no results , the DP , which controls 176 out of the 300 assembly seats @ @ @ @ @ voting to elect the chairmen of the six committees , including those on finance , @ @ @ @ @ defense affairs .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) went it alone and elected the chairmen of the National Assembly's six key standing committees without the main opposition party Monday after bipartisan negotiations fizzled out.
Convening a full-floor assembly session, the DP and minor parties elected six DP lawmakers to head six out of the total 18 parliamentary standing committees without the participation of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP).
Since the new term started on May 30, the National Assembly has been at a standstill as the two rival parties couldn't agree on how to distribute the 18 committee chairmen posts.
Both parties sought to take the legislation and judiciary committee, the gateway to the final plenary session.
As weeks-long bipartisan negotiations yielded no results, the DP, which controls 176 out of the 300 assembly seats, pushed ahead with the voting to elect the chairmen of the six committees, including those on finance, foreign affairs, health and defense affairs.
In protest, UFP lawmakers boycotted the voting and picketed outside of the main assembly hall.
"Having had to form some of the standing committees without a bipartisan agreement, I am very regretful and sorry," National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug said before he put the voting on the table.
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug presides over a plenary assembly session on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Samsung head faces panel's decision on possible indictment next week

The Samsung scion is under probe in connection with the controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015 , an @ @ @ @ @ takeover of control of the group from his ailing father , Lee Kun-hee .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- A civilian committee plans to issue a decision next week on whether Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, should be indicted over his alleged involvement in a merger and accounting fraud, informed sources said Monday.
The Supreme Prosecutors Office informed Samsung, South Korea's largest conglomerate, of the plan for the panel of outside experts to deliver its verdict on the matter next Friday.
Lee earlier called for a public assessment of the validity of the way that state prosecutors have conducted a probe into suspicions related to his Samsung Group managerial right succession process.
The panel is due to express its view on whether the indictment of Lee is required, a nonbinding but hard-to-ignore suggestion for the prosecution.
The Samsung scion is under probe in connection with the controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015, an apparent key process in his takeover of control of the group from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee.
Last week, a Seoul court turned down the prosecution's arrest warrant against Lee, saying whether he's guilty or not should be decided through "legal battles," namely in the form of a formal trial.
The system for a review of state prosecutors' investigation by an external panel was introduced in 2018 to enhance neutrality and fairness of its probes into cases that are of great public interest.
A building of Samsung Group in Seoul behind the flag of the Prosecution Service in this file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(2nd LD) Moon urges N. Korea not to backtrack on agreed-upon peace efforts

`` We have come to a time when we can not wait any more for the conditions to improve , @ @ @ @ @ that the two sides push for joint projects that they can decide themselves as the @ @ @ @ @ Peninsula 's fate . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in 9th para, political parties' statements in last 8 paras)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called on North Korea Monday not to stop a peace journey despite some troubles, making his first official remarks on North Korea's renewed saber-rattling.
"The direction the two Koreas should go together is clear," he said during a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. "We should not stop the current inter-Korean relations again, which have overcome a longtime severance and the crisis of a war with difficulty."
He was speaking in front of pool reporters and TV crews, as the two sides marked the 20th anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration adopted in a historic summit between the late leaders of the two Koreas -- Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il.
President Moon Jae-in (2nd from L) speaks at a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon said he's commemorating the anniversary with a "heavy heart," apparently referring to frosty inter-Korean ties highlighted by Pyongyang's decision to cut all communication lines with Seoul and even a threat of military action.
Moon cited his own summit deals with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018, one reached at the truce village of Panmunjom and the other in Pyongyang.
He said his government would make "incessant" efforts to implement summit agreements.
"(We) can't let the promise of peace on the Korean Peninsula, which I and Chairman Kim Jong-un made in front of 80 million Koreans, revert," Moon stressed.
The April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration represent a "solemn promise" for both South and North Korea to implement faithfully, he added.
The promise constitutes a "firm principle that shouldn't be swayed by any change in security conditions," Moon said. "(The North) should not attempt to put (inter-Korean relations) back to the era of confrontation by cutting communication and creating tensions."
Noting that denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang are in a drawn-out stalemate, Moon proposed that the two sides make it their initiative to produce a "breakthrough" in the peace process.
"We have come to a time when we cannot wait any more for the conditions to improve," he said, proposing that the two sides push for joint projects that they can decide themselves as the "master of the Korean Peninsula's fate."
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
He also raised the need for the South's National Assembly to formally approve major inter-Korean deals.
If those agreements had been ratified by the National Assembly and had "continuity" despite a power shift, inter-Korean relations "would have developed much more than now," he said.
Over the weekend, Kim Yo-jong, an influential sister of the North's leader, issued yet another provocative statement saying that the military would be in charge of a next step to respond to the distribution of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets by some activists here across the border.
South Korea's ruling Democratic Party also urged Pyongyang to patiently take a "trust-based" approach.
North Korea needs to "understand differences in the political systems of South and North Korea and have trust in the commitment of the Moon Jae-in administration and the Democratic Party," Lee Hae-chan, head of the liberal party, said.
The party's floor leader, Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, called on Washington to support the development of inter-Korean ties, asking the U.S. to help get sanctions exemptions for the resumption of the Kaesong industrial complex and the Mount Kumgang tour program.
A total of 173 lawmakers with the DP and other liberal parties submitted a resolution calling for the declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War that finished in an armistice.
The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), in contrast, condemned the Moon administration's policy on North Korea.
"The government's peace process and humiliating policy toward North Korea have collapsed," UFP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said.
Under Moon's presidency, he argued, South Korea has failed to hold close consultations, especially with the U.S. and Japan, on the North Korea issue amid deepened diplomatic rifts with the two major powers.
The conservative party plans to submit a resolution demanding Pyongyang halt provocations and abandon its nuclear program.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--S. Korea, UAE agree to allow entry exceptions for biz people amid coronavirus pandemic

The `` fast-track '' entry will enable essential travel by businesspeople and others , such as for humanitarian and academic @ @ @ @ @ from quarantine , the foreign ministry said in a release .
The UAE has banned @ @ @ @ @ March 19 due to virus fears .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to create a special entry system for businesspeople and other essential travelers as exemptions to entry curbs being imposed over coronavirus concerns, the foreign ministry said Monday.
The two countries reached the agreement during the three-day visit by Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gunn to the Middle Eastern country over the weekend. Kim's visit was arranged to discuss ways to enhance cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The "fast-track" entry will enable essential travel by businesspeople and others, such as for humanitarian and academic purposes, and exempt travelers from quarantine, the foreign ministry said in a release. The UAE has banned the entry of foreigners since March 19 due to virus fears.
Details on when to implement the system will be decided after consultations between related authorities of the two sides, the ministry added.
During the visit, Kim also paid a courtesy call on UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and delivered President Moon Jae-in's letter to UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, marking the countries' special strategic partnership and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties.
Kim then held talks with his counterpart, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, including in the agricultural, security and health-related sectors. The meeting with Al Marar was held via videoconference due to the UAE official's remote location outside of Abu Dhabi, according to the Seoul ministry.
This photo, provided by Seoul's foreign ministry on June 15, 2020, shows Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gunn (L) paying a courtesy call on UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the visit to the Middle East country. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Catholic Church to hold Masses to mark 70th anniversary of Korean War

`` We must overcome the hostility and pain of war and work together so that our people can hold each @ @ @ @ @ this year , which marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War , a year @ @ @ @ @ '' said Bishop Lee Ki-heon , head of CBCK Committee for the Reconciliation of the @ @ @

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Catholic Church said Monday it will conduct Masses across the country on the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War later this month to collectively pray for the lasting peace of the divided Korean Peninsula.
According to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK), all cathedrals in South Korea are scheduled to hold Masses on June 25, the anniversary of the outbreak of inter-Korean military conflict, dedicated to prayers towards peace and reconciliation on the peninsula.
Cathedrals will follow strict safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the conference said.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, the biggest diocese in South Korea with 1.52 million followers, will hold its Mass at 10 a.m. at the Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul that day, followed by those in Suwon, Wonju, Daegu and Daejeon at 10:30 a.m.
Cathedrals in Chuncheon, Incheon, Uijeongbu and Masan will also conduct similar prayer Masses later that day.
"We must overcome the hostility and pain of war and work together so that our people can hold each others' hand to make this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, a year of a new start," said Bishop Lee Ki-heon, head of CBCK Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People.
The two Koreas are still technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
This file photo shows a Catholic mass in session at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Excessive liquidity could fuel rise in housing prices: finance minister

South Korea has promised to spend some 270 trillion won ( US $ 225 billion ) to cushion the economic @ @ @ @ @ , with the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) cutting its key rate to a @ @ @

SEJONG, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance minister said Monday that excessive liquidity could fuel a rise in property prices and the government is closely monitoring the housing market.
South Korea has promised to spend some 270 trillion won (US$225 billion) to cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic, with the Bank of Korea (BOK) cutting its key rate to a historic low.
Due to the concerns over rising prices related to excessive liquidity, the government is monitoring the property market, Hong told a meeting with senior ministry officials.
Hong also instructed ministry officials to review measures that could channel such liquidity into infrastructure projects.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks during a meeting with senior ministry officials on June 15, 2020, in this photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Housing prices have been rising in recent years, spurring policymakers to unveil a series of measures, including tightened home-backed loan regulations and higher taxes.
Home transactions in South Korea sank more than 30 percent in April from the prior month due to tougher property rules and the coronavirus impact, according to government data.
The number of homes changing hands nationwide stood at 73,531 last month, down 32.3 percent from the previous month, the data showed.
However, the figure was up roughly 29 percent from the same month a year earlier, when housing transactions were anemic.
The on-month tumble was attributed to tough government measures to cool the housing market and the coronavirus outbreak that discouraged people from moving.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(News Focus) N. Korea's recent threats unlikely to turn into major military provocation: experts

`` The level of the North 's provocation will depend on the action our government takes .
The North also @ @ @ @ @ military action .
By declaring it will take the 'next step ' it is using @ @ @ @ @ warfare to create tension and get what they want , '' he said .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- After threatening military action, North Korea may open fire to shoot down giant balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets flying from South Korea, but major provocations are unlikely, such as the 2010 artillery attack on a border island, experts said Monday.
South Korea has been on high alert after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, vowed Saturday to take a next step to punish the South for failing to stop such leafleting, saying she has entrusted "the General Staff of our army" to "decisively carry out the next action."
The General Staff of the Korean People's Army is known to have masterminded two deadly attacks on the South in 2010 -- the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors, and the artillery attacks on the border island of Yeonpyeong, which left four people dead.
Kim Yo-jong's threat, issued Saturday night, forced the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae to convene an emergency meeting of the National Security Council just past midnight Sunday to discuss countermeasures, with the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman also attending the meeting.
Experts said the North is expected to take action, including militarily, as Kim Yo-jong's threat was not only carried by state media outlets designed for outside audiences, but also by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper and other outlets for domestic audiences.
But the communist nation is not expected to go as far as conducting major provocations, such as direct strikes on the South like the 2010 attacks, launching an intercontinental ballistic missile or carrying out a nuclear test.
"Surely, North Korea will take military action," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "As Kim Yo-jong already said, the North Korean authorities involved with inter-Korean affairs will take the next step, and since the statement was published in Rodong Sinmun, which is intended for the domestic audience, they will take military action."
"But it is unlikely it will be a major military provocation. If the leafleting campaign continues again, the first step the North will likely take is to issue a harshly worded statement warning that they will respond by immediately firing anti-aircraft guns," Yang said.
In 2014, the North tried to shoot down leaflet-carrying balloons, triggering an exchange of fire with the South.
Yang said the North could also test-fire short-range missiles or multiple rocket launchers.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (front) watches a firepower strike drill by the North Korean army's long-range artillery sub-units on March 2, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. The report came one day after South Korea said the North fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Professor Lim Eul-chul at the Institute for Far East Studies at Kyungnam University also said the North may take military action to escalate tensions, such as using anti-aircraft gun if defector groups attempt once again to send leaflets to the North.
"The level of the North's provocation will depend on the action our government takes. The North also does not want to take military action. By declaring it will take the 'next step' it is using a high level of psychological warfare to create tension and get what they want," he said.
Lim said the North could remove covers from coastal artillery guns on the west coast in a gesture to show they are getting ready to open fire so as to further escalate tensions.
"This might be one way for them to create military tension," he said.
Lim, however, said that any deadly attacks, such as the sinking of the Cheonan and the artillery attacks on Yeonpyeong, are unlikely.
"That would only happen when they are ready to go to war," he said. "Although inter-Korean relations are unstable now, the two leaders have held three summits and the two Koreas have engaged in more discussions than in any other times."
Lim said that the first action the North is expected to take will be about the inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong. Kim Yo-jong said Saturday that before long, the South will see a "tragic scene" of the office "completely collapsed."
"We first need to keep a close eye on it," Lim said. "The North may completely abolish the office depending on how our government responds."
As a reason for the North's threatening moves against the South, experts cited growing economic difficulties worsened by the coronavirus pandemic amid international sanctions. Escalating tensions with the outside world is one of the ways to divert public attention from domestic difficulties, they said.
"The recent move reflects a comprehensive list of reasons including the North's accumulated fatigue from the coronavirus, international sanctions and growing public grievances," Yang said.
Defector groups and other activists have occasionally sent a large number of leaflets via giant balloons sharply criticizing the communist regime and its leader. These were often flown with one-dollar bills, USB memory sticks and other items to get more North Koreans to pick up the leaflets.
The South Korean government has advised against sending such leaflets, citing concerns about the safety of residents in the regions where the leaflet-carrying balloons are launched because the North could take retaliatory military action on the areas.
Defector groups have ignored such appeals, citing their right to freedom of expression.
The North condemned such leafleting as running counter to two key inter-Korean agreements signed by their leaders, the Panmunjom Declaration of April 2018 and the following military agreement in September the same year.
Kim Yo-jong has warned the North will abolish an inter-Korean liaison office, stressing such actions will be the first in a series of steps against South Korea, vowing to turn its work toward the South "into the one against an enemy."
The North also threatened to scrap a military tension-reduction deal signed in 2018 and dismantle a now-shuttered industrial park in the North's border city of Kaesong, unless South Korea takes action against such leaflets.
The North has since refused to answer calls from the South through inter-Korean communication channels including military hotlines, marking the first time that Pyongyang has not responded since the hotlines were restored in 2018.
North Korea has continued to publish harsh statements despite a series of actions taken by the South Korean government, including filing a complaint with the police against two defector groups involved in the leaflet campaign and a warning from the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae saying it will crack down on the flying of leaflet balloons
"We must not forget North Korea is a country that prioritizes the Supreme Leader above all else. They will not tolerate such behavior that insults the leader," Yang said.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

In a statement Saturday , North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 's powerful sister , Kim Yo-jong , said its military @ @ @ @ @ right to take the `` next step '' against the South in the latest in @ @ @ @ @ by the North in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists here @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks sink almost 5 pct on another looming wave of virus outbreak
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks sank almost 5 percent amid rising concerns of a second wave of the new coronavirus pandemic, extending their losing streak to a third consecutive session and dashing hopes for a sharp rebound in the global economy. The Korean won sharply fell against the U.S. dollar.
After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,030.82, down 101.48 points, or 4.76 percent, the sharpest fall since March 23. Trading volume was high at about 1.06 billion shares worth some 18.02 trillion won (US$14.8 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 837 to 55.
----------------
(LEAD) After 75 days on furlough, USFK Korean employees return to work
SEOUL -- Thousands of South Korean employees for the U.S. Forces Korea returned to work Monday following months of unpaid leave, after Seoul and Washington agreed upon a wage deal amid their stalled defense-cost sharing negotiations.
More than 4,000 South Korean workers had been on the furlough since April 1, as Seoul and Washington failed to reach an agreement on a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that stipulates how much Seoul will pay for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong USFK.
----------------
(LEAD) Military beefs up surveillance on N.K. following provocation threats
SEOUL -- South Korea's military has strengthened its monitoring of North Korea, but no unusual moves have been detected so far, a source said Monday, after Pyongyang threatened to take military action against the South.
In a statement Saturday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong, said its military will be entrusted with the right to take the "next step" against the South in the latest in a series of threats made by the North in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists here.
----------------
(LEAD) Moon urges N. Korea not to backtrack on agreed-upon peace efforts
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in called on North Korea on Monday not to stop a peace journey despite some troubles, making his first official remarks on North Korea's renewed saber-rattling.
"The direction the two Koreas should go together is clear," he said during a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. "We should not stop the current inter-Korean relations again, which have overcome a longtime severance and the crisis of a war with difficulty."
----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea calls in Japanese ambassador, voices 'deep regrets' over Meiji site info center
SEOUL -- South Korea called in Japan's top envoy in Seoul and voiced "deep regrets" Monday after Tokyo failed to honor wartime forced labor victims at an information center on industrial revolution sites registered on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho called in Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita, hours after the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Tokyo opened to the public following a monthslong closure due to the new coronavirus.
----------------
(3rd LD) New virus cases below 40 for 2nd day, spread in greater Seoul still uncontrolled
SEOUL -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 40 for the second straight day Monday, but cluster infections and untraceable cases continued to haunt the Seoul metropolitan area.
The country added 37 new cases, including 24 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,121, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(LEAD) S. Korea pushing to spend more on home-grown weapons: defense chief

`` We are working on how to better support ( the industry ) , but there have been limits in @ @ @ @ @ Jeong said .
`` Though it is not easy , I hope we can overcome @ @ @ @ @ ''

(ATTN: CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Monday the government is pushing to spend more money on buying arms developed by South Korean companies to help them cope with the growing economic fallout from the new coronavirus.
Jeong made the remark during a meeting with chief executive officers of the country's leading defense firms, referring to the cancellation of foreign defense expos and suspension of export talks in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
"We are putting efforts to spend more on purchasing arms from local companies, instead of buying from abroad, when drawing the budget plan for next year," the minister said during the conference in Seoul.
The remark is in line with the government's push to develop more home-grown parts and revitalize regional economies through the designation of defense industry innovation centers in provinces.
The southeastern city of Changwon and the surrounding South Gyeongsang Province have been named as the host for the country's first such center in April.
"We are working on how to better support (the industry), but there have been limits in drawing visible achievements," Jeong said. "Though it is not easy, I hope we can overcome this difficult situation together."
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo speaks during a meeting with chief executive officers of the country's leading defense firms in Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Retirement not on mind of football legend taking coaching course

When the word got out last week that Lee would miss two Jeonbuk matches to complete his certification course , @ @ @ @ @ was about to retire and move into coaching .
The course runs through June 24 @ @ @ @ @ be available Tuesday against Pohang Steelers or Sunday against Gwangju FC .

PAJU, South Korea, June 15 (Yonhap) -- He may have signed up for a coaching certification course in the middle of his 23rd professional football season, but Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors striker Lee Dong-gook insisted Monday that he's focused on continuing his playing career.
Lee reported to the National Football Center (NFC) in Paju, just nort of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, on Monday to begin his course for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) "A" coaching certificate.
Holders of the A certificate may serve as an assistant coach on a national team or a club in the K League 1 or the K League 2.
In this file photo from June 6, 2020, Lee Dong-gook of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors celebrates his goal against FC Seoul during the teams' K League 1 match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
At 41, Lee is the oldest active player in the top-flight K League 1 this season. But he hasn't slowed down a bit, having scored four goals this season to lead all South Korean players. He is also the league's career scoring leader with 228 goals and counting.
When the word got out last week that Lee would miss two Jeonbuk matches to complete his certification course, it fueled speculation that Lee was about to retire and move into coaching. The course runs through June 24, and Lee will not be available Tuesday against Pohang Steelers or Sunday against Gwangju FC.
Lee told reporters at the NFC, though, that his immediate focus is on playing.
"I signed up for this course because I felt it would help my playing career," he said. "I felt this would be an opportunity for me to learn about what coaches think and what they want from players."
Asked if he'd be willing to become a player-coach, Lee said, "I don't think that position even exists in our league. I am not thinking about that at all."
Lee admitted he was disappointed that he'll have to sit out two matches just when he's rounding into form -- three of his four goals have come in the past two matches -- but said he will try to make the most of this learning opportunity.
There will be two certification courses this year. After the June course, the second two-week course is scheduled for November. All candidates must pass practical and theory exams and must also write a dissertation.
Of the 24 participants, Lee and Choi Hyo-jin of the second-tier club Jeonnam Dragons are the only active players. The rest are active coaches.
In this file photo from June 6, 2020, Lee Dong-gook of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors scores against FC Seoul during the teams' K League 1 match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Samsung heir Lee holds executive-level meetings amid uncertainties

Lee 's side is currently waiting for a panel of outside experts to review the validity of the prosecutor investigation @ @ @ @ @ The outside panel 's opinion is expected to come out later this month , although @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong held a series of meetings with top executives in the company's semiconductor and mobile businesses to check their future plans amid uncertainties over the coronavirus pandemic, the South Korean tech firm said Monday.
Lee avoided arrest last week for his alleged involvement in a controversial merger between two Samsung Group units in 2015.
This file photo taken on June 8, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong leaving a Seoul court after attending his arrest warrant hearing. (Yonhap)
Prosecutors suspect that Lee and the group's top management were involved in a calibrated scheme to intentionally lower the value of Samsung C&T prior to its merger with Cheil Industries so as to facilitate Lee's managerial succession from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee.
Although Lee avoided arrest, Samsung is still operating in emergency mode as the heir apparent still could face indictment.
Lee's side is currently waiting for a panel of outside experts to review the validity of the prosecutor investigation and the possible indictment. The outside panel's opinion is expected to come out later this month, although its decision is not legally-binding.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--(LEAD) Seoul stocks sink almost 5 pct on another looming wave of virus outbreak

SEOUL , June 15 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks sank almost 5 percent amid rising concerns of a @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , extending their losing streak to a third consecutive session and dashing hopes @ @ @ @ @ the global economy .
The Korean won sharply fell against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo, details in paras 6-8)
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks sank almost 5 percent amid rising concerns of a second wave of the new coronavirus pandemic, extending their losing streak to a third consecutive session and dashing hopes for a sharp rebound in the global economy. The Korean won sharply fell against the U.S. dollar.
After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,030.82, down 101.48 points, or 4.76 percent, the sharpest fall since March 23. Trading volume was high at about 1.06 billion shares worth some 18.02 trillion won (US$14.8 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 837 to 55.
Individuals raked in a net 1.24 trillion won, while foreigners sold off a net 474.4 billion won, extending their selling streak to a fifth session. Institutions offloaded a net 764.6 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) down 101.48 points, or 4.76 percent, to close at 2,030.82 on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The KOSPI's plunge came amid rising woes over a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the wake of the global economic reopening.
"Investor sentiment seems to have worsened over concerns of a second wave of COVID-19, particularly in the U.S. and China," said Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.
The number of new cases is declining in New York, but steeply rising in some 20 other states, including Florida, Texas and California, analysts said.
China is also bracing for resurgence in new virus cases. Beijing closed its largest grocery supply center after dozens of new infections were traced to the location.
The United States and China are South Korea's two largest trade partners.
Most large caps closed lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics tumbled 4.59 percent to 49,900 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 3.76 percent to 82,000 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics advanced 0.37 percent to 808,000 won, while Celltrion fell 7.90 percent to 274,000 won.
The country's No.1 automaker Hyundai Motor plunged 6.28 percent to 97,000 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors down 8 percent to 32,200 won.
Internet portal giant Naver shed 4.34 percent to 231,500 won, and auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis plummeted 9.22 percent to 187,000 won.
Leading steelmaker POSCO dipped 6.17 percent to 175,000 won.
The local currency was trading at 1,216.00 won against the U.S. dollar, down 12.20 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys gained 1.3 basis points to 0.854 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 1.2 basis points to 1.082 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Hyundai halts lines for Palisade, GV80 on parts supply glitch

`` It remains to be seen whether the suspension at the No .
2 and No .
4 Ulsan plants @ @ @ @ @ week due to the labor ministry 's investigation into the scene of the accident , @ @ @ @

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. on Monday suspended production lines for its flagship sport utility vehicle model Palisade and the GV80 under its independent Genesis brand due to parts supply problems.
Hyundai already suspended two assembly lines at the No. 2 plant in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and one line at the No. 4 Ulsan plant on Friday after a worker of its subcontractor died on Thursday, a company spokesman said.
The country's largest automaker has been supplied parts on a daily basis by the parts supplier.
"It remains to be seen whether the suspension at the No. 2 and No. 4 Ulsan plants will continue tomorrow or this week due to the labor ministry's investigation into the scene of the accident," he said.
This undated file photo shows Hyundai Motor's vehicles waiting to be shipped amid the coronavirus outbreak at its port in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Hyundai rolls out the Palisade SUV from the two plants and the GV80 SUV from the No. 2 plant. The subcontractor in Ulsan has provided crash pads, a core component used in the cockpit module of the two SUV models.
In recent weeks, the maker of the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe SUV had suspended some of its assembly lines in the main Ulsan plants to control inventories amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hyundai has seven domestic plants -- five in Ulsan, one in Asan and one in Jeonju -- and 10 overseas plants -- four in China and one each in the United States, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India and Brazil. Their combined capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles.
Hyundai suspended most of its overseas plants from March amid virus fears. All of its overseas plants returned to operations early this month, though not in full production.
From January to May, Hyundai's sales fell 26 percent to 1,288,629 vehicles from 1,748,911 units a year earlier.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--FM discusses coronavirus cooperation with ASEAN chief

During the phone call with Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi , Kang said South Korea is looking into measures that @ @ @ @ @ businesspeople from ASEAN member states , as exemptions to current entry restrictions over the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ economic activities .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with the chief of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday and discussed ways for greater cooperation amid the coronavirus pandemic, her office said.
During the phone call with Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, Kang said South Korea is looking into measures that would allow special entry of businesspeople from ASEAN member states, as exemptions to current entry restrictions over the COVID-19 outbreak, to enable essential economic activities.
Explaining South Korea's virus outbreak situation and its continued quarantine efforts, she called for the ASEAN secretariat to take an active role in uniting the will and capabilities of ASEAN nations to overcome the pandemic.
She added that expanding cooperation with ASEAN in health-related fields will be a key topic for South Korea, in line with the New Southern Policy, a signature initiative being pushed for by the Moon Jae-in government to deepen ties with Southeast Asian partners.
In response, Lim agreed that ASEAN and South Korea should continue to work closely together so as to help boost economies hurt by the coronavirus outbreak.
He also expressed thanks for South Korea's US$5 million provision to the ASEAN countries via a cooperation fund to provide coronavirus test kits and protective gear.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) shakes hands with ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi ahead of their meeting in Busan, in this photo provided by her ministry, on Nov. 24, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Baseball player set to take another crack at pitching

The 29-year-old was a hard-throwing high school pitcher who converted to an infielder after getting drafted by the LG Twins @ @ @ @ @ his KBO debut with the Nexen ( currently Kiwoom ) Heroes in 2014 as a @ @ @ @ @ an outfielder over the next three years .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- All he wants to do is to pitch again.
Kang Ji-kwang of the SK Wyverns will take his second crack at pitching in the pros, his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club announced Monday. His season debut on the mound will come in the Futures League, the KBO's minor league, as early as Tuesday, the Wyverns added.
The 29-year-old was a hard-throwing high school pitcher who converted to an infielder after getting drafted by the LG Twins in 2009. He made his KBO debut with the Nexen (currently Kiwoom) Heroes in 2014 as a hitter and played sparingly as an outfielder over the next three years.
In this file photo, provided by the SK Wyverns on May 8, 2019, Kang Ji-kwang of the Wyverns pitches against the Hanwha Eagles during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)sd
He was picked up by the Wyverns in an offseason draft of unprotected players before the 2018 season, and made a switch to the mound.
He pitched just three innings in 2018 but showed more promise in 25 relief appearances last year, posting a 3.95 ERA across 27 1/3 innings while averaging nearly 150 kilometers per hour (93.2 miles per hour) with his fastball.
Kang didn't pitch after June 16 last year, however, hampered by mysterious pains in his right shoulder. He didn't have any structural damage but the pain wouldn't subside, forcing Kang to move back to hitting.
Kang homered in a preseason game and began the regular season in the Futures League. In his first four games from May 5-8, Kang went 6-for-15 with three doubles.
But the pitching bug bit Kang hard again, and the Wyverns said Kang started throwing again soon after his last game as a hitter.
"Kang will pitch out of the bullpen in a Futures League game as early as Tuesday," a Wyverns official said. "He still wants to pitch. His shoulder has gotten a lot better, and he decided to make the switch again."
If Kang pitches Tuesday, it will come exactly one year after his most recent KBO mound appearance.
The Wyverns are in ninth place among 10 teams at 12-23. They're sixth in team ERA with 4.56 and fifth in bullpen ERA with 4.95.
In this file photo, from May 23, 2019, Kang Ji-kwang of the SK Wyverns pumps his fist after getting out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-15--Relief payout donation hits 28 bln won in 1 month

The total amount of donations will be available after August 18 when applications for the emergency handout will end .
@ @ @ @ @ have not yet applied for the handout .

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- The amount of new coronavirus relief funds donated back to the government has topped 28 billion won (US$23 million) in one month, a government agency said Monday.
Some 156,000 donations of emergency handouts, worth 28.2 billion won, were made between May 11 and June 10, according to the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, which is affiliated with the labor ministry.
The amount accounts for around 0.2 percent of the total 13.6 trillion won of relief payouts that were handed out to local residents as of June 8.
The total amount of donations will be available after August 18 when applications for the emergency handout will end. Around 4.6 percent of recipients have not yet applied for the handout.
The relief payouts are part of South Korea's efforts to minimize the economic fallout from the new coronavirus pandemic that has infected more than 12,000 here.
South Korean families can apply to receive the relief payout through prepaid cards, gift certificates or their own credit and debit cards to receive up to 1 million won depending on the number of family members
Instead of spending the emergency payout, they can opt to donate part or all of it, which will be used to support more needy people.
This May 19, 2020, photo shows a sign telling shoppers that they can pay with their emergency handout money at a traditional market in the central Seoul ward of Jongno. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--New virus cases still worrisome, steady rise continuing in greater Seoul

South Korea has mostly brought the spread of the virus elsewhere under control , but a series of cluster infections @ @ @ @ @ a door-to-door sales firm in Seoul and the adjacent areas have rekindled woes over another @ @ @ @ @ new patients .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 40 for the third consecutive day Tuesday, but cluster infections in the densely populous metropolitan area have shown no clear signs of a slowdown and imported cases were also on a steady rise.
The country added 34 new cases, including 21 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,155, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a slight decrease from the 37 additional cases reported Monday.
All but four of the locally transmitted cases were reported in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, home to half of the country's population of 50 million. The number of imported cases also surged to a double-digit level.
The number of daily new cases had reached 56 on Friday, which was just one shy from this month's peak of 57 reported on June 7.
Amid the country's all-out campaign to fight cluster infections, the number of new cases returned to below 50 the following day, eventually reaching 34 on Sunday.
South Korea has mostly brought the spread of the virus elsewhere under control, but a series of cluster infections tied to religious gatherings and a door-to-door sales firm in Seoul and the adjacent areas have rekindled woes over another spike in the number of new patients.
Health workers cool down their protective suits at a makeshift clinic in the west of Seoul on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country was close to winning the COVID-19 battle in early May, but cases from a nightlife district in Seoul soon emerged, sparking a chain of infections.
Over the past two weeks, the metropolitan area accounted for a whopping 90 percent of newly added COVID-19 cases, with most of them traced to cluster infections.
As of Monday, cases traced to a door-to-door business from the west of Seoul reached 169, up five from the previous day.
Those linked to small churches in the metropolitan area came to 110, up three cases over the past 24 hours.
Virus cases connected to a day care center for seniors in northeastern Seoul rose by two to 19 as well.
South Korea lifted most of its strict social distancing measures nationwide last month, but a continued rise in cluster infections forced health authorities to indefinitely extend toughened infection preventive measures in greater Seoul following a two-week implementation.
The new measures were only supposed to run through Sunday, but South Korea decided to have them in force indefinitely, as group infections in the region showed no signs of a slowdown.
Health authorities also fret over a rise in asymptomatic virus spreaders, who made up 10 percent of newly identified cases this month.
The country reported one more additional virus-related death, raising the total death toll at 278.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,760, up 30 from the previous day.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(LEAD) U.S. Embassy says Black Lives Matter banner removed to avoid 'misperception'

`` The ambassador 's intent was not to support or encourage donations to any specific organization .
To avoid the @ @ @ @ @ were spent to benefit such organizations , he directed that the banner be removed , @ @ @ @ @ in a message sent to Yonhap News Agency .

(ATTN: RECASTS caption and 5th para)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Tuesday that the Black Lives Matter banner hung on the facade of its building earlier this week was removed to "avoid misperception," amid reports the removal came after President Donald Trump voiced displeasure.
On Saturday, the embassy put up the banner, a symbol of an anti-racism movement in the United States and beyond sparked by the police killing last month of an unarmed African-American, George Floyd, but it disappeared Monday.
"The ambassador's intent was not to support or encourage donations to any specific organization. To avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations, he directed that the banner be removed," an embassy spokesperson said in a message sent to Yonhap News Agency.
"This in no way lessens the principles and ideals expressed by raising the banner, and the embassy will look for other ways to convey fundamental American values in these times of difficulty at home," the official added.
The official stressed that Ambassador Harry Harris's decision to hang the banner was aimed at communicating a "message of solidarity" with Americans concerned with racism and highlighting the "American values of racial equality, freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest."
Trump has drawn criticism for his intent to crack down on rallies against racism and police violence, which triggered a divisive debate within his administration over whether to use even active-duty forces for law enforcement against protesters.
The protests have apparently been heavily weighing on the American president already saddled with a raft of challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, as he is gearing up for the November presidential election.
After hanging the banner, the U.S. Embassy tweeted that the banner was a protest against police brutality, and that it showed its will to move toward a more tolerant and just society.
This composite image shows a Black Lives Matter banner hanging from the wall of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul (left picture) on June 14, 2020, while the picture on the right shows a banner commemorating the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War hanging from the wall on June 16, 2020, after the anti-racism banner was taken down. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(URGENT) 30 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,76

(URGENT) 30 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,760: KCDC

(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--2020-06-16--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 more virus death, death toll now at 278: KCDC


yna--2020-06-16--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 34 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,155: KCDC


yna--2020-06-16--S. Korea to extend anti-dumping duties on Japanese steel plates for 3 years

South Korea has imposed the 13.17 percent anti-dumping tariff on the Japanese products since 2011 , citing substantial damage to @ @ @ @

SEJONG, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance ministry said Tuesday it will extend anti-dumping duties on Japanese stainless steel plates for three years.
South Korea has imposed the 13.17 percent anti-dumping tariff on the Japanese products since 2011, citing substantial damage to the local industry.
The plates are widely used in different industries, including the petrochemical, shipbuilding and chip segments.
The tariff mainly targets those from Japan's Nippon Steel Stainless Steel Corp., Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co. and JFE Steel Corp.
The local market of such plates was estimated at 300 billion won (US$233 million) in 2018.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--U.S. Embassy says Black Lives Matter banner removed to avoid 'misperception'

By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Tuesday that the Black Lives Matter banner hung on the facade of its building earlier this week was removed to "avoid misperception," amid reports the removal came after President Donald Trump voiced displeasure.
On Saturday, the embassy put up the banner, a symbol of an anti-racism movement in the United States and beyond sparked by the police killing last month of an unarmed African-American, George Floyd, but it disappeared Monday.
"The ambassador's intent was not to support or encourage donations to any specific organization. To avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations, he directed that the banner be removed," an embassy spokesperson said in a message sent to Yonhap News Agency.
"This in no way lessens the principles and ideals expressed by raising the banner, and the embassy will look for other ways to convey fundamental American values in these times of difficulty at home," the official added.
The official stressed that the banner was intended to communicate a "message of solidarity" with Americans concerned with racism and highlight the "American values of racial equality, freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest."
Trump has drawn criticism for his intent to crack down on rallies against racism and police violence, which triggered a divisive debate within his administration over whether to use even active-duty forces for law enforcement against protesters.
The protests have apparently been heavily weighing on the American president already saddled with a raft of challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, as he is gearing up for the November presidential election.
After hanging the banner, the U.S. Embassy tweeted that the banner was a protest against police brutality, and that it showed its will to move toward a more tolerant and just society.
This composite image shows a Black Lives Matter banner hanging from the wall of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul (left picture) on June 14, 2020, while the picture on the right shows a banner commemorating the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War hanging from the wall on June 16, 2020, after the anti-racism banner was taken down. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Korean economy tipped to shrink 0.4 pct in 2020 on virus: IBs

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) has predicted that Korea 's economy could shrink 1.2 percent @ @ @ @ @ economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Major foreign investment banks (IBs) and economic institutes have forecast South Korea's economy to shrink in 2020 due to the fallout of the fast-spreading novel coronavirus, a report showed on Tuesday.
According to the report by the Korea Center for International Finance, nine foreign IBs and economic think tanks predicted that South Korea's economy may contract 0.4 percent this year, up from a contraction of 0.9 percent that they predicted in late April.
Nomura raised its forecast to a contraction of 0.5 percent for the Korean economy, compared with its earlier estimate of 5.9 percent contraction.
On the contrary, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch cut its forecast to a contraction of 0.2 percent for the Korean economy, compared with its earlier estimate of 0.2 percent expansion, the report showed.
With exports and domestic demand in the doldrums, some foreign institutions have warned Korea's economic growth may fall to negative terrain in the first half of this year.
Exports dropped for the third consecutive month in May due to the growing economic fallout from the pandemic. Outbound shipments dove 23.7 percent to US$34.8 billion last month, compared with $45.7 billion posted a year earlier.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has predicted that Korea's economy could shrink 1.2 percent this year as the global economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s due to the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 6 percent this year, the OECD said.
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Nexon eyes successful launch of mobile version of 'Dungeon Fighter' in China

Neople , a subsidiary under Nexon responsible for the development of the mega-hit game , has recently opened a new @ @ @ @ @ house more than 300 employees , they said .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean gaming giant Nexon Co. is making all-out efforts for the successful launch of a mobile edition of its flagship title "Dungeon & Fighter" in China, industry sources said Tuesday.
Neople, a subsidiary under Nexon responsible for the development of the mega-hit game, has recently opened a new office in Seoul that can house more than 300 employees, they said.
This undated photo, provided by Nexon Co., shows its mega-hit game "Dungeon Fighter." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Neople also recently announced a plan to newly hire hundreds of employees, such as programmers and overseas marketers, who are to be allocated for the mobile version of "Dungeon & Fighter."
"Dungeon & Fighter" was first released in South Korea in 2005 and quickly became a global hit, generating accumulated revenues of over US$10 billion worldwide.
The game was launched in China in 2008, becoming the first game to record 1 million concurrent users and has a peak concurrent player count of 5 million.
Nexon said the mobile version will be launched in upcoming summer as scheduled. Some 34 million users have made early registrations for the game so far, it added.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--LG introduces new smartphone Velvet in Europe

Starting with Germany on Tuesday , LG will release the Velvet in major European countries , like Italy , Spain @ @ @ @ @ company said it will also launch the Velvet in the Americas and other Asian countries @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Tuesday introduced its new smartphone, the Velvet, in Europe as the South Korean tech firm hopes its latest handset can end a long slump in its mobile business amid the virus pandemic.
Starting with Germany on Tuesday, LG will release the Velvet in major European countries, like Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. The company said it will also launch the Velvet in the Americas and other Asian countries in coming weeks.
LG said the Velvet will be available in 10 colors, including new colors like aurora silver, in overseas markets.
"Due to the virus situation, our overseas marketing will be based on non-face-to-face activities," said Johan Chung, executive vice president of overseas sales and marketing at LG's mobile business.
This photo, taken on May 19, 2020, shows LG Electronics Inc's new smartphone, the Velvet, at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Velvet made its debut in South Korea last month with a price tag of 899,800 won (US$745)
LG's new handset emphasizes the design of three rear cameras that descend in order by size, evoking the image of falling raindrops. It also applied 3D Arc Design, which makes the edges of the display and rear symmetrically curved.
The Velvet houses a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 5-megapixel depth sensor on the back, while sporting a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front. The device, which has a 6.8-inch FullVision display, packs a 4,300-mAh battery.
LG took a 2 percent share of the global smartphone market in the first quarter of the year, according to market tracker Counterpoint Research, with its first-quarter smartphone shipments dropping more than 27 percent on-year to 5 million units.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Seoul stocks open higher on Fed's bond purchase plan

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 157.62 points , or 0.62 percent , to close at 24,474.12 on Monday ( @ @ @ @ @ The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite and the S & P 500 finished up 1.43 percent and @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street that followed the U.S. Federal Reserve's asset-buying plan against pandemic uncertainties.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 57.32 points, or 2.82 percent, to 2,088.14 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The bullish start followed the Fed's decision to start purchasing a "broad and diversified portfolio" of corporate bonds.
The plan is part of the Fed's quantitative easing project to ensure companies can borrow through the bond market amid the COVID-19 fallout.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 157.62 points, or 0.62 percent, to close at 24,474.12 on Monday (New York time). The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 finished up 1.43 percent and 0.83 percent, respectively.
In Seoul, most large caps traded in positive terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 2.20 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 2.44 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics surged 4.70 percent, with leading chemical maker LG Chem up 4.91 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,205.10 won against the U.S. dollar, up 10.90 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Vice minister to visit border region to monitor policing against anti-Pyongyang leaflets

South Korea has advised against the sending of such leaflets by activists , citing concerns about the safety of residents @ @ @ @ @ could be vulnerable to the North 's retaliatory military action .
The groups have occasionally @ @ @ @ @ that it is part of their right to freedom of expression .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Vice Unification Minister Suh Ho was set to visit a western border region on Tuesday as part of efforts to deal sternly with the controversial campaign to fly propaganda leaflets into North Korea, the ministry said.
Suh will visit Seokmo Island in the Ganghwa area on the country's western border to take a firsthand look at the preparedness of police and the coast guard to stop North Korean defectors and other activists from sending leaflets into the North, according to the ministry.
The planned visit comes hours after the General Staff of the North's Korean People's Army said that it is reviewing plans to station its troops again in areas disarmed under inter-Korean agreements and open western border areas to cooperate for a "large-scale leaflet scattering struggle against the enemy."
Members of Fighters for Free North Korea, an organization of defectors from North Korea, send balloons carrying anti-North leaflets across the border from the South Korean border city of Paju, in this file photo dated April 2, 2016. On June 4, 2020, South Korea called for a halt to a civic campaign to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, hours after the North threatened to scrap a military tension reduction agreement and exchange projects unless Seoul stops the campaign. (Yonhap)
North Korea has lambasted South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, denouncing leafleting as a hostile act that violates a series of peace agreements.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened that Pyongyang will take a "next step" against the South and gave an instruction for the army to take necessary measures.
South Korea has advised against the sending of such leaflets by activists, citing concerns about the safety of residents in the regions as they could be vulnerable to the North's retaliatory military action. The groups have occasionally ignored the government, arguing that it is part of their right to freedom of expression.
Despite the government's repeated warnings against such activity, a defector group is planning to send leaflets into the North next week. Police have been stationed in border areas to block unauthorized leafleting and any possible clashes between activists and local residents.
Earlier this month, an association of mayors from border areas called on the unification ministry to come up with stricter regulations to stop leafleting, saying that it "crushes the dreams of the people in the border areas hoping to live safely and peacefully without any tensions."
Suh is also scheduled to visit another western border area of Gimpo on Thursday.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSDAQ 716.60 UP 23.45 points (open)


KOSPI 2,091.09 UP 60.27 points (open)


yna--2020-06-16--Dollar opens at 1,207.0 won DN from 1,216.5 won


Tuesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 16 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-06-16--Trump says he is halving U.S. troop presence in Germany

`` It 's a tremendous cost to the United States , and Germany , as you know , is very @ @ @ @ @ NATO , '' he told reporters at the White House .
`` And they 're @ @ @ @ @ they 're supposed to be at 2 percent , and the 2 percent is very @ @ @ @ @ much more than that . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration will halve the U.S. troop presence in Germany amid speculation that he could try to do the same with American troops in South Korea.
Trump blamed the drawdown on Germany's failure to meet its commitments as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to spend at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.
"It's a tremendous cost to the United States, and Germany, as you know, is very delinquent in their payments to NATO," he told reporters at the White House. "And they're paying 1 percent, and they're supposed to be at 2 percent, and the 2 percent is very low. It should be much more than that."
This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a roundtable about America's seniors in the Cabinet Room of the White House on June 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Trump has long complained that U.S. allies do not pay enough toward shared defense, leading to his demands on South Korea to initially pay more than five times what it paid last year for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops stationed on the peninsula.
The two countries have yet to renew their cost-sharing deal, with the U.S. recently requesting $1.3 billion a year -- down from $5 billion -- and South Korea maintaining that it can only pay 13 percent more than last year's $870 million.
"So I said until they pay, we are removing our soldiers ... by about half and then when we get down to 25,000, we'll see where we're going," Trump said, putting the current number of U.S. troops in Germany at around 52,000.
"And I'm not only talking about Germany, by the way," he added. "I'm talking about plenty of other countries."
Asked about reports of a planned drawdown in Germany, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told reporters last week that Trump is "continually reassessing the best posture for the United States military forces and our presence overseas."
She also said the U.S. remains committed to working with "our strong allies."
There have been reports that the U.S. could consider reducing troop levels in South Korea as a means to pressure Seoul in the cost-sharing negotiations.
Asked to comment in April, Trump told reporters at the time that "it's not a question of reduction."
"It's a question of will they contribute toward the defense of their own nation," he said.
But in December Trump questioned the need for keeping 28,500 troops in South Korea, saying he "can go either way" on the issue.
Just last week, Trump's former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, told the German newspaper Bild that Trump was "very clear" about wanting to bring troops home from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, Japan and Germany.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)