yna--2020-12-17--Man jailed for 20 years on wrongful murder conviction acquitted in retrial

He had pleaded innocent , claiming the police forced him to confess to a crime he did not commit , @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling , putting him behind bars for 20 @ @ @ @ @ on parole in 2009 .

SUWON, South Korea, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean man, who was imprisoned for 20 years after being wrongfully convicted of raping and killing a 13-year-old girl in 1988, was acquitted of the crime in a retrial Thursday.
The Suwon District Court in Suwon, south of Seoul, overturned the original conviction of Yoon Seong-yeo, a 53-year-old, and declared him not guilty in a retrial of the 1988 murder case linked to one of the nation's most notorious serial killings.
The court offered an apology to Yoon on behalf of the judiciary, saying the incorrect ruling of the past was made due to wrongful acts by investigation agencies.
Yoon's case was classified as the eighth case of 10 serial murders that had occurred between 1986 and 1991 in Hwaseong, a Gyeonggi Province city about 60 kilometers south of Seoul.
The case was initially concluded as a copycat crime of the other murder cases in Hwaseong, which had remained an unsolved criminal mystery until recently.
In 1989, a district court sentenced Yoon, who was then 22 years old, to a lifetime in prison, convicting him of the 1988 rape-murder case.
He had pleaded innocent, claiming the police forced him to confess to a crime he did not commit, but the appeals court and the Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling, putting him behind bars for 20 years until he was released on parole in 2009.
Yoon Seong-yeo, 53, leaves the Suwon District Court in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Dec. 17, 2020, after he was acquitted of a 1988 murder. (Yonhap)
In November last year, Yoon filed for a retrial of the case as police revealed the previous month that Lee Chun-jae, a 57-year-old man jailed for another murder, confessed to all 10 murders in Hwaseong, including the eighth case.
The verdict of acquittal came 31 years after Yoon was arrested.
"A faulty sentence was delivered to Yoon due to shoddy investigations by authorities," the court said.
"(The court), as a member of the judicial authority, offers an apology to the defendant who has suffered severe mental and physical damage from years spent in prison," it added.
In July this year, the police concluded that Lee was responsible for all 10 serial murder cases in Hwaseong. They also confirmed 13 additional cases committed by Lee, including four rape-murder cases from 1987 to 1991 in southern Gyeonggi Province and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province and nine cases involving rape and robbery.
The police officially closed the investigation as Lee cannot be prosecuted for any of his crimes because the statutes of limitations on all the cases have already expired.
This combined photo shows a crime scene (L) in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and Lee Chun-jae. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-17--S. Korea's consumer prices tipped to rise faster down the road: BOK

The forecasts are much higher than this year 's consumer inflation .
In the first 11 months of the year @ @ @ @ @ prices rose 0.5 percent from the previous year , well below the central bank 's @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices are expected to grow at a faster pace in the next two years due to an economic recovery and rising rent, a central bank report said Thursday.
South Korea's consumer inflation is forecast to reach 1 percent in 2021 and 1.5 percent the next year, according to the report from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The country's core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy prices, is projected to come to 1 percent and 1.3 percent in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
The BOK said South Korea's consumer inflation will likely expand further down the road in step with an improving domestic economy and an increase in international oil prices.
A recent uptick in home lease fees is also expected to put upward pressure on consumer prices, combined with the reduced downward pressure stemming from government policies, it added.
The forecasts are much higher than this year's consumer inflation. In the first 11 months of the year, South Korea's consumer prices rose 0.5 percent from the previous year, well below the central bank's target rate of 2 percent.
The central bank attributed this year's low consumer inflation rate to a decline in international crude prices due to the coronavirus pandemic and a slowdown in service fees.
The BOK further noted South Korea's rapid transition to the so-called digital economy would continue to apply downward pressure on consumer prices for the time being.
This file photo, taken Oct. 6, 2020, shows people shopping for vegetables at a discount store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-12-17--Seven USFK-affiliated people test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in S. Korea

Five of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine , and the remainder were @ @ @ @ @ virus on their second mandatory test , according to the USFK .

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- Five American service members, one civilian worker for the U.S. government and a family member have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea over the past few weeks, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
Four service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on U.S. government-chartered flights, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, according to the U.S. military.
One remaining service member, one civilian from the U.S. defense department and one dependent arrived on commercial flights at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Dec. 3 and 13, it added.
Five of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and the remainder were confirmed to have contracted the virus on their second mandatory test, according to the USFK.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus test and quarantine for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.
"Thorough cleaning of all transportation assets and quarantine rooms has been completed," USFK said, adding that none of them have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community.
The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related coronavirus infections to 442.
A military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver to screen entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus, on Feb. 28, 2020, in the photo provided by United States Forces Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-17--Seoul stocks close nearly flat amid virus woes

`` Investors seemed to cash in gains after the KOSPI hit a fresh high the previous day , '' Samsung @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There are also growing hopes for a new U.S. stimulus deal by the @ @ @ @ @ following optimistic remarks by both Democratic and Republican leadership . ''

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed nearly flat Thursday as investors remained wary of spiking COVID-19 cases and looming virus restrictions. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 1.36 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,770.43 points.
Trading volume was moderate at about 998.4 million shares worth some 15.8 trillion won (US$14.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 493 to 352.
Foreigners sold a net 301.1 billion won, and institutions offloaded a net 32.6 billion won. Retail investors picked up a net 326.3 billion won.
The main index started off weak as South Korea reported 1,014 new COVID-19 cases, the third-largest daily virus caseload.
Health authorities are currently considering adopting the strongest virus curbs, which would ban gatherings of 10 or more people and require companies to make nonessential employees work from home.
The index, however, trimmed losses later in the session as investors pinned hopes on progress in a new stimulus deal in the United States.
"Investors seemed to cash in gains after the KOSPI hit a fresh high the previous day," Samsung Securities analyst Seo Jung-hoon said. "There are also growing hopes for a new U.S. stimulus deal by the end of this year, following optimistic remarks by both Democratic and Republican leadership."
Most large caps in Seoul ended mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics shed 0.68 percent to 73,300 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 1.7 percent to 119,500 won.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem added 1.34 percent to 830,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI rose 0.53 percent to 567,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest carmaker, edged up 0.26 percent to 190,500 won.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics fell 0.37 percent to 804,000 won, and Celltrion slipped 0.57 percent to 351,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver inched down 0.18 percent to 285,000 won, with rival Kakao declining 0.81 percent to 369,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,093.3 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.7 won from the previous session's close.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-17--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-5

CJ CGV 23,600 DN 350 LIG Nex1 29,050 DN 400 Fila Holdings 44,400 DN 1,000 HYUNDAIGLOVIS 182,500 DN 3,000 HANAFINANCIALGR @ @ @ @ @ 2,660 DN 80 AMOREPACIFIC 209,000 DN 4,000 FOOSUNG 10,300 UP 50 SK Innovation 192,000 UP @ @ @ @ @ KBFinancialGroup 45,250 DN 800 Hansae 17,000 0 LG HAUSYS 77,300 UP 700 Youngone Corp 32,150 @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 GKL 16,300 DN 450 KOLON IND 41,150 UP 1,150 HanmiPharm 348,500 UP 5,500 BNK @ @ @ @ @ emart 151,500 DN 1,500 지HANKOOK TIRE & TEC HNOLOGY390 50 DN700 KOLMAR KOREA 45,600 DN @ @ @ @ @ DoubleUGames 59,500 UP 1,400 CUCKOO 99,000 UP 500 COSMAX 97,200 DN 500 MANDO 54,200 UP @ @ @ @ @ 3,000 INNOCEAN 60,700 DN 700 Doosan Bobcat 30,250 UP 250 H.S.ENTERPRISE 13,900 DN 500 Netmarble @ @ @ @ @ INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S302500 UP2000 ORION 129,500 UP 2,500 HANWHA SYSTEMS 15,750 UP 50 @ @ @ @ @ SKCHEM 380,500 UP 500 HDC-OP 26,200 UP 100 WooriFinancialGroup 10,100 UP 50 Big Hit 161,500 @ @ @ @ @

CJ CGV 23,600 DN 350
LIG Nex1 29,050 DN 400
Fila Holdings 44,400 DN 1,000
HYUNDAIGLOVIS 182,500 DN 3,000
HANAFINANCIALGR 36,050 DN 100
HANWHA LIFE 2,660 DN 80
AMOREPACIFIC 209,000 DN 4,000
FOOSUNG 10,300 UP 50
SK Innovation 192,000 UP 3,000
POONGSAN 28,050 DN 450
KBFinancialGroup 45,250 DN 800
Hansae 17,000 0
LG HAUSYS 77,300 UP 700
Youngone Corp 32,150 DN 950
CSWIND 177,500 UP 10,000
GKL 16,300 DN 450
KOLON IND 41,150 UP 1,150
HanmiPharm 348,500 UP 5,500
BNK Financial Group 5,870 DN 80
emart 151,500 DN 1,500
지HANKOOK TIRE & TEC HNOLOGY390 50 DN700
KOLMAR KOREA 45,600 DN 400
HANJINKAL 60,900 UP 100
DoubleUGames 59,500 UP 1,400
CUCKOO 99,000 UP 500
COSMAX 97,200 DN 500
MANDO 54,200 UP 300
SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS 804,000 DN 3,000
INNOCEAN 60,700 DN 700
Doosan Bobcat 30,250 UP 250
H.S.ENTERPRISE 13,900 DN 500
Netmarble 126,500 DN 500
HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUST RIES HOLDI NG S302500 UP2000
ORION 129,500 UP 2,500
HANWHA SYSTEMS 15,750 UP 50
BGF Retail 130,500 UP 3,500
SKCHEM 380,500 UP 500
HDC-OP 26,200 UP 100
WooriFinancialGroup 10,100 UP 50
Big Hit 161,500 DN 11,500
(END)


yna--2020-12-17--KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

KOSPI 200 Closing Price List-4

COWAY 70,200 DN 800 LOTTE SHOPPING 100,500 DN 500 IBK 9,440 DN 10 DONGSUH 31,900 DN 100 SamsungEng 13,050 DN @ @ @ @ @ 127,500 DN 1,000 PanOcean 4,270 UP 70 SAMSUNG CARD 35,000 DN 50 CheilWorldwide 21,800 UP @ @ @ @ @ SHINSEGAE INTERNATIO NAL163000 DN2000 LOTTE TOUR 16,700 UP 100 LG Uplus 11,800 0 SAMSUNG LIFE @ @ @ @ @ G 85,800 DN 500 DHICO 14,350 UP 500 Doosanfc 55,800 DN 900 LG Display 18,400 @ @ @ @ @ 300 NAVER 285,000 DN 500 Kakao 369,000 DN 3,000 NCsoft 868,000 0 KIWOOM 127,000 DN @ @ @ @ @ DSINFRA 8,240 UP 20 DWEC 4,330 DN 95 DongwonF & B 179,000 DN 500 KEPCO @ @ @ @ @ & H 1,614,000 DN 35,000 LGCHEM 830,000 UP 11,000 KEPCO E & C 17,250 UP @ @ @ @ @ HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,400 DN 450 LGELECTRONICS 96,900 DN 400 Celltrion 351,500 DN 2,000 Huchems 24,600 @ @ @ @ @ 500 KIH 75,600 DN 1,200 LOTTE Himart 31,400 DN 250 GS 38,050 UP 50 ( @ @

COWAY 70,200 DN 800
LOTTE SHOPPING 100,500 DN 500
IBK 9,440 DN 10
DONGSUH 31,900 DN 100
SamsungEng 13,050 DN 200
SAMSUNG C&T 127,500 DN 1,000
PanOcean 4,270 UP 70
SAMSUNG CARD 35,000 DN 50
CheilWorldwide 21,800 UP 100
KT 25,100 UP 200
SHINSEGAE INTERNATIO NAL163000 DN2000
LOTTE TOUR 16,700 UP 100
LG Uplus 11,800 0
SAMSUNG LIFE 75,900 DN 200
KT&G 85,800 DN 500
DHICO 14,350 UP 500
Doosanfc 55,800 DN 900
LG Display 18,400 UP 450
Kangwonland 23,100 DN 300
NAVER 285,000 DN 500
Kakao 369,000 DN 3,000
NCsoft 868,000 0
KIWOOM 127,000 DN 6,500
DSME 26,950 DN 400
DSINFRA 8,240 UP 20
DWEC 4,330 DN 95
DongwonF&B 179,000 DN 500
KEPCO KPS 30,250 UP 250
LGH&H 1,614,000 DN 35,000
LGCHEM 830,000 UP 11,000
KEPCO E&C 17,250 UP 250
HYUNDAIHOMESHOP 85,700 DN 900
HYUNDAI ROTEM 16,400 DN 450
LGELECTRONICS 96,900 DN 400
Celltrion 351,500 DN 2,000
Huchems 24,600 UP 350
HYUNDAIDEPTST 70,300 DN 500
KIH 75,600 DN 1,200
LOTTE Himart 31,400 DN 250
GS 38,050 UP 50
(MORE)


yna--2020-12-18--Hyundai Samho workers go on partial strike over wage dispute

The workers in the morning shift walked away from their production lines at 10 a.m. in a six-hour strike while @ @ @ @ @ plan to put down their tools at 10 p.m. for another six-hour strike .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Unionized workers at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. began a partial strike Friday after they failed to narrow differences with the management over wages, its parent Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. said.
The workers in the morning shift walked away from their production lines at 10 a.m. in a six-hour strike while those on the evening shift plan to put down their tools at 10 p.m. for another six-hour strike.
The labor union calls for, among other things, pay raise, the abolition of the wage peak system and the hiring of new workers.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. shows its shipyard in Yeongam, about 346 kilometers southwest of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Residents' foreign currency deposits hit new high in Nov.

Outstanding foreign currency-denominated deposits held by residents amounted to US $ 93.61 billion as of end-November , up $ 290 @ @ @ @ @ , according to the data from the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) .

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Foreign currency deposits at banks in South Korea reached a new high in November on increased corporate holdings of yuan and euro deposits, central bank data showed Friday.
Outstanding foreign currency-denominated deposits held by residents amounted to US$93.61 billion as of end-November, up $290 million from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
Residents' foreign currency deposits renewed their record for the second consecutive month after plunging by $3.1 billion in September.
Residents include local citizens, foreigners staying here for more than six months and foreign companies. The data excludes interbank foreign currency deposits.
The BOK said companies increased yuan and euro holdings amid improving overseas shipments, while dollar deposits declined as firms repaid debt and hiked stakes in overseas subsidiaries.
The dollar-denominated deposits declined by $460 million on-month to $79.86 billion last month, while yuan-denominated deposits rose by $420 million to $1.68 billion. Euro deposits gained by $100 million to $4.5 billion.
Corporate deposits declined by $140 million to $74.59 billion, while deposits held by individuals increased by $430 million on-month to $19.02 billion, according to the data.
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Ex-Busan mayor attends arrest warrant hearing amid second sexual harassment allegations

One of the victims , who claimed that Oh sexually harassed her at the mayor 's office during business hours @ @ @ @ @ a petition , pleading with the court to grant the warrant so that she could @ @ @ @ @ life .
Her identity was withheld .

BUSAN, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don appeared at a court here Friday for a hearing on an arrest warrant sought against him over sexual harassment allegations.
The Busan District Prosecutors Office, earlier this week, requested the warrant against him on charges of sexual harassment, abuse of power and false accusation. He's accused of having made inappropriate advances to two female employees of the city authorities.
Two civic groups filed criminal complaints against him earlier this year. At that time, the Busan District Court rejected to issue an arrest warrant, saying there was not sufficient reason to investigate the case with him in detention.
In October, a YouTube channel raised another sexual harassment allegation against the 72-year-old. The prosecution also probed it, while Oh filed a defamation lawsuit against the channel creators.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don arrives at the Busan District Court to attend his arrest warrant hearing on Dec. 18, 2020, in the southeastern port city. (Yonhap)
From the ruling Democratic Party (DP), Oh was elected as the mayor of the country's second-largest city in the 2018 local elections. But he resigned over sexual misconduct allegations and later was expelled from his party.
One of the victims, who claimed that Oh sexually harassed her at the mayor's office during business hours in April, has filed a petition, pleading with the court to grant the warrant so that she could get back to her normal life. Her identity was withheld.
She said she was suffering from severe depression and living in constant fear that the mayor would seek to get revenge.
"I don't really understand why I am suffering this much. I did nothing wrong," she wrote.
While Oh admitted to his wrongdoing, he argued that he was suffering from cognitive dissonance and that his acts were not intentional.
A court's decision is expected to come out later in the day.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(LEAD) S. Korea pushes to strike COVID-19 vaccine deals with Janssen, Pfizer this month

`` We will sign a contract with Yanssen as early as next week and will be able to strike a @ @ @ @ @ year , '' Im In-taek , a health ministry official in charge of vaccine purchase @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Talks have been under way to secure vaccines via COVAX in the first @ @ @ @ @ negotiations will continue through next week . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments in paras 6-9; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday it will push to sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer later this month and ink another deal with Moderna next month.
The health ministry last week said it has secured early access of the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
The government has formally struck a purchase deal with AstraZeneca for 10 million people, and made an advance payment of 85 billion won (US$77.6 million) in October to the World Health Organization's global vaccine project, known as COVAX.
The government said it will purchase 20 million doses each from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, which require two shots, and buy 4 million doses from Johnson & Johnson's Janssen, which requires one shot.
The ministry has set aside 1.3 trillion won of its budget for the vaccine purchase.
Medical workers collect specimens from people for COVID-19 tests at a temporary screening facility in front of Seoul Station on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We will sign a contract with Yanssen as early as next week and will be able to strike a deal with Pfizer within this year," Im In-taek, a health ministry official in charge of vaccine purchase, said in a briefing. "Talks have been under way to secure vaccines via COVAX in the first quarter of 2021, and negotiations will continue through next week."
AstraZeneca's vaccines are expected to be shipped between February and March, Im said, without elaborating on the delivery schedule of other companies' vaccines because of confidential obligations.
As soon as the vaccines arrive in the nation, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the country's drug safety watchdog, will promptly grant emergency use approval to begin the vaccine program, officials said.
"We will flexibly decide the vaccine schedule considering the amount of vaccines and domestic outbreak after carefully monitoring vaccination in other countries and potential side effects," Yang Dong-gyo, a senior KDCA official, said. "We are preparing the vaccination with a goal of completing inoculation before the influenza season in 2021."
People stand in line for COVID-19 testing at a temporary screening station in front of Seoul Station on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Following the world's first COVID-19 vaccination in Britain on Dec. 8, the United States and Canada have also rolled out vaccine programs.
The vaccines will be first rolled out to groups vulnerable to the virus, such as elderly people, care home residents and front-line health workers, then to the rest of the population in order of risk, including those who are clinically vulnerable, Yang said.
The contracts to buy COVID-19 vaccines came amid growing calls for speeding up the vaccine program to cope with a sharp hike in new cases, which could overwhelm the nation's medical system.
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, stoking concerns among the public. The total caseload rose to 47,515, with 645 deaths, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Seoul stocks trade almost flat late Fri. morning on virus woes

The local currency was trading at 1,098.6 won against the U.S. dollar , down 5.3 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded nearly flat late Friday morning amid growing concerns over the country's recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 0.83 point, or 0.03 percent, to 2,769.6 points as of 11:20 a.m.
The main index started off higher, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street amid hopes of progress in new U.S. stimulus negotiations.
The index, however, shifted to negative terrain after South Korea reported over 1,000 COVID-19 cases for a third day in a row.
Authorities are currently reviewing implementing the toughest social distancing measures, which would place the country in a quasi-lockdown.
Most large caps in Seoul traded lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics remained unchanged, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix declined 1.26 percent.
Biopharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics shed 0.37 percent, while Celltrion climbed 1 percent.
LG Chem, the country's leading chemical company, retreated 2.17 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI slipped 0.53 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver was down 0.88 percent, with rival Kakao shedding 0.68 percent.
The country's largest automaker Hyundai Motor fell 0.52 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,098.6 won against the U.S. dollar, down 5.3 won from the previous session's close.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Samsung ranks 2nd in Indian smartphone market in Oct.: report

Xiaomi led 30 of the top 50 cities when it came to the sub- $ 200 smartphone segment , which @ @ @ @ @ the Indian smartphone market .
It also topped 34 of the major 50 cities in @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. ranked second in the Indian smartphone market in October, a report showed Friday, as the world's largest smartphone vendor led the midpriced segment.
The South Korean tech giant accounted for a market share of 20.6 percent in India, the world's second-largest smartphone market, in terms of units sold to consumers, according to market researcher International Data Corp. (IDC).
Samsung's smartphone sales to consumers stood at 4.5 million units in October, up 42.2 percent from a year earlier.
IDC data showed Samsung was the leading vendor in the midrange smartphone category priced between US$200 and US$300, which accounted for nearly one-fourth of devices sold in October. In that segment, Samsung led 36 of the 50 largest cities of India.
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Sept. 18, 2020, shows Indian consumers looking at the company's Galaxy Z Fold2 smartphone at a store in Gurugram, India. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
China's Xiaomi Corp. defended its top status in the Indian smartphone market with a 24.8 percent share after selling 5.5 million smartphones in October, up 38.1 percent from a year ago.
Xiaomi led 30 of the top 50 cities when it came to the sub-$200 smartphone segment, which accounted for 68 percent of the Indian smartphone market. It also topped 34 of the major 50 cities in terms of online smartphone sales.
Vivo was the No. 3 brand with a 17.8 percent market share in October, followed by Realme with 13.8 percent and Oppo with 12.3 percent.
IDC said smartphone sales in India increased 38 percent on-year to a record 22 million smartphones in October, thanks to strong consumer purchases during the pre-Diwali month.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(2nd LD) Daily virus cases above 1,000 for 3rd day, toughest curbs still under review

The resurgence of new virus cases has been putting pressure on local authorities to raise the country 's virus response @ @ @ @ @ , but they are still reluctant to do so , as the strongest virus curbs @ @ @ @ @ five-tier scheme , would paralyze most economic and social activities .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, but health authorities remain cautious about adopting the toughest virus restrictions due to the far-reaching economic impact.
The country added 1,062 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,036 local infections, raising the total caseload to 47,515, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It is the first time that the daily number has stayed above 1,000 for the third consecutive day. The country reported record high daily virus cases of 1,078 on Wednesday, and the figure slightly fell to 1,014 the previous day.
Citizens wait in a line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The resurgence of new virus cases has been putting pressure on local authorities to raise the country's virus response measures to the highest level, but they are still reluctant to do so, as the strongest virus curbs, the highest under the five-tier scheme, would paralyze most economic and social activities.
South Korea has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing in the greater Seoul area.
Level 3 can be adopted when locally transmitted cases hover between 800 and 1,000 for a week or the daily tally doubles from the previous day. The recent virus tally has already met such requirements.
Health authorities say they will focus on finding "hidden spreaders" by conducting more COVID-19 tests, instead of immediately adopting Level 3.
"The government has expanded the number of tests to promptly find infected patients. Makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area now operate during late hours as well as weekends," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said.
Sohn said the country was able to find 170 more patients over the past four days via 122 more makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area.
Under the highest level, any gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned, which is stricter than the current ceiling of 50. This is expected to be more burdensome for the local economy, which shows signs of a mild rebound.
Schools will be fully shut down, and companies are required to have nonessential employees work from home as well.
Restaurants will continue to be obligated to offer only takeout after 9 p.m.
"For now, it is our priority to implement the current level of social distancing thoroughly," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
"Under Level 3, around 2 million shops and facilities will be ordered to shut down," the prime minister added. "We also need to earn enough consensus (before moving on to the highest level)."
Meanwhile, chains of cluster infections from offices, religious facilities and nursing homes have continued to pop up.
The growing number of deaths and shortages of hospital beds are also key challenges for health authorities. On Thursday, daily fatalities hit a fresh high of 22.
Medical staffers prepare to carry out COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, the capital city of Seoul accounted for 393 cases, and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province took up 300. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 64 new cases. The three areas account for around half of the nation's population.
The southeastern port city of Busan reported 39, and its neighboring Ulsan added 30. North and South Gyeongsang Provinces identified 31 and 43 new COVID-19 cases, respectively.
A construction site in central Seoul reported 76 patients as of Thursday, while those from a religious facility in the western part of the capital city came to 192.
Imported cases came to 26.
The United States accounted for 13, along with seven cases from Indonesia and two from Germany.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 246, up four from the previous day.
The KDCA reported 11 additional deaths, raising the total to 645.
The fatality rate reached 1.36 percent.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 372, raising the total to 33,982. This indicates 71.52 percent of patients have been cured.
South Korea carried out 3,589,795 COVID-19 tests since January, including 50,955 the previous day.
The ratio of patients testing positive came to 2.08 percent, slightly rising from 2.03 percent a day earlier, when 884 fewer tests were carried out.
South Korea plans to start offering vaccines to people early next year.
The country plans to push to sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer later this month and ink another deal with Moderna next month.
The health ministry last week said it has secured early access to the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
Citizens wait in a line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-12-18--Celltrion inks supply agreement for COVID-19 test kit in U.S.

SEOUL , Dec. 18 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean biopharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc. said Friday it has signed an @ @ @ @ @ ( US $ 220 million ) to supply a diagnostic kit for the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean biopharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc. said Friday it has signed an agreement worth 240 billion won (US$220 million) to supply a diagnostic kit for the novel coronavirus in the United States.
Under the agreement, Celltrion's rapid antibody diagnostic test (RDT) kit for the new coronavirus, named DiaTrust, will be distributed by Prime Healthcare Distributors.
This image, provided by South Korean biopharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc. on Dec. 18, 2020, shows the company's rapid antibody diagnostic test (RDT) kit for the coronavirus, named DiaTrust. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The kit was co-developed by the South Korean in-vitro diagnostic company Humasis.
The new antibody detection test is most suitable for identifying acute or early infection of the COVID-19 virus, Celltrion said.
The agreement came after Celltrion canceled en earlier agreement worth 210 billion won (US$185 million) with Prime Healthcare Distributors to distribute its rapid antigen kit, Sampinute.
khj@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-12-18--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Dec. 18 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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


yna--2020-12-18--S. Korea, France vow to support multilateralism to overcome pandemic fallout

`` This year , the two countries have worked deeply together in multilateral frameworks , such as the Group of @ @ @ @ @ to promote the travel of products , services and workforces despite the COVID-19 pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ said during her meeting with her French counterpart , Franck Riester , in Seoul .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and France on Friday agreed to continue to support multilateralism over protectionism to overcome the economic fallout from the virus pandemic, and to expand cooperation in various areas from vaccines to green cars.
"This year, the two countries have worked deeply together in multilateral frameworks, such as the Group of 20 and the OECD, to promote the travel of products, services and workforces despite the COVID-19 pandemic," Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee said during her meeting with her French counterpart, Franck Riester, in Seoul.
The two trade chiefs acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked protectionism in global trade, with the escalating tension between the United States and China still being a threat.
"We also hope that the on-going joint project in developing COVID-19 treatments makes progress soon," Yoo added, expressing hope that the two countries can join hands in supplying vaccines as well.
South Korean and Senegalese branches of the Institut Pasteur have been working together since March to develop cures for COVID-19, under cooperation with France.
The two countries discussed ways to revitalize virus-hit economies through digital and green industries as well.
South Korea also requested that France expand its support on building infrastructure for eco-friendly automobiles, such as charging stations, pointing out the industry has been growing at a fast pace.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(LEAD) Military nursing academy cadets sent to COVID-19 treatment centers

A total of 77 students and four nursing officers from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy will support the medical @ @ @ @ @ centers '' that have been set up for mild COVID-19 patients so as to make @ @ @ @ @ serious patients .

(ATTN: ADDS additional virus cases at bottom)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of cadets from the military nursing academy were sent to coronavirus treatment centers Friday to help out the government's fight against the fast-spreading pandemic, the defense ministry said.
A total of 77 students and four nursing officers from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy will support the medical staff at "residential treatment centers" that have been set up for mild COVID-19 patients so as to make more hospital beds available for serious patients.
Of them, 56 cadets and three officers were sent to three residential treatment facilities in Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces. The remainder will be sent to other designated facilities following the health authorities' guidance.
At the facilities, the cadets will work under the direction of doctors and nurses to monitor the patients and help with administering medication and conducting coronavirus tests, the ministry said.
Under the law, medicine or nursing major students can carry out medical activities under the guidance of professional medical personnel in case of a national emergency situation.
The dispatch was the latest in a series of mobilization of military personnel to support health authorities' battle against the pandemic.
More than 1,300 soldiers have been sent to public health centers since Monday as the country's daily new virus cases have been hovering over 1,000 in recent days.
On Friday, South Korea added 1,062 more COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 47,515.
Among the military population, a Navy officer in Jinhae, some 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has tested positive for the virus after showing symptoms. Authorities are carrying out additional virus tests on some 100 service members at the base.
The total number of infections among the military rose to 475.
A military nursing academy cadet (L) puts on protective gear, in this photo provided by the defense ministry on Dec. 18, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-12-18--Random testing finds 170 COVID-19 cases in capital area in 4 days

The 102 new cases -- 61 in Seoul , 33 in Gyeonggi Province and eight in Incheon -- were confirmed @ @ @ @ @ by the random screening centers , the agency said , noting 97.9 percent of them @ @ @ @ @ polymerase chain reaction test ( PCR ) , designed to detect the virus 's genetic @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- The government's ongoing random testing, launched in the greater Seoul area at the beginning of this week, has identified 170 cases of COVID-19 so far, a government agency on the coronavirus pandemic said Friday.
In a bid to preemptively find "hidden infected people" through random testing, the government has been installing temporary coronavirus testing facilities at about 150 locations in the capital area, including Seoul City Hall and Seoul Station, since Monday. Those random testing centers will operate until Jan. 3.
People stand in line to take coronavirus tests at a temporary screening center in front of Seoul City Hall in downtown Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, an additional 102 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 by the capital area random testing centers Thursday, raising the four-day total to 170.
The 102 new cases -- 61 in Seoul, 33 in Gyeonggi Province and eight in Incheon -- were confirmed out of 32,940 people tested by the random screening centers, the agency said, noting 97.9 percent of them were screened by the so-called polymerase chain reaction test (PCR), designed to detect the virus's genetic material.
The agency said the random screening facilities have conducted a total of 70,709 coronavirus tests in the four-day period. So far, 122 random testing centers have opened -- 51 in Seoul, 62 in Gyeonggi Province and nine in Incheon, it added.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged all capital area citizens to voluntarily visit the random testing centers to help stem the spread of the disease.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--'Dynamite' becomes 6th BTS music video to hit 700 mln YouTube views

Meanwhile , the K-pop act 's latest album `` BE '' and its main track `` Life Goes On '' @ @ @ @ @ at No .
1 on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts last month .
@ @ @ @ @ was the first No .
1 sung predominantly in Korean in the chart 's 62-year @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- The music video of "Dynamite," K-pop superstar BTS' 2020 megahit song, has racked up 700 million views on YouTube, its agency said Friday.
The video surpassed the mark at around 9:41 p.m. Thursday, just four months after its release, according to Big Hit Entertainment.
BTS now has six music videos that have more than 700 million views on the global video-sharing website, including "DNA," "Boy with Luv," "Fake Love," "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)" and "Idol."
The disco-pop single "Dynamite" has been breaking records since it dropped, becoming the first song by a South Korean artist to top Billboard's main singles chart. It has stayed on the chart for 16 weeks.
The video attracted a record traffic of 3 million concurrent viewers upon its premiere on YouTube on Aug. 21, garnering over 100 million views in 24 hours globally.
Meanwhile, the K-pop act's latest album "BE" and its main track "Life Goes On" also made history by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts last month. "Life Goes On" was the first No. 1 sung predominantly in Korean in the chart's 62-year history.
This image, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Dec. 18, 2020, celebrates the 700 million-view milestone on YouTube for the BTS music video "Dynamite." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows a concept photo of BTS' new album "BE," released on Nov. 20, 2020. The South Korean megastar made history with the album's title song "Life Goes On," which on Nov. 30 became the first-ever non-English song to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the music chart's 62-year history. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--S. Korea pushes to strike COVID-19 vaccine deals with Janssen, Pfizer this month

The health ministry last week said it has secured early access of the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and @ @ @ @ @ for 44 million people , enough to cover 88 percent of the nation 's population @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday it will push to sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer later this month and ink another deal with Moderna next month.
The health ministry last week said it has secured early access of the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
The government has formally struck a purchase deal with AstraZeneca for 10 million people, and made an advance payment of 85 billion won (US$77.6 million) in October to the World Health Organization's global vaccine project, known as COVAX.
The government said it will purchase 20 million doses each from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, which require two shots, and buy 4 million doses from Johnson & Johnson's Janssen, which requires one shot.
The ministry has set aside 1.3 trillion won of its budget for the vaccine purchase.
People stand in line for COVID-19 testing at a temporary screening station in front of Seoul City Hall, keeping a distance from one another, on Dec. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
Officials said the vaccines will be shipped within March. The vaccine schedule will be decided after monitoring potential side effects of vaccination in other countries, the level of outbreak and public demand.
Following the world's first COVID-19 vaccination in Britain on Dec. 8, the United States and Canada have also rolled out vaccine programs.
The contracts to buy COVID-19 vaccines came amid growing calls for speeding up the vaccine program to cope with a sharp hike in new cases, which could overwhelm the nation's medical system.
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, stoking concerns among the public. The total caseload rose to 47,515, with 645 deaths, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--S. Korea's Q3 overseas direct investment dips 24 pct on pandemic

The value of investments made by South Korean companies came to US $ 10.77 billion in the July-September period , @ @ @ @ @ year earlier , according to the data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance .

SEJONG, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overseas direct investment tumbled 24 percent in the third quarter of the year as the coronavirus pandemic dented global investment flows, government data showed Friday.
The value of investments made by South Korean companies came to US$10.77 billion in the July-September period, down 23.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
It marked the third consecutive quarterly decline. Overseas direct investment fell 4 percent on-year in the first quarter before plunging 27 percent in the April-June quarter.
South Korea's net overseas direct investment, or total investments minus withdrawals, stood at $8.74 billion in the third quarter, down 20.2 percent from the same period last year.
The ministry said the sharp third-quarter decline resulted from the spread of COVID-19, which made economic activity remain in the doldrums across the world.
In particular, South Korea's investment in overseas real estate nose-dived 78.9 percent to $500 million.
The United States received the largest amount of South Korean investment, with its ratio reaching 20.1 percent, followed by China with 15.3 percent.
By sector, investments made by South Korean financial and insurance companies sank 37.4 percent on-year to $3.79 billion in the third quarter.
Manufacturing firms' overseas investments rose 2.4 percent to $3.61 billion, snapping the fourth straight quarter of decline, according to the data.
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--S. Korea culls 6.1 mln poultry as farm-related bird flu cases reach 18

Local authorities have been vigilant as the virus is expected to haunt local poultry farms down the road , with @ @ @ @ @ flying into the country through early next year .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has completed the culling of 6.1 million poultry nationwide to curb the nationwide spread of highly pathogenic bird flu, as the total farm-related caseload reached 18, the agricultural ministry said Friday.
The destroyed poultry included 4 million chickens and 1.2 million quails, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Under the local law, poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of farms infected with highly pathogenic bird flu must be culled.
South Korea has reported 18 bird flu cases at farms since November.
The virus has especially spread at a faster pace in South Jeolla Province, which accounted for six infections. Four were from North Jeolla Province.
Local authorities have been vigilant as the virus is expected to haunt local poultry farms down the road, with migratory birds set to continue flying into the country through early next year.
The country reported this year's first highly pathogenic avian influenza case from wild birds in late October. A total of 29 cases were confirmed from wild bird habitats across the country.
Officials cull birds at an egg farm in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Dec. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--S. Korea inks free trade pact with Indonesia

South Korea has been seeking to ink separate deals with Southeast Asian nations despite the existing FTA with ASEAN , @ @ @ @ @ bolstering Seoul 's strategic and economic relations with emerging Asian partners , and reducing its @ @ @ @ @ the United States .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea formally inked a comprehensive trade deal with Indonesia on Friday, paving the way for local exporters to penetrate deeper into the Southeast Asian market.
Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo met his Indonesian counterpart Agus Suparmanto here to sign the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The pact now needs a parliamentary approval.
The two countries resumed their talks in 2019 after a five-year hiatus.
The CEPA is equivalent to a free trade agreement but focuses on a broader scope of economic cooperation.
The Seoul-Jakarta CEPA marks the country's third individual trade pact to be signed with a Southeast Asian nation.
The agreement is expected to grant local exporters wider access to Indonesia, which boasts the largest population in Southeast Asia.
Asia's No. 4 economy also currently awaits the official launch of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in the near future, which covers ASEAN its dialogue partners -- South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Together with the RCEP, South Korea plans to eventually lift tariffs on 95.8 percent of the products being traded with Indonesia, while the ratio for Indonesia stands at 94.8 percent.
"We expect (the CEPA) will supplement multilateral systems, such as the RCEP, and further advance trade networks in Southeast Asia," the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea has been seeking to ink separate deals with Southeast Asian nations despite the existing FTA with ASEAN, as it is aimed at bolstering Seoul's strategic and economic relations with emerging Asian partners, and reducing its heavy dependence on China and the United States.
The country implemented FTAs with Singapore in 2006 and Vietnam in 2015.
South Korea is negotiating with Malaysia, the Philippines and Cambodia as well.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Spotify set to launch streaming service in Korea in 2021

It would give listeners here access to around 60 million tracks and over 4 billion playlists , according to the @ @ @ @ @ expected the move to help Korean artists of various music genres to reach their fans @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Global streaming giant Spotify said Friday it plans to launch a music streaming service in South Korea, home to the booming K-pop industry, in the first half of 2021.
It would give listeners here access to around 60 million tracks and over 4 billion playlists, according to the Swedish firm. It also expected the move to help Korean artists of various music genres to reach their fans here and abroad.
"We are excited about our upcoming launch in South Korea, a market recognized as an epicenter for music, culture and tech innovation," said Alex Norstrom, chief Freemium business officer of Spotify.
"We're looking forward to working with our valued local partners to uncover more Korean artists, and to connect them with fans in South Korea and all over the world," Norstrom said.
Spotify has been running K-pop playlists since 2014. It noted that the portion of K-pop listening has jumped by more than 2,000 percent over the last six years, with total streaming time reaching 180 billion minutes.
Launched in 2008, Spotify provides music streaming service to around 320 million listeners in 92 markets.
This image, provided by Spotify, shows the company's logo for its music streaming service. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


Top 10 Korean news of 2020

Former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was reported missing on July 9 and found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak @ @ @ @ @ central Seoul the next day .
It was later known that one of his former @ @ @ @ @ , who was serving his third term as Seoul mayor , of sexually molesting her @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top 10 South Korean news stories of 2020 as selected by Yonhap News editors.
▲ COVID-19 grips S. Korea, worst may be yet to come
COVID-19 touched every corner of the globe in 2020, and South Korea was no exception. The novel virus brought unprecedented changes to daily life, but the worst could be still to come amid the virus resurgence in the winter season.
South Korea is grappling with the biggest wave of the pandemic as the number of new patients reached a new high of 1,078 on Dec. 15. The daily caseload crossed the 1,000 mark on Dec. 13, for the first time since the nation reported the outbreak on Jan. 20.
The total caseload stood at 46,453, with 634 deaths as of Dec. 17.
The country faced its first wave of the outbreak tied to the minor religious sect of Shincheonji in the southeastern city of Daegu in late February and early March. The second wave then gripped the country in late August in connection with a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally on Aug. 15.
South Korea has adopted the social distancing scheme to allow people to continue economic activities under tougher health regulations, stressing the importance of wearing masks in public.
While a nationwide three-tier distancing scheme had been implemented until October, the government in November introduced five-step regional restrictions -- Level 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 -- to better contain the virus and minimize its fallout on the economy.
Despite stricter restrictions, additional cases continued to snowball in early December due to sporadic infections in the Seoul metropolitan area.
To assuage public concerns, the health ministry said on Dec. 8 that it has secured early access of COVID-19 vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies -- AstraZeneca Inc., Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Moderna -- and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
Medical workers collect specimens from people for COVID-19 testing at a temporary screening station in front of Seoul Station on Dec. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
▲ Ruling party secures landslide win in general elections
In the 21st general elections, held on April 15, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) scored a landslide victory. It clinched 163 seats and its ad-hoc sister, or satellite, party for proportional representation won 17. Not long after the elections, the two were merged as planned.
It marked the largest number of seats bagged by a South Korean party in the nation's constitutional history. The 60 percent of seats held by the DP in the 300-member National Assembly are also the highest since the introduction of the current Constitution, revised in 1987.
In this file photo taken April 15, 2020, citizens watch a television news report on the results of the 21st parliamentary elections at Seoul Station in the capital city. (Yonhap)
In contrast, the People Power Party (PPP), which was named the United Future Party at the time of the elections, won a total of 103 seats, just over 100 needed to block constitutional revision. Other minor opposition parties also lost ground in the parliament, turning it back to a two-way rivalry between the DP and the PPP.
By snatching three-fifths of parliamentary seats, the ruling party became able to fast-track bills and put a compulsory halt to filibusters on its own.
It can also independently pass motions on appointing such major officials as prime minister, Supreme Court justice and Constitutional Court judges.
It means that the DP has control of almost all parliamentary affairs, except for constitutional revision.
The party, furthermore, monopolized the chairmanship of all the 18 standing committees following a failure of negotiations with the PPP especially over the leadership of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, a key bill gate-keeping panel.
▲ Justice minister, top prosecutor clash over prosecution reform
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl dominated the headlines with their ongoing battle over prosecution reform.
Choo took office at the start of the year and immediately conducted a personnel reshuffle among senior prosecutors. The prosecution, headed by Yoon, took direct aim at Cheong Wa Dae by launching an investigation into the presidential office's alleged interference in a 2018 mayoral election.
This compilation image shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. (Yonhap)
As tensions between the two escalated, Choo used her investigative command authority to remove Yoon from a probe into alleged irregularities involving his family and close acquaintances.
At a parliamentary hearing, Yoon publicly stated that a prosecutor general is not subordinate to the justice minister.
The prosecution then moved to investigate alleged misconduct in the decommissioning of a nuclear reactor in line with President Moon Jae-in's nuclear-free policy.
Choo took the unprecedented step of suspending the top prosecutor and demanding disciplinary action over his alleged legal and ethical lapses. In protest, prosecutors across the nation issued complaints en masse.
Efforts to reduce the prosecution's investigative powers continued in line with Moon's campaign pledge, resulting in the ruling party railroading a bill through the National Assembly to facilitate the launch of a separate investigative body, called the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
▲ Seoul, Busan mayors engulfed in sexual harassment accusations
The mayors of South Korea's two biggest cities, Seoul and Busan, were engulfed in sexual harassment accusations raised against them.
Former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was reported missing on July 9 and found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak near his official residence in central Seoul the next day. It was later known that one of his former female secretaries officially accused Park, who was serving his third term as Seoul mayor, of sexually molesting her.
The news sent shock waves throughout the nation, as Park as a lawyer handled the country's first workplace sexual molestation case involving a teaching assistant at Seoul National University in 1993.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don confessed to having sexually assaulted a female subordinate during office hours and announced his decision to step down during a press conference on April 23.
After investigating Oh over sexual molestation, as well as other suspicions, including official election law violations, for four months, the police referred him to the prosecution only on the sexual molestation charges.
This photo provided by the Seoul city government shows a portrait of former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon placed in his funeral home at Seoul National University Hospital on July 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
▲ Housing market remains red-hot despite tougher regulations
In his speech for the new year, President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed his commitment to stabilize the heated housing market, saying, "We will never lose a war against real estate speculation."
In February, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport designated additional "speculative" zones subject to strict mortgage rules. In July, the government rolled out fresh measures, including tax hikes for multiple-home owners and tighter loan regulations.
Also in July, the ruling Democratic Party rammed through bills to allow tenants to extend their two-year lease contracts, called "jeonse," for another two years and place a 5 percent price hike cap on deposits. Jeonse is a localized property lease system, in which tenants pay a large deposit instead of monthly rent.
Prices of both home purchases and rentals rose at a faster pace, however, in the following months of the law implementation due to a shortage of jeonse homes and ample liquidity.
In response to calls for increased supply, the government in August announced plans to supply 132,000 homes in the Seoul metropolitan area by 2028 by easing restrictions on the construction of residential buildings.
In November, the government said it will supply 114,000 public jeonse homes by 2022 by purchasing existing homes, hotels and offices to convert them into rental homes but failed to ease public discontent.
As the failed real estate policy dragged down the president's approval rating, Moon appointed Byeon Chang-heum, the chief of the state-run Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH), to replace Land Minister Kim Hyun-mee in December.
Apartment buildings near the Han River in Seoul are seen in this photo taken Dec. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
▲ N.K.'s liaison office destruction, killing of S. Korean darken cross-border ties
North Korea's demolition of a joint liaison office and its cruel killing of a South Korean government official at sea this year made already chilled inter-Korean relations reach yet another lowest point.
On June 16, North Korea blew up a liaison office in its border town of Kaesong in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflets flown from the South. With the destruction, the North also cut all cross-border communication lines and threatened to take further action unless the sending of such leaflets critical of its regime stopped.
The liaison office had been regarded as a symbol of rapprochement, serving as a round-the-clock communication channel between the two Koreas since it was launched in September 2018 as a follow up to the summit agreement between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Cross-border tensions heightened further a few months later, as North Korean guards shot dead a 47-year-old South Korean fisheries official adrift in its waters near the western sea border in September.
In an unusual and swift move, leader Kim apologized over the killing, but North Korea refuted South Korea's claims that the official's body was burned and abandoned. Seoul has called for a joint probe into the killing, but Pyongyang has not responded.
The two shocking incidents have marred inter-Korean relations that had already been stalled since a no-deal summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and leader Kim in early 2019.
North Korea has not responded to South Korea's offers for dialogue and discussion of cross-border exchanges. Making matters worse, the North has sealed its borders since early this year as part of efforts to block the inflow of COVID-19 and rejected outside assistance for fear of infection.
This photo, released by the Korean Central News Agency on June 17, 2020, shows the moment of the explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong at around 2:50 p.m. on June 16. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ Telegram sex abuse cases stun Korean society
The nation was shocked by a string of Telegram sexual exploitation cases, including the so-called Baksabang scandal, in which dozens of women and girls were blackmailed into providing sexual videos and photos to a pay-to-view Telegram chat room.
Cho Ju-bin, the mastermind of Baksabang, one of the nation's largest online sex trafficking rings, was arrested in March and sentenced to 40 years in prison in November for violating laws to protect minors from sexual abuse and operating a criminal ring to make profits by producing and selling abusive videos.
This composite image shows masterminds of online sex trafficking rings accused of distributing sexual abuse materials on the messaging service Telegram. (Yonhap)
The 25-year-old Cho was convicted of organizing a criminal ring from May 2019 to February this year, during which he and his accomplices blackmailed 74 women, including 16 minors, into filming sexually abusive content and selling it to Baksabang members.
In May, Moon Hyung-wook, a university student, was arrested for creating and operating 12 chat rooms on Telegram that allowed paid members to view illegally taken photos and videos of violent sex acts involving underage girls.
A number of accomplices who participated in the production of abusive sexual materials by Cho, Moon and other offenders, and Telegram members who bought illegal videos and photos from the criminal rings, have also been detained.
The Korean National Police Agency has vowed to intensively crack down on possessors of digital sexual abuse materials. Under the revised laws on the aggravated punishment of digital sex crimes, anybody caught possessing or watching illegally filmed sexual videos could face up to three years in prison.
▲ BTS and 'Parasite' rewrite K-pop, cinema history
K-pop sensation BTS made its presence clear in 2020, not only in the Korean music scene but also in the global pop community, by pulling off record-breaking performances.
In August, the septet's first English-language song "Dynamite" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart for the first time as a K-pop singer or a band. The disco-pop song with a cheerful melody has remained on the main singles chart for 16 weeks in a row, including three No. 1 finishes. This marked a successful challenge by a K-pop band on the musical mainstream in the United States.
BTS made another breakthrough with a long-awaited nod from the Grammy Awards, which had closed its doors to artists with non-English music.
In December, BTS made music history again with "Life Goes On," the title track of its latest EP "BE," hitting the first-ever Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 sung in the Korean language.
In the cinematic scene, the Cannes-winning black comedy "Parasite" took the U.S. film industry by storm.
At the 92nd Academy Awards held in February, director Bong Joon-ho's seventh feature was awarded four Oscar trophies -- best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best international feature.
Bong became the first South Korean filmmaker to win an award at the Academy. Also, it was the first time that a foreign-language film won the Oscar's most coveted prize of best picture.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows a concept photo for the latest BTS album "BE." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-hee dies
Lee Kun-hee, chief of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, passed away at a hospital in Seoul on Oct. 25 at the age of 78, more than six years after being hospitalized for a heart attack.
Lee, considered one of the most influential businessmen in South Korea's post-war era, had helped Samsung become the world's leading player in the semiconductor and mobile phone sectors after he took the helm of the group in 1987.
Samsung held Lee's funeral service in a private manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but leaders from business, political and cultural communities, including Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, visited a funeral parlor to offer their condolences.
Lee, who also served as an International Olympic Committee member, is survived by his wife, Hong Ra-hee, and only son, Jae-yong, and two daughters, Boo-jin and Seo-hyun.
Jae-yong, current Samsung Electronics vice chairman, is widely expected to take over the rein of Samsung Group. He has been already recognized as the de facto leader of the group since his father collapsed in May 2014.
This file photo shows Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-hee, who died on Oct. 25, 2020, at age 78. (Yonhap)
▲ Record-long rainy season, typhoons devastate people's lives
A record-long rainy season and a string of powerful typhoons added to the woes of South Korean people distressed by the prolonged spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
This year's rainy season began June 24 and continued for 54 days in the central part of the country, marking the longest monsoon season ahead of 49 days in 2013. The country's southern areas also had 38 days of rain this summer.
Between June 1 and Aug. 15, South Korea received around 920 millimeters of rain, which is the second-largest amount since the weather authorities began compiling related data in 1973.
The protracted rainy spell was followed by a string of three powerful typhoons -- Bavi, Maysak and Haishen -- until September, which had a devastating toll on the entire nation.
This summer's downpours and typhoons caused serious damage nationwide, killing 53 people and leaving three others missing, government data showed. Some 8,100 people were displaced from their homes. Property damage from the record-long monsoon season was estimated at 1.04 trillion won (US$951 million), with Typhoons Maysak and Haishen causing property damage of about 220 billion won.
In one of many tragic accidents caused by the torrential rain, three people lost their lives after being trapped inside their cars in a flooded underpass in the southern port city of Busan in July.
Part of a road in Gangwon Province, east of Seoul, is destroyed due to Typhoon Haishen on Sept. 7, 2020, in this photo provided by the Yangyang County Office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


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yna--2020-12-18--(5th LD) Daily virus cases above 1,000 for 3rd day, toughest curbs still under review

The authorities said that since the first virus wave started in January , three people have died while waiting at @ @ @ @ @ with five having lost their lives while waiting to be transferred to quarantined treatment beds @ @ @ @ @ the eight , six died in December alone .

(ATTN: UPDATES 4th para)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, but health authorities remain cautious about adopting the toughest virus restrictions due to the far-reaching economic impact.
The country added 1,062 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,036 local infections, raising the total caseload to 47,515, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It is the first time that the daily number has stayed above 1,000 for the third consecutive day. The country reported record high daily virus cases of 1,078 on Wednesday, and the figure slightly fell to 1,014 the previous day.
Medical staffers prepare to carry out COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
From the start of Friday till 9 p.m., the number of new virus cases was tallied at 856, down 20 from Thursday's count during the same time period. Of the total, 649 cases were recorded from the greater Seoul metropolitan area, including 333 in the capital.
The resurgence of new virus cases has been putting pressure on local authorities to raise the country's virus response measures to the highest level, but they are still reluctant to do so, as the strongest virus curbs, the highest under the five-tier scheme, would paralyze most economic and social activities.
South Korea has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing in the greater Seoul area.
Level 3 can be adopted when locally transmitted cases hover between 800 and 1,000 for a week or the daily tally doubles from the previous day. The recent virus tally has already met such requirements.
Health authorities say they will focus on finding "hidden spreaders" by conducting more COVID-19 tests, instead of immediately adopting Level 3.
"The government has expanded the number of tests to promptly find infected patients. Makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area now operate during late hours as well as weekends," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said.
Sohn said the country was able to find 170 more patients over the past four days via 122 more makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area.
Streets are nearly empty in central Seoul on Dec. 17, 2020. South Korea added 1,062 COVID-19 cases on the day. (Yonhap)
Under the highest level, any gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned, which is stricter than the current ceiling of 50. This is expected to be more burdensome for the local economy, which shows signs of a mild rebound.
The government warned that the ceiling on the number of people may even be revised to only five. Authorities are currently working on details.
Schools will be fully shut down, and companies are required to have nonessential employees work from home as well.
"Shops that do not sell daily necessities or medical supplies will be closed down, along with theaters, wedding halls, and PC cafes," Sohn said, hinting the number of visitors at supermarkets will also be limited.
Health authorities will iron out measures to avoid implementing the highest level of social distancing.
"For now, it is our priority to implement the current level of social distancing thoroughly," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
"Under Level 3, around 2 million shops and facilities will be ordered to shut down," the prime minister added. "We also need to earn enough consensus (before moving on to the highest level)."
Meanwhile, chains of cluster infections from offices, religious facilities and nursing homes have continued to pop up.
The growing number of deaths and shortages of hospital beds are also key challenges for health authorities. On Thursday, daily fatalities hit a fresh high of 22.
The authorities said that since the first virus wave started in January, three people have died while waiting at home for hospital beds, with five having lost their lives while waiting to be transferred to quarantined treatment beds from nursing homes. Of the eight, six died in December alone.
Provincial authorities have been scurrying to secure more hospital beds. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung vowed to use "all available methods," saying he is even considering issuing an emergency administrative order to mobilize private hospital beds.
"Unfortunate incidents of COVID-19 patients with preexisting illnesses dying at quarantined nursing homes are occurring," Lee wrote on Facebook. "I feel a sense of immense responsibility over the gravity of the situation."
Medical staffers prepare to carry out COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, the capital city of Seoul accounted for 393 cases, and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province took up 300. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 64 new cases. The three areas account for around half of the nation's population.
The southeastern port city of Busan reported 39, and its neighboring Ulsan added 30. North and South Gyeongsang Provinces identified 31 and 43 new COVID-19 cases, respectively.
A construction site in central Seoul reported 12 additional patients as of Friday noon, raising the caseload to 88.
A semiconductor production line in Icheon, south of Seoul, identified 13 more cases, with the total reaching 14.
Other major cluster infections included a nursing home in Ulsan, which added 22 more patients, raising the total to 229. Another religious facility in South Chungcheong Province reported 125 patients so far.
Over the past two weeks, cluster infections accounted for 20.9 percent of newly added cases. A quarter of the additional cases had unknown transmission routes.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Imported cases came to 26.
The United States accounted for 13, along with seven cases from Indonesia and two from Germany.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 246, up four from the previous day. Patients aged 70 and above accounted for 58.5 percent of the total.
The KDCA reported 11 additional deaths, raising the total to 645.
The fatality rate reached 1.36 percent.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 372, raising the total to 33,982. This indicates 71.52 percent of patients have been cured.
South Korea carried out 3,589,795 COVID-19 tests since January, including 50,955 the previous day.
The ratio of patients testing positive came to 2.08 percent, slightly rising from 2.03 percent a day earlier, when 884 fewer tests were carried out.
South Korea plans to start offering vaccines to people early next year.
The country plans to push to sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer later this month and ink another deal with Moderna next month.
The health ministry last week said it has secured early access to the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Moon hails UNESCO inscription of lantern lighting fest as intangible cultural heritage

With the inclusion of the festival , South Korea now has 21 intangible cultural assets inscribed as UNESCO intangible cultural @ @ @ @ @ epic chanting , the royal ancestral ritual at the Jongmyo shrine and its music , @ @ @ @ @ of Jeju `` haenyeo , '' or women divers on the southern resort island of @ @

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Friday hailed this week's UNESCO inscription of South Korea's lantern lighting festival to celebrate Buddha's birthday as intangible cultural heritage.
The official inscription of the Lantern Lighting Festival, or "Yeondeunghoe" in Korean, came at the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on Wednesday (Korea time).
"This is proud and joyous news," Moon said in a tweet. "The government will promote the country's excellent traditional culture to the international community and always make efforts to enhance cultural diversity and creativity."
"When we preserve our precious intangible culture well, and inherit and develop it, its spirit and historical, cultural and artistic value will become greater, and our cultural diversity will further develop," he added.
The festival of lights, held annually in line with Buddha's birthday on April 8 on the lunar calendar, symbolizes lighting up the world to make it an abundant and fair place for everyone.
With the inclusion of the festival, South Korea now has 21 intangible cultural assets inscribed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. They include pansori epic chanting, the royal ancestral ritual at the Jongmyo shrine and its music, as well as the culture of Jeju "haenyeo," or women divers on the southern resort island of Jeju.
This photo, taken on Dec. 15, 2020, shows President Moon Jae-in speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(LEAD) Civic groups decry criticism from U.S. of leafleting ban as 'interference in internal affairs

(LEAD) Civic groups decry criticism from U.S. of leafleting ban as 'interference in internal affairs'

`` The interference in internal affairs by related U.S. organizations and politicians , which financially and politically sponsored the sending @ @ @ @ @ , is going too far , as they joined hands and criticized the passage of @ @ @ @ @ joint statement read .

(ATTN: MOVES last para to para 5; ADDS more info in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- A group of 17 civic organizations on Friday issued a joint statement decrying criticism from some quarters of the United States of a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea as "interference in internal affairs."
The group, including the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, stressed that flying propaganda leaflets has nothing to do with freedom of expression but is an "act that foments conflict."
"The interference in internal affairs by related U.S. organizations and politicians, which financially and politically sponsored the sending of leaflets to the North, is going too far, as they joined hands and criticized the passage of the bill," the joint statement read.
"They should stop the interference that undermines the vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation," it added.
Also in the joint statement, the civic groups called on the Seoul government to quickly promulgate the legislation and try to stop people from sending additional leaflets into the North before the law goes into effect next year.
On Monday, the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party, passed the bill penalizing the sending of propaganda leaflets despite strong objections by conservative opposition lawmakers.
The ruling party has defended the legislation as necessary to enhance the security of residents in border regions and prevent needless political tensions with the North.
U.S. politicians and others have rebuked the legislation, claiming it could erode freedom of expression and block one crucial avenue for sending free-world information into the reclusive country.
In particular, Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the North, has called for South Korea to reconsider the legislation before it goes into effect. Seoul's unification ministry has expressed regret over the demand, saying the ban was legislated according to due democratic procedures.
On Thursday, U.S. Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea, urged President Moon Jae-in to seek "critical revisions" to the bill before signing it, warning it could have a "chilling effect" on freedom of expression.
"In its current form, this legislation could harm the ability of Korean human rights organizations to disseminate independent and diverse information to the North Korean people," he said in a statement.
This file photo shows a display at the National Assembly on the passage of a bill banning the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea on Dec. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(4th LD) Daily virus cases above 1,000 for 3rd day, toughest curbs still under review

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 4, 20-22)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, but health authorities remain cautious about adopting the toughest virus restrictions due to the far-reaching economic impact.
The country added 1,062 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,036 local infections, raising the total caseload to 47,515, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It is the first time that the daily number has stayed above 1,000 for the third consecutive day. The country reported record high daily virus cases of 1,078 on Wednesday, and the figure slightly fell to 1,014 the previous day.
Medical staffers prepare to carry out COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
From the start of Friday till 6 p.m., the number of new virus cases was tallied at 581, a decrease of 73 from Thursday's count during the same time period. Of the total, 404 cases were recorded from the greater Seoul metropolitan area, including 145 in the capital.
The resurgence of new virus cases has been putting pressure on local authorities to raise the country's virus response measures to the highest level, but they are still reluctant to do so, as the strongest virus curbs, the highest under the five-tier scheme, would paralyze most economic and social activities.
South Korea has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing in the greater Seoul area.
Level 3 can be adopted when locally transmitted cases hover between 800 and 1,000 for a week or the daily tally doubles from the previous day. The recent virus tally has already met such requirements.
Health authorities say they will focus on finding "hidden spreaders" by conducting more COVID-19 tests, instead of immediately adopting Level 3.
"The government has expanded the number of tests to promptly find infected patients. Makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area now operate during late hours as well as weekends," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said.
Sohn said the country was able to find 170 more patients over the past four days via 122 more makeshift clinics in the greater Seoul area.
Streets are nearly empty in central Seoul on Dec. 17, 2020. South Korea added 1,062 COVID-19 cases on the day. (Yonhap)
Under the highest level, any gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned, which is stricter than the current ceiling of 50. This is expected to be more burdensome for the local economy, which shows signs of a mild rebound.
The government warned that the ceiling on the number of people may even be revised to only five. Authorities are currently working on details.
Schools will be fully shut down, and companies are required to have nonessential employees work from home as well.
"Shops that do not sell daily necessities or medical supplies will be closed down, along with theaters, wedding halls, and PC cafes," Sohn said, hinting the number of visitors at supermarkets will also be limited.
Health authorities will iron out measures to avoid implementing the highest level of social distancing.
"For now, it is our priority to implement the current level of social distancing thoroughly," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
"Under Level 3, around 2 million shops and facilities will be ordered to shut down," the prime minister added. "We also need to earn enough consensus (before moving on to the highest level)."
Meanwhile, chains of cluster infections from offices, religious facilities and nursing homes have continued to pop up.
The growing number of deaths and shortages of hospital beds are also key challenges for health authorities. On Thursday, daily fatalities hit a fresh high of 22.
The authorities said that since the first virus wave started in January, three people have died while waiting at home for hospital beds, with five having lost their lives while waiting to be transferred to quarantined treatment beds from nursing homes. Of the eight, six died in December alone.
Provincial authorities have been scurrying to secure more hospital beds. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung vowed to use "all available methods," saying he is even considering issuing an emergency administrative order to mobilize private hospital beds.
"Unfortunate incidents of COVID-19 patients with preexisting illnesses dying at quarantined nursing homes are occurring," Lee wrote on Facebook. "I feel a sense of immense responsibility over the gravity of the situation."
Medical staffers prepare to carry out COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, the capital city of Seoul accounted for 393 cases, and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province took up 300. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 64 new cases. The three areas account for around half of the nation's population.
The southeastern port city of Busan reported 39, and its neighboring Ulsan added 30. North and South Gyeongsang Provinces identified 31 and 43 new COVID-19 cases, respectively.
A construction site in central Seoul reported 12 additional patients as of Friday noon, raising the caseload to 88.
A semiconductor production line in Icheon, south of Seoul, identified 13 more cases, with the total reaching 14.
Other major cluster infections included a nursing home in Ulsan, which added 22 more patients, raising the total to 229. Another religious facility in South Chungcheong Province reported 125 patients so far.
Over the past two weeks, cluster infections accounted for 20.9 percent of newly added cases. A quarter of the additional cases had unknown transmission routes.
Citizens wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests at a makeshift clinic in central Seoul on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Imported cases came to 26.
The United States accounted for 13, along with seven cases from Indonesia and two from Germany.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 246, up four from the previous day. Patients aged 70 and above accounted for 58.5 percent of the total.
The KDCA reported 11 additional deaths, raising the total to 645.
The fatality rate reached 1.36 percent.
The number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries came to 372, raising the total to 33,982. This indicates 71.52 percent of patients have been cured.
South Korea carried out 3,589,795 COVID-19 tests since January, including 50,955 the previous day.
The ratio of patients testing positive came to 2.08 percent, slightly rising from 2.03 percent a day earlier, when 884 fewer tests were carried out.
South Korea plans to start offering vaccines to people early next year.
The country plans to push to sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen and Pfizer later this month and ink another deal with Moderna next month.
The health ministry last week said it has secured early access to the vaccines developed by four pharmaceutical companies and from a global vaccine project for 44 million people, enough to cover 88 percent of the nation's population.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--(2nd LD) Court rejects arrest warrant for ex-Busan mayor on sexual harassment allegations

The prosecutors are said to have considered that the victim has sought medical help for psychological pain , and that @ @ @ @ @ been left in constant mental suffering and trauma due to what Oh did to her @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
BUSAN, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean court on Friday rejected the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant for former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don on sexual harassment allegations, citing no risks of him destroying evidence or fleeing.
The Busan District Court's rejection came hours after Oh attended a court hearing intended to determine whether to issue the writ sought by the Busan District Prosecutors Office earlier this week.
"There isn't any particular argument regarding the facts, and there are no risks of him destroying evidence or fleeing," the court said.
In a statement released via his lawyer, Oh acknowledged the "charge," but he maintained that he does not remember exactly what happened. He apologized to Busan citizens and victims as well.
Prosecutors requested the warrant against him on charges of sexual harassment, inflicting injuries during sexual harassment and false accusation.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don arrives at Busan District Court in the southeastern port city to attend his arrest warrant hearing on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Oh was originally accused of having made inappropriate advances toward a female employee at the city government earlier this year. But prosecutors later added a charge of causing injuries to the employee while sexually harassing her, which, if proven, carries a punishment of from five years in prison up to life imprisonment.
The prosecutors are said to have considered that the victim has sought medical help for psychological pain, and that she said the she has been left in constant mental suffering and trauma due to what Oh did to her.
A lawyer who has dealt with many sex crimes told Yonhap News Agency that it was very meaningful that prosecutors listed mental suffering as damage suffered by a victim of sexual harassment.
A protestor holds a sign that says "Arrest Oh Geo-don" in front of Busan District Court in the southeastern port city on Dec. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
The 72-year-old former mayor is also suspected of having sexually harassed one more employee. The allegation was first raised by a YouTube channel in October last year. The prosecution also probed it, while Oh filed a defamation lawsuit against the channel creators.
Choi In-seok, Oh's lawyer, confirmed at a briefing that his client faces sexual harassment allegations raised by two women.
The investigation into the former mayor started when two civic groups filed criminal complaints against him in April. Two months later, the Busan District Court rejected the issuance of an arrest warrant, saying there was insufficient reason to detain him while the investigation was ongoing.
From the ruling Democratic Party (DP), Oh was elected as the mayor of the country's second-largest city in the 2018 local elections. But he resigned over sexual misconduct allegations and later was expelled from his party.
One of the victims, who claimed that Oh sexually harassed her at the mayor's office during business hours in April, has filed a petition, pleading with the court to grant the warrant so that she could get back to her normal life. Her identity was withheld.
She said she was suffering from severe depression and living in constant fear that the mayor would seek revenge.
"I don't really understand why I am suffering this much. I did nothing wrong," she wrote.
The former mayor argued that he was suffering from cognitive dissonance and that his acts were not intentional.
This file photo shows former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Civic groups decry criticism from U.S. of leafleting ban as 'interference in internal affairs'

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- A group of 17 civic organizations on Friday issued a joint statement decrying criticism from some quarters of the United States of a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea as "interference in internal affairs."
The group, including the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, stressed that flying propaganda leaflets has nothing to do with freedom of expression but is an "act that foments conflict."
"The interference in internal affairs by related U.S. organizations and politicians, which financially and politically sponsored the sending of leaflets to the North, is going too far, as they joined hands and criticized the passage of the bill," the joint statement read.
"They should stop the interference that undermines the vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation," it added.
On Monday, the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party, passed the bill penalizing the sending of propaganda leaflets despite strong objections by conservative opposition lawmakers.
The ruling party has defended the legislation as necessary to enhance the security of residents in border regions and prevent needless political tensions with the North.
U.S. politicians and others have rebuked the legislation, claiming it could erode freedom of expression and block one crucial avenue for sending free-world information into the reclusive country.
In particular, Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the North, has called for South Korea to reconsider the legislation before it goes into effect. Seoul's unification ministry has expressed regret over the demand, saying the ban was legislated according to due democratic procedures.
Also in the joint statement, the civic groups called on the Seoul government to quickly promulgate the legislation and try to stop people from sending additional leaflets into the North before the law goes into effect next year.
This file photo shows a display at the National Assembly on the passage of a bill banning the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea on Dec. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--Moon expects closer S. Korea-Indonesia ties with free trade pact

`` With CEPA , we became even closer and more special friends , '' he wrote on his social media @ @ @ @ @ , Indonesia and Korea came to open markets to a greater extent than when we @ @ @ @ @ . ''

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in expressed expectations Friday for closer South Korea-Indonesia partnership and co-prosperity under their free trade agreement.
The two sides signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) earlier in the day.
"With CEPA, we became even closer and more special friends," he wrote on his social media account. "With CEPA, Indonesia and Korea came to open markets to a greater extent than when we signed RCEP and Korea-ASEAN FTA."
Thanks to reduced tariff barriers, he added, companies in both countries will benefit from "more favorable investment conditions."
It would also provide firms in the online game, retail, and construction service sectors with greater opportunities to make inroads into Indonesia's domestic market of 270 million people, according to Moon.
"Now under the umbrella of 'CEPA', our two countries will grow a tree of co-prosperity and cooperation," he added.
He thanked President Joko Widodo and the people of Indonesia for "for extending unwavering friendship and trust to Korea."
This file photo shows South Korea's President Moon Jae-in (R) shaking hands with Indonesia's President Joko Widodo during their meeting on the sidelines of a special summit between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the port city of Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Nov. 25, 2019. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-12-18--SK Group's Chey Tae-won elected as vice president of Asian sports governing body

`` The General Assembly elected a new OCA Vice President to serve as coordinator for the 90 sports federations that @ @ @ @ @ OCA multi-sport games : Chey Tae-won , Vice President of the Asian Handball Federation and @ @ @ @ @ Federation , '' the OCA said on its website after its general assembly session held @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Chey Tae-won, chairman of South Korea's SK Group, has been named vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the top sports governing body on the continent.
"The General Assembly elected a new OCA Vice President to serve as coordinator for the 90 sports federations that take part in the five OCA multi-sport games: Chey Tae-won, Vice President of the Asian Handball Federation and President of the Korea Handball Federation," the OCA said on its website after its general assembly session held in Muscat, Oman, on Thursday.
Chey has served as head of the Korea Handball Federation since 2008.
He will fill a new vice president position created last year to deal with sports federations in five OCA-sanctioned sporting events, including the quadrennial Asian Games.
It is the first time that a South Korean has been elected as a vice president of the OCA. The OCA has a total of nine vice presidents.
Currently, Ryu Seung-min, South Korea's lone International Olympic Committee member, is an executive board member of the OCA.
This photo, provided by the Korea Handball Federation (KHF), shows Chey Tae-won, the chairman of SK Group and the president of the KHF. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)