yna--2020-07-02--At retail campaign event, Moon says boosting domestic consumption crucial

`` However , both are not faring well , '' the president said during a event held as part of @ @ @ @ @ '' campaign .
The Korean word `` Donghaeng '' means to go along together .
@ @ @ @ @ Olympic Gymnastics Arena , also known as the KSPO Dome , in eastern Seoul .

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in stressed the importance Thursday of reviving South Korea's retail sector, as the country is striving to counter the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was making an on-site visit to join a national campaign to promote the sale of products made by local businesses, from conglomerates to local mom-and-pop stores.
Moon pointed out that domestic consumption is one of the two pillars of Asia's fourth-largest economy, along with exports.
"However, both are not faring well," the president said during a event held as part of the "Korea Donghaeng Sale" campaign. The Korean word "Donghaeng" means to go along together. It took place at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena, also known as the KSPO Dome, in eastern Seoul.
President Moon Jae-in talks with retailers across South Korea via video conferencing during a "Korea Donghaeng Sale" event held at the KSPO Dome in eastern Seoul on July 2, 2020. In Korean, "Donghaeng" means "to go along together." (Yonhap)
South Korea's exports posted considerable declines in April, May and June, compared with the same period last year, after the outbreak of the new coronavirus, he noted.
"One fortunate thing is that the range of drops is becoming less severe. I have expectations that the situation will get much better in the latter half of this year," he said.
While there is a limit to the recovery of exports, which also depends on other countries, domestic consumption can be determined by the people here, he added.
"In the past, saving was an act of patriotism but now consumption is," the chief executive said.
He likened a series of initiatives to boost domestic demand to a relay.
His liberal-leaning government has already handed out emergency cash payments of up to 1 million won (US$830) to every household in the nation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moon described the two-week retail campaign that kicked off on June 26 as the second "player" in the relay.
The third one would be another stimulus budget proposed by the government, he added, which has to be approved by the National Assembly.
He also said the successful quarantining of people infected with the coronavirus and treatment are a critical shortcut to economic recovery.
A videoconferencing session is under way as part of the "Korea Donghaeng Sale" campaign at the KSPO Dome in eastern Seoul on July 2, 2020. In Korean, "Donghaeng" means "to go along together." (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(2nd LD) Moon calls for heavier tax burden on owners of multiple homes to curb housing price surge

Realmeter pointed to major news reports on such issues as continued hikes in housing prices and the Incheon International Airport @ @ @ @ @ regular employment status to more than 1,902 contract and part-time security officers working at its @ @ @ @ @ liberal-leaning Moon government 's campaign to enhance the job security of irregular workers .
Many @ @ @ @ @ airport 's plan as unfair and are worried that it could lead to fewer job @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with Moon's instructions throughout; ADDS photos, byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in instructed his land minister Thursday to push for ways to raise tax burdens on owners of two or more houses, as he received an emergency report on South Korea's real estate market viewed by many as being overheated.
He called in Kim Hyun-mee, minister of land, infrastructure and transport, for the debriefing, with his government confronted with fierce public criticism over its unsuccessful policies in tackling skyrocketing home prices especially in Seoul and adjacent cities.
Moon told Kim to "strengthen the burden" of those who possess houses apparently for speculative investments, including multi-house owners, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
The president was quoted as pointing out the public consensus on the need to "regulate speculative purchases."
Moon also urged the authorities to increase the supply of houses and ease the tax burden of people who buy houses for the first time, mostly young people and newlywed couples.
He called for policy measures to help such people acquire houses more easily.
The president emphasized the importance of the government's resolve to bring housing prices under control and demanded that it draw up additional policy steps anytime without hesitation, if necessary, Kang said.
The land ministry will soon map out concrete plans in consultation with other relevant government offices to follow up on the president's instructions, he added.
President Moon Jae-in, in a file photo (Yonhap)
Hours earlier, Cheong Wa Dae announced that it has "strongly advised" its officials with the rank of secretary to sell any additional homes they own and to keep just one.
The presidential chief of staff, Noh Young-min, has already put a house in his hometown Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, up for sale, a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on the condition of anonymity. Noh has an apartment in a wealthy neighborhood in southern Seoul as well.
Last December, the Moon administration announced a set of tough measures aimed at cooling the real estate market, including the introduction of legislation on imposing more taxes on property owners, mainly those with high-priced or multiple apartments largely in the densely populated Seoul capital area.
The bill, however, failed to get approval from the previous parliament amid a protest by the conservative opposition United Future Party.
The government is expected to submit a similar bill again to the current National Assembly, a move to be supported by the ruling Democratic Party with 176 seats in the 300-member chamber.
Apartment prices have continued to surge mainly in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in spite of the government's tightening of mortgage restrictions and other frequent policy steps. Most recently, the government rolled out a package of further measures on June 17.
A view of apartments in the southern Seoul area of Gangnam. (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, a poll result showed that Moon's approval rating has dropped 3.9 percentage points from last week to 49.4 percent. It marked the first time in more than three months that his approval has dipped below 50 percent.
Realmeter pointed to major news reports on such issues as continued hikes in housing prices and the Incheon International Airport Corp.'s plan to grant regular employment status to more than 1,902 contract and part-time security officers working at its facilities in line with the liberal-leaning Moon government's campaign to enhance the job security of irregular workers. Many young job seekers regard the airport's plan as unfair and are worried that it could lead to fewer job opportunities for themselves.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--Foreign arrivals to South Korea stand at little over 30,000 in May

By country , arrivals from the United States dropped 90.9 percent on-year to 8,735 , while the corresponding number for @ @ @ @ @ reached 5,124 , a 99 percent drop from May of last year .
The KTO @ @ @ @ @ from other neighbors were similarly bleak , with only 413 arriving here from Japan and @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of foreign arrivals in South Korea reached just 30,861 in May, as the coronavirus pandemic has restricted the movement of people around the globe, official data showed Thursday.
The total represents a 97.9 percent plunge compared to the same month in 2019, with overall numbers little changed from the month before, the data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) showed.
By country, arrivals from the United States dropped 90.9 percent on-year to 8,735, while the corresponding number for people coming in from China reached 5,124, a 99 percent drop from May of last year. The KTO said the figures for travelers from other neighbors were similarly bleak, with only 413 arriving here from Japan and 189 from Taiwan.
It said that while arrivals from the Philippines and Vietnam both exceeded the 1,000 mark, those for Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia did not exceed 100, and arrivals from Thailand stood at 195 for the whole of May.
Inbound traffic for most countries was all down by over 90 percent on-year.
The latest data also showed outbound travelers from South Korea stood at just 37,801 in the cited month, down 98.4 percent on-year.
The tourism promotion organization pointed out that while some countries have started to ease travel restrictions, most domestic and foreign airlines have scaled back services and are only operating a handful of flights.
The latest data showed that in the first five months of 2020, the number of people that came into the country stood at little over 2.1 million. This is a decrease of 69.8 percent from the previous year.
People use an unmanned kiosk to check in before boarding their flights at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on July 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--Pro football league pushes back July 10 target for return of fans

Along with football , baseball and golf are other professional sports being played in South Korea during the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ follow up on its Sunday announcement , due to a sudden rise in local infections @ @ @ @ @ of Gwangju .
The Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO ) has already scrapped its plans @ @ @ @ @ by Friday , and the K League followed suit in delaying its reopening schedule .

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- With a spike in local infections of the novel coronavirus, the South Korean football league will not be able to reopen its stadiums on July 10 as it had hoped, a league official said Thursday.
The 2020 K League season kicked off on May 8 without spectators, due to COVID-19 infection concerns. And following the government's announcement last Sunday that pro sports stadiums could open their doors again under strict quarantine and preventive measures, the K League had set July 10 as the target for the return of fans to the stands.
This file photo, from June 20, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC being played without fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Along with football, baseball and golf are other professional sports being played in South Korea during the pandemic. The government has yet to follow up on its Sunday announcement, due to a sudden rise in local infections in the southern metropolitan city of Gwangju. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has already scrapped its plans to swing open stadium gates by Friday, and the K League followed suit in delaying its reopening schedule.
"We've been waiting for word from the sports ministry and national health authorities, but all discussions have stopped because of a recent rise in local infections," a K League official said. "We'll continue to monitor the situation."
This file photo, from May 10, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between Pohang Steelers and Busan IPark being played at an empty Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
While announcing plans to reopen sports stadiums Sunday, the government also unveiled a three-level social distancing scheme. Level 1 entails a situation where the number of daily COVID-19 cases sits in the 50 or fewer range, manageable by the health care system.
Gwangju raised it to Level 2 on Wednesday in response to a surge in new cases, and all indoor gatherings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of over 100 are prohibited.
Gwangju is home to the K League 1 club Gwangju FC.
This file photo, from May 31, 2020, shows an empty Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul before a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Seongnam FC. (Yonhap)
The social distancing grade will not be applied on a national scale, meaning regions that are hit harder by the virus than others will be able to adjust their level accordingly.
Once given the go-ahead sign from the government, the KBO will likely open up stadiums in cities other than Gwangju, as long as Gwangju maintains its Level 2. The K League is expected to take a similar step and leave Gwangju FC as the odd team out when the rest of the league brings back fans.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--USFK chopper makes emergency landing, no injuries reported

The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with five people aboard lifted off from Seoul 's Yongsan Garrison and was heading toward the @ @ @ @ @ , some 70 kilometers south of the capital city , when unusual signs were detected @ @ @ @ @ according to local police .

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A helicopter operated by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) made a precautionary landing shortly after take-off from central Seoul on Thursday due to suspected engine problems, officials said.
The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with five people aboard lifted off from Seoul's Yongsan Garrison and was heading toward the large American base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of the capital city, when unusual signs were detected at around 3:50 p.m., according to local police.
Confirming the incident, USFK said in a release, "Recovery operations are under way, and there were no reported injuries to those onboard or to any civilians near the landing site."
"USFK and local authorities will assess any potential damage that may have occurred during the precautionary landing. The cause of the precautionary landing is under investigation," USFK added.
A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter belonging to United States Forces Korea (USFK) sits at a park along the Han River in Seoul on July 2, 2020, after making a precautionary landing following engine-related problems. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(LEAD) In snub to prosecution chief, justice minister exercises authority in suspected collusion cas

(LEAD) In snub to prosecution chief, justice minister exercises authority in suspected collusion case

With the invocation of her authority , the minister effectively sided with a probe team in charge of the case @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutors Office , which has recently shown tension with the Supreme Prosecutors Office by asking @ @ @ @ @ the investigation and ensure their independence .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest info in paras 11-12)
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae on Thursday ordered Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to suspend the convening of an expert advisory panel to review a suspected collusion case that involves a prosecutor deemed close to Yoon, invoking her authority to command the prosecution's investigation.
"With the investigation going on, experts' assessment on the case might bring out a hasty conclusion, which in turn could hamper the efforts to find the truth," Choo said in an official document sent to the Supreme Prosecutors Office.
With the invocation of her authority, the minister effectively sided with a probe team in charge of the case at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, which has recently shown tension with the Supreme Prosecutors Office by asking it not to intervene in the investigation and ensure their independence.
The case centers on a reporter from the cable channel Channel A who is suspected of pressuring a jailed financier to divulge corrupt acts by a pro-government commentator. He allegedly tried to leverage his ties with prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, who was deemed powerful enough to influence the inmate's case and believed to be close to Prosecutor General Yoon.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae speaks during a Q&A session of the legislation and judiciary committee at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The case is related to criminal allegations of an incumbent prosecutor, which receives a lot of public attention," she said in the document.
"To ensure a fair investigation, the team in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office should not be controlled by senior prosecutors and should independently conduct the probe and report only the outcome to the prosecutor general."
Choo emphasized the case should be handled in a "rational and transparent" manner to avoid any doubt about the investigation's fairness, given the presumably close relations between Han and Yoon.
Last month, the reporter filed a petition with the prosecution to convene a panel of legal experts to review the ongoing probe into him and Han. With the green light from the Supreme Prosecutors Office, Han is said to have already formed a nine-member legal advisory team.
To respond to the request, the jailed financier, for his part, also requested a public assessment of the investigation.
The document was issued less than a day after the justice minister openly voiced her frustration with Yoon in a parliamentary session Wednesday. During the session, the minister criticized Yoon for what she thought was lack of fairness in forming the advisory team.
In response to Choo's decision, the Supreme Prosecutors Office said it will not hold the meeting of the advisory panel on Friday as scheduled, adding only that it is in the process of "gathering different opinions."
The office did not elaborate on whether the meeting was only temporarily suspended or canceled outright. It also did not respond to Choo's calls for a fair investigation.
Choo became the nation's second justice minister to invoke investigative authority, after then-Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae took over command of an investigation into a professor in 2005 for his controversial comments on the nature of the 1950-1953 Korean War.
The file photo, taken in the southeastern port city of Busan on Feb. 13, 2020, shows prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl (R). (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(LEAD) Moon receives emergency report on soaring housing prices from land minister amid public outcr

(LEAD) Moon receives emergency report on soaring housing prices from land minister amid public outcry

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; RESTRUCTURES throughout)
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in received an emergency briefing Thursday from his land minister in connection with South Korea's heated housing market, Cheong Wa Dae said, amid fierce public criticism over the government's unsuccessful policies to tackle skyrocketing home prices, especially in Seoul and the adjacent cities.
Kim Hyun-mee, minister of land, infrastructure and transport, has been leading the Moon administration's efforts to stabilize the real estate market seen by many as overheated.
Cheong Wa Dae also "strongly advised" its officials with the rank of secretary to sell any additional homes they own and to keep just one.
The presidential chief of staff, Noh Young-min, has already put a house in his hometown Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, up for sale, a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on the condition of anonymity. Noh has an apartment in a wealthy neighborhood in southern Seoul as well.
In addition, Moon instructed his aides to push urgently for legislation on imposing more taxes on property owners, mainly those with high-priced or multiple apartments.
Moon's call represents the government's resolve to cool the real estate market, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
In the undated file photo, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok holds a press briefing. (Yonhap)
Last December, the Moon administration announced a set of tough measures aimed at cooling the real estate market, including the introduction of legislation on jacking up property taxes, which target luxury or multiple house owners largely in the densely populated Seoul capital area.
The bill, however, failed to get approval from the previous parliament amid a protest by the conservative opposition United Future Party.
The government is expected to submit a similar bill again to the current National Assembly, a move to be supported by the ruling Democratic Party with 176 seats in the 300-member chamber.
Apartment prices have continued to surge mainly in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in spite of the government's tightening of mortgage restrictions and other frequent policy steps. Most recently, the government rolled out a package of further measures on June 17.
Earlier in the day, a poll result showed that Moon's approval rating has dropped 3.9 percentage points from last week to 49.4 percent. It marked the first time in more than three months that his approval has dipped below 50 percent.
Realmeter pointed to major news reports on such issues as continued hikes in housing prices and the Incheon International Airport Corp.'s plan to grant regular employment status to more than 1,902 contract and part-time security officers working at its facilities in line with the liberal-leaning Moon government's campaign to enhance the job security of irregular workers. Many young job seekers regard the airport's plan as unfair and are worried that it could lead to fewer job opportunities for themselves.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(LEAD) Jeju Air's Eastar takeover on brink of collapse amid pandemic

Eastar Jet said it suspended all of its flights and sent all of its 1,700 employees on `` paid leave @ @ @ @ @ Jeju Air said it will guarantee wages for them after the signing the same month @ @ @ @ @ its position in May with the worsening COVID-19 pandemic , according to Eastar Jet .

(ATTN: ADDS Eastar official's comments in paras 6-7)
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Jeju Air Co.'s planned takeover of smaller budget carrier Eastar Jet Co. appears to be on the brink of falling through as Jeju Air asked Eastar Jet to settle all of its debts by mid-July to proceed with the deal.
In March, Jeju Air signed a deal to acquire a controlling 51.17 percent stake in Eastar Jet from Eastar Holdings for 54.5 billion won as part of its expansion strategy despite the new coronavirus' growing impact on the airline industry.
In a letter sent to Eastar on Wednesday, Jeju Air called on Eastar to pay off all of its debts estimated at up to 100 billion won (US$83 million), including unpaid wages to its employees, delayed payments to subcontractors and office operating expenses, by July 15, a tall order that cannot be met by cash-strapped Eastar Jet.
"We sent a letter to Eastar yesterday to demand overall debt payments in the following 10 working days. Unless Eastar meets our requirements, we could notify them that the deal is no longer valid," a Jeju Air spokesman said over the phone.
But the company did not clarify the value of the unpaid debts.
This photo, taken on July 1, 2020, shows Jeju Air and Eastar Jet's planes at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, just west of Seoul, amid the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
In response, Eastar immediately sent a letter to Jeju Air on Thursday to explain its current financial status and seek understanding from the country's biggest budget carrier over the unpaid debts, Eastar Senior Vice President Kim You-sang told Yonhap News Agency by phone.
"Jeju Air just asked Eastar to pay off all the debts that were generated since March, without stating the value of debts we have to settle," Kim said.
If Jeju Air does not accept Eastar's explanation, the acquisition deal is widely expected to be scrapped.
Jeju Air's 10-day ultimatum comes days after Eastar pressed Jeju Air to push ahead with its acquisition process.
On Monday, Eastar Jet Chief Executive Choi Jong-gu said the airline's founder Rep. Lee Sang-jik of the ruling Democratic Party and his family will put their entire 38.6 percent stake in the hands of the budget carrier in a move to bring Jeju's stalled takeover plan back on track.
Rep. Lee's son and daughter collectively own the 39.6 percent stake in Eastar Jet through Eastar Holdings. The value of their Eastar stake reaches 41 billion won (US$34 million).
Jeju Air was expected to complete the deal by June 29 because the country's biggest budget carrier said in April it will issue 10 billion won worth of convertible bonds on June 30, one of the prerequisites for the takeover. Eastar Holdings was planning to purchase the bonds, which can be converted into Jeju Air equities.
But the bond issuance has been delayed, with the date to be set later according to an agreement from both sides.
In this photo, taken on June 29, 2020, Eastar Jet CEO Choi Jong-gu (2nd from L) listens to questions from a reporter during a press conference held at its headquarters in Gangseo, western Seoul, over its founding family's stake donation plan to pressure Jeju Air to proceed with its planned takeover of Eastar. (Yonhap)
Behind the delay in the acquisition process were deep-running differences between the two sides over acquisition terms.
Eastar Jet said it suspended all of its flights and sent all of its 1,700 employees on "paid leave" in late March as Jeju Air said it will guarantee wages for them after the signing the same month. But Jeju Air changed its position in May with the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, according to Eastar Jet.
But Jeju Air balked at Eastar Jet's argument, claiming that the Eastar's management made the decision to halt all flights and sent its employees home without paying wages.
To wrap up the deal, Jeju Air has to obtain approval from Vietnam and Thailand, which are still reviewing the proposed takeover.
Jeju Air has said the acquisition will help it gain a bigger market share and strengthen the company's competitiveness in global markets.
South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines -- and seven low-cost carriers -- Jeju Air, Jin Air Co., Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way Air Co. and Fly Gangwon.
AK Holdings, the holding firm of South Korean retail conglomerate Aekyung Group, holds a 56.94 percent stake in Jeju Air.
On Thursday, Jeju Air jumped 6.9 percent to 16,950 won, and AK Holdings climbed 4.4 percent to 19,100 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.4 percent gain.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--Officials investigating abuse allegations following death of triathlete

The latest tragedy serves as a somber reminder of just how far the country has to go to eliminate physical @ @ @ @ @ even sexual abuses in sports .
It was about a year and a half ago @ @ @ @ @ coach for Olympic short track speed skating champion Shim Suk-hee , was sentenced to 18 @ @ @ @ @ assault while also facing trial for sexual assault charges .
National sports officials went up @ @ @ @ @ the most high-profile abuse cases involving an athlete , but their repeated calls for stern @ @ @ @ @ light of Choi 's passing .

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean sports authorities are investigating claims left behind by a late triathlete that she had been abused by her coach, team physician and teammates for years.
Choi Suk-hyeon, a junior bronze medalist at the 2015 Triathlon Asian Championships, was found dead in her room last Friday in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. She was 22.
In her last text message sent to her mother, since circulated in the local media, Choi pleaded with her mother to "expose crimes of those people," in an apparent reference to her alleged abusers.
The late South Korean triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon receives a gold medal at the 2013 National Martine Sports Games in Ulsan, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in these photos provided by Choi's surviving family on July 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Before taking her own life, Choi had filed abuse charges against the head coach of her semi-pro club at Gyeongju City Hall in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of the capital, a team physician and two of her older teammates in February. Two months later, Choi also filed a petition with the Korea Triathlon Federation and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), seeking punishments for her alleged abusers.
In late May, Gyeongju police forwarded Choi's case to the prosecution and recommended indictment on charges of assault and extortion. Daegu District Public Prosecutors Office said Thursday that it has been investigating the case and will soon interrogate those facing abuse allegations.
Earlier on Thursday, two of her acquaintances each started an online petition to call for a thorough investigation into circumstances that led to Choi's death.
They claimed that Choi's calls for help had fallen on deaf ears.
Among alleged abuses that have been reported, Choi was forced to eat 200,000 won (US$167) worth of pastries after ordering a soft drink at a team meal, and she was beat up by the team doctor for not reporting that she had eaten a peach for breakfast. Choi was also allegedly ordered to fast for three days for failing to keep her weight down.
Choi had also made audio recordings of occasions when she was abused by her staff, some of which have been reported on Korean television.
Kim Seung-ho (L), secretary general of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, bows in apology over the death of South Korean triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon, who took her own life after enduring years of apparent abuse in her team, during a visit by Vice Sports Minister Choi Yoon-hee (R), at the KSOC headquarters in Seoul on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
The latest tragedy serves as a somber reminder of just how far the country has to go to eliminate physical, verbal, emotional and even sexual abuses in sports. It was about a year and a half ago when Cho Jae-beom, former coach for Olympic short track speed skating champion Shim Suk-hee, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for physical assault while also facing trial for sexual assault charges. National sports officials went up in arms over one of the most high-profile abuse cases involving an athlete, but their repeated calls for stern measures ring hollow now in light of Choi's passing.
Gyeongju Sports Association on Thursday suspended the triathlon head coach from his duties for his lack of oversight, while two of Choi's teammates weren't immediately disciplined.
Yeo Jun-gi, head of the association, said he believes the team physician to be the principal figure in the case, with the coach and the two teammates both denying ever striking Choi.
The team doctor wasn't on the staff but worked on a temporary basis with the athletes during training camps. The association hasn't been able to track down the alleged abuser.
Separately, the Korea Triathlon Federation will open disciplinary proceedings next Monday. The sports ministry also announced it will form a special investigative team, headed by its Second Vice Minister Choi Yoon-hee, to look further into the late athlete's allegations.
The ministry will also grill the KSOC on why it failed to take prompt action in April when Choi Suk-hyeon filed her petition.
The ministry pledged to work with legal authorities and institutions related to human rights, if necessary.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(LEAD) Two USFK coronavirus patients briefly released from quarantine due to administrative error

Meanwhile , USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams designated South Korea 's southwestern city of Gwangju off limits to its troops @ @ @ @ @ all other people who work for the U.S. military , due to the rapid increase @ @ @ @ @ region .
This advisory was posted on the USFK 's Facebook account Thursday .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 3 paras, photo)
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Two American service members had been briefly released from quarantine even though they tested positive for the new coronavirus because their test results were recorded as negative due to an administrative error, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
The two service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, on a U.S. government-chartered flight on June 17, and they were moved to separate places in Osan, as they tested negative for the first test and entered quarantine.
On the second test required before exiting quarantine, the results were recorded as negative due to "an administrative error" and led to their release, even though they actually were positive, according to USFK.
Officials found the error around nine hours later and then transported the members to Osan's isolation facility designated for confirmed cases, it added.
"Osan public health and base officials completed contact tracing and thorough cleaning of the facilities visited by the service members," USFK said, adding that it is "collaborating with local public health authorities and the KCDC to share information and discuss response measures."
The latest confirmed COVID-19 cases brought the total number of infections among the USFK population to 42.
Meanwhile, USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams designated South Korea's southwestern city of Gwangju off limits to its troops, their family members and all other people who work for the U.S. military, due to the rapid increase of confirmed cases in the region. This advisory was posted on the USFK's Facebook account Thursday.
Access to the Gwangju region is possible only upon the authorities' direction, the U.S. military said, adding that it will continue to assess the situation.
Gwangju has seen a surge in the number of infections over the past couple of days. Of 50 new cases reported Thursday across South Korea, 22 were identified in Gwangju, following 12 infections the previous day.
Citizens wait in line to take COVID-19 tests outside a clinic in the city of Gwangju on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--Two USFK coronavirus patients briefly released from quarantine due to administrative error

The two service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek , just south of Seoul , on a U.S. @ @ @ @ @ , and they were moved to separate places in Osan , as they tested negative @ @ @ @ @ entered quarantine .

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Two American service members had been briefly released from quarantine even though they tested positive for the new coronavirus because their test results were recorded as negative due to an administrative error, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
The two service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, on a U.S. government-chartered flight on June 17, and they were moved to separate places in Osan, as they tested negative for the first test and entered quarantine.
On the second test required before exiting quarantine, the results were recorded as negative due to "an administrative error" and led to their release, even though they actually were positive, according to USFK.
Officials found the error around nine hours later and then transported the members to Osan's isolation facility designated for confirmed cases, it added.
"Osan public health and base officials completed contact tracing and thorough cleaning of the facilities visited by the service members," USFK said, adding that it is "collaborating with local public health authorities and the KCDC to share information and discuss response measures."
The latest confirmed COVID-19 cases brought the total number of infections among the USFK population to 42.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--KBO's SK Wyverns cut ties with injured pitcher Nick Kingham

The Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO ) club said Kingham , who has only made two appearances this season and @ @ @ @ @ , has been slow to recover from his elbow issues , with no signs of @ @ @ @ @ asked the KBO to place Kingham on waivers and will now begin searching for his @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The SK Wyverns said Thursday they have parted ways with injured right-hander Nick Kingham.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Kingham, who has only made two appearances this season and last pitched on May 12, has been slow to recover from his elbow issues, with no signs of improvement. The Wyverns have asked the KBO to place Kingham on waivers and will now begin searching for his replacement.
KBO teams are each permitted three foreign players, with a maximum of two pitchers.
In this file photo, from April 24, 2020, Nick Kingham of the SK Wyverns pitches against the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Wyverns signed Kingham to a US$900,000 contract in November, and the former major leaguer pitched well enough in spring training and in preseason to earn the Opening Day nod for May 5.
But he took the loss against the Hanwha Eagles that day, after allowing three earned runs in seven innings. A week later, he gave up eight runs -- three unearned -- in 3 2/3 innings against the LG Twins and was charged with his second straight loss.
He began suffering pains in his right elbow and never pitched in the KBO again. His final record was 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA.
The Wyverns entered Thursday ranked ninth among 10 clubs at 14-35.
Their other foreign pitcher, Ricardo Pinto, is 3-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 starts.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--NSC vows continued efforts for permanent peace in Korea

They reaffirmed a plan to continue `` close consultations '' between the allies for an early deal , Cheong Wa @ @ @ @ @ a three-paragraph press release on the results of the session chaired by Chung Eui-yong , @ @ @ @ @ office .

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top national security officials discussed the North Korea issue Thursday in their weekly National Security Council (NSC) meeting and agreed to continue efforts for permanent peace on the peninsula, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The members of the NSC standing committee had discussions on the "recent security conditions" involving North Korea and decided to keep striving to prevent tensions from escalating and bring lasting peace to Korea, it added.
They also checked progress in protracted negotiations with the Donald Trump administration on sharing defense costs for the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea stationed here.
They reaffirmed a plan to continue "close consultations" between the allies for an early deal, Cheong Wa Dae said without elaborating in a three-paragraph press release on the results of the session chaired by Chung Eui-yong, director of the national security office.
Talking with European Union leaders during a virtual summit earlier this week, President Moon Jae-in raised the need for Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to hold one-on-one talks again ahead of the U.S. presidential elections in early November.
President Moon Jae-in (L) and his national security adviser Chung Eui-yong in a file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--In snub to prosecution chief, justice minister exercises authority in suspected collusion case

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae on Thursday ordered Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to suspend the convening of an expert advisory panel to review a suspected collusion case that involves a prosecutor deemed close to Yoon, invoking her authority to command the prosecution's investigation.
"With the investigation going on, experts' assessment on the case might bring out a hasty conclusion, which in turn could hamper the efforts to find the truth," Choo said in an official document sent to the Supreme Prosecutors Office.
With the invocation of her authority, the minister effectively sided with a probe team in charge of the case at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, which has recently shown tension with the Supreme Prosecutors Office by asking it not to intervene in the investigation and ensure their independence.
The case centers on a reporter from the cable channel Channel A who is suspected of pressuring a jailed financier to divulge corrupt acts by a pro-government commentator. He allegedly tried to leverage his ties with prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, who was deemed powerful enough to influence the inmate's case and believed to be close to Prosecutor General Yoon.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae speaks during a Q&A session of the legislation and judiciary committee at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The case is related to criminal allegations of an incumbent prosecutor, which receives a lot of public attention," she said in the document.
"To ensure a fair investigation, the team in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office should not be controlled by senior prosecutors and should independently conduct the probe and report only the outcome to the prosecutor general."
Choo emphasized the case should be handled in a "rational and transparent" manner to avoid any doubt about the investigation's fairness, given the presumably close relations between Han and Yoon.
Last month, the reporter filed a petition with the prosecution to convene a panel of legal experts to review the ongoing probe into him and Han. With the green light from the Supreme Prosecutors Office, Han is said to have already formed a nine-member legal advisory team.
To respond to the request, the jailed financier, for his part, also requested a public assessment of the investigation.
The document was issued less than a day after the justice minister openly voiced her frustration with Yoon in a parliamentary session Wednesday. During the session, the minister criticized Yoon for what she thought was lack of fairness in forming the advisory team.
Choo became the nation's second justice minister to invoke investigative authority, after then-Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae took over command of an investigation into a professor in 2005 for his controversial comments on the nature of the 1950-1953 Korean War.
The file photo, taken in the southeastern port city of Busan on Feb. 13, 2020, shows prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl (R). (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--(3rd LD) Virus spread outside capital accelerates; local infections at 2-week high

Health authorities said that although the cases are still under epidemiological study , one of the two is highly likely @ @ @ @ @ the school , while the other caught COVID-19 elsewhere .
If confirmed , it would @ @ @ @ @ the virus being transmitted in a school in Korea .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 12-15)
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported more than 50 new virus cases for the second day in a row Thursday as cluster infections piled up outside the Seoul metropolitan area, this time in Gwangju, a southwestern city, with the country's virus fight at risk of losing hard-won gains.
The country added 54 cases, including 44 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,904, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a slight rise from 51 reported a day earlier. South Korea added 43 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 42 cases on Monday.
The daily number of local infections was the highest in two weeks, since 51 new cases were reported on June 18.
A medical worker carries out new coronavirus tests at an elementary school in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted infections, 22 cases were newly identified in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The city also reported a double-digit number of virus cases for the first time a day earlier.
Those linked to a Buddhist temple in Gwangju rose by a whopping 30 to reach 49 on Thursday.
The greater Seoul area reported 18 new cases. Daejeon, a central city, reported just one more infection.
Over the past two months, densely populated Seoul and the surrounding area, which house around half of the country's 51-million population, took up most of the newly added cases here.
South Korea, which relaxed strict social distancing in early May on the back of a flattened virus curve, decided last month to indefinitely apply toughened infection preventive measures in the greater Seoul area due to a continued rise in cluster infections tied to religious gatherings, warehouses and door-to-door businesses.
But the latest uptick in the number of cases from other areas outside the metropolitan area, including Gwangju, may prod health authorities to consider readopting the scheme elsewhere.
"As all areas of the country are within a day's reach, all regions are vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic," KDCD Deputy Director Kwon Joon-wook said in a briefing, again urging South Koreans to follow basic sanitary guidelines.
Earlier this week, two students at an elementary school in Daejeon tested positive after coming in contact with a peer.
Health authorities said that although the cases are still under epidemiological study, one of the two is highly likely to have been infected at the school, while the other caught COVID-19 elsewhere. If confirmed, it would mark the first case of the virus being transmitted in a school in Korea.
The country have carried out tests on more than 300 students and teachers so far. No additional COVID-19 cases were confirmed yet.
As part of eased social distancing, school reopenings began in mid-May.
Military officials disinfect a classroom at an elementary school in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
To prevent possible spread of the virus among students, Gwangju decided to shut down all of its schools through Friday. Students will take online classes instead.
Cases traced to a major church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak reached 33 as of Thursday, up one from a day earlier.
Some 14 residents at an apartment building north of Seoul have tested positive so far as well.
Over the past two weeks, around 10 percent of the newly added patients had unknown infection routes, according to health authorities.
The country reported no additional deaths, with the death toll staying at 282. The fatality rate was 2.19 percent.
The rate, however, reached a whopping 24.9 percent for patients in their 80s. No deaths have been reported among South Koreans aged 29 and below.
The number of new imported cases reached 10, marking a double-digit rise for the seventh consecutive day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 11,684, up 71 from the previous day. This indicates more than 90 percent of the COVID-19 patients here have been cured.
The country has carried out 1,295,962 tests since Jan. 3.
Health authorities said they plans to provide remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola, to two local COVID-19 patients later in the day.
Remdesivir is the first medication shown to have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients since there is no scientifically proven treatment and no vaccine for the deadly illness.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--S. Korean, Japanese groups launch joint campaign for peace, reconciliation

`` Korean and Japanese religious and civic groups should become peace mediators to break down the barriers created by Japan @ @ @ @ @ Cold War division and lead the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia on the path of @ @ @ @ @ coexistence , '' Lee Hong-jung , a senior official of the NCCK and one of @ @ @ @ @ alliance , said during the launching ceremony .
( END )

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Civic groups and religious organizations from South Korea and Japan joined forces Thursday to launch a new campaign to help reconcile the two nations and promote peace in East Asia.
The relations between the two neighbors are at their lowest ebb in decades amid diplomatic and trade rows stemming from renewed disputes over Korean victims of wartime forced labor during Japan's colonial rule from 1910-45.
"The relationship between Korea and Japan has been catastrophic, but the two governments have not been able to find a breakthrough," the Korea-Japan Reconciliation and Peace Platform said in its inaugural statement.
"We are going to create a platform to turn this crisis into a new opportunity and open an era of peace and co-prosperity in East Asia," it added.
Its launching ceremony was held in both Seoul and Tokyo. The event had been originally scheduled to be held in Tokyo on Feb. 28 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of South Korean civic groups and religious organizations attend a ceremony to launch the Korea-Japan Reconciliation and Peace Platform in Seoul on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
The alliance consists of 16 South Korean organizations, including the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance and the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), and 16 Japanese entities, including the National Christian Council in Japan and Peace Boat.
The group will mainly work to promote correct understanding of the two countries' shared history and help heal wounds of victims.
It will also campaign to support the Korean peace process and maintain the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, as well as pursue the denuclearization of East Asia and a common vision of peace for the Asia-Pacific region.
Another priority is the education of youth in both countries on peace and human rights, the group said.
"Korean and Japanese religious and civic groups should become peace mediators to break down the barriers created by Japan's colonial era and the Cold War division and lead the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia on the path of healing, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence," Lee Hong-jung, a senior official of the NCCK and one of eight co-leaders of the new alliance, said during the launching ceremony.
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--One-month high of 522 schools closed nationwide for coronavirus

In Gwangju , 330 kilometers south of Seoul , all 438 elementary and secondary schools shifted to online classes under @ @ @ @ @ that will last until Friday , as the southwestern city had reported a double-digit number @ @ @ @ @ this week .
The city reported 22 new cases Thursday , raising its total caseload @ @ @

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The number of schools closed temporarily due to the coronavirus outbreak rose to 522 nationwide Thursday, the biggest number over the past month, authorities said, as virus infections have been spreading among students and school personnel in Daejeon and Gwangju lately.
The Ministry of Education said 2.5 percent, or 522, of the nation's 20,902 kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools suspended in-person classes as of 10 a.m., marking an increase of 475 from the previous day.
It is the biggest number of school closures since June 2, when 534 schools were shut down due to COVID-19-related fears.
The entrance of an elementary school in Daejeon, central South Korea, is closed on July 2, 2020, due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
In Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, all 438 elementary and secondary schools shifted to online classes under a two-day temporary closure order that will last until Friday, as the southwestern city had reported a double-digit number of new coronavirus cases earlier this week. The city reported 22 new cases Thursday, raising its total caseload to 78.
In Daejeon, a central city 150 km south of Seoul, 59 kindergartens, elementary schools and special schools were closed and are offering online classes until July 10, after reports of suspected in-class virus infections at an elementary school earlier this week. Overall, 70 schools were closed in Daejeon on Thursday.
Elsewhere, five schools in Gyeonggi Province were shut down, followed by three in Seoul, three in South Chungcheong Province and one each from Daegu, South Jeolla Province and North Gyeongsang Province.
Since in-person classes resumed at domestic elementary and secondary schools on May 20, 32 students had tested positive for the virus as of Wednesday, up two from the previous day, with the number of infected school personnel remaining unchanged at nine.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

In a letter sent to Eastar on Wednesday , Jeju Air reportedly called on Eastar to pay off all of @ @ @ @ @ to 100 billion won ( US $ 83 million ) , including unpaid wages to @ @ @ @ @ to subcontractors and office operating expenses , within the next 10 days , a demand @ @ @ @ @ by Eastar Jet .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
-----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea administers remdesivir for COVID-19 patients for 1st time
SEOUL -- South Korea administered remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola, for two patients infected with the new coronavirus for the first time on Thursday, health authorities said.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said earlier that the medication developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences Inc. will be used for COVID-19 patients in critical condition.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks close higher on recovery hopes
SEOUL -- South Korean shares closed sharply higher Thursday on hopes of an economic recovery fueled by improved U.S. economic indicators. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 28.67 points, or 1.36 percent, to close at 2,135.37. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth some 10.4 trillion won (US$8.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 671 to 176.
-----------------
Jeju Air's Eastar takeover on brink of collapse amid pandemic
SEOUL -- Jeju Air Co.'s planned takeover of smaller budget carrier Eastar Jet Co. appears to be on the brink of falling through as Jeju Air asked Eastar Jet to settle all of its debts by mid-July to proceed with the deal.
In a letter sent to Eastar on Wednesday, Jeju Air reportedly called on Eastar to pay off all of its debts estimated at up to 100 billion won (US$83 million), including unpaid wages to its employees, delayed payments to subcontractors and office operating expenses, within the next 10 days, a demand that cannot be met by Eastar Jet.
-----------------
Church groups call for suspension of summer events amid pandemic
SEOUL -- Two major Protestant church groups in South Korea on Thursday urged churches to suspend and scale down summer events amid growing concerns over coronavirus cluster infections linked to religious gatherings.
More than 60 new virus cases related to churches have been confirmed in Seoul and two nearby cities of Anyang and Suwon as of Thursday, according to health authorities.
-----------------
Main opposition to end boycott, return to assembly next week
SEOUL -- Ending its monthlong boycott of the ruling party-controlled National Assembly, the main opposition party will return to the chamber early next week, party leaders said Thursday.
Protesting against the ruling Democratic Party's (DP) unilateral formation of parliamentary standing committees since early June, the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) has been boycotting the assembly's plenary session votes as well as the review of an extra budget bill.
-----------------
Moon urges legislation on raising property ownership taxes against soaring housing prices
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in instructed his aides Thursday to push urgently for legislation on imposing more taxes on property ownership, especially on those with high-priced or multiple apartments, as his government has come under ferocious public criticism over unrelenting hikes in housing prices in Seoul and its adjacent cities.
Moon's call represents the government's resolve to tackle the problem, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok,
(END)


yna--2020-07-02--Ultrarare Goryeo mother-of-pearl lacquerware box returned from Japan

Although the decorative technique using the sparkly mother-of-pearl has been used all around the world , it was in East @ @ @ @ @ developed to what is known today as the najeon technique .

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A rare mother-of-pearl lacquerware box from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), known as one of three of its kind remaining in the world, was revealed Thursday after being brought back from Japan.
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) held a media event for the small najeon chilgi box, 10 centimeters wide and weighing 50 grams, at the National Palace Museum of Korea in central Seoul.
Lacquerware with inlaid mother-of-pearl is called najeon chilgi in Korean.
A Goryeo-era mother-of-pearl lacquerware box is unveiled by the Cultural Heritage Administration on July 2, 2020, at the National Palace Museum of Korea in central Seoul. Known as one of three remaining Goryeo-era nacre lacquerware boxes that remain intact, the box was purchased from a private Japanese collector in December of last year. (Yonhap)
Covered with detailed patterns of chrysanthemum petals and vines made with mother-of-pearl, or nacre, the box is known to be one of three remaining Goryeo-era nacre lacquerware boxes that remain intact. Two others are preserved at the National Museum of Korea.
Around 20 Goryeo mother-of-pearl lacquerwares are known to exist today, with most of them scattered in museums in the United States or Japan.
The antique artifact unveiled Thursday was purchased from a private collector in Japan in December of last year through the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Although the decorative technique using the sparkly mother-of-pearl has been used all around the world, it was in East Asia that the technique was developed to what is known today as the najeon technique.
Najeon-styled lacquerware was also produced in China and Japan, but it was especially popular in Korea.
A Goryeo-era mother-of-pearl lacquerware box is unveiled by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) on July 2, 2020, at the National Palace Museum of Korea in central Seoul. Known as one of three remaining Goryeo-era nacre lacquerware boxes that remain intact, the box was purchased from a private Japanese collector in December of last year. Photo provided by CHA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
CHA explained that the box was originally part of a set of nested boxes. Only three boxes from the original set have survived intact, with the two intact ones remaining in possession of the Japanese collector.
Other materials applied on the box include abalone and tortoiseshell and metal wire inlays.
According to CHA, the chrysanthemum decoration at the center of the lid features tortoiseshell ground extremely flat, to the point of being transparent enough to reflect the colors painted on the opposite side -- a key artistic trait of Goryeo mother-of-pearl-inlaid lacquerware. The edges of the lid are densely decorated with pearl design patterns.
The returned mother-of-pearl lacquerware will be transferred to the National Museum of Korea.
"We will continue making efforts to discover and retrieve important cultural property and build close cooperative relations with related institutions," CHA head Chung Jae-suk said.
Chung Jae-suk, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, speaks to reporters on July 2, 2020, at an unveiling event at the National Palace Museum of Korea in central Seoul for a Goryeo-era mother-of-pearl lacquerware box purchased and brought back from Japan late last year. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Samsung resumes fridge production in S. Korea

Samsung said its refrigerator factory in Gwangju , some 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul , resumed operation in the morning @ @ @ @ @ suspected to have come in contact with a virus patient tested negative for COVID-19 .

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Friday it has reopened a refrigerator production line in South Korea after closing the facility a day earlier due to virus concerns.
Samsung said its refrigerator factory in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, resumed operation in the morning after a worker who was suspected to have come in contact with a virus patient tested negative for COVID-19.
The company on Thursday halted refrigerator production at the plant to prevent the possible spread of the novel coronavirus.
Samsung's air conditioner production line at the plant, however, was not closed as it is located in a separate building.
This photo, taken on July 2, 2020, shows the main gate of Samsung Electronics Co.'s home appliance plant in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Jul .
3 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by @ @ @ @ @ news 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--2020-07-03--(LEAD) All rallies banned near symbolic peace statue on virus concerns

`` The measure was based on heavy concerns over the infectious virus spreading as large numbers of people crowd a @ @ @ @ @ the ward office said in a statement , adding it also factored in how the @ @ @ @ @ noon , coincide with the lunch time when people working in the area come out @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS details in paras 5-6, 10)
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul ward on Friday banned all rallies in major areas under its jurisdiction near the former site of the Japanese Embassy as a precaution against the new coronavirus, including weekly rallies held by an advocacy group supporting wartime sex slaves and its opponents there.
The ban, imposed by the Jongno Ward Office, has gone into effect as of midnight in designated parts of central Seoul. It will stay valid until the country's infectious disease alert level is lowered from "serious."
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery, which supports the victims, euphemistically called "comfort women," has been holding rallies there every Wednesday for more than 28 years.
Until recently, the Wednesday rallies took place in front of a bronze Statue of Peace located just across from the former site of the Japanese Embassy before conservative civic groups reserved the protest spot in opposition to the advocacy group.
"The measure was based on heavy concerns over the infectious virus spreading as large numbers of people crowd a limited space simultaneously," the ward office said in a statement, adding it also factored in how the rallies, which start at noon, coincide with the lunch time when people working in the area come out for their meals.
Jongno mayor Kim Young-jong said the ward office will "take all necessary measures with a focus on the lives and safety of residents," vowing a strict approach to rallies in the area.
The protest-ban zone includes other areas in Gwanghwamun -- including streets surrounding the United States Embassy, the Jongno Ward Office and the Jongno Fire Station.
Individuals and organizations that hold rallies in the designated areas may face fines of up to 3 million won (US$2,502) under the infectious disease control and prevention act.
Press conferences, which do not need to be reported in advance, are allowed, but organizers will be fined if they develop into protests.
As of Friday, South Korea has reported 12,967 cases of the new coronavirus, including 1,346 in Seoul, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It reported its first case on Jan. 20.
This photo taken on June 24, 2020, shows participants in a weekly rally supporting comfort women holding pickets at the former site of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul's Jongno Ward. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Telcos likely to face record fine over illegal subsidies

The Korea Communications Commission ( KCC ) , the country 's telecommunications watchdog , is widely expected to decide on @ @ @ @ @ firms next week following its probe into the illicit subsidies that were distributed between April @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's three major telecom operators are expected to be slapped with a record fine over illegal subsidies for customers, industry sources said Friday.
The three companies -- SK Telecom Co., KT Corp., and LG Uplus Corp -- have been suspected of providing massive amounts of illegal phone subsidies to gain 5G users since they launched the next-generation network in April last year.
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC), the country's telecommunications watchdog, is widely expected to decide on a penalty against the three firms next week following its probe into the illicit subsidies that were distributed between April and August last year.
"We are working toward holding a plenary session on July 8," an official at the KCC said.
Industry insiders expect that the fine could total over 70 billion won (US$58.4 million), and even up to 80 billion won.
So far, the largest fine imposed on the three carriers was 50.6 billion won in 2018.
The three carriers made an agreement last month to jointly monitor illegal subsidy activities.
As of the end of May, there were 6.9 million 5G subscribers, accounting for 10 percent of the total 69 million mobile service users in the country.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--(LEAD) Rising new cases spell peril for virus fight; areas outside capital under threat of more infe

(LEAD) Rising new cases spell peril for virus fight; areas outside capital under threat of more infections

Health authorities said one of the two is highly likely to have been infected at the school .
If confirmed @ @ @ @ @ first case of the virus being transmitted at a school in South Korea .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new virus cases hit the highest level in two weeks on Friday as infections outside the Seoul metropolitan area showed a sustained increase, raising concerns that the country's infections may get back on an upward trajectory.
The country added 63 cases, including 52 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,967, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked the highest since 67 cases reported on June 20 and a rise from 54 reported a day earlier.
It was the first time that the number of local infections hovered above the threshold of 50 since June 18.
Of the locally transmitted infections, six cases were newly identified in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, where double-digit numbers of new virus cases had been reported for the previous two days.
The increase from the city was mainly attributable to a Buddhist temple. The number of cases linked to the facility rose by a whopping 30 to reach 49 on Thursday.
This photo taken on July 3, 2020, shows a makeshift clinic established at a high school in Daegu, 302 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area reported 12 new cases, with its surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding 16 new infections.
Daegu, once the hotbed of the country's virus outbreak, added 13 new cases. The city accounts for more than half of the country's COVID-19 cases here, due to thousands of virus infections traced to a religious sect in the city.
It marked the first time for Daegu to post a double-digit number of new patients in around three months. The latest spike was attributable to cluster infections from an acting school.
Daejeon, a central city 164 kilometers south of Seoul, also reported four more infections.
Earlier this week, two elementary students in Daejeon also tested positive after coming in contact with a peer.
Health authorities said one of the two is highly likely to have been infected at the school. If confirmed, it would mark the first case of the virus being transmitted at a school in South Korea.
Schools were given the full go-ahead to hold offline classes in June, but some of them were forced to shut down due to sporadic cluster infections. The country normally begins a new semester in March.
No further secondary infections from schools have been reported so far, but parents are increasingly concerned about the safety of their children. The number of schools closed temporarily due to the coronavirus outbreak rose to 522 nationwide Thursday, the most over the past month.
Students wait in lines to receive new coronavirus tests at a high school located in Daegu, 302 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Over the past two months, densely populated Seoul and the surrounding area, which house around half of the country's 51-million population, took up most of the newly added cases here.
The trend has prodded health authorities to focus on curbing the spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area. Last month, they decided to indefinitely apply toughened infection preventive measures in the region amid the growing number of patients from clubs and door-to-door businesses.
With other major cities reporting new cluster infections, health authorities, however, are increasingly under pressure to consider readopting the scheme elsewhere.
The country reported no additional deaths, with the death toll staying at 282. The fatality rate was 2.17 percent.
The number of new imported cases reached 11, marking a double-digit rise for the eighth consecutive day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 11,759, up 75 from the previous day. This indicates that more than 90 percent of the COVID-19 patients here have been cured.
The country has carried out 1,307,761 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--SK Biopharmaceuticals sharply up for 2nd day

SEOUL , July 3 ( Yonhap ) -- SK Biopharamceuticals Co. Ltd. , which has achieved the largest initial public @ @ @ @ @ the year so far , continued to perform well Friday , rising by the daily @ @ @ @ @ its market debut the previous day .

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- SK Biopharamceuticals Co. Ltd., which has achieved the largest initial public offering (IPO) of the year so far, continued to perform well Friday, rising by the daily limit following a surge on its market debut the previous day.
The unit of South Korean conglomerate SK Group spiked 29.92 percent to 165,000 won (US$137.39) as of 10:03 a.m.
The listed firm closed at 127,000 won the previous day, sharply up from the IPO price of 49,000 won.
The company now stands as the 22nd most-valued stock on the main bourse with a market cap of 12.9 trillion won.
Prior to its IPO, investors chipped in 31 trillion won in deposits to buy the drugmaker's stocks, the largest in the country's IPO history, for its growth potential amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The company raised some 960 billion won via IPO, the largest stock offering of the year. The IPO offering also marks the highest since the 1 trillion-won IPO deal by Celltrion Healthcare in 2017.
SK Biopharamceuticals was spun off in 2011 from the life science unit of SK Group that holds a 75 percent stake.
Korea Exchange CEO Jung Ji-won (4th from L), SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Cho Jeong-woo (5th from L) and financial industry leaders clap hands during the bio firm's stock market listing ceremony at the KRX headquarters in Seoul on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Imported car sales jump 41 pct in June despite pandemic

Their combined sales plunged 57 percent to 10,043 units in the first half from 23,482 a year ago during the @ @ @ @ @ two countries are still at odds over Japan 's export curbs against South Korea .

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea jumped 41 percent in June from a year earlier on tax cuts and new models, an industry association said Friday.
The number of newly registered foreign vehicles rose to 27,350 units last month from 19,386 a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) said in a statement.
"A reduction in individual consumption taxes and new model launches particularly by Audi Volkswagen Korea helped buoy the monthly sales," a KAIDA spokeswoman said over the phone.
The three bestselling models were the Audi A6 40 TDI sedan, Mercedes-Benz's E300 4MATIC sedan and E250 sedan, the statement said.
From January to June, foreign carmakers sold a total of 128,236 autos, up 17 percent from 109.314 in the same period of last year, KAIDA said.
Imported brands accounted for 17 percent of South Korea's passenger vehicle market in the January-May period, up from 15 percent a year ago. Their market share for June will be available in August.
German brands -- Audi-Volkswagen Korea, BMW Group Korea and Mercedes-Benz Korea -- sold a combined 83,647 vehicles in the first six months, up 44 percent from 57,957 a year ago, it said.
Japanese carmakers continued to struggle with low demand despite aggressive marketing as the two countries are still at odds over Japan's export curbs against South Korea.
Their combined sales plunged 57 percent to 10,043 units in the first half from 23,482 a year ago during the same period, as the two countries are still at odds over Japan's export curbs against South Korea.
Five Japanese brands are available in the Korean passenger vehicle market -- Toyota Motor Corp. and its luxury brand Lexus; Honda Motor Co.; and Nissan Motor Co. and its premium brand Infiniti.
In June, Nissan announced it will withdraw its operations from South Korea by December as it is hard to regain sustainable growth here due to worsening business environments amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Japanese carmaker will pull the Nissan and premium Infiniti brands out of South Korea as part of its global business reorganization, the company said in a statement.
Last July, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of semiconductors and displays. In August, it removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in trade procedures.
South Korea views the moves as retaliation against 2018 Supreme Court rulings here ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--(2nd LD) N.K. leader calls for maximum alert against virus, warns of 'unimaginable' crisis

`` The immediate concern for North Korea must be resolving issues related to people 's daily lives , '' Yang @ @ @ @ @ the University of North Korean Studies , said .
`` Given that , the North @ @ @ @ @ addressing domestic issues for the time being , while refraining from provocations or criticism against @ @ @ @ @ States .

(ATTN: ADDS expert's comments, more info, photo)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for "maximum alert" against the coronavirus during a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, warning that premature easing of anti-virus measures will lead to "unimaginable and irretrievable crisis," state media reported Friday.
It was the second time in three months that the North has convened a politburo meeting to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. That suggests the North's COVID-19 situation could be serious, though Pyongyang claims there has not been a single case.
The meeting held Thursday included no mention of inter-Korean relations, an apparent indication that Kim might be focusing on internal unity, rather than external issues, amid lingering fears about the global pandemic.
"He stressed the need to maintain maximum alert without a slight self-complacence or relaxation on the anti-epidemic front, and rearrange and practice stricter anti-epidemic effort," the Korean Central News Agency said.
Kim also made "sharp criticism of inattention, onlooking and chronic attitude getting prevalent among officials, and violation of the rules of the emergency anti-epidemic work as this work takes on a protracted character," it said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party at the headquarters of the party's Central Committee in Pyongyang on July 2, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on July 3. Kim called for "maximum alert" against the new coronavirus, warning that premature easing of anti-virus measures will lead to an "unimaginable and irretrievable crisis," according to the agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
"He repeatedly warned that hasty relief of anti-epidemic measures will result in unimaginable and irretrievable crisis, stressing that all the sectors and units should further strengthen the emergency anti-epidemic work till the danger of pandemic incoming is completely rid of," it said.
The meeting also handled ongoing construction of the Pyongyang General Hospital, saying Kim was satisfied with the pace in its building process as planned "despite the difficult and unfavorable conditions." The North has been pushing to complete the hospital before Oct. 10, the ruling party's founding anniversary.
North Korea claims to have no coronavirus infections, but it has taken relatively swift countermeasures since January, such as closing its border and toughening quarantine criteria.
But there was no mention of inter-Korean relations during the meeting, which came as cross-border tensions flared anew after a series of the North's provocative actions in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by activists in South Korea.
Last month, North Korea cut off all communication lines with South Korea and blew up a liaison office in Kaesong, threatening to take more retaliatory steps with detailed plans to be determined at a Central Military Commission meeting to be held "at an earliest date."
The North, however, has taken a breather in its provocations and bellicose rhetoric against South Korea since Kim abruptly put "military action plans" against South Korea on hold during a party meeting last week, without providing reasons for the suspension.
Experts said that the North appears to be placing its priority on tackling domestic issues, such as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
"The immediate concern for North Korea must be resolving issues related to people's daily lives," Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said. "Given that, the North is expected to focus on addressing domestic issues for the time being, while refraining from provocations or criticism against South Korea and the United States.
Meanwhile, state media released photos of Kim presiding over Thursday's politburo meeting, the first such disclosure on the leader's public activities in 25 days. Kim and other attendees were seen not wearing face masks in the photos.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C, back) presides over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party at the headquarters of the party's Central Committee in Pyongyang on July 2, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on July 3. Kim called for "maximum alert" against the new coronavirus, warning that premature easing of anti-virus measures will lead to an "unimaginable and irretrievable crisis," according to the agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Prosecutors to discuss follow-up to justice minister's intervention in probe into alleged collusion

Prosecutors to discuss follow-up to justice minister's intervention in probe into alleged collusion case

In response to the order from the justice minister , the office backed down from its previous plan to convene @ @ @ @ @ Friday and instead will consult the matter with senior prosecutors .

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Prosecutors Office will hold internal discussions Friday with senior prosecutors nationwide on how to respond to Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's decision to command an investigation into an alleged collusion case, the office said.
In a rare move Thursday, Choo exercised her authority to oversee the prosecution's investigation, ordering Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to suspend the convening of an expert advisory panel tasked with reviewing the case that involves a prosecutor believed to be close to Yoon.
She also instructed him to guarantee independence to a probe team in charge of the case at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office.
The suspected "prosecution-press collusion case" has received a lot of public attention for its potentially explosive nature of exposing cozy relations, if true, between a powerful prosecutor and a reporter.
The case centers on a reporter who is suspected of using his alleged close ties with prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, a close associate of Yoon, to pressure a jailed financier to divulge corrupt acts by a pro-government commentator.
Because of the presumably close relations between Han and Yoon, the convening of the advisory panel was suspected, by some, as a deliberate scheme to deter the on-going probe.
In response to the order from the justice minister, the office backed down from its previous plan to convene the advisory team slated for Friday and instead will consult the matter with senior prosecutors.
With his back against the wall following the justice minister's action and mounting political pressure on him to resign, Yoon may be trying to rally senior prosecutors for support.
The result of the prosecutors' meeting is expected to come out within the day.
The file photo, taken in the southeastern port city of Busan on Feb. 13, 2020, shows prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (L) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl (R). (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Rising new cases spell peril for virus fight; areas outside capital under threat of more infections

The greater Seoul area reported 12 new cases , with its surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding 16 new infections .
Daegu @ @ @ @ @ the country 's virus outbreak , added 13 new cases .
The city accounts for @ @ @ @ @ country 's COVID-19 cases here , due to thousands of virus infections traced to a @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new virus cases hit the highest level in two weeks on Friday as infections outside the Seoul metropolitan area showed a sustained increase, raising concerns that the country's infections may get back on an upward trajectory.
The country added 63 cases, including 52 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,967, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked the highest since 67 cases reported on June 20 and a rise from 54 reported a day earlier.
Of the locally transmitted infections, six cases were newly identified in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, where double-digit numbers of new virus cases had been reported for the previous two days.
The increase from the city was mainly attributable to a Buddhist temple. The number of cases linked to the facility rose by a whopping 30 to reach 49 on Thursday.
Staff members post a sign stating that an elementary school has been shut down due to the new coronavirus in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area reported 12 new cases, with its surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding 16 new infections. Daegu, once the hotbed of the country's virus outbreak, added 13 new cases. The city accounts for more than half of the country's COVID-19 cases here, due to thousands of virus infections traced to a religious sect in the city.
Daejeon, a central city 164 kilometers south of Seoul, also reported four more infections.
Earlier this week, two elementary students in Daejeon also tested positive after coming in contact with a peer.
Health authorities said one of the two is highly likely to have been infected at the school. If confirmed, it would mark the first case of the virus being transmitted at a school in South Korea.
Schools were given the full go-ahead to hold offline classes in June, but some of them were forced to shut down due to sporadic cluster infections. The country normally begins a new semester in March.
No further secondary infections from schools have been reported so far, but parents are increasingly concerned about the safety of their children. The number of schools closed temporarily due to the coronavirus outbreak rose to 522 nationwide Thursday, the most over the past month.
Over the past two months, densely populated Seoul and the surrounding area, which house around half of the country's 51-million population, took up most of the newly added cases here.
The trend has prodded health authorities to focus on curbing the spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area. Last month, they decided to indefinitely apply toughened infection preventive measures in the region amid the growing number of patients from clubs and door-to-door businesses.
With other major cities reporting new cluster infections, health authorities, however, are increasingly under pressure to consider readopting the scheme elsewhere.
The country reported no additional deaths, with the death toll staying at 282. The fatality rate was 2.17 percent.
The number of new imported cases reached 11, marking a double-digit rise for the eighth consecutive day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 11,759, up 75 from the previous day. This indicates that more than 90 percent of the COVID-19 patients here have been cured.
The country has carried out 1,307,761 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--(URGENT) 75 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 11,

(URGENT) 75 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 11,759: KCDC


yna--2020-07-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus death, total death toll at 282: KCDC


yna--2020-07-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 63 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,967: KCDC


yna--2020-07-03--K League's cellar dwellers looking to snap out of season-long funk vs. title hopefuls

Ulsan , whose undefeated run of eight matches was snapped last weekend in a 2-0 loss to Jeonbuk , also @ @ @ @ @ window .
They signed South Korean international fullback Hong Chul from Suwon Samsung Bluewings .
@ @ @ @ @ in the left back position , with Australian international Jason Davidson and South Korean national @ @ @ @ @ Hong provides some tactical flexibility thanks to his passing skills and speed .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean football's worst club will run into one of the league's top title contenders this weekend, with both sides having recently made major acquisitions for some boost on offense and defense.
Incheon United are stuck in last place among a dozen clubs in the K League 1, with two draws and seven losses. Those losses have all come in consecutive fashion, costing head coach Lim Wan-sup his job in the process.
On Wednesday, Incheon lost to the K League 2 club Suwon FC 5-4 on penalties in the round of 32 at the FA Cup, an annual tournament organized by the Korea Football Association (KFA). They'll barely have time to pick up the pieces.
Incheon United players react to their loss to Suwon FC in the round of 32 at the FA Cup tournament at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Looking at the upcoming fixture, it was probably difficult even for the most optimistic of Incheon players to see any light at the end of the tunnel. They'll be taking on Ulsan Hyundai FC, the league's second-best team with its most lethal offense.
The match is at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 6 p.m. Saturday.
To improve their feeble offense -- with a league-low three goals in nine matches -- Incheon reacquired Costa Rican midfielder Elias Aguilar on Wednesday, on a loan from Jeju United.
Though Aguilar isn't a goal scorer, he enjoyed success as one of the K League's top setup men in his first tour of duty with Incheon in 2018. He ranked second overall with 10 assists and was named to the season-end K League Best XI as an attacking midfielder.
Ulsan, whose undefeated run of eight matches was snapped last weekend in a 2-0 loss to Jeonbuk, also kept busy during the transfer window. They signed South Korean international fullback Hong Chul from Suwon Samsung Bluewings. Though they are already deep in the left back position, with Australian international Jason Davidson and South Korean national team veteran Park Joo-ho, Hong provides some tactical flexibility thanks to his passing skills and speed.
Son Jun-ho of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (front) and Won Du-jae of Ulsan Hyundai FC battle for the ball during the clubs' K League 1 match at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ulsan are counting on Hong to keep sending his patented crosses into the box for the likes of Junior Negrao, the league's leading scorer with nine goals.
He has also scored in each of the last four meetings against Incheon and has five career goals against them.
Elsewhere on the weekend, FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings will collide in a derby that has come to be called "Super Match" at 8 p.m. Saturday at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
It will be the 90th meeting between the two rivals, though the Super Match has lost much of its luster this year with both teams playing poorly.
During the heyday of the rivalry, these Super Matches were often the biggest event of the season. On April 8, 2007, the Super Match drew 55,397 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium, and it stands as the largest crowd gathered for a K League match. On the league's all-time attendance rankings, three of the top five are Super Matches.
This year, though, even if fans had been allowed to attend without the coronavirus threat, it's doubtful that the derby would have generated much interest.
In this file photo from June 21, 2020, Ko Seung-beom of Suwon Samsung Bluewings (front) is congratulated by teammate Yeom Ki-hun after scoring a goal against Daegu FC in the clubs' K League 1 match at Forest Arena in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
FC Seoul only ended their five-match losing streak last week against Incheon and are in ninth place with nine points. Suwon, with just one win in their past five, are one point back in 10th place.
FC Seoul have had the league's most porous defense, with 18 goals conceded. Suwon haven't won since June 16.
For what it's worth, FC Seoul are undefeated in the past 16 Super Matches, with nine wins and seven draws.
On Saturday, Gangwon FC will host Busan IPark in Gangneung, 230 kilometers east of the capital.
The following day, first-place Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will visit third-ranked Sangju Sangmu in Sangju, 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, while Seongnam FC and Pohang Steelers will square off in Seongnam, just south of the capital. Gwangju FC and Daegu FC will meet in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. All Sunday matches will kick off at 7 p.m.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--(Yonhap Feature) Frayed inter-Korean relations dash hopes for return to Kaesong

`` I thought that the office could improve inter-Korean relations , and the joint factory park in Kaesong could resume @ @ @ @ @ '' Shin said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency at an office in @ @ @ @ @ Kaesong .
He was a handful of businessmen invited to the opening ceremony of the @ @ @

By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- When Shin Han-yong crossed the inter-Korean border into the North Korean city of Kaesong in 2018, he thought the opening of an inter-Korean liaison office could eventually lead to the resumption of a joint factory park.
The liaison office in the western border city was a follow-up on an agreement that South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reached in their second summit in April 2018.
"I thought that the office could improve inter-Korean relations, and the joint factory park in Kaesong could resume in the not-too-distant future," Shin said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency at an office in Seoul about his trip to Kaesong. He was a handful of businessmen invited to the opening ceremony of the liaison office.
The top photo, taken in 2018, shows the South Korea-built support center for the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. The bottom one shows the center, which was severely damaged by the indirect impact of the North's demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office adjacent to the center. (Yonhap)
But the euphoria is long gone.
North Korea blew up the liaison office last month amid heightened tensions with South Korea over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets sent via balloons by North Korean defectors in Seoul.
The joint economic enclave -- opened in 2004 -- had been hailed as a symbol of economic cooperation between the rival Koreas.
It combined South Korean capital and technology with cheap North Korean labor to produce clothes, shoes, watches, auto parts and other labor-intensive goods. About 55,000 North Koreans were employed there by 125 South Korean firms.
Cumulative production of the factory park came to US$3.23 billion at the end of 2015.
In 2016, South Korea shuttered the factory park -- the last remaining economic cooperation project with North Korea -- to punish Pyongyang for its fourth nuclear test and long-range rocket launch in 2016.
The factory park had also served as a major legitimate revenue source for cash-strapped North Korea.
South Korean firms have so far paid US$550 million to North Korea for North Korean workers' wages, according to the unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs.
Now, the fate of the factory park hangs in the balance amid fresh tensions between the two Koreas, and U.N. sanctions that ban, among other things, transfers of bulk cash to Pyongyang.
"The footage of the destruction of the liaison office was devastating," Shin said.
Shin had invested 3 billion won (US$2.5 million) in a factory in Kaesong that produced fishing nets. Annual sales at his factory reached 15 billion won in its heyday.
For Shin, Kaesong was a perfect destination for investment due to its cheap labor, good logistics and no language barriers.
Shin set up a plant in South Korea following the shutdown of the factory park in Kaesong, but his business conditions have worsened.
Several companies moved to foreign countries to seek new business opportunities, but they ended in failure, according to Shin.
The South Korean firms that operated in the inter-Korean industrial complex claim that the shutdown has caused about 1.5 trillion won in losses, but the South Korean government estimated their losses to be 786 billion won.
Shin is still holding out hope that the two Koreas can put aside differences and reach a deal to resume the factory park.
Kim Ki-chang, who had invested nearly $3 million in Kaesong to produce leather steering wheel covers and other products, speaks in an interview with Yonhap News Agency at his office in southern Seoul on June 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Shin's view is shared by Kim Ki-chang, who had invested nearly $3 million in Kaesong to produce leather steering wheel cover products for Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker.
Kim also almost built a shop near the customs, immigration and quarantine office in the western South Korean border city of Paju to sell goods for businessmen who travel to and from Kaesong.
The shop -- Kim's joint venture with North Korea -- has since been in limbo amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim's fortunes went down with the closure of the factory park, though he later set up a factory in South Korea.
The 71-year-old went to a bank to demand a rollover of his loan worth 2 billion won, one day after North Korea destroyed the liaison office in Kaesong. The case illustrated the troubles facing the South Korean businessmen who invested in Kaesong.
"My last hope is to go back to Kaesong," Kim said in a recent interview at his office in Seoul against the backdrop of a framed photo of a historic handshake between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in the first inter-Korean summit in 2000.
As things stand, the resumption of the factory park is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Lee Seong-hyon, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute, an independent think tank, said North Korea's recent move to de-escalate tensions with South Korea should not be taken as a reason for optimism, noting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un suspended military action against South Korea, not "terminated" it.
"North Korea's provocations are now a matter of time," Lee said. "At any rate, there is no ground to place optimism on Kaesong. Doing so would be irresponsible."
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-03--Seoul stocks open tad higher on U.S. jobs data

The NASDAQ Composite gained 0.52 percent to a fresh record high of 10,207.63 on Thursday ( New York time ) @ @ @ @ @ U.S. jobless rate in June fell to 11.1 percent with a solid 4.8 million jobs @ @

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened slightly higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street led by estimate-beating U.S. jobs data.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 4.76 points, or 0.22 percent, to 2,140.13 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Major U.S. stock indices closed higher on surprising U.S. jobs data.
The NASDAQ Composite gained 0.52 percent to a fresh record high of 10,207.63 on Thursday (New York time), following reports that the U.S. jobless rate in June fell to 11.1 percent with a solid 4.8 million jobs increase.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 advanced 0.36 percent and 0.45 percent, respectively.
In Seoul, large caps traded mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics stayed flat, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix rose 0.24 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics retreated 1.78 percent, with SK Biopharmaceuticals spiking 29.92 percent on its second day on the main bourse.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem jumped 2.62 percent, and giant automaker Hyundai Motor climbed 0.81 percent.
Internet giant Naver slid 0.18 percent, with its rival Kakao adding 0.35 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,199.75 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.25 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)