yna--2020-01-22--(Yonhap Feature) Yang Joon-il: More than 'the 1990s' G-Dragon'

`` The way he was treated bares the ugly uniformity of the '90s .
He really was ahead of his @ @ @ @ @ 37-year-old office worker surnamed Kim .
`` I 'm not his fan , but I @ @ @ @ @ now live in a world where he can do what he wants . ''

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The K-pop scene has a new -- or some may say old -- shining star.
Yang Joon-il, a 50-year-old singer who was considered an outcast in the early '90s, has enthralled fans in a dramatic comeback that took nearly three decades to happen.
The fairy tale story all began with the retro boom on the YouTube channel "Online Tapgol Park."
The channel, which takes its name from a park in central Seoul that has come to be known as a hangout for the elderly, curates videos of TV advertisements and music shows from the '90s.
Yang became an instant fixture there, with his boyish looks and flamboyant fashion earning him the nickname "G-Dragon of the '90s" after K-pop star and style icon G-Dragon of BIGBANG.
Young fans lauded his ambience that perfectly blends in nearly 30 years later.
"It seems like he will carry AirPods in his pocket," one user wrote.
"He looks like as if he will go on Instagram," another user commented.
Singer Yang Joon-il speaks at a press conference ahead of a fan meeting in Seoul on Dec. 31, 2019. (Yonhap)
The Korean-American singer's virtual success materialized into real life as broadcaster JTBC invited him on its show "Two Yoo Project Sugar Man," which summons forgotten singers.
From there, the quest to reclaim his stardom has happened in a whirlwind for the singer who until recently served tables at a restaurant in Florida.
Fans from different generations welcomed his timeless sense of fashion and soulful dance moves that struck a contrast with the meticulous yet somewhat mechanic choreography of most K-pop singers.
More than 60,000 have joined his online fan club, and tickets for two rounds of fan meetings held on Dec. 31 sold out instantly.
Celebrities have spoken up in support of Yang, and he has clinched advertisements for some of the country's biggest conglomerates like Lotte.
"I was his fan since high school. But my father was so strict I couldn't dare attempt to meet him. I thought I'd never be able to meet him before I die, but he appeared so suddenly," said one fan ahead of the event, who asked to be identified as a 46-year-old housewife.
"He looks like G-Dragon, but he's so much more cool," she went on.
This image, provided by KBS, compares Yang Joon-il (L) with G-Dragon of BIGBANG (R). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
But fans and cultural columnists say there is more to his charm than music and style.
For one, he was not afraid to be himself in a society that demanded that he be like others.
Yang, who once acknowledged he felt "unfit for Korea," was labeled as being different in the rigid and conservative social backdrop of the early '90s.
His long permed hair and slim figure -- celebrated by fans of the 21st century -- was often questioned against other singers who appealed with masculine features.
Yang's 1992 track "Pass Word" captures this sentiment. Its lyrics read, "Don't you know Yang Joon-il? Augh he really sucks. Why is his hair so long? He even wears earrings ... (I'm) not sure if he is a woman or a man."
His songs were taunted for being too "decadent" and having too many English words. In one incident, Yang recalled an audience throwing stones at him while he was performing onstage.
"The way he was treated bares the ugly uniformity of the '90s. He really was ahead of his times," said a 37-year-old office worker surnamed Kim. "I'm not his fan, but I still hope that he can now live in a world where he can do what he wants."
The controversial singer's music career was far from being smooth. He later disappeared from the public after the immigration office denied his stay permit, prompting his departure. He returned with the stage name "Jiy" and a bulked-up body and short hair, only to face the public's disinterest.
Fans queue ahead of a fan meeting with singer Yang Joon-il in Seoul on Dec. 31, 2019. (Yonhap)
While the dramatic transition from restaurant waiter to one of the country's most-known singers seems like a dream come true, Yang surprised fans with his nonchalant reaction to the newfound fame.
Despite having gone through the ups and downs of life, he has been quoted several times about how he cherishes every moment of life, both the good and bad.
Asked what he would like to tell his younger self, he said, "Joon-il, I know that life doesn't always go as you wish. But don't worry. Everything cannot help but end up perfectly," voicing gratitude for his life trajectory.
In a press conference, Yang said, "There were good things and bad things and I learned a lot going through them. There's not even a moment that I want to throw away," adding that "the past no longer torments me."
The middle-aged fan said this is what really sets him apart.
"As a teenager, I liked him for his looks. But now it's about his personality. I could really feel that he is a good person ... I could relate to his life and his pain. I hope he really succeeds."
Pundits say this attitude towards life is at the heart of his explosive popularity.
"His quotes on being content with life as it is struck a chord. A lot of people say that we should focus on the present, but it goes unaccounted for. But Yang Joon-il lived such a life," cultural columnist Ha Jae-keun said.
"His attitude is why people are infatuated with him. His own attitude is what rewarded him."
For Yang, this attitude still stands firm despite the sea changes that have appeared in his life.
The singer said "he doesn't plan for the future" as he tries to commit his best to each and every second, adding his only plan is to be a great dad and husband.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) Korea's 2019 growth slowest in decade, Q4 expansion faster than expected

In the fourth quarter of the last year , the economy expanded at a better-than-expected clip of 1.2 percent from @ @ @ @ @ hopes that Asia 's fourth-largest economy may get on a recovery track .
The figure @ @ @ @ @ rate since the third quarter of 2017 .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; UPDATES with more details, additional information from 8th para; ADDS photos)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy expanded at the slowest pace in a decade in 2019, largely weighed down by an extended slump in outbound shipments amid a lengthy trade row between the United States and China, the central bank said Wednesday.
South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 2 percent in 2019 from a year earlier, according to advance data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The figure marks the slowest on-year growth since 2009, when Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 0.7 percent in the aftermath of the financial crisis that jolted the globe economy the year before.
It is on par with the 2 percent forecast by the central bank, but the BOK's growth outlook published in November followed three earlier downward revisions -- from 2.7 percent in late 2018 to 2.6 percent in January, 2.5 percent in April and 2.2 percent in July.
The annual growth estimate beat market consensus.
In a recent poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, seven analysts predicted Asia's fourth-largest economy to have expanded 1.89 percent in 2019.
Such a gloomy outlook followed 13 consecutive months of a decline in exports. Last year, the country's exports fell 10.3 percent on-year. This year's outbound shipments are forecast to rise 3 percent.
In the fourth quarter of the last year, the economy expanded at a better-than-expected clip of 1.2 percent from three months earlier, fanning hopes that Asia's fourth-largest economy may get on a recovery track. The figure marks the fastest quarterly growth rate since the third quarter of 2017.
The estimate-beating performance seems to be underpinned by a surge in state spending and firm domestic demand.
For the year, the economy is expected to grow 2.3 percent.
In 2019, economic expansion generated by exports gained 1.5 percent from a year earlier, sharply slowing from a 3.5 percent on-year expansion in 2018, with that by imports dipping 0.6 percent in the year, marking a turnaround from a 0.8 percent on-year gain in 2018.
Amid the sluggish trade, the country's overall production by the manufacturing industry also slowed to a 1.4 percent on-year expansion in 2019 from 3.4 percent the previous year.
The file photo, taken May 14, 2019, shows stacks of export containers being loaded onto a ship at South Korea's largest seaport in Busan, located some 450 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The construction industry posted a second consecutive year of decline, with its output dipping 3.2 percent last year following a 4 percent drop in 2018.
Fiscal spending jumped 6.5 percent on-year in 2019, up from 5.6 percent the year before, making up shortfalls in other sectors.
Private consumption, on the other hand, slowed to 1.9 percent from 2.8 percent over the cited period.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--Maryland Senate adopts resolution honoring Korean independence fighter

The resolution , passed Jan. 13 on Korean American Day , says the Senate offers its sincerest congratulations to Yu @ @ @ @ @ years old when she led a pro-independence rally in her hometown of Cheonan in 1919 @

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- The Senate of the U.S. state of Maryland has adopted a resolution marking the 100-year death anniversary of a Korean activist who fought for independence from Japanese colonial rule.
The resolution, passed Jan. 13 on Korean American Day, says the Senate offers its sincerest congratulations to Yu Gwan-sun, who was 16 years old when she led a pro-independence rally in her hometown of Cheonan in 1919.
She died in September 1920 during imprisonment after succumbing to wounds inflicted by Japanese prison officers.
Yu's "ultimate sacrifice ... serves as an important example in the ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy," the resolution reads.
Separately, Montgomery County, Maryland, issued a proclamation the same day to acknowledge Jan. 13 as Korean American Day.
The proclamation recognizes the contributions Korean Americans have made in "virtually all aspects of American life," including commerce, technology, medicine and education.
"Montgomery County, the state of Maryland, and the entire United States are richer for the contributions of the Korean American community," it reads.
The U.S. Congress passed a resolution in 2005 to commemorate Jan. 13 as the day the first wave of Korean immigrants arrived in Hawaii in 1903 to work on sugarcane plantations.
In this file photo, taken around 1915 or 1916, a person believed to be Yu Gwan-sun (L), a Korean independence fighter against Japan's colonial rule of Korea in the early 20th century, is pictured. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--Korea's economy grows slowest in decade at 2 pct in 2019, on par with estimate

It is on par with the 2 percent forecast by the central bank , but the BOK 's growth outlook @ @ @ @ @ earlier downward revisions -- from 2.7 percent in late 2018 to 2.6 percent in January @ @ @ @ @ and 2.2 percent in July .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy expanded at the slowest pace in a decade in 2019, largely weighed down by an extended slump in outbound shipments amid a lengthy trade row between the United States and China, the central bank said Wednesday.
South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 2 percent in 2019 from a year earlier, according to advance data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The figure marks the slowest on-year growth since 2009, when Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 0.7 percent in the aftermath of the financial crisis that jolted the globe economy the year before.
It is on par with the 2 percent forecast by the central bank, but the BOK's growth outlook published in November followed three earlier downward revisions -- from 2.7 percent in late 2018 to 2.6 percent in January, 2.5 percent in April and 2.2 percent in July.
The annual growth estimate beat market consensus.
In a recent poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, seven analysts predicted Asia's fourth-largest economy to have expanded 1.89 percent in 2019.
In the fourth quarter, GDP increased 1.2 percent from three months earlier.
Such a gloomy outlook followed 13 consecutive months of a decline in exports. Last year, the country's exports fell 10.3 percent on-year. This year's outbound shipments are forecast to rise 3 percent.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(URGENT) Korean economy grows 2.0 pct in 2019, on par with estimate: BOK

(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--2020-01-22--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Jan. 22)

Our government must draw up operation guidelines so the unit can carry out its mission successfully .
The government should @ @ @ @ @ but should not get entangled in disputes with Iran .
Seoul must make it clear @ @ @ @ @ only aim is to protect our own people and vessels .
The government also needs @ @ @ @ @ the issue with the rest of the international community .
It must also devise substantial @ @ @ @ @ of our people living in the region .

A delicate decision
The Moon Jae-in administration has decided to send the Cheonghae Unit patrolling the Gulf of Aden to the Strait of Hormuz -- a very volatile part of the Middle East. The Ministry of National Defense said, "Our government plans to expand the waters being covered by the Cheonghae Unit to the strait for a limited period of time to protect our people and vessels after taking into consideration the volatile situation in the region."
We welcome anything that safeguards our people. But concerns are plenty. First of all, it could trigger a serious crisis if the maritime troops get involved in the deepening tensions between the United States and Iran after Maj. Gen, Qassim Suleimani, leader of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed in a U.S. drone attack on Jan. 3.
According to the Defense Ministry, the 300-strong 31st contingent of the unit aboard the 4,400-ton destroyer Wang Geon will assume the mission. The naval force is expected to carry out operations in the Strait of Hormuz separately from the U.S. Navy. The government also plans to dispatch two liaison officers to the headquarters of the International Maritime Safety Conference (IMSC). The strait is strategically important as 70 percent of our oil supplies go through it.
But Iran's naval bases are scattered along the strait in the Persian Gulf. Iran has 21 small submarines and submersibles, including the type that North Korea used to attack the Cheonan warship in the West Sea in 2010. Iran's submersibles are capable of launching underwater attacks thanks to the torpedoes and ship-to-ship missiles they carry.
As Iran's ground-to-ship missiles are deployed along its coast, the Persian Gulf is a very dangerous place. In the worst-possible case, not only our commercial vessels but also the destroyer Wang Geon can be attacked by Iran despite the installation of missile defense systems on the warship that detect and intercept torpedoes fired from Iranian submarines and ground-to-ship missiles from the air.
Our government must draw up operation guidelines so the unit can carry out its mission successfully. The government should cooperate with the U.S., but should not get entangled in disputes with Iran. Seoul must make it clear that the Cheonghae Unit's only aim is to protect our own people and vessels. The government also needs to build a consensus on the issue with the rest of the international community. It must also devise substantial measures to protect the safety of our people living in the region.
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 22)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 22)

But what is happening since Trump 's inauguration in January 2017 to the two countries regarding this particular matter gives @ @ @ @ @ is `` reluctantly '' deploying troops in the South because the latter wants them even @ @ @ @ @ for the U.S. Regrettably , we feel that the dominant message from the U.S. in @ @ @ @ @ issue under Trump has been , `` You pay enough for our troops , or @ @ @ @ @ . ''

USFK as 'form of aid'
Troops in South Korea represent common interests
The Donald Trump administration's perception of the U.S. troop presence in South Korea, illustrated in the 110-page Trial Memorandum for the Senate's impeachment proceedings, is baffling enough for South Koreans.
It is nasty that Trump is using negotiations with South Korea over how to share the cost of the troop deployment for his own defense in the impeachment trial. What is more awful is that Trump sees the stationing of U.S. troops here as a "form of foreign aid."
Trump may be partly right because American soldiers stationed in South Korea, as a symbol of alliance, represent common strategic interests of both nations. The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has contributed to the stability of the Korean Peninsula and the region, and we cannot deny this. However, it is also true that the U.S. has been operating its military bases here to promote its interests in this part of the world. The USFK -- like American soldiers stationed in other countries -- is part of its global military strategy.
But what is happening since Trump's inauguration in January 2017 to the two countries regarding this particular matter gives the impression that the U.S. is "reluctantly" deploying troops in the South because the latter wants them even through it is too costly for the U.S. Regrettably, we feel that the dominant message from the U.S. in dealing with the USFK cost-sharing issue under Trump has been, "You pay enough for our troops, or we will pull them out."
Trump may be successful in cutting the U.S. burden for operating the USFK with this negotiating tactic during his tenure, but this will certainly transform the ROK-U.S. alliance in a way that damages Washington's long-term interests here.
Few South Koreans will be pleasant about the USFK being regarded as a form of aid.
In the memo to the Senate, Trump's defense cited South Korea's case to defend him from accusations that he used U.S. military aid to Ukraine to pressure it to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden. Maintaining that Trump has often paused, re-evaluated and even canceled "foreign aid" programs, the memo said, for example, that he announced in August 2019 that Washington and Seoul were in talks to increase substantially Seoul's share of the expense of U.S. military support for it. Other examples cited by the Trump side to justify his behavior regarding Ukraine were his decisions to suspend aid to Afghanistan and cut or pause aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
The U.S. has reportedly demanded a five-fold increase of the South's annual payment to $5 billion in the ongoing defense cost negotiations. In a joint column in the Wall Street Journal, published last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper described Seoul as a "dependent" on Washington, claiming it should contribute more to its national defense.
What is South Korea for President Trump and his aides? Is it strange for South Korea to question the true meaning of the alliance? One thing now seems clear. Like it or not, we need to redefine the alliance with the U.S.
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Jan. 22)

Meanwhile , the appointment makes it clearer that the North will not abandon its nuclear arms , which the totalitarian @ @ @ @ @ its survival .
Kim has repeatedly called on his people to step up efforts to @ @ @ @ @ suggesting he will not swap his nuclear arsenal for sanctions relief .

Unexpected replacement
Reported appointment of hardliner as NK foreign minister heightens uncertainties
North Korea's reported appointment of a hard-line figure with a military background as its new foreign minister has heightened uncertainties over the recalcitrant regime's denuclearization talks with the US and relations with South Korea.
The North last week notified foreign ambassadors based in Pyongyang of its appointment of Ri Son-gwon as the communist state's top diplomat -- likely to be officially announced this week.
Ri, a former army officer, has been serving as chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, which is equivalent to the South's Unification Ministry. Known for his tough treatment of South Korean government officials and business leaders, Ri has otherwise little experience in foreign affairs.
He replaces Ri Yong-ho, a seasoned career diplomat who has served as the North's foreign minister for the past four years.
The replacement, which is described by diplomatic observers here as unreasonable and beyond imagination, comes at a time nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang remain stalled with South Korea and the US showing signs of friction over their approach to North Korea.
It is not seen as a signal that Pyongyang will reshape its policy toward Washington.
Rather, the move seems to reflect North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's frustration with Washington's firm stance that it will maintain sanctions on his regime until Pyongyang takes substantial steps toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration didn't flinch at Pyongyang's repeated threats to resume nuclear and long-range missile tests unless Washington made concessions by December.
Early this month, Kim said he saw no reason to stick to his self-declared moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests and would show off a "new strategic weapon."
But he has refrained from turning his threat into action, apparently out of concerns about Trump's unpredictable response to the North's new provocation that he might view as undermining US security interests or his own reelection prospects.
In the face of this frustrating situation, Kim might have made an impromptu decision to appoint a hawkish figure to the top diplomat's post, hoping it might help make a breakthrough in stalled negotiations with the US.
There is no doubt that the appointment will do little to change the position of the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, the appointment makes it clearer that the North will not abandon its nuclear arms, which the totalitarian regime sees as essential to its survival. Kim has repeatedly called on his people to step up efforts to build a self-reliant economy, suggesting he will not swap his nuclear arsenal for sanctions relief.
The replacement may also prompt North Korean officials, including diplomats, to compete to show loyalty to Kim, increasing volatility in the way Pyongyang deals with Washington and Seoul.
The North's diplomatic bureaucracy has so far remained relatively detached from irrational behavior and adherent to cool-headed calculation. Alarmed by the appointment of a hard-line military figure as their head, North Korean diplomats may change their attitude.
It has yet to be seen whether Pyongyang will make a shift in its stance on inter-Korean matters. One of the barometers will be the reshuffle of the North's line-up for handling relations with the South.
In recent months, Pyongyang has rejected Seoul's repeated calls for dialogue on improving inter-Korean ties. It has ridiculed Seoul's efforts to play a mediator's role between the US and the North.
This attitude appears to stem from its judgment that President Moon Jae-in's government in Seoul will not be able to resume inter-Korean projects in violation of US-led international sanctions on the North.
In his New Year's news conference last week, Moon suggested allowing South Koreans to make individual tours to the North as a way to circumvent the sanctions regime. His new initiative has amplified Washington's concerns about what it sees as his overeager desire to promote inter-Korean cooperation in the absence of progress in the North's denuclearization.
Pyongyang may seek to take advantage of Moon's latest proposal to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington. Or it may opt to make an unexpected provocation against the South in a bid to heighten pressure on the Moon administration to stay away from Washington in approaches to inter-Korean projects.
Moon and his aides should not let the South Korea-US alliance be further strained by pushing through cross-border projects without paying heed to US calls for prior consultations to prevent such moves from triggering the sanctions mechanism.
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- In compromise with U.S. , Iran , S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently ( Kookmin Daily ) -- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently without joining U.S.-led coalition ( Donga llbo ) -- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently , strikes balance between U.S. , Iran ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- In compromise with U.S. , Iran , S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently ( Segye Times ) -- Amid witch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meong-su , 18 key judges quit ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- S. Korea chooses compromise with U.S. , Iran , to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently ( Hankyoreh ) -- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently , walks tightrope between U.S. , Iran ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Global CEOs ' fears of recession reach highest level since 2008 financial crisis ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Floating capital exceeds record 1,000 tln won ( @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Jan. 22.
Korean-language dailies
-- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- In compromise with U.S., Iran, S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently (Kookmin Daily)
-- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently without joining U.S.-led coalition (Donga llbo)
-- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently, strikes balance between U.S., Iran (Seoul Shinmun)
-- In compromise with U.S., Iran, S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently (Segye Times)
-- Amid witch hunt by Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Meong-su, 18 key judges quit (Chosun Ilbo)
-- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- S. Korea chooses compromise with U.S., Iran, to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently (Hankyoreh)
-- S. Korea to send troops to Hormuz Strait independently, walks tightrope between U.S., Iran (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Global CEOs' fears of recession reach highest level since 2008 financial crisis (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Floating capital exceeds record 1,000 tln won (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Seoul to send destroyer to Hormuz Strait (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Anti-piracy unit's mission expanded to include Hormuz Strait near Iran (Korea Herald)
-- Korea bracing for possible spread of China coronavirus (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(2nd LD) U.S. welcomes S. Korea's troop dispatch to Strait of Hormuz

`` The United States welcomes and appreciates the ROK decision to expand the mission of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit to @ @ @ @ @ '' a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency , using the abbreviation for South @ @ @ @ @ the Republic of Korea .
`` This decision is a demonstration of the strength of @ @ @ @ @ commitment to cooperate on global security concerns . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with State Department's response in 4th para; ADDS photo)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Tuesday it welcomes South Korea's decision to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard its citizens and vessels passing through the strategic waterway.
South Korea's defense ministry announced earlier that it will expand the operational area of its anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden to cover the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit will operate independently of the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct based in Bahrain, but two liaison officers will be sent to the coalition to coordinate information-sharing, it said.
This AFP file photo shows the U.S. Department of State in Washington. (Yonhap)
"The United States welcomes and appreciates the ROK decision to expand the mission of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit to the Strait of Hormuz," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency, using the abbreviation for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. "This decision is a demonstration of the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance and our commitment to cooperate on global security concerns."
South Korea's decision follows a monthslong review during which it sought to balance its commitments to its alliance with the U.S. against its trade relations with Iran.
About 70 percent of South Korea's oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with 170 South Korean ships sailing through the strait about 900 times a year, according to government data. Some 25,000 South Koreans also reside in the Middle East.
"As we have stated in the past, this is an international problem that requires an international solution," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told Yonhap. "We welcome our South Korean allies helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC."
Iran has expressed its concern over the deployment, a South Korean foreign ministry official said.
This AP file photo shows an aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--S. Korean envoy calls for swift resumption of inter-Korean railway project

`` I believe the project we should push for most urgently is the South-North railway reconnection project , '' Amb @ @ @ @ @ at a briefing , citing the long time required to complete it .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ that inter-Korean cooperation is helpful for denuclearization and necessary for improved U.S.-North Korea relations , @ @ @ @ @ changed . ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday called for the swift resumption of an inter-Korean railway project amid stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
President Moon Jae-in last week called for expanding inter-Korean cooperation to facilitate denuclearization negotiations, and cited several projects that could be pursued without violating U.N. sanctions on the regime.
Among them, the spotlight has been on the possibility of allowing individual tours to the North's scenic Mount Kumgang.
South Korean Ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck speaks to reporters at a briefing at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington on Jan. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
"I believe the project we should push for most urgently is the South-North railway reconnection project," Amb. Lee Soo-hyuck told reporters at a briefing, citing the long time required to complete it. "The United States has never denied that inter-Korean cooperation is helpful for denuclearization and necessary for improved U.S.-North Korea relations, and that position hasn't changed."
The ambassador's remark comes amid concerns of a rift between Seoul and Washington as the Moon administration insists it can make sovereign decisions regarding inter-Korean relations and the U.S. stresses the need for such cooperation to move in lockstep with progress in North Korea's denuclearization.
"The overarching principle underlying these projects that our government is pushing for is that we should do what we can within the framework of international sanctions," Lee said.
The ambassador expressed confidence that the allies will be able to remove any uncertainties if the issue is brought to their working group on North Korea.
"As far as I know, the U.S. has never rejected any of (our proposals at the working group)," he said. "The U.S. has always concluded that they did not violate sanctions."
The railway project was part of an agreement reached between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their first summit in April 2018.
Following a joint survey of the North's railways and roads, the two Koreas held a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony in December that year, but construction has yet to begin amid the deadlock in nuclear talks and ongoing sanctions on the regime.
On the allies' defense cost-sharing negotiations, Lee said the two sides are working to reach a deal before the end of February to ensure that South Korean civilians hired by U.S. bases on the peninsula are paid.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) U.S. welcomes S. Korea's troop dispatch to Strait of Hormuz

`` As we have stated in the past , this is an international problem that requires an international solution , @ @ @ @ @ Dave Eastburn told Yonhap News Agency .
`` We welcome our South Korean allies helping @ @ @ @ @ in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with details)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Tuesday it welcomes South Korea's decision to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard its citizens and vessels passing through the strategic waterway.
South Korea's defense ministry announced earlier that it will expand the operational area of its anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden to cover the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit will operate independently of the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct based in Bahrain, but two liaison officers will be sent to the coalition to coordinate information-sharing, it said.
"As we have stated in the past, this is an international problem that requires an international solution," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told Yonhap News Agency. "We welcome our South Korean allies helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC."
South Korea's decision follows a monthslong review during which it sought to balance its commitments to its alliance with the U.S. against its trade relations with Iran.
About 70 percent of South Korea's oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with 170 South Korean ships sailing through the strait about 900 times a year, according to government data. Some 25,000 South Koreans also reside in the Middle East.
Iran has expressed its concern over the deployment, a South Korean foreign ministry official said.
This AP file photo shows an aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--U.S. welcomes S. Korea's troop dispatch to Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Tuesday it welcomes South Korea's decision to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz in support of U.S.-led security operations in the strategic waterway.
South Korea's defense ministry announced earlier that it will dispatch troops currently involved in an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden to help protect South Korean citizens and vessels amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit will operate independently of the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct based in Bahrain, but two liaison officers will be sent to the coalition to coordinate information-sharing, it said.
"As we have stated in the past, this is an international problem that requires an international solution," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told Yonhap News Agency. "We welcome our South Korean allies helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC."
This AP file photo shows an aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-01-22--S. Korea fines Google over YouTube Premium service

`` Over 45 percent of 2.54 million people who opted to experience the one-month free trial service were automatically converted @ @ @ @ @ lack of notice .
Some 98,000 people demanded a refund and it clearly shows a @ @ @ @ @ affected by Google 's violation of local laws , '' a KCC official said in @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's telecommunications regulator said Wednesday it has imposed a fine of 867 million won (US$740,000) on Google Limited Liability Corp. for violating local telecom laws in the operation of its YouTube Premium service.
In a two-year investigation through December 2018, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) found Google didn't properly notify the YouTube Premium service users of the fact that the streaming service converts to a charged service after a one-month free trial service.
"Over 45 percent of 2.54 million people who opted to experience the one-month free trial service were automatically converted into paid users due to lack of notice. Some 98,000 people demanded a refund and it clearly shows a large number of people were affected by Google's violation of local laws," a KCC official said in a press briefing.
This photo taken on Jan. 22, 2020, shows the ad-free YouTube Premium service's one-month free trial promotion. (Yonhap)
The KCC also ordered the U.S. company to amend unfair subscription practices for the YouTube Premium service.
YouTube has been operating the ad-free subscription service, priced at 8,690 won per month, since 2015 with a one-month free trial.
Premium service allows users to enjoy YouTube contents without interruption by advertisements. Users can also download content to enjoy offline and play videos in the background while using another app on their phone.
The KCC also found that YouTube didn't inform its users they have to pay an additional 790 won in value added tax to use the premium service. In Korea, the prices shown to customers are required to include all taxes.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--S. Korea, seven Arctic countries launch consultative group

He explained South Korea 's overall policy and future plans on the Arctic region .
The participants discussed ways to @ @ @ @ @ climate change and environmental pollution , the ministry said .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Envoys from South Korea and seven Arctic countries have launched a policy consultative body in Seoul to promote cooperation on North Pole issues, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
The association, called Arctic Club in Korea, involves Seoul-based ambassadors from the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. Kwon Se-jung, the ministry's Arctic cooperation envoy, represents the host country.
The group will convene every quarter to discuss ways to promote cooperation for the protection and sustainable development of the Arctic.
Kwon, director general of climate change and environmental affairs, hosted an inaugural luncheon with ambassadors and embassy officials from the member countries Wednesday.
He explained South Korea's overall policy and future plans on the Arctic region. The participants discussed ways to cope with the impacts of climate change and environmental pollution, the ministry said.
Kwon Se-jung (4th from L), director general of climate change and environmental affairs at the foreign ministry, and ambassadors and embassy officials from seven Arctic Club in Korea member countries pose for a photo before an inaugural luncheon in Seoul on Jan. 22, 2020, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--U.S. lifts preliminary designation of S. Korea as illegal fishing country

In September , the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) made the preliminary decision as it identified @ @ @ @ @ to apply sufficient sanctions to deter its vessels from engaging in fishing activities that violate @ @ @ @ @ by '' the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources ( CCAMLR ) @

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The United States has cancelled its preliminary designation of South Korea as a country that engages in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, lifting concerns of possible sanctions, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.
In September, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made the preliminary decision as it identified South Korea as "failing to apply sufficient sanctions to deter its vessels from engaging in fishing activities that violate conservation and management measures adopted by" the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
NOAA raised question over South Korea's lack of efforts to forfeit unlawfully-raised profits earned by the problematic boats in March. It demanded the Seoul government adopt tougher regulations.
The decision came after two South Korean fishing boats failed to comply with CCAMLR regulations while operating near Antarctica in 2017.
South Korea was designated as a preliminary IUU fishing country for the second time after the European Union made a similar decision in 2013, which was lifted in 2015.
The preliminary decision had no impact on the South Korean fishing industry in the past four months as fishing boats have been allowed to maintain their operations without new restrictions.
If a nation is confirmed to be an IUU nation, it is banned from shipping fishery goods to the U.S.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(2nd LD) Kia Q4 net soars on weak won, improved product mix

About 60,000 Tellurides have been sold in the U.S. market since its launch in February last year .
Strong sales @ @ @ @ @ also helped boost its bottom line , it said .
The Telluride , produced in @ @ @ @ @ was launched in the U.S. last year and sold only in North American markets .

(ATTN: ADDS details and stock prices in paras 6-9)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter earnings more than tripled from a year earlier on an improved product mix and a weak won.
Net profit for the October-December period soared to 346.4 billion won (US$297 million) from 94.3 billion won a year ago, the company said in a statement.
"Increased sales of value-added SUV models like the flagship Telluride and the entry-level Seltos helped improve (the company's) product mix. Friendly exchange rates also gave a boost to the quarterly results," the statement said.
This file photo provided by Kia Motors shows the Telluride SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
About 60,000 Tellurides have been sold in the U.S. market since its launch in February last year. Strong sales of the Seltos in India also helped boost its bottom line, it said. The Telluride, produced in Kia's Georgia plant, was launched in the U.S. last year and sold only in North American markets.
The dollar rose to an average of 1,175.81 won in the fourth quarter from 1,127.52 won a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea. A weak won makes South Korean exports more price-competitive in overseas markets and lifts the value of repatriated profits.
To maintain its recent sales momentum, Kia plans to launch the all-new Sorento SUV and the K5 sedan in the U.S. market this year.
In 2020, the company aims to sell 2.96 million vehicles globally, up 4.9 percent from 2.77 million units it sold last year.
In the longer term, it is targeting to achieve an operating profit margin of 6 percent in 2025 from 3.5 percent marked in the fourth quarter by strengthening next-generation models, including 11 electric cars, by that year.
On Wednesday, Kia shares rose 2.4 percent to 42,600 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.2 percent gain. Its affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. jumped 8.6 percent to 127,000 won on robust earnings results.
Operating profit jumped 55 percent to 590.5 billion won in the fourth quarter from 382 billion won the previous year. Sales rose 20 percent to 16.1 trillion won from 13.5 trillion won over the cited period.
For the whole of 2019, net profit jumped 58 percent to 1.83 trillion won from 1.16 trillion won a year earlier. Operating profit soared 74 percent to 2 trillion won from 1.16 trillion won, while sales were up 7.3 percent to 58.1 trillion won from 54.1 trillion won.
Kia has strengthened its SUV lineup with competitive models to take advantage of rising demand for recreational vehicles.
Its SUV lineup is composed of the flagship Mohave, midsize Sorento, compact Sportage, subcompact Stonic, Soul boxcar and Niro hybrid models.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--S. Korean transgender soldier pleads to serve after military orders discharge

`` I hope that sexual minorities in the military can carry out their duties without discrimination and I want to @ @ @ @ @ this kind of case and want to add power to make that happen , '' @ @ @ @ @ military uniform .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's first transgender soldier on Wednesday pleaded to be allowed to continue to serve after the military decided to discharge her.
Byun Hee-soo, an Army staff sergeant in her 20s, voluntarily enlisted as a man in 2017 and underwent sex reassignment surgery in November last year. A military panel decided not to allow the noncommissioned officer to stay in the Army.
Right after the decision was announced, Byun came out in public and held an emotional press conference before TV cameras, requesting equal treatment for sexual minorities and the right to complete the military service.
"I hope that sexual minorities in the military can carry out their duties without discrimination and I want to set a good precedent in this kind of case and want to add power to make that happen," she said while wearing a military uniform.
Byun Hee-soo, a transgender Army staff sergeant, speaks during a press conference in Seoul on Jan. 22, 2020, after a military panel decides to discharge her. (Yonhap)
The noncommissioned officer said serving in the military had been her childhood dream and that she still wishes to defend the country and its people on the front line.
"I am well aware that the military is not yet ready to accept transgender soldiers. But the military is making progress toward respecting human rights," she said.
"If the military properly assigns me based upon my unique experiences, however, it could create positive effects for the military as a whole," she added.
Byun said she wants to show everyone that she can be a great soldier despite the sex change and called for the chance to defend the country.
The panel made a discharge decision, as this case constitutes a reason for inability to serve under related laws, including the Military Personnel Management Act, the Army said in a statement.
Noting that the decision was in line with due process based upon the results of a medical examination, the Army said it will "continue to make diverse efforts to protect human rights of service personnel and to prevent any undue discrimination.
Earlier, a military medical team declared Byun "a disabled person."
Currently, no specific regulations exist on what to do with those who have sex reassignment operations while in service.
Under South Korea's conscription system, all able-bodied men must carry out compulsory service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified border. Those who change their gender are automatically exempted from this service.
Noncommissioned officers are volunteers, and the country has no rules prohibiting transgender people from entering the military. But chances are high such individuals would be eliminated through a physical exam, according to officers.
It is the first case of its kind in South Korea.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Tuesday advised the Army chief to delay holding the committee meeting, citing the possibility of discrimination, but the Army held the session as scheduled.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(2nd LD) S. Korea remains vigilant against spreading Chinese coronavirus

The new coronavirus , first reported in China late last year , was originally believed to be passed to humans @ @ @ @ @ known to be transmissible person to person , although victims may be contracting the virus @ @ @ @ @ saliva and other bodily fluids rather than airborne factors .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in para 11)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is ramping up screening and quarantine efforts to prevent the spread of Wuhan coronavirus here, especially ahead of the four-day Lunar New Year holidays this week, as the SARS-like illness has been confirmed to spread between humans, the health protection agency said Wednesday.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway on Sunday, tested positive for the virus.
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up monitoring, checking passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus during the busy Lunar New Year travel season.
Seoul city said it has set up a 24-hour quarantine team manned by experts to respond to suspected cases, with all of its 25 public health centers given instructions on how to check people for symptoms.
Common symptoms of the illness are fever, coughing, soar throat and difficulty breathing.
A quarantine official (L) checks a traveler for fever and other symptoms at South Korea's Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The traditional holiday, which kicks off Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
China said Wednesday that the virus had killed nine so far, with over 440 citizens confirmed to be infected, amid concerns that the pneumonia-like illness, suspected of having first occurred in Wuhan, central China, is spreading quickly and widely.
Beijing pledged to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease, especially since the country too will celebrate the Lunar New Year with people generally getting time off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have also reported confirmed cases of the disease.
The KCDC said all local regional medical facilities will be required to take extra care to identify suspected cases and to strengthen disinfection of their facilities.
The agency then said that four people who were in quanantine earlier in the day tested negative for the illness with all 16 susected cases that have been reported in the country so far not being linked to the latest strain.
The new coronavirus, first reported in China late last year, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than airborne factors.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--4 suspected Wuhan coronavirus cases tested negative: KCDC

The health protection agency earlier said that 16 suspected cases have been reported in the country so far , with @ @ @ @ @ after tests indicated that they did not have the virus .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Four suspected Wuhan coronavirus cases tested negative amid concerns over the spread of the SARS-like disease, South Korea's public health agency said Wednesday.
The four people who visited the city of Wuhan in central China underwent so-called pancoronavirus tests earlier in the day after experiencing symptoms, such as fever and sore throat, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
South Korea confirmed its first case of the disease on Monday, and has been on a heightened level of alert to quickly detect and treat people who have been affected.
The health protection agency earlier said that 16 suspected cases have been reported in the country so far, with all being released from isolation after tests indicated that they did not have the virus.
This file photo taken on Jan. 21, 2020 shows a notice placed on the door of a hospital in Gyeonggi Province warning people about the China coronavirus. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(3rd LD) Army decides to discharge first transgender soldier

`` I am well aware that the military is not yet ready to accept transgender soldiers .
...
If the @ @ @ @ @ upon my unique experiences , however , it could create positive effects for the military @ @ @ @ @ Byun said .

(ATTN: ADDS more details, soldier's remarks in paras 2-3, 10-14; CHANGES photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The Army said Wednesday it decided not to allow a noncommissioned officer who underwent sex reassignment surgery to continue to serve in the military as a female soldier.
The decision was made in a military committee meeting that looked into the case of Byun Hee-soo, a 22-year-old staff sergeant who had transition surgery late last year and has expressed a desire to keep serving in the military.
Byun became the first South Korean active-duty officer to have sex reassignment surgery while in service.
"The committee made a discharge decision, as this case constitutes a reason that makes (the officer) unable to continue to serve under related laws, including the Military Personnel Management Act," the Army said in a release.
Noting that the decision was made in accordance with due process based upon the results of a medical examination, the Army said it will "continue to make diverse efforts to protect human rights of service personnel and to prevent any undue discrimination.
Earlier, a military medical team declared that the officer a "disabled person."
Currently, no specific regulations exist on how to handle cases of soldiers who have sex reassignment operations while in service.
Under South Korea's conscription system, all able-bodied men must carry out compulsory service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified border. Those who change their gender are automatically exempted from this service.
Noncommissioned officers are volunteers, and the country has no rules prohibiting transgender people from entering the military. But chances are high such individuals would be eliminated through a physical exam, according to officers.
South Korea has no transgender soldiers, and the decision on the unprecedented case is expected to have ripple effects on the overall rights of transgender South Koreans.
Following the decision, Byun came out in public and held an emotional press conference before TV cameras, pleading for a chance to continue to serve regardless of gender identity.
"I am well aware that the military is not yet ready to accept transgender soldiers. ... If the military properly assigns me based upon my unique experiences, however, it could create positive effects for the military as a whole," Byun said.
Saying that she has long dreamed of being a soldier and has faithfully fulfilled her duty, Byun expressed her sincere hope for all sexual minorities, including herself, to be able to carry out duty without discrimination.
"I want to be a great precedent. Please allow me a chance. I am a soldier of the Republic of Korea."
Byun Hee-soo, an Army noncommissioned officer, salutes during a press conference at the Military Human Rights Center in Seoul on Jan. 22, 2020, following the Army's decision to discharge her. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--Airports, ports make all-out efforts to prevent spread of Wuhan virus

A quarantine official said at the arrival lobby of Incheon airport , west of Seoul , on Wednesday that the @ @ @ @ @ further examinations on any passengers who have a fever of 37.5 C or higher or @ @ @ @ @ the respiratory system .
If they are suspected to have been infected with the disease @ @ @ @ @ them in a designated isolation ward .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea scurried Wednesday to take preventive measures against a new coronavirus from China, as a large number of travelers from the neighboring country are expected to enter the country through its airports and ports nationwide ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday starting this week.
The Seol holiday, known as Chunjie in China, is a major traditional holiday for both Koreans and Chinese. Seol falls on Saturday this year, forming part of a four-day break that runs from Friday through Monday, while the Chinese holiday runs from Friday through Jan. 30.
The quarantine authorities have committed equipment and human resources in a maximum way as part of efforts to prevent the virus, which appears to have originated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, from spreading in the country via Chinese travelers coming in its gateways.
On Monday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated the country's infectious disease alert level from "blue" to "yellow" and asked airports and sea ferry terminals nationwide to strengthen quarantine efforts.
A quarantine official said at the arrival lobby of Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Wednesday that the authorities are supposed to conduct further examinations on any passengers who have a fever of 37.5 C or higher or symptoms of a disease in the respiratory system. If they are suspected to have been infected with the disease, the authorities will put them in a designated isolation ward.
A Chinese national who arrived through Incheon airport, South Korea's main gateway, was confirmed with the disease on Monday, and the 35-year-old woman from Wuhan is currently being quarantined at a designated isolation ward and is in a stable condition, with no pneumonia-like symptoms present, according to the KCDC.
The outbreak of the Wuhan virus also placed the quarantine authorities at Gimhae airport in the country's southeastern region on a high alert. Quarantine officials placed three more Chinese interpreters to help the quarantine work and checked every passenger from Chinese cities with a thermal camera to see if they have a fever, even though the airport has no routes linking to Hubei Province, in which Wuhan is located.
On South Korea's largest island of Jeju, which more than 30,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit during the holiday season, the quarantine authorities conducted a thermal camera test on every traveler coming on 10 flights from Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Ningbo and Hangzhou.
At Cheongju airport in central South Korea, through which 137,000 Chinese people entered South Korea last year, quarantine officials used a clinical thermometer to take the body temperature of any traveler who had even a slight fever.
The quarantine authorities at major ports in Incheon and other cities were on high alert. About 100 people alighted from a ferry at the Incheon International Ferry Terminal, which provides ferry services to 10 Chinese destinations, from Shidao in China's northeastern province of Shandong.
The terminal is known as a major destination for many Chinese peddlers dealing in South Korean goods. An official at the terminal said, "We have no direct route between Incheon and Wuhan, but we are so nervous as Chinese peddlers could travel a lot in China and have much contact with people."
On Wednesday, the Chinese government said the death toll from the virus infection increased to nine and confirmed the infection of 440 people in 13 provinces.
A quarantine officer uses an electronic thermometer at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 21, 2020, to check the temperature of passengers arriving by plane from Wuhan, China, and Southeast Asia. (Yonhap)
namsh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Suh 's two-day trip to the office came amid Seoul 's push to expand inter-Korean exchanges , but the vice @ @ @ @ @ the South Korean head of the office , does not plan to meet his North @ @ @ @ @ .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
-----------------
(2nd LD) Army decides to discharge first transgender soldier
SEOUL -- The Army said Wednesday it decided not to allow a noncommissioned officer who underwent sex reassignment surgery to continue to serve in the military as a female solider.
The decision was made in a military committee meeting that looked into the case of the active-duty staff sergeant who underwent transition surgery late last year and has expressed a desire to keep serving in the military.
-----------------
(2nd LD) LKP vows push for constitutional revision through election victory
SEOUL -- The head of South Korea's main opposition party said Wednesday it will seek a new constitutional system to check the "regal" power of the country's president, claiming its harmful consequences are prevalent under the Moon Jae-in administration.
To that end, it is important for the conservative bloc to score an overwhelming victory in the April 15 general elections, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP), stressed in his New Year's press conference.
-----------------
(LEAD) Moon orders full preemptive measures against Wuhan coronavirus
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in has received an emergency briefing on a new type of Chinese coronavirus and instructed the relevant local authorities to take all-out efforts to prevent its spread in South Korea, his office said Wednesday.
He called for full quarantine and preventive measures and ordered a comprehensive review of the potential impact on South Korea's economy, according to Cheong Wa Dae deputy spokesperson Han Jung-woo.
-----------------
(LEAD) Vice minister visits inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong
SEOUL -- Vice Unification Minister Suh Ho headed to the inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea's border town of Kaesong on Wednesday, though no meeting with his North Korean counterpart was planned, officials said.
Suh's two-day trip to the office came amid Seoul's push to expand inter-Korean exchanges, but the vice minister, who serves as the South Korean head of the office, does not plan to meet his North Korean counterpart during the visit.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks hike 1.2 pct on eased Wuhan coronavirus woes, upbeat data
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks surged by more than 1 percent on Wednesday, rebounding from the previous session's heavy selling triggered by rising concerns over the spreading China coronavirus, although market sentiment remains fragile over the virus. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 27.56 points, or 1.23 percent, to close at 2,267.25, the highest level since Oct. 5, 2018.
-----------------
Private sector employees taking paternity leave top 20,000 in 2019
SEOUL -- The number of private sector employees taking paternity leave exceeded 20,000 for the first time last year, government data showed Wednesday, amid a growing societywide campaign to promote a balance between work and family life.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 22,297 male private sector employees took child care leave in 2019, up 26.2 percent from 17,665 employees in the previous year.
-----------------
University entrance quota to outnumber applicants from next year
SEOUL -- The nation's falling birth rate is expected to begin to take a toll on domestic universities and colleges from next year, a private institution in Seoul warned Wednesday.
According to Jongno Haneul Education, the number of applicants for university entrance exams is expected to fall short of the combined entrance quota of all universities and junior colleges for the first time in the 2021 academic year.
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--Travel sector hit hard by Chinese coronavirus scare

Beijing reported earlier in the day that nine people have so far died from the illness that was first reported @ @ @ @ @ said over 400 people have been confirmed to have contracted the virus , with many @ @ @ @ @ symptoms that range from fever and a sore throat to breathing problems .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's travel industry is bracing for fallout from the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, with China-bound trip cancellations reaching up to 20 percent, industry sources said Wednesday.
Leading e-commerce firm Interpark Corp. said reservations for overseas trips in the January-March period were down sharply, with a double-digit drop for destinations in China.
"Numbers shot up after media reports on the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus raised fears that were fueled further when people started dying from the illness," a local travel agent said.
Beijing reported earlier in the day that nine people have so far died from the illness that was first reported in late 2019. It said over 400 people have been confirmed to have contracted the virus, with many more being carefully monitored for symptoms that range from fever and a sore throat to breathing problems.
South Korea reported its first case on Monday, and others have been reported in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
In addition, travel agents here remain alert over the potential spread of the disease as many Chinese travelers are set to land here for the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins on Friday and runs through Jan. 30.
The virus is thought to be contagious between humans.
Travel agencies estimate that 130,000 Chinese tourists will visit the country during the holiday.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(MORE)


yna--2020-01-22--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 22, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 22, 2020

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


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) Seoul stocks hike 1.2 pct on eased Wuhan coronavirus woes, upbeat data

Han Ji-young , an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities , said institutional investors scooped up large-cap stocks as they @ @ @ @ @ concerns over the spread of a new coronavirus , currently circulating in China and other @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with bond yields at bottom; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks surged by more than 1 percent on Wednesday, rebounding from the previous session's heavy selling triggered by rising concerns over the spreading China coronavirus, although market sentiment remains fragile over the virus. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 27.56 points, or 1.23 percent, to close at 2,267.25, the highest level since Oct. 5, 2018.
Institutional investors purchased a net 287.5 billion won (US$246.9 million) worth of stocks, giving a boost to the main index.
Han Ji-young, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities, said institutional investors scooped up large-cap stocks as they believe initial market reactions to concerns over the spread of a new coronavirus, currently circulating in China and other Asian countries, were excessive.
China announced earlier in the day that it would take strong measures to curb the spread of the virus, easing fears over the pandemic disease.
Also, the Korean economy reported a stronger than expected economic expansion for the fourth quarter of the year, helped by increased fiscal spending and firm domestic demand, fanning hopes that Asia's fourth-largest economy is poised to rebound this year.
The economy grew at the slowest pace of 2 percent in a decade, weighed down by an extended slump in exports and a sharp decline in prices of semiconductors, a key export item.
For the year, the economy is projected to grow 2.3 percent.
In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.
Market cap Samsung Electronics rose 1.47 percent to 62,300 won, and South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, SK hynix Inc., was up 1.71 percent to 101,000 won.
Among decliners, leading steelmaker POSCO fell 1.02 percent to 241,500 won, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., a major South Korean builder, was down 0.72 percent to 41,450 won.
The local currency closed at 1,164.60 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.40 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 4.2 basis points to 1.437 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond climbed 3.6 basis points to reach 1.550 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--KRX to ease listing requirements to invite more applicants

The Korea Exchange ( KRX ) said it will put more weighting on the growth potential of the new applicants @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
The current listing process prioritizes a company 's financial performance in such areas @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's bourse operator on Wednesday said it will ease its listing requirements to attract more promising newcomers to the local stock market.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) said it will put more weighting on the growth potential of the new applicants in its listing assessments in 2020. The current listing process prioritizes a company's financial performance in such areas as its capital and revenue.
"In order to raise the competitiveness and trustworthiness of the stock market, we have set three goals, including market invigoration and customer-centered market operation," KRX Vice President Yim Jae-joon said in a meeting with reporters.
The bourse operator has offered a fast-track listing process for startups with high potential to do well on their debut on the tech-laden secondary KOSDAQ market.
Such advantages for promising newcomers will be extended to the main bourse in 2020, Yim added.
Korea Exchange Vice President Yim Jae-joon introduces a set of plans to ease the listing requirements for promising applicants to the main bourse in Seoul on Jan. 22, 2019. (Yonhap)
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) Vice minister visits inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES 2nd para with Suh's departure)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Vice Unification Minister Suh Ho headed to the inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea's border town of Kaesong on Wednesday, though no meeting with his North Korean counterpart was planned, officials said.
Suh's two-day trip to the office came amid Seoul's push to expand inter-Korean exchanges, but the vice minister, who serves as the South Korean head of the office, does not plan to meet his North Korean counterpart during the visit.
The liaison office was launched in 2018 to support exchanges and cooperation between the two Koreas following the summit agreement between their leaders in April that year.
They agreed to hold a weekly meeting of co-heads of the office -- one from each side -- but such a meeting has not been held since February last year amid chilled cross-border relations.
In his press conference for the new year, President Moon Jae-in said South Korea will not sit idle waiting for Pyongyang-Washington dialogue to bear fruit and will expand inter-Korean cooperation to help the nuclear talks move forward.
A ministry official earlier said South Korea is mulling ways to hold discussions with the North about allowing its people to travel to the communist nation on an individual basis.
This photo filed March 24, 2019, shows the joint liaison office set up by South and North Korea in the North's border town of Kaesong, following the summit agreement between their leaders in April the previous year. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) Kia Q4 net soars on weak won, improved product mix

(ATTN: CHANGES headline and lead; REWRITES throughout)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter earnings more than tripled from a year earlier on an improved product mix and a weak won.
Net profit for the October-December period soared to 346.4 billion won (US$297 million) from 94.3 billion won a year ago, the company said in a statement.
"Increased sales of value-added SUV models like the flagship Telluride and the entry-level Seltos helped improve (the company's) product mix. Friendly exchange rates also gave a boost to the quarterly results," the statement said.
This file photo provided by Kia Motors shows the Telluride SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
About 60,000 Tellurides have been sold in the U.S. market since its launch in February last year. Strong sales of the Seltos in India also helped boost its bottom line, it said. The Telluride, produced in Kia's Georgia plant, was launched in the U.S. last year and sold only in North American markets.
The dollar rose to an average of 1,175.81 won in the fourth quarter from 1,127.52 won a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea. A weak won makes South Korean exports more price-competitive in overseas markets and lifts the value of repatriated profits.
Operating profit jumped 55 percent to 590.5 billion won in the fourth quarter from 382 billion won the previous year. Sales rose 20 percent to 16.1 trillion won from 13.5 trillion won over the cited period.
For the whole of 2019, net profit jumped 58 percent to 1.83 trillion won from 1.16 trillion won a year earlier. Operating profit soared 74 percent to 2 trillion won from 1.16 trillion won, while sales were up 7.3 percent to 58.1 trillion won from 54.1 trillion won.
Kia has strengthened its SUV lineup with competitive models to take advantage of rising demand for recreational vehicles.
Its SUV lineup is composed of the flagship Mohave, midsize Sorento, compact Sportage, subcompact Stonic, Soul boxcar and Niro hybrid models.
On Wednesday, shares in Kia Motors rose 2.4 percent to 42,600 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.2 percent gain. Its affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. jumped 8.6 percent to 127,000 won on strong quarterly earnings results.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--TV variety shows rekindle interest in time-honored musical genre

`` Listeners in their teens and 20s tend to be glued to the trot songs that fit to their own @ @ @ @ @ 40s and 50s tend to enjoy a wide range of trot songs , especially those @ @ @ @ @ Genie Music CEO Cho Hoon said in a press release .

By Park Boram
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- With its simple two-beat rhythm and no-nonsense lyrics, South Korea's nearly century-old trot genre has long been confined as entertainment of the aged.
The neglected genre is enjoying a renaissance now as the birth of new trot stars reawakened the allure of the music across generations.
Garnering a viewership rating of up to 18.1 percent, the all-time high for a cable channel entertainment show, "Miss Trot" by TV Chosun brought Song Ga-in out of obscurity and into prominence as a rare young A-list trot diva last year.
Song's ascent is a rare addition to the small pool of young trot singers, which also includes Jang Yoon-jeong and Hong Jin-young.
Song Ga-in (Yonhap)
According to Genie Music, a mainstream music streaming service operator, streaming of trot songs jumped 74 percent last year from a year earlier amid music listeners' renewed interest in the genre.
"Listeners in their teens and 20s tend to be glued to the trot songs that fit to their own tastes while those in their 40s and 50s tend to enjoy a wide range of trot songs, especially those by well-known singers," Genie Music CEO Cho Hoon said in a press release.
Driven by the genre's growing popularity, Genie Music also introduced a new top 100 trot song chart to capitalize on the genre's renaissance.
Comedian and TV show emcee Yoo Jae-suk inarguably deserves plenty of credit for the recent trot boom, having launched a music debut project under the MBC variety show "Hangout with Yoo" last year.
The comedian released a trot EP, "Bbong For Yoo," under his stage name Yoo San-seul, the Korean name of a Chinese seafood dish, in a comedy project as part of the weekend TV show.
His songs, including "Hapjeong Station Exit No. 5," did not remain as a TV show item and made it to the top 100 single chart on another music streaming service, Melon Music, last year, winning him, under the stage name, the first rookie of the year award in his 29-year TV entertainment career at MBC Entertainment Awards.
In a press conference last year, Yoo illuminated his fascination with the trot genre.
"In fact, trot is a really wonderful musical genre, but it has not earned the reputation it deserves," Yoo said, citing the "straightforwardness" of trot music's lyrics as the basis of the genre's allure.
"Through the show, I hope the entire trot genre could enjoy more popularity and more new singers could find venues to sing," he said.
This image of Yoo Jae-suk, singing under the stage name Yoo San-seul, is provided by MBC. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
As trot's power grows, more TV channels launched trot-based shows, joining the boom.
KBS ran a six-week project trot competition show starting in October, "I Like Trot," leading to the emergence of another young trot star, Jo Myeong-seop.
In November, cable channel MBN debuted a trot audition show, "Voice Queen," bringing established trot stars, like Tae Jin-ah and Kim Hye-yeon, to the show's mentoring panel.
Earlier this month, "Mr Trot," a male version of "Miss Trot," began its run on TV Chosun to introduce new male trot stars, scoring an immediate hit.
"Smartly tweaking the trot genre played a major role," culture columnist Jung Duk-hyun said, referring to the success of trot-based TV shows.
"Trot is a fundamental element of Koreans' emotions but it has been a neglected genre ... many aged people continue to consume the genre but it has never taken center stage before," he said.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(2nd LD) Army decides to discharge first transgender soldier

Noting that the decision was made in accordance with due process based upon the results of a medical examination , @ @ @ @ @ `` continue to make diverse efforts to protect human rights of service personnel and to @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS background info in paras 6-9)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The Army said Wednesday it decided not to allow a noncommissioned officer who underwent sex reassignment surgery to continue to serve in the military as a female solider.
The decision was made in a military committee meeting that looked into the case of the active-duty staff sergeant who underwent transition surgery late last year and has expressed a desire to keep serving in the military.
"The committee made a discharge decision, as this constitutes a reason for inability to continue to serve under related laws, including the Military Personnel Management Act," the Army said in a release.
Noting that the decision was made in accordance with due process based upon the results of a medical examination, the Army said it will "continue to make diverse efforts to protect human rights of service personnel and to prevent any undue discrimination.
Earlier, a military medical team declared that the officer is "a handicapped person."
Currently, no specific regulations exist on what to do with those who have sex reassignment operations while in service.
Under South Korea's conscription system, all able-bodied men must carry out compulsory service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified border. Those who change their gender are automatically exempted from this service.
Noncommissioned officers are volunteers, and the country has no rules prohibiting transgender people from entering the military. But chances are high such individuals would be eliminated through a physical exam, according to officers.
South Korea has no transgender soldiers.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Tuesday advised the Army chief to delay holding the committee meeting, citing the possibility of discrimination, but the Army held the session as scheduled.
Lim Tae-hoon, an official of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, holds a briefing on a transgender soldier in Seoul on Jan. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--University entrance quota to outnumber applicants from next year

`` About half , 48 percent , of the nation 's high school students reside in the capital area , @ @ @ @ @ students are concentrated in Seoul , Gyeonggi Province and Incheon .
Considering such circumstances , @ @ @ @ @ non-capital areas may fail to fill their admissions quotas from next year , '' said @ @ @ @ @ Education .

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- The nation's falling birth rate is expected to begin to take a toll on domestic universities and colleges from next year, a private institution in Seoul warned Wednesday.
According to Jongno Haneul Education, the number of applicants for university entrance exams is expected to fall short of the combined entrance quota of all universities and junior colleges for the first time in the 2021 academic year.
The institution estimated that four-year universities and junior colleges will have admissions quotas of 550,659 students next year, but only 533,941 high school seniors and graduates will be candidates for university entrance exams. There will likely be a shortfall of 16,718 students, it forecast.
This file photo taken on Nov. 14, 2019, shows applicants for the College Scholastic Aptitude Test in Seoul. (Yonhap)
High school seniors will account for 403,000 of next year's university entrance applicants, with repeat examinees totaling 130,000, it said. New admissions quotas for four-year universities will reach 347,500, compared with 203,159 for junior colleges.
"About half, 48 percent, of the nation's high school students reside in the capital area, and major universities favored by students are concentrated in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. Considering such circumstances, many universities and colleges in non-capital areas may fail to fill their admissions quotas from next year," said an official at Jongno Haneul Education.
Indeed, the number of applicants for last November's College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT) fell to 548,734, the lowest figure in the 27-year history of CSAT.
According to Statistics Korea, the number of high school seniors is expected to shrink by 82,571 from 594,278 last year to 511,707 this year.
South Korea saw its total fertility rate hit a record low of 0.98 in 2018, becoming the only country among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development with a total fertility rate below 1. The 2018 figure is far below the replacement level of 2.1 that would keep South Korea's population stable at 51 million.
In 2067, the country's population is expected to shrink to 39.3 million.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-22--(LEAD) Samsung C&T Q4 net down 56 pct

(LEAD) Samsung C&T Q4 net down 56 pct

The operating profit was 22.7 percent higher than the average estimate , according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details of regulatory filing)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Samsung C&T Corp., a construction affiliate of Samsung Group, said Wednesday its fourth-quarter net profit fell 56.1 percent from a year earlier.
Net profit for the three months ending Dec. 31 stood at 353 billion won (US$303 million) from 804.5 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Sales declined 3.4 percent to 7.69 trillion won from 7.97 trillion won.
Still, operating profit rose 33.7 percent to 324.6 billion won in the fourth quarter from 242.7 billion won a year ago.
The operating profit was 22.7 percent higher than the average estimate, according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.
For 2019, Samsung C&T posted an annual net profit of 1.04 trillion won, down 40.1 percent from 1.74 trillion won the previous year.
Annual sales fell 1.3 percent on-year to 30.7 trillion won and operating profit decreased 21.5 percent to 866.7 billion won in 2019.
Shares in Samsung C&T rose 1.82 percent to 112,000 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.23 percent advance.
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(LEAD) N. Korea confirms replacement of its top diplomat

During the banquet , the new foreign minister underscored his country 's willingness to make `` a frontal breakthrough '' @ @ @ @ @ '' to tackle external challenges confronting the communist regime , in line with the decisions @ @ @ @ @ meeting at the end of last year , the state media said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea confirmed Thursday that it has appointed an official handling inter-Korean affairs as its new top diplomat.
The North's state media reported that the foreign ministry held a banquet for ambassadors based in Pyongyang ahead of the Lunar New Year and referred to Ri Son-gwon, who was among the senior officials on hand at the gathering, as the foreign minister.
It was the first time that the North Korean media has confirmed Ri's appointment.
Speculation had appeared recently that Ri, former chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, may have replaced Ri Yong-ho, who led the nuclear negotiations with the United States.
Pyongyang had reportedly notified foreign ambassadors of Ri's appointment but had yet to confirm it publicly.
The change in the top post has generated a lot of attention as it could signal a shift in the North's approach to the United States and South Korea amid stalled denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
Ri, a former army officer, is known to have little diplomatic experience.
During the banquet, the new foreign minister underscored his country's willingness to make "a frontal breakthrough" by beefing up "self-reliance" to tackle external challenges confronting the communist regime, in line with the decisions made at the key party meeting at the end of last year, the state media said.
North Korea's media outlets have emphasized the need for self-reliance almost daily since leader Kim Jong-un recently called for intensified preparations for a protracted struggle against pressure led by the U.S.
Ri's appointment also comes as Seoul has declared its intention to bolster cross-border exchanges with Pyongyang, notably individual tours, as a way to bring the North back to nuclear dialogue, in the hope that it would help win international support for partial relief of sanctions.
North Korea has criticized South Korea for dragging its feet in inter-Korean relations for fear of undermining the U.S.-led sanctions regime and has stayed unresponsive to Seoul's repeated offers for talks and cooperation.
Denuclearization talks have been deadlocked since the no-deal summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump last February as they failed to match Pyongyang's denuclearization steps and Washington's concessions, such as sanctions relief.
In his New Year's Day message, Kim said that he does not feel bound to maintain a self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range and nuclear weapons, saying that the North will show off a new strategic weapon in the near future.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(3rd LD) S. Korea going all-out to prevent spread of Wuhan coronavirus during holidays

Beijing pledged on Wednesday to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease , especially @ @ @ @ @ off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends .
@ @ @ @ @ cities near Wuhan to control the spread of the disease and announced it will cancel @ @ @ @ @ the country to reduce the risk of healthy people coming into contact with the new @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES in paras 8-10; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's public health authorities on Thursday remained on alert and said that every effort will be made to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus during the upcoming four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
The country reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
A thermal sensor operated by the National Quarantine Station checks the body temperatures of people arriving at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Airports across the nation have been ratcheting up their monitoring and checking of passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus during the busy Lunar New Year travel season.
Citizens should follow strict personal hygiene rules whether they are in the country or traveling abroad, especially since there is expected to be an influx of Chinese tourists coming to the South Korea during the holiday period, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The agency said people feeling ill should immediately contact its emergency call center by dialing "1339" to receive assistance.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety too issued a text message alert calling on citizens to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouths when coughing and if they have respiratory problems wear a mask.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by both Korean and Chinese people. The traditional holiday, which kicks off Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
China said Thursday that the virus had killed 17 so far, with 616 people confirmed to be infected, amid concerns that the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely. Of those in quarantine, 95 are in critical condition, raising fears of more deaths.
Beijing pledged on Wednesday to pool all of its resources to contain the further spread of the disease, especially since many people have time off till the end of the month so they can visit family and friends. It has closed off three cities near Wuhan to control the spread of the disease and announced it will cancel major New Year celebrations across the country to reduce the risk of healthy people coming into contact with the new coronavirus.
Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States have all confirmed cases of the disease, with media reports indicating one new case in Singapore and two in Vietnam.
The foreign ministry applied the alert level of "restraint" to Wuhan, the third highest in the four-tier travel warning system, while issuing the lowest alert level of "caution" for other areas in China's Hubei Province.
The ministry also urged South Korean citizens currently in Wuhan to take extra care to ensure their health and safety.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will suspend its flights to Wuhan by the end of this month.
The move comes after the Chinese authorities made a decision to not allow most inbound and outbound flights on domestic and international routes at the airport there starting Friday.
Korean Air currently operates four flights a week from Incheon International Airport to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
This photo taken Jan. 21, 2020, shows a notice placed on a door in a hospital in Gyeonggi Province warning people about the symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The KCDC the day before said that four suspected cases have tested negative for the Wuhan coronavirus and that none of the 21 people who showed symptoms so far reported in the country have been linked to the virus.
The new coronavirus, first reported in China late last year, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
The KCDC said local health experts will be sent to China so they can better look after South Korean citizens living there.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--N. Korea confirms replacement of its top diplomat

The North 's state media reported that the foreign ministry held a banquet for ambassadors based in Pyongyang ahead of @ @ @ @ @ referred to Ri Son-gwon , who was among the senior officials on hand at the @ @ @ @ @ minister .

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea confirmed Thursday that it has appointed an official handling inter-Korean affairs as its new top diplomat.
The North's state media reported that the foreign ministry held a banquet for ambassadors based in Pyongyang ahead of the Lunar New Year and referred to Ri Son-gwon, who was among the senior officials on hand at the gathering, as the foreign minister.
It was the first time that the North Korean media has confirmed Ri's appointment.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--(URGENT) N. Korea confirms replacement of its top diplomat


yna--2020-01-23--(LEAD) Justice minister expresses intent to probe prosecution over indictment of presidential offici

(LEAD) Justice minister expresses intent to probe prosecution over indictment of presidential official

The ministry said that a case like this , involving a high-level public official , must be run by the @ @ @ @ @ office and it would constitute a violation of law and protocol if such a requirement @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS Supreme Prosecutors Office's response in 6th para)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae expressed intent on Thursday to order an internal probe into prosecutors that brought charges against a presidential secretary for suspected misconduct, calling it a rash move that did not follow due process.
Choo delivered her message to the press after an anti-corruption team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office earlier in the day indicted Choi Kang-wook, a presidential secretary for public office discipline, for fabricating an internship certificate for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's son.
The prosecution team reportedly bypassed its boss, Lee Seong-yun, head of the Seoul prosecution office, as he refused to sign off on the indictment, and went ahead with filing the charges with the approval of Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl.
Choo was briefed by Lee in regard to the indictment of Secretary Choi, and "confirmed a need for an internal inspection on the case of Choi's indictment," her ministry said in a message to reporters.
The ministry said that a case like this, involving a high-level public official, must be run by the chief prosecutor of the district office and it would constitute a violation of law and protocol if such a requirement was not met.
The Supreme Prosecutors Office released a statement later and defended Yoon's decision, saying that the indictment was "carried out in line with set rules based on the authority and responsibility of the prosecutor-general, who oversees the affairs of the prosecution and supervises all prosecution officials."
Thursday's confrontation between the ministry and prosecution marks the latest in their growing discord amid the liberal Moon Jae-in government's strong push for prosecution reform focused on dispersing the prosecution's investigative power that Moon's office has defined as too excessive.
Since assuming her post early this month, Choo has already taken on two big reshuffles, replacing senior prosecutors involved in major probes into high-profile corruption cases involving former and current presidential officials.
Critics have raised concerns the reshuffles may disrupt ongoing probes into presidential officials' suspected election meddling and power abuse, accusing the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae of trying to overhaul the prosecution system because of its effort to investigate people on its side.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaves the government complex in central Seoul after holding a policy meeting on Jan. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-23--N. Korea's vice FM to attend security conference in Munich next month: report

Pyongyang has since returned to its harsh rhetoric , threatening to abandon its self-declared moratorium on long-range missile tests .
@ @ @ @ @ not return to dialogue until the U.S. fully accepts its demands and drops what it @ @ @ @ @ '' against the North .

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong will attend a security conference in Germany next month, a report said Thursday.
Kim will lead a delegation to the Munich Security Conference (MSC), set for Feb. 14-16, AFP reported citing an MSC spokesperson. The final list of participants for this year's session will be announced next week.
If confirmed, the gathering will draw attention as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper are expected to attend the talks. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is also expected to participate.
The nuclear dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang remains at an impasse after the second summit of U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un collapsed without a deal early last year.
The subsequent working-level talks in Sweden in October also broke down due to the differences over the scope of the North's denuclearization and U.S. concessions.
Pyongyang has since returned to its harsh rhetoric, threatening to abandon its self-declared moratorium on long-range missile tests. It has said it will not return to dialogue until the U.S. fully accepts its demands and drops what it calls a "hostile policy" against the North.
Should Kim attend the meeting, it will also mark the first time the North has attended the annual conference, the report said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)