yna--2020-09-03--(3rd LD) Another typhoon forecast to hit S. Korea after Maysak rips through, killing 2

Later in the day , a man in his 70s was found dead in the yard of his home in @ @ @ @ @ believed to have fallen from the roof while repairing a leak .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with new info)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Another typhoon was forecast to approach South Korea later this week after Typhoon Maysak stormed through the country, killing two and disrupting flights and traffic.
Typhoon Haishen, the season's tenth typhoon, was expected to rip through the Korean Peninsula, causing more of an impact than Maysak, which dissipated after moving into the East Sea.
Haishen was traveling at a speed of 22 kph over seas 1,100 kilometers northwest of Guam, as of 3 p.m. according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Its maximum wind speed was 37 meters per second.
Haishen was forecast to land on the country's southern coast early Monday before passing through Daegu and Chuncheon and moving upward to North Korea. The KMA projected the typhoon's path to approach areas just 80 km away from Seoul at 3 p.m. on Monday.
A wind power generator in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, lies on the ground on Sept. 3, 2020, after falling from heavy winds that Typhoon Maysak brought. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by reader Lee Ki-tae on Sept. 3, 2020, shows a traffic light that has fallen to the ground due to Typhoon Maysak in the southeastern port city of Busan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Maysak, which has weakened to an extratropical cyclone, hit the country with strong winds and heavy rains, killing two, injuring three and forcing 58 people to evacuate from their destroyed homes in Gangwon, Jeju, South Gyeongsang Province and Busan.
One victim was a resident in her 60s in the southeastern port city of Busan. She died from injuries after strong winds shattered a terrace window at her home.
Later in the day, a man in his 70s was found dead in the yard of his home in the city. He is believed to have fallen from the roof while repairing a leak.
A total of 2,834 people also temporarily evacuated from their homes in a precautionary measure against the typhoon, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
Commuters struggle to hold onto their umbrellas in central Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
An uprooted tree blocks a road in the southeastern port city of Busan on Sept. 3, 2020 (Yonhap)
A combination of 1,550 facilities, vehicles, trees and other types of property were destroyed, with toppled trees and other fallen objects blocking roads due to strong gusts.
Maysak's maximum wind speed, which refers to the average wind speed over a 10-minute period, came in at 45 meters per second, the fourth strongest since the KMA started logging the data.
The Shin-Kori 4 nuclear reactor was temporarily suspended due to an external power issue. There was no leakage of nuclear material, according to the government.
Power disruptions were also reported at some 295,000 households, mostly in the country's southern and eastern coastal regions.
A total of 131 domestic flights were suspended at airports, including those in Gimpo, Incheon and Jeju, and operations of 84 ferries were halted.
Nearly 100 roads were restricted as soil piled up, while 32 trains operating on six routes were suspended. Trekking routes at 22 national parks were also closed.
A toppled phone booth lies across the sidewalk in the southeastern city of Ulsan due to strong winds from Typhoon Maysak on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the office of the eastern coastal city of Samcheok, shows an area near a port flooded from Typhoon Maysak on Sept. 3, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-03--Seoul NSC eyes progress in Japan ties after Tokyo's power transition

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Friday he will resign due to illness .
During his second term in office , @ @ @ @ @ have been at a low ebb over the issues of Japan 's sexual enslavement of @ @ @ @ @ during World War II .
Korea was under Japanese colonization from 1910-45 .

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top national security officials on Thursday agreed to push for advancement of stalled diplomacy with Japan after the power transition in Tokyo is finalized.
In a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, the standing committee of the National Security Council (NSC) agreed to make efforts toward negotiations on pending issues with Japan as soon as Tokyo's political situation stabilizes, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The meeting was presided over by Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae.
Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, speaks during a parliamentary meeting on Sept. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Friday he will resign due to illness. During his second term in office, relations between Seoul and Tokyo have been at a low ebb over the issues of Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women and forced labor during World War II. Korea was under Japanese colonization from 1910-45.
The committee also reviewed items to be discussed at virtual meetings involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit session scheduled for next week.
Members also agreed to call for support for Seoul's efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirm the government's commitment to reinforcing cooperation with ASEAN under President Moon Jae-in's signature New Southern Policy.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--LG unveils smart home studded with latest tech

LG said it took about a year to build a four-story house in Pangyo , south of Seoul , that @ @ @ @ @ energy , '' `` zero effort , '' and `` zero stress '' to homeowners @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Thursday unveiled a smart home built in South Korea equipped with its latest products and technologies to demonstrate future home living.
LG ThinQ Home was introduced during the company's press conference at IFA 2020, Europe's largest tech expo that runs through Saturday in Berlin.
LG said it took about a year to build a four-story house in Pangyo, south of Seoul, that aims to deliver "zero energy," "zero effort," and "zero stress" to homeowners with its appliances and solutions.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Sept. 3, 2020, shows the interior of its smart home, LG ThinQ Home, in Pangyo, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"ThinQ Home is a real demonstration of the ideal future residence designed to deliver a safer, more convenient lifestyle through the company's latest appliances and IT technologies," the South Korean tech firm said.
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, LG said its smart home focused on showing three main values of home -- care, convenience and entertainment.
The main door of the ThinQ Home is equipped with face-recognition technology, with its door handle applied with an ultraviolet (UV) light technology for sterilization.
The house is full of LG's latest home appliance products, from steam closet to air purifiers. It also features LG's future products, such as smart hood, and windows with transparent OLED panels.
The house has a smart wall that moves with voice control. LG said its 77-inch OLED TV fully appears from the behind the wall when people want to watch TV.
ThinQ Home has smart mirrors, named Home Concierge, that allow people to control their home appliances, check home energy usage and have room-to-room communications.
The company said it has established a building integrated photovoltaic system for the smart home, with 998 solar modules installed on the roof and exterior of the house.
ThinQ Home also has an energy storage system (ESS) and an electric car charging station.
LG said the house is compatible with home energy management system that learns homeowners' living patterns and can automatically adjust energy use. ThinQ Home will also self-control temperature, humidity and analyzes fine dust levels to provide a clean indoor environment.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Sept. 3, 2020, shows the exterior of its smart home, LG ThinQ Home, in Pangyo, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--LG unveils future home life in new normal era of pandemic at IFA 2020

`` These unprecedented times have made us more uncertain about the future , '' said Park , who took the @ @ @ @ @ `` LG believes this presents a unique opportunity to make real change in the world @ @ @ @ @ for the home . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Thursday unveiled its vision of future home life at Europe's largest tech show, showcasing its latest innovations that could be helpful in the new normal era of the pandemic.
Under the theme of "Life's Good from Home," LG Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Park Il-pyung presented the vision that maximizes three core home values -- care, convenience and entertainment -- at the company's online press conference for Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) 2020.
"These unprecedented times have made us more uncertain about the future," said Park, who took the stage in hologram form. "LG believes this presents a unique opportunity to make real change in the world by realizing a new potential for the home."
This photo, provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Sept. 3, 2020, shows Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Park Il-pyung explaining LG's artificial intelligence (AI) platform, LG ThinQ, at an online press conference for IFA 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
At the conference, Park vowed that LG's artificial intelligence (AI) platform, LG ThinQ, will continue to deliver innovative services and new business models to lead the change.
The LG ThinQ app, launched in 2017, delivers a user-centric experience that extends from customer support to purchasing supplies. Last year, the company started the Proactive Customer Care (PCC) service with the app, which analyzes the operational status of appliances and provides maintenance advice with AI technology.
LG added it plans to more than double the number of appliances and service items compatible with the LG ThinQ app while introducing the care service to other markets.
"As a leading lifestyle innovator, we've doubled-down on our commitment to develop new and improved products and services that provide a good life for consumers the world over," Park said.
Park also explained that LG's CLOi line of robots will provide a "safe, socially distant way" to offer services in various sectors. LG CLOi ServeBots have been already deployed in commercial locations in South Korea since July.
The CTO emphasized that with the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS) 2, LG's CLOi line of robots could serve as "an efficient substitute for human interaction," as the company targets to expand the robot ecosystem.
Park revealed that LG is also developing technology for remote health care management, adding the company recently administered a pilot project with a Seoul hospital to enhance monitoring and care of patients with chronic conditions.
"Through AI, we can easily and more precisely monitor the health of consumers 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Park said.
This photo, provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Sept. 3, 2020, shows Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Park Il-pyung explaining the LG ThinQ Home at an online press conference for IFA 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Also at the conference, LG unveiled the LG ThinQ Home, an actual house that LG built in Pangyo, south of Seoul, to show its latest smart home solutions.
Park introduced LG ThinQ Home Concierge, a smart mirror that allows users to monitor conditions of home appliances and check home energy usage. The high-tech panel is also connected to the home's electric car charging station, which enables homeowners to charge and monitor their electric cars remotely.
LG has not set up an offline exhibition area at this year's IFA in Berlin, Germany, due to the novel coronavirus concerns. Instead, the company decided to open a 3D virtual exhibition booth and the LG ThinQ Home to showcase its latest products and technologies.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--S. Korea to expand ratio of female military officers to 8.8 pct

As the Korean War broke out in 1950 , South Korea established a unit of volunteer troops for women .
@ @ @ @ @ allowed women to serve nearly in all parts of the military by eliminating service branches @ @ @ @ @ Last year , South Korea announced the country 's first female two-star general .

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Thursday that the government will increase the proportion of female military officers to 8.8 percent by 2022 from the current 7.4 percent.
He underscored the policy goal in his congratulatory message marking the 70th anniversary of the start of female armed forces in South Korea.
"In line with expanding roles of women in our society, the military will continue to increase the proportion of female military officers ... and assign more women to key posts at such units as policy and combat," Jeong said.
Under the Constitution, women are not obliged to serve in the military, while all able-bodied male adults are conscripted for two-year service terms. But women can join the military as commissioned or non-commissioned officers.
As the Korean War broke out in 1950, South Korea established a unit of volunteer troops for women. In 1989, the country allowed women to serve nearly in all parts of the military by eliminating service branches reserved for female forces. Last year, South Korea announced the country's first female two-star general.
The minister also vowed to improve working conditions for female officers by implementing various welfare measures, such as the establishment of more daycare centers.
"Female service personnel have been carrying out diverse duties successfully over the past decades," the defense chief said. "The government will continue to make efforts for female forces to display abilities without limitation."
Service members carry out guard duties in the eastern border town of Goseong on Sept. 8, 2019, in this photo provided by the Army. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-09-03--FM Kang to attend annual ASEAN-related meetings via video links next week

SEOUL , Sept. 3 ( Yonhap ) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend a series of annual meetings with @ @ @ @ @ and other countries next week via video links to discuss responses to the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ office said Thursday .

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend a series of annual meetings with her counterparts from Southeast Asian and other countries next week via video links to discuss responses to the new coronavirus and regional issues, her office said Thursday.
From Wednesday through Saturday, Kang will join the virtual meetings involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit session.
Vietnam planned to host the gatherings, but the participating countries have decided to hold the meetings via videoconferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted in-person diplomacy.
At the meetings, Kang is expected to call for international solidarity in fighting the pandemic, spurring economic recovery and promoting regional peace, officials said.
In particular, she plans to call for support for Seoul's efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirm her government's commitment to reinforcing cooperation with ASEAN under its signature New Southern Policy.
It remains unclear whether North Korea will take part in the ARF session.
But Ri Ho-jun, a North Korean diplomat in Vietnam, attended the senior officials' session of the forum in July to prepare for the ministerial gathering.
This photo, taken on June 3, 2020, shows Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaking in a videoconference with heads of diplomatic missions in Southeast Asian countries at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-03--Samsung aims to become lifestyle brand with customizable products: exec

`` The boundary between places of work and places of relaxation has shifted , and people are increasingly repurposing their @ @ @ @ @ spots , '' he said .
`` Naturally , we felt that it was time @ @ @ @ @ the same way , too . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is seeking ways to cope with changes sparked by the novel coronavirus pandemic, its home appliance business chief said Thursday, as the company aims to become a lifestyle brand with customizable products.
Lee Jae-seung, who heads digital appliances at Samsung, said the South Korean tech giant is "recalibrating" its strategy in the era of the pandemic as people reorient their lifestyle to stay healthy and productive.
"The pandemic has resulted in all of us re-assessing the spaces in which we live, along with the ways we operate and prioritize things in our daily routines," Lee said in an editorial on Samsung's website.
"Such changes of mindset and habits are in line with the vision Samsung Electronics has for its digital appliances division, one of moving beyond simply manufacturing appliances and towards becoming a truly consumer-centric lifestyle brand."
This photo, taken on Jan. 29, 2020, shows Lee Jae-seung, who heads digital appliances at Samsung Electronics Co., at an event in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Lee said home has become more important than ever as people practice social distancing and that home appliances need to reflect the changes.
"The boundary between places of work and places of relaxation has shifted, and people are increasingly repurposing their space to serve as multi-function spots," he said. "Naturally, we felt that it was time for appliances to evolve in the same way, too."
Lee's comments hint that Samsung will release more products under its Project Prism, which reflects consumers' lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of the products.
So far, the company has introduced refrigerators and laundry appliances under the Project Prism.
As the pandemic has raised health issues, Lee said Samsung is "looking closely at its entire existing portfolio through the lens of hygiene."
Lee revealed that Samsung's global air purifier sales surged by 410 percent in the January-July period this year compared to the same timeframe last year.
This photo, provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Sept. 2, 2020, shows the company's Bespoke refrigerators. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Lee said Samsung's home appliances are being upgraded with its latest Internet of Things (IoT) and AI technologies to deliver better user experiences amid the pandemic.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(LEAD) Full set of gilt-bronze accessories unearthed from 5-6th century tomb

`` This is a small-sized tomb , but the owner has the full set of accessories .
It is expected @ @ @ @ @ noble or royal-blooded person , '' a researcher from the CHA said .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ from this project .
We will keep studying the case . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7, 12)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- A full set of accessories ranging from a gilt-bronze coronet to shoes has recently been discovered from a tomb believed to have been created 1,500 years ago, left as they were worn by the deceased at the time of burial, the cultural authorities said Thursday.
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said the accessories, including a gilt-bronze coronet, gold earrings, silver bracelets and a silver ring, were recently excavated from a Silla-era royal tomb complex in Gyeongju, some 371 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
They were in addition to the gilt-bronze shoes and coin-shaped gilt-bronze accessories found at the same tomb in May, it added.
The CHA said it is the first time that a full set of ornaments of a buried person has been excavated from a Silla-era tomb since the early 1970s.
The deceased buried in the Hwangnamdong Tumulus No. 120-2, presumed to be either an aristocrat or person of royal blood, wore a gilt-bronze coronet, a pair of earrings and a pair of gilt-bronze shoes, according to the CHA. A chestlace, belts, bracelets and rings were also found at the same time.
This undated photo, released by the Cultural Heritage Administration on Sept. 3, 2020, shows a silver belt, bracelets and rings unearthed from the Hwangnamdong Tumulus No. 120-2 from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Gyeongju, southeastern South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
According to researchers, the gilt-bronze cap-like coronet features three tree-like branches and two antler-like prongs, with the outer band decorated with heart-shaped holes and jade and gold marbles.
In an online briefing, they said considering there is a T-shaped plate in the middle of the coronet, it might be used as headwear for government officials, as decoration or as a funeral mask.
Along with a pair of gold earrings and a beaded chestlace, the person also carries a silver belt and a handful of silver bracelets and rings.
One bracelet on the right wrist is embellished with more than 500 yellow beads about 1 millimeter small.
This undated photo, released by the Cultural Heritage Administration on Sept. 3, 2020, shows a gilt-bronze coronet, a pair of gold earrings and beaded chestlace unearthed from the Hwangnamdong Tumulus No. 120-2 from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Gyeongju, southeastern South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Both pairs of shoes had T-shaped carve-out patterns on the surface, decorated each with gilt-bronze "dalgae," a bracelet-like ornament made with beads. Usually, shoes buried in ancient tombs of Silla were created for funeral ceremonies.
The CHA said the height of the owner of the tomb is estimated at 170 centimeter, as it is 176 cm from the middle of the gilt-bronze cap to the shoes.
Researchers said the deceased is presumed to be a woman, as she did not carry a sword, which is usually buried with a male lord.
"This is a small-sized tomb, but the owner has the full set of accessories. It is expected to be possessed by a noble or royal-blooded person," a researcher from the CHA said. "We've found many new things from this project. We will keep studying the case."
The excavation was part of a project between the CHA and the Gyeongju city aimed at restoring major historic ruins linked to the capital of the Silla dynasty.
Gyeongju is home to three UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites: Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, Yangdong Village, and the Gyeongju Historic Areas. Daereungwon is part of the Gyeongju Historic Areas.
This undated photo, released by the Cultural Heritage Administration on Sept. 3, 2020, shows a silver bracelet unearthed from the Hwangnamdong Tumulus No. 120-2 from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Gyeongju, southeastern South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This undated photo, released by the Cultural Heritage Administration on Sept. 3, 2020, shows a pair of gold earrings unearthed from the Hwangnamdong Tumulus No. 120-2 from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Gyeongju, southeastern South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(2nd LD) Doctors come up with agreement for dialogue with govt, parliament

The health ministry , which is in charge of the country 's medical sector , said that while it has @ @ @ @ @ of demands by doctors , it will try to review them as quickly as possible @ @ @ @ @ reached and physicians can return to work .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in para 6; ADDS initial reponse by government in para 15)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- A task force of doctors reached its own agreement on Thursday as it prepares to hold dialogue with the government and the ruling party on ending a strike amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The task force -- lead by members of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) -- held a closed-door meeting to come up with the agreement representing the whole medical circle.
"We will begin talks with the government and the ruling party with our unified list of demands as soon as possible," said Kim Dae-ha, a KMA spokesman, adding that the KMA members listened to the demands of junior doctors.
Seen here is Korea University Guro Hospital in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. Earlier in the day, more than 50 professors of internal medicine there resolved to submit resignations in protest of the government's legal action against striking trainee doctors. Medical trainees nationwide have continued to go on strike since Aug. 7, calling for the government to scrap its plan to expand the number of students at medical schools. (Yonhap)
The KMA -- which represents practitioners -- had disagreed with trainee doctors, such as interns and residents at general hospitals, in some ways amid their opposition against the government's medical reform scheme.
The task force and the ruling Democratic Party were working on the wording for a final agreement that reportedly includes putting on hold the government plan to unconditionally increase medical school admission quotas.
Party lawmakers have already said they are willing to start negotiations from a zero base and were open to all ideas.
KIRA announced an indefinite walkout of its members earlier this week and the KMA is planning a third nationwide strike for next Monday.
Kim said there is no change in the current walkout and the planned collective action.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme calling for an expansion of admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022.
The KMA, with over 130,000 members, has backed the move, with staff members and major hospitals also siding with trainee doctors and medical students, despite the government's back-to-work orders.
They have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of rural areas, and the provision of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment.
Data showed that 85.4 percent of trainee doctors took part in the strike as of Wednesday, while the percentage for fellow doctors stood at 29.7 percent. The figures compare to Tuesday's 77.8 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
The government, which has so far balked at scrapping the reform plan, said it will respect the outcome of talks between the ruling party and doctors amid the resurgence of the novel coronavirus cases,
The health ministry, which is in charge of the country's medical sector, said that while it has not officially received the list of demands by doctors, it will try to review them as quickly as possible so a resolution can be reached and physicians can return to work.
The country reported 195 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, including 188 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,644. However, cluster infections continued to pop up across the country, and the number of critically ill patients is on the rise.
Korean Medical Association (KMA) chief Choi Dae-zip presides over a meeting to map out a proposal in connection with the government's controversial medical reform plan at KMA headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(2nd LD) Main opposition official at National Assembly tests positive for COVID-19

Rep. Lee and other colleagues have been self-quarantined and were tested for the coronavirus right after the case emerged .
@ @ @ @ @ of its members , including party leader Kim Chong-in , to work from home .
@ @ @ @ @ out Friday .

(ATTN: RECASTS headlines; UPDATES new info in paras 2-8)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- An official of the main opposition party's secretariat tested positive for the new coronavirus Thursday, raising the alert over additional infections at the National Assembly.
The People Power Party (PPP) official, a Seoul resident in her 30s, is a secretary of Rep. Lee Jong-bae, whose office is at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Rep. Lee and other colleagues have been self-quarantined and were tested for the coronavirus right after the case emerged. The party also asked all of its members, including party leader Kim Chong-in, to work from home. Their test results will come out Friday.
The PPP has also canceled all party event and meetings in the afternoon.
At the same time, Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the newly elected chairman of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), was also told to stay at home, as he met with Rep. Lee last Saturday.
The move came only three days after he completed a two-week self-quarantine last Friday after coming into indirect contact with a COVID-19 patient during a radio interview early last month.
The party's chief spokesman and Lee's chief secretary who attended the Saturday meeting also canceled their remaining schedules for the party and returned home.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly secretariat said it has disinfected areas that the patient was found to have visited. Due to the disinfection, all scheduled meetings and sessions of parliamentary standing committees have been canceled.
The latest case comes just days after the National Assembly resumed operations after coming to a temporary halt in late August due to the new coronavirus.
The parliament's main buildings had been closed for disinfection after a photojournalist posted at the National Assembly tested positive in the first COVID-19 case reported from inside parliament.
Officials at the National Assembly in western Seoul affix barricade tape inside the building after a secretary for the main opposition People Power Party tested positive for the new coronavirus on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(2nd LD) Kimchi factory emerges as new COVID-19 infection cluster with 20 cases

`` When ( contaminated ) food is eaten , the virus is instantly destroyed due to the stomach 's acidity @ @ @ @ @ deputy director at the Central Disease Control Headquarters , said in a daily press briefing @ @ @ @ @ infection has emerged at a kimchi factory , the headquarters judges there are no risks @ @ @ @ @ through food . ''

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 7-9)
CHEONGYANG, South Korea, Sept. 3, 2020 (Yonhap) -- A kimchi factory in the southwestern county of Cheongyang has emerged as a hotbed for new coronavirus infections, with 20 cases reported in relation to the facility, officials said Thursday.
The cluster surfaced after a factory employee, a Nepalese national in her 20s, first tested positive at a community health center after showing flu-like symptoms.
Health authorities traced 131 others, including employees and people who may have come into close contact with her.
This photo shows a kimchi factory in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, where employees have tested positive for the new coronavirus, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Doors to a kimchi factory in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, where employees have tested positive for the new coronavirus, are closed on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Most of the patients are factory employees in their 30s to 60s who live at a company dormitory or commute from the nearby counties of Hongseong and Boryeong.
Authorities suspect the virus spread at the factory. They have yet to determine the infection route of the first identified patient.
Ten tons of kimchi at the factory have been discarded. Officials plan to also trace and discard some 40 tons of kimchi products that have been distributed to retailers and customers in Daejeon, Jeju, Cheonan and Hwaseong.
Health authorities played down the possibility of the virus spreading through food products.
"When (contaminated) food is eaten, the virus is instantly destroyed due to the stomach's acidity," Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said in a daily press briefing. "While a cluster infection has emerged at a kimchi factory, the headquarters judges there are no risks of infection (spreading) through food."
There has been no reported cases in Korea or elsewhere of the new coronavirus spreading through food, he added.
On Thursday, South Korea reported 195 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 20,644, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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yna--2020-09-03--(2nd LD) Supreme Court annuls former govt's decision to outlaw progressive teachers' union

The Supreme Court said denying dismissed teachers the rights to join in a labor union is not constitutional and against @ @ @ @ @ also said it was excessive to deprive the KTU of its legal status just because @ @ @ @ @ not holding a teaching job .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 4 paras, photo)
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Overturning an appellate court's ruling, the Supreme Court on Thursday annulled a decision by the former Park Geun-hye government to outlaw a progressive teachers' union for accepting a handful of fired teachers as its members, opening the way for the union to regain its legal status.
The full bench of the highest court accepted by majority the appeal by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) to regain its legal status, sending the case back to a lower court for retrial.
Kwon Jeong-oh, head of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), celebrates with another union member after hearing a verdict at the Supreme Court in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) wave their hands in joy after hearing a verdict at the Supreme Court in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Supreme Court said denying dismissed teachers the rights to join in a labor union is not constitutional and against the international standard. It also said it was excessive to deprive the KTU of its legal status just because it had members who were not holding a teaching job.
Delivering the verdict, Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su said the previous rulings on the case were "not valid," and "infringed on labor's three primary rights." He also said outlawing the union was tantamount to "denying its existence."
In October 2013, the conservative Park Geun-hye government banned the union, founded in 1989, saying that having nine dismissed teachers as its members violated the law on the teachers' union that stated only incumbent teachers were recognized as union members.
Kwon Jeong-oh (L), head of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) shakes hands with a union member outside the Supreme Court on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
But the KTU argued that having the nine non-teachers in the union did not compromise its autonomy in collective action and bargaining power, and that the government's outlawing it was an excessive interpretation of the law.
Since then, the KTU, one of the country's biggest teachers' unions with some 60,000 members, has been engaged in a series of legal disputes with the government.
While a district court and an appellate court sided with the government, the KTU has repeatedly asked for a court injunction to suspend the decision. Depending on different court rulings, it alternated between being legal and illegal for three years.
The union appealed to the Supreme Court in February 2016, and the case had been pending since then. At that time, it also requested a court injunction to suspend the annulment.
While the full bench of the highest court accepted the appeal by the KTU on Thursday, it dismissed its request to issue an injunction in a separate ruling, leaving the matter to be resolved in retrial.
Later in the day, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said it will start a process to cancel the annulment "as soon as possible," in line with the highest court's decision.
The labor minister has the authority to restore the union's legal status, even before a ruling in a retrial comes out.
When it happens, the KTU can exercise its rights to collective bargaining, to calling for the government's mediation in labor disputes and to reporting unfair labor practices.
"The victory was only possible because of people who have strenuously supported the union," the KTU said, "We promise to return the support by teaching (children) sincerely."
Supreme Court Justices are seated at the court before giving a verdict on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(LEAD) Rights watchdog gives ministry recommendation about New Zealand sexual abuse case

It was also said to have pointed out shortcomings , such as the absence of guidelines governing investigation and other @ @ @ @ @ misconduct cases and a lack of efforts to separate the apparent victim from the alleged @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- The state human rights watchdog has recommended that the foreign ministry improve "shortcomings" revealed in its handling of a sexual misconduct case involving a Korean diplomat once posted in New Zealand, a source said Thursday.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) gave the nonbinding recommendation on Wednesday, which apparently includes the diplomat's provision to the petitioner of a specific amount of money in compensation.
A former local employee at Korea's Embassy in Wellington has accused the diplomat of groping him on three occasions in 2017, a case that resurfaced after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue in July phone talks with President Moon Jae-in.
The foreign ministry said that it will pore over the NHRC recommendation and take "necessary steps."
The commission was also believed to have recommended that the ministry establish guidelines aimed at ensuring fairness in its investigation of sexual harassment cases at overseas missions and in its program to support the alleged victim.
It was also said to have pointed out shortcomings, such as the absence of guidelines governing investigation and other procedures to deal with sexual misconduct cases and a lack of efforts to separate the apparent victim from the alleged perpetrator.
But the commission noted that there do not appear to be "procedural" problems in the ministry's handling of the case in question, the source said. It also did not recommend any reinvestigation.
A government institution is supposed to hand in its implementation plan within 90 days of its receipt of the commission's recommendation, though it is not legally binding.
The diplomat in question was moved to a new post in the Philippines in 2018 and was later disciplined with a reduction in salary for a month. He recently came back home at the ministry's order after the case resurfaced.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- The unification ministry said Thursday that it is considering redeeming the money it sent to the World Food @ @ @ @ @ a plan to provide rice assistance to North Korea if there is no progress in @ @ @ @ @ end of this year .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
----------------
(LEAD) Doctors come up with agreement for dialogue with govt, parliament
SEOUL -- A task force of doctors reached its own agreement on Thursday as it prepares to hold dialogue with the government and the ruling party on ending a strike amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The task force -- lead by members of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) -- held a closed-door meeting to come up with the agreement representing the whole medical circle.
----------------
(LEAD) N.K. unlikely to seek engagement with Seoul until next year's campaign season: ex-USFK commander
SEOUL -- North Korea is unlikely to seek engagement with South Korea until next year as the regime believes it would have better leverage to deal with Seoul after the country's presidential election season kicks off, former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks said Thursday.
During the third and the final session of the annual Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), Brooks also called for both maximum pressure on and engagement with North Korea while moving away from classic views about what steps Pyongyang will take in the future.
----------------
(LEAD) Main opposition official at National Assembly tests positive for COVID-19
SEOUL -- An official of the main opposition party's secretariat tested positive for the new coronavirus Thursday, raising the alert over additional infections at the National Assembly.
The People Power Party official whose office is at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, is a Seoul resident in her 30s. Health authorities plan to screen other employees at the office.
----------------
(LEAD) Supreme Court annuls former govt's decision to outlaw progressive teachers' union
SEOUL -- Overturning an appellate court's ruling, the Supreme Court on Thursday annulled a decision by the former Park Geun-hye government to outlaw a progressive teachers' union for accepting a handful of fired teachers as its members, opening the way for the union to regain its legal status.
The full bench of the highest court accepted by majority the appeal by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) to regain its legal status, sending the case back to a lower court for retrial.
----------------
Asiana deal set to become another botched M&A in airline sector
SEOUL -- HDC Hyundai Development Co.'s planned takeover of Asiana Airlines Inc. is facing the increasing risk of falling through, as the property developer and the airline's creditors have failed to narrow differences over acquisition terms, industry sources said Thursday.
HDC Chairman Chung Mong-gyu and Lee Dong-gull, chairman of main creditor Korea Development Bank (KDB), met last week to discuss all possible options to push forward the stalled deal amid the coronavirus outbreak.
----------------
S. Korea mulls redeeming money given to WFP for stalled N.K. rice provision project
SEOUL -- The unification ministry said Thursday that it is considering redeeming the money it sent to the World Food Programme (WFP) for a plan to provide rice assistance to North Korea if there is no progress in the stalled project by the end of this year.
In June last year, the ministry announced the plan to provide 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea through the WFP and sent the organization 13.8 billion won (US$11.6 million) to cover transportation, equipment and monitoring costs.
----------------
7 more USFK-related Americans test positive for new coronavirus
SEOUL -- Seven U.S. service members tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrivals in South Korea last month, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
Three of them arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on U.S. government-chartered flights from the U.S. on Aug. 17, 19 and 28, and the remainder arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on commercial flights from their home country on Aug. 15, 17, 28 and 29, according to the USFK.
----------------
(2nd LD) Typhoon Maysak causes heavy flood damage in eastern regions of N. Korea
SEOUL -- Typhoon Maysak dumped torrential rains in eastern parts of North Korea on Thursday, triggering heavy flooding in the coastal city of Wonsan and causing residents near Mount Kumgang to evacuate to safer areas, state media reported.
The Korean Central Television Broadcasting Station has been running breaking news in real time and updates on the ninth tropical storm of the season nearly every hour since 6 p.m. Wednesday.
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(LEAD) Doctors come up with agreement for dialogue with govt, parliament

`` We will begin talks with the government and the ruling party with our unified list of demands as soon @ @ @ @ @ Kim Dae-ha , a KMA spokesman , adding that the KMA members listened to the @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead, photos; UPDATES with more info in paras 2-7)
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- A task force of doctors reached its own agreement on Thursday as it prepares to hold dialogue with the government and the ruling party on ending a strike amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The task force -- lead by members of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) -- held a closed-door meeting to come up with the agreement representing the whole medical circle.
"We will begin talks with the government and the ruling party with our unified list of demands as soon as possible," said Kim Dae-ha, a KMA spokesman, adding that the KMA members listened to the demands of junior doctors.
Seen here is Korea University Guro Hospital in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. Earlier in the day, more than 50 professors of internal medicine there resolved to submit resignations in protest of the government's legal action against striking trainee doctors. Medical trainees nationwide have continued to go on strike since Aug. 7, calling for the government to scrap its plan to expand the number of students at medical schools. (Yonhap)
The KMA -- which represents practitioners -- had disagreed with trainee doctors, such as interns and residents at general hospitals, in some ways amid their opposition against the government's medical reform scheme.
The task force and the ruling Democratic Party were working on the wording for a final agreement that reportedly includes putting on hold the government plan to unconditionally increase medical school admission quotas.
KIRA announced an indefinite walkout of its members earlier this week and the KMA is planning a third nationwide strike for next Monday.
Kim said there is no change in the current walkout and the planned collective action.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme calling for an expansion of admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022.
The KMA, with over 130,000 members, has backed the move, with staff members and major hospitals also siding with trainee doctors and medical students, despite the government's back-to-work orders.
They have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of rural areas, and the provision of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment.
Data showed that 85.4 percent of trainee doctors took part in the strike as of Wednesday, while the percentage for fellow doctors stood at 29.7 percent. The figures compare to Tuesday's 77.8 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
The government, which has so far balked at scrapping the reform plan, said it will respect the outcome of talks between the ruling party and doctors amid the resurgence of the novel coronavirus cases,
The country reported 195 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, including 188 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,644. However, cluster infections continued to pop up across the country, and the number of critically ill patients is on the rise.
Korean Medical Association (KMA) chief Choi Dae-zip presides over a meeting to map out a proposal in connection with the government's controversial medical reform plan at KMA headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-03--(LEAD) N.K. unlikely to seek engagement with Seoul until next year's campaign season: ex-USFK comman

(LEAD) N.K. unlikely to seek engagement with Seoul until next year's campaign season: ex-USFK commander

`` The use of conventional weaponry or even the use of missiles or nuclear technologies is n't necessarily where they @ @ @ @ @ There could be a new way to use those , but it 's also possible @ @ @ @ @ differently about how to create pressure on different countries of the region , '' Brooks @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more comments of experts in last 7 paras, 3rd photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is unlikely to seek engagement with South Korea until next year as the regime believes it would have better leverage to deal with Seoul after the country's presidential election season kicks off, former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks said Thursday.
During the third and the final session of the annual Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), Brooks also called for both maximum pressure on and engagement with North Korea while moving away from classic views about what steps Pyongyang will take in the future.
"In 2021, the South Korean government is in its final year, and campaigning is ongoing. North Korea will be going to wait until 2021 before they begin to engage South Korea. South Korea will continue to try, of course, but I think there would be limited responses, and likely negative responses until such times, as North Korea thinks they have better leverage," Brooks said.
President Moon Jae-in's five-year term ends in May 2022.
As for relations with Washington, the North is likely to wait until the November election, though it leaves the door for dialogue open, according to Brooks, who headed the 28,500-strong USFK from 2016 to 2018.
"Pyongyang controls the pace of engagement. They decide when they are going to open a door and when they slam the door closed," he claimed.
In June, North Korea threatened to take military actions against South Korea, calling it an "enemy," primarily in protest over Seoul's failure to stop defectors from conducting anti-regime propaganda leaflet campaigns. The North then cut all communication lines with the South, and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office building in the border town of Kaesong.
"I think their recent slamming of the door was much a reflection of North Korea being significantly overwhelmed internally. They have the pressures of COVID-19, pressures of sanctions, they had weather conditions that continue to this date with yet another typhoon approaching," Brooks said.
The file photo taken Oct. 17, 2019, shows former U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks speaking at a banquet in Seoul on Oct. 17, 2019. (Yonhap)
In order to keep North Korea on the path for dialogue, the maximum pressure and engagement campaign is important, according to the former commander.
"Together, two approaches -- pressure and engagement -- create both necessary and sufficient conditions to keep North Korea focused on the task and moving in the right direction. ... We've shifted potential military conflicts (in 2017) to one that created potential for peace through diplomacy," he said.
Noting that engagement is the harder challenge, while pressure is easier to participate in, the former commander said there seems to be "an easy drift towards the continuance of pressure and the diminution of engagement," which serves as a challenge to be able to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula in the future.
Asked about possible scenarios of the North's future provocations, Brooks said it does not necessarily mean a return to traditional, military ways of provocation.
"The use of conventional weaponry or even the use of missiles or nuclear technologies isn't necessarily where they are going to go. There could be a new way to use those, but it's also possible that they are thinking completely differently about how to create pressure on different countries of the region," Brooks said.
"Isn't there a chance to threaten China in a different way? If North Korea would do that, one should recognize that would be risky, but North Korea has engaged in risky behaviors that defy expectations before," he said. "I think we have to be very broadminded about that. North Korea is very creative and very unpredictable."
In his New Year's Day message, leader Kim Jong-un warned he will show off a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, which experts said may mean an advanced type of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Kim also warned earlier of taking a "new way" if Washington fails to change its stance.
North Korea's Hwasong-15, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), is displayed during a military parade in Pyongyang marking the 70th anniversary of the country's armed forces, in this photo captured from the North's Central TV on Feb. 8, 2018. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Alexander Minaev, professor of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, however, called for lifting sanctions against the North, claiming that leader Kim would never cooperate with the international community as long as the sanctions regime remains in place.
"The U.S. stubbornly continues the policy of tough sanctions. But it is time to understand that these methods do not work against North Korea," the professor said. "Sanctions would only take a toll on ordinary citizens, not the regime. Pressure and sanctions cannot solve the nuclear problem."
Nakamitsu Izumi, high representative for U.N. Disarmament Affairs, stressed the importance of the continued unity of the Security Council members.
"We all need to invest political efforts in making sure that the cooperation will continue and that the unity of the Security Council will be preserved. This will be absolute essential for any peaceful solutions on the Korean Peninsula," Izumi said.
To address nuclear challenges, Fan Jishe, director of the Institute for International Strategic Studies of China's Central Party School, said the establishment of a detailed road map, as well as multilateral working-level talks, is a must.
"Without the follow-on moves after the summitry, all progress achieved through summitry could be reversed as what happened this year," he said.
Denuclearization negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have made little progress since the no-deal summit in Hanoi last year due to the gap over the scope of Pyongyang's denuclearization and sanctions relief by Washington.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) walks with U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in toward the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, on June 30, 2019, after holding talks with Trump at the Freedom House on the village's southern side. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Seoul stocks trim losses late Friday morning

The local currency was trading at 1,190.25 won against the U.S. dollar , down 1.95 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares slightly trimmed earlier losses late Friday morning, but continued to trade bearish over an overnight plunge on Wall Street.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 35.93 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,359.97 as of 11:20 a.m.
On Thursday (New York time), Wall Street was roiled by panic selling as investors dumped tech stocks.
The tech-laden Nasdaq 500 plummeted 598.34 points, or 4.96 percent, to 11,458.1, marking the steepest fall since June.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 2.78 percent, with the S&P 500 tumbling 3.51 percent.
In Seoul, most large caps traded lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 1.6 percent, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix climbed 0.25 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver retreated 2.51 percent, with its rival Kakao dipping 2.2 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem retreated 3.39 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI dropped 2.98 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics fell 1.41 percent, and Celltrion shed 1.84 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, lost 3.12 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO retreated 1.32 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,190.25 won against the U.S. dollar, down 1.95 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Local biennial art exhibitions to turn online amid coronavirus pandemic

The event 's organizers said the opening ceremony will be livestreamed on its official YouTube channel on Saturday , as @ @ @ @ @ galleries have been closed due to the tightened social distancing guidelines in Busan .

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Upcoming local biennial art exhibitions will go virtual to allow people to enjoy high-quality artworks at home amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic.
The Busan Biennale 2020, a biennial international contemporary art show held in the southern port city of Busan, will kick off Saturday and run through Nov. 8 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan and other city areas.
Under the banner theme of "Words at an Exhibition -- an exhibition in ten chapters and five poems," 89 novelists, poets and artists will display 230 artworks and literary works.
The event's organizers said the opening ceremony will be livestreamed on its official YouTube channel on Saturday, as all indoor museums and art galleries have been closed due to the tightened social distancing guidelines in Busan.
It will also upload a video in which art director Jacob Fabricius, a Danish artist, introduces the event's productions to online audiences, and offer audio books and online galleries.
The main theme of the Busan Biennale 2020, captured from the event's homepage (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The 2020 Changwon Sculpture Biennale, an international exhibition held every two years at the southern city of Changwon, will also open on online platforms from Sept. 17-Nov. 1. About 90 artists and sculptors from 30 countries will participate in the event.
Its main programs, including the opening ceremony and seminars, will be held online, along with some virtual reality clips on displayed statues.
A poster of the 2020 Changwon Sculpture Biennale, captured from the event's homepage (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The 2020 Daejeon Biennale, hosted by the Daejeon Museum of Art starting next Tuesday for three months, will also join the online trend triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the event focusing on the relationships between humans and artificial intelligence, most of its main exhibitions and programs, including the opening ceremony, will be available on the internet and social media.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Typhoon Haishen poised to arrive in S. Korea next week

`` The typhoon is forecast to move along the rim of the anticyclone in the east and land on South @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
This is the route with the highest possibility at the moment , '' @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Haishen, the season's tenth typhoon, was forecast to arrive here early next week, keeping the country on alert following a series of typhoons that suspended flights and damaged facilities in recent weeks.
Haishen was traveling northwest at a speed of 20 kph over waters some 900 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, Japan, at 9 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Its maximum wind speed was 49 meters per second.
"The typhoon is forecast to move along the rim of the anticyclone in the east and land on South Korea's southern coast on Monday. This is the route with the highest possibility at the moment," the KMA said.
“Don’t come here”… after 30 seconds bridge collapse Youtube https://youtu.be/x33pHOXHmdc
This satellite image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Haishen at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2020. The eye of the storm is clearly visible. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The tropical storm was expected to arrive at waters east of Seogwipo on the country's southern resort island of Jeju on early Monday before moving upper to the southern coast in the afternoon.
The weather agency said Jeju may come under the influence of the typhoon starting Sunday night.
It was forecast to move closest to Seoul, or roughly 80 kilometers away from the capital, at 9 p.m.
The weather agency, however, said the exact route and strength of Haishen may change depending on how it passes through Japan before moving up toward the country.
This image, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, shows Typhoon Haishen's expected path as of 9 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A series of typhoons have pounded the country recently with heavy rains and strong winds.
Typhoon Maysak, which hit the country earlier this month, tore through the southern and eastern coastal regions, killing two and causing power outages and flight cancellations.
A tree is uprooted on a sidewalk in the southeastern city of Ulsan on Sept. 3, 2020, after the powerful Typhoon Maysak struck the area. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--(LEAD) U.N. special rapporteur calls for N. Korea's release of political prisoners

Meanwhile , an official of Seoul 's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said that South Korea continues to make efforts @ @ @ @ @ the human rights situation in North Korea as it marks the anniversary of the North @ @ @ @ @ went into effect in 2016 .

(ATTN: ADDS unification ministry's comment on human rights act in last 2 paras)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation has renewed calls for North Korea to release political prisoners, saying that Pyongyang should "follow suit" after Venezuela recently let such people free.
Tomas Ojea Quintana made the appeal in a tweet following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's decision earlier this week to pardon over 100 political prisoners and activists who had been exiled or imprisoned.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea should follow suit. Once again, I urge the Government to release political prisoners, specially older, ill and undernourished, persons with disabilities, children, pregnant and lactating mothers and nursing parents," he said, using the North's official name.
North Korea has long been labeled one of the worst human rights violators as it does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps and keeps tight control over outside information.
The North, however, has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.
According to a report released by Amnesty International in January, the North is presumed to be running four political prisons where torture and various serious human rights violations are being committed.
Meanwhile, an official of Seoul's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said that South Korea continues to make efforts to achieve tangible improvement in the human rights situation in North Korea as it marks the anniversary of the North Korean Human Rights Act that went into effect in 2016.
The official added that efforts are being made to resolve humanitarian issues related to families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, prisoners of war and people abducted by North Korea.
Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, speaks during a news conference in Seoul on June 21, 2019, wrapping up his five-day trip to Seoul to gather information for a report that he is to submit to the U.N. General Assembly in October. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Sep. 4 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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


yna--2020-09-04--Mercedes-Benz appoints new chief for S. Korea operations

When it comes to market share , they accounted for 67 percent of the Korean imported passenger vehicle market during @ @ @ @ @ means 7 out of 10 imported cars sold here were from Germany .

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Mercedes-Benz Korea Ltd. said Friday that Thomas Klein in charge of Mercedes-Benz Middle East will head South Korean operations starting next year.
In May, Mercedes-Benz appointed Bjorn Hauber in charge of the German carmaker's Sweden and Denmark operations as president and CEO of Korean operations, but his appointment was canceled due to personal reasons.
Kim Jee-seop, vice president of the customer service department at Mercedes-Benz Korea, has served as interim head of the company since July, when former Mercedes-Benz Korea President and CEO Dimitris Psillakis left Korea, the company said in a statement.
This file photo provided by Mercedes-Benz Korea shows Thomas Klein, incoming president and CEO of the company next year. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Kim will continue his role until December, and Psillakis began his new position as head of Mercedes-Benz Canada from September, a company spokesman said.
"I will work towards further enhancing the Korean customers' satisfaction for the Mercedes-Benz brand through new and exciting brand experiences amid the global automotive industry's transformation," Klein said in the statement.
In the January-August period, Mercedes-Benz Korea sold 47,613 vehicles in Asia's fourth-biggest economy despite the coronavirus outbreak, up 0.9 percent from 47,201 units a year earlier, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.
German brands, including Audi-Volkswagen and BMW, sold a combined 113,799 autos in the first eight months, up 39 percent from 82,066 units a year ago, it said.
When it comes to market share, they accounted for 67 percent of the Korean imported passenger vehicle market during the eight-month period, which means 7 out of 10 imported cars sold here were from Germany.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--(News Focus) Prospects unclear for U.S. push for NATO-like anti-China mechanism in Indo-Pacific regi

(News Focus) Prospects unclear for U.S. push for NATO-like anti-China mechanism in Indo-Pacific region

`` Whether it 's our friends in India , our friends in Australia , friends in Japan or South Korea @ @ @ @ @ all come to see the risk to their own people , to their own countries @ @ @ @ @ them partner with the United States to push back on every front , '' Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ with a U.S. news network .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- The United States is aggressively striving to build a NATO-like security mechanism in the Indo-Pacific region in an apparent effort to keep a rising China in check, but how many countries will join remains a big question, analysts said Thursday.
The U.S. began floating the idea of a coalition in the Indo-Pacific region a few years back.
So far, only India, Japan and Australia have joined to form what U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun recently labeled as the "Quad."
The U.S. is eyeing to expand and formalize the forum to what is dubbed the "Quad Plus."
In this AFP photo, taken on Sept. 2, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (at podium) holds a press conference at the Department of State in Washington. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The U.S. has named at least three other countries -- South Korea, Vietnam and New Zealand -- as "natural" members of the envisioned Indo-Pacific coalition.
The seven countries -- the quad plus the three -- "will do their very best to advance this combination of interests that we have in the Indo-Pacific," Biegun has said, noting the countries have been holding weekly teleconferences to discuss their joint efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts, however, believe pledging commitment to a formal coalition is an entirely different story, especially when it is viewed as a battle against China.
"I don't see many nations signing up to any sort of NATO-style coalition against Beijing, as many nations across the Indo-Pacific question America's staying power, commitment to alliances and overall ability to project power considering its high debt levels from years of deficit spending and now the coronavirus crisis," said Harry Kazianis, senior director of Korean studies at the Washington-based policy think tank National Interest.
Paik Woo-yeol, a political science professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said the countries are unlikely to pick one side.
"Unlike in the Cold War when countries were completely divided around the United States and the former Soviet Union, middle power states now have more power. They will likely seek to gather in the middle ground that now exists, instead of dividing into two," he told Yonhap News Agency.
Washington's sudden push for an Indo-Pacific coalition, more than two years after it took the initiative, comes amid its growing tensions with Beijing.
The U.S. shut down a Chinese consulate in Houston earlier this year, accusing Chinese diplomats there of spying on the U.S., a move later exacted by China with the shutdown of a U.S. consulate in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
This AP photo, taken on July 23, 2020, show a FedEx worker removing a box from the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Texas, one day after the U.S. ordered the Chinese consulate to be shut down, citing what it called "espionage" activities by Chinese diplomats there. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Paik said what the U.S. seeks to do with a NATO-like coalition is obvious.
"It is crystal clear. It is the next stage of containment where (the U.S.) will press China in all fronts," said the professor. "It is a step up from the stage of constraint."
The U.S. is not hiding its intentions, either.
"Our strategy is to push back against China in virtually every domain," Biegun said Monday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later claimed that South Korea and others will soon join forces with the United States.
"Whether it's our friends in India, our friends in Australia, friends in Japan or South Korea, I think they have all come to see the risk to their own people, to their own countries, and you'll see them partner with the United States to push back on every front," Pompeo said Tuesday in an interview with a U.S. news network.
Such an explicit intent, however, is making it more difficult, if not impossible, for countries such as South Korea to join the Indo-Pacific initiative, which would inevitably portray them as taking sides with the U.S. over China.
"Seoul is in a tough position when it comes to China, its top trading partner, and America, its military ally," says Kazianis. "What would Seoul gain for a NATO alliance with America? Honestly, only pain."
The U.S., however, will continue to seek an expansion of its Indo-Pacific coalition, even under a new president, he argued.
"You will see greater alliance and military capacity building and attempts to forge new alliances with nations like Japan, Vietnam, India and perhaps others. However, many will try to hedge their bets and not want to choose a side, knowing that China isn't going anywhere," said Kazianis.
"Many nations across the Indo-Pacific, and rightly so, will question America's commitment to the region -- no matter who is president," he added.
To many, including South Korea, China's economic prowess exerts a massive influence that simply cannot be ignored. And South Korea was one of the first to realize the crippling effect of China's economic retaliation.
In this file photo, taken Nov. 9, 2017, a duty-free shop in Seoul is nearly deserted amid China's unofficial travel ban on South Korea that was part of its economic retaliation over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in the country. (Yonhap)
South Korea's economic growth slowed to a six-year low of 2.7 percent in 2018, after Beijing began to take retaliatory measures against Seoul in late 2017 over the deployment of the THAAD U.S. missile defense system in South Korea.
In 2019 alone, South Korea's shipments to China came to US$243.4 billion, 23.3 percent of its overall exports and over $32 billion more than South Korean exports to the United States and Japan combined, according to data from the Korea International Trade Association.
Still, the U.S. insists that what it calls China's "predatory" economic activities are only another reason for countries to stand together with the United States against China.
"We built relationships with like-minded nations based on reciprocal trade, not predatory economics, based on respect for the sovereignty of all countries, not a strategy of might makes right," U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The South Korean ambassador to the United States, Lee Soo-hyuck, recently highlighted the dilemma.
"Security alone cannot make one nation survive. Economic activities are as important as security," he said in a webinar hosted by George Washington University's Institute for Korean Studies on Thursday.
"Not one thing is (more) important than the other. Both things, security and economy, should go together," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--(LEAD) Striking doctors set to resume work, more talks over key issues still needed

The doctors have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of @ @ @ @ @ of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with more info throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Thousands of junior doctors are set to return to work soon, ending their two-week strike, as an agreement was reached with the ruling party on Friday to put the government's medical reform scheme on hold amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The pact was reached between a group of representative doctors led by the Korean Medical Association (KMA), and the government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) at 11 a.m.
Interns and residents, as well as some fellow doctors at general hospitals across the country and those belonging to the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA), are expected to return to hospitals soon.
Some 200 professors at Pusan National University Hospital in Busan stage a protest against the government's legal action against striking trainee doctors on Sept. 3, 2020, in this photo provided by the hospital. Medical trainees nationwide had gone on strike since Aug. 7, calling for the government to scrap its plan to expand the number of students at medical schools. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The five-point agreement reportedly includes reviewing all key issues from scratch once again when the novel coronavirus outbreak eases, putting the government plan to increase medical school admission quotas on hold.
The agreement also reportedly called for more talks between the medical sector and the health authorities over a variety of issues ranging from the setup of a new public medical school to health insurance coverage.
The pact also reportedly said a special commission will be launched between the KMA and the DP to address matters that can improve the quality of the country's medical field.
Thousands of trainee doctors working at general hospitals began the strike on Aug. 21 to protest the government's medical reform scheme calling for an expansion of admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022.
Korean Medical Association (KMA) chief Choi Dae-zip answers reporters' questions prior to attending a meeting to map out a proposal in connection with the government's controversial medical reform plan, at the KMA headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020, ahead of an indefinite strike declared by doctors starting on Sept. 7. (Yonhap)
The KMA, which represents some 130,000 doctors across the country, has backed the move, with staff members and major hospitals also siding with trainee doctors and medical students, despite the government's back-to-work orders.
The two-week strike, along with two separate KMA-led nationwide strikes, has disrupted medical services at general hospitals and other medical centers as the country has struggled to contain the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic here.
The country reported 198 new COVID-19 cases, including 189 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,842, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The daily number fell to below 200 for the second consecutive day, but the number of critically ill patients grew to yet another fresh high.
The doctors have also objected to the creation of new public medical institutions that can cater to the needs of rural areas and the provision of more medical insurance coverage for oriental medicine treatment.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun enjoying string of luck in rookie MLB season

Anytime a starter can keep his ERA below 1.00 is impressive , regardless of the sample size .
In recent @ @ @ @ @ statistical analysis has exposed flaws of ERA as an accurate measure of a pitcher 's @ @ @ @ @ defensive mistakes are taken into account -- a run scored because of an error will @ @ @ @ @ pitcher -- but great defensive plays are n't factored into ERA .
It means a @ @ @ @ @ behind him will have an advantage over another pitcher of similar abilities who performs before @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- What is it they say about luck? That you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good?
Kim Kwang-hyun, the South Korean rookie starter for the St. Louis Cardinals, has been riding the wave of some good fortune this season, as he has put together some impressive numbers.
His basic statistics are outstanding. He's 2-0 in five games, including four starts, with a 0.83 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. It's the lowest in Major League Baseball (MLB) among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched. As a starter, that ERA drops to 0.44, with one earned run in 20 2/3 innings.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Anytime a starter can keep his ERA below 1.00 is impressive, regardless of the sample size. In recent years, though, advanced statistical analysis has exposed flaws of ERA as an accurate measure of a pitcher's effectiveness. For one, defensive mistakes are taken into account -- a run scored because of an error will not be charged to the pitcher -- but great defensive plays aren't factored into ERA. It means a pitcher with a good defense behind him will have an advantage over another pitcher of similar abilities who performs before a worse defense.
Fielding independent pitching (FIP) is one metric that attempts to address that issue. FIP does exactly what it sounds like it does: assessing a pitcher's performance independent of the defense behind him, with a focus on events that the pitcher can control -- strikeouts, unintentional walks, hit-by-pitches and home runs.
Some pitchers will have an ERA that's higher than FIP, which generally means they have been unlucky and that their defense has failed him. An ERA that's lower than FIP means the opposite: that the pitcher has been fortunate, either thanks to some strong defense or to lucky bounces.
In this UPI file photo from Aug. 27, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
Kim has a 0.83 ERA but a 3.55 FIP, a gap that's so drastic even in a relatively limited sample size that it may be only a matter of time before Kim's luck runs out.
Kim has indeed had some help from his defense -- most notably, against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 27, when left fielder Tyler O'Neill turned two great plays at the wall to prevent extra-base hits. Right fielder Dexter Fowler made a jumping catch in the same game. There have been some hard-hit balls that have gone right at St. Louis fielders, which explains Kim's unsustainably-low batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of .200. The league average is .289.
That Kim doesn't strike out a ton and doesn't miss a lot of bats also indicates regression may be on the way soon. He has struck out 13.3 percent of the batters he's faced so far, compared to the league average of 23.2 percent. He's allowing 80.4 percent contact rate on his pitches, while the league average is 75.2 percent.
Looking only at pitches thrown into the strike zone, Kim is allowing a contact rate of 93.8 percent, almost a full 10 percentage points higher than the league average. Kim's overall whiff rate, or swinging strikes per swing, is 21.6 percent, below the league average of 24.4 percent.
In this Associated Press file photo from Aug. 22, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals prepares to pitch against the Cincinnati Reds in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
After his most recent start, Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, Kim was asked about his shockingly low ERA. It's unlikely he'd studied his advanced data before or after this game, but Kim acknowledged he's been quite fortunate.
"In English, I may say, 'God bless me,'" Kim said. "Some really well-hit balls have gone straight to my fielders, and they've obviously caught other balls, too."
Kim said he isn't putting too much stock into how poorly batters have fared against him, noting that this is "not a normal season" because of the coronavirus pandemic. The regular season only began in July, instead of the customary March, and the season will only go on for 60 games, down from the usual 162.
"I think the hitters aren't in their optimal form," he said. "I think the real challenges will arise next season. I'll regard this season as a stepping stone for next year."
In this Associated photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--S. Korea's ice cream exports rise 11 pct this year

SEOUL , Sept. 4 ( Yonhap ) -- South Koran exports of ice cream swelled more than 11 percent in @ @ @ @ @ the year despite a slump in the country 's overall overseas shipments , official data @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Koran exports of ice cream swelled more than 11 percent in the first eight months of the year despite a slump in the country's overall overseas shipments, official data showed Friday.
Overseas shipments of South Korean ice-cream products came to US$47 million in the January-August period, up 11.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
Given the current trend, full-year ice cream exports are widely expected to set a new record in 2020. Last year, ice cream exports came to $54.2 million.
The United States was the largest export destination for South Korean ice cream with $12.96 million, up 27.9 percent from the same period a year ago.
China came next with $6.93 million, followed by Canada with $4.81 million, Vietnam with $3.55 million and the Philippines with $3.28 million.
In the eight-month period, South Korea's ice cream imports stood at $28.37 million, with France being the largest exporter at $11.66 million, according to the data.
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Trump says KORUS FTA led to U.S. losses before but now is great

`` Joe Biden supported NAFTA , China 's entry into the world trade .
He supported the Korean deal .
@ @ @ @ @ bad .
It was so bad .
This was a deal ... done by crooked @ @ @ @ @ a deal that was going to produce 250,000 jobs , '' Trump told a group @ @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump again blasted his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden for supporting the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) in its original form, arguing the initial pact only caused losses for the United States.
"Joe Biden supported NAFTA, China's entry into the world trade. He supported the Korean deal. The Korean deal was so bad. It was so bad. This was a deal ... done by crooked Hillary Clinton. This was a deal that was going to produce 250,000 jobs," Trump told a group of supporters in Pennsylvania.
"And she was right, for South Korea (it) produced 250,000. For us, we got nothing. No, we got losses. We got nothing. It was a terrible deal. I renegotiated. Now it's a good deal," he added.
In the file photo, taken Sept. 25, 2018, South Korean President Moon Jae-in (2nd from L) and U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd from R) sign a revision to the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement during Moon's trip to New York. (Yonhap)
Trump has frequently singled out the Korea-U.S. FTA as one of the major failures of the former Barack Obama administration, in which the now Democratic presidential hopeful served as vice president.
The pact was renegotiated in 2018 at the U.S.' request and implemented at the start of last year.
Under the revised free trade pact, Seoul doubled to 50,000 the number of U.S. vehicles entering its market each year without having to meet its industrial regulations.
The U.S., on the other hand, was given a 20-year extension until 2041 for its 25 percent import tariffs on South Korean pickup trucks.
Trump also talked about his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which has also become one of his selling points in the lead up to the Nov. 3 presidential election.
"Remember they always said 'Oh, this Trump. He's radical. He's too radical. He'll get us in wars.' I kept you out of wars," the U.S. president said.
"What happened with North Korea? Look, I get along with Kim Jong-un. They said that's terrible he gets along. No, it's good I get along," he added.
Trump and Kim have held three meetings, including two bilateral summits in June 2018 and February 2019.
Their talks, however, have stalled since their latest summit in Vietnam ended without a deal.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Samsung top tablet vendor in Europe, Middle East and Africa in Q2: report

`` The spike in consumer demand for tablets was driven by the lack of notebooks in the market , '' @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In fact , tablets were not expected to be the first choice for @ @ @ @ @ younger students and children were equipped with tablets instead of notebooks . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. was the top vendor in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) tablet market in the second quarter of the year, a report showed Friday, as its tablet shipments increased nearly 70 percent from a year ago.
Samsung shipped 3.37 million tablets in the EMEA market in the April-June period to take a 28.3 percent market share, up 7.6 percentage points from a year earlier, according to industry researcher International Data Corp. (IDC).
"Samsung retained the lead in EMEA, with a solid performance across the whole region, particularly through large deployments in some developing economies," IDC said.
This photo, provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Sept. 2, 2020, shows the comoany's Galaxy Tab A7 tablet that was introduced at the Life Unstoppable event for European consumers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Apple Inc. fell to second place, as its market share dropped to 21.5 percent, down from 25 percent a year ago, after it shipped 2.56 million iPads.
China's Huawei Technologies Co. came in third with a market share of 15 percent, followed by Lenovo Group Ltd. with 12.1 percent and Amazon.com Inc. with 3.8 percent, IDC data showed.
The EMEA tablet market in the second quarter grew 23.8 percent on-year, with total shipments reaching 11.9 million units, according to IDC, posting its largest growth since 2013.
"The spike in consumer demand for tablets was driven by the lack of notebooks in the market," said Stefania Lorenz at IDC. "In fact, tablets were not expected to be the first choice for home-schooling or home-working, but younger students and children were equipped with tablets instead of notebooks."
IDC said the EMEA tablet market is expected to increase 10.9 percent on-year in the third quarter of 2020 and close the year with 3.7 percent on-year growth.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--(LEAD) New virus cases under below 200 for 2nd day, tougher social distancing likely to be extended

After keeping the new cases of COVID-19 in two-digit figures for more than five months , South Korea added more @ @ @ @ @ 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27 .
It then fell @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 6 paras; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- The number of additional new coronavirus cases stayed below 200 for the second day in a row Friday, but South Korea is likely to extend the enhanced social distancing scheme under way in the greater Seoul as untraceable cases and cluster infections continued to rise.
The country reported 198 new COVID-19 cases, including 189 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,842, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
On Thursday, the country reported 195 new virus cases. South Korea has been posting triple-digit rises for around three weeks due to cluster infections tied to a slew of churches and an anti-government rally in central Seoul in mid-August.
After keeping the new cases of COVID-19 in two-digit figures for more than five months, South Korea added more than 100 cases on Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27. It then fell below 300 on Sunday.
Health authorities implemented an enhanced social distancing scheme Sunday in the greater Seoul, which houses half of the 51-million population.
Under the scheme that runs for a week, restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area can operate normally from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. but then can only offer takeout after that time. Franchise coffee chains can only offer takeaway around the clock.
A worker disinfects a bus terminal in southern Seoul on Sept. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea already has implemented a Level 2 social distancing scheme nationwide since late August under which indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned.
Karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets have been shut down.
Health authorities say the daily increase of around 100 COVID-19 patients is considered a manageable figure under the local medical system. They assess that the current stringent antivirus curbs have helped curb the spread of the virus to some extent.
Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 68 cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province reported 55 cases.
Other municipalities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding 10 cases and the southeastern city of Daegu reporting seven new infections.
As of Thursday, 1,139 cases had been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections. The church members have been blamed for having been lax in implementing strict social distancing rules.
Their infections also have caused multiple stages of transmissions, leading to outbreaks in 27 other locations, including offices and hospitals.
Another 462 virus cases were tied to the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul.
Other sporadic cluster infections were also observed across the nation.
A kimchi factory in Cheongyang, 124 kilometers south of the capital city, has reported 19 infections so far.
A worker disinfects a bus terminal in southern Seoul on Sept. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 157, up three from the previous day and setting a new record since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in late January.
The proportion of new patients with unidentified transmission routes hit a new record high of 24.4 percent over the past two weeks, indicating there could be more unknown infections in local communities. Cluster infections accounted for 41 percent of new outbreaks over the period.
Health authorities said the number of such patients is expected to continue to grow further down the road. The current figure already beats the government's previous estimated peak of 134.
South Korea added two more deaths, raising the death toll to 331. The fatality rate reached 1.59 percent.
The number of newly identified imported cases came to nine.
Among the imported cases, arrivals from China and Russia accounted for two each. There were cases from Turkey, France and the United States as well.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 2,867. Foreign nationals accounted for roughly 36 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 15,783, up 254 from the previous day. Around three-quarters of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,018,906 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Samsung Securities pushing to sell 250 bln won in bonds

In February , Samsung Securities , the brokerage arm of South Korea 's top conglomerate Samsung Group , sold 540 @ @ @ @ @ At that time , the firm had originally planned to sell 300 billion won but @ @ @ @ @ stronger-than-expected demand .

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Major South Korean brokerage house Samsung Securities Co. said Friday it will issue 250 billion won (US$210 million) worth of bonds in an effort to secure liquidity.
Three-year bonds will account for the largest 170 billion won, with five-year and seven-year debt reaching 50 billion won and 30 billion won, respectively, said Samsung Securities.
Samsung Securities said it plans to conduct a demand forecast Wednesday and jack up the amount to a maximum 450 billion won, depending on the result.
Mirae Asset Daewoo Co. and SK Securities Co. will jointly lead manage the bond flotation.
A company official said the bond issuance is designed to raise cash in preparation for future needs amid a good market climate.
In February, Samsung Securities, the brokerage arm of South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group, sold 540 billion won in bonds. At that time, the firm had originally planned to sell 300 billion won but jacked up the amount on stronger-than-expected demand.
The corporate flag of Samsung Securities Co. is hoisted at the entrance of its headquarters in southern Seoul on Sept. 4, 2020, in this photo provided by the company. (PHOTO NOR FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--New virus cases under below 200 for 2nd day, tougher social distancing likely to be extended

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- The number of additional new coronavirus cases stayed below 200 for the second day in a row Friday, but South Korea is likely to extend the enhanced social distancing scheme under way in the greater Seoul as untraceable cases and cluster infections continued to rise.
The country reported 198 new COVID-19 cases, including 189 local infections, raising the total caseload to 20,842, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
On Thursday, the country reported 195 new virus cases. South Korea has been posting triple-digit rises for around three weeks due to cluster infections tied to a slew of churches and an anti-government rally in central Seoul in mid-August.
After keeping the new cases of COVID-19 in two-digit figures for more than five months, South Korea added more than 100 cases on Aug. 14 before the number shot up to 441 on Aug. 27. It then fell below 300 on Sunday.
Health authorities implemented an enhanced social distancing scheme Sunday in the greater Seoul, which houses half of the 51-million population.
Under the scheme that runs for a week, restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area can operate normally from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. but then can only offer takeout after that time. Franchise coffee chains can only offer takeaway around the clock.
Workers disinfect the main hall at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 3, 2020, in this photo released by parliament. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea already has implemented a Level 2 social distancing scheme nationwide since late August under which indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned.
Karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets have been shut down.
Health authorities say the daily increase of around 100 COVID-19 patients is considered a manageable figure under the local medical system. They assess that the current stringent antivirus curbs have helped curb the spread of the virus to some extent.
Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul added 68 cases, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province reported 55 cases.
Other municipalities reported additional infections, with the southwestern city of Gwangju adding 10 cases and the southeastern city of Daegu reporting seven new infections.
As of Thursday, 1,139 cases had been traced to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections. The church members have been blamed for having been lax in implementing strict social distancing rules.
Their infections also have caused multiple stages of transmissions, leading to outbreaks in 27 other locations, including offices and hospitals.
Another 462 virus cases were tied to the Aug. 15 demonstration in central Seoul.
Other sporadic cluster infections were also observed across the nation.
A kimchi factory in Cheongyang, 124 kilometers south of the capital city, has reported 19 infections so far.
Shown in the photo taken Sept. 3, 2020, is a new coronavirus test clinic in eastern Seoul. (Yonhap)
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 157, up three from the previous day and setting a new record since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in late January.
The proportion of new patients with unidentified transmission routes hit a new record high of 24.4 percent over the past two weeks, indicating there could be more unknown infections in local communities. Cluster infections accounted for 41 percent of new outbreaks over the period.
Health authorities said the number of such patients is expected to continue to grow further down the road. The current figure already beats the government's previous estimated peak of 134.
South Korea added two more deaths, raising the death toll to 331.
The number of newly identified imported cases came to nine.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 15,783, up 254 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 2,018,906 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-04--Russian energy company Rosneft denies exporting oil products to N. Korea

`` Rosneft does not supply North Korea and does not conduct any commercial activity in that country , '' the @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As a public company and one of the leaders in the global energy @ @ @ @ @ strict compliance with Russian and international law , corporate standards and in the interests of @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Rosneft, a Russian energy company, has denied supplying oil products to North Korea.
"Rosneft does not supply North Korea and does not conduct any commercial activity in that country," the company said in a statement. "As a public company and one of the leaders in the global energy industry, Rosneft operates in strict compliance with Russian and international law, corporate standards, and in the interests of its shareholders."
The company also said that a media report about its exports "is not factual and aims to harm the industry market competition."
"Publishing information about Rosneft's involvement in supplies of oil products to North Korea is a provocation. The company will apply to the court for the protection of its rights and business reputation," it said.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)