yna--2020-06-01--Newly assigned American soldier tests positive for coronavirus; total infections at 31

The service member arrived at Incheon International Airport on Saturday on a commercial flight , and was transported to mandatory @ @ @ @ @ Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek , some 70 kilometers south of Seoul , according to @ @

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- An American soldier newly assigned to South Korea has tested positive for the coronavirus, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday.
The latest COVID-19 patient brought the total number of infections among troops, their families and those working for the U.S. military here to 31.
The service member arrived at Incheon International Airport on Saturday on a commercial flight, and was transported to mandatory quarantine at a facility on Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, according to USFK.
After testing positive, she was moved to another facility inside the base reserved for virus patients for treatment, it added.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea from overseas are screened for the coronavirus and then quarantined for 14 days.
Passengers wearing masks undergo boarding checks at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on May 27, 2020, when a rule requiring all passengers to wear masks on domestic and international flights was implemented. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Online BTS concert to be available with 'multi-view' service

Big Hit Entertainment said the septet 's fan group , widely known as Army , will be able to enjoy @ @ @ @ @ Bang Con the Live , from six different views for a more personalized , immersive @ @ @ @ @ slated for June 14 ( Korean time ) .

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- An online concert by K-pop boy group BTS, scheduled for later this month, will come with a "multi-view" feature, its agency said Monday.
Big Hit Entertainment said the septet's fan group, widely known as Army, will be able to enjoy the livestreaming event, Bang Bang Con the Live, from six different views for a more personalized, immersive experience. The concert is slated for June 14 (Korean time).
The agency offered the same feature developed by Kiswe Mobile, a video technology startup, at the meet-and-greet event in Osaka, Japan, in December.
The band's 2020 world concert series, Map of the Soul Tour, was partly canceled or postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The June event comes as the band intensifies its online activities at a time when holding a large-scale offline event is nearly impossible.
Last month, BTS provided free online streaming of its previous concerts, eight in total, in order to reach out to fans under self-quarantine. A total of 2.24 million fans connected to the two-day livestreaming event.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows BTS posing for a photo during a global news conference on its new album "Map of the Soul: 7" at COEX in Seoul on Feb. 24, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Parent firm to issue 300 bln won BWs to join Korean Air's rights issue

The holders of BWs will have the right to buy a certain number of shares to be issued by Hanjin @ @ @ @ @ the three years through July 3 , 2023 , the statement said .

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Hanjin KAL Corp., the parent firm of Korean Air Lines Co., said Monday it will issue 300 billion won (US$240 million) worth of bonds with warrant (BWs), mainly to participate in the airline's planned rights issue.
Hanjin KAL held a board meeting to agree to issue the BWs on July 3, with a maturity of three years, to take part in Korean Air's upcoming recapitalization worth 1 trillion won, planned for late July, the company said in a statement.
The holders of BWs will have the right to buy a certain number of shares to be issued by Hanjin KAL at fixed prices during the three years through July 3, 2023, the statement said.
Korean Air, South Korea's largest full-service carrier, plans to raise 1 trillion won by selling stocks in late July as part of a self-help measures as the novel coronavirus impacts the airline sector.
The planned stock sale is one of the options that Korean Air has reviewed to raise the capital needed to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also pushed for sale of its assets to generate cash.
Korean Air's shareholders will be given the rights to buy 79 million stocks to be issued at 12,600 won per share. The new shares will be listed on July 29.
Hanjin KAL owns a 29.96 percent stake in Korean Air.
This photo taken on Feb. 2, 2020, shows Hanjin Group's headquarters building in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Creditors to provide additional 1.2 tln won to Doosan Group

After the creditors ' decision , the group said the additional loan will help ease its immediate liquidity shortage .
@ @ @ @ @ its plan to reorganize its business portfolio , focusing on gas turbine and renewable energy @

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Creditors of cash-strapped Doosan Group decided Monday to provide an additional 1.2-trillion-won (US$1 billion) to the conglomerate.
Main creditors, such as Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank), said they agreed to give financial support at a meeting held on the day.
The creditors have provided a total of 2.4 trillion won to the embattled group since March.
"We have decided to additionally provide 1.2 trillion won (to Doosan Group), accepting its self-rescue plan," the creditors said.
This file photo shows a Doosan Group logo in front of the group's building. (Yonhap)
The cash-strapped group had proposed its self-rescue plan to secure 3 trillion won by selling its non-core assets and shares.
It has been widely said that Doosan Heavy suffered setbacks in business due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus and the poor performance of its construction affiliate, Doosan Engineering & Construction Co.
Another reason for the setback has reportedly been the shift of the country's energy policy from nuclear and fossil fuel-based power generation to renewable energy sources, such as solar power. The group is a key player in the commercial nuclear field.
After the creditors' decision, the group said the additional loan will help ease its immediate liquidity shortage. It will also speed up its plan to reorganize its business portfolio, focusing on gas turbine and renewable energy.
Doosan Co., the parent of Doosan Heavy Industries, and the major shareholders of the group will reportedly join in the capital increase of Doosan Heavy Industries by selling new stocks.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(LEAD) S. Korea sends rotational troops to South Sudan along with medical equipment

The fresh batch of the 270-strong unit was supposed to be dispatched in March , but it was delayed as @ @ @ @ @ other foreign nations not to send new troops due to the coronavirus .
The deployment @ @ @ @ @ troops came after the African country allowed their arrival in an exception to entry restrictions @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES 2nd para for latest)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea sent additional rotational peacekeeping troops to South Sudan on Monday, along with medical supplies to help the African country handle the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said.
The first echelon of the 12th batch for Hanbit Unit was dispatched to the war-torn nation in May after months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the remainder headed for the country on a chartered flight later in the day, according to the ministry.
"The 12th batch has been fully prepared for the COVID-19 situation. The members underwent virus tests twice, and all tested negative. They have also been quarantined for over five weeks, and were given necessary quarantine supplies," the ministry noted.
Upon South Sudan's request for emergency medical supplies to deal with the coronavirus, the defense ministry decided to deliver around 10,000 test kits and 20,000 face masks via the flight, according to the ministry.
South Sudan has been struggling with the health crisis. As of Thursday, it reported 806 confirmed cases, and key government officials, including the vice president and the defense minister, contracted the virus.
Masks and other daily necessaries will also be delivered to the South Koreans residing there, according to the ministry.
On its way back, the flight will bring home the remaining troops of the 11th batch who have been there to perform basic surveillance duties until a fresh contingent arrives. Most of the previous contingent returned home in March without replacement.
The fresh batch of the 270-strong unit was supposed to be dispatched in March, but it was delayed as South Sudan asked Seoul and other foreign nations not to send new troops due to the coronavirus. The deployment of the South Korean rotational troops came after the African country allowed their arrival in an exception to entry restrictions.
South Korea began troop deployments to South Sudan in 2013 at the United Nation's request in accordance with a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at assisting peaceful reconstruction work.
The African nation declared its independence from its Arab-dominated northern neighbor, Sudan, in July 2011 after decades of civil war that killed more than 2 million people.
South Korean troops to be dispatched to South Sudan on peacekeeping missions salute during a send-off ceremony at the Special Warfare Command base in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on May 18, 2020, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Auto sales dip 36 pct in May amid pandemic

Hyundai and Kia restarted all of their overseas plants last week but the plants have yet to return to normal @ @ @ @ @ are set to be suspended for several more days this month to control inventories .

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's vehicle sales plunged 36 percent last month from a year earlier as the new coronavirus outbreak continued to dent demand for cars, with overseas sales hit particularly hard, industry data showed Monday.
The country's five carmakers -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- sold a combined 423,416 vehicles in May, down from 665,136 units a year ago, according to data from the companies.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, the country's two biggest carmakers, suspended operations of their major overseas plants until late May and parent firms of the three other carmakers reduced production to control inventories amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This photos show logos of the country's five carmakers: (clockwise from top L) Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SsangYong Motor, GM Korea and Renault Samsung Motors. (Yonhap)
Hyundai and Kia restarted all of their overseas plants last week but the plants have yet to return to normal operations. Some domestic plants are set to be suspended for several more days this month to control inventories.
Hyundai has seven domestic and 10 overseas plants, whose combined annual capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles. Kia has eight domestic and seven overseas ones whose capacity reaches 3.84 million units.
In May, Hyundai's overall sales dropped 39 percent to 217,510 units from 358,567, while Kia's declined 33 percent to 160,913 from 238,943 during the same period.
"The company will make efforts to minimize the negative impact of the coronavirus on vehicle sales in global markets and focus on securing stable sales networks despite the virus," Hyundai said in a statement.
Hyundai and Kia are widely expected to miss their combined sales target of 7.54 million autos for this year. They sold a total of 7.2 million units in 2019.
The two carmakers had planned to focus on boosting sales in the U.S. market this year to offset tepid demand in China, the world's biggest automobile market.
They originally planned to launch Hyundai's Tucson sport-utility vehicle, Hyundai's independent Genesis brand's GV80 SUV and G80 sedan and Kia's Sportage SUV in the U.S. later this year but they are still awaiting shipment to the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This photo taken on May 29, 2020, shows vehicles awaiting shipment at the port of Hyundai Motor's main Ulsan plant, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
GM Korea was the worst performer. Its sales plunged 40 percent on-year to 24,778 units last month from 41,060.
SsangYong Motor's sales dropped 32 percent to 8,254 from 12,122, while Renault Samsung's fell 16 percent to 11,929 from 14,228 due to lack of new models and the coronavirus impact.
SsangYong's Indian parent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.'s recent decision not to invest into the Korean unit further drove down its vehicle sales.
Renault Samsung has yet to secure export volume for the XM3 compact SUV from its French parent Renault S.A. to replace the now suspended output volume of Nissan Motor Co.'s Rogue SUV at its sole plant in Busan, 450 kilometers south of Seoul.
Renault Samsung used to produce about 100,000 Rogues a year for exports under a manufacturing contract with Nissan. But the production stopped in March as Nissan cut the output allocation to the plant, citing output losses caused by labor strikes.
From January to May, the five carmakers sold 2,471,186 vehicles, down 22 percent from 3,187,474 a year earlier.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(2nd LD) S. Korea sharply cuts 2020 growth outlook amid pandemic, but expects strong rebound next ye

(2nd LD) S. Korea sharply cuts 2020 growth outlook amid pandemic, but expects strong rebound next year

`` Situations in the second quarter may be worse than in the first quarter , but we judge that positive @ @ @ @ @ the third quarter should the pandemic ease from the third quarter of the year , @ @ @ @ @ press conference .

(ATTN: RECAST headline; ADDS more details with minister's remarks on additional relief funds in last 4 paras)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday sharply slashed its growth estimate for the year, but expected a strong economic rebound next year on the back of massive fiscal spending, vowing to adopt "all possible means" to help Asia's fourth-largest economy chug along amid the pandemic.
The finance ministry revised down its growth outlook to 0.1 percent from the 2.4 percent forecast late last year.
Such a sharp cut follows the outbreak of the new coronavirus that has infected more than 6 million people globally. Some 11,500 South Koreans have been infected since the country reported its first confirmed case on Jan. 20.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (2nd from R) speaks during a press conference in Seoul, on June 1, 2020. South Korea cut its growth estimate for the year to 0.1 percent, but expected a strong rebound in 2021. (Yonhap)
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said his ministry is not ruling out the possibility of a contraction this year given strong headwinds from the pandemic.
"Situations in the second quarter may be worse than in the first quarter, but we judge that positive growth may be attainable from the third quarter should the pandemic ease from the third quarter of the year," Hong said in a press conference.
The minister said an economic rebound of more than 3 percent is expected next year.
The sharp cut in the ministry's growth projection is still higher than those by others.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) last week projected the country's economy will contract 0.2 percent this year, the slowest since 1998. It marks a sharp downward revision from the 2.1 percent growth forecast in February.
The ministry expects a proposed increase in its fiscal spending to help somewhat offset the economic fallout from the virus outbreak.
It has already secured over 20 trillion won in two extra budgets and is pushing for a third supplementary budget that many believe will be larger than the first two combined.
The BOK said its latest projection did not take into account the third supplementary budget.
"There clearly exist downside risks, but the government estimate is based on the consideration of various policy measures including extra budget," Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Bang Ki-seon said. "It will do its utmost to make sure the country's economic growth will reach the 0.1 percent target this year."
The state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI) earlier noted that the first two extra budgets alone may expand the country's GDP by 0.5 percentage point this year.
The government said it has front-loaded 35.3 percent of its annual spending in the first three months of the year, and that it plans to execute 62 percent of its annual budget before the end of June.
It has also pledged a 250 trillion-won (US$203.7 billion) aid package for local businesses hit by the new coronavirus.
Partly on such stimulus efforts, the government said the South Korean economy is expected to rebound by 3.6 percent next year.
Such growth, however, will not represent a complete recovery from the slump caused by COVID-19, it noted.
"The government estimated the economy to rebound to 3.6 percent growth next year. This certainly is higher than the country's growth potential. However, it must be noted that it will rebound from a low base," a ministry official said.
The BOK forecast the local economy to expand 3.1 percent on-year in 2021 under its basic case scenario.
The KDI, which estimated the country's economy will grow 0.2 percent this year, has forecast a 3.9 percent on-year expansion in 2021.
The latest outlook revision came as the country's exports dropped for the third consecutive month in May due to the growing economic fallout from the pandemic that has disrupted the global supply chain.
Outbound shipments dipped 23.7 percent to hit $34.8 billion last month, compared with $45.7 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The country's exports dropped 1.4 percent on-year in March, followed by a whopping 25.1 sink in the following month.
Exports were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
The finance minister said his ministry does not have a plan to provide additional relief money to citizens, defying calls from some politicians that more emergency relief funds are necessary to help ordinary people overcome virus-hit hardship.
"Being in charge of fiscal affairs, we are hardly considering it," Hong told reporters, adding that the government had not reviewed it at all.
Early last month, the government began offering relief funds totaling 14.3 trillion won to all households. Of the total, some 12.68 trillion won has been distributed so far.
The amount of the handouts varies from 400,000 won for single-person households to 1 million won for households with four or more members.
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(Yonhap Interview) Kim Mu-yeol thinks 'Intruder' opens a new chapter in his acting career

`` This was my first time playing a father .
I 'm happy that I opened a new chapter of @ @ @ @ @ step higher , '' said Kim , who tied the knot with actress Yoon Seung-ah @ @ @ @ @ child .
`` I 'm glad that I 'm walking on the right process of @ @ @ @ @ as a young man in the past , a father in the present , and @ @ @ @ @ probably . ''

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- In the action-adventure film "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil," which was invited to last year's Cannes Film Festival, Kim Mu-yeol played an ambitious, hot-tempered and physically-imposing young police officer. He was big and muscular enough to make his presence felt opposite Ma Dong-seok, who is known for his rock-solid build and masculinity, as the powerful kingpin of a criminal ring.
About a year later, Kim appears in totally different shape in the upcoming mystery thriller "Intruder." He plays a tall, lanky architect, named Seo-jin, who suffers from psychoneurosis after witnessing his wife's death in a car accident.
A scene from "Intruder" by Acemaker Movieworks, provided by the company (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
For the sensitive, even neurotic, character who regularly undergoes psychotherapy, Kim went on a diet and lost more than 20 kilograms.
"Due to the diet, I forgot what my original shape was and even who I was," Kim said in an interview on Monday. "After watching the movie at the press screening last week, I was surprised that I was so thin."
During the shooting of the film, he said he played basketball at a small makeshift court that the film staff made for him to keep his weight down.
"Intruder," directed and written by Sohn Won-pyeong, is a story about Seo-jin's doubt and anxiety after his missing sister returns home and breaks up the family.
But the diet was not the only thing that he took care of for the movie, he said. He studied the feeling and behavior of Seo-jin, a father who thinks he is on the verge of losing his six-year old daughter.
For the 38-year old actor, who debuted as a musical theater actor in 2002 then expanded his career to film, it marked his first role as a father in his nearly 20-year career.
He asked his friends with children about paternity and watched them carefully.
A scene from "Intruder" by Acemaker Movieworks, provided by the company (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"This was my first time playing a father. I'm happy that I opened a new chapter of my acting and rose one step higher," said Kim, who tied the knot with actress Yoon Seung-ah in 2015 but has no child. "I'm glad that I'm walking on the right process of acting step by step, as a young man in the past, a father in the present, and a grandfather in the future probably."
As "Intruder" became the first South Korean commercial movie to be released after the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim hopes the movie will help film buffs return to theaters.
"It was so strange that people sat in the theater with an empty seat between them," he said. "I wish for all people to enjoy movies without health concerns as the pandemic ends soon."
"Intruder" will hit local screens Thursday.
Actor Kim Mu-yeol in this photo provided by Acemaker Movieworks (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Women's national football coach pledges cooperation with domestic clubs

`` One of the important aspects ( of the meeting ) was to make sure that everybody is aware that @ @ @ @ @ as a national team , and we can only be successful when club coaches are @ @ @ @ @ hard , '' Bell said .
`` I think it 's important to honor the @ @ @ @ @ the club level .
We wanted to get together and make it 'our ' national @ @ @ @ @ . ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea women's national football head coach Colin Bell said Monday he'll be working closely with coaches of domestic clubs, stressing the importance of building mutual trust through continued communication.
Bell met with head coaches of the eight clubs in the semi-professional WK League at the Korea Football Association (KFA) House on Monday. In the press conference that followed, the Englishman insisted that the national team program can't be successful without the help and support of clubs.
Colin Bell, head coach of the South Korea women's national football team, speaks at a press conference at the Korea Football Association House in Seoul on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
"One of the important aspects (of the meeting) was to make sure that everybody is aware that we want to be successful as a national team, and we can only be successful when club coaches are working very well and very hard," Bell said. "I think it's important to honor the work that's done at the club level. We wanted to get together and make it 'our' national team, and not mine."
To that end, Bell has agreed not to schedule matches during the September international window and will instead have matches during October and November. The new WK League season begins in two weeks.
"We've agreed to leave the September window for WK League so they can carry on playing," Bell said. "It's a very important message that we're sending out that we're helping each other."
Bell will use the October and November windows to prepare his team for Olympic qualifying matches in February next year.
South Korea will take on China in the two-legged playoff series, with a spot at the Tokyo Olympics on the line. Those matches were originally scheduled for March this year but were pushed back multiple times before the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), following the one-year postponement of the Olympics, settled on Feb. 19 and 24, 2021.
With international football on hold for much of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bell acknowledged preparation has been difficult but that it's been the case for everyone else, too.
Colin Bell, head coach of the South Korea women's national football team, speaks at a press conference at the Korea Football Association House in Seoul on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
"I think in life, you just have to adapt to situations," he said. "Things we can't influence, we don't worry about. Things we can influence, we do them 100 percent. We now know when we play China. We're confident we'll be as well prepared as possible."
Bell said he met with some national team players recently to catch up over coffee, and he came away impressed with how they've been able to stay disciplined during the inactive period brought on by the pandemic.
"I know the work ethic of the players is very good," he said. "They're full professional, and they'll be adapting to the situation and trying to make the best of it."
South Korea are ranked 18th in the world, three spots below China. In 37 all-time meetings, South Korea have four wins, six draws and 27 losses against China.
South Korea, dubbed the Taeguk Ladies, have never played in the Olympic women's football tournament.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Remains of S. Koreans killed in Korean War to return home from Hawaii this month

The remains have been kept by the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency ( DPAA ) after being recovered in joint @ @ @ @ @ and North Korea from 1996-2005 or handed over by the North to the U.S. following @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June 2018 .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry said Monday it will bring home about 120 sets of remains of South Korean soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War from Hawaii this month as part of projects to mark the 70th anniversary of the conflict.
The remains have been kept by the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) after being recovered in joint excavations between the United States and North Korea from 1996-2005 or handed over by the North to the U.S. following the first summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June 2018.
The remains were identified as those of South Koreans through forensic testing, officials said.
Their repatriation is scheduled to take place between June 19 and June 25, with the ministry looking to mobilize the country's KC-330 aerial tanker, they added.
President Moon Jae-in puts war medals on the remains of 64 South Korean soldiers killed in North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, which arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, southeast of Seoul, from Hawaii on Oct. 1, 2018, Armed Forces Day. (Yonhap)
It is one of 15 projects that the Seoul government is pushing for throughout the year to commemorate the 70th year of the outbreak of the war, where South Korean, American and other international soldiers fought to repel invading Chinese and North Korean forces.
Of nearly 2 million people from 22 countries who took part in the war under the U.N. flag, 37,902 were killed, 103,460 wounded and 9,767 remain unaccounted for, according to Seoul government data.
To express gratitude for their sacrifice, the ministry plans to hold a variety of commemorative events for veterans and their members.
"We are reviewing holding events in four nations between October and December. We will seek other ways, such as delivering gifts and thank-you notes, if such visits are not possible (due to the coronavirus)," a ministry official said.
The government will also mark the victory of three key battles -- the Battle of Incheon, the Nakdong River battle and the Battle of Chuncheon -- by holding ceremonies and establishing centers to allow visitors to experience the historic moments by maximizing the latest technologies.
Cultural and academic events, such as exhibitions and an international forum, are also planned to raise public awareness about the tragic incidents and national security and to promote the country's achievements over the past decades, according to the ministry.
The military musical "Return: The Promise of the Day" is set to be staged around June 16, drawing keen attention, as it is to involve a group of high-profile K-pop stars, including members of popular boy bands EXO and Wanna One, the ministry said.
"We will push for the projects while fully complying with the government's quarantine and safety measures against the COVID-19 virus," the ministry said in a release. "We will strive to present diverse events to give the people a deep impression."
Veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War from U.N. allied nations place flowers in front of a cenotaph for their fallen comrades during a visit to the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan Ward on Nov. 12, 2019. (Yonhap)
Veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War from U.N. allied nations place flowers in front of a cenotaph for their fallen comrades during a visit to the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan Ward on Nov. 12, 2019. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(LEAD) Defense chief calls for border troops' watertight posture after N.K.'s DMZ gunfire

`` Most of the planned projects ( under the peace initiative ) are to take place in border areas .
@ @ @ @ @ work closely with ministries concerned to ensure the security and safety of visitors , '' @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo visited the Ground Operations Command on Monday and called on troops near inter-Korean border areas to maintain a watertight combat posture, his office said.
His visit to the command in Yongin, southeast of Seoul, came after a May 3 incident inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where four bullets from North Korea hit a South Korean guard post (GP) in the central border town of Cheorwon, leading South Korean troops to return fire.
Most of the inter-Korean border areas are the Army command's area of responsibility.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo speaks during his visit to the Ground Operations Command in Yongin, south of Seoul, on June 1, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Units in charge of operations for GPs and GOPs should ensure a full military readiness posture to perfectly respond to any circumstances," Jeong said. GOP means a general outpost located along the southern limit line, while GPs are inside the buffer zone.
The minister also stressed the military's role in establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and its efforts to fully implement the inter-Korean military agreement signed in 2018.
"Most of the planned projects (under the peace initiative) are to take place in border areas. So, the command should work closely with ministries concerned to ensure the security and safety of visitors," the minister said.
Those projects include the resumption of a tour program to the truce village of Panmunjom and the extension of the trail courses of the DMZ Peace Trail programs.
This photo taken on Sept. 19, 2019, shows a North Korean guard post on the northern side of the Demilitarized Zone viewed from a South Korean observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Ministry spokesperson Yoh Sang-key stressed , however , that the envisioned revision is nothing more than upgrading an already existing @ @ @ @ @ and does not in any way mean that the government is trying to abruptly speed @ @ @ @ @ against global sanctions .

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
----------------
S. Korea to revise law on inter-Korean exchanges to allow N.K. firms to do business in South
SEOUL -- South Korea is pushing to revise a law governing inter-Korean exchanges in a way that allows North Korean firms to do business in the South as part of efforts to further promote cross-border exchanges and peace, the unification ministry said Monday.
Ministry spokesperson Yoh Sang-key stressed, however, that the envisioned revision is nothing more than upgrading an already existing regulation into a formal law and does not in any way mean that the government is trying to abruptly speed up cooperation with the North against global sanctions.
----------------
Sampling blunder by BTS member serves as cautionary tale for K-pop act going forward
SEOUL -- A recent audio sampling controversy surrounding BTS member Suga's new album shows that even global K-pop superstars are not bulletproof from potential public relations debacles.
It highlights the inevitable risks associated with celebrities trying to step up their game on the international stage amid heightened calls for political correctness.
----------------
Some S. Korean-owned shops suffer damage from U.S. protests, no casualties reported: ministry
SEOUL -- The government has identified 26 cases of property damage at South Korean-owned stores across the United States due to violent protests that erupted over the death of a black man at the hands of police, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
No casualties have been reported from Korean communities in connection with the demonstrations, the ministry said, citing updates received from the South Korean consulates in the U.S.
----------------
(LEAD) Moon: Korean New Deal designed for 'pacesetting' economy
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in announced plans Monday for a string of big-spending government projects, including the Korean version of the New Deal, to ride out the economic crisis from COVID-19, presenting South Korea's "pacesetting" economic vision.
Moon confirmed the government's push for the biggest-scale supplementary budget in the country's history, as he presided over the sixth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
----------------
(LEAD) Incheon reports 23 church-related virus cases
INCHEON -- At least 23 infections traced to a local church were reported in the western port city of Incheon on Monday, raising alerts over additional new coronavirus cases in the wider metropolitan area.
They include 13 pastors, five family members and five churchgoers. Of them, 18 people attended a meeting at a church in the Incheon ward of Michuhol on Thursday, according to city officials.
----------------
(LEAD) Cram school infections up worries ahead of school reopening
SEOUL -- A rise in infections linked to cram schools in South Korea's capital has raised alarm over school reopening, with more students set to return to classrooms later this month.
Following months of closure, South Korea began to resume in-person classes in May as new coronavirus cases in the country appeared to be slowing.
----------------
S. Korea cuts 2020 growth estimate to 0.1 pct amid pandemic, sees sharp rebound in 2021
SEOUL -- South Korea on Monday sharply slashed its growth estimate for the year, joining many others in a gloomy outlook for Asia's fourth-largest economy hit by a virus-triggered slump in global trade.
The finance ministry revised down its growth outlook to 0.1 percent from the 2.4 percent forecast late last year.
----------------
S. Korea to center on post-pandemic recovery, job creation in H2
SEJONG -- South Korea will implement its economic policy in the second half of this year to revive the nation's economy, which has been significantly hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, and create more jobs, the finance ministry said Monday.
The economy is expected to grow 0.1 percent this year, a sharp cut from a 2.4 percent growth the ministry had predicted last December and would mark the lowest growth in about two decades, according to the ministry.
----------------
(4th LD) S. Korea again gripped by church-linked cluster infections in greater Seoul area
SEOUL -- Cluster infections at churches are again putting health authorities on edge Monday following a series of mass infections tied to clubs and a distribution center after the country eased social distancing and millions of students went back to schools.
South Korea reported 35 additional cases of the new coronavirus, including 30 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,503, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(LEAD) S. Korea sharply cuts this year's growth outlook amid pandemic, but expects strong rebound in

(LEAD) S. Korea sharply cuts this year's growth outlook amid pandemic, but expects strong rebound in 2021

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS more details in paras 4-6, last 4 paras)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday sharply slashed its growth estimate for the year, but expected a strong economic rebound next year on the back of massive fiscal spending, vowing to adopt "all possible means" to help Asia's fourth-largest economy chug along amid the pandemic.
The finance ministry revised down its growth outlook to 0.1 percent from the 2.4 percent forecast late last year.
Such a sharp cut follows the outbreak of the new coronavirus that has infected more than 6 million people globally. Some 11,500 South Koreans have been infected since the country reported its first confirmed case on Jan. 20.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (2nd from R) speaks during a press conference in Seoul, on June 1, 2020. South Korea cut its growth estimate for the year to 0.1 percent, but expected a strong rebound in 2021. (Yonhap)
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said his ministry is not ruling out the possibility of a contraction this year given strong headwinds from the pandemic.
"Situations in the second quarter may be worse than in the first quarter, but we judge that positive growth may be attainable from the third quarter should the pandemic ease from the third quarter of the year," Hong said in a press conference.
The minister said an economic rebound of more than 3 percent is expected next year.
The sharp cut in the ministry's growth projection is still higher than those by others.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) last week projected the country's economy will contract 0.2 percent this year, the slowest since 1998. It marks a sharp downward revision from the 2.1 percent growth forecast in February.
The ministry expects a proposed increase in its fiscal spending to help somewhat offset the economic fallout from the virus outbreak.
It has already secured over 20 trillion won in two extra budgets and is pushing for a third supplementary budget that many believe will be larger than the first two combined.
The BOK said its latest projection did not take into account the third supplementary budget.
"There clearly exist downside risks, but the government estimate is based on the consideration of various policy measures including extra budget," Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Bang Ki-seon said. "It will do its utmost to make sure the country's economic growth will reach the 0.1 percent target this year."
The state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI) earlier noted that the first two extra budgets alone may expand the country's GDP by 0.5 percentage point this year.
The government said it has front-loaded 35.3 percent of its annual spending in the first three months of the year, and that it plans to execute 62 percent of its annual budget before the end of June.
It has also pledged a 250 trillion-won (US$203.7 billion) aid package for local businesses hit by the new coronavirus.
Partly on such stimulus efforts, the government said the South Korean economy is expected to rebound by 3.6 percent next year.
Such growth, however, will not represent a complete recovery from the slump caused by COVID-19, it noted.
"The government estimated the economy to rebound to 3.6 percent growth next year. This certainly is higher than the country's growth potential. However, it must be noted that it will rebound from a low base," a ministry official said.
The BOK forecast the local economy to expand 3.1 percent on-year in 2021 under its basic case scenario.
The KDI, which estimated the country's economy will grow 0.2 percent this year, has forecast a 3.9 percent on-year expansion in 2021.
The latest outlook revision came as the country's exports dropped for the third consecutive month in May due to the growing economic fallout from the pandemic that has disrupted the global supply chain.
Outbound shipments dipped 23.7 percent to hit US$34.8 billion last month, compared with $45.7 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The country's exports dropped 1.4 percent on-year in March, followed by a whopping 25.1 sink in the following month.
Exports were expected to rebound from last year's 10 percent drop in annual exports, which was mostly attributable to the weak global chip prices coupled with the Sino-American trade war.
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(4th LD) S. Korea again gripped by church-linked cluster infections in greater Seoul area

In yet another alarming sign of further spread in the Seoul metropolitan area , 23 cases have been traced to @ @ @ @ @ , west of Seoul , and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Cluster infections at churches are again putting health authorities on edge Monday following a series of mass infections tied to clubs and a distribution center after the country eased social distancing and millions of students went back to schools.
South Korea reported 35 additional cases of the new coronavirus, including 30 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,503, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Monday's tally marked a slight rise from 27 identified the previous day. But the daily number of new cases appears to be on a downward trend after hitting a nearly two-month high of 75 on Thursday.
In yet another alarming sign of further spread in the Seoul metropolitan area, 23 cases have been traced to 13 small churches in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital.
This photo, taken June 1, 2020, shows a church in Incheon, west of Seoul, where cluster infections of the new coronavirus were reported. (Yonhap)
Health authorities are again awakened by a steady rise in new cases connected to religious gatherings where worshipers gather without fully complying with hygiene steps.
Since May, there have been 74 cases linked to religious events nationwide, the KCDC said.
In February, the country saw a sharp rise in virus cases tied to church services of a minor sect in the southeastern city of Daegu, once the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.
"Until infection risks fall in the greater Seoul area, we ask people not to hold offline religious gatherings," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing.
The country is still grappling with cases traced to a logistics center run by e-commerce leader Coupang in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, and infections tied to Seoul's nightlife area of Itaewon.
At least 112 cases have been linked to the distribution facility since the first patient was confirmed in late May.
The total caseload tied to the Itaewon outbreak reached 270 as of noon.
"Seoul's metropolitan area needs more stringent responses as new virus infections and cases whose transmission routes are not traceable have sprung up sporadically," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said in a separate briefing.
The Gyeonggi provincial government ordered citizens not to gather at infection-prone facilities, such as warehouses, call centers, and funeral and wedding halls, for two weeks until June 24.
Incheon issued similar orders to around 4,200 religious facilities to stem community spread.
People line up to get tested for the new coronavirus at a walk-thru testing site at a park in Seoul on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
Alarmed by the spike in virus cases, health authorities have imposed a tighter social distancing campaign in the densely populated metropolitan area of Seoul and the surrounding region over the next two weeks through June 14.
After 45 days of stricter social distancing, the country switched to the "everyday life quarantine" scheme in early May, enabling citizens to carry out social and economic activities under quarantine rules.
Health authorities remain on alert over further community spread as more students are scheduled to go back to schools this week.
The third phase of school reopenings will be ready Wednesday for some 1.8 million students.
Following a monthslong closure due to the virus outbreak, high school seniors became the first to attend in-person classes on May 20. The fourth and last phase of school resumptions is set for June 8.
The education ministry said as of 10 a.m., 607 schools nationwide suspended or delayed reopening due to the pandemic.
A teacher and a government official disinfect toys and teaching materials at a child care center in Gwangju, 329 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on June 1, 2020, following the suspension of its operation over the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The KCDC, meanwhile, unveiled quarantine measures for beaches as some 270 beaches across the country are set to open for the summer season.
The agency called on citizens to use relatively small beaches and refrain from making group visits to reduce infection risks.
The country added five imported cases and reported one additional death, raising the total death toll to 271. The fatality rate was 2.36 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,422, up 17 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 921,391 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(LEAD) Seoul stocks climb to near 3-month high on hopes of economic recovery

A third supplementary budget , if realized , will mark the first of its kind in over five decades since @ @ @ @ @ the government bill on the proposed budget will be submitted to the parliament before the @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS lead to clarify a third supplementary budget is not unprecedented in South Korea; ADDS additional background in 6th para, bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed sharply higher Monday on hopes of a quick economic recovery prompted by a government push for a third supplementary budget and eased concerns over tensions between the United States and China. The Korean won sharply rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) surged 35.48 points, or 1.75 percent, to close at 2,065.08, the highest reading since March 5. Trading volume was moderate at about 982.5 million shares worth some 9.6 trillion won (US$7.9 billion), with winners outnumbering losers 709 to 166.
Foreigners purchased a net 110.3 billion won, with institutions scooping up a net 326.3 billion won. Retail investors offloaded a net 447.4 billion won for profit-taking.
An electronic signboard at a KEB Hana Bank trading room in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) up 35.48 points, or 1.75 percent, to close at 2,065.08 on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in confirmed the government's push for this year's third supplementary budget, which he said must be the largest in the country's history, prompting hopes for a quick recovery of the economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"President Moon's comments on the third supplementary budget seemed to have cast a positive influence over the stock market," HI Investment & Securities analyst Park Sang-hyun said.
A third supplementary budget, if realized, will mark the first of its kind in over five decades since 1969. The president said the government bill on the proposed budget will be submitted to the parliament before the end of this week.
The stock index started off strong with improved investor sentiment, helped by the milder-than-expected U.S.-China political friction over Beijing's passage of a new national security law that may severely undermine civil liberties of Hong Kong citizens.
The set of countermeasures announced by U.S. President Donald Trump came with harsh rhetoric but lacked specifics, leaving room for a possible de-escalation of tensions in the future.
"Mr. Trump has had many difficulties from the new coronavirus, and seems to be averting that pressure by maintaining the U.S.-China tension to a certain degree that does not harm his home economy," Park said.
In Seoul, most large caps traded higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.99 percent to 51,200 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix spiked 2.58 percent to 83,600 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics added 1.13 percent to 629,000 won, while Celltrion jumped 6.56 percent to 227,500 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor climbed 2.04 percent to 100,000 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors advancing 1.02 percent to 34,600 won.
The local currency closed at 1,225.0 won per dollar, up 13.50 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys gained 0.5 basis point to 0.831 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 2.2 basis points to 1.119 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--(LEAD) Cram school infections up worries ahead of school reopening

In the remaining two phases scheduled for this week and next week , students in grade one of high schools @ @ @ @ @ of middle schools , and grades three to six of elementary schools will begin in-person @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 12, 15-16)
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A rise in infections linked to cram schools in South Korea's capital has raised alarm over school reopening, with more students set to return to classrooms later this month.
Following months of closure, South Korea began to resume in-person classes in May as new coronavirus cases in the country appeared to be slowing.
Under a plan involving four rounds of reopening, students enrolled in grades two and three of high schools, grade three of middle schools, and grades one and two of elementary schools have returned to classrooms.
In the remaining two phases scheduled for this week and next week, students in grade one of high schools, grades one and two of middle schools, and grades three to six of elementary schools will begin in-person classes.
A health worker sprays disinfectant at a cram school classroom in the western Seoul ward of Yangcheon on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
The plan, however, is facing challenges, as a recent rise in infections at private education institutes are fanning fears over possible transmission at schools.
A cram school in the western Seoul neighborhood of Yeouido has reported infections, including a tutor, two students and a mother of one of the students.
In another case, a family member of a high school student enrolled at several cram schools in the western Seoul neighborhood of Mokdong has tested positive, raising alarm over possible transmission among students. The high school student has tested negative.
Similar cases have been reported across the capital, including one case where a kindergartner contracted the virus from an art tutor at a cram school.
Schools in affected areas have rescheduled their reopening to prevent bigger repercussions. As of 10 a.m., there were 607 schools nationwide, or 2.9 percent of all kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools, that have adjusted their reopening, according to the education ministry.
Most of the schools were in Seoul and the surrounding area, including 251 in Bucheon, west of Seoul, where an infection cluster broke out at a logistics center run by online retailer Coupang.
There were also 153 schools in the Incheon ward of Bupyeong, as well as 102 in Seoul.
Meanwhile, around 34,870 students and 2,962 school staff have been tested for the virus since schools reopened on May 20. Of the total, five students and two staff members have tested positive.
This photo, from May 31, 2020, shows a person standing in front of a building of cram schools in the western Seoul ward of Yangcheon. (Yonhap)
The education ministry said it plans to ramp up inspection of private institutes over their quarantine measures.
Officials have advised cram schools to strictly follow the guidelines, warning that those who breach the rules could be fined and face punishment if infections occur.
An industry organization, however, voiced concerns over excessively regulating the industry based on cases identified in a fraction of cram schools.
"A majority of cram schools across the country are going through difficulties stemming from extended closures since February, with some even considering closing their business," the association of cram schools said in a statement, stressing that most institutes have been strictly following quarantine guidelines.
South Korea on Monday reported 35 new virus cases, raising the country's COVID-19 caseload to 11,503.
Of the 35 cases, 30 were local infections reported in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The remaining were imported cases.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--Mask sales go smoothly on 1st day of abolishing designated day-only purchase rule

As mask prices skyrocketed amid massive new coronavirus outbreaks here in February , the government introduced the mask rationing system @ @ @ @ @ nationals to buy at first two and then three masks every week at the price @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.22 ) each on a designated weekday in accordance with the last digit of @ @ @ @ @ Saturdays and Sundays , masks were available for anyone who did not purchase them during @ @ @

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- No signs of major disruptions such as long queues of customers were spotted at drugstores nationwide Monday, the first day South Korea lifted the designated day-only purchase rule in its protective mask rationing aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting Monday, South Koreans are entitled to buy three government-distributed protective masks, known as "public masks," at local drugstores every week without having to visit drugstores on a designated day of the week.
As mask prices skyrocketed amid massive new coronavirus outbreaks here in February, the government introduced the mask rationing system on March 9, allowing nationals to buy at first two and then three masks every week at the price of 1,500 won (US$1.22) each on a designated weekday in accordance with the last digit of their birth year. On Saturdays and Sundays, masks were available for anyone who did not purchase them during the weekdays.
The government lifted the designated day-only rule in distributing public masks, starting this week, on the back of stabilization in the mask supply as well as the country's largely flattening curve of COVID-19 cases.
Even as the eased rule on mask distribution went into effect Monday, no lines of customers waiting to buy masks were reported nationwide, a sign that the new rule is likely to take root smoothly.
No lines of customers are seen in Seoul's famous drugstore district in Jongno on June 1, 2020, the first day South Korea lifted the designated day-only purchase rule in its protective public mask rationing. (Yonhap)
A street in Jongno, central Seoul, which is known for hosting a cluster of drugstores, remained as uncrowded Monday morning as any other day.
Handwritten signs reading "masks all sold out," often seen on drugstores' front doors in the initial phases of the mask rationing system, gave way to new signs saying "public masks available for purchase on any day."
"In the first stage of the new coronavirus outbreaks, there were long lines already even before the stores opened. After the mask rationing started, such a phenomenon disappeared," a drugstore worker in the area told Yonhap News Agency.
At another drugstore in Seongdong Ward in eastern Seoul, an ample stockpile of public masks as well as other varieties such as cotton and surgical masks, were on display, waiting for customers to pick up.
"I forgot to wear a mask while coming out for work this morning. It's such a relief that I can buy a mask to wear to work," an office worker surnamed Jeong said after purchasing a mask at the drugstore.
He said, "I wish the price (for public masks) would go down as the situation improved."
Under the eased mask rationing rules, children and students age 18 and under are entitled to buy up to five masks every week, a special allowance permitted as the country is striving to prevent outbreaks at schools in the belated back-to-school season.
In small towns where drugstores are rare, post offices and supermarkets run by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation distribute public masks as before.
As of late May, South Korea's daily mask production rose to some 14.7 million, up 389 percent from December when the production reached about 3 million per day.
As the demand for public masks started to wane in April, the demand for the rationed masks also dropped to some 40 million per week.
As the summer season approaches, South Korea is also planning to double the country's production of surgical masks, which are slightly less effective in blocking droplets of saliva but better for breathability. The targeted distribution is nearly 1 million every day.
On the first day of the eased rule, South Korea distributed nearly 8.7 million public masks to drugstores, post offices, state-designated supermarkets and medical centers.
A customer holds a bundle of masks for himself and his family after purchasing them at a drugstore in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul, on June 1, 2020. No standing in line was necessary. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-01--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 1, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 1, 2020

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


yna--2020-06-02--N. Korea's main paper highlights leader Kim's love for people

The article is seen as a warning toward officials to tighten their social and moral discipline while allaying public grievances @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of the virus in the North have been ongoing for nearly four months in @ @ @ @ @ international sanctions .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's main newspaper stressed leader Kim Jong-un's devotion and love for his people Tuesday as the impoverished country struggles amid the double whammy of coronavirus concerns and deepening economic woes.
The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party, carried the message in an editorial on its front page, saying Kim focuses on "prioritizing and showing ardent love towards his people." A monthly magazine by the party also published the editorial.
"Our marshal's political belief is that any behavior that tries to reign on people and violates the interests of the people should be punished regardless of their position and contribution to the country," it said.
The paper then touted Kim's swift response to the coronavirus, such as holding a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party to declare the launch of a national emergency system in February.
It also urged people to follow juche (self-reliance) with no exceptions or compromise, saying Kim's political belief is to "never trade the country's dignity for a pot of rice or money."
The article is seen as a warning toward officials to tighten their social and moral discipline while allaying public grievances as efforts to prevent an outbreak of the virus in the North have been ongoing for nearly four months in an economy already faltering under international sanctions.
The North has jointly published editorials in the past to urge its people to tighten their disciple and emphasize self-reliance at times of growing international and domestic pressure.
Pyongyang's state media outlets have emphasized the importance of self-reliance frequently since its leader said in December that he expects no easing in sanctions from the United States and called for a "frontal breakthrough" to tackle challenges.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends a ceremony to mark the completion of a phosphatic fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on May 1, 2020, in this photo released the next day by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. The event marked Kim's first public appearance after a 20-day absence that sparked rumors about his health. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Church-tied virus cases on steady rise ahead of further school reopenings

A string of virus cases traced to churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new @ @ @ @ @ country is still wrestling with cases tied to nightclubs and a distribution center in the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's virus fight hit another snag Tuesday as church-linked cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continued to rise ahead of further school reopenings, a key feature of eased social distancing.
The country identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
All of the new domestic cases were reported in Seoul and Incheon, west of Seoul.
Quarantine officials disinfect areas outside a church in Suwon, south of Seoul, on June 1, 2020, as church-linked virus cases were reported. (Yonhap)
A string of virus cases traced to churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new source of concerns as the country is still wrestling with cases tied to nightclubs and a distribution center in the greater Seoul area.
But the daily number of new infections appears to be on a downward trend after it hit a nearly two-month high of 75 on Thursday amid spiking cases tied to the logistics center west of Seoul.
At least 40 cases have been traced to churches in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, according to the KCDC and local governments.
Health authorities remain skittish about the possibility that sporadic church-traced cases could lead to a potential new wave of mass infections in the densely populated area.
In February, the country saw a sharp rise in virus cases tied to church services of a minor sect in the southeastern city of Daegu, once the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak here.
This photo, taken June 1, 2020, shows only a few people outside duty-free shops at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway west of Seoul, as duty-free operators suffer business setbacks over the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
South Korea has seen a slowdown in cases linked to a distribution center run by e-commerce leader Coupang in Bucheon and Seoul's nightlife area of Itaewon.
At least 112 cases have been linked to the distribution facility since the first patient was confirmed in late May.
The total caseload tied to the Itaewon outbreak reached 270 as of noon Monday, according to the KCDC.
Sporadic cluster infections are putting health authorities to the test as more students are set to return to schools.
Some 1.8 million students will go back to school Wednesday as part of the third phase of school reopenings after high school seniors became the first group to do so on May 20.
After 45 days of stricter social distancing, the country switched to the "everyday life quarantine" scheme in early May, enabling citizens to carry out social and economic activities under quarantine rules.
The country, meanwhile, added two imported cases and reported one additional death, raising the total death toll to 272. The fatality rate was 2.36 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,446, up 24 from the previous day.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(URGENT) 24 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,44

(URGENT) 24 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,446: KCDC


yna--2020-06-02--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 more virus death, death toll now at 272: KCDC


yna--2020-06-02--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 38 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 11,541: KCDC


yna--2020-06-02--Lufthansa to resume flights to S. Korea this month

KLM has provided flights from Incheon to Amsterdam , though it reduced the number of flights amid the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ increased the number of flights on the Incheon-Amsterdam route to five from three a week @ @ @ @ @ by phone .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Lufthansa German Airlines said Tuesday it will resume flights to South Korea later this month, as the new coronavirus outbreak appears to have passed its peak.
Lufthansa will offer three flights a week from Incheon to Munich starting on June 24, as European countries plan to ease entry restrictions on incoming passengers from June 15, the company said in a statement.
"Lufthansa will do its best to strengthen and supplement its European and continental air networks to meet the needs of Korean travelers, while also making sure customers travel safely," Alejandro Arias, Lufthansa general manager of Korea, said in the statement.
This file photo, provided by Lufthansa, shows an A350 plane flying in the sky. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The company said the resumption of flights to Frankfurt depends on market conditions.
Lufthansa suspended all flights on its routes from Incheon to Munich and Frankfurt in mid-March in response to a sharp decline in air travel demand amid virus fears.
Among European carriers, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the only airline that has continued to offer flights between South Korea and the Netherlands.
KLM has provided flights from Incheon to Amsterdam, though it reduced the number of flights amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, it increased the number of flights on the Incheon-Amsterdam route to five from three a week, a company spokeswoman said by phone.
Air France and Finland's state-owned airline Finnair plan to resume flights to Korea in July. Other European carriers, such as British Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Polish Airlines, have yet to announce plans to restart services to Korea.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--S. Korea, Kazakhstan discussing repatriation of Korean freedom fighter's remains this year

`` We are discussing with the Kazakh side the repatriation within this year to mark the 100th anniversary of the @ @ @ @ @ , we hope that the repatriation will take place as early as August , though @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus situation , '' a ministry official said .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is in talks with Kazakhstan to bring home the remains of one of the legendary Korean independent fighters, Hong Beom-do, this year, officials said Tuesday.
Hong was general commander of the Korean independence army during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule and claimed victories in battles against Japanese forces in Manchuria, including the Battle of Fengwudong in 1920. He died in Kazakhstan in 1943 and is still buried there.
In his address during the March 1 independent movement ceremony this year, President Moon Jae-in said that Hong's remains will be repatriated on the occasion of the Kazakh president's visit to South Korea.
But the plan has been delayed due to the global COVID-19 situation.
"We are discussing with the Kazakh side the repatriation within this year to mark the 100th anniversary of the Fengwudong battle. If possible, we hope that the repatriation will take place as early as August, though things are quite flexible due to the coronavirus situation," a ministry official said.
In April 2019, two Korean independence fighters were laid to rest here after their remains were returned from the Central Asian country.
The Fengwudong battle is called the first great victory in the war of independence, with Korean freedom fighters killing 157 Japanese troops and injuring around 300 others in June 1920.
This photo, provided by Professor Ban Byung-yool of the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies on Dec. 30, 2019, shows Korean independence fighter Hong Beom-do (L) posing for a photo along with Gen. Choi Jin-dong in Moscow in January 1922. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(2nd LD) Korea's inflation dips 0.3 pct in May, first fall in 8 months

It was the second time that the annual inflation rate fell below zero since the statistics agency began releasing the @ @ @ @ @ country 's inflation slipped 0.4 percent on-year in September last year .

(ATTN: ADDS vice finance minister's remarks in paras 11-13)
By Kim Deok-hyun
SEJONG, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices fell 0.3 percent on-year in May due mainly to a fall in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, marking the first annual decline in eight months, data showed Tuesday.
The May tally compares with a 0.1 percent on-year gain in March, according to the data released by Statistics Korea.
The nation's inflation fell 0.2 percent on-month, the data showed.
Core inflation, which excludes agricultural and petroleum products, rose 0.5 percent from a year earlier.
Utility prices fell 0.7 percent on-year last month, while prices of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products climbed 3.4 percent on-year in May, the data showed.
It was the second time that the annual inflation rate fell below zero since the statistics agency began releasing the data in 1965. The country's inflation slipped 0.4 percent on-year in September last year.
Ahn Hyung-joon, a senior official at Statistics Korea, told reporters that the decline in the May inflation rate was mainly attributed to a plunge in oil prices.
Social distancing rules have also weighed on prices in the service sector, Ahn said.
In May, prices of petroleum products plunged 18.7 percent on-year, the data showed. Prices of livestock products rose 7.2 percent from a year earlier, and prices of processed foodstuffs rose 1.3 percent.
Automobile prices, on the other hand, slipped 2.2 percent on a government tax break aimed at promoting consumption.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom said downside risks to inflation are growing as economic activities have contracted due to social distancing and weaker consumption.
Consumer prices could vary depending on how the nation's economy responds to the pandemic, Kim said.
The government will spare no efforts to prevent lower inflation from deterring investment and consumption, Kim said.
South Korea's consumer prices had increased at less than 1 percent for 12 consecutive months before growing 1.5 percent in January, followed by a 1.1 percent increase the following month
Slowing inflation may give the Bank of Korea (BOK) more room to ease its monetary policy.
Last week, the BOK slashed its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.5 percent as the nation's economy is expected to grow at the slowest pace in over two decades amid the pandemic.
The rate cut came a little over two months after the BOK cut the base rate to 0.75 percent from 1.25 percent in its first emergency rate cut since October 2008.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Seoul stocks open higher on U.S. gains

Seoul stocks open higher on U.S. gains

The gains were mainly attributed to the optimism over the U.S. post-lockdown economic reopening , bucking Sino-U.S. political tensions over @ @ @ @ @ new national security law for Hong Kong .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street amid investors' expectations for economic reopening in the United States.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 10.03 points, or 0.49 percent, to 2,075.11 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The gains were mainly attributed to the optimism over the U.S. post-lockdown economic reopening, bucking Sino-U.S. political tensions over Beijing's passing of a new national security law for Hong Kong.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 91.91 points, or 0.36 percent, to close at 25,475.02 on Monday (New York time).
In Seoul, large caps traded mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.20 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slipped 0.36 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics shed 0.48 percent, with leading chemical maker LG Chem advancing 1.39 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor climbed 0.50 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors advanced 1.30 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1222.15 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.85 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--'D-2' by BTS' Suga debuts at No. 11 on Billboard 200

`` D-2 , '' Suga 's second solo project , became the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 by a @ @ @ @ @ Korean solo artists who previously made it on the Billboard 200 were also BTS members @ @ @ @ @ charting as high as 26th and 38th , respectively .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The latest mixtape by BTS rapper-singer Suga debuted at No. 11 on Billboard's main albums chart, according to the U.S. music publication's social media Tuesday.
Suga's new mixtape, "D-2," released May 22, ranked 11th on the Billboard 200 chart this week, Billboard said via its Twitter account @billboardcharts.
"D-2," Suga's second solo project, became the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 by a Korean solo artist. Other Korean solo artists who previously made it on the Billboard 200 were also BTS members, with RM and J-Hope charting as high as 26th and 38th, respectively.
Upon its May 22 release, the album immediately climbed to No. 1 on the iTunes "top album" charts in 80 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, France, Sweden, Japan and Peru.
The album's main track, "Daechwita," also dominated the iTunes' list of "top songs" in 50 nations and regions across the world.
A promotional image for BTS member Suga's mixtape "D-2," provided by Big Hit Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--S. Korean firms ink US$58 mln laver export deals with Japan

Japan is a major destination for South Korean dried laver .
The association had held face-to-face meetings in Tokyo in @ @ @ @ @ decided to have a videoconference this year due to the coronavirus pandemic .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- More than 40 South Korean companies have struck deals worth 71.6 billion won (US$58 million) with Japanese firms for the export of dried laver, the fisheries ministry said Tuesday.
The deals were reached in a videoconference hosted by the Korea Fishery Trade Association and five Japanese civilian organizations on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The amount is up 20.9 percent from a year earlier and accounts for nearly 88 percent of total exports by 46 South Korean firms that participated in the annual bidding and consultation meeting.
In terms of volume, the deals represent a 25.1 percent increase from the previous year.
Dried laver, called "gim" in Korean, is usually roasted with sesame oil and fine salt and served as a side dish with Korean meals. Snacks made of gim have gained popularity among foreigners in recent years.
Japan is a major destination for South Korean dried laver. The association had held face-to-face meetings in Tokyo in the past, but it decided to have a videoconference this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The deals come amid frayed bilateral relations. Japan remains mum on South Korea's repeated calls to swiftly lift restrictions on exports of three key industrial materials, which were imposed in July last year in a row over wartime forced labor.
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung mulling return to S. Korean league: source

An official with the Pink Spiders said he had heard from the Korean Volleyball Federation ( KOVO ) that Kim @ @ @ @ @ added , `` The most important thing is what the player herself wants .
We @ @ @ @ @ her directly . ''

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean volleyball icon Kim Yeon-koung is considering a return to the domestic league, a source close to the player said Tuesday, amid uncertainty in international markets caused by the new coronavirus pandemic.
The source confirmed an earlier television news report that Kim has left open the possibility of reuniting with the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in South Korea's V-League. She made her professional debut with the team in 2005.
Kim, 32, became a free agent after her two-year deal with the Turkish club Eczacibasi VitrA expired last month.
An official with the Pink Spiders said he had heard from the Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) that Kim may seek a return but added, "The most important thing is what the player herself wants. We'd like to hear from her directly."
Kim, widely regarded as the greatest South Korean female volleyball player ever, spent her first four seasons with the Pink Spiders. Kim then left for Japan to join JT Marvelous on a loan deal, beginning an international career that also took her to Turkey, China and back to Turkey.
In this file photo from Feb. 20, 2020, South Korean volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung poses for photos at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, before departing for Turkey. (Yonhap)
Kim wasn't a free agent when she first left the V-League, and the Pink Spiders retained their rights to Kim by placing her on the "voluntarily retired" list.
If Kim were to play in the V-League again, the Pink Spiders must first reinstate her from that list. Then they can either choose to sign her or trade her.
After her stint in Turkey ended, Kim had been linked to China. But Kim may ultimately choose clarity and stability in South Korea during the pandemic.
One pressing issue is the salary cap. For the 2020-2021 season, the cap for the women's V-League teams has been set at 2.3 billion won (US$1.8 million). The Pink Spiders have already spent 1 billion won on re-signing outside hitter Lee Jae-yeong and then acquiring her twin sister Lee Da-yeong via free agency.
While Kim's exact salary figure hasn't been made public, she has reportedly been one of the highest-paid female volleyball players in the world.
Kim has won numerous championships and individual awards in a 15-year career. She was named the MVP of the women's volleyball tournament at the 2012 London Olympics, where South Korea finished in fourth place.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 9, 2020, Kim Yeon-koung of South Korea (L) hits a spike against Alessya Safronova of Kazakhstan in their countries' Pool B match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(LEAD) Korea's inflation dips 0.3 pct in May, first fall in 8 months

Last week , the BOK slashed its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.5 @ @ @ @ @ economy is expected to grow at the slowest pace in over two decades amid the @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS remarks, details from 6th para)
By Kim Deok-hyun
SEJONG, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices fell 0.3 percent on-year in May due mainly to a fall in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, marking the first annual decline in eight months, data showed Tuesday.
The May tally compares with a 0.1 percent on-year gain in March, according to the data released by Statistics Korea.
The nation's inflation fell 0.2 percent on-month, the data showed.
Core inflation, which excludes agricultural and petroleum products, rose 0.5 percent from a year earlier.
Utility prices fell 0.7 percent on-year last month, while prices of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products climbed 3.4 percent on-year in May, the data showed.
It was the second time that the annual inflation rate fell below zero since the statistics agency began releasing the data in 1965. The country's inflation slipped 0.4 percent on-year in September last year.
Ahn Hyung-joon, a senior official at Statistics Korea, told reporters that the decline in the May inflation rate was mainly attributed to a plunge in oil prices.
Social distancing rules have also weighed on prices in the service sector, Ahn said.
In May, prices of petroleum products plunged 18.7 percent on-year, the data showed. Prices of livestock products rose 7.2 percent from a year earlier, and prices of processed foodstuffs rose 1.3 percent.
Automobile prices, on the other hand, slipped 2.2 percent on a government tax break aimed at promoting consumption.
South Korea's consumer prices had increased at less than 1 percent for 12 consecutive months before growing 1.5 percent in January, followed by a 1.1 percent increase the following month
Slowing inflation may give the Bank of Korea (BOK) more room to ease its monetary policy.
Last week, the BOK slashed its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.5 percent as the nation's economy is expected to grow at the slowest pace in over two decades amid the pandemic.
The rate cut came a little over two months after the BOK cut the base rate to 0.75 percent from 1.25 percent in its first emergency rate cut since October 2008.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Tuesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 2 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


KOSPI 2,061.45 DN 3.63 points (open)


KOSDAQ 737.67 UP 1.95 points (open)


yna--2020-06-02--Dollar opens at 1,224.0 won DN from 1,225.0 won


yna--2020-06-02--Trump needs to reach burden-sharing deal with S. Korea: U.S. lawmaker, expert

`` Trump may still look to China to help him cut an eleventh-hour deal with his purported friend Kim to @ @ @ @ @ after the election in return for sanctions-lifting .
But that would be a bad move @ @ @ @ @ motivations : politics and desperation , '' they said .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, June 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump should reach a defense cost-sharing agreement with South Korea and work together to counter North Korea's nuclear threat, an American lawmaker and a Korea expert said Monday.
In a joint contribution to The Washington Post, Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., and Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, lamented the impasse in defense cost-sharing talks between South Korea and the United States.
"Rather than focusing on near- and long-term threats posed by the North Korean regime, Washington and Seoul are entirely absorbed by a petty dispute over who pays for what," they wrote.
This file photo shows Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif. (Yonhap)
Trump has "hijacked" the negotiations and demanded that an ally pay more than 400 percent more than what it paid last year under the Special Measures Agreement, while rejecting South Korea's offer of a 13 percent increase, they argued.
And North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent absences from public view have only underscored the importance of close coordination between Seoul and Washington in dealing with Pyongyang, they said.
"Perhaps it is Trump's nature to obsess about tactical negotiations over money. But this particular dispute comes at a larger strategic cost," the two wrote, citing research from the CSIS that suggests the cost-sharing talks are undermining the South Korean public's support for the alliance.
"This is not in U.S. interests," they wrote. "South Korea is not only a military ally of the United States, one that has fought with us in every war since the Korean War. Seoul is also a key partner on a host of global issues including climate change, nonproliferation, development assistance and global pandemics."
This file photo shows Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. (Yonhap)
The two countries need to shift their attention away from the tactical to the strategic, according to Bera and Cha. Bera is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation.
"The two allies (as well as Japan) need to coordinate contingency plans for any potential instability in North Korea resulting from a leadership or health crisis that China might exploit to assert a sphere of influence over the Korean Peninsula," they wrote.
They also cautioned against any attempt by Trump to reach a premature deal with North Korean leader Kim ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.
"Trump may still look to China to help him cut an eleventh-hour deal with his purported friend Kim to freeze further weapons testing until after the election in return for sanctions-lifting. But that would be a bad move born out of two base motivations: politics and desperation," they said.
"The U.S. president would be better off reaching a cost-sharing deal with Seoul and working together with all of America's allies on a strategy to face the security challenges ahead."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Banks' SME lending grows faster than usual in May

Meanwhile , their outstanding loans to large companies came to 88.9 trillion won at the end of May , up @ @ @ @ @ previous month and far lower than April 's increase of 5.8 trillion won .
( @ @

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Banks' lending to smaller firms grew at a faster pace than usual in May due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, sources said Tuesday.
The five major lenders -- KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and Nonghyup -- had 471.4 trillion won (US$384 billion) in outstanding loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as of end-May, up 7.4 trillion won from a month earlier.
It marked the second-largest monthly gain since September 2015, when data tracking began. Their SME loans expanded by a record 8.4 trillion won in April this year.
Watchers said bank SME lending surged in May as small companies and merchants took a big hit from tumbling consumer spending sparked by the coronavirus outbreak.
Also responsible were government calls for banks to expand financial support for smaller businesses, they added.
The data also showed unsecured bank loans to individuals increasing by 1.07 trillion won in May, nearly double the 497.6 billion won gain in April.
A bank official said salaried workers and self-employed people probably rushed to take out bank loans amid an economic slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, their outstanding loans to large companies came to 88.9 trillion won at the end of May, up 385.3 billion won from the previous month and far lower than April's increase of 5.8 trillion won.
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(3rd LD) S. Korea's Q1 growth revised up but still lowest in over decade

Under worse than currently anticipated conditions , such as the peak in the COVID-19 pandemic being reached not in the @ @ @ @ @ third quarter or later , the South Korean economy is expected to shrink by as @ @ @ @ @ year , it has said .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; RECASTS paras 6-8 to correct figures; UPDATES with more details in paras 9-10)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy shrank at a slightly less-than-expected rate in the first quarter that still marked the slowest growth in over a decade on the growing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, central bank data showed Tuesday.
The country's real gross domestic product (GDP) contracted 1.3 percent from three months earlier in the January-March period, 0.1 percentage point lower than the expected 1.4 percent contraction in advance data, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The 1.3 percent contraction marks the biggest on-quarter drop since a 3.3 percent fall posted in the last three months of 2008, it noted.
From the same period last year, real GDP expanded 1.4 percent in the January-March period.
The photo, taken June 1, 2020, shows a nearly deserted duty-free zone at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, amid a sharp decline in the number of people arriving to and departing from South Korea caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
In the first quarter, South Korea witnessed a severe slump in nearly all economic and industrial sectors.
Its exports slipped 1.4 percent from three months earlier, with its imports falling 3.6 percent on-quarter.
The output by its manufacturing sector slipped 1 percent, and that by its service sector dipped 2.4 percent.
Private consumption plunged 6.5 percent on-quarter, apparently on reduced spending caused by the spread of the new coronavirus, marking the sharpest drop since the first quarter of 1998, when the country was struggling to overcome the economic hit from the Asian financial crisis.
"On the expenditure side, private consumption went down 6.5 percent, as expenditures on goods and services both decreased," the BOK said.
"Exports fell by 1.4 percent, due to decreases in motor vehicles and machinery despite an increase in semiconductors. Imports also fell by 3.6 percent, owing to decreased imports of crude oil and motor vehicles," it added.
South Korea had implemented strict social-distancing rules until early May, nearly freezing all business activities while prodding people to stay home to avoid possible infection.
The only relief came from increased government spending, which added 1.4 percent from three months earlier.
The country has already won two supplementary budgets to boost the local economy and is pushing for a third extra budget that it says will likely be the largest in the country's history.
This undated file photo shows containers carrying export goods in the southeastern city of Busan, South Korea's largest seaport. (Yonhap)
Still, the central bank believes increased government spending alone will not be enough to keep Asia's fourth-largest economy growing.
The South Korean central bank has sharply cut its 2020 growth outlook to a 0.2 percent contraction, down from a 2.1 percent growth forecast in February.
Under worse than currently anticipated conditions, such as the peak in the COVID-19 pandemic being reached not in the second quarter but in the third quarter or later, the South Korean economy is expected to shrink by as much as 1.8 percent this year, it has said.
The government on Monday revised down its own growth outlook to 0.1 percent from the previous 2.4 percent forecast late last year, apparently taking into account its plans for an unprecedentedly large third extra budget.
The BOK said its latest growth projection did not include considerations for a third budget but said the local economy may post a positive growth should conditions at home and abroad improve quicker than currently anticipated.
Meanwhile, the BOK said the economy expanded 2.9 percent on-year in 2018 in its latest and final figures for the year, compared with a 2.7 percent gain earlier estimated.
The country's gross national income (GNI) or per capita income has also been slightly revised up to US$33,564 in 2018 from an earlier estimate of $33,434.
In 2019, the country's real GDP grew 2 percent on-year, same as earlier estimates, but its per capita income has been slightly revised up to $32,115 from $32,047.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Doosan Heavy provides 200 bln won in emergency funds to India affiliate

`` The COVID-19 outbreak has caused delays in construction work that has been compounded by the unexpected spike in materials @ @ @ @ @ the plants , '' a Doosan source said .
He added that difficulties in securing @ @ @ @ @ have pushed the parent company to take immediate action .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industry & Construction said Tuesday that has provided 200 billion won (US$164 million) in emergency funds to its Indian affiliate that has suffered from a liquidity shortage brought on the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The company said in an official regulatory filing that the money has been sent to Doosan Power System India Private Ltd. (DPSI) that is currently engaged in six thermal power plant construction projects on the subcontinent worth some 4 trillion won.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has caused delays in construction work that has been compounded by the unexpected spike in materials needed for the building of the plants," a Doosan source said. He added that difficulties in securing loans on the financial market have pushed the parent company to take immediate action.
Doosan said that DPSI has some 300 billion won worth of outstanding payments, and is engaged in talks to readjust the price of materials it needs to complete the works.
It said businesses that owe Doosan's Indian affiliate money and put off meeting their obligations have complained of tough challenges caused by the coronavirus.
Doosan heavy said that it has secured the funds by offering collateral to state-run Korea Development Bank and Export-Import Bank of Korea.
The collateral offered includes stocks in the heavy industry company and real estate holdings.
Corporate logo of Doosan Heavy Industry & Construction (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Newly assigned American soldier tests positive for coronavirus; total infections at 32

The service member arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek , some 70 kilometers south of Seoul , on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ , and was in mandatory quarantine at a facility of nearby Camp Humphreys , according @ @ @

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- An American soldier newly assigned to South Korea has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday.
The latest COVID-19 patient brought the total number of infections among the USFK population to 32.
The service member arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on Saturday on a U.S.-government chartered flight, and was in mandatory quarantine at a facility of nearby Camp Humphreys, according to USFK.
After testing positive, he was moved to another facility inside the base reserved for treatment of virus patients, it added.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea from overseas are screened for the coronavirus and then quarantined for 14 days.
USFK has reported several virus patients among its service personnel who arrived here recently from their home country -- two on Saturday and one on Monday.
"USFK health professionals determined there was limited contact tracing due to the soldier being immediately quarantined, and conducted thorough cleaning of the bus and quarantine room," the U.S. military said in a release.
A military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver to screen entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus on Feb. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by United States Forces Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Court denies arrest warrant for former mayor over alleged sexual assault

The court said charges against Oh are very serious but it did n't deem detention of Oh to be necessary @ @ @ @ @ the necessary evidence has been secured .

BUSAN, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A Busan district court on Tuesday denied an arrest warrant for a former mayor of South Korea's second-largest city over sexual assault allegations.
The Busan District Court dismissed the prosecution's request for the warrant to detain former Mayor Oh Keo-don on charges of indecent act by compulsion.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don leaves the Busan Police Agency in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, following questioning on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Oh is alleged to have sexually assaulted a city employee at his office in early April. He stepped down from the post on April 23 after apologizing to the victim in a press conference.
The court said charges against Oh are very serious but it didn't deem detention of Oh to be necessary or justified, as all the necessary evidence has been secured.
Oh, who ran as a candidate for the Democratic Party, was elected as mayor of Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in 2018. The party expelled him in late April.
The mayoral post is being temporarily filled by the city's vice mayor for administrative affairs until a by-election is held in April 2021.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Hyundai Steel halts production at Dangjin works

Industry observers said that unless the global pandemic comes under control and there is a rebound in the market , @ @ @ @ @ have to shutter more operations to reduce costs .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Steel, South Korea's No. 2 steelmaker, said Tuesday that its has halted production of its electric arc furnace plant on South Korea's western coast due to weak demand.
The company, part of Hyundai Motor Group, said some operations were halted at the Danjin Integrated Steelworks, 123 kilometers south of Seoul, starting this week. It said orders have dwindled to near zero for June.
In the past, the steel mill tried to cope with weak sales by scaling back production.
"The COVID-19 outbreak caused a sharp drop in demand," a corporate insider said.
Industry observers said that unless the global pandemic comes under control and there is a rebound in the market, Hyundai Steel and others will have to shutter more operations to reduce costs.
The mill is a major producer of hot rolled steel sheets through either the electric arc or conventional blast furnace. Steel products made by an electric furnace are well known for small profit margins, with electric furnaces returning even less for the manufacturer.
The future of the arc furnace will be decided through consultation with workers.
Before the latest move by Hyundai Steel, the country's largest steelmaker, POSCO, as well as Dongbu Steel, stopped electric furnace operation in the face of weak demand.
This file photo by Hyundai Steel shows the Danjin Integrated Steelworks, 123 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)