yna--2020-10-13--T'way Air to deploy 2 passenger jets to carry cargo

With an approval from the Korean and Chinese aviation authorities , the carrier plans to operate the Wuhan route until @ @ @ @ @ season .
For the winter season , from late October through the end of March @ @ @ @ @ approval from the authorities .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- T'way Air, a South Korean low-cost carrier, said Tuesday it will deploy two passenger jets as cargo planes as it strives to survive the coronavirus crisis.
T'way Air will begin using two of its 27 B737-800 passenger jets to carry cargo on the Incheon-Ho Chi Minh City route in early November as the COVID-19 pandemic has driven down travel demand and its earnings, the company said in a statement.
The company will place the cargo, such as textiles and electronic parts, on the seats of the two B737-800s and it will consider utilizing more passenger jets for cargo delivery depending on market conditions, it said.
This undated file photo provided by T'way Air shows a B787-800 passenger jet flying in the sky. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Cargo-carrying demand has jumped this year as more than 180 countries and territories have closed their borders or imposed entry restrictions on incoming passengers amid virus fears.
Increased cargo demand helped airlines offset a sharp decline in air travel demand in the April-June quarter.
Korean Air Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's two biggest carriers, have already converted some of their passenger jets into cargo planes to absorb rising cargo demand.
T'way Air suspended most of its international routes in March.
The company began flights to the Chinese city of Wuhan on Sept. 16, marking the reopening of the air service to the epicenter of the virus outbreak after eight months.
With an approval from the Korean and Chinese aviation authorities, the carrier plans to operate the Wuhan route until Oct. 24 for the summer season. For the winter season, from late October through the end of March, it plans to seek approval from the authorities.
T'way was originally scheduled to begin services on the Wuhan route on Jan. 21, but the outbreak of the deadly respiratory illness temporarily suspended the plan.
T'way resumed flights to Yanji on Aug. 20 to meet business demand. It has been operating a sharply reduced number of flights on domestic routes since March.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) S. Korea seeks balanced regional development under New Deal projects

The fund will consist of 3 trillion won in government investment , 4 trillion won in investment from state-run financial @ @ @ @ @ from private financial firms and the public , the ministry said .

(ATTN: ADDS remarks in paras 6-7, photo)
SEJONG, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to pursue balanced regional development under Korean-version New Deal projects that aim to boost growth of the coronavirus-hit economy, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Tuesday.
In a policy meeting chaired by President Moon Jae-in, Hong said the central government will give local governments more leeway in implementing the projects.
In July, South Korea said it will invest 160 trillion won (US$137 billion) by 2025 under the bold stimulus package that will create 1.9 million jobs and kick-start the virus-ravaged economy.
Of the total spending, 75.3 trillion won will be spent for projects outside the capital of Seoul, Hong said.
To help local governments better implement such projects, the central government will provide tax and other financial incentives to them, Hong said.
"Balancing regional development" is one of the key parts to successfully implement the New Deal projects, Hong told the meeting.
The central government will "actively set up relevant infrastructure for a sustainable New Deal ecosystem for balanced regional development," Hong said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (R) speaks at a policy meeting on New Deal projects on Oct. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
State-run institutions in local regions are also expected to help implement New Deal projects, Hong said.
For example, the state-owned Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) plans to build offshore wind farms in the sea off Shinan County, about 400 km southwest of Seoul, according to the ministry.
The ministry plans to set up a task force for balanced regional development with the New Deal projects, Hong said.
Unlike conventional infrastructure projects, the New Deal features 28 projects that will transform the nation's fossil fuel-reliant economy into an eco-friendly one and increase state investment in artificial intelligence and fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication services.
The government plans to set up a fund worth 20 trillion won over the next five years to promote the New Deal projects.
The fund will consist of 3 trillion won in government investment, 4 trillion won in investment from state-run financial institutions and 13 trillion won from private financial firms and the public, the ministry said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) Moon links balanced regional development with Korean New Deal

`` With a bold balanced regional development plan , the government will push strongly for the Korean-version New Deal as @ @ @ @ @ the future of the Republic of Korea , '' he said during the second official @ @ @ @ @ the New Deal project .
The Republic of Korea is South Korea 's official name @ @ @ @ @ commitment to shifting the axis of national growth to local regions , he added .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks, details in paras 6-9; ADDS photos, byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in declared balanced regional development as another pillar of his administration's ambitious Korean New Deal initiative, speaking at a meeting attended by the heads of 17 local governments nationwide Tuesday.
"With a bold balanced regional development plan, the government will push strongly for the Korean-version New Deal as a national development strategy for the future of the Republic of Korea," he said during the second official session to discuss strategies on the New Deal project. The Republic of Korea is South Korea's official name. The move represents a commitment to shifting the axis of national growth to local regions, he added.
Moon, during the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, presented regional development as a new keyword in the New Deal, along with the two existing ones -- green and digital.
The decision reflects the government's strong will to "transform the Republic of Korea dynamically starting from local areas," according to the president.
President Moon Jae-in (2nd from L) speaks during a meeting with the heads of 17 local governments on Korean New Deal strategies at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
He is seeking synergy between the Korean version of the New Deal and the major policy task of fostering the economic development of regions outside the greater Seoul area.
Moon earlier announced a plan to pour 160 trillion won (US$140 billion) into various public and private programs, including AI government, SOC digitalization, green energy and a smart green industrial complex, as part of efforts to create jobs, revitalize the economy and prepare for the post-coronavirus era.
More than 75 billion won would be spent on projects implemented in or by local areas, Moon said.
Moon stated that his government will spare no incentive and other financial support for relevant New Deal programs.
He suggested that the government, local authorities and the private sector join forces for the speedy implementation of the New Deal drive.
South Korea has long struggled to decentralize the nation, as around half of its 52-million population reside in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.
The 17 heads of local governments in attendance included Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, one of the leading potential presidential candidates; South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, another ruling Democratic Party heavyweight; and Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong, who's regarded as a presidential hopeful of the main opposition People Power Party.
Moon held the first New Deal strategy session at Cheong Wa Dae last month with representatives from the nation's financial sector in attendance.
President Moon Jae-in holds a meeting with the heads of 17 local governments on Korean New Deal strategies at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--S. Korea to face Mexico for 1st men's football friendly of 2020

These will be the first two international matches for South Korea , coached by Paulo Bento .
With the novel @ @ @ @ @ , the Taeguk Warriors saw their World Cup qualifying matches all wiped off the calendar @ @ @ @ @ played two exhibition matches against the South Korean under-23 national team , winning 5-3 on @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will take on Mexico next month at a neutral site in Austria for their first men's football friendly match of 2020, with the country's top talent based in Europe to be available.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Tuesday that the match between 39th-ranked South Korea and world No. 11 Mexico will kick off at 5 a.m. on Nov. 15 Korean time, or 10 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Austria. The city and stadium will be determined later.
The South Korean men's senior national football team (white) and the under-23 national team play an exhibition match at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
The match falls during the Nov. 9-17 FIFA international window. The KFA said it is finalizing a deal for a second friendly match in Austria, against a Middle Eastern nation, during that period.
These will be the first two international matches for South Korea, coached by Paulo Bento. With the novel coronavirus raging around the globe, the Taeguk Warriors saw their World Cup qualifying matches all wiped off the calendar. Bento's side recently played two exhibition matches against the South Korean under-23 national team, winning 5-3 on the aggregate score.
Because of the mandatory quarantine period for inbound travelers to South Korea during the pandemic, Bento didn't call up any of South Korea's biggest names in Europe, such as Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min. For November matches, Son and Co. will be available for their first national team appearances of the year.
Mexico have the upper hand in head-to-head meetings, with seven wins, two draws and four losses. Most recently, Mexico defeated South Korea 2-1 during the group stage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Members of the South Korean men's senior national football team celebrate a goal by Lee Ju-young (C) during an exhibition match against the under-23 national team at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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


yna--2020-10-13--S. Korea pushes to allow prominent pop celebrities to defer mandatory military service

The plan came amid talk of whether K-pop boy band BTS members should be given such favors as an exemption @ @ @ @ @ military service in recognition of their contribution to South Korea 's national image with their @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The government is working on a plan to allow pop culture celebrities credited for contributing to improving the country's image to postpone their mandatory military service, the military recruitment agency said Tuesday.
The plan came amid talk of whether K-pop boy band BTS members should be given such favors as an exemption from or postponement of the military service in recognition of their contribution to South Korea's national image with their unprecedented Billboard-topping hit.
Defense Minister Suh Wook earlier said that an exemption is not under consideration for the seven-member group, though a deferral could be an option.
In a parliamentary audit report, the Military Manpower Administration said it is pushing to revise the military service law to allow popular culture artists to delay their military service if there is a recommendation from the culture minister.
By law, military service exemptions or deferrals are given to international award-winning athletes and classical musicians for their roles in elevating the country's reputation overseas. But no prominent pop celebrities have been given such favors.
"The revision is aimed at boosting the national image by guaranteeing popular culture and art activities," the manpower agency said in the report, adding that the revised bill will be submitted to the National Assembly this month.
All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the military for about two years.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows global K-pop phenomenon BTS. K-pop-oriented cable channel Mnet said on Oct. 8, 2020, that it will air live the Billboard Music Awards 2020 set for Oct. 14. BTS has been nominated for best duo/group, as well as top social artist. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--BLACKPINK's 'Boombayah' tops 1 bln YouTube views

Prior to `` Boombayah , '' `` Ddu-du Ddu-du , '' a hit song released in 2018 , and `` @ @ @ @ @ dropped in 2019 , achieved the feat .
No K-pop band other than the quartet @ @ @ @ @ over 1 billion YouTube views for now .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The music video of "Boombayah," K-pop megastar BLACKPINK's debut song, became the band's third video to exceed 1 billion YouTube views on Tuesday.
The music video hit the milestone around 8:26 a.m., four years after its release in August 2016, according to YG Entertainment.
Prior to "Boombayah," "Ddu-du Ddu-du," a hit song released in 2018, and "Kill This Love," dropped in 2019, achieved the feat. No K-pop band other than the quartet has three music videos with over 1 billion YouTube views for now.
"Boombayah" is one of the two main tracks of "Square One," BLACKPINK's debut single album.
"Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "Kill This Love" currently have some 1.35 billion and 1.06 billion YouTube views, respectively, according to the agency.
"The Album," BLACKPINK's first full-length album, which was released on Oct. 2, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard's main album chart this week, setting a new record in the history of South Korean girl groups.
The album also ranked No. 2 on the main album chart of Official Charts, which compiles album performances in Britain, while its main track "Lovesick Girls" topped the weekly Global Top 100 Songs Chart on YouTube.
This image of "Boombayah" by BLACKPINK was provided by YG Entertainment on Oct. 13, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--FDI pledges to S. Korea up 43.6 pct in Q3 despite pandemic

During the January-September period , South Korea won FDI commitments of $ 3.78 billion in the manufacturing segment , up @ @ @ @ @ year , on the back of strong gains from the electronics and medical industries .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Foreign direct investment (FDI) pledges to South Korea shot up 43.6 percent in the third quarter of 2020 from a year earlier, data showed Tuesday, as the manufacturing segment drew a massive investment commitment.
Asia's No. 4 economy received US$5.23 billion worth of FDI commitments over the July-September period, compared with $3.61 billion logged the previous year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
But in the first nine months of the year, the FDI pledges edged down 4.4 percent on-year to reach $12.8 billion, the data also showed.
During the January-September period, South Korea won FDI commitments of $3.78 billion in the manufacturing segment, up 9.2 percent from the previous year, on the back of strong gains from the electronics and medical industries.
The service sector, however, received FDI commitments worth $8.91 billion, down 9.5 percent on-year, due to the weak performance of the retail and real estate industries, the data showed.
By country, new FDI pledged from the United States moved down 23.1 percent to $3 billion over the first nine months of 2020.
The FDI pledges from the European Union also decreased 20.6 percent on-year to reach $2.68 billion, and those from Japan halved to $510 million.
The ministry added the FDI pledges from China, on the other hand, more than doubled to $2.6 billion.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Imported cases emerging as another stumbling block in S. Korea's virus fight

Of the new imported cases , 14 of them came from Russia followed by five from Japan , and four @ @ @ @ @ and Nepal .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new imported cases of the novel coronavirus surpassed 30 on Tuesday for the first time since late July, putting a strain on South Korea's virus fight.
The country added 102 COVID-19 cases, including 33 imported infections, raising the total caseload to 24,805, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marks the first time since July 29 that the company's daily new imported COVID-19 cases surpassed the 30 mark, it said.
Passengers bound for Japan check in at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Oct. 8, 2020, when South Korea and Japan put into practice an agreement on the fast-track entry of businesspeople without a two-week coronavirus quarantine amid the pandemic. (Yonhap)
The number of daily imported cases has stayed between 10 and 20 since late August even when the country's total daily new cases rose by triple digits.
Of the new imported cases, 14 of them came from Russia followed by five from Japan, and four each from the United States and Nepal.
The KDCA said 11 of the 43 Nepalese who entered South Korea on Saturday for language study tested positive for the virus.
Health authorities cited an increase in imported cases to a global resurgence in recent weeks. A total of 37.08 million COVID-19 patients had been confirmed globally as of Monday morning, with 1.06 million of them dead.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--S. Korea seeks balanced regional development under New Deal projects

SEJONG, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to pursue balanced regional development under Korean-version New Deal projects that aim to boost growth of the coronavirus-hit economy, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Tuesday.
In a policy meeting chaired by President Moon Jae-in, Hong said the central government will give local governments more leeway in implementing the projects.
In July, South Korea said it will invest 160 trillion won (US$137 billion) by 2025 under the bold stimulus package that will create 1.9 million jobs and kick-start the virus-ravaged economy.
Of the total spending, 75.3 trillion won will be spent for projects outside the capital of Seoul, Hong said.
To help local governments better implement such projects, the central government will provide tax and other financial incentives to them, Hong said.
State-run institutions in local regions are also expected to help implement New Deal projects, Hong said.
For example, the state-owned Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) plans to build offshore wind farms in the sea off Shinan County, about 400 km southwest of Seoul, according to the ministry.
The ministry plans to set up a task force for balanced regional development with the New Deal projects, Hong said.
Unlike conventional infrastructure projects, the New Deal features 28 projects that will transform the nation's fossil fuel-reliant economy into an eco-friendly one and increase state investment in artificial intelligence and fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication services.
The government plans to set up a fund worth 20 trillion won over the next five years to promote the New Deal projects.
The fund will consist of 3 trillion won in government investment, 4 trillion won in investment from state-run financial institutions and 13 trillion won from private financial firms and the public, the ministry said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Moon links balanced regional development with Korean New Deal

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in declared balanced regional development as another pillar of his administration's ambitious Korean New Deal initiative, speaking at a meeting attended by the heads of 17 local governments nationwide Tuesday.
"With a bold balanced regional development plan, the government will push strongly for the Korean-version New Deal as a national development strategy for the future of the Republic of Korea," he said during the second official session to discuss strategies on the New Deal project. The Republic of Korea is South Korea's official name. The move represents a commitment to shifting the axis of national growth to local regions, he added.
Moon, during the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, presented regional development as a new keyword in the New Deal, along with the two existing ones -- green and digital.
The decision reflects the government's strong will to "transform the Republic of Korea dynamically starting from local areas," according to the president.
In the file photo dated Sept. 3, 2020, President Moon Jae-in (C) discusses strategies of the Korean New Deal project at a Cheong Wa Dae meeting in Seoul. (Yonhap)
He is seeking synergy between the Korean version of the New Deal and the major policy task of fostering the economic development of regions outside the greater Seoul area.
Moon earlier announced a plan to pour 160 trillion won (US$140 billion) into various public and private programs, including AI government, SOC digitalization, green energy and a smart green industrial complex.
More than 75 billion won would be spent on projects implemented in or by local areas, Moon said.
South Korea has long struggled to decentralize the nation, as around half of its 52-million population reside in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.
The 17 heads of local governments in attendance included Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, one of the leading potential presidential candidates; South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, another ruling Democratic Party heavyweight; and Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong, who's regarded as a presidential hopeful of the main opposition People Power Party.
Moon held the first New Deal strategy session at Cheong Wa Dae last month with representatives from the nation's financial sector in attendance.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--3 carmakers yet to seal 2020 wage deal amid pandemic

GM Korea workers asked the company to raise the basic pay by 120,000 won per worker , offer four months @ @ @ @ @ and 6 million won in cash , while demanding a new vehicle production plan at @ @ @ @ @ plant in Incheon , just west of Seoul , after 2022 .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. and two other South Korean carmakers have yet to reach wage deals with their unions for this year, with the new coronavirus outbreak still a major concern for the automotive industry.
Of the country's five carmakers, Hyundai Motor Co. and SsangYong Motor Co. and their unions already signed wage deals for the year in September and April, respectively.
Kia Motors, which is 34 percent owned by Hyundai, plans to enter the seventh negotiations with its union Thursday.
Kia workers demanded the company increase the monthly basic pay by 120,000 won (US$104) per person and offer 30 percent of its annual operating profit in performance-based pay.
From January to June, Kia's operating profit plunged 48 percent to 589.62 billion won from 1.13 trillion won in the year-ago period.
The 30,000-strong union also expressed concerns about a possible reduction in workforce due to Hyundai Mobis Co.'s plan to build an auto parts plant for environment friendly vehicles.
Hyundai Mobis is a core affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, along with Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.
This file photo, taken April 27, 2020, shows Kia Motors' plant in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., has held 16 rounds of negotiations with its union since July, but they have yet to narrow differences over the size of bonuses and future vehicle allocation plans.
GM Korea workers asked the company to raise the basic pay by 120,000 won per worker, offer four months of salary as a bonus and 6 million won in cash, while demanding a new vehicle production plan at the No. 2 Bupyeong plant in Incheon, just west of Seoul, after 2022.
The union argues there should be a new vehicle to replace the Trax compact SUV and the Malibu midsize sedan currently being produced at the plant.
But the company balked at the demands, citing unfriendly business environments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and steady demand for the Trax SUV and Malibu sedan in global markets.
The GM Korea union said it will consider going on strike unless there is progress in the 17th negotiations with the company Wednesday.
Renault Samsung Motors Corp., the South Korean unit of Renault S.A., halted its negotiations with its union late last month as it suspended its sole plant in Busan, 450 kilometers south of Seoul, to control inventories amid the pandemic.
They are expected to resume talks next week as Renault Samsung halted the operation of the Busan plant from Sept. 24 to Oct. 18.
In September, Hyundai workers accepted the company's proposal that included a freeze on basic pay, a one-off bonus amounting to 1 1/2 months of salary and 1.2 million won in special COVID-19 allowance.
It is the third time Hyundai and its union agreed on a wage freeze after the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the 2009 global financial crisis. They also reached a wage deal without a strike for the second consecutive year.
SsangYong workers agreed on a wage freeze in April as they see stable labor-management relations as the key to putting the company back on track amid virus worries.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., which owns a 74.65 percent stake in SsangYong, said in August it will give up its status as the biggest shareholder of SsangYong if it finds a new investor.
This file photo taken Sept. 20, 2019, shows SsangYong Motor's plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--POSCO International to supply auto parts to Vietnam's VinFast

The auto parts to be built by Erae Automotive Systems Co. , a small South Korean auto parts company , @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 vehicles of the electric vehicle startup backed by Vietnam 's largest conglomerate VinGroup , @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- POSCO International Corp., a South Korean general trading company, said Tuesday that it has signed a deal to supply half shafts to Vietnamese startup VinFast next year for its first electric vehicles.
The auto parts to be built by Erae Automotive Systems Co., a small South Korean auto parts company, will be used in about 100,000 vehicles of the electric vehicle startup backed by Vietnam's largest conglomerate VinGroup, according to POSCO International.
A half shaft is an auto part that transmits engine power from the transmission to wheels.
It marks the first time that POSCO International has clinched a deal to supply auto parts to VinFast, a move POSCO International officials say could help expand its business in the Southeast Asian country.
POSCO International is an affiliate of South Korean steel giant POSCO.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--KT's webcomic unit to spend 10 bln won on content creation

KT 's webcomic company said it will use the new investment to establish a content production system to develop new @ @ @ @ @ that can be used across multiple platforms from webcomics to films .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Storywiz Co., a webcomic unit of South Korean telecom giant KT Corp., said Tuesday it will spend 10 billion won (US$8.7 million) on content creation, heating up competition in the growing local web fiction market.
Storywiz, established in February this year after KT spun off its web fiction business, specializes in publishing online serial novels and comics. Its web novel platform Blice competes with larger local rivals, such as KakaoPage of the country's top messenger operator, Kakao Corp.
KT's webcomic company said it will use the new investment to establish a content production system to develop new original content and intellectual property that can be used across multiple platforms from webcomics to films.
Storywiz said it plans to increase investment and will make joint investment with its parent KT Group. It added that it will provide intellectual property to its parent group for original content production in diverse platforms.
Currently, KT operates the video streaming service Seezn, which has recently focused on creating original productions.
Storywiz said it plans to establish a content studio in Japan as it sets its sights on overseas markets.
South Korea's web comic market was estimated at 466.3 billion won in 2018, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency.
KT Corp.'s logo is shown in this undated file image provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Top N.K. technocrat urges all-out efforts to carry out Kim's call for '80-day campaign'

`` The remaining 80 days of this year are a very important and significant time period for our revolutionary advance @ @ @ @ @ according to the Rodong Sinmun , the official newspaper of the ruling party .
`` @ @ @ @ @ lifetime opportunity and delay our advance at all , we could end up facing horrible @ @ @ @ @ way forward . ''

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's top economic technocrat called for all-out efforts to successfully carry out leader Kim Jong-un's call for an "80-day campaign" to recover from flood damage and make as much progress as possible in the country's economic development project by year's end.
Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission, made the appeal during a military-civilian rally held in Pyongyang, days after the North staged a massive military parade over the weekend to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party.
In early October, leader Kim ordered the "80-day campaign" until year's end to make a last-ditch push to "glorify" the party founding anniversary and "proudly conclude this year's struggle" ahead of a rare party congress scheduled for January.
"The remaining 80 days of this year are a very important and significant time period for our revolutionary advance," Pak said, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party. "If we miss on this lifetime opportunity and delay our advance at all, we could end up facing horrible and multiple challenges on our way forward."
Pak added that the 80-day campaign should prioritize ensuring the safety and stability of people's lives, stressing that if even a single household in areas affected by recent typhoons faces winter before moving into a new home, it would undermine people's trust in the party.
In a separate article, the paper emphasized that the 80-day campaign should be focused mostly on preventing an outbreak of the new coronavirus, recovering from typhoon-inflicted damage and flooding and expanding farming production.
In August, leader Kim, in a rare occurrence, acknowledged that his five-year economic development plan to end this year had failed to achieve its intended goals in the face of unexpected internal and external challenges and pledged to unveil a new scheme during the party congress to be held in January.
During a speech ahead of the military parade on Saturday, Kim said that "new targets" for the country will be unveiled during the upcoming party congress, adding, "our Party's struggle for providing the people with happiness will develop onto a new stage."
This photo captured from North Korea's official Korean Central Television shows a military-civilian rally at Kim Il-sung Square in central Pyongyang on Oct. 12, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Tottenham's Son Heung-min has mixed feelings about documentary on club

`` It 's a bit weird when you see your dressing room , but it was really fun to watch @ @ @ @ @ a roundtable Zoom interview with international media on Monday .
`` Even my voice ( @ @ @ @ @ I think as a player , it was a bit sad to watch because there @ @ @ @ @ things happening .
When we were doing so well , people were getting injured .
@

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- During what ultimately ended as a disappointing 2019-2020 Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur, the club's Korean star Son Heung-min and his lads had a documentary crew's cameras and microphones following their moves at home and away.
In this Reuters file photo from Oct. 4, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his goal against Manchester during the clubs' Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. (Yonhap)
The upshot was "All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur," a nine-episode series on Amazon Prime Video. It chronicles a campaign that saw the slumping Spurs change their head coach en route to a sixth-place finish.
Having watched the documentary, Son said he has mixed feelings about the experience.
"It's a bit weird when you see your dressing room, but it was really fun to watch," Son said in a roundtable Zoom interview with international media on Monday. "Even my voice (sounded weird). But I think as a player, it was a bit sad to watch because there were a lot of unlucky things happening. When we were doing so well, people were getting injured."
In one episode, Son was seen having a heated argument with team captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the lockers during halftime of a match. Lloris challenged Son on his apparent lack of effort on the defensive end, and Lloris had to be held back by a teammate before things boiled over.
In this Reuters file photo from Sept. 20, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates one of his four goals against Southampton during a Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England. (Yonhap)
Son explained that the incident happened in the heat of the moment because "we just wanted to win the game." He also insisted he and his players didn't do anything differently just because there were cameras around them.
"We didn't change our behavior. Sometimes, we forgot that cameras were around us," Son said.
He admitted he at first didn't feel comfortable with being filmed, but in the end, it was worth it because it helped get the Spurs brand reach even non-football fans.
"I think it's good for the club," he said. "I think people will have so much fun (watching the documentary) because something is always happening. People are going to like the Spurs more."
In this AFP file photo from Oct. 4, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur (C) scores past Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea (R) during the clubs' Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, 2020. (Yonhap)
Would Son be interested in doing a similar documentary down the road, though?
"We'll see. Maybe or maybe not," Son said with a smile. "I just want to focus on football."
Son is off to an excellent start this season, enjoying the kind of performance that may be worth chronicling for a new documentary. He is tied for the Premier League lead with six goals after four matches. Four of those goals came in one match: on Sept. 20 against Southampton. Son also had a goal in two appearances during the UEFA Europa League qualifying stage.
In this EPA file photo from Sept. 20, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur (L) scores his fourth goal against Southampton during a Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England, on Sept. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Hundreds stage rally to protect 'peace statue' in Berlin

But after the Japanese government expressed regret over its installation , the Mitte district office last week ordered Korea Verband @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , citing an issue with the content of the statue 's inscribed epitaph .
@ @ @ @ @ will forcibly execute the order if the removal is not finished by the deadline .

BERLIN, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of people staged a rally in Berlin on Tuesday to protest a district office's order to remove a statue in the German capital symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery.
Some 300 activists and citizens gathered near the statue, formally called "The Statue of Peace," in Berlin's Mitte district and marched to the Mitte district office, demanding the German city authorities revoke the removal decision.
Korea Verband, a Berlin-based civic group with South Korean ties, and its supporters set up the statue in a public place in Berlin's Mitte district last month to draw international attention to the issue of wartime sexual slavery victims.
Activists and citizens hold a rally in front of the Statue of Peace near Mitte district office in Berlin on Oct. 13, 2020, calling for the withdrawal of the district office's order to remove the Statue of Peace, which symbolizes Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery. (Yonhap)
But after the Japanese government expressed regret over its installation, the Mitte district office last week ordered Korea Verband to remove the statue by Wednesday, citing an issue with the content of the statue's inscribed epitaph. The district office said it will forcibly execute the order if the removal is not finished by the deadline.
Korea Verband has filed an injunction against the order with the administrative court in Berlin.
The statue in the Mitte district is the third comfort women statue installed in Germany and the first to stand in a public place with approval from the Berlin authorities. The other two statues have been erected on private properties.
"Not only women in South Korea, but women in other Asia-Pacific countries under Japanese colonial rule during World War II suffered," said Han Jung-hwa, who heads Korea Verband. "Japan's comfort women issue is related with a universal women's human rights issue."
The sexual slavery victims, euphemistically called "comfort women," are one of the many thorny issues between the two countries stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Historians say that around 200,000 Asian women, mostly Koreans, were forcibly sent to front-line brothels to provide sex services for Japanese soldiers during World War II. In the landmark 1993 Kono Statement of apology, Japan acknowledged for the first time that women were forcibly recruited into sexual slavery.
Activists and citizens march in Berlin on Oct. 13, 2020, calling for the withdrawal of a district office's order to remove the Statue of Peace, which symbolizes Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--IMF slightly upgrades S. Korea's growth forecast for this year

South Korea has pledged to maintain an aggressive fiscal policy to fight the pandemic , which will push up the @ @ @ @ @ this year , compared with some 40 percent before the virus .

SEJONG, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.9 percent this year as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged exports and consumption.
The IMF's latest forecast represented a slight upgrade from its previous prediction of 2.1 percent contraction in June.
The IMF also painted a somewhat brighter picture of the global economy as advanced nations reopened their economies, although the pandemic has showed no signs of weakening.
The global economy is expected to shrink 4.4 percent this year, compared with a 5.2 percent contraction predicted in June, according to the IMF.
The rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic is expected to cause a global recession this year as it has shut down factories and cities around the world.
The U.S. economy is expected to shrink 4.3 percent this year, while the Chinese economy is forecast to grow 1.9 percent this year, the IMF said.
Last month, South Korea's National Assembly approved this year's fourth extra budget, worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.8 billion), to help small merchants cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic and protect jobs.
The extra budget raised the total of the nation's stimulus packages to 278 trillion won as the government has stepped up fiscal and monetary responses to the pandemic.
South Korea has pledged to maintain an aggressive fiscal policy to fight the pandemic, which will push up the debt-to-GDP ratio to 43.5 percent this year, compared with some 40 percent before the virus.
South Korea's export-reliant economy is expected to suffer a bigger hit from the pandemic as the novel coronavirus disrupted global businesses and ravaged consumer demand.
However, South Korea saw exports rebound in September after seven months of decline, helped by increased shipments of chips and automobiles as major trade partners gradually resumed their business activities.
Outbound shipments came to $48 billion last month, up 7.7 percent from $44.6 billion posted a year earlier.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Hyundai Motor heir to be promoted to group chairman: sources

He has been gradually taking over the management power of the group from his father .
Last year , he @ @ @ @ @ Motor and Hyundai Mobis Co. and in March this year , he became the chairperson @ @ @ @ @ of directors .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Chung Euisun, heir apparent of Hyundai Motor Group, will be promoted to the position of chairman this week, sources said Tuesday, as the automotive group seeks to further push its future mobility drive under the new leader.
Chung, who currently serves as executive vice chairman, is expected to be named head of the nation's second largest conglomerate at a board meeting on Wednesday, according to the sources.
If confirmed, the 49-year-old will officially succeed his father, Chung Mong-koo, who has been chief of the automotive group since 2000.
This photo taken on Jan. 6, 2020, shows Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun making a presentation at the company's media conference in Las Vegas. (Yonhap)
Chung Euisun has been already acting as the de-facto leader of Hyundai Motor Group, which has South Korea's top two automakers, Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., under its wing, since he was named the group's executive vice chairman in September 2018.
He has been gradually taking over the management power of the group from his father. Last year, he was named CEO of Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Mobis Co. and in March this year, he became the chairperson of Hyundai Motor's board of directors.
In July, Chung Mong-koo, 82, was hospitalized due to inflammation inside his large intestine, but the group apparently had no management vacuum as the son already had firm control of the auto conglomerate.
Industry insiders said Chung's job will not change much even if he gets promoted, while expecting the automotive group to make quick decisions in reorganizing its business structure and setting future goals.
Chung has been emphasizing the importance of the future mobility business, and has been trying to boost the automaker's competitiveness in environment-friendly vehicles and autonomous driving technology.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(2nd LD) Entry ban on Korean American singer Steve Yoo should be in place: military manpower agency

(2nd LD) Entry ban on Korean American singer Steve Yoo should be in place: military manpower agency chief

After years of legal battle , Seoul 's top court ruled in favor of Yoo in March , saying the @ @ @ @ @ visa had procedural flaws .
But the ruling did not mean his entry should be @ @ @ @ @ filed a lawsuit against the diplomatic mission in Los Angeles for the visa issuance denial @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Steve Yoo, a once successful Korean-American singer banned from entering South Korea for 18 years for dodging the draft, should not be allowed into the country because his entry could be dispiriting to others carrying out the duty, the military manpower agency chief said Tuesday.
In 2002, the singer, better known as Yoo Seung-jun, renounced his Korean citizenship to allegedly dodge military service, even though he had repeatedly pledged to carry out the duty. The move sparked a public uproar, and the government banned him from entering the country.
After years of legal battle, Seoul's top court ruled in favor of Yoo in March, saying the refusal to grant him a visa had procedural flaws. But the ruling did not mean his entry should be permitted, and the singer filed a lawsuit against the diplomatic mission in Los Angeles for the visa issuance denial.
"I don't want to call him Yoo Seung-jun. He is not a South Korean, but an American citizen named Steve Yoo," Mo Jong-hwa, chief of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), said during a parliamentary audit of the agency.
"He opted to renege on his noble duty of military service, though he had promised to the public to fully fulfill the obligation," the chief said, stressing that he "swiftly" carried out a series of procedures to renounce Korean nationality at that time in an apparent attempt to evade conscription.
"If he is allowed to come in and resumes his career as a singer, it will cause a huge sense of loss among the public and frustrate our young people who sincerely serve their due duty," Mo added.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for about two years, and draft dodging is a sensitive issue in South Korea, which can even affect the fate of government officials, celebrities and other public figures.
Yoo's case has sparked public outcry, and his possible return has been a matter of heated debate.
Yoo later expressed his regret over Mo's comments in a social media post, claiming that he is being treated unfairly.
"I know I did not keep my promise as an entertainer and that's wrong," he said. "But the government blocking my entry for decades citing the country's security reason is clearly discrimination and infringement of human rights."
This 2010 file photo shows Korean-American singer Yoo Seung-jun. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--KBO commissioner declines 2nd term

KBO commissioner declines 2nd term

Following its board of directors meeting , the KBO announced Tuesday that Chung , whose three-year term ends in December @ @ @ @ @ term at the helm of the country 's professional baseball .
The board , made @ @ @ @ @ KBO clubs , decided to nominate former Doosan Bears interim owner Chung Ji-taik as the @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Chung Un-chan, commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), has decided not to seek a second term.
Following its board of directors meeting, the KBO announced Tuesday that Chung, whose three-year term ends in December, will not pursue another term at the helm of the country's professional baseball. The board, made up of presidents from 10 KBO clubs, decided to nominate former Doosan Bears interim owner Chung Ji-taik as the new commissioner.
The KBO's board of governors, comprising owners of the individual clubs, will vote on Chung Ji-taik's candidacy later in the year.
The 70-year-old business executive has served as president of Doosan Engineering & Construction and vice chairman of Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction. From 2007 to 2009, he was the temporary owner of the Bears.
He will need at least 75 percent of support from the owners to be named the new commissioner. His term would also be for three years.
This file photo from March 28, 2018, shows Doosan Group executive Chung Ji-taik, who was nominated as the new commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization on Oct. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) Cabinet okays civil code revision banning corporal punishment of children

The same article also allows parents to entrust their children to a reformatory or correctional institution upon the approval of @ @ @ @ @ content was also dropped from the revision of the Civil Law , the ministry said @

(ATTN: UPDATES with justice minister's remarks in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- A revision of the Civil Law banning corporal punishment of children in principle passed through the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice said.
The ministry said the legal revision, which would eliminate a provision on parents' rights to punish their children, was approved by the Cabinet meeting and will be submitted to the National Assembly on Friday.
Article 915 of the current Civil Law allows parents to take "necessary" disciplinary action against their children to teach or protect them. The provision was frequently misinterpreted as legal grounds for parents to physically punish their children.
This file photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020, shows civic activists holding a rally in front of the National Assembly in Seoul to demand the revision of the Civil Law to ban corporal punishment of children. (Yonhap)
The same article also allows parents to entrust their children to a reformatory or correctional institution upon the approval of the court, but the content was also dropped from the revision of the Civil Law, the ministry said.
The ministry said the legal revision is expected to help improve social awareness about child abuse.
The government's push to revise the civil code came after criminal cases of child abuse, which in some cases resulted in deaths, have continued to occur nationwide. In April, a group of legal experts advised the ministry to amend the controversial provision of the Civil Law.
Following the Cabinet approval, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae said that child abuse and violence against children should from now be regarded as a crime, not as education, for any reason.
"Basically, sensitivity to human rights cannot grow without holding a respectful attitude toward life. Human rights can take root in society only when younger and weaker people are more closely embraced," Choo said in a social media post.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--SK Biopharm signs deal to commercialize anti-epileptic drug in Japan

Under the deal , SK Biopharmaceuticals will receive 5 billion yen ( US $ 47.4 million ) as a down @ @ @ @ @ additional 48.1 billion yen as a milestone payment after its cenobamate tablet earns health authorities @ @ @ @ @ in the Japanese market .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., a biopharmaceutical affiliate of South Korea's SK Group, said Tuesday it has signed a deal with Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical Co. to develop and commercialize its anti-epileptic drug in Japan.
Under the deal, SK Biopharmaceuticals will receive 5 billion yen (US$47.4 million) as a down payment and will collect an additional 48.1 billion yen as a milestone payment after its cenobamate tablet earns health authorities' approval and becomes available in the Japanese market.
After commercialization, SK Biopharmaceuticals can collect royalty fees from Ono Pharmaceutical equivalent to a double-digit percentage of the product's sales, according to the company.
Cenobamate, branded as XCOPRI in the United States, last year earned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval to be used as a treatment for partial-onset seizures in adults.
Currently, SK Biopharmaceuticals is pushing to initiate a phase 3 clinical trial for cenobamate in South Korea, Japan and China.
In Japan, SK Biopharmaceuticals will lead the phase 3 trial and will cooperate with Ono Pharmaceutical on getting drug approval and commercialization of the product.
This photo provided by SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. shows the company's anti-epileptic drug cenobamate, also known as XCOPRI in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Lawmakers deliver letter to protest Berlin's 'peace statue' removal order

Nine days after its unveiling ceremony , however , the Mitte district office ordered Korea Verband to remove the statue @ @ @ @ @ Japanese government expressed regret over its installation .
The district office threatened to forcibly execute @ @ @ @ @ is not finished by the deadline .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Over 100 South Korean lawmakers have signed a joint letter protesting the city of Berlin's order to remove a statue symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery from the streets of the German capital, according to political parties Tuesday.
The letter, signed by 113 members of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the minor progressive Justice Party, Basic Income Party, Transition Korea party and independent legislators, was delivered to the German embassy in South Korea on Tuesday.
Korea Verband, a Berlin-based civic group with South Korean ties, and its supporters set up the statue, formally called "The Statue of Peace," in a public place in Berlin's Mitte district last month to draw international attention to the issue of wartime sexual slavery victims.
Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party arrive at the German Embassy in Seoul on Oct. 13, 2020, to hand over a letter calling for the withdrawal of a Berlin district office's order to remove a statue symbolizing "comfort women." Comfort women is a euphemism for some 200,000 Asian women, mostly Koreans, who were forcibly taken to military brothels operated by the Japanese army during World War II. (Yonhap)
Nine days after its unveiling ceremony, however, the Mitte district office ordered Korea Verband to remove the statue by Oct. 14 after the Japanese government expressed regret over its installation. The district office threatened to forcibly execute its order if the removal is not finished by the deadline.
"It will be regretful if another case in the history of human rights abuse is written in Berlin," the letter said. "We express deep concern and regret."
The lawmakers also argued that the city's removal order was in effect representing the Japanese government's stance of denying historical wrongdoing and dodging international responsibility.
Peter Winkler, deputy head of mission at the German embassy, received a legislative delegation headed by DP Rep. Youn Mee-hyang at the embassy.
Winkler reportedly explained that the removal order was handed not by the German state government but by local city authorities. The diplomat also stressed the importance of freedom of expression and promised to deliver the letter to the German foreign ministry.
It is the third comfort women statue installed in Germany and the first to stand in a public place with approval from the Berlin authorities. The other two statues are erected on private properties.
The sexual slavery victims, euphemistically called "comfort women," are one of the many thorny issues stemming from the 1910-45 period when Korea was a Japanese colony.
Historians say that around 200,000 Asian women, mostly Koreans, were forcibly sent to front-line brothels to provide sex services for Japanese soldiers during World War II. In the landmark 1993 Kono Statement of apology, Japan acknowledged for the first time that women were forcibly recruited into sexual slavery.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) Incheon Int'l Airport's duty-free auctions fail again amid pandemic

Incheon International Airport Corp. has been seeking to award licenses for its six duty-free concessions in Terminal 1 , after @ @ @ @ @ through earlier this year due to lack of bidders .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The operator of Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, failed again Tuesday to attract enough bidders for its duty-free concessions in the latest sign of the industrywide slump amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
Incheon International Airport Corp. has been seeking to award licenses for its six duty-free concessions in Terminal 1, after its two previous attempts fell through earlier this year due to lack of bidders.
Only one duty-free operator run by a conglomerate and another operated by a smaller company submitted applications Monday to participate in the auctions, according to Incheon International Airport.
The failure was widely anticipated before the Tuesday deadline as preset bidding rules were already not met due to lack of participants.
It marked the airport operator's third thwarted attempt to auction duty-free licenses following similar failures in February and late September amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September, of the country's four major duty-free operators, only industry leader Lotte Hotel and No. 3 player Shinsegae took part in the bidding.
Industry watchers said Incheon International Airport is widely expected to approach duty-free operators to clinch license deals.
South Korean duty-free operators have been suffering from the slump as the number of customers has sharply fallen amid air travel disruptions.
Duty-free stores saw their combined sales fall below the 1 trillion-won (US$869 million) threshold for the first time in four years in April.
Their sales increased for the fourth straight month in August as smaller Chinese vendors returned to South Korea amid reviving domestic demand on the mainland. But their revenues still remain far below the pre-pandemic level.
The file photo taken Sept. 24, 2020, shows only a few customers at duty-free stores at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--(News Focus) Energy policy, optics of watchdog autonomy at stake in politically sensitive reactor au

(News Focus) Energy policy, optics of watchdog autonomy at stake in politically sensitive reactor audit

And while retired for nearly a year now , the Wolsong-1 reactor , located 370 kilometers south of Seoul in @ @ @ @ @ to make headlines , as the state inspection watchdog is wrapping up an audit on @ @ @ @ @ nuclear energy and safety authorities in executing Moon 's pledge was based on unbiased research @ @ @ @ @ .

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Although overshadowed by more pressing matters at hand such as the new coronavirus or regional security, the closure of South Korea's second-oldest nuclear reactor has remained a hot-button topic in domestic politics since President Moon Jae-in decided in 2017 to decommission the reactor earlier than scheduled in line with his energy policy.
And while retired for nearly a year now, the Wolsong-1 reactor, located 370 kilometers south of Seoul in Gyeongju, is again poised to make headlines, as the state inspection watchdog is wrapping up an audit on whether the decision by the nuclear energy and safety authorities in executing Moon's pledge was based on unbiased research as opposed to being predetermined.
This file photo taken on Feb 27, 2020, shows the now-decommissioned Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Commissioners of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) on Tuesday convened its latest round of meetings to review the agency's audit on Wolsong-1's closure.
The shutdown was part of Moon's broad green energy plan aimed at gradually closing atomic power plants and increasing the ratio of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2030. In 2018, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) decided to decommission Wolsong-1, and the plan was approved by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in December of last year.
To be clear, the initial 30-year operational life cycle of Wolsong-1 ended in 2012 but was extended during the past conservative Park Geun-hye administration for another 10 years to 2022. Until its early closure during the Moon administration, Wolsong-1 was the nation's oldest reactor after Kori-1, which was retired in June 2017.
After a heated backlash from opposition lawmakers and nuclear energy proponents, the National Assembly in September commissioned BAI to look into KHNP's assessment in shutting down the reactor.
BAI was required to submit a final report to parliament within a five-month period that ended on Feb. 29 but has been overdue on its deadline -- nearly eight months and counting -- drawing criticism from those on both sides of the debate.
Undoubtedly BAI's six-member commissioner committee led by agency head Choe Jae-hyeong is aware of the political sensitivity surrounding the audit, as back-to-back marathon meetings since Wednesday have yet managed to produce a unanimous conclusion.
Choe Jae-hyeong, head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, speaks at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
At the crux of the debate lies the question of whether KHNP's projection on Wolsong-1's economic viability was conducted fairly and whether it actually warranted an early shutdown. The state power company assessed that the reactor was losing money due to its low operational rate and rising maintenance costs.
Critics of the administration's energy policy have argued that the KHNP has flip-flopped on its earlier decision to extend the reactor's life cycle -- even claiming that the company had intentionally deflated numbers to lower anticipated profits -- especially after having invested 700 billion won (US$609 million) for repairs between 2009 and 2011.
Cho Seong-jin, an energy professor at Kyungsung University and a former KHNP board member, has also publicly criticized the company's management, claiming that the decision was essentially railroaded without thorough due diligence by the board.
"We were given some 10 to 20 minutes to review the plan. It was impossible for the company to thoroughly explain to us its 50-page economic viability report in the given time," Cho said. The professor also claimed that the board meeting's minutes submitted to parliament were seemingly doctored.
Opponent lawmakers have also argued that the early closure of Wolsong-1 will jack up the electricity purchase costs of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) by a total of 851 billion won.
The government, which oversees KHNP, insists that it has exerted no pressure on the company's assessment on Wolsong-1.
This file photo taken on June 18, 2020, shows opposition lawmakers and members of pro-nuclear civic groups holding a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul demanding the state inspection agency disclose the results of an audit into the early closure of the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor. (Yonhap)
"KHNP, through its board meeting, decided to shut down the reactor considering its economic uncertainty as well as the government's policy," Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo said during the ministry's parliamentary audit last week.
Throughout the course of the audit, the political neutrality of the BAI, on whether it can operate free from political pressure as mandated by the Constitution, has also come into question -- especially after ruling party lawmakers demanded the BAI chief's resignation in late July over reports that he criticized government policies during closed-door audit meetings.
Ruling party lawmakers have also claimed that some 70 to 80 percent of the agency's audit report, which hasn't been disclosed to the public yet, is filled with argumentation that favors nuclear energy.
As of now, it's still unclear as to how BAI commissioners will summarize and conclude the audit, but the reactor closure, regardless of the outcome, will most likely emerge as a political lightning rod in the next few days, as the National Assembly's regular audit into the BAI is scheduled for Thursday.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-13--Cabinet okays civil code revision banning corporal punishment of children

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- A revision of the Civil Law banning corporal punishment of children in principle passed through the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice said.
The ministry said the legal revision, which would eliminate a provision on parents' rights to punish their children, was approved by the Cabinet meeting and will be submitted to the National Assembly on Friday.
Article 915 of the current Civil Law allows parents to take "necessary" disciplinary action against their children to teach or protect them. The provision was frequently misinterpreted as legal grounds for parents to physically punish their children.
This file photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020, shows civic activists holding a rally in front of the National Assembly in Seoul to demand the revision of the Civil Law to ban corporal punishment of children. (Yonhap)
The same article also allows parents to entrust their children to a reformatory or correctional institution upon the approval of the court, but the content was also dropped from the revision of the Civil Law, the ministry said.
The ministry said the legal revision is expected to help improve social awareness about child abuse.
The government's push to revise the civil code came after criminal cases of child abuse, which in some cases resulted in deaths, have continued to occur nationwide. In April, a group of legal experts advised the ministry to amend the controversial provision of the Civil Law.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The scandal centers on two asset management companies , Lime and Optimus , whose sham private equity funds generated a @ @ @ @ @ trillion own ( US $ 1.3 billion ) in losses for some 4,000 investors .
@ @ @ @ @ the companies declared that they are unable to return invested money to investors in October @ @ @ @ @ respectively .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
-----------------
S. Korea capable of intercepting N.K.'s new multiple rocket launchers: defense ministry
SEOUL -- South Korea's military can "immediately respond to and incapacitate" North Korean artillery and missiles if they are used to attack the South, the defense ministry said Tuesday, after the North unveiled new weapons during a parade last week.
On Saturday, North Korea held a massive military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party, unveiling a new intercontinental missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), along with recently developed multiple rocket launchers.
-----------------
(LEAD) BTS fans upset over China backlash on Korean War remark
SEOUL -- Fans of K-pop superstar BTS on Tuesday voiced frustration over the social media storm in China that has erupted over member RM's recent remarks honoring those sacrificed during the Korean War.
In an Oct. 7 ceremony hosted by the U.S.-based nonprofit organization The Korea Society, RM, who spoke on behalf of the group that received an award for its contributions to Seoul-Washington ties, referred to the 1950-53 war where the two countries fought together.
-----------------
S. Korea, U.S. to hold senior economic talks this week
SEOUL -- South Korea and the United States will hold vice-ministerial economic talks via video links this week that are expected to focus on various U.S. policy initiatives aimed at countering an assertive China.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho and Keith Krach, U.S. undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, will lead the fifth annual Senior Economic Dialogue (SED) slated for Wednesday, the foreign ministry said.
-----------------
Investment fraud scandal emerging as hot button political issue
SEOUL -- A major financial fraud scandal involving two embattled private equity investment companies is emerging as a hot button political issue for the ongoing regular parliamentary audit and possibly beyond.
The scandal centers on two asset management companies, Lime and Optimus, whose sham private equity funds generated a total of more than 1.5 trillion own (US$1.3 billion) in losses for some 4,000 investors. After heavy investment losses, the companies declared that they are unable to return invested money to investors in October last year and June, respectively.
-----------------
Military forecast to experience troop shortage after 2032
SEOUL -- South Korea's military is expected to run short of troops from around 2032 due to a shrinking population amid low birthrates, the military recruitment agency chief said Tuesday.
The Military Manpower Administration chief, Mo Jong-hwa, made the remark during a parliamentary audit session, saying detailed discussions should begin to come up with measures to cope with the expected shortage.
-----------------
Entry ban on Korean American singer Steve Yoo should be in place: military manpower agency chief
SEOUL -- Steve Yoo, a once successful Korean American singer banned from entering South Korea for 18 years for dodging the draft, should not be allowed into the country because his entry could be dispiriting to others carrying out the duty, the military manpower agency chief said Tuesday.
In 2002, the singer, better known as Yoo Seung-jun, acquired U.S. citizenship to allegedly dodge military service, and the justice ministry imposed a ban on him entering South Korea.
-----------------
Over 40 pct of retired athletes in South Korea jobless as of 2019: lawmaker
SEOUL -- More than 40 percent of retired athletes in South Korea remained jobless as of last year, a lawmaker said Tuesday, calling for state help for them to build "a second life."
As of 2019, 41.9 percent of the 8,251 retired athletes surveyed by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee remained unemployed, Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing data by the committee.
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(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap 8-day winning streak on virus resurgence
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended their eight-session winning streak Tuesday, as investors went risk-averse over a resurgence of the new coronavirus. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 0.58 point, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,403.15.
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yna--2020-10-13--S. Korea's first lady stresses IVI's role in global fight against COVID-19

`` As the whole world battles against the COVID-19 pandemic , the mission of the IVI , which is to @ @ @ @ @ safe , effective and affordable vaccines , has now become the priority of the global @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- First Lady Kim Jung-sook of South Korea said Tuesday that the role and mission of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) has become more significant than ever amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
She was speaking in a video message for the Seoul-based organization's annual forum of partner nations, which was held online. Kim serves as honorary president of South Korea's IVI support committee.
"As the whole world battles against the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission of the IVI, which is to discover, develop and deliver safe, effective and affordable vaccines, has now become the priority of the global community," Kim said.
She called for international solidarity to overcome the virus crisis.
"Just as South Korean citizens have guarded their own freedom and safety by protecting those of neighbors based on community spirit, the global community should unite to ensure prosperity for all," she said.
This file photo shows First Lady Kim Jung-sook (C) posing for a commemorative photo after being appointed as honorary president of South Korea's support committee for the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul on July 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--S. Korean Olympic chief to retain IOC membership in reelection bid following rule change

In April , the KSOC 's board unanimously passed amendments to the election rules , so that the current president @ @ @ @ @ to run for a second term but would instead only be suspended from duties during @ @ @ @ @ that case , Lee would n't have to give up his IOC membership during his @ @ @ @ @ he 's reelected to the top KSOC job , he would remain an IOC member @ @ @ @ @ well .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The head of the South Korean national Olympic body won't have to give up his International Olympic Committee (IOC) membership in his reelection bid, following the sports ministry's approval of changes to controversial election rules on Tuesday.
The sports ministry announced that it has approved amendments to rules for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) guiding its presidential elections.
Under a previous set of rules, an incumbent KSOC president had to resign 90 days before a reelection if he or she wanted to pursue a second term.
Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, speaks to Yonhap News Agency during an interview in his office at the KSOC headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lee was elected as an IOC member in 2019, and his membership is linked to his function as the head of his country's national Olympic committee. This means he will have to remain as KSOC chief to retain his IOC membership. Lee, who became KSOC's president in October 2016, said late last month that he would pursue a second term at the KSOC's helm, even if it meant losing his IOC membership. The election is set for Jan. 18, 2021.
In April, the KSOC's board unanimously passed amendments to the election rules, so that the current president wouldn't have to resign to run for a second term but would instead only be suspended from duties during the election campaign. In that case, Lee wouldn't have to give up his IOC membership during his KSOC campaign, and if he's reelected to the top KSOC job, he would remain an IOC member for four additional years as well.
The sports ministry, though, didn't give its final stamp of approval right away, citing the need to ensure fairness in the election. The ministry's drive to split up the KSOC into two entities -- one handling elite sports and the other overseeing sports for all -- and the KSOC's pushback also appeared to be tied to the ministry's reluctance.
Then on Tuesday, the ministry said it decided to give its green light on amendments after reviewing their implication on legality and transparency of the election.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap 8-day winning streak on virus resurgence

SEOUL , Oct. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks ended their eight-session winning streak Tuesday , as investors @ @ @ @ @ of the new coronavirus .
The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended their eight-session winning streak Tuesday, as investors went risk-averse over a resurgence of the new coronavirus. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 0.58 point, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,403.15.
Trading volume was moderate at about 715 million shares worth some 10 trillion won (US$8.7 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 504 to 322.
Foreigners bought a net 209 billion won, while institutions sold off a net 172 billion won. Individuals offloaded a net 33 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,403.15 on Oct. 13, 2020, down 0.58 point or 0.02 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The KOSPI fell back into negative terrain after opening a tad higher following the overnight Wall Street rally.
Investor sentiment worsened as the country's new COVID-19 infections bounced back to the triple digits, stoking fears that the pandemic may inflict more damage on the economy.
"Investors seem to have been spooked into the selling mode after the new COVID-19 infections topped 100," Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young said.
In Seoul, most large caps closed lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.83 percent to 60,900 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix jumped 3.16 percent to 88,200 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics gained 0.56 percent to 723,000 won, but Celltrion retreated 1.1 percent to 270,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver rose 1.03 percent to 295,000 won, with its rival Kakao edging up 0.13 percent to 372,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem sank 4.17 percent to 644,000 won, while rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI climbed 1.25 percent to 445,500 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, lost 0.56 percent to 179,000 won, and top steelmaker POSCO declined 0.97 percent to 205,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,147.1 won per dollar, down 0.3 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys slipped 0.2 basis point to 0.923 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond lost 1.4 basis points to 1.211 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) BTS fans upset over China backlash on Korean War remark

`` ( RM ) spoke about the significance of the award given to people who helped advance relations between South @ @ @ @ @ , and voiced his gratitude .
I feel people are going overboard by bringing that @ @ @ @ @ area .
It 's really not good , '' said a 35-year-old Seoul resident , @ @ @ @ @ the name of the band 's dedicated fan base .

(ATTN: ADDS comments from Seoul ministry, military manpower agency chief in paras 12, 22-23)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Fans of K-pop superstar BTS on Tuesday voiced frustration over the social media storm in China that has erupted over member RM's recent remarks honoring those sacrificed during the Korean War.
In an Oct. 7 ceremony hosted by the U.S.-based nonprofit organization The Korea Society, RM, who spoke on behalf of the group that received an award for its contributions to Seoul-Washington ties, referred to the 1950-53 war where the two countries fought together.
BTS’ China backlash over Korean War comments fades away in a day Youtube https://youtu.be/Km0wseE9C0M
"We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifice of countless men and women," the BTS rapper said on the fighting that remains one of the most significant events in the country's modern history.
The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops, backed by the Soviet Union, invaded the South.
Around 140,000 South Korean troops were killed in action, and some 450,000 others were injured during the war. The number of fallen South Korean troops whose remains have yet to be recovered stands at around 123,000.
Around 1.95 million people from 22 countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada and Turkey, as well as six countries that extended medical support, also took part in the three-year war. Of them, 37,902 were killed and 103,460 wounded, according to government data.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment, shows BTS during an online concert in Seoul on Oct. 10, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The comment, however, stirred up a controversy in China after some people took issue with it for not acknowledging the sacrifice of Chinese people who also fought -- on North Korea's side -- during the war.
In a story filed with the headline "BTS hurts the feelings of Chinese netizens and fans during a speech on the Korean War," the Chinese state daily tabloid Global Times called the remark one that "reflected a one-sided attitude."
On the country's social media platforms, such as Weibo, users have shared hashtags and posts condemning the band and threatening to boycott brands affiliated with the group.
The virtual backlash developed into a bigger case as some big names, such as tech giant Samsung, automaker Hyundai and sports brand Fila, apparently removed references or products involving the group in the Chinese market.
China's foreign ministry also stepped in, with spokesman Zhao Lijian saying the ministry has noticed the report and successive response. He added that it is worth looking toward the future and seeking friendship based on lessons from history.
Seoul's foreign ministry said that the government is monitoring and paying attention to related developments to ensure that the controversy will not affect efforts to enhance mutual understanding and bonds between citizens of the two countries.
Most fans of the K-pop megastar appeared furious, claiming that RM's innocent remarks have been misunderstood and wrongly politicized.
"(RM) spoke about the significance of the award given to people who helped advance relations between South Korea and the United States, and voiced his gratitude. I feel people are going overboard by bringing that to a political, diplomatic area. It's really not good," said a 35-year-old Seoul resident, who is an ARMY, the name of the band's dedicated fan base.
This screenshot from an online gala held by the Korea Society on Oct. 7, 2020, shows BTS sharing a message after receiving the Van Fleet Award for its contributions to Seoul-Washington relations. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Similar views have filled Twitter, with fans questioning why the comment became controversial in the first place given that the event was one celebrating the friendship between Seoul and Washington, and that RM did not mention China.
They also voiced regret over how companies reacted too quickly by pulling products or removing social media promotions featuring BTS.
Things appeared to be more complicated for C-ARMY, or the band's fan base in China, which is traditionally a huge market for the Korean entertainment industry.
Some fans declared their unwavering support for the group and said that fans who continue to support the band are being bullied for being "unpatriotic."
However, some others voiced regret over the remark, saying that nationality comes ahead of being a fan.
One Twitter user, who shared an image of a fist pounding what appeared to be the name of Big Hit Entertainment, demanded the agency release an explanation for Chinese fans who have contributed to downloads and album sales.
This is not the first incident Chinese social media users have come down on a foreign brand or personality. A spate of fashion brands, for example, had come under similar attack for what consumers claimed as insulting national sentiment.
Asked about his stance on the recent controversy, Mo Jong-hwa, chief of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), said that it is "quite encouraging that BTS stressed the Korea-U.S. alliance."
"It is quite uncomfortable that some Chinese net users made such (negative) comments on the matter," Mo said during a parliamentary audit of his agency on Tuesday.
BTS, which debuted in 2013, is one of the most popular acts in the global music industry. It recently made history by becoming the first K-pop group to top the Billboard Hot 100. Its latest online concert drew nearly 1 million paid viewers from 191 countries and territories.
mlee@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--Military forecast to experience troop shortage after 2032

Asked to comment on the possible shift to a voluntary recruiting system , Mo said it appears to be time @ @ @ @ @ preparations for how to deal with the manpower fall in the long term .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military is expected to run short of troops from around 2032 due to a shrinking population amid low birthrates, the military recruitment agency chief said Tuesday.
The Military Manpower Administration chief, Mo Jong-hwa, made the remark during a parliamentary audit session, saying detailed discussions should begin to come up with measures to cope with the expected shortage.
From 2032, Mo said, the country will have only about 180,000 people joining the military a year when at least 200,000 fresh troops are needed.
"We're going to run short of personnel," he said.
Asked to comment on the possible shift to a voluntary recruiting system, Mo said it appears to be time to prudently and specifically begin preparations for how to deal with the manpower fall in the long term.
All able-bodied South Korean men must carry out compulsory military service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified border.
In the face of the demographic changes, the military has been reorganizing units and deploying weapons developed with the latest technologies.
Special warfare troops demonstrate martial arts during a ceremony to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day at the Special Warfare Command in Icheon, east of Seoul, on Sept. 25, 2020. The anniversary fell on Oct. 1. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--Over 40 pct of retired athletes in South Korea jobless as of 2019: lawmaker

According to the data , only 29.8 percent of those surveyed had jobs related to sports , such as referees @ @ @ @ @ while another 28.2 percent were employed in industries far from sports as office workers or @ @ @ @ @ who had jobs , 55.7 percent were employed on temporary contracts , while some 47 @ @ @ @ @ less than 2 million won ( US $ 1,739 ) .

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- More than 40 percent of retired athletes in South Korea remained jobless as of last year, a lawmaker said Tuesday, calling for state help for them to build "a second life."
As of 2019, 41.9 percent of the 8,251 retired athletes surveyed by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee remained unemployed, Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing data by the committee.
According to the data, only 29.8 percent of those surveyed had jobs related to sports, such as referees, instructors and teachers, while another 28.2 percent were employed in industries far from sports as office workers or self-employed businesspersons. Of those who had jobs, 55.7 percent were employed on temporary contracts, while some 47 percent earned a monthly wage less than 2 million won (US$1,739).
Nearly five percent of those employed said they take home less than 1 million won every month.
The survey also showed that the average retirement age of athletes in South Korea stood at 23 as of 2019, far below the average retirement age of 49.5 among workers outside of the sports field.
"Athletes, who retire at ages young enough to be economically active, need support to (come back) as a member of society and start a second life," the lawmaker said.
Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the main opposition People Power Party asks a question during an annual audit session on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the National Assembly Complex in Seoul on Oct. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-13--(LEAD) Entry ban on Korean American singer Steve Yoo should be in place: military manpower agency ch

(LEAD) Entry ban on Korean American singer Steve Yoo should be in place: military manpower agency chief

(ATTN: ADDS more comments by chief in 4th para)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Steve Yoo, a once successful Korean American singer banned from entering South Korea for 18 years for dodging the draft, should not be allowed into the country because his entry could be dispiriting to others carrying out the duty, the military manpower agency chief said Tuesday.
In 2002, the singer, better known as Yoo Seung-jun, renounced his Korean citizenship to allegedly dodge military service, even though he had repeatedly pledged to carry out the duty. The move sparked a public uproar, and the government banned him from entering the country.
After years of legal battle, Seoul's top court ruled in favor of Yoo in March, saying the refusal to grant him a visa had procedural flaws. But the ruling did not mean his entry should be permitted, and the singer filed a lawsuit against the diplomatic mission in Los Angeles for the visa issuance denial.
"I don't want to call him Yoo Seung-jun. He is not a South Korean, but an American citizen named Steve Yoo," Mo Jong-hwa, chief of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), said during a parliamentary audit of the agency.
"He opted to renege on his noble duty of military service, though he had promised to the public to fully fulfill the obligation," the chief said, stressing that he "swiftly" carried out a series of procedures to renounce Korean nationality at that time in an apparent attempt to evade conscription.
"If he is allowed to come in and resumes his career as a singer, it will cause a huge sense of loss among the public and frustrate our young people who sincerely serve their due duty," Mo added.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for about two years, and draft dodging is a sensitive issue in South Korea, which can even affect the fate of government officials, celebrities and other public figures.
Yoo's case has sparked public outcry, and his possible return has been a matter of heated debate.
This 2010 file photo shows Korean American singer Yoo Seung-jun. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-14--Samsung introduces new SD cards for first time in 5 years

The price for the 128GB models for the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus has been set at US $ @ @ @ @ @ respectively .
The 256GB models for the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus will be @ @ @ @ @ $ 39.99 , respectively .

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday unveiled two news lines of SD cards boasting fast speeds and enhanced durability as the South Korean tech giant targets content creators and consumers who need high-performance memory cards in shooting videos and photos.
Samsung's PRO Plus and EVO Plus SD cards come with four storage capacity options -- 32-gigabyte (GB), 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. This is the first time since 2015 that Samsung introduced new SD card products.
The PRO Plus offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 100 megabytes per second (MB/s) and 90MB/s, respectively, according to Samsung.
"For professional photographers, cinematographers and YouTubers, the PRO Plus SD card's outstanding sequential write performance enables flawless 4K UHD video recording and burst shots," the company said.
The EVO Plus also offers transfer speeds of up to 100MB/s and allows users to smoothly edit and watch 4K videos.
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Oct. 14, 2020, shows the company's new SD cards, the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Both the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus boast enhanced durability to operate in extreme conditions.
"In addition to protection from water, temperature, X-rays, magnets and shocks, the new SD cards are now drop-proof and wearout-proof, withstanding up to 5-meter drops, as well as up to 10,000 swipes," Samsung said.
Both lineups will be available later this month and come with a 10-year limited warranty.
The price for the 128GB models for the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus has been set at US$24.99 and $19.99, respectively. The 256GB models for the PRO Plus and the EVO Plus will be sold at $44.99 and $39.99, respectively.
kdon@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-10-14--(2nd LD) Heir Chung Euisun officially takes helm at Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Mobis has been conducting a motorway test of Level 3 technology in its M.BILLY autonomous car since 2018 in @ @ @ @ @ States and Europe .
Since Level 3 cars are only good for limited self-driving , @ @ @ @ @ to take control of the car if the need arises .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 8-16, last para)
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Group's longtime heir Chung Euisun on Wednesday officially took over the helm at the South Korean auto giant as it pushes to morph into a future mobility solutions provider.
The group's three major affiliates -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and Hyundai Mobis Co. -- held separate board meetings to name the only son of octogenarian Chung Mong-koo, who had led the Korean automotive group since 2000, as new group chairman.
The 49-year-old has been promoted to the top position of the world's fifth-biggest carmaker as he unveiled a future mobility vision and preemptively invested in overseas companies with advanced technologies in autonomous and other next-generation vehicles, the company said in a statement.
"We are committed to providing mobility solutions optimized for customers' lives and are targeting to strengthen our presence in autonomous driving, electrification, hydrogen fuel cell and robotics and urban air mobility (UAM)," the new chairman said.
UAM is a key future innovation business that can help overcome urban challenges like traffic congestion by connecting the sky and the ground.
This photo taken on Oct. 14, 2020, shows Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun delivering an online speech to employees after he was promoted to chairman of the group at its headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
The management change at Hyundai Motor Group came as the carmaker struggles with weak sales amid a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and tougher competition with rivals.
From January to June, Hyundai Motor's net profit plunged 52 percent on-year to 929.95 billion won, and Kia's also plummeted 66 percent to 392.28 billion won.
The junior Chung has served as de facto leader of Hyundai Motor Group since he was named executive vice chairman in September 2018. He earned his MBA at the University of San Francisco and began his career at Hyundai in 1999.
The new chairman has been leading design innovation at Kia by hiring dozens of foreign talents since 2006, starting with former Audi designer Peter Schreyer, who adopted the signature "tiger-nose" grille.
In 2015, he led the launch of the independent Genesis brand separately from the Hyundai brand and announced the plan to develop the high-performance N brand cars, such as the i30N and the i30 fastback.
In March, the group set up a 50:50 joint company Motional in Boston with Ireland-based autonomous vehicle startup Aptiv to develop a self-driving platform with Level 4 to 5 autonomous technology by 2022 and supply it to global carmakers.
Hyundai Mobis has been conducting a motorway test of Level 3 technology in its M.BILLY autonomous car since 2018 in South Korea, the United States and Europe. Since Level 3 cars are only good for limited self-driving, the driver must be available to take control of the car if the need arises.
A Level 3 car, if fully developed, will allow lane changes and other autonomous driving functions to work without intervention by the driver.
There are five levels of driving automation defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers International.
The company introduced a Level 4 self-driving automation technology in its concept M.VISION at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January last year.
At Level 4, a vehicle can drive itself under limited conditions and will not operate if all required conditions are not satisfied. At Level 5, a vehicle's automated driving features can drive under any conditions.
Samsung Group Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) shakes hands with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun at a meeting for the new year in Seoul on Jan. 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
In January, Hyundai Motor announced it will invest more than 100 trillion won (US$87 billion) in future mobility for the next five years.
The group aims to sell 1 million electric vehicles in 2025 as it strives to gain a share in the global EV realm.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have sold a combined 270,000 electric vehicles in South Korea and overseas markets since 2011.
The two carmakers plan to unveil 44 eco-friendly vehicles, including 23 all-electric ones under the three separate brands of Hyundai, Hyundai's independent brand Genesis and Kia, by 2025.
Currently, the group's pure electric models are Hyundai's Kona EV and Ioniq Electric and Kia's Soul EV and Niro EV. An all-electric model under the Genesis brand is not available for now.
In recent years, global carmakers have stepped up efforts to go electric amid tightened regulations on emissions of greenhouse gases, which scientists say are to blame for global warming.
To compete with global EV leaders, such as Audi and Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai has been looking for ways to strengthen or form business ties with local conglomerates Samsung Group, LG Group and SK Group in EVs and joint investments in overseas startups with future mobility technologies.
Moreover, Hyundai aims to establish a production facility capable of rolling out 50,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles a year by 2030. It also targets selling 200,000 hydrogen fuel cell systems a year in global markets by the same year.
In 2020, Hyundai is targeting selling 10,100 Nexo hydrogen passenger cars, mainly to public organizations and companies, more than doubling from the 4,194 units it sold last year.
Hyundai sold 10,698 Nexos -- 8,908 units domestically and 1,790 overseas -- in global markets from 2018 through August this year.
Hyundai has recently begun to export hydrogen commercial trucks and buses, paving the way for further exports of the eco-friendly vehicles.
In 2019, South Korea claimed a 52 percent share of the global hydrogen fuel cell electric market, followed by the United States with a share of 29 percent, Japan with 9.7 percent and Europe with 6.5 percent.
The chairman's 82-year-old father will serve as honorary chairman of the country's second-biggest conglomerate after Samsung Group in terms of assets.
This photo, taken Sept. 28, 2020, and provided by Hyundai Motor, shows two Nexo hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and two hydrogen Elec City buses being loaded onto a ship for export to Saudi Aramco at the carmaker's port in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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