Yonhap News Summary

The total number of imported cases in the country has reached 1,006 , which accounts for almost 10 percent of @ @ @ @ @ cases , according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
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(LEAD) Nearly 10 pct of virus cases in S. Korea come from overseas: data
SEOUL -- Imported cases of the new coronavirus in South Korea have surpassed 1,000 amid a slowdown in overall new infections, data showed Monday, as health authorities stay alert over a steady rise of cases coming from abroad.
The total number of imported cases in the country has reached 1,006, which accounts for almost 10 percent of the country's total virus cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
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Finance minister hints at more fiscal spending to ease fallout of coronavirus
SEJONG -- Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on Monday raised the possibility of providing more fiscal spending as economic remedies over the coronavirus pandemic, saying the government must leave some room to sell more state bonds.
Hong made the remarks at a meeting with senior ministry officials earlier in the day, as South Korea focused on reviving economic growth after apparently bringing the coronavirus outbreak under control.
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S. Korea, China seek framework to grant businesspeople entry ban exemptions
SEOUL -- South Korea and China have agreed to seek an "institutional framework" to grant businesspeople exemptions from entry restrictions aimed at preventing imported new coronavirus infections, a foreign ministry official said Monday.
The agreement came during a videoconference that Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young and his Chinese counterpart, Le Yucheng, held last Friday to discuss responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and other issues.
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(2nd LD) Korean Air mulls 1 tln-won stock offerings to tide over virus impact: sources
SEOUL -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier, is considering stock offerings worth up to 1 trillion won (US$820 million) as part of self-help measures amid the growing coronavirus impact on the airline sector, financial sources said Monday.
Korean Air is in talks with major securities companies to raise up to 1 trillion won by selling new shares, an investment bank official familiar with the matter told Yonhap News Agency.
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(LEAD) Parliament moves to allow blind lawmaker-elect's guide dog into main chamber
SEOUL -- The National Assembly reached an internal decision Monday to allow the guide dog of a newly elected lawmaker with a visual disability to enter the main chamber, parliamentary officials said.
Kim Ye-ji of the minor opposition Future Korea Party won a proportional representation seat in last week's parliamentary elections. Her election has sparked a debate on whether her guide dog, called Joy, should be allowed to accompany her to the main chamber.
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(LEAD) Seoul stocks end lower ahead of Q1 earnings season
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended lower on Monday as investors await first-quarter earnings results from this week amid signs of an easing in the global coronavirus spread. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 16.17 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 1,898.36. Trading volume was moderate at 1.1 billion shares worth 11.7 trillion won (US$9.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 515 to 337.
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Tottenham's Son Heung-min starts military training with Marines
SEOUL -- Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min reported to a Marine Corps unit on Monday to begin his three-week military training on the southern island of Jeju.
Son will be in camp until May 8, fulfilling requirements of the military service exemption he earned by winning the men's football gold medal for South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games.
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Moon's security adviser anticipates breakthrough in inter-Korean relations in May or June

`` I think the coronavirus situation will enter a phase of stability and guidelines will be eased during the first @ @ @ @ @ expect a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations from that point and before the National Assembly opens @ @ @ @ @ North Korea will respond to us then , '' Moon said .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- A special security adviser to President Moon Jae-in said Monday he expects North Korea to respond to South Korea's offer for cross-border cooperation in May or June.
Moon Chung-in, special advisor for diplomatic affairs, made the remark during a roundtable discussion, saying he remains optimistic inter-Korean talks will gain traction when the coronavirus pandemic eases.
"I think the coronavirus situation will enter a phase of stability and guidelines will be eased during the first week of May. I expect a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations from that point and before the National Assembly opens in June ... I think North Korea will respond to us then," Moon said.
"The North cannot ignore the changing political situation in South Korea ... we are taking steps and making proposals in various ways," he said without elaborating.
Inter-Korean relations have stalled since the no-deal summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump about a year ago. Pyongyang has since not responded to Seoul's repeated offers for cross-border cooperation and talks, including an offer to cooperate in dealing with the coronavirus.
The special adviser said that health-related cross border projects could provide an opportunity for the two Koreas to push ahead for a summit and alleviate stalled relations.
Lee Jong-seok, a top expert on North Korea who headed the unification ministry in 2006, also stressed the need for bold proposals to the North in cooperation projects, suggesting the South provide all medical devices needed for a large-scale hospital under construction in Pyongyang.
The presidential National Unification Advisory Council organized the discussion as South Korea is set to commemorate the second anniversary next week of the first summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
During the summit, the two leaders adopted the Panmunjom Declaration, under which they agreed to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations.
Moon Chung-in, President Moon Jae-in's special security adviser (2nd from L), speaks at a special meeting on the Korean Peninsula hosted by National Unification Advisory Council with former Unification Ministers Jeong Se-hyun (2nd from R) and Lee Jong-seok (R) on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--U.S. flies spy plane over Korean Peninsula to monitor N. Korea

The deployment of such reconnaissance aircraft by the U.S. is part of its regular operations , but it might have @ @ @ @ @ spotted `` intentionally '' to send a message of pressure to the North , according @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. surveillance aircraft flew over South Korea, an aviation tracker said Monday, on an apparent mission to monitor North Korea amid stepped-up military moves by the communist regime in recent weeks.
The U.S. Air Force's RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted in skies above the city of Incheon, just west of Seoul, and the adjacent Gyeonggi Province, Aircraft Spots tweeted without specifying the exact time of the operation.
The U.S. has deployed several types of spy planes here more often than before in recent months, such as the Navy's EP-3E, after Pyongyang has moved to beef up its defense capabilities amid stalled denuclearization talks with Washington.
As the latest in a series of muscle-flexing maneuvers, North Korea fired what appeared to be cruise missiles off its east coast and air-to-ground missiles from fighter jets into the East Sea last Tuesday, one day before the birthday anniversary of late national founder Kim Il-sung.
The deployment of such reconnaissance aircraft by the U.S. is part of its regular operations, but it might have let some of them be spotted "intentionally" to send a message of pressure to the North, according to sources and experts.
An increase in surveillance activity could also suggest unusual moves may be under way in the communist nation, such as preparations for missile launches.
This image, captured from the website of the U.S. Air Force, shows a RC-135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Army soldier under probe for allegedly assaulting female captain with shovel

The corporal , whose identity has been withheld , allegedly struck the officer in the arm with the entrenching tool @ @ @ @ @ , leaving her with injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment , according to officials @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- A 22-year-old corporal is under investigation over allegations of assaulting a female officer commanding his company with a folding shovel early this month after complaining about hard work, the Army said Monday.
The corporal, whose identity has been withheld, allegedly struck the officer in the arm with the entrenching tool and tried to choke her, leaving her with injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment, according to officials.
The two were having a conversation after the corporal repeatedly complained about hard work late last month.
The military prosecution is looking into details of the incident.
"The military investigation body is fully aware of the severity of the incident and will give stern punishment according to law and regulation," an Army officer said.
Separately, military police are also investigating allegations four Army noncommissioned officers sexually harassed a superior officer last month.
Amid a series of embarrassing cases reported at the barracks, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo has warned of stern punishment for misconduct and other lapses in discipline.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korea, China seek framework to grant businesspeople entry ban exemptions

Seoul has demanded that Korean businesspeople with certificates proving their negative virus test results should be allowed to freely move @ @ @ @ @ .
But Beijing maintains that they be first allowed to travel in several parts of @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China have agreed to seek an "institutional framework" to grant businesspeople exemptions from entry restrictions aimed at preventing imported new coronavirus infections, a foreign ministry official said Monday.
The agreement came during a videoconference that Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young and his Chinese counterpart, Le Yucheng, held last Friday to discuss responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and other issues.
In recent weeks, Seoul has been cranking up diplomacy to enable at least entrepreneurs to make essential business trips abroad as part of efforts to minimize the economic fallout of the contagious disease.
"South Korea and China have agreed on the idea of establishing an institutional framework," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
"China has been fairly cooperative on this issue. If we reach a final agreement, this would mark the first case of institutionalizing the entry of businesspeople," he added.
Further coordination with Chinese authorities is needed as there are differences between the two countries.
Seoul has demanded that Korean businesspeople with certificates proving their negative virus test results should be allowed to freely move in any part of China. But Beijing maintains that they be first allowed to travel in several parts of China on a trial basis.
So far, the foreign ministry has helped a total of 3,068 businesspeople secure exemptions to entry restrictions from nine countries.
South Koreans wait in line to apply for visas from the Chinese Embassy in Seoul on March 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Finance minister hints at more fiscal spending to ease fallout of coronavirus

The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) has predicted that South Korea 's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year @ @ @ @ @ is expected to hit its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over @ @ @ @ @ economy is expected to contract 3 percent this year , the IMF said .

SEJONG, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on Monday raised the possibility of providing more fiscal spending as economic remedies over the coronavirus pandemic, saying the government must leave some room to sell more state bonds.
Hong made the remarks at a meeting with senior ministry officials earlier in the day, as South Korea focused on reviving economic growth after apparently bringing the coronavirus outbreak under control.
Hong said the government "will preemptively give support for sectors that need the role of fiscal spending in an unprecedented crisis."
"To cope with a more difficult situation, there is the need for the government to save some room for the additional role of fiscal spending and issuance of state bonds," Hong said, according to a ministry statement.
Last week, the ministry unveiled a second extra budget of 7.6 trillion won (US$6.3 billion) to give shopping coupons and gift certificates to households to help cushion the economic fallout from the pandemic.
Along with the budgets of local governments, the central government will spend 9.7 trillion won for the one-time relief package for 14.78 million households, about half of the nation's total households.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (L) attends a meeting of the National Assembly on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The second extra budget came more than a month after the National Assembly approved an 11.7 trillion-won supplementary budget, which marked the nation's largest-ever extra budget bill to handle the fallout from the contagious disease.
Under the latest support measure, 1 million won will be given to each household with four or more people that rank in the bottom 70 percent of gross income, ministry officials said.
Hong urged ministry officials to persuade lawmakers to pass the second budget bill as the National Assembly is set to begin its review of the bill.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year, as the global economy is expected to hit its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 3 percent this year, the IMF said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(LEAD) More Samsung Display workers cleared for Vietnam entry amid restrictions

Meanwhile , Samsung Display said its Bac Ninh factory is under normal operation following a partial shutdown of facilities last @ @ @ @ @ to shut down a part of the factory after one of its workers there tested @ @ @ @ @ , although it did n't stop production lines .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 8-9)
HANOI, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 300 more workers from Samsung Display Co. in South Korea were allowed to enter Vietnam after receiving special entry permissions from the Vietnamese government amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said Monday.
A chartered flight carrying 294 Samsung Display workers arrived at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, last Friday, according to sources.
To stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Vietnam has prohibited the entry of all foreign nationals since March 22. The entry restriction is scheduled to run until the end of this month.
But some 350 workers from Samsung Display and its affiliates already entered Vietnam last month after the Vietnamese government granted them special entry.
This image provided by Samsung Display Co. shows the corporate logo of the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Samsung Display has been discussing the entry of its employees with the Vietnamese government so that the company can complete the upgrade of OLED module production lines at its factory in Bac Ninh.
Sources said two more batches of Samsung Display workers are scheduled to arrive in Vietnam in the coming days, indicating that the total number of Samsung Display workers granted special entry permission may reach around 1,000.
Vietnam has been exempting South Korean workers from its entry restrictions recently. Last month, it granted entry to some 250 workers from LG Group affiliates and their subcontractors.
An additional 200 workers from LG Electronics Inc., LG Display Co. and LG Innotek Co. are to arrive in Vietnam on a chartered flight on Thursday, according to sources.
The Vietnamese government has also approved entry of some 400 workers from small- and medium-sized South Korean companies, they said.
Meanwhile, Samsung Display said its Bac Ninh factory is under normal operation following a partial shutdown of facilities last week. The company had to shut down a part of the factory after one of its workers there tested positive for the new coronavirus, although it didn't stop production lines.
According to Vietnamese media, all 221 workers who had contacted the virus-infected worker tested negative for COVID-19.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korean Bond Yields on Apr. 20, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Apr. 20, 2020

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


yna--2020-04-21--Virus woes cloud HDC's takeover of Asiana Airlines

`` With uncertainties escalating , there is no need for HDC to hurry to make the payment and complete the @ @ @ @ @ said an analyst on condition of anonymity .
`` And it has not specified the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- HDC Hyundai Development Co., a midsized South Korean builder, is unlikely to close a deal soon to buy Asiana Airlines Inc. as planned due to the devastating coronavirus impact on the airline industry, sources said Tuesday.
HDC Hyundai Development had planned to complete the overall process to take over Asiana, the smaller of South Korea's two full-service air carriers, by the end of April.
In late December, the HDC-Mirae Asset Daewoo consortium struck a deal to acquire a 30.77 percent Asiana stake from Kumho Industrial Co., a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group, as well as new shares to be issued and the airline's six affiliates, for 2.5 trillion won (US$2.1 billion).
After the takeover, HDC is expected to own a 61.5 percent stake in Asiana following the planned rights issue, with Mirae Asset Daewoo set to have a 15 percent interest.
HDC needs to obtain an approval from six countries to which Asiana flies, which is a prerequisite for Asiana's capital increase.
This undated file photo shows Asiana planes parked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Despite almost clearing overseas regulatory hurdles, HDC has virtually delayed its plans to fund the takeover by participating in the rights issue and selling bonds as the coronavirus pandemic has sent the airline sector teetering on the brink of collapse, according to the sources.
Early this year, HDC reported its planned takeover of the countries -- the United States, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. HDC has won approval from five countries so far with Russia yet to give the go-ahead.
Once the process of winning regulatory approval from the six countries, HDC had planned to participate in Asiana's rights issue worth 1.47 trillion won to pay back 1.17 trillion won in the carrier's loans from two state lenders -- the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Ex-Im Bank).
The company was also poised to sell 300 billion won worth of bonds and take out loans from financial institutions to secure the necessary money for the high-profile acquisition.
But Asiana's serious financial trouble and the government's planned support for the ailing airline industry have reportedly prompted HDC and its consortium partner not to rush to complete the acquisition.
In this file photo, Chung Mong-gye (C), chairman of HDC Hyundai Development Co., holds a press conference in Seoul in November 2019 after the company was picked as the preferred bidder for Asiana Airlines Inc. (Yonhap)
Battered by the coronavirus pandemic, Asiana's debt-to-equity has skyrocketed from the end of last year, with its loans hovering well above 1.17 trillion won.
"With uncertainties escalating, there is no need for HDC to hurry to make the payment and complete the deal as scheduled," said an analyst on condition of anonymity. "And it has not specified the completion date."
Market watchers said whether HDC will complete the deal will hinge on the results of negotiations on additional financial aid to Asiana between HDC and the carrier's main creditors.
HDC has reportedly called on the two main creditors -- the KDB and the Ex-Im Bank -- to roll over Asiana's debts and reduce interest rates.
The KDB and the Ex-Im Bank were to discuss later in the day whether to provide financial support to the struggling airline. Last year, the two state lenders extended a combined 1.6 trillion won to Asiana, including the purchase of perpetual bonds worth 500 billion won.
Informed sources said the two banks could postpone the repayment of part of its loans, covert the perpetual bonds into equity or trim the annual 7 percent rate on the bonds.
The corporate logos of the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Ex-Im Bank) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--S. Korea reports 9 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,683

The country detected just nine new COVID-19 infections on Monday , marking the third day in a row that the @ @ @ @ @ stayed below 15 , according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( @ @ @ @ @ the newly added cases were imported , the data showed .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported yet another single-digit number of new cases of the new coronavirus on Tuesday in a clear sign of a slowdown in new infections, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,683.
The country detected just nine new COVID-19 infections on Monday, marking the third day in a row that the country's new virus infections stayed below 15, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Five of the newly added cases were imported, the data showed.
The country announced a single-digit number of new cases on Sunday for the first time in two months at eight, followed by 13 cases the following day.
The plateauing figures mark a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.
Medical staff members get ready for work at a drive-thru testing center located in southern Seoul on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the coronavirus rose by one to 237, the authorities said.
In total, 8,213 virus patients in South Korea have been discharged from hospitals, up 99 from a day earlier. So far, the country has carried out tests on 571,014 people since Jan. 3.
The number of new infections continued to slow in Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, with just two additional cases.
North Gyeongsang Province, which surrounds Daegu, reported no additional infections.
Seoul, the most populous city of South Korea, reported two new cases, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding two new COVID-19 infections as well.
Starting Monday, South Korea applied a relaxed social distancing advisory on some facilities including gyms and cram schools as the number of new COVID-19 infections here showed a continued downward trend.
South Korea announced it will maintain the social distancing drive until May 5, but it will ease some rules under the condition that such facilities comply with safety measures.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--USFK calls for disciplined, vigilant posture against coronavirus

It has also meted out strict punishment for non-compliance .
In the latest known case , a civilian worker at @ @ @ @ @ has been barred from all USFK installations for two years since last week , after @ @ @ @ @ the garrison earlier this month in violation of its public health guidance .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) called Tuesday for service members to guard against complacency and to follow aggressive preventive measures against the coronavirus so as to stop its spread and maintain a full readiness posture.
"All USFK-affiliated individuals must remain disciplined and vigilant in their efforts to fighting complacency," USFK said in a release.
So far, USFK has reported a total of 25 infections, with the latest case confirmed last week, and two of the patients are active-duty soldiers.
To stem the spread of the virus, USFK remains at a level of "high" risk across the peninsula and has implemented control measures, such as restricting off-base travel and implementing social distancing guidance.
It has also meted out strict punishment for non-compliance. In the latest known case, a civilian worker at the Yongsan garrison in Seoul has been barred from all USFK installations for two years since last week, after he visited a bar outside the garrison earlier this month in violation of its public health guidance.
"Everyone has an individual responsibility to squash the curve, protect the force and kill the virus by keeping up your guard to protect the force (and) to protect the mission," it noted.
A military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver as part of the screening of entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus on Feb. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by United States Forces Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Korean firm's exports of virus test kits hit 10 million units to 60 countries

`` The test has a unique feature that identifies 3 different targets in a single reaction tube using its own @ @ @ @ @ allows for highly accurate results and maximizes the throughput for high volume testing , '' @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Seegene Inc., a major diagnostic assay maker in South Korea, said Tuesday it has exported more than 10 million coronavirus test kits in just two months.
Seegene said its Allplex novel coronavirus test kit has been sold to more than 60 countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy and France.
The company said it currently exports over 3 million tests a week but plans to increase that volume to 5 million a week next month to meet rising demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The test has a unique feature that identifies 3 different targets in a single reaction tube using its own multiplex chemistry technologies, which allows for highly accurate results and maximizes the throughput for high volume testing," Seegene said in a release.
To help countries in need of better virus tests, Seegene said it has teamed up with its affiliate Seegene Medical Foundation (SMF), a testing laboratory in South Korea.
SMF, whose COVID-19 testing capacity reaches up to 15,000 a day, can report test results within 24 hours after receiving samples from overseas.
This photo provided by Seegene Inc. on April 21, 2020, shows the company's coronavirus testing reagents. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 99 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 8,213: KCDC


yna--2020-04-21--(URGENT) S. Korea confirms 1 more coronavirus deaths, raising death toll to 237: KCDC


yna--2020-04-21--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 9 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,683


yna--2020-04-21--Korean lender agrees to pay US$86 mln in penalties to U.S. over Iran transactions

`` Banks conducting business in the U.S. have a responsibility to ensure that they establish safeguards against the exploitation of @ @ @ @ @ entities that foster , promote , or engage in terrorism , '' Berman said in @ @ @ @ @ website of the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the Southern District of New York .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean lender Industrial Bank of Korea said Tuesday that it has agreed to pay penalties totaling US$86 million to the U.S. authorities in a settlement that ended a yearslong U.S. probe into illegal U.S. dollar payments from South Korean entities to Iranian ones.
The IBK said it will pay a $51 million penalty to U.S. prosecutors and a $35 million penalty to the New York State Department of Financial Services over its lack of an anti-money laundering program at its branch in New York.
Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said IBK's branch in New York failed to detect and report $10 million in illegal U.S. dollar payments from South Korean entities to Iranian ones, as the bank failed to institute an effective anti-money laundering program.
This file photo shows Industrial Bank of Korea's headquarters building in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
"Banks conducting business in the U.S. have a responsibility to ensure that they establish safeguards against the exploitation of the banking system by sanctioned entities that foster, promote, or engage in terrorism," Berman said in a statement posted on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Berman said assuming IBK's continued compliance with the agreement, the U.S. government has agreed to defer prosecution for a period of two years, after which time the U.S. government will seek to dismiss the charges.
IBK said it "will continue to make efforts to effectively improve and maintain its compliance system, including anti-money laundering, in consultations with relevant domestic and foreign authorities."
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(2nd LD) Trump says he rejected S. Korean offer on defense cost-sharing

`` We 're asking them to pay for a big percentage of what we 're doing .
It 's not @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're defending nations that are very wealthy .
South Korea is a @ @ @ @ @ make our television sets .
They make ships .
They make everything .
And I @ @ @ @ @ ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks by Trump in last para)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, April 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he rejected South Korea's offer on defense cost-sharing because the country is wealthy and should pay "for a big percentage of what we're doing" there.
"They've offered us a certain amount of money and I've rejected it," Trump said at a White House coronavirus press briefing, referring to the stalled negotiations on how to share the cost for the upkeep of about 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
"I just said it's just, look, you know, we're doing a tremendous service. We have a wonderful feeling and a wonderful relationship with each other, but we have to be treated equitably and fairly," Trump said.
A South Korean newspaper reported earlier that the U.S. could consider reducing troop levels in South Korea as a means to pressure Seoul in the defense cost talks.
Trump said the issue is not about troop levels but how much Seoul will be able to pay.
"It's not a question of reduction," he said. "It's a question of will they contribute toward the defense of their own nation."
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump at the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
An earlier news report said Trump rejected Seoul's offer to increase its contribution by 13 percent, leaving the two countries at an impasse in negotiations to renew their cost-sharing deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement.
Under last year's one-year deal, Seoul agreed to pay US$870 million.
"We're asking them to pay for a big percentage of what we're doing. It's not fair," Trump said. "We're defending nations that are very wealthy. South Korea is a very wealthy nation. They make our television sets. They make ships. They make everything. And I give them great credit."
More than 4,000 South Korean employees with U.S. Forces Korea have been placed on unpaid leave since the beginning of April due to the absence of a new SMA. The previous agreement lapsed at the end of last year.
"What's going to happen I can't tell you, but we'll find out fairly soon," Trump said, adding that he congratulates South Korean President Moon Jae-in on his party's landslide victory in recent parliamentary elections.
The two spoke by phone Saturday, but neither side mentioned that the issue of defense cost-sharing was brought up.
The White House said in a readout that they "discussed ways to further strengthen the United States-Republic of Korea security relationship."
"He's a friend of mine," Trump said of Moon. "I congratulated a wonderful election victory. I was very happy about that."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--S. Korean shares open lower on Wall Street losses

The local currency was trading at 1,223.70 won against the U.S. dollar , down 3.20 won from the previous session @ @ @

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 16.07 points, or 0.85 percent, to 1,882.29 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The decline followed losses in the U.S. market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.44 percent, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index declining 1.03 percent.
Huh Jae-hwan, a strategist at Eugene Investment Co., said a sharp plunge in oil prices and potential poor corporate earnings results weighed on investor sentiment.
In Seoul, most large-cap stocks traded mixed across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 1.50 percent, South Korea's second-largest chipmaker SK hynix Inc. was down 1.46 percent and top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. shed 2.66 percent.
Among gainers, South Korea's state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. rose 2.81 percent, and South Korean biopharmaceutical firm Celltrion was up 0.71 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,223.70 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.20 won from the previous session's close.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) Trump says he rejected S. Korean offer on defense cost-sharing

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with Trump's remarks, background)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, April 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he rejected South Korea's offer on defense cost-sharing because the country is wealthy and should pay "for a big percentage of what we're doing" there.
"They've offered us a certain amount of money and I've rejected it," Trump said at a White House coronavirus press briefing, referring to the stalled negotiations on how to share the cost for the upkeep of about 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
"I just said it's just, look, you know, we're doing a tremendous service. We have a wonderful feeling and a wonderful relationship with each other, but we have to be treated equitably and fairly," Trump said.
A South Korean newspaper reported earlier that the U.S. could consider reducing troop levels in South Korea as a means to pressure Seoul in the defense cost talks.
Trump said the issue is not about troop levels but how much Seoul will be able to pay.
"It's not a question of reduction," he said. "It's a question of will they contribute toward the defense of their own nation."
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump at the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
An earlier news report said Trump rejected Seoul's offer to increase its contribution by 13 percent, leaving the two countries at an impasse in negotiations to renew their cost-sharing deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement.
Under last year's one-year deal, Seoul agreed to pay US$870 million for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops stationed on the peninsula.
"We're asking them to pay for a big percentage of what we're doing. It's not fair," Trump said. "We're defending nations that are very wealthy. South Korea is a very wealthy nation. They make our television sets. They make ships. They make everything. And I give them great credit."
More than 4,000 South Korean employees with U.S. Forces Korea have been placed on unpaid leave since the beginning of April due to the absence of a new SMA. The previous agreement lapsed at the end of last year.
"What's going to happen I can't tell you, but we'll find out fairly soon," Trump said, adding that he congratulates South Korean President Moon Jae-in on his party's landslide victory in recent parliamentary elections.
The two spoke by phone Saturday, but neither side mentioned that the issue of defense cost-sharing was brought up.
The White House said in a readout that they "discussed ways to further strengthen the United States-Republic of Korea security relationship."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(2nd LD) Korea's exports sink 27 pct in first 20 days of April over virus pandemic

The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) has predicted that South Korea 's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year @ @ @ @ @ expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over the @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 5 paras)
SEJONG, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports sank 27 percent on year in the first 20 days of April amid the shock from the coronavirus pandemic, customs data showed Tuesday.
The nation's outbound shipments dropped 26.9 percent in the April 1-20 period to US$21.7 billion, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports during the 20-day period also slipped 16.8 percent on-year.
The data came amid growing concerns that the coronavirus pandemic is denting exports by Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The new coronavirus has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully shutting down their borders.
By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, fell 14.9 percent, and those of automobiles declined 28.5 percent over the 20-day period from a year earlier.
By country, shipments to China dropped 17 percent on-year, while shipments to the United States sank 17.5 percent.
Shipments to the European Union and Vietnam plunged 32.6 percent and 39.5 percent, respectively.
South Korea's imports in the 20-day period also suffered, dropping 18.6 percent to $25.1 billion, according to the data.
In March, the country's exports fell 0.2 percent in March from a year earlier.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year as the global economy is expected to have its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 3 percent this year, the IMF said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--LPGA stars commit to S. Korean major next month

They are among a handful of South Korean LPGA stars who 've returned home with the LPGA Tour on hold @ @ @ @ @ opened with a couple of tournaments in Florida in January and then made two stops @ @ @ @ @ Then its Asian Swing through Thailand , Singapore and China got wiped out because of @ @ @ @ @ U.S.-based tournaments scheduled through mid-June have been postponed or canceled .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- When the South Korean women's golf tour resumes next month, a pair of top-10 players in the world will be in the field.
The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) announced last week that its 2020 season will return with the first major of the season, the KLPGA Championship, on May 14. The season had been on hold since the beginning of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, with only the season opener, the Hyosung Championship in Vietnam last December, in the books.
In this Getty Images file photo from Nov. 24, 2019, Kim Sei-young of South Korea celebrates her birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. (Yonhap)
According to informed sources Tuesday, world No. 6 Kim Sei-young and No. 10 Lee Jeong-eun have both committed to play at the KLPGA Championship. The field of 144 will be competing for 2.3 billion won (US$1.9 million), with 160 million won going to the champion.
Kim, who won the Rookie of the Year in 2015, has 10 career LPGA titles -- at least one victory in every season since her first year. Lee, who won the U.S. Women's Open last year en route to capturing the top rookie prize, had dominated the KLPGA Tour before taking her talent overseas.
They are among a handful of South Korean LPGA stars who've returned home with the LPGA Tour on hold indefinitely. The U.S. circuit opened with a couple of tournaments in Florida in January and then made two stops in Australia in February. Then its Asian Swing through Thailand, Singapore and China got wiped out because of the coronavirus and then all U.S.-based tournaments scheduled through mid-June have been postponed or canceled.
A few South Koreans, including world No. 1 Ko Jin-young and third-ranked Park Sung-hyun, haven't even played a tournament this year yet. They were going to skip the early portion of the schedule and make their season debut in March in the U.S.
And the ones who played early, like Park In-bee and Lee, haven't seen any tournament action since mid-February.
The sources said Kim and Lee plan to donate their prize money from the KLPGA Championship to aid COVID-19 relief efforts. Every player will be paid at the tournament, even the ones who miss the cut.
In this file photo from Oct. 25, 2019, Lee Jeong-eun of South Korea tees off at the first tee during the second round of the BMW Ladies Championship at LPGA International Busan in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Park Sung-hyun and Kim Hyo-joo, two former KLPGA stars who've won LPGA majors, are also considering getting into the KLPGA Championship.
But Park In-bee and Ko Jin-young will not be in the field, the sources said. They both turned down the opportunity because they didn't want to take up spots that otherwise would go to golfers who've been struggling financially in the absence of tournament action.
The KLPGA Championship is open to, among others, a KLPGA major champion within the past four years, a tour winner within the past two years, the top-60 money winners from the previous season and the top 30 players in the world rankings. Most South Korean LPGA players meet at least one of these criteria.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


Tuesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Apr .
21 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) Korea's exports sink 27 pct in first 20 days of April over virus pandemic

The new coronavirus has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe , with a rising number of countries fully @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details; CHANGES headline)
SEJONG, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports sank 27 percent on year in the first 20 days of April amid the shock from the coronavirus pandemic, customs data showed Tuesday.
The nation's outbound shipments dropped 26.9 percent in the April 1-20 period to US$21.7 billion, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
The daily average exports during the 20-day period also slipped 16.8 percent on-year.
The data came amid growing concerns that the coronavirus pandemic is denting exports by Asia's fourth-largest economy.
The new coronavirus has disrupted trade and halted production around the globe, with a rising number of countries fully shutting down their borders.
By segment, exports of memory chips, a key item, fell 14.9 percent, and those of automobiles declined 28.5 percent over the 20-day period from a year earlier.
By country, shipments to China dropped 17 percent on-year, while shipments to the United States sank 17.5 percent.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 1,886.78 DN 11.58 points (open)


KOSDAQ 634.76 DN 3.06 points (open)


yna--2020-04-21--Dollar opens at 1,222.0 won UP from 1,220.5 won


yna--2020-04-21--(Yonhap Feature) With eased social distancing, S. Koreans imagine post-coronavirus life

`` I usually feel better when I go to church every Sunday , but I 've not been going for @ @ @ @ @ churches began to stream services online .
Mostly it 's because of infection risks , @ @ @ @ @ pressure toward people who visit churches . ''

By Lee Minji
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- When South Korea reported its first case of the new coronavirus on Jan. 20, little was fathomed about how this virus would change life.
Three months into the virus outbreak, what was once deemed a regional virus has developed into a global pandemic, reshaping how people work, rest and live.
In South Korea, where more than 10,000 cases have been reported, the unprecedented situation has prompted a "new normal," changing everyday life in unexpected ways.
One month ago, the government launched an intensive social distancing campaign, shutting down schools, churches, gyms and bars. Companies turned to remote working to minimize risks of infection.
Masks have become daily necessities and schools resumed classes -- online -- in April for the first time ever. Church services were suspended and weddings called off. Going to the movies or a baseball match became something unfathomable.
This photo, taken on April 4, 2020, shows people taking a company entrance test at an outdoor stadium in Ansan, outside of Seoul. Applicants were seated five meters apart from each other. (Yonhap)
The rigorous effort seems to have paid off.
The government attributes a fall in cluster infections and infections coming from unknown routes to the social distancing scheme.
"The number of daily new infections, which hovered around 100 in the 10 days before the social distancing campaign took off, declined to below 50 on April 9. It fell to a single-digit figure in two months," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a press briefing on Sunday.
Park also noted how cluster infections fell to three cases in the past 10 days from over 10, and infections from unidentified routes averaged 2.1 percent in the last two weeks compared to around 10 percent before the campaign.
South Korea reported 8 new infections on Sunday and 13 on Monday, a dramatic fall from a peak of 909 reported on Feb. 29.
Members of Seoul City Church in the eastern Seoul ward of Jungnang take part in a drive-thru Sunday service in a parking lot on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The campaign, which encourages people to keep distance from each other, however, also had drawbacks.
"I continue to feel anxious about the virus," said a Seoul resident in her 50s who asked not to be named.
"I usually feel better when I go to church every Sunday, but I've not been going for almost three months even before churches began to stream services online. Mostly it's because of infection risks, but also because of peer pressure toward people who visit churches."
In online forums for moms, posts lamenting child care stress can be easily seen. Schools and child care centers have shut down, leaving stay-at-home parents to solely look after their children.
A series of studies led by You Myoung-soon, a professor at Seoul National University's Graduate School of Public Health, showed that housewives and small business owners tend to be more affected by everyday changes stemming from the pandemic.
A first grader at an elementary school in the central Seoul ward of Yongsan greets his teacher in an online class with the help of his mother on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
Factoring in the mounting fatigue coming from social distancing, South Korea has eased some regulations while extending the overall campaign to early May.
The current deadline is May 5, which is anticipated to help people stay indoors during the so-called golden holiday when public holidays are scheduled in late April and early May. It is also expected to give authorities time to assess possible infections during Easter and the April 15 general elections.
Under the measures announced Sunday, the government has eased restrictions on churches, gyms, cram schools and bars. National parks, forests and arboretums, which are seen to carry lower risks of infections, are set to open gradually.
A teacher in traditional Korean attire votes in the quadrennial general elections at an elementary school in South Chungcheong Province on April 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
For those who have been weighed down by social distancing, this is a sign of hope.
"It's not that I'm worried, but I'm mostly relieved. The economic fallout is really bad," said Yoo Song-yi, who works in the accounting department of a local food conglomerate. Yoo asked to be identified by an alias.
"I can see that net profit is weakening, and I hear from suppliers and people who run their own businesses how they are failing to make a profit while managing fixed expenses like rent. It's tougher on them."
In fact, a recently conducted government poll showed that among those who called for immediate easing of social distancing, 19.1 percent cited the sluggish economy and 17.1 percent exhaustion over the prolonged social distancing campaign.
This photo, taken on March 17, 2020, shows people standing in a queue to buy face masks at a pharmacy in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
But some are still wary about easing the rules yet.
"Although rules have been eased, I want to stay safe until I feel sure that things are better," the housewife said. "I think I'll wait until the end of the golden season to start going to church and see my friends."
The government poll showed that a majority of respondents shared the view. More than 63 percent were against an immediate easing of social distancing, with 66.2 percent of them citing risks of the virus resurfacing when a cure is not yet available.
The government has also made clear that the recent easing does not mean going back to life before the coronavirus.
"In terms of quarantine, it is safest to continue high-intensity social distancing, but it is not easy in reality. We need to find a middle ground," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a government meeting.
"We are not at the stage where we can feel relieved," he added.
That's why some, like Sophia Yoon, have decided to embrace the contagious virus as part of everyday life.
"I think the virus is somewhat similar to fine dust. In the beginning, it was a big issue but now we are less worried about it. While we are careful and wear face masks, we still carry on with life," said Yoon, an office worker in Seoul.
"I can somewhat imagine reports of new infections becoming something like the weather forecast. Although I hope things don't worsen, we have to get used to it. We will."
Authorities were fully aware of the challenges going forward.
"We may not be able to return to life (before the COVID-19 outbreak) for quite a long time, maybe eternally," Chung said on April 13.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Korea's exports down 27 pct in first 20 days of April

The country 's outbound shipments declined 26.9 percent in the April 1-20 period from the same period last year , @ @ @ @ @ the Korea Customs Service .

SEJONG, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell sharply from a year earlier in the first 20 days of April amid the economic fallout from the new coronavirus, customs data showed Tuesday.
The country's outbound shipments declined 26.9 percent in the April 1-20 period from the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) U.S. has intelligence N.K. leader 'in grave danger after surgery': CNN

The parliamentary meeting , in particular , was held two days later than originally scheduled , but the North 's @ @ @ @ @ reason for the delay , sparking rumors about what was behind the rare unannounced postponement @ @ @ @ @ it might have something to do with the coronavirus pandemic , including Kim 's possible @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS reports of N. Korean leader's activities in last 2 paras)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has seen no unusual signs suggesting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ill, government officials said Tuesday, after CNN reported that Kim is "in grave danger after a surgery."
"There is nothing unusual going on in North Korea. It's not true," a government official told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, referring to the CNN report that cited an unidentified "U.S. official with direct knowledge" of the matter.
Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok also said that nothing unusual has been detected in the North.
"No unusual signs have been identified inside North Korea," Kang said. "There is nothing we can confirm with regard to Chairman Kim's alleged health problem."
The CNN report came after the Daily NK, a South Korean internet news outlet specializing in North Korea news, reported that Kim has been receiving medical treatment at a villa in the resort county of Hyangsan near Mount Myohyang, north of Pyongyang, following a cardiovascular procedure.
A senior presidential official said that Kim is believed to be staying in a provincial region together with close aides. The official declined to get into details about the region, only saying that it is not the Mount Myohyang area.
"No unusual signs have been found that can back up the alleged health problem," the official said. "North Korea's Workers' Party, the military, the cabinet are not showing any special moves, such as an emergency alert."
The official also said that Kim appears to be acting "normally."
A source said that Kim is believed to be staying in the east coastal region of Wonsan, though he did not provide evidence to back up the claim or other details.
Speculation has arisen about what happened to Kim since he apparently skipped an annual visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on the occasion of the 108th birthday of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il-sung last Wednesday.
Kim was last seen on April 11 in state media reports presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on Saturday, calling for "strict national countermeasures to thoroughly check the infiltration of the virus."
He, however, did not attend a major session of the country's rubber-stamp parliament the following day, nor did state media report on his attendance in the country's latest weapons tests last Tuesday, a day before the late founder's birthday, an unusual absence given that he had mostly supervised such firings in recent months.
The parliamentary meeting, in particular, was held two days later than originally scheduled, but the North's media did not provide the reason for the delay, sparking rumors about what was behind the rare unannounced postponement. Some raised the possibility it might have something to do with the coronavirus pandemic, including Kim's possible infection with the virus.
Despite the government's relatively quick response to dispel speculation about Kim's health conditions, some raised the possibility about something unusual happening inside the reclusive state.
Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, who chairs the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, told reporters that Kim appears to have undergone a heart-related surgery, citing multiple unspecified sources. But he was not sure about Kim's current health conditions.
"Some informed sources say that (Kim) had an ankle surgery; some claim that he is under quarantine at Mount Myohyang (near Hyangsan) due to COVID-19. There also are those who say that Kim underwent a cardiovascular procedure but that he is not in as serious of a condition (as reported)," he said.
A diplomatic source said the media reports about Kim's health appear to be nothing more than speculation.
"There have been such rumors since last week, especially in Japan. But these were nothing more than unconfirmed rumors," the source said.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
From early September 2014, he disappeared from the public eye for about 40 days and returned limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he underwent surgery to have a cyst removed from his ankle.
It is extremely difficult to confirm speculations about the reclusive country, with only a small number of insiders privy to such sensitive information about its leader's condition.
On Monday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim sent a congratulatory message to Cuban President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez for his 60th birthday, indicating that he is carrying out state affairs as normal.
Kim took over as leader of the communist state after his father Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack in late 2011.
Later in the day, the official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim sent special birthday meals to Ri Sin Ja, a recipient of the Order of Kim Il Sung, and Ri Si Hup, a researcher at Kim Chaek University of Technology who is a winner of Kim Jong Il Prize, on his 80th birthday.
But the North's state media didn't say when the spreads were delivered or release related photos.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Carmakers call for liquidity, tax support amid virus woes

In a meeting with Trade Minister Sung Yun-mo , senior representatives from local carmakers said they need a total of @ @ @ @ @ plants , maintain current workforce and meet other fixed costs for the following three to @ @ @ @ @ the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association ( KAMA ) .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean carmakers on Tuesday called on the government to extend 32 trillion won (US$26 billion) in emergency loans through banks amid a growing coronavirus impact on the automobile industry.
In a meeting with Trade Minister Sung Yun-mo, senior representatives from local carmakers said they need a total of 42 trillion won to operate plants, maintain current workforce and meet other fixed costs for the following three to four months, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA).
Carmakers can afford to finance 10 trillion won out of the total during the period but the remaining 32 trillion won needs to be extended from banks, executives claimed.
On top of fresh loans, there should be reduction in corporate taxes and other tax breaks for carmakers to help them weather the coronavirus crisis, KAMA President and CEO Jeong Marn-ki said.
Hyundai Motor Group President Gong Young-woon said the company needs at least 10 trillion won in emergency loans to ride out the coronavirus crisis as the deadly disease will continue to affect exports and overseas sales for some time.
Currently, Hyundai's plants in the United States, India and Brazil are not in operation, while Kia halted production in the U.S., India and Mexico in line with local governments' guidance and declining consumer demand.
GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. also requested fresh loans and tax benefits.
From January to March, the five carmakers sold 1,687,905 vehicles, down 9.2 percent from 1,859,767 a year earlier, as customers opted not to visit dealerships due to COVID-19 fears.
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--FM Kang discusses coronavirus spread in Japan with diplomatic mission chiefs

The ministry said that Seoul 's ambassador to Tokyo , Nam Gwan-pyo , along with the heads of the consulate @ @ @ @ @ Fukuoka , Sendai and Yokohama , took part in the meeting .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ in Japan with the government there taking more stringent measures to curb the spread .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Tuesday held a teleconference with diplomatic mission chiefs in Japan and discussed ways to best protect South Korean nationals in the country.
The ministry said that Seoul's ambassador to Tokyo, Nam Gwan-pyo, along with the heads of the consulate general offices in Osaka, Fukuoka, Sendai and Yokohama, took part in the meeting. The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Japan with the government there taking more stringent measures to curb the spread.
The diplomats reported on developments in their respective regions and the response of local public health authorities, as well as what actions are being taken to safeguard the health of South Korean citizens.
The officials also elaborated on some of the difficulties they are facing in the country.
Kang recognized the efforts being made by all missions in Japan and asked diplomats to do their upmost to reduce fallout from the pandemic by working closely with the Japanese government and related organizations.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier in the day said there were 11,118 confired coronavirus cases in Japan, with fatalities hitting 186. The tally then showed infected cases rising by 367 in the past day with fatality numbers moving up by 15. Some Japanese media reports, which take into account the mass infections on a cruise ship, said the total hovers around 12,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll being higher as well.
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--S. Korea extends special travel advisory until late May

`` We have taken into account the fact that we need to continue to take steps to keep our citizens @ @ @ @ @ and being isolated while traveling abroad , '' the ministry said .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea extended Tuesday "the special travel advisory" by one month, urging citizens to refrain from going abroad as the coronavirus pandemic continues unabated, the foreign ministry said.
The government issued the special advisory on March 23 on all countries and territories over the spread of the virus outbreak. The advisory urges South Koreans to cancel or postpone overseas trips and also calls for citizens staying and traveling abroad to take extra caution for their safety.
The special advisory will now be maintained until May 23, and it will automatically be lifted unless the government extends it again, the foreign ministry said in a release.
The ministry said that the global spread of the virus outbreak is continuing and that many countries are still applying entry restrictions on foreigners. It also noted that commercial airlines around the world have suspended flight operations.
"We have taken into account the fact that we need to continue to take steps to keep our citizens away from possible overseas infection and being isolated while traveling abroad," the ministry said.
The special advisory is issued in the event of an urgent danger and suspends existing travel alerts, except for the ones under higher alerts that call for a withdrawal or are subject to a travel ban.
It is separate from the general travel alert system that comes in a four-level scale. Seoul has issued a blue travel alert, meaning to take caution, for all countries previously not affected by travel warnings, due to the global spread of the novel coronavirus.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Hyundai plans 300 bln won debt sale next month

The company will hold the debt sale on May 8 , with a maturity period of three to seven years @ @ @ @ @ , an investment bank official told Yonhap News Agency .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. will raise 300 billion won (US$240 million) by selling corporate bonds next month amid a growing coronavirus impact on vehicle sales, financial sources said Tuesday.
The company will hold the debt sale on May 8, with a maturity period of three to seven years, to secure operating capital, an investment bank official told Yonhap News Agency.
The debt issuance will be handled by Mirae Asset Daewoo, KB Securities Co. and NH Investment & Securities Co., the official said.
The maker of the Sonata sedan and the Palisade sport-utility vehicle has suspended most of its overseas plants, as governments demanded manufacturers temporarily suspend production until COVID-19 slows down.
Hyundai sold 300 billion won worth of corporate bonds with a five-year maturity in October 2016 to raise necessary funds.
This file photo shows Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors' headquarters building in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--S&P keeps 'AA' rating on S. Korea despite virus woes

`` The COVID-19 outbreak will see the Korean economy contract for the first time since 1998 , but we believe @ @ @ @ @ metrics can absorb this temporary shock , '' S & P said in a statement @

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Standard & Poor's (S&P) Global Ratings said Tuesday it will maintain its 'AA' long-term sovereign credit rating on South Korea due to the country's robust fundamentals.
The global ratings firm also kept the 'A-1+' short-term sovereign rating on Asia's fourth-biggest economy with a stable outlook.
"The COVID-19 outbreak will see the Korean economy contract for the first time since 1998, but we believe the sovereign's robust credit metrics can absorb this temporary shock," S&P said in a statement.
"The stable outlook reflects our expectation that Korea has the capacity to absorb the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economy will rebound in 2021," the global credit appraiser said.
This year, S&P predicted Korea's fiscal deficit to widen, due to stimulus measures, before returning to modest surpluses over the medium term.
"We would lower the ratings if we believe that geopolitical tensions related to North Korea will intensify to a point that they seriously affect Korea's economic, fiscal, or external performance," it said.
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) Creditors to inject 1.7 tln won into Asiana amid virus woes

In December , the consortium set up between HDC Hyundai Development Co. and Mirae Asset Daewoo signed a deal to @ @ @ @ @ Asiana from Kumho Industrial Co. , a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group , as @ @ @ @ @ be issued and the airline 's six affiliates , for 2.5 trillion won ( US @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS Exim Bank's conversion of Doosan Heavy's debt into loans in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's two state lenders said Tuesday they will inject 1.7 trillion won (US$1.4 billion) into Asiana Airlines Inc. to help it stay afloat amid the growing impact of coronavirus on the airline sector.
The Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank) have decided to extend new loans to Asiana Airlines to dispel growing concerns that the creditor banks' plan to sell Asiana may fall through due to the COVID-19 impact, a KDB official told Yonhap News Agency.
But the official didn't provide a breakdown of the loans.
An Asiana spokesman didn't confirm the creditors' plan.
Last year, the KDB and Exim Bank extended a total of 1.6 trillion won to the country's second-biggest airline after Korean Air Lines Co.
Korean Air said Tuesday it has yet to receive financial support from the government.
The government is expected to come up with measures this week to provide financial support to airlines and other core industries hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.
In December, the consortium set up between HDC Hyundai Development Co. and Mirae Asset Daewoo signed a deal to acquire a 30.77-percent stake in Asiana from Kumho Industrial Co., a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group, as well as new shares to be issued and the airline's six affiliates, for 2.5 trillion won (US$2.2 billion).
Asiana and other South Korean carriers have suspended most of their flights on international routes as an increasing number of countries have enacted entry restrictions amid virus fears.
Shares in Asiana have fallen 25 percent this year through Tuesday, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 14 percent loss.
HDC has reiterated its plan to complete the overall process to acquire Asiana by the end of April, dismissing speculation that it may have difficulties in taking over the company due to fallout from the coronavirus.
Earlier this year, HDC reported its planned takeover of Asiana to six countries -- the United States, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey -- to which the airline offers services, for their review of the integration of the two companies.
China has recently approved the acquisition, but five other countries have yet to give the greenlight to the integration.
Also on Tuesday, Exim Bank converted $500 million worth of dollar-denominated debt sold by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. into the same amount of loans, as the plant builder cannot repay the debt set to mature on April 27, an official at the lender said.
The state bank delivered a payment guarantee when Doosan Heavy issued dollar-denominated corporate bonds in April 2015, but the plant builder has faced a liquidity crisis due to years of declining orders amid an economic slowdown.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Moon, Jokowi hold phone conversation on election, coronavirus

They agreed on the need to implement economy-related accords between the two sides .
Moon held out expectations for stronger @ @ @ @ @ capital relocation projects by putting the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement ( CEPA ) into @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday congratulated South Korean President Moon Jae-in on his ruling party's parliamentary election victory last week, speaking on the phone, according to Cheong Wa Dae,
The overwhelming win by Moon's Democratic Party (DP) is viewed as the outcome of "the people's trust in your leadership," Widodo was quoted as saying.
The DP and its ad-hoc sister party, created to gain seats under the proportional representation system, won a combined total of 180 seats in the 300-member National Assembly in the April 15 poll.
Moon thanked the president for his "warm congrats as a true friend" during the 20-minute phone talks, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said. Widodo rang Moon.
Moon added South Korea was able to hold the national election safely as the number of coronavirus cases dropped significantly.
Widodo expressed hope for sharing South Korea's experience in the fight against COVID-19. Moon stressed South Korea's commitment to close cooperation and solidarity with the international community in coping with the pandemic.
Moon also said South Korea would consider providing Indonesia with additional humanitarian assistance in consideration of the bilateral special partnership. Seoul has already shipped such products as test kits and spray-type disinfectant.
They agreed on the need to implement economy-related accords between the two sides. Moon held out expectations for stronger partnerships on defense industry and capital relocation projects by putting the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) into effect at an early date.
This file photo shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in (R) talking with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Creditors to inject 1.7 tln won into Asiana amid virus woes

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's two state lenders said Tuesday they will inject 1.7 trillion won (US$1.4 billion) into Asiana Airlines Inc. to help it stay afloat amid the growing impact of coronavirus on the airline sector.
The Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank) have decided to extend new loans to Asiana Airlines to dispel growing concerns that the creditor banks' plan to sell Asiana may fall through due to the COVID-19 impact, a KDB official told Yonhap News Agency.
But the official didn't provide a breakdown of the loans.
An Asiana spokesman didn't confirm the creditors' plan.
Last year, the KDB and Exim Bank extended a total of 1.6 trillion won to the country's second-biggest airline after Korean Air Lines Co.
Korean Air said Tuesday it has yet to receive financial support from the government.
The government is expected to come up with measures this week to provide financial support to airlines and other core industries hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.
In December, the consortium set up between HDC Hyundai Development Co. and Mirae Asset Daewoo signed a deal to acquire a 30.77-percent stake in Asiana from Kumho Industrial Co., a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group, as well as new shares to be issued and the airline's six affiliates, for 2.5 trillion won (US$2.2 billion).
Asiana and other South Korean carriers have suspended most of their flights on international routes as an increasing number of countries have enacted entry restrictions amid virus fears.
Shares in Asiana have fallen 25 percent this year through Tuesday, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 14 percent loss.
HDC has reiterated its plan to complete the overall process to acquire Asiana by the end of April, dismissing speculation that it may have difficulties in taking over the company due to fallout from the coronavirus.
Earlier this year, HDC reported its planned takeover of Asiana to six countries -- the United States, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey -- to which the airline offers services, for their review of the integration of the two companies.
China has recently approved the acquisition, but five other countries have yet to give the greenlight to the integration.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--Vietnamese woman sues South Korean government over war injuries, deaths

Nguyen claimed that she was shot in the stomach by South Korean troops at a village in the Vietnamese province @ @ @ @ @ 12 , 1968 , when she was eight years old , while her family members @ @ @ @ @ killed , in the same attack , according to Minbyun 's Vietnam task force .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- A 60-year-old Vietnamese woman has sued the South Korean government for damages over her family's suffering during the Vietnam War, a local lawyers' group said Tuesday.
Lawyers for a Democratic Society, an organization of progressive lawyers, dubbed Minbyun in Korean, said that it filed the first-ever compensation lawsuit by a Vietnamese national with Seoul Central District Court on behalf of its plaintiff, Nguyen Titan.
Nguyen claimed that she was shot in the stomach by South Korean troops at a village in the Vietnamese province of Quang Nam on Feb. 12, 1968, when she was eight years old, while her family members were also injured, or killed, in the same attack, according to Minbyun's Vietnam task force.
Minbyun officials hold a news conference on the first compensation lawsuit against the South Korean government by a Vietnamese national, in Seoul on April 21, 2020. The plaintiff, Nguyen Titan (on the laptop screen), participated in the conference online. (Yonhap)
The woman also said she was hospitalized for one year due to the gunshot injury, Minbyun said without disclosing the amount of state compensation sought in the lawsuit.
It is the first time that a Vietnamese national has launched a compensation litigation against South Korea's government over damage incurred during the Vietnam War.
More than 300,000 South Korean troops fought alongside American forces in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973. Seoul has not officially admitted any killing of Vietnamese civilians by South Korean troops during the war, while the Vietnamese government has not demanded an apology from the South Korean government on the issue.
Nguyen visited South Korea in 2015 to testify about her suffering and urge South Korean society to help resolve the problem. A year ago, she submitted a petition signed by 103 self-identified war victims to Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, demanding a thorough investigation and apology over the alleged killings of civilians.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) LG Twins beat defending champ Doosan Bears to open KBO preseason

Both managers , Ryu Joong-il for the Twins and Kim Tae-hyoung for the Bears , filled their lineups with regulars @ @ @ @ @ former MVP-winning slugger Kim Jae-hwan being the only notable absence on either side .
There @ @ @ @ @ left before the regular season .
That is not enough time for clubs to test @ @ @ @ @ were willing to sacrifice some playing opportunity for veterans in their buildup .

(ATTN: ADDS other results at bottom, photos)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- With all the hype surrounding the schedule of the new season of South Korean baseball on Tuesday, there were actual games taking place on the field.
In the nation's capital, the LG Twins defeated the defending Korean Series champion Doosan Bears 5-2 to start the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) preseason.
It was one of five games scheduled across the league Tuesday, as all 10 teams got to face opponents other than their own teammates for the first time since the end of their spring training. Four games started at 2 p.m., and the Lotte Giants and NC Dinos will begin their tilt at 6 p.m.
A Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears is under way at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
In light of the coronavirus outbreak, the KBO wiped out the initial March 14-24 preseason and postponed the March 28 Opening Day. Earlier this month, the league rescheduled the preseason to run April 21-27, with teams set to play four games apiece.
The KBO on Tuesday settled on May 5 as the new start date for the regular season, and it added three more preseason games per team.
All preseason games, plus the early portion of the regular season, will be played without fans, due to lingering COVID-19 concerns despite a recent decline in new cases here.
The Twins struck first against the Bears with Chae Eun-seong's two-out RBI single in the bottom first. They put up four runs on the board in the fifth, which featured Kim Ho-eun's RBI single and Kim Min-sung's two-out double.
Down 5-0, the Bears got a run back in the top seventh, as Oh Jae-won's single cashed in Oh Jae-il, who had hit a towering double to center field earlier.
LG Twins players celebrate a run scored against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kook Hae-seong's solo home run in the eighth cut the deficit to 5-2, but the Bears could not get any closer.
Both managers, Ryu Joong-il for the Twins and Kim Tae-hyoung for the Bears, filled their lineups with regulars, with the Bears' former MVP-winning slugger Kim Jae-hwan being the only notable absence on either side. There are only six more games left before the regular season. That is not enough time for clubs to test young prospects, unless they were willing to sacrifice some playing opportunity for veterans in their buildup.
On the mound, the Twins' left-hander Cha Woo-chan struck out the side in the first as part of his two shutout innings. Ryu said Cha has been his best pitcher in spring and the 32-year-old could get the Opening Day nod in two weeks.
Right-hander Lee Young-ha got the start for the Bears, and he scattered four hits across three innings. The run he allowed in the first inning was unearned, as it was scored following an error.
Aaron Brooks of the Kia Tigers pitches against the Samsung Lions in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Elsewhere in the league, the SK Wyverns beat the Kiwoom Heroes 6-3 in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, behind three home runs.
The visiting Samsung Lions beat the Kia Tigers 4-2 in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of the capital. Former major leaguer Aaron Brooks struck out four in four shutout innings in the losing cause.
The KT Wiz defeated the Hanwha Eagles 4-2 at home in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. Rookie starter So Hyeong-jun tossed six innings of one-run ball for the Wiz.
Players of the Samsung Lions celebrate their 4-2 victory over the Kia Tigers in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Gwangjui-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--New cable K-pop show to pit seven boy bands against each other

`` Our primary goal would be to win the ticket to the 'Kingdom ' competition show ...
But the bigger @ @ @ @ @ become a good team who can contribute to the development of the K-pop market , @ @ @ @ @ the start of the online press conference .

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- "Road to Kingdom," a new weekly TV competition show by cable music channel Mnet, will set sail next week, pitting seven K-pop boy bands against each other.
"Road to Kingdom," set to debut on April 30, is a male version of Mnet's 2019 competition show "Queendom" involving six A-list singers and girl groups, including Park Bom, Mamamoo and (G)I-dle.
Unlike the star-studded "Queendom," the lineup of "Road to Kingdom" ranges from relatively new idol bands, such as TOO, ONEUS and Verivery, to an established band like Pentagon.
Including The Boyz, Golden Child and ONF, a total of seven bands will compete in the show's some 10 episodes for the chance to compete in "Kingdom," a higher-level boy band competition show to be aired by Mnet in the future.
Featuring relatively new bands, "Road to Kingdom" is expected to boost the profiles of the participating teams in the K-pop scene.
"I believe the show will produce stars who will spearhead the future K-pop scene," Jang Sung-kyu, who co-hosts the show with actress Lee Da-hee, said during an online press conference Tuesday.
"To begin with, there were some bands that I did not know of. Having filmed the show and seen artists achieve growth, however, I got to want to know more about them," Lee noted.
An image of Jang Sung-kyu and Lee Da-hee, the co-hosts of 'Road to Kingdom,' provided by Mnet (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Our primary goal would be to win the ticket to the 'Kingdom' competition show ... But the bigger goal for us is to become a good team who can contribute to the development of the K-pop market," The Boyz said at the start of the online press conference.
According to the show's chief producer Park Chan-woo, musical potential, such as the ability to compose and produce music and choreograph, had been considered in the final lineup of the seven boy bands.
"Among them, The Boyz received multiple rookie of the year awards last year and the year before last, being widely called a monster rookie. The team was recruited because its appearance is likely to lay out the charm of the band's 11 members," the chief producer said.
In a bid to shore up transparency in the fan-voted show's ballot count, the production staff will invite outside observers and the managers of the participating teams to oversee the voting and counting processes, a major step Mnet took after producers of another in-house show, "Produce 101," were officially charged with vote rigging.
An image of the seven boy bands to compete in 'Road to Kingdom,' provided by Mnet (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) Sound of silence: preseason baseball begins in S. Korea without fans, media scrums

For journalists covering the league , there will be no pregame scrums with players or coaches in the dugout .
@ @ @ @ @ ( MLB ) , the clubhouse has always been off limits for reporters covering the @ @ @ @ @ is virtually a free-for-all , almost a small community within the stadium where writers look @ @ @ @ @ for a quick chat as they return to the bench from a batting practice , @ @ @ @ @ run on the warning track .
Sometimes , an impromptu scrum takes place when multiple @ @ @ @ @ the same player and a team PR staffer steps in to direct traffic .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 2 paras)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Forget the crack of the bat -- even the sound of the bat dropping to the ground has hardly seemed louder in a baseball game.
The LG Twins and the Doosan Bears opened their Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) preseason in Seoul on Tuesday, without the presence of their typically loud and passionate fans at the 24,000-seat Jamsil Stadium.
As co-tenants of the park, the Twins and the Bears have consistently been two of the biggest draws in the KBO. But with the coronavirus concerns, all exhibition games, plus some early regular season games, will be played without spectators.
Home plate umpire Oh Hoon-gyu calls a strike with a gloved hand while wearing a mask during a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
These and other teams have already played a few scrimmages without fans, and so doing so again Tuesday couldn't have seemed all that strange. But the sounds of a typical ball game seemed to echo through the cavernous park even more than usual on this sunny but windy spring day, as action on the field had far more intensity than in an intrasquad game.
In a stadium full of fans, one would never be able to hear the bat hitting the ground after it leaves the batter's hands. But on Tuesday, it was audible a dozen rows behind home plate.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jeong Keun-woo of the Twins let out a curse word after an inside pitch nearly hit him. It would have been enough to force parents to cover their child's ears with their hands, if they had actually been in the seats.
And when Jeong attempted a steal of the second base in the same inning, Doosan infielders yelled different variations of, "He's going!" and "Heads up!" It was just a natural reaction from them, and the volume of their own voice probably startled them, too.
Playing without fans is only a part of the new normal in the KBO for 2020.
Last week, a few days after scheduling the preseason for the latter part of April, the KBO announced safety guidelines for players, coaches and other game-day personnel.
Players had to be checked for temperatures and report the results to the league office. After a run was scored, they could only do air high-fives, so that they wouldn't be touching bare hands of their teammates. Umpires had to don masks and protective gloves, and so did bat boys.
Spitting is strictly prohibited. That includes munching on sunflower seeds and spitting out shells.
Kim Hyun-soo of the LG Twins (L) does air high-fives with his teammates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
For journalists covering the league, there will be no pregame scrums with players or coaches in the dugout. Unlike in Major League Baseball (MLB), the clubhouse has always been off limits for reporters covering the KBO. But the dugout is virtually a free-for-all, almost a small community within the stadium where writers look to sidle up to players for a quick chat as they return to the bench from a batting practice, a fielding drill or a run on the warning track. Sometimes, an impromptu scrum takes place when multiple writers want to speak to the same player and a team PR staffer steps in to direct traffic.
If little is happening and players aren't in the mood to talk -- which is not an uncommon occurrence -- then scribes are often reduced to chatting with one another and trading some notes.
And just as MLB closed club houses for media during spring training in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, the KBO eliminated pregame dugout sessions for the preseason. Only the two managers will meet with writers in a press conference room or near the dugout -- the home team skipper two and a half hours before first pitch, and the visiting manager coming in one hour later. Managers, reporters and team officials present must all wear masks.
And there will be no postgame media scrums, either. One "Player of the Game" for the winning team, or the winning manager, will be made available in the dugout for the only official interview. And that interview will only be conducted after the rest of the team have left the dugout and gone into their clubhouse.
Matt Williams (R), manager of the Kia Tigers, speaks to reporters while practicing social distancing at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--LG Twins beat defending champ Doosan Bears to open KBO preseason

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- With all the hype surrounding the schedule of the new season of South Korean baseball on Tuesday, there were actual games taking place on the field.
In the nation's capital, the LG Twins defeated the defending Korean Series champion Doosan Bears 5-2 to start the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) preseason.
It was one of five games held across the league Tuesday, as all 10 teams got to face opponents other than their own teammates for the first time since the end of their spring training.
A Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears is under way at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
In light of the coronavirus outbreak, the KBO wiped out the initial March 14-24 preseason and postponed the March 28 Opening Day. Earlier this month, the league rescheduled the preseason to run April 21-27, with teams set to play four games apiece.
The KBO on Tuesday settled on May 5 as the new start date for the regular season, and it added three more preseason games per team.
All preseason games, plus the early portion of the regular season, will be played without fans, due to lingering COVID-19 concerns despite a recent decline in new cases here.
The Twins struck first against the Bears with Chae Eun-seong's two-out RBI single in the bottom first. They put up four runs on the board in the fifth, which featured Kim Ho-eun's RBI single and Kim Min-sung's two-out double.
Down 5-0, the Bears got a run back in the top seventh, as Oh Jae-won's single cashed in Oh Jae-il, who had hit a towering double to center field earlier.
LG Twins players celebrate a run scored against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kook Hae-seong's solo home run in the eighth cut the deficit to 5-2, but the Bears could not get any closer.
Both managers, Ryu Joong-il for the Twins and Kim Tae-hyoung for the Bears, filled their lineups with regulars, with the Bears' former MVP-winning slugger Kim Jae-hwan being the only notable absence on either side. There are only six more games left before the regular season. That is not enough time for clubs to test young prospects, unless they were willing to sacrifice some playing opportunity for veterans in their buildup.
On the mound, the Twins' left-hander Cha Woo-chan struck out the side in the first as part of his two shutout innings. Ryu said Cha has been his best pitcher in spring and the 32-year-old could get the Opening Day nod in two weeks.
Right-hander Lee Young-ha got the start for the Bears, and he scattered four hits across three innings. The run he allowed in the first inning was unearned, as it was scored following an error.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(LEAD) No unusual activity in N. Korea, Cheong Wa Dae says, amid speculation on Kim Jong-un's health

Its statement came in response to multiple media reports that Kim has been hospitalized after a surgery .
CNN said @ @ @ @ @ monitoring `` intelligence '' that he is in `` grave danger . ''
It quoted @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 4th para; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday that South Korea has not spotted any "unusual" signs in North Korea that may suggest a serious problem in leader Kim Jong-un's health.
Its statement came in response to multiple media reports that Kim has been hospitalized after a surgery. CNN said that the United States is monitoring "intelligence" that he is in "grave danger." It quoted an unnamed U.S. official.
With regard to the news, "We have nothing to confirm and there has been no unusual activity detected in North Korea," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a text message to reporters.
Another senior Cheong Wa Dae official later said Kim seems to be staying in a "local region" in the communist nation along with his aides.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said Cheong Wa Dae has no information on any "special" indication that Kim could be seriously ill.
"No special activities, like emergency vigilance by the Workers' Party, the military and the Cabinet, have been seen," the official said. "Chairman Kim appears to be in normal activity."
The official dismissed a report by an online news agency here that Kim is currently in the vicinity of Mount Myohyang in North Pyongan Province.
"It's not where he's staying," the official said.
Cheong Wa Dae, however, is closely monitoring the background of Kim's absence at a commemorative ceremony for his late grandfather Kim Il-sung held at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on April 15, according to the official.
On key anniversaries, the North's leader usually pays tribute at the mausoleum where the bodies of his late grandfather and father Kim Jong-il are enshrined.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on April 11, 2020, in this photo captured from the website of the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-21--(3rd LD) No unusual signs about N.K. leader's health: government sources

(ATTN: ADDS more info throughout)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has seen no unusual signs suggesting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ill, government officials said Tuesday, after CNN reported that Kim is "in grave danger after a surgery."
"There is nothing unusual going on in North Korea. It's not true," a government official told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, referring to the CNN report that cited an unidentified "U.S. official with direct knowledge" of the matter.
Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok also said that nothing unusual has been detected in the North.
"No unusual signs have been identified inside North Korea," Kang said. "There is nothing we can confirm with regard to Chairman Kim's alleged health problem."
The CNN report came after the Daily NK, a South Korean internet news outlet specializing in North Korea news, reported that Kim has been receiving medical treatment at a villa in the resort county of Hyangsan near Mount Myohyang, north of Pyongyang, following a cardiovascular procedure.
A senior presidential official said that Kim is believed to be staying in a provincial region together with close aides. The official declined to get into details about the region, only saying that it is not the Mount Myohyang area.
"No unusual signs have been found that can back up the alleged health problem," the official said. "North Korea's Workers' Party, the military, the cabinet are not showing any special moves, such as an emergency alert."
The official also said that Kim appears to be acting "normally."
A source said that Kim is believed to be staying in the east coastal region of Wonsan, though he did not provide evidence to back up the claim or other details.
Speculation has arisen about what happened to Kim since he apparently skipped an annual visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on the occasion of the 108th birthday of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il-sung last Wednesday.
Kim was last seen on April 11 in state media reports presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on Saturday, calling for "strict national countermeasures to thoroughly check the infiltration of the virus."
He, however, did not attend a major session of the country's rubber-stamp parliament the following day, nor did state media report on his attendance in the country's latest weapons tests last Tuesday, a day before the late founder's birthday, an unusual absence given that he had mostly supervised such firings in recent months.
The parliamentary meeting, in particular, was held two days later than originally scheduled, but the North's media did not provide the reason for the delay, sparking rumors about what was behind the rare unannounced postponement. Some raised the possibility it might have something to do with the coronavirus pandemic, including Kim's possible infection with the virus.
Despite the government's relatively quick response to dispel speculation about Kim's health conditions, some raised the possibility about something unusual happening inside the reclusive state.
Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, who chairs the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, told reporters that Kim appears to have undergone a heart-related surgery, citing multiple unspecified sources. But he was not sure about Kim's current health conditions.
"Some informed sources say that (Kim) had an ankle surgery; some claim that he is under quarantine at Mount Myohyang (near Hyangsan) due to COVID-19. There also are those who say that Kim underwent a cardiovascular procedure but that he is not in as serious of a condition (as reported)," he said.
A diplomatic source said the media reports about Kim's health appear to be nothing more than speculation.
"There have been such rumors since last week, especially in Japan. But these were nothing more than unconfirmed rumors," the source said.
Kim is known to have health problems apparently linked to obesity and heavy smoking. His prolonged absence from public view has often spawned rumors about deterioration in his health.
From early September 2014, he disappeared from the public eye for about 40 days and returned limping. Seoul's intelligence agency later said that he underwent surgery to have a cyst removed from his ankle.
It is extremely difficult to confirm speculations about the reclusive country, with only a small number of insiders privy to such sensitive information about its leader's condition.
On Monday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim sent a congratulatory message to Cuban President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez for his 60th birthday, indicating that he is carrying out state affairs as normal.
Kim took over as leader of the communist state after his father Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack in late 2011.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on April 11, 2020, in this photo captured from the website of the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)