yna--2020-10-19--(2nd LD) Justice minister orders top prosecutor's recusal from fund scandal probe

`` It is necessary to guarantee a fair and independent investigation into the Lime case and the case involving the @ @ @ @ @ Choo said , directing the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and the Seoul Southern District @ @ @ @ @ Yoon 's orders and only report the results of the investigations to him .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details, parties' reactions in paras 8-9, 13-16)
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae ordered the nation's top prosecutor on Monday to take his hands off the ongoing investigations into a high-profile fund scandal in a move she claims is intended to ensure a "fair" and "independent" probe into those cases.
The unusual order came a day after the justice ministry raised speculation that Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl failed to conduct a thorough investigation into opposition politicians and prosecutors allegedly implicated in the case.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae arriving at her office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It is necessary to guarantee a fair and independent investigation into the Lime case and the case involving the prosecutor-general's family," Choo said, directing the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office to not follow Yoon's orders and only report the results of the investigations to him.
Lime Asset Management Co. is suspected of covering up massive losses and subsequently suspending fund redemption worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won (US$1.39 billion).
Kim Bong-hyun, a key suspect in the case, has alleged that he bribed a former senior aide to President Moon Jae-in, and also lobbied influential opposition politicians and incumbent prosecutors.
"The possibility of the prosecutor-general's involvement in determining the truth behind the Lime case cannot be completely removed," Choo said.
The Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) responded in a statement that Yoon has "become unable" to orchestrate the investigation into the Lime case.
On the case involving his family, the SPO said Yoon was never involved or briefed on the investigation and therefore had no comment to make.
The prosecution is looking into allegations that Yoon's wife was involved in manipulating stocks in Deutsch Motors and that her company took bribes disguised as donations.
Choo's directive calls on the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office to remove a prosecutor and investigator from the team in charge of the Lime case following allegations they were lobbied by Kim.
She also called on the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office to enhance the team investigating allegations of stock price manipulation surrounding Yoon's family and conduct a swift and thorough probe.
This marked the second time that Choo has given direct orders related to an ongoing investigation since July when she took such an action with regard to a probe into an alleged blackmail case involving a key aide to the top prosecutor.
Opposition parties slammed the justice minister's move, saying that she is abusing her power, while the ruling party claims that she is exercising her legitimate authority.
"The minister's power to orchestrate investigations is being abused to cover up the truth," Bae June-young, a spokesman of the main opposition People Power Party, said. "The result to be announced by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, which is already packed with her allies, is as clear as day."
The ruling Democratic Party said the minister was exercising her legitimate legal rights.
Rep. Choi In-ho, the party's chief spokesman, said in a text message to reporters that the order was given "to ensure a fair and thorough investigation."
This photo shows Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl leaving the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--(LEAD) Justice minister orders top prosecutor's recusal from fund scandal probe

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; CHANGES headline; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae ordered the nation's top prosecutor on Monday to take his hands off the ongoing investigations into a high-profile fund scandal in a move she claims is intended to ensure a "fair" and "independent" probe into those cases.
The unusual order came a day after the justice ministry raised speculation that Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl failed to conduct a thorough investigation into opposition politicians and prosecutors allegedly implicated in the case.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae arriving at her office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It is necessary to guarantee a fair and independent investigation into the Lime case and the case involving the prosecutor-general's family," Choo said, directing the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office to not follow Yoon's orders and only report the results of the investigations to him.
Lime Asset Management Co. is suspected of covering up massive losses and subsequently suspending fund redemption worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won (US$1.39 billion).
Kim Bong-hyun, a key suspect in the case, has alleged that he bribed a former senior aide to President Moon Jae-in, and also lobbied influential opposition politicians and incumbent prosecutors.
"The possibility of the prosecutor-general's involvement in determining the truth behind the Lime case cannot be completely removed," Choo said.
The Supreme Prosecutors Office responded in a statement that Yoon has "become unable" to orchestrate the investigation into the Lime case.
The prosecution is also looking into allegations that Yoon's wife was involved in manipulating stocks in Deutsch Motors.
Choo's directive calls on the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office to remove a prosecutor and investigator from the team in charge of the Lime case following allegations they were lobbied by Kim.
She also called on the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office to enhance the team investigating allegations of stock price manipulation surrounding Yoon's family and conduct a swift and thorough probe.
This marked the second time that Choo has given direct orders related to an ongoing investigation since July when she took such an action with regard to a probe into an alleged blackmail case involving a key aide to the top prosecutor.
This photo shows Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl leaving the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Justice minister gives direct orders to prosecution in fund scandal probe

In a rare move , Choo directed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office not @ @ @ @ @ Yoon Seok-youl , and only report the results of the investigation to him .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae gave direct orders to the prosecution on Monday after the two sides clashed over an investigation into a high-profile fund scandal.
In a rare move, Choo directed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office not to take orders from Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl, and only report the results of the investigation to him.
The investigation centers on allegations that Lime Asset Management Co. covered up massive losses and subsequently suspended fund redemptions worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won (US$1.39 billion).
A slew of politicians and government officials have allegedly also been implicated in the case.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae arriving at her office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Seventeen returns with new album 'Semicolon,' poised for biggest success

`` We decided on the name 'Semicolon ' in the hopes that the album may provide some down time for @ @ @ @ @ life to their fullest even this very moment , '' said band member Jeonghan during @ @ @ @ @ in Seoul .

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Boy band Seventeen, king of youth consolation and empathy among K-pop acts, on Monday returned with a highly anticipated new "special album" that's all but guaranteed to become the group's biggest commercial success.
The six-track record, the band's first new release in just four months since "Heng:garae" is titled "Semicolon and was released on Monday, fronted by the retro-swing lead track "HOME;RUN."
"We decided on the name 'Semicolon' in the hopes that the album may provide some down time for young people who are living life to their fullest even this very moment," said band member Jeonghan during an online press conference held in Seoul.
This photo provided by Pledis Entertainment on Oct. 19, 2020, shows members of K-pop group Seventeen posing for photos during an online showcase held at Coex Inter-Continental Hotel in southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Through "Heng;garae," Seventeen aimed to deliver a dose of comfort and encouragement to today's youth who now face stress more than ever from increasing pressure and competition from and within modern society.
That message is essentially extended into "Semicolon," but with added advice from the band that it's okay to pause and take a break -- as in the spirit of the punctuation symbol's function -- to enjoy life during one's youth while it lasts.
"HOME;RUN" is accompanied by five other tracks, including the trap number "Do Re Mi," jazzy hip-hop track "Light a Flame" and acoustic synth track "Ah! Love."
This image provided by Pledis Entertainment on Oct. 19, 2020, shows the album art for boy band Seventeen's new special album "Semicolon." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Woozi, the self-producing band's primary songwriter, said the new album encompasses a wide variety of genres and sound palettes, including swing music, retro funk and bossa nova, ensuring that a wider group of music fans than ever before can enjoy the team's work.
With "Semicolon," the 13-piece band is expected to continue its upward trajectory in terms of album sales. In June, the group earned the title of the second-biggest selling K-pop artist in 2020 after BTS, with "Heng:garae," Seventeen's seventh EP album, selling over 1.37 million units.
"Semicolon" is forecast to out perform its predecessor, with retail preorders having reached 1.1 million units as of Friday.
This image provided by Pledis Entertainment on Oct. 19, 2020, shows the album art for boy band Seventeen's new special album "Semicolon." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Member Seungkwan said the Seventeen members had a blast each day during the production of the album. "I hope that great energy can be delivered well to those who listen," the singer said.
Since its 2015 debut, Seventeen has shown strong and steady growth in terms of record sales.
"You Made My Dawn," the group's sixth EP album released in January 2019, sold some 338,000 copies during week one, while the band's follow-up album, "And Ode," released in September of the same year, moved some 700,000 copies during the first-week window.
The band's agency Pledis was acquired by Big Hit Entertainment, the company behind K-pop powerhouse BTS, in late May.
This photo provided by Pledis Entertainment on Oct. 19, 2020, shows members of K-pop group Seventeen posing for photos during an online showcase held at COEX Inter-Continental Hotel in southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Moon requests Malaysia's support for S. Korea's WTO chief bid

Moon also said Yoo is the right person to adjust the interests of advanced and developing nations and get the @ @ @ @ @ on the basis of her personnel networks and the political leadership she has shown as @ @ @ @ @ chief .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in had a phone call with Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday and asked the Southeast Asian country to back South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid to become the director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Cheong Wa Dae said.
Moon pointed out that Yoo is a leading figure in the trade field with vision and capability to protect the free trade system and restore trust in it through the reform of the WTO, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
The president was quoted as saying that it is "very important" to elect such a candidate at a time when the world economy is facing big challenges.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in holds phone talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 19, 2020, in this photo provided by Moon's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon also said Yoo is the right person to adjust the interests of advanced and developing nations and get the WTO reform task done successfully on the basis of her personnel networks and the political leadership she has shown as South Korea's trade policy chief.
The Malaysian leader agreed that Yoo has "played an important role with very impressive experience and career," Kang said.
Moon's 20-minute phone conversation with the prime minister marked the opening of his full-fledged summit diplomacy for Yoo in the final round of the WTO chief race also involving Nigeria's former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Squabbles over fund scam scandal spilling over to political circles

The claim by Kim , the former owner of Star Mobility , assumed to be the main financial source for @ @ @ @ @ on the scandal after Cheong Wa Dae and government officials were initially alleged to have @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Rival parties locked horns Monday over a swelling financial scam scandal following the recent allegation of involvement by influential politicians and prosecutors.
Kim Bong-hyun, a key suspect in the financial fraud case involving Lime Asset Management Co., claimed in a written statement last Friday that he lobbied prosecutors and politicians of both the ruling and opposition camps before the investigation into the case was launched early this year.
The claim by Kim, the former owner of Star Mobility, assumed to be the main financial source for Lime, turned the table on the scandal after Cheong Wa Dae and government officials were initially alleged to have been implicated in the case.
Lime and another asset management firm, Optimus, are currently at the center of what could develop into a large-scale political lobbying scandal.
Lime and Optimus together generated more than 2 trillion won (US$1.75 billion) in losses for some 5,000 investors after the companies suspended fund redemption due to massive financial losses last year and earlier this year, respectively.
This computer-generated image shows the emblems of the prosecution service and the two scandal-ridden asset management firms, Lime and Optimus. (Yonhap)
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) lashed out at the prosecution Monday, accusing it of fabricating its initial investigation result, and said the case warrants the party's push to launch an independent investigation office as the case allegedly involves high-ranking officials.
"At least from now and onward, a thorough investigation should be carried out (by the prosecution)," DP Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon said during the party's top council meeting.
"Together with it, (DP) will (further) hasten the launch and operation of the Corruption Investigation Office For High-ranking Officials," Lee said, referring to an envisioned organization.
Speaking at the same meeting, DP floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon accused the prosecution of choreographing the scam investigation against the ruling camp and fabricating probe results.
Ruling Democratic Party Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon (L) and floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon attend the party's top council meeting on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) blamed Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae for what it called lack of objectivity in related investigations and demanded the launch of an independent special counsel probe into the case.
"In order to resolve the Lime and Optimus issue in the most objective and fair manner, I formally propose the launch of a special counsel probe," PPP leader Kim Chong-in said in the party's top council meeting earlier in the day.
"Would the public be able to trust the objectivity of (the prosecution's) investigation when the prosecution and the justice ministry are at odds," Kim said, referring to tension between Choo and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl over the latest revelation.
Adding to the call, PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said he will soon submit a bill formally requesting the opening of an independent investigation into the cases.
"Putting the matter to a thorough investigation by a special counsel, the ruling and opposition parties should immediately end their dispute over the issue," Joo said, adding that the bill will be submitted as soon as possible.
Main opposition People Power Party leader Kim Chong-in (R) and floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young attend the party's top council meeting on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Also on Monday, the justice ministry asked the Seoul Nambu District Prosecutors Office to investigate Kim's lobbying claims.
In his recent statement, Kim said that he had his lawyer treat three incumbent prosecutors with a drinking party worth 10 million won last year. One of them took part in the actual investigation into the Lime scandal, he claimed.
"Through an inspection, we identified some of the prosecutors facing the financial and other favor-taking allegations," according to the ministry.
"The ministry concluded that the case needs a prompt investigation and requested its investigation (on possible charges of) bribe taking and violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act," it said.
The action by the ministry came one day after it accused the prosecution service of sitting on Kim's previous testimony against its own members and opposition politicians.
The photo shows a letter written by Kim Bong-hyun and revealed by his lawyer on Oct. 16, 2020, in which Kim claimed that he had lobbied politicians and sitting prosecutors in connection with Lime Asset Management. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Court recognizes death of Seoul-Busan commuter as industrial accident

In particular , the company raised its second-half sales target by 2 billion won ( US $ 1.75 million ) @ @ @ @ @ its CEO repeatedly emphasized the importance of meeting the sales goal on the day of @ @ @ @ @ said , adding the man was also taking good care of his underlying illnesses prior @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- A salaried worker, who died in 2018 after traveling about 1,000 kilometers every week between home and work for about six months, has been recognized as a victim of an industrial accident by a local court, judicial sources said Monday.
The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the man's bereaved family in their litigation against the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service for the payment of survivors' benefits and his funeral expenses.
The man, who was a 49-year-old mid-ranking sales manager at a manufacturing company, was found unconscious on an express train bound from Busan to Seoul and died later at a hospital on a Friday in June 2018. His long-distance weekly commuting began in January of the same year, when his office relocated 450 kilometers from Seoul to Busan.
His bereaved family asked the state-run agency affiliated with the Ministry of Employment and Labor for the payment of due benefits under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, saying his death was a job disaster.
After months of screening, however, the agency refused last year to pay any benefits, let alone funeral expenses, to his family, saying he may have died from deterioration of his underlying illnesses. The rejection led to the litigation.
"The victim was under enormous stress due to lack of achievements after the office relocation. He also suffered from cumulative fatigue because of the long-distance weekly commuting," the Seoul court said.
In particular, the company raised its second-half sales target by 2 billion won (US$1.75 million) in early June, and its CEO repeatedly emphasized the importance of meeting the sales goal on the day of his death, the court said, adding the man was also taking good care of his underlying illnesses prior to the office relocation.
This file photo shows the inside of a South Korean express train. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--S. Korea, Philippines vow to beef up defense cooperation

Park asked for the Philippines ' support for Seoul 's hosting of the U.N. Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference next year , @ @ @ @ @ cybersecurity unit under the ASEAN Defense Ministers ' Meeting Plus ( ADMM-Plus ) which South @ @ @ @ @ Malaysia from 2021 to 2023 .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Senior defense officials of South Korea and the Philippines met via videoconference Monday and vowed to strengthen cooperation despite the new coronavirus situation, the defense ministry said.
During the inaugural session of the Joint Defense Cooperation Committee between the two countries, Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min and his Filipino counterpart Ricardo David discussed various security issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic and peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, according to the ministry.
Park asked for the Philippines' support for Seoul's hosting of the U.N. Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference next year, as well as for the cybersecurity unit under the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) which South Korea is to co-chair with Malaysia from 2021 to 2023.
David thanked South Korea for the provision of masks to his country and expressed hope to quickly overcome the virus situation through continued cooperation, according to the ministry. Park pledged to actively share the military's experience combating the new virus.
Park and David also commemorated Filipino veterans who fought for South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict.
"The vice ministers ... agreed to develop the committee as a regular communication channel for the defense ministries of the two countries," it said in a release.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Fitch expects BOK to cut policy rate again this year

`` We expect an increase in inflation to be quite gradual and that could lead the BOK to cut the @ @ @ @ @ risks globally , '' Jeremy Zook , director of Fitch 's Asia-Pacific Sovereigns , said @ @ @ @

By Kim Soo-yeon
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Global credit appraiser Fitch Ratings said Monday that it expects South Korea's central bank to cut its policy rate by a quarter percentage point this year to support the pandemic-hit economy amid tamed inflation.
The Bank of Korea (BOK) will hold this year's final rate-setting meeting on Nov. 26 after it froze the key interest rate at the record low of 0.5 percent in October.
The bank cut the policy rate by a total of 75 basis points in March and May to support the economic growth.
"We expect an increase in inflation to be quite gradual and that could lead the BOK to cut the policy rate again on growing risks globally," Jeremy Zook, director of Fitch's Asia-Pacific Sovereigns, said during a webinar.
He said a prolonged period of low borrowing costs is expected to put upward pressure on Korean households' high indebtedness.
Fitch expected the South Korean economy to contract 1.1 percent this year before rebounding 3.7 percent next year. The BOK forecast Asia's fourth-largest economy would retreat 1.3 percent this year and grow 2.8 percent in 2021.
As for South Korea's fiscal soundness, Fitch said the country has room in responding to the economic fallout from the new coronavirus outbreak, but over the medium term, it will face fiscal challenges due to rapidly aging population.
"We expect the general government's fiscal deficit will rise (to) 4.4 percent (of gross domestic product) in 2020. Compared to its peers, it is a relatively modest deterioration," Zook said.
"But over the medium term, we do see some fiscal challenge for Korea. Korea is one of the most rapidly aging populations in the world," he said.
Fitch said it has no threshold of a country's debt-to-GDP ratio that triggers a change in its credit rating, as there are many factors to be considered in revising sovereign ratings, such as macroeconomic situations.
The agency viewed South Korea's proposed new fiscal rules as a "positive" signal that the government is trying to manage public finance debt in a sustainable manner.
South Korea recently unveiled the proposal that will limit its debt to 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and its fiscal deficit to 3 percent from 2025. The new rule is subject to parliamentary approval.
"(The announcement of the fiscal rule) is a positive signal that the government is considering medium-term debt sustainability in its plan," he added.
Early this month, Fitch maintained South Korea's credit rating at "AA-," the fourth-highest level of the agency's sovereign ratings, with a stable outlook.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The reopening comes as there have been no recent reports of the animal disease in Paju , the border city @ @ @ @ @ , with the local authorities planning thorough precautions to fend off potential transmissions from other @ @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
-----------------
(LEAD) Big Hit suffers extended slide after market debut
SEOUL -- Shares in Big Hit Entertainment, the creative nest of K-pop superstar BTS, continued to suffer an extended slump on the third day since the company's market debut as some institutional investors dumped the stocks.
Big Hit shares tumbled 5.74 percent to close at 189,000 won (US$165), far underperforming the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index's (KOSPI) 0.22 percent gain. The company dipped to as low as 187,000 won at one point.
-----------------
Unification ministry slashes staff, budget after N.K.'s liaison office demolition
SEOUL -- The unification ministry has cut back on the number of staff at the inter-Korean liaison office and the budget for next year, after North Korea blew up the office building in June, an opposition lawmaker said Monday.
The ministry has slashed its budget for the liaison office next year to 310 million Korean won (US$270,000), from 6.41 billion won allocated for this year, Rep. Cho Tae-yong of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing data from the ministry.
-----------------
FM Kang to meet brother of S. Korean official killed by N. Korea at sea
SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha plans to meet later this week with the elder brother of a South Korean fisheries official shot to death by North Korea at sea last month, a source said Monday.
Kang's closed-door meeting with Lee Rae-jin, the elder brother of the deceased official, is set for Wednesday, the source said, as he is questioning the outcome of the Seoul authorities' interim probe into the killing incident and seeking a U.N. probe.
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(2nd LD) Tours to inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom to resume early next month
SEOUL -- A tour program to the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom will resume early next month after more than a year of suspension caused by the African swine fever, the unification ministry said Monday.
The reopening comes as there have been no recent reports of the animal disease in Paju, the border city to which the village belongs, with the local authorities planning thorough precautions to fend off potential transmissions from other areas.
-----------------
Teenager dies after getting flu shot; cause of death not yet determined
SEOUL -- A teenage boy died after being administered with a seasonal flu vaccine, yet the cause of his death has not yet been determined, health authorities said Monday.
The 17-year-old boy in the western port city of Incheon, whose identity has been withheld, died early Friday morning after receiving the flu shot on Wednesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
-----------------
N. Koreans exposed to gruesome human rights abuses in pretrial detention: rights group
SEOUL -- North Koreans under pretrial detention experience extreme human rights abuses by corrupt law enforcement, from confinement in dirty and overcrowded cells to coerced confession and sexual assault, a report claimed Monday.
The Human Rights Watch, the international nongovernment organization, shed further light on the rights conditions in the North with the report titled "Worth Less Than an Animal: Abuses and Due Process Violations in Pretrial Detention in North Korea."
-----------------
(LEAD) CGV to reduce number of cinemas by 30 pct amid coronavirus slump
SEOUL -- CJ CGV, the country's largest cinema chain, has decided to reduce the number of its branches by 30 percent as it strives to survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The company, affiliated with entertainment and retail giant CJ Group, announced a set of restructuring measures Monday, as its revenue is estimated to have tumbled 70 percent on-year since COVID-19 hit the country early this year.
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Hyundai, Kia set to shift to Q3 loss on provisions for massive recall

SEOUL , Oct. 19 ( Yonhap ) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said Monday they @ @ @ @ @ 3.4 trillion won ( US $ 3 billion ) in provisions for product recall and @ @ @ @ @ sheets for the third quarter of the year , indicating that they are set to @ @ @ @ @ the July-September period .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said Monday they plan to reflect a combined 3.4 trillion won (US$3 billion) in provisions for product recall and quality control in their balance sheets for the third quarter of the year, indicating that they are set to swing to net losses in the July-September period.
Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales, set aside massive provisions for additional costs for the recall of a faulty engine and preemptive measures for quality management, the companies said in separate regulatory filings.
The carmakers are expected to shift to a net loss for the July-September period as the hefty provisions are reflected as losses in their net results.
Hyundai and Kia put aside 2.1 trillion won and 1.26 trillion won in provisions in the September quarter, respectively.
Late last year, Hyundai Motor Group reached a settlement with car owners over its Theta II gasoline direct injection (GDi) engine for problems, such as engine stall and non-collision fires, in the United States.
This week, Hyundai Motor said it will voluntarily recall 77,000 Kona Electric models due to a faulty battery cell component, as 14 cases of fires in the model -- 10 domestically and four overseas -- have been reported since 2018.
In the third quarter of 2019, Hyundai Motor posted a net profit of 460.5 billion won, up 51 percent from 306 billion won a year ago on a weak won and robust sales of sport-utility vehicles.
Hyundai and Kia are scheduled to release their third-quarter results on Oct. 26.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Watchdog concludes controversial reactor audit, announces Tuesday release

Critics of the administration 's energy policy have argued that the KHNP has flip-flopped on its earlier decision to extend @ @ @ @ @ -- even claiming that the company had intentionally deflated numbers to lower anticipated profits -- @ @ @ @ @ billion won ( US $ 609 million ) for repairs between 2009 and 2011 .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), the country's audit watchdog, on Monday finalized a high-profile audit into the early closure of the nation's second-oldest energy reactor, agency officials said.
BAI's Council of Commissioners, the agency's top decision-making body, finalized the agency's audit report on the early closure of the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor after serial deliberation sessions that took place since last Wednesday. The report will be made available to the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The 2019 closure of Wolsong-1, South Korea's second-oldest nuclear reactor, has remained a hot-button topic in domestic politics since President Moon Jae-in decided in 2017 to decommission the reactor earlier than scheduled in line with his energy policy.
The 679-megawatt reactor in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was shut down earlier than scheduled last year by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), which cited its negative projection of the reactor's future economic viability.
This file photo taken on Feb 27, 2015, shows the now-decommissioned Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
For more than a year, BAI has been looking into whether the shutdown decision by the state-run power company was based on independent research, as opposed to being predetermined or politically influenced by the administration.
The audit was commissioned by the National Assembly in September 2019 amid a heated public debate on the early closure.
The agency was required to submit a final report to parliament within a five-month period that ended on Feb. 29 but was eight months overdue from the mandated deadline.
BAI chief Choe Jae-hyeong told lawmakers last week that the audit met with severe resistance from involved public officials.
"It took us time to recover related data since public officials at the industry ministry erased documents after the National Assembly commissioned the audit," Choe said. "Accepting statements was also a tough process."
Choe Jae-hyeong, head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, attends an annual parliamentary audit of his agency at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Critics of the administration's energy policy have argued that the KHNP has flip-flopped on its earlier decision to extend the reactor's life cycle -- even claiming that the company had intentionally deflated numbers to lower anticipated profits -- especially after having invested 700 billion won (US$609 million) for repairs between 2009 and 2011.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which oversees KHNP, insists that it has exerted no pressure on the company's assessment on the reactor's viability.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--4 USFK-affiliated Americans test positive for new coronavirus

While two of the service members tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival at Osan Air Base @ @ @ @ @ Seoul , the other service member and the dependent tested positive on their second test @ @ @ @ @ quarantine , according to the U.S. military .

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Three American service members and a dependent have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea this month, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday.
While two of the service members tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, the other service member and the dependent tested positive on their second test required to exit the two-week quarantine, according to the U.S. military.
They all arrived here on U.S. government chartered flights.
The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 231, most of whom tested positive upon their arrivals here.
"Despite the recent confirmed cases, USFK remains at a high level of readiness with less than 1 percent of its active duty service members currently confirmed positive with COVID-19," it said in a release.
The announcement came as USFK eased anti-virus restrictions for its personnel in the greater Seoul area in step with the South Korean government's recent lowering of its social distancing level.
As of 4 p.m., all USFK members were allowed to dine at restaurants and conduct off-base activities.
The U.S. military lowered the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level by one notch to the second-lowest level of "Bravo" from "Charlie" for most parts of the country last month, but had kept stricter rules for Area II, defined as the Seoul metropolitan area, including the western city of Incheon.
All USFK personnel are still banned from visiting clubs, bars and other adult-only establishments across the country until further notice.
On Monday, South Korea reported 76 cases of the new coronavirus, raising the total caseload to 25,275.
This file photo, taken on July 19, 2020, shows a gate of an American military base in Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--(LEAD) Seoul stocks snap 4-day losing streak on bargain hunting

`` But China 's lower-than-expected economic growth ( in the third quarter ) seems to have worked to erase part @ @ @ @ @ '' he added .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended a four-session losing streak Monday on investors' bargain hunting rush despite disappointing growth data from China. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 5.21 points, or 0.22 percent, to close at 2,346.74.
Trading volume was moderate at about 911 million shares worth some 10.2 trillion won (US$8.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 442 to 394.
Institutions purchased a net 297 billion won, and foreigners bought a net 43 billion won. Retail investors sold a net 352 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,346.74 on Oct. 19, 2020, up 5.21 points or 0.22 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
"Local stocks came to a strong start on investors' bargain hunting rush and extended gains over institutional and foreign buying," said Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young.
"But China's lower-than-expected economic growth (in the third quarter) seems to have worked to erase part of those earlier gains," he added.
Giant chipmakers led the KOSPI's gain, while most other top caps closed lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.84 percent to 60,000 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 1.64 percent to 86,700 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics slipped 0.15 percent to 686,000 won, and Celltrion lost 0.39 percent to 255,500 won.
Internet portal giant Naver dipped 2.56 percent to 286,000 won, with its rival Kakao down 1.26 percent to 353,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem fell 3.91 percent to 615,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI dropped 1.67 percent to 413,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, fell 2.33 percent to 168,000 won, while top steelmaker POSCO advanced 3.22 percent to 208,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,142.0 won per dollar, up 5.4 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys added 0.3 basis point to 0.891 percent, while the return on the benchmark five-year government bond fell 3 basis points to 1.148 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--Unification ministry slashes staff, budget after N.K.'s liaison office demolition

Liaison officers of the two sides communicated through telephone and fax lines established between Seoul and Pyongyang until early June @ @ @ @ @ communication channels with the South and blew up the joint liaison office in anger over @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry has cut back on the number of staff at the inter-Korean liaison office and the budget for next year, after North Korea blew up the office building in June, an opposition lawmaker said Monday.
The ministry has slashed its budget for the liaison office next year to 310 million Korean won (US$270,000), from 6.41 billion won allocated for this year, Rep. Cho Tae-yong of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing data from the ministry.
The number of staff members at the now-demolished office in the North's border city of Kaesong was reduced to the minimum level at 15 officials from the previous 29.
The liaison office opened in September 2018 to support inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation after a summit agreement between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in April that year.
Liaison officers of the two sides communicated through telephone and fax lines established between Seoul and Pyongyang until early June when the North severed all communication channels with the South and blew up the joint liaison office in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
Pyongyang has also remained unresponsive to Seoul's repeated calls for exchanges and cooperation, including joint efforts against the coronavirus and a probe into the North's killing of a South Korean fisheries official in late September.
This photo, taken from the South Korean border city of Paju on July 1, 2020, shows the demolished inter-Korean liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong after the North blew up the building on June 16. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-19--(LEAD) CGV to reduce number of cinemas by 30 pct amid coronavirus slump

`` We have decided to implement drastic self-rescue measures for survival as sales fell nearly 70 percent compared with the @ @ @ @ @ '' a company official said .
`` We will come up with stronger measures depending @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS industry data in last 5 paras, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- CJ CGV, the country's largest cinema chain, has decided to reduce the number of its branches by 30 percent as it strives to survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The company, affiliated with entertainment and retail giant CJ Group, announced a set of restructuring measures Monday, as its revenue is estimated to have tumbled 70 percent on-year since COVID-19 hit the country early this year.
The package includes a plan to cut the number of branch cinemas directly run by the company across the country by 35-40 from the current 119 over the next three years.
CGV will also try to negotiate rent reduction for badly hurt branches. The company will halt operations of theaters that incur large losses and consider closing if necessary, it added.
"We have decided to implement drastic self-rescue measures for survival as sales fell nearly 70 percent compared with the same period last year," a company official said. "We will come up with stronger measures depending on the situation."
Under the plans, the opening of new theaters will be delayed or called off, while the number of screenings during weekdays will be flexibly adjusted.
The multiplex chain also said it will continue to sell unprofitable assets and reconsider inefficient projects.
In the first half of the year, the cinema circuit pushed to secure liquidity by selling loss-making entities and stakes in overseas operations. The company also implemented an early retirement program and closed a third of its operations nationwide for a month.
On Sunday, the company announced it will raise ticket prices by 1,000 won (US$0.85) and 2,000 won after 1 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, respectively, next Monday.
The photo taken Aug. 22, 2020, shows a temporary closure notice at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall cinema in Seoul after an employee was confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The number of tickets sold in September hit a record low for the month as people shunned public places due to the coronavirus, according to government figures.
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) said the number of moviegoers fell 79.7 percent on-year to 2.99 million last month, the lowest since 2004 when the agency began to record the number across the country.
The accumulated number in the January-September period was 49.86 million, down 70.8 percent from the same period a year before. Revenue during the period plunged 70.7 percent on-year to 424.3 billion won.
Ticket sales sharply dropped early this year due to the coronavirus outbreak but rebounded in July with the COVOD-19's stabilization, the release of summer blockbusters and discount events organized by KOFIC.
Revenue fell again with the resurgence of the virus in mid-August and showed signs of recovery in late September ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday, KOFIC data showed.
Posters of newly released movies are displayed at a movie theater in central Seoul on Oct. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Jeju gov. warns of lawsuits against Japan's possible release of contaminated water

If the Japanese government gives its final nod to the plan this month , the actual water release is supposed @ @ @ @ @ , given the time needed for preparations such as a filtration process and construction of @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- The Jeju governor said Tuesday that his government will lodge lawsuits against Japan if it presses ahead with its reported plan to discharge contaminated water from a disabled nuclear power plant in Fukushima.
"The Japanese government should immediately suspend related preparations," Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong said in a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul.
The governor also urged Japan to "transparently" disclose all information regarding contaminated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and discuss the water's disposal with other nations.
According to media reports in Japan last week, Tokyo has decided to discharge over one million tons of contaminated water from the defunct Fukushima nuclear power plant, damaged in a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, into the ocean.
The plan is expected to be made official during a meeting of related government officials slated for Tuesday next week, according to the reports.
The Jeju governor pledged that his regional government will fight with all possible means including global legal action if the Japanese government proceeds with the water release plan.
"If the government of Japan rejects the call (for suspension), Jeju Province will unite with all parties affected by the contaminated water to react to (any water disposal) with all means available," Won said.
He said some of the means will include lodging civil and criminal suits both in South Korea and Japan and bringing the issue to an international court.
For the suits, the local government will cooperate closely with residents of South Korean and Japanese costal areas who oppose the discharge, he added.
The plan to release irradiated water by Japan is expected to rile neighboring countries such as South Korea and China.
If the Japanese government gives its final nod to the plan this month, the actual water release is supposed to begin around October 2022, given the time needed for preparations such as a filtration process and construction of necessary facilities.
Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong speaks during a forum in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--(2nd LD) New virus cases under 100 for 5th day, virus fight still in peril over cluster infections

While health authorities had been concerned that the country may face a new wave of the pandemic as millions of @ @ @ @ @ nation over the fall harvest Chuseok holiday , no significant uptick in the number of @ @ @ @ @ the period .

(ATTN: ADDS details in para 9; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by double digits for the fifth consecutive day Tuesday, but health authorities remain vigilant over cluster infections at risk-prone facilities, such as hospitals.
The country added 58 more COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,333, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The figure marked a drop from 76 daily cases reported Monday and 91 from Sunday. It was also the lowest since 47 added on Friday.
Health authorities say that despite the overall slowdown in the new cases, sporadic cluster infections are still lingering throughout the nation, with additional infections being reported from various places including nursing homes and supermarkets.
South Korea has been operating the lowest Level 1 social distancing scheme since Oct. 12, as the daily increase of COVID-19 patients is at a manageable level.
As South Koreans have gradually returned to their daily routines, the country also eased the attendance cap at schools, previously set at one-third at elementary and middle schools, to two-thirds for all schools.
Medical workers carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in southern Seoul on Oct. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country, which operates a three-tier alert system, adopted the Level 2 social distancing scheme in August as cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally piled up.
During the period, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people were strictly prohibited, while high-risk facilities such as bars and karaoke rooms were ordered to fully shut down. Such regulations were lifted last week on the condition that infection prevention measures are strictly followed.
South Korea said Tuesday it is considering revising the current three-tier social distancing scheme, with more details set to be unveiled later this month.
While health authorities had been concerned that the country may face a new wave of the pandemic as millions of South Koreans traveled across the nation over the fall harvest Chuseok holiday, no significant uptick in the number of new cases was observed during the period.
Over the past two weeks, around 14 percent of the total cases reported here had unknown infection routes. The proportion of cluster infections reached 26 percent, KCDA data showed.
Of the newly identified local infections, 11 cases were reported in Seoul, 22 cases in Gyeonggi Province and three cases in the western port city of Incheon.
The southern port city of Busan added one more case.
New virus cases in a rehabilitation hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, surged to 59 as of Monday, up eight from the previous day.
Another hospital in northern Seoul has reported 67 cases so far, and a nursing home in southern Seoul has reported 73 COVID-19 cases.
The number of patients in critical or serious condition came to 71, down seven from the previous day.
Imported cases reached 17.
Of the imported cases, Russia accounted for five patients, followed by the Philippines with three cases. Iran and the Czech Republic accounted for two cases each as well. Other countries included India, Nepal and the United States.
South Korea reported three more deaths, raising the total death toll to 447. The fatality rate reached 1.76 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 23,466, up 98 from the previous day. Around 92.6 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,491,311 COVID-19 tests so far, including 12,085 from the previous day.
Medical workers carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in southern Seoul on Oct. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Seoul shares trade sharply lower late Tuesday morning

The U.S. stocks dropped .
The S & P 500 dipped to the two-week low of 1.63 percent Monday ( @ @ @ @ @ with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 1.44 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares switched to losses late Tuesday morning amid slower-than-expected progress in the new U.S. stimulus talks.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 11.7 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,335.04 as of 11:20 a.m.
Investor sentiment remained risk-averse, over impatience that the clock is ticking for the U.S. stimulus negotiations ahead of the November presidential election despite some meaningful progress made recently.
The U.S. stocks dropped. The S&P 500 dipped to the two-week low of 1.63 percent Monday (New York time), with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 1.44 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index down 1.65 percent.
In Seoul, most large caps traded mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 1.33 percent. No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix, which said it has agreed to buy a memory chip unit from U.S. semiconductor giant Intel Corp., fell 1.85 percent.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem rose 0.65 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI gained 1.21 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, dipped 3.57 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics shed 1.75 percent, and Celltrion sank 4.89 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver lost 1.22 percent, with top steelmaker POSCO down 1.44 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,139.25 won against the dollar, up 2.75 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--SK Telecom to launch 5G mixed reality content in Hong Kong

The South Korean carrier said it will work with PCCW Group to provide its augmented reality ( AR ) and @ @ @ @ @ content in Hong Kong , which commercialized the latest generation network earlier this year .
@ @ @ @ @ also have agreed on joint investment and production of 5G-based content .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest wireless carrier, said Tuesday it partnered with Hong Kong's top telecommunications firm PCCW Group to release its 5G mixed reality content there.
The South Korean carrier said it will work with PCCW Group to provide its augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) content in Hong Kong, which commercialized the latest generation network earlier this year. SK Telecom said the two also have agreed on joint investment and production of 5G-based content.
The South Korean carrier currently offers AR and VR content through its Jump application, which has racked up 3 million cumulative users and over 600,000 monthly active users. The carrier's service provides a wide range of AR and VR content, including concerts and virtual meetups using avatars.
SK Telecom said it would enter more overseas markets, including the Southeast Asian market, adding that it is also currently in talks with Deutsche Telekom for the European market and with T-Mobile for the U.S. market.
This photo provided by SK Telecom Co. on Oct. 20, 2020, shows the company's 3D filming studio at the company's headquarters in central Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The announcement comes in line with SK Telecom's efforts to push data-intensive mixed reality content for 5G networks.
It partnered with U.S. tech giant Microsoft Corp. in April this year to establish a film studio that uses volumetric video capture technology, a first of its kind in Asia, to produce 3D hologram content.
SK Telecom said it has expanded the studio by relocating it to its headquarters in central Seoul.
The company said in a briefing that it targets having 10 million Jump service users by the end of next year.
Local rival LG Uplus Corp. has also boosted efforts in creating AR and VR content, forming an alliance with other global telecom operators last month.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--LG Electronics launches rollable TV in S. Korea for 100 mln won

While the full view option is for watching TV , the line view option exposes only a part of the @ @ @ @ @ stylish modes : music , clock , frame , mood and ThinQ home dashboard to @ @ @ @ @ devices inside the house .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Tuesday released the world's first rollable TV in South Korea at a jaw-dropping price of 100 million won (US$87,000) as the tech giant aims to target high-end consumers amid the pandemic.
The company said overseas launch schedules of LG Signature OLED R have not been fixed yet due to the COVID-19 situation in each country.
LG said the product, which uses flexible OLED display that leverages self-lighting pixel technology, is designed to deliver a differentiated user experience to high-end consumers and strengthen its position in the premium TV market.
Its name "R" contains the meaning of "revolutionary," "rollable" and "redefine the space," according to the home appliance maker.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Oct. 20, 2020, shows the company's rollable TV, LG SIGNATURE OLED R. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The 65-inch TV model named RX is highlighted by its screen that rises from a box and can be rolled up inside.
Depending on how much the screen has rolled up inside the base, it provides three different viewing options for users to design interior space.
While the full view option is for watching TV, the line view option exposes only a part of the screen and offers five different stylish modes: music, clock, frame, mood and ThinQ home dashboard to check conditions of other smart devices inside the house.
Zero view completely hides the screen and allows it to be used as a Bluetooth speaker.
LG said it has adopted a differentiated system for its rollable TV from production to customer care service.
LG said production and quality inspection of the rollable TV will be processed by artisans and craftspeople at LG's TV assembly line in Gumi, some 260 kilometers southeast of Seoul, a similar system used in making luxury cars and watches.
It will also engrave a message of the customer's choice on the TV's aluminum cabinet.
The owners of LG Signature OLED R will get free after-sales support for three years and will get special checkup service twice a year.
LG's rollable TV was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the United States last year.
The world's top OLED TV maker originally planned to launch the rollable TV in 2019, but its mass production has been delayed due to OLED display supply and yield rate issues.
At this year's CES, LG unveiled a different model of its rollable TV with a screen that rolls down from the ceiling.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--S. Korea to acquire data analyzing system for Global Hawk next month: procurement agency

According to DAPA , the vehicle 's Identification Friend or Foe ( IFF ) system will be upgraded to the @ @ @ @ @ .
Mode 5 is an enhancement to Mode 4 IFF , which has been in @ @ @ @ @ military identification .
The U.S. authorities require all Mode 4 configurations to Mode 5 by @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to bring in the intelligence analysis system for the advanced unmanned aircraft Global Hawk from the United States next month in a move expected to enhance the country's capabilities to monitor threats from North Korea, the arms procurement agency said Tuesday.
Under a 2011 deal worth 965.9 billion won (US$847.2 million), South Korea bought four RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The first unit arrived here in December last year, and the last unit in September this year, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The vehicle's ground system for data tasking, collection, processing, exploitation and dissemination (TCPED) "is scheduled to be acquired by November 2020 following the systems integration and necessary tests," DAPA said in a report submitted to the National Assembly for its parliamentary audit.
The planned delivery is behind the schedule "due to prolonged negotiations between the U.S. government and its manufacturer, along with the COVID-19 situation," the agency added.
As one of the most advanced intelligence-gathering platforms in the world, the Global Hawk, manufactured by U.S. defense firm Northrop Grumman, is capable of performing reconnaissance missions for around 40 hours at a time at an altitude of roughly 20 kilometers.
Equipped with a state-of-the-art "multi-platform radar technology insertion program" ground surveillance radar sensor, the Global Hawk can perform tasks to a range of up to 3,000 km and distinguish objects on the ground as small as 30 centimeters across.
It is expected to be put into operational deployment within this year following the introduction of the system, which will boost the country's surveillance capabilities and allow it to secure more actionable intelligence about North Korea and other neighboring countries.
According to DAPA, the vehicle's Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system will be upgraded to the advanced Mode 5 in 2022. Mode 5 is an enhancement to Mode 4 IFF, which has been in use since the mid-1950s for military identification. The U.S. authorities require all Mode 4 configurations to Mode 5 by the first half of 2021.
The file photo taken June 22, 2020, shows a Global Hawk High Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HUVA) moving at an Air Force base in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 20 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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


yna--2020-10-20--S. Korea to lift export ban on mask filters

Under the decision , the country will lift the regulation that bans firms from exporting more than 15 percent of @ @ @ @ @ starting Friday , according to the Ministry of Trade , Industry and Energy .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it will lift the export ban on nonwoven fabrics this week that are used to produce protective masks as the domestic supply of the materials and masks stabilized.
Under the decision, the country will lift the regulation that bans firms from exporting more than 15 percent of their production of nonwoven fabrics starting Friday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Earlier this year, the country ran out of melt-blown nonwoven fabric filters amid soaring demand for protective masks at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, inducing the country to even import the materials.
The country reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 20. So far, South Korea has reported more than 25,000 virus cases.
South Korea adopted a de facto rationing scheme system for protective masks in March, in which people could purchase a limited number of face masks per week. The policy was lifted in June.
In a separate report, the country's drug safety ministry said South Korea's production of protective masks reached 300 million units over the period from Sept. 28 to Oct. 11.
South Korea's weekly production of masks had hovered below 100 million this year through late May.
The domestic price of protective masks also stayed at a stable level, it added.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Daewoo Shipbuilding develops world's first metalworking robot

The AI hot working robot , called Goknuri , is now used to shape steel plates into curved ones at @ @ @ @ @ of a steel hull in Daewoo Shipbuilding 's shipyard in Geoje Island , about 400 @ @ @ @ @ South Korea 's leading shipbuilder said .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. said Tuesday it has developed an AI robot for metalworking in the construction of ships for the first time in the world.
The AI hot working robot, called Goknuri, is now used to shape steel plates into curved ones at the front and the rear of a steel hull in Daewoo Shipbuilding's shipyard in Geoje Island, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, South Korea's leading shipbuilder said.
Hot working is the metalworking process carried out above 800 C to curve steel plates in the construction of vessels.
Daewoo Shipbuilding developed the robot last month three years after it started its project.
Workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. point at the company's AI hot working robot, in this photo provided by the shipbuilder on Oct. 20, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Bond, CD issuance in S. Korea swells 14.1 pct in Q3

The value of those debt instruments issued in the July-September period came to 114 trillion won ( US $ 100 @ @ @ @ @ percent from a year ago , according to the data from the Korea Securities Depository @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- Sales of bonds and certificates of deposits (CDs) in South Korea climbed more than 14 percent in the third quarter of the year from a year earlier, data showed Tuesday.
The value of those debt instruments issued in the July-September period came to 114 trillion won (US$100 billion), up 14.1 percent from a year ago, according to the data from the Korea Securities Depository (KSD).
The third-quarter amount, however, was down 14.8 percent from the previous quarter. The KSD didn't give reasons for the on-year increase or decline.
Sales of special bonds floated by state-run companies and banks surged 20.6 percent on-year to 43.2 trillion won, and bonds issued by financial firms surged 31 percent to 34.9 trillion won. Debt sold by nonfinancial companies gained 13 percent to 14.3 trillion won.
Sales of CDs increased 4 percent on-year to 5.1 trillion won, but the amount was down a whopping 49 percent from the prior quarter.
The logo of the Korea Securities Depository (KSD)
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Choi Ji-man, Rays chasing 'firsts' in World Series vs. Dodgers

The Rays were outhit by the Astros in terms of batting average , .260 to .201 , and they did @ @ @ @ @ with a runner in scoring position in their final 38 innings of that series .
@ @ @ @ @ home runs -- 71.9 percent of their runs this postseason have come via long balls @ @ @ @ @ percentage by a World Series-bound club .
Their breakout star Randy Arozarena launched four home @ @ @ @ @ route to winning the ALCS MVP award , but the Rays will need other hitters @ @ @ @ @ World Series .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- When their 2020 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers begins in a Texas bubble this week, the Tampa Bay Rays and their South Korean first baseman, Choi Ji-man, will also start their pursuit of "firsts."
As in: the Rays, who began play in 1998, will chase their first-ever World Series title. And whatever Choi does at the plate and on the field will be a first for a South Korean position player. Choi is the fourth South Korean to reach the World Series but the first batter to make it this far.
In this Getty Images photo, the Tampa Bay Rays' first baseman Choi Ji-man reacts after recoding an out at first base during the top of the sixth inning of Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
Every game of the best-of-seven series will be played at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Game 1 is 7:09 p.m. Tuesday local time, or 9:09 a.m. Wednesday in Seoul.
Right-hander Kim Byung-hyun was the first South Korean player to appear in the World Series, doing so as the closer for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. He also won the World Series that year and remains the only South Korean with a championship ring. Kim has another ring from the 2004 Boston Red Sox, even though he didn't pitch in the postseason that year.
Park Chan-ho, the very first South Korean to play in the majors, made it to his first and only World Series in 2009 with the Philadelphia Phillies. They lost to the New York Yankees that year.
In 2018, the Dodgers' left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin became the first South Korean pitcher to start a World Series game, taking the mound in Game 2 against the Boston Red Sox. The Dodgers bowed out in five games.
Choi is entering the World Series in fine form. He batted .385/.529/.615 in five games in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Houston Astros, with a home run, an RBI, three runs scored and four walks. Over his final three games, Choi was 4-for-5 with three walks.
In this Associated Press photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (R) celebrates with teammate Pete Fairbanks after their 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Rays were outhit by the Astros in terms of batting average, .260 to .201, and they didn't get any run-scoring hits with a runner in scoring position in their final 38 innings of that series. They were heavily reliant on home runs -- 71.9 percent of their runs this postseason have come via long balls, by far the highest percentage by a World Series-bound club. Their breakout star Randy Arozarena launched four home runs against the Astros en route to winning the ALCS MVP award, but the Rays will need other hitters to step up in the World Series.
This is where Choi should come in. The Rays have so much offensive depth that manager Kevin Cash has moved his pieces up and down the lineup, but Choi has been a constant presence in the heart of the order. He has batted either cleanup or fifth in every game that he has started.
For the entire postseason this year, starting with the Wild Card Series at the end of September, Choi is slashing .290/.436/.516 with two homers, four RBIs, five runs and seven walks.
Choi has also flashed the leather at first base, digging out multiple throws in the dirt while showing off his flexibility with acrobatic stretches.
In this USA TODAY Sports photo via Reuters, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the top of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choi, who bats left-handed, has struggled in the past against left-handed pitchers and was benched at the start Games 1 and 6 of the ALCS when the Astros started lefty Framber Valdez.
Choi did get some at-bats against southpaw relievers during the series, and even picked up a single against lefty Blake Taylor in the eighth inning of Game 7.
The Dodgers will send their left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw to start Game 1. The three-time Cy Young Award winner hasn't been quite as dominant in postseasons, with a career 11-12 mark and a 4.31 ERA in 35 playoff outings. In three starts this postseason, Kershaw is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA, plus 23 strikeouts in 19 innings.
If Choi is benched against Kershaw at the start of Game 1, right-handed Yandy Diaz will likely take Choi's spot at first base and in the middle of the lineup, as was the case during the ALCS.
But Cash may opt to keep both Choi and Diaz in the lineup, perhaps moving Choi down to the fifth spot in the order and put Diaz in as the designated hitter. Diaz can also handle third base, but Joey Wendle has been excellent at the hot corner this postseason, meaning Diaz will mostly hit DH or be in platoon with Choi at first base.
During the truncated, 60-game regular season, in which clubs only play teams in their own division and in the corresponding division in the other league, the Rays and the Dodgers didn't face each other.
For his career, Choi is 4-for-16 with a home run and three RBIs in four games against the Dodgers.
In this Associated Press photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (L) holds up the ball at first base after getting Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros out during the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--N.K. media slams S. Korea over recent defense talks with U.S.

`` The tailored deterrence strategy ... is not irrelevant to the increasing purchase of advanced weapons by the South Korean @ @ @ @ @ in and outside of the country and the development of high-tech equipments , '' the @ @ @ @ @ it as a scheme to invade the North .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet on Tuesday slammed South Korea over recent defense talks between Seoul and Washington about deterring nuclear threats from the communist nation, calling the discussion a "reckless scheme to crush its own race with its master."
Last week, Seoul and Washington held their annual ministerial talks, the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), and reaffirmed their joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea, noting that the communist state's nuclear and ballistic missile programs continue to pose serious threats to international security.
The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to South Korea's security, including providing "extended deterrence," and the two sides discussed ways to strengthen their defense posture during their annual Military Committee Meeting (MCM) held a day before the SCM.
"It is a shameful pro-American act and a reckless scheme to crush its own race with its master" the Tongil Sinbo, the North Korea's propaganda weekly, said in an article.
"The tailored deterrence strategy ... is not irrelevant to the increasing purchase of advanced weapons by the South Korean military, their military exercises in and outside of the country and the development of high-tech equipments," the propaganda outlet said, slamming it as a scheme to invade the North.
"National pride cannot be found within those desperate enough to crush its own people with help from foreign power," it added.
It also criticized the South for "continuing to play with fire in a war against its own race."
South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper pose for a photo during the 52nd annual South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting at the Pentagon near Washington on Oct. 14, 2020, in this photo taken from Esper's Twitter account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--24 F-35A stealth fighters delivered to S. Korea

`` We experienced some delay in the delivery due to the COVID-19 situation , but through South Korea-U.S. coordination , @ @ @ @ @ as planned , '' the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a parliamentary audit report @

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- A total of 24 F-35A next-generation fighter jets have arrived in South Korea from the United States so far, the arms procurement agency said Tuesday, as Seoul pushes to enhance its operational capabilities against outside threats.
South Korea began bringing in the advanced stealth fighters from March last year to beef up air defense capabilities under a plan to deploy 40 units through next year.
"We experienced some delay in the delivery due to the COVID-19 situation, but through South Korea-U.S. coordination, the delivery has been normalized as planned," the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a parliamentary audit report.
The agency said South Korea will complete the construction of facilities to store the planes by December.
As a centerpiece of the country's strategic targeting scheme against potential enemy forces, the warplane is expected to boost operational capabilities and strengthen the readiness posture against threats from all directions, military officials said.
In this file photo, taken on March 4, 2020, an F-35A stealth fighter conducts a flying display during a commissioning ceremony at the Korea Air Force Academy in the central city of Cheongju. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--(2nd LD) SK hynix to buy Intel's NAND memory chip unit for US$9 bln

`` By taking each other 's strengths and technologies , SK hynix will proactively respond to various needs from customers @ @ @ @ @ , expanding our innovative portfolio in the NAND flash market segment , which will be @ @ @ @ @ in DRAM . ''

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS more info in paras, 4-7, 15, last 3 paras, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc., South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, said Tuesday that it will buy the NAND business of U.S. semiconductor giant Intel Corp. in a deal worth 10.3 trillion won (US$9 billion) to help the company vault to become the world's second-largest NAND flash chipmaker.
SK hynix said it will acquire all of Intel's NAND flash business, except its Optane memory unit. The deal includes Intel's solid state drive (SSD) business and its factory in Dalian, China.
SK hynix said it will pay Intel 8 trillion won by 2021 to first acquire its Chinese production facility and SSD unit.
It will pay the remaining 2.3 trillion won by March 2025 to acquire Intel's remaining assets, including intellectual property related to the manufacture and design of NAND flash wafers and research and development workforce.
"I am pleased to see SK hynix and Intel's NAND division, which have led the NAND flash technology innovation, work to build the new future together," said Lee Seok-hee, chief executive officer of SK hynix.
"By taking each other's strengths and technologies, SK hynix will proactively respond to various needs from customers and optimize our business structure, expanding our innovative portfolio in the NAND flash market segment, which will be comparable with what we achieved in DRAM."
This undated photo shows the corporate logo of South Korean chipmaker SK hynix Inc. (Yonhap)
The deal, if completed, will be the largest acquisition deal by a South Korean company, far higher than Samsung Electronics Co.'s deal in 2016 to buy Harman International Industries Inc. for $8 billion.
The deal will make SK hynix the world's second-largest NAND flash chip producer.
According to market researcher TrendForce, SK hynix was the world's fourth-largest NAND flash maker with an 11.7 percent revenue share in the second quarter of the year, while Intel was ranked sixth with an 11.5 percent revenue share.
South Korea's Samsung led the market with a 31.4 percent share, followed by Japan's Kioxia Corp. with 17.2 percent.
SK hynix said the deal will boost its competitiveness in SSD solutions, help the company to beef up its high-value product portfolio and improve balance in its memory business earnings.
Most of SK hynix's revenue currently comes from the DRAM business, where SK hynix ranks as the world's second-largest supplier.
In the second quarter, the company logged sales of 8.6 trillion won and operating profit of 1.9 trillion won.
Its NAND flash business accounted for 24 percent of the company's sales in the second quarter, with SSD sales making up nearly half of its NAND flash revenue.
Intel's NAND business accounted for roughly $2.8 billion of revenue of its Non-volatile Memory Solutions Group (NSG) for the first six months of the year.
This photo provided by SK hynix Inc. shows the company's NAND flash chips. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
SK hynix has been trying to reinforce its technological prowess in the NAND flash sector.
Last year, the company started to mass-produce the industry's first 128-layer 1 Terabit triple-level cell (TLC) 4D NAND flash. It is currently developing the next-generation 176-layer 4D NAND flash.
SK hynix and Intel have been closely working together for advanced chip development. The two sides recently collaborated on the Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) DRAM spec development.
Meanwhile, Intel, best known for its central processing units for personal computers, said it will use proceeds to beef up its "long-term growth priorities," such as artificial intelligence and 5G networking.
"For Intel, this transaction will allow us to further prioritize our investments in differentiated technology where we can play a bigger role in the success of our customers and deliver attractive returns to our stockholders," Intel CEO Bob Swan said.
Shares in SK hynix dropped 2.54 percent to 84,500 won on the Seoul bourse as of 10:10 a.m. Trading for SK hynix shares began 30 minutes after the stock market open following the deal announcement.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Yonhap Infomax holds annual conference on state bonds

The one-day conference , set for Tuesday afternoon , comes as the nation plans to sell a record amount of @ @ @ @ @ next year to fund economic stimulus amid the coronavirus pandemic .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- Yonhap Infomax, the financial news and information arm of Yonhap News Agency, will hold an annual conference on the prospects of Korean treasury bonds, organizers said Tuesday.
The one-day conference, set for Tuesday afternoon, comes as the nation plans to sell a record amount of state bonds this year and next year to fund economic stimulus amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the conference is also expected to discuss the pandemic's impact on global financial markets, organizers said.
Vice Finance Minister An Il-whan is scheduled to give a speech during the conference.
It is possible to watch the conference live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01jTrsYwrf0.
Last month, the National Assembly approved a fourth supplementary budget worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.8 billion), mainly aimed at helping small merchants and self-employed people cushion the economic impact of the recent resurgence of the new coronavirus.
Along with the fourth extra budget, the size of the stimulus packages increased to 277 trillion won.
South Korea has increased its cap on selling treasury bonds to 167.8 trillion won (US$139 billion) this year, from an initial ceiling of 130.2 trillion won, to cope with the pandemic.
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--LG Household tipped to outperform Amorepacific in Q3: poll

`` Despite the COVID-19 pandemic , the company 's luxury cosmetics brands seem to fare well in the Chinese market @ @ @ @ @ the household goods and beverage business will continue into the second half , '' Jung @ @ @ @ @ Hyundai Motor Securities , said in a report .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- LG Household & Health Care Ltd. is estimated to have outperformed industry leader Amorepacific in the third quarter, thanks to a robust growth in the non-cosmetics business, a poll showed Tuesday.
South Korea's No. 2 cosmetics company is projected to have logged an operating profit of 320.9 billion won (US$281.5 million) in the July-September period, up 2.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency.
The figure is about eight times higher than Amorepacific's operating profit estimate of 40.7 billion won in the cited period. It represents a 62.1 percent decline from a year earlier.
This undated photo, provided by LG Household & Health Care, shows the company's high-end skin care lineup -- the History of Whoo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The country's major cosmetics makers have been suffering business setbacks mainly because local duty-free operators, key sales channels of the cosmetics makers, took a beating from the new coronavirus outbreak.
Despite the industrywide slump, LG Household & Health Care logged a solid operating profit of 303.3 billion won in the second quarter on the back of robust performance in the non-cosmetics business.
LG Household & Health Care has diversified its business portfolio into the cosmetics, household goods and beverage segments.
In the first half of the year, the company's cosmetics sales declined 11.5 percent on-year to 1.99 trillion won. But sales of its household goods business grew 26.4 percent to 941.5 billion won from the previous year.
"Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's luxury cosmetics brands seem to fare well in the Chinese market. Its solid growth in the household goods and beverage business will continue into the second half," Jung Hye-jin, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities, said in a report.
But Amorepacific is estimated to have posted a weak bottom line in the third quarter as its cosmetics business mainly relies on sales from duty-free channels, domestic offline stores and overseas units, according to industry watchers.
In the second quarter, its operating income declined 60 percent on-year to 35.2 billion won.
In the cited period, domestic sales of cosmetics declined 26.4 percent on-year to 656.7 billion won, while its overseas sales posted a 21 percent on-year fall to 405.4 billion won.
To prop up sales, Amorepacific has been beefing up its online sales channel and focused on enhancing marketing of its luxury brands, including Sulwhasoo. The company also reduced the number of its offline stores of eco-friendly brand Innisfree in China as part of its restructuring efforts.
"Amorepacific was hit hard by the fallout of the pandemic as it was slow to overhaul its sales channels," said Cho Mi-jin, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co.
"But the company's earnings are likely to start improving next year as it is strengthening online sales and actively responding to the growth in duty-free markets in China."
This photo, provided by Amorepacific on March 9, 2020, shows sales of the company's luxury cosmetics brand Sulwhasoo at the New York outlet of global cosmetics chain Sephora. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--(LEAD) New virus cases under 100 for 5th day; virus fight still in peril over cluster infections

While health authorities had been concerned that the country may face a new wave of pandemic as millions of South @ @ @ @ @ over the fall harvest Chuseok holiday , no significant uptick in the number of new @ @ @ @ @ period .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by double digits for a fifth consecutive day Tuesday, but health authorities remain vigilant over cluster infections at risk-prone facilities such as hospitals.
The country added 58 more COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,333, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The figure marked a drop from 76 daily cases reported Monday and 91 from Sunday. It was also the lowest since 47 added on Friday.
Health authorities say that despite the overall slowdown in the new cases, sporadic cluster infections are still lingering throughout the nation, with additional infections being reported from various places including nursing homes and supermarkets.
South Korea has been operating the lowest Level 1 social distancing scheme since Oct. 12, as the daily increase of COVID-19 patients is at a manageable level.
As South Koreans have gradually returned to their daily routines, the country also eased the attendance cap at schools, previously set at one-third at elementary and middle schools, to two-thirds for all schools.
Students enter an elementary school located in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country, which operates a three-tier alert system, adopted the Level 2 social distancing scheme in August as cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally piled up.
During the period, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people were strictly prohibited, while high-risk facilities such as bars and karaoke rooms were ordered to fully shut down. Such regulations were lifted last week on the condition that infection prevention measures are strictly followed.
While health authorities had been concerned that the country may face a new wave of pandemic as millions of South Koreans traveled across the nation over the fall harvest Chuseok holiday, no significant uptick in the number of new cases was observed during the period.
Over the past two weeks, around 14 percent of the total cases reported here had unknown infection routes. The proportion of cluster infections reached 26 percent, KCDA data showed.
Of the newly identified local infections, 11 cases were reported in Seoul, 22 cases in Gyeonggi Province and three cases in the western port city of Incheon.
The southern port city of Busan added one more case.
New virus cases in a rehabilitation hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, surged to 59 as of Monday, up eight from the previous day.
Another hospital in northern Seoul has reported 67 cases so far, and a nursing home in southern Seoul has reported 73 COVID-19 cases.
The number of patients in critical or serious condition came to 71, down seven from the previous day.
Imported cases reached 17.
Of the imported cases, Russia accounted for five patients, followed by the Philippines with three cases. Iran and the Czech Republic accounted for two cases each as well. Other countries included India, Nepal and the United States.
South Korea reported three more deaths, raising the total death toll to 447. The fatality rate reached 1.76 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 23,466, up 98 from the previous day. Around 92.6 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,491,311 COVID-19 tests so far, including 12,085 from the previous day.
Visitors wait to receive new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Oct. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--(LEAD) SK hynix to buy Intel's NAND memory chip unit for US$9 bln

According to market researcher TrendForce , SK hynix was the world 's fourth-largest NAND flash maker with an 11.7 percent @ @ @ @ @ quarter of the year , while Intel was ranked sixth with an 11.5 percent revenue @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES lead; ADDS more info in paras 3-4, 8-12)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc., South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, said Tuesday that it will buy the NAND business of U.S. semiconductor giant Intel Corp. in a deal worth 10.3 trillion won (US$9 billion) to expand its presence in the memory sector.
SK hynix said it will acquire all of Intel's NAND flash business, except its Optane memory unit. The deal includes Intel's solid state drive (SSD) business and its factory in Dalian, China.
SK hynix it will pay Intel 8 trillion won by 2021 to first acquire its Chinese production facility and SSD unit.
It will pay the remaining 2.3 trillion won by March 2025 to complete the deal.
The deal will make SK hynix the world's second-largest NAND flash chip producer.
According to market researcher TrendForce, SK hynix was the world's fourth-largest NAND flash maker with an 11.7 percent revenue share in the second quarter of the year, while Intel was ranked sixth with an 11.5 percent revenue share.
This undated photo shows the corporate logo of South Korean chipmaker SK hynix Inc. (Yonhap)
South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics Co. led the market with a 31.4 percent share, followed by Japan's Kioxia Corp. with 17.2 percent.
SK hynix said the deal will boost its competitiveness in SSD solutions, help the company to beef up its high-value product portfolio and improve balance in its memory business earnings.
Most of SK hynix's revenue currently comes from the DRAM business, where SK hynix ranks as the world's second-largest supplier.
In the second quarter, the company logged sales of 8.6 trillion won and operating profit of 1.9 trillion won.
Its NAND flash business accounted for 24 percent of the company's sales in the second quarter, with SSD sales making up nearly half of its NAND flash revenue.
SK hynix has been trying to reinforce its technological prowess in the NAND flash sector.
Last year, the company started to mass-produce the industry's first 128-layer 1 Terabit triple-level cell (TLC) 4D NAND flash. It is currently developing the next-generation 176-layer 4D NAND flash.
SK hynix and Intel have been closely working together for advanced chip development. The two sides recently collaborated on the Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) DRAM spec development.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--Seoul shares open nearly flat amid stalled U.S. stimulus talks

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 0.67 percent .
Trading of No .
2 chipmaker SK hynix , which said it @ @ @ @ @ memory chip unit from U.S. semiconductor giant Intel Corp. , was halted .

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened nearly flat Tuesday amid slower-than-expected progress in the new U.S. stimulus talks.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.3 points, or 0.06 percent, to 2,348.04 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Investor sentiment remained risk-averse as negotiations for the fresh U.S. stimulus scheme are showing meaningful progress.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.44 percent to 28,195 on Monday (New York time). The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index dropped 1.65 percent and the S&P 500 dipped 1.63 percent.
In Seoul, most large caps traded mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 0.67 percent. Trading of No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix, which said it has agreed to buy a memory chip unit from U.S. semiconductor giant Intel Corp., was halted.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem rose 1.14 percent, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI gained 0.97 percent.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, dipped 3.87 percent.
Pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics edged up 0.29 percent, while Celltrion was down 1.96 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver lost 0.52 percent, but top steelmaker POSCO gained 0.48 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,140.8 won against the dollar, up 1.2 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--New virus cases under 100 for 5th day; virus fight still in peril over cluster infections

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by double digits for a fifth consecutive day Tuesday, but health authorities remain vigilant over cluster infections at risk-prone facilities such as hospitals.
The country added 58 more COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,333, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The figure marked a drop from 76 daily cases reported Monday and 91 from Sunday. It was also the lowest since 47 added on Friday.
Health authorities say that despite the overall slowdown in the new cases, sporadic cluster infections are still lingering throughout the nation, with additional infections being reported from various places including nursing homes and supermarkets.
South Korea has been operating the lowest Level 1 social distancing scheme since Oct. 12, as the daily increase of COVID-19 patients is at a manageable level.
As South Koreans have gradually returned to their daily routines, the country also eased the attendance cap at schools, previously set at one-third at elementary and middle schools, to two-thirds for all schools.
Students enter an elementary school located in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country, which operates a three-tier alert system, adopted the Level 2 social distancing scheme in August as cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally piled up.
During the period, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people were strictly prohibited, while high-risk facilities such as bars and karaoke rooms were ordered to fully shut down. Such regulations were lifted last week on the condition that infection prevention measures are strictly followed.
While health authorities had been concerned that the country may face a new wave of pandemic as millions of South Koreans traveled across the nation over the fall harvest Chuseok holiday, no significant uptick in the number of new cases was observed during the period.
Over the past two weeks, around 14 percent of the total cases reported here had unknown infection routes. The proportion of cluster infections reached 26 percent, KCDA data showed.
Of the newly identified local infections, 11 cases were reported in Seoul, 22 cases in Gyeonggi Province and three cases in the western port city of Incheon.
The southern port city of Busan added one more case.
New virus cases in a rehabilitation hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, surged to 59 as of Monday, up eight from the previous day.
Another hospital in northern Seoul has reported 67 cases so far, and a nursing home in southern Seoul has reported 73 COVID-19 cases.
The number of patients in critical or serious condition came to 71, down seven from the previous day.
Imported cases reached 17.
South Korea reported three more deaths, raising the total death toll to 447.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 23,466, up 98 from the previous day.
Visitors wait to receive new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Oct. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-20--(LEAD) Moon requests support from 2 nations for S. Korean candidate's WTO chief bid

Moon held separate phone calls with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and said that @ @ @ @ @ Myung-hee is the `` right person '' with vision and capability to protect the free @ @ @ @ @ in it through reform of the WTO , according to the presidential office .

(ATTN: UPDATES with foreign minister's phone calls in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday asked his counterparts in Italy and Luxembourg to support the South Korean candidate to become the next leader of the World Trade Organization, the presidential office said, in the latest diplomatic push in pursuit of the top post.
Moon held separate phone calls with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and said that South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee is the "right person" with vision and capability to protect the free trade system and restore trust in it through reform of the WTO, according to the presidential office.
Yoo has vowed to focus on rebuilding trust in the multilateral trading system by making it more relevant, resilient and responsive if she gets picked as the new director-general.
Yoo is competing with Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in the third and final stage for the top post of the global trade body.
The final result -- which is to be determined through consensus among 164 member countries -- is widely expected to be delivered in early November.
Moon has also sought support for Yoo's bid from the leaders of New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Germany, Brazil and Malaysia since July.
Also Tuesday, South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held phone conversations with her counterparts of Denmark, Poland and Austria and asked them to put their weight behind the South Korean candidate.
On Monday, Kang made similar requests to her counterparts from Slovenia and Finland.
This photo, taken on Oct. 20, 2020, and provided by Cheong Wa Dae, shows President Moon Jae-in speaking by telephone with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, requesting support for Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid to become the director general of the World Trade Organization, at the presidential office in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)