yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) S. Korea shows clear signs of slowdown in new virus cases

The number of new infections continued to slow in Daegu , the nation 's worst virus-hit region that accounts for @ @ @ @ @ total cases , with just four additional cases .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported another single-digit number of new coronavirus cases Thursday, as the country's strict social distancing campaign and enhanced quarantine measures have helped contain the spread of the virus.
The country added eight new virus cases, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,702, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The figure marks a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.
Of the eight cases detected Wednesday, four were imported.
Transparent plastic sheeting is placed at checkout counters at an outlet of discount chain E-Mart in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 22, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the coronavirus rose by two to 240, the authorities said.
The overall fatality rate reached 2.24 percent. The figure, however, reached 23.5 percent for patients in their 80s and above.
In total, 8,411 virus patients in South Korea have been discharged from hospitals, up 134 from a day earlier. The country has carried out tests on 583,971 people since Jan. 3.
The number of new infections continued to slow in Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, with just four additional cases.
North Gyeongsang Province, which surrounds Daegu, reported no new infections.
No new cases were reported from the capital city of Seoul as well.
An official disinfects a cathedral in Seoul on April 22, 2020, one day before the Archdiocese of Seoul resumes Mass after an almost two-month suspension due to the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Despite the looming signs of a slowdown locally, health authorities remain wary of the rising number of imported cases.
The total number of cases coming in from abroad reached 1,021, with South Korean nationals taking up around 92 percent of such cases.
The figure accounts for nearly 10 percent of the total confirmed cases.
With its monthlong social distancing drive, South Korea avoided the worst scenario despite being one of the first countries hit hard by the virus that originated from China.
While health authorities remain wary of another wave of COVID-19 infections, the country is slowly moving to lift some of its social distancing regulations this week, giving the go-ahead for some facilities, including gyms.
The country, however, said overall social distancing is still in force until May 5, and it is considering moving toward "everyday life quarantine" after the date if the number of cases continues to plateau.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) S. Korea approves merger between budget carriers

In a statement , the Fair Trade Commission said it approved the deal by applying an exceptional clause of the @ @ @ @ @ will not survive unless it is acquired by Jeju Air .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 5 paras)
SEJONG/SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it approved a deal by Jeju Air Co., the nation's largest budget carrier, to buy smaller rival Eastar Jet Co., as the airline industry scrambles to survive over plunging demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jeju Air signed the deal to buy a 51.17 percent stake in Eastar Jet from Eastar Holdings for 54.5 billion won (US$45 million) in March as part of its expansion strategy.
In a statement, the Fair Trade Commission said it approved the deal by applying an exceptional clause of the antitrust law because Eastar Jet will not survive unless it is acquired by Jeju Air.
This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2019, shows planes operated by Jeju Air and Eastar Jet at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
Eastar Jet, which reported an operating loss of 79.3 billion won last year, has been suffering capital erosion since 2013.
Jeju Air has said the acquisition will help it gain a bigger market share and strengthen the company's competitiveness in global markets.
South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- and seven low-cost carriers (LCCs) -- Jeju Air, Jin Air Co., Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way and Fly Gangwon.
Two more LCCs -- Air Premia Co. and Aero K Airlines Co. -- are expected to join the market next year, bringing the country's total number of LCCs to nine.
In February, the government announced it would inject 300 billion won to help LCCs stay afloat.
AK Holdings Inc., the holding firm of South Korean retail conglomerate Aekyung Group, holds a 59.93 percent stake in Jeju Air.
Hit by the new coronavirus, the local airline sector has been reeling from a sharp decline in sales amid lower demand.
As for full-service carriers, the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank) said Tuesday that they will inject 1.7 trillion won into Asiana Airlines.
The government is expected to release its financial support programs for Korean Air on Friday.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Changwon-Gyeongsam region named host for S. Korea's first arms industry cluster

The government plans to spend 45 billion won ( US $ 36.39 million ) over the next five years to @ @ @ @ @ Innovation Cluster '' in the Changwon-Gyeongnam region to help develop advanced technologies for defense items @ @ @ @ @ firms , local governments and academies .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- The southeastern city of Changwon and the surrounding South Gyeongsang Province have been named the host for the government's first regional defense industry innovation center aimed at promoting development of home-grown parts and revitalizing regional economies, the arms procurement agency said Thursday.
The government plans to spend 45 billion won (US$36.39 million) over the next five years to create the "Defense Industry Innovation Cluster" in the Changwon-Gyeongnam region to help develop advanced technologies for defense items through close cooperation between defense firms, local governments and academies.
The Changwon-Gyeongnam area was chosen by the government's appraisal committee as the region already houses a large number of small defense companies and the local governments have been active in backing the industry, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said.
"It is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and lead to production worth 84.3 billion won over the next five years," DAPA said, vowing to further expand the project.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korea reports 8 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,702

The country , however , said overall social distancing is still in force until May 5 , and it is @ @ @ @ @ life quarantine '' after the date if the number of cases continues to plateau .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported another single-digit number of new coronavirus cases Thursday, as the country's strict social distancing campaign and enhanced quarantine measures helped contain the spread of the virus.
The country added eight new virus cases, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,702, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The figure marks a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.
Of the eight cases detected Wednesday, four were imported.
Transparent plastic sheeting is placed at checkout counters at an outlet of discount chain E-Mart in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 22, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the coronavirus rose by two to 240, the authorities said.
In total, 8,411 virus patients in South Korea have been discharged from hospitals, up 134 from a day earlier. The country has carried out tests on 583,971 people since Jan. 3.
The number of new infections continued to slow in Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, with just four additional cases.
North Gyeongsang Province, which surrounds Daegu, reported no new infections.
No new cases were reported from the capital city of Seoul as well.
With its monthlong social distancing drive, South Korea avoided the worst scenario despite being one of the first countries hit hard by the virus that originated from China.
While health authorities remain wary of another wave of COVID-19 infections, the country is slowly moving to lift some of its social distancing regulations this week, giving the go-ahead for some facilities, including gyms.
The country, however, said overall social distancing is still in force until May 5, and it is considering moving toward "everyday life quarantine" after the date if the number of cases continues to plateau.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Hyundai Glovis Q1 net income up 51 pct. to 161 bln won

The operating profit was 8.4 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Glovis Co. on Thursday reported its first-quarter net income of 160.5 billion won (US$ 130.5 million), up 51.4 percent from a year earlier.
Operating income for the January-March period was 194.9 billion won, up 5.2 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales rose 11.4 percent to 4.7 trillion won.
The operating profit was 8.4 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(2nd LD) Naver's Q1 net jumps 54 pct on increased online shopping

`` Naver will strive to create a new growth engine by seeking new opportunities in the era of the untact @ @ @ @ @ Seong-sook said during a conference call , using a term for markets that do n't @ @ @ @ @ `` We believe the COVID-19 outbreak will impact our business more greatly during the second @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS more info in paras 5-7, 12)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top internet portal operator Naver Corp. said Thursday its net profit jumped 54 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier largely on the back of increased online shopping transactions on its platform amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
Net profit reached 134.9 billion won (US$109.5 million) in the January-March period, compared with a net profit of 88 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a press release.
Operating income reached 221.5 billion won during the cited period, marking an increase of 7.4 percent from the year before. Sales totaled 1.73 trillion won, representing a 14.6 percent increase from a year earlier, Naver said.
This undated photo provided by Naver Corp. shows the company's headquarters. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Revenue from its business platform increased 12 percent on-year to 749.7 billion won in the first quarter on the back of increased online shopping as more people refrained from going outside amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Naver will strive to create a new growth engine by seeking new opportunities in the era of the untact market," CEO Han Seong-sook said during a conference call, using a term for markets that don't require direct personal contact. "We believe the COVID-19 outbreak will impact our business more greatly during the second quarter."
The company said its transactions on online shopping malls jumped 56 percent on-year during the first quarter
"Naver plans to strengthen the untact commerce sector by cooperating with various brands and distribution companies," she said.
Naver said revenue from its platform business, including the messenger Line, surged 17.4 percent on-year to 565 billion won during the same period.
Revenue from its advertisement business was up 1.2 percent on-year to 144 billion won in the first quarter. The number, however, was down 16.2 percent from a quarter earlier due to the COVID-19 outbreak as more companies downsized their ad expenses.
Sales from its IT platform business, which covers Naver Pay and cloud computing services, also jumped 49.4 percent on-year to 148.2 billion won as more people worked at homes during the pandemic.
Content sales advanced 58 percent on-year during the cited period to 55.4 billion won due to the increased revenues from its webtoons and an increase in global users, it said.
Shares in Naver were changing hands at 193,500 won as of 10 a.m., up 6.32 percent from the previous session. The first-quarter report was announced before the local market opened Thursday.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 134 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 8,411: KCDC

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


yna--2020-04-23--(URGENT) S. Korea confirms 2 more coronavirus deaths, raising death toll to 240: KCDC


yna--2020-04-23--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 8 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,702


yna--2020-04-23--(2nd LD) S. Korean economy shrinks 1.4 pct in Q1 amid virus fallout, sharpest contraction since 2008

`` We believe the current shock is only temporary and that GDP growth will rebound strongly to 5 percent in @ @ @ @ @ release of pent-up consumption built during the pandemic and the government 's stimulus measures .
@ @ @ @ @ global trade conditions normalize , '' the agency said in a statement .

(ATTN: ADDS finance minister's remarks, S&P comments, details in paras 10-16)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy shrank 1.4 percent on-quarter in the first quarter of this year, as the coronavirus pandemic crippled industrial output, consumer spending and job markets, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Thursday.
It marked the sharpest quarterly contraction since the fourth quarter of 2008, when the nation's economy sank 3.3 percent on-quarter.
The first-quarter gross domestic product, however, was above market expectations. A survey conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, had expected the nation's economy to contract 1.81 percent in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Korea's economy grew 1.3 percent.
On an annual basis, South Korea's economy added 1.3 percent in the first quarter, marking the weakest growth since the third quarter of 2009, when the economy increased 0.9 percent.
Private consumption sank 6.4 percent on-quarter in the first quarter, marking the sharpest decline since the first quarter of 1998, when it plunged 13.8 percent.
Exports fell 2 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter, but facility investment gained 0.2 percent and construction investment rose 1.3 percent.
"Exports fell by 2 percent, due to decreases in motor vehicles, machinery and chemical products despite an increase in semiconductors. Imports decreased by 4.1 percent, owing to decreased imports of crude oil and motor vehicles," the BOK said in a statement.
Government spending increased 0.9 percent in the first quarter.
Shortly after the BOK announced the first-quarter GDP data, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the pandemic's shocks to South Korea's exports and job markets could widen in the second quarter.
South Korea has apparently managed to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control without lockdown measures.
Park Yang-su, a director-general at the BOK, told a news conference held over YouTube that consumer sentiment recently showed signs of a recovery as the nation eased some restrictions on social-distancing guidelines, but exports and employment suffered.
Park stopped short of forecasting whether the Korean economy will contract this year but said exports may take a bigger hit in the second quarter.
Earlier this week, international ratings agency Standard and Poor's predicted South Korea's economy may shrink 1.5 percent this year but post a sharp recovery next year.
"We believe the current shock is only temporary and that GDP growth will rebound strongly to 5 percent in 2021, supported by the release of pent-up consumption built during the pandemic and the government's stimulus measures. Investment should also recover as global trade conditions normalize," the agency said in a statement.
Earlier this month, the BOK kept its policy rate frozen at an all-time low of 0.75 percent, citing the need to see the effect of steps already taken but painted a grim growth outlook, forecasting "considerably" slower growth than earlier expected.
South Korea has pledged to increase the size of its aid package by 90 trillion won (US$73 billion) to 240 trillion won for coronavirus-hit companies and job protection.
Last week, Statistics Korea said the nation reported its first on-year job loss since 2009 in March, as the coronavirus pandemic began inflicting damage on the job market.
The nation lost about 195,000 jobs last month, marking the sharpest monthly decline since May 2009, when some 240,000 jobs disappeared, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year as the global economy is expected to hit its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 3 percent this year, the IMF said.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korea approves merger between budget carriers

SEJONG, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it approved a deal by Jeju Air Co., the nation's largest budget carrier, to buy smaller rival Eastar Jet, as the aviation industry scrambles to survive over plunging demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jeju Air signed the deal to buy a controlling stake in Eastar Jet for 54.5 billion won (US$45 million) in March as part of its expansion strategy.
In a statement, the Fair Trade Commission said it approved the deal by applying an exceptional clause of the antitrust law because Eastar Jet will not survive unless it is acquired by Jeju Air.
This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2019, shows planes operated by Jeju Air and Eastar Jet at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
Eastar Jet, which reported an operating loss of 79.3 billion won last year, has been suffering capital erosion since 2013.
Jeju Air has said the acquisition will help it gain a bigger market share and strengthen the company's competitiveness in global markets.
South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- and seven low-cost carriers (LCCs) -- Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way and Fly Gangwon.
Two more LCCs -- Air Premia Co. and Aero K Airlines Co. -- are expected to join the market next year, bringing the country's total number of LCCs to nine.
AK Holdings Inc., the holding firm of South Korean retail conglomerate Aekyung Group, holds a 59.93 percent stake in Jeju Air.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Computers re-enter list of top 10 export items in Q1 amid rising teleworking

The tally represents the largest proportion since 2.5 percent in 2008 .
It marks the first time since 2010 that @ @ @ @ @ of South Korea 's total exports has hovered above the 2 percent level .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Computers made the list of South Korea's top 10 export items again in the first quarter of the year amid the spread of teleworking due to the coronavirus outbreak, data showed Thursday.
South Korean exports of computers and related products came to US$3.18 billion in the January-March period, accounting for 2.4 percent of overall exports worth $130.8 billion, according to the data from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
The tally represents the largest proportion since 2.5 percent in 2008. It marks the first time since 2010 that the proportion of computers out of South Korea's total exports has hovered above the 2 percent level.
Computers were ranked ninth on the list. Computers placed 10th in 2018 but were forced out of the top 10 list last year. KITA defines computers as including personal computers, notebook computers, monitors, printers and computer parts.
Semiconductors topped the list with a share of 17.8 percent, followed by automobiles with 6.9 percent, petroleum products with 6.8 percent, ships and maritime structures with 4.3 percent and auto parts with 4.2 percent. The top 10 flagship exports took up 54.9 percent of South Korea's total exports.
The association said the jump in overseas shipments of computers came as the coronavirus pandemic forced more people across the globe to work from home and stay indoors.
South Korea's computer exports climbed 43.7 percent from a year earlier in January before spiking 89.2 percent and 82.3 percent in February and March, respectively, amid the fast spread of COVID-19 worldwide.
Industry watchers predicted South Korea's computer exports will remain brisk for the time being amid the rise of "untact" economic activities in the United States and Europe due to the novel coronavirus.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Hyundai launches upgraded Sonata in S. Korea

The gasoline model is priced at 23 million-33 million won ( US $ 18,600- $ 27,000 ) , while the @ @ @ @ @ at 27 million-36 million won , it said .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. on Thursday launched the upgraded Sonata sedan in South Korea as it strives to boost sales amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The upgraded version of the eighth-generation Sonata comes with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine or a 2.0-liter gasoline hybrid engine, the company said in a statement.
The gasoline model is priced at 23 million-33 million won (US$18,600-$27,000), while the hybrid version is being sold at 27 million-36 million won, it said.
From January to March, Hyundai sold 904,746 vehicles in global markets, down 11 percent from 1,021,391 units in the year-ago period.
This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the upgraded Sonata sedan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Moon's approval rating highest in 19 months at 64.3 pct: Realmeter

His approval rating gained 6 percentage points in the three-day phone survey of 1,509 people nationwide , aged 18 or @ @ @ @ @ according to Realmeter .
It stood at 58.3 percent in last week 's poll .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has soared to 64.3 percent, the highest in over 1 1/2 years, a poll showed Thursday a week after his party's landslide parliamentary election win.
His approval rating gained 6 percentage points in the three-day phone survey of 1,509 people nationwide, aged 18 or older, from Monday, according to Realmeter. It stood at 58.3 percent in last week's poll.
His disapproval rating dropped 5.6 percentage points to 32 percent.
It marks the highest since 65.3 percent was recorded in September 2018.
South Korea has continued to keep the number of new coronavirus infections relatively low. Moon's leadership has received strong momentum from the Democratic Party's election victory.
On Wednesday, Moon announced another massive stimulus package to support South Korea's coronavirus-hit key industries and keep layoffs at bay.
The DP's approval rating climbed 5.3 percentage points to 52.1 percent, while that of the main opposition United Future Party declined 0.5 percentage point to 27.9 percent.
President Moon Jae-in, wearing a face mask, enters a Cheong Wa Dae meeting room for the fifth emergency economic council session on April 22, 2019. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Seoul stocks open higher on rebounding oil prices

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index ( KOSPI ) rose 10.34 points , or 0.55 percent , to 1,906.49 @ @ @ @ @ of trading .
The main index ended up 0.9 percent at 1,896.15 on Wednesday after @ @ @ @ @ previous two sessions .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors took some comfort from rebounding oil prices and signs of a slowdown in the coronavirus pandemic.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 10.34 points, or 0.55 percent, to 1,906.49 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The main index ended up 0.9 percent at 1,896.15 on Wednesday after shedding 1.8 percent in the previous two sessions.
The KOSPI's rebound will be limited, however, as investors continue to assess the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the global economy and corporate earnings in coming quarters, analysts said.
The country's economy contracted 1.4 percent in the first quarter of the year from three months earlier, the worst since 2008, according to data from the Bank of Korea.
Investors now await major companies' first-quarter business results set to be released from this week to take a cue in reorganizing their portfolios.
On Thursday, SK hynix Inc. posted a net profit of 649 billion won (US$526 million) in the January-March quarter, down 41 percent from 1.1 trillion won a year earlier.
Large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. rose 0.3 percent, No. 1 refiner SK Innovation Co. climbed 1.9 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. gained 1.5 percent and national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. was up 2.6 percent.
Among decliners, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. fell 0.7 percent, dominant tobacco company KT&G Corp. declined 0.5 percent and leading cosmetics firm AmorePacific Corp. was down 0.9 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,232.70 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.50 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) SK hynix posts forecast-beating Q1 earnings

According to industry tracker DRAMeXchange , the average contract price of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM , a benchmark price for the @ @ @ @ @ in March , up 2.1 percent from a month earlier , extending its price hike @ @ @ @ @ .
The average price of 32-gigabyte server DRAM was $ 121 as of end-March , @ @ @ @ @ month ago , according to DRAMeXchange .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS details throughout, photo)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc. on Thursday reported better than expected first-quarter earnings, apparently aided by robust demand for server chips despite the ongoing new coronavirus pandemic.
The net profit for South Korea's No. 2 memory chip producer came to 649.1 billion won (US$526 million) in the January-March period, down 41.1 percent from a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Operating profit fell 41.4 percent on-year to 800.3 billion won during the cited period, while sales increased 6.3 percent on-year to 7.19 trillion won.
The figures were better than expected. The company was projected to have logged 504.7 billion won in operating income in the January-March period, according to the data from 17 local brokerage houses compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency.
This undated photo provided by SK hynix Inc. shows the company's logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
SK hynix said it expects to log better-than-expected earnings driven by increased sales of server products, yield rates improvement and cost reduction.
"SK hynix will minimize potential risks caused by COVID-19, and set up future technology innovation and infrastructure to timely react to 5G and server-based growth momentum," CFR Cha Jin-seok said in a press release.
Bolstered by a boom in the global semiconductor market, SK hynix and local bigger rival Samsung Electronics Co. had registered record earnings in recent years, spearheading South Korea's export growth.
SK hynix's operating profit reached its peak in the third quarter of 2018 when it racked up 6.4 trillion won. However, the company only bagged 236 billion won in operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2019 due to falling chip prices.
According to industry tracker DRAMeXchange, the average contract price of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM, a benchmark price for the category, reached $2.94 in March, up 2.1 percent from a month earlier, extending its price hike to a third consecutive month. The average price of 32-gigabyte server DRAM was $121 as of end-March, up 4.3 percent from a month ago, according to DRAMeXchange.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


Thursday's weather forecast

SEOUL , April 23 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korea to issue state bonds for coronavirus relief payouts

`` We 'd like to ask for cooperation from the National Assembly , so that these plans will be passed @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
`` The government will be prepared to provide emergency relief @ @ @ @ @ . ''

SEJONG, April 23 (Yonhap) -- The government announced Thursday it will sell additional state bonds to finance blanket payouts for all South Koreans in a proposed coronavirus relief package.
The finance ministry also said those who choose not to apply for the handout -- set up to help those in dire straits due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- or who donate their share will receive tax deductions.
The ministry said political parties and the government have reached a consensus on this particular measure, designed to encourage high-income earners to aid people in need, such as those who've lost jobs amid the fallout from the virus.
"We'd like to ask for cooperation from the National Assembly, so that these plans will be passed quickly," the ministry said in a statement. "The government will be prepared to provide emergency relief funds as soon as possible."
Last Thursday, the government submitted a supplementary budget bill worth 7.6 trillion won (US$6.2 billion) that calls for providing 1 million won to four-person households in the bottom 70 percent income bracket.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--LG Electronics suspends some operations at Changwon plant amid drop in demand

`` The Changwon plant makes ovens for the North American market , but the COVID-19 outbreak has hurt demand there @ @ @ @ @ stop work , '' a LG representative said .
He added that as part of @ @ @ @ @ manage its inventory , production of air conditioners sold on the domestic market will be @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., a major global home appliance manufacturer, said Thursday that it suspended some operations at one of its South Korean plants due to the drop in demand caused by the novel coronavirus.
The company said it halted a production line at its Changwon plant, 398 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Monday and that operations will remain closed till May 15.
"The Changwon plant makes ovens for the North American market, but the COVID-19 outbreak has hurt demand there, causing the company to stop work," a LG representative said. He added that as part of the company's efforts to manage its inventory, production of air conditioners sold on the domestic market will be suspended next Tuesday and Wednesday.
In addition, LG said it will give workers at the factory six days off from April 30 through May 5.
LG, already stopped work at its plants in the United States and Brazil as the global pandemic has caused widespread shutdowns in many parts of the world and disrupted logistics.
The company's plants in Mexico and India also had to stop production to follow quarantine guidelines set by national governments that are trying to stem the spread of the infection disease.
This file photo provided by LG Electronics shows the air conditioner production line at the company's Changwon plant, 398 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) Kia to suspend 4 domestic plants on virus impact

The temporary suspension is aimed at flexibly responding to lower overseas demand as consumers opt not to visit dealerships due @ @ @ @ @ said .
The four factories facing temporary closure are responsible for the majority of Kia @ @ @ @ @ plant makes the K9 sedan and the Stinger sports car , while the other builds @ @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; UPDATES with details throughout)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, said Thursday it will temporarily suspend four of its nine domestic plants due to the coronavirus impact.
Kia plans to halt operations at its two Sohari plants in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul, from April 27 to May 8 and again from May 22-25 to keep inventories at manageable levels, a company spokesman said by phone.
In addition, two plants in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of the capital, will also be shut down: No. 2 plant in Gwangju from April 27 to May 8, and No. 3 plant from April 27 to 29.
The temporary suspension is aimed at flexibly responding to lower overseas demand as consumers opt not to visit dealerships due to virus fears, Kia said.
The four factories facing temporary closure are responsible for the majority of Kia's exports. One Sohari plant makes the K9 sedan and the Stinger sports car, while the other builds the subcompact Stonic.
Gwangju's No. 2 plant produces the Sportage sport utility vehicle and the Soul boxcar. No. 3 plant there makes pickup trucks, military vehicles and large buses. During the suspension, trucks and military cars will continue to be built.
Currently, Kia operates nine domestic plants and three factories in China, while its plants in the United States, Mexico and India are suspended. Its total output capacity is 3.84 million units.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Football club captain not sure season could be played without hitch amid coronavirus pandemic

With a recent decline in new COVID-19 cases and the government 's easing of social distancing guidelines , the league @ @ @ @ @ season .
Starting on Monday , teams were allowed to schedule matches against one another @ @ @ @ @ to practices and intrasquad matches .
And the Korea Professional Football League will meet with @ @ @ @ @ determine the new kickoff date , with May 9 or 16 as possibilities .

INCHEON, April 23 (Yonhap) -- With the top South Korean pro football league about to kick off after being delayed by the coronavirus outbreak, one club captain wondered on Thursday if the season could be completed without disruption.
Kim Do-hyeok and his Incheon United of the K League 1 played a practice match against the K League 2 club Suwon FC in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Thursday. It was the first exhibition match between clubs since the K League season was postponed indefinitely on Feb. 24, five days from its original start date.
A practice match between Incheon United (in blue) and Suwon FC takes place at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
With a recent decline in new COVID-19 cases and the government's easing of social distancing guidelines, the league started moving toward opening the season. Starting on Monday, teams were allowed to schedule matches against one another, after having been restricted to practices and intrasquad matches. And the Korea Professional Football League will meet with club representatives on Friday to determine the new kickoff date, with May 9 or 16 as possibilities.
Kim, an Incheon midfielder, said he was bracing himself for a potential hitch once the season began.
"I can't guarantee that we'll be able to play the full season safely," Kim told reporters at Incheon Football Stadium. "Players and fans alike will have to pay extra attention to prevention, so that we can build a safe environment together."
A practice match between Incheon United (in blue) and Suwon FC takes place at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, while coaches and reserves watch from the stands, on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Though the number of new COVID-19 patients has stayed in the single-digit range of late, the early portion of the K League season will likely be played without fans. Thursday's practice match here took place behind closed doors.
"The more fans we have in the stands, the better it is for us players," Kim said. "It's a shame that we'll be playing without fans. But if we can all contribute to preventing the spread of the virus, we'll soon have fans back in the seats."
Kim took a shot at one particular safety measure announced by the league earlier in the week, which bars players from talking to their teammates or opponents during matches.
"It's impossible not to be talking to your teammates," Kim said. "If we can't have conversations on the field, we may as well not play football at all."
On the sidelines, Incheon head coach Lim Wan-sup was trying to communicate with his players while wearing a mask.
"It's just difficult to be talking to the guys through the mask," Lim said. "But as we all try to overcome this adversity, there are things we just have to do."
A practice match between Incheon United and Suwon FC takes place at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, while coaches and reserves watch from the stands, on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--ESPN seeking free rights to broadcast S. Korean baseball games: sources

According to sources with knowledge of the talks , ESPN wanted to acquire rights to Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO @ @ @ @ @ Eclat , which owns international rights to KBO games .
ESPN first indicated interest in @ @ @ @ @ , as its struggles to fill dead air continued , with the coronavirus pandemic having @ @ @ @ @ sports on hold .
The KBO announced on Tuesday that its season , delayed since @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak , will begin on May 5 .
The preseason began Tuesday and will @ @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho and Ha Nam-jik
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- U.S. sports media giant ESPN was seeking free rights to broadcast South Korean professional baseball games, leading to a stalemate in its negotiations with its counterpart in Seoul, informed sources told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
A Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the Doosan Bears and the Kiwoom Heroes takes place at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
According to sources with knowledge of the talks, ESPN wanted to acquire rights to Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games for free from Eclat, which owns international rights to KBO games. ESPN first indicated interest in KBO games earlier this month, as its struggles to fill dead air continued, with the coronavirus pandemic having put all professional and amateur sports on hold. The KBO announced on Tuesday that its season, delayed since late March due to the coronavirus outbreak, will begin on May 5. The preseason began Tuesday and will run through May 1.
One source said it costs a fair amount of money to produce a separate feed for the international audience and transmit it to the U.S. via satellite, and Eclat wasn't willing to do all the work and give the feed to ESPN for free.
The source said ESPN offered to first start airing KBO games and then pay Eclat later if it made some profit from advertising or corporate sponsorship deals, but the South Korean company did not accept that.
According to another source, ESPN sought to do monthly deals with Eclat, rather than a longer deal that would cover the whole 2020 season. ESPN's plan, the source said, was to carry KBO games on a month-to-month basis and then drop them altogether at its convenience once the Major League Baseball (MLB) season began.
Photojournalists take shots of a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game between the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
ESPN owns rights to MLB games, with Sunday Night Baseball, the exclusive evening game on Sundays during the regular season, being its signature baseball showcase.
"I think there was a feeling of being disrespected among KBO ranks," the source said. "They felt ESPN didn't really value Korean baseball as quality content."
One KBO official said while it would be "a positive development" if South Korean baseball games were aired to the U.S. audience, "We don't want our rights holder to suffer losses just to put games on ESPN. If ESPN thinks Korean baseball isn't worth any money, then there can't be any negotiations."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Uzbekistan helps return of visiting S. Korean expert for giving coronavirus advice

Choi was originally planning to stay in Uzbekistan for the consultation for two weeks , but he extended his stay @ @ @ @ @ the request of the Uzbekistan government , the officials added .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- About 200 South Koreans, including a medical expert dispatched to help Uzbekistan with the coronavirus outbreak, will fly home from the Central Asian nation this weekend on a special flight arranged by Tashkent in a show of appreciation to the expert, officials said Thursday.
Choi Jae-wook, a preventive medicine professor at Korea University, has been in Uzbekistan since late last month, after accepting his government's request for him to help Uzbekistan cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
But Uzbekistan's nationwide lockdown over the virus outbreak left Choi stranded there, like many other foreign nationals. Tashkent also announced it will shut down all airports and suspend flight operations until early May.
Taking the circumstances into account, the Uzbek government decided to arrange the special flight to help Choi return home, a foreign ministry official told reporters.
The flight, scheduled to arrive Sunday, will also bring around 200 South Korean nationals home, as well as about 30 others, including Americans, Canadians and Japanese, to help them fly back to their countries.
Choi was originally planning to stay in Uzbekistan for the consultation for two weeks, but he extended his stay for two more weeks at the request of the Uzbekistan government, the officials added.
The same flight will head back loaded with Korean-made coronavirus test kits, enough to run 20,000 tests, according to Seoul officials.
Choi Jae-wook (L), a South Korean medical professor at Korea University, speaks to Uzbek quarantine officials in a videoconference held at Uzbekistan's health ministry, on April 10, 2020, in this photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry on April 23, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) NSC 'confirms' no unusual signs in N. Korea regarding Kim Jong-un's health

They agreed to `` actively '' push for this year 's related procedures together with the U.S. , Cheong Wa @ @ @ @ @ The U.S. is in the process of handing over a swathe of Yongsan garrison sites @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with USFK base return issue in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security officials on Thursday "confirmed" that there's no unusual activity in North Korea in connection with media-driven speculation that leader Kim Jong-un may be seriously ill, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
They checked what's going on in the secretive communist nation during their weekly session of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee.
They then "confirmed no unusual situations currently inside North Korea," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press statement.
Kim, 36, has been out of the public eye since April 12 and was even a no-show at the key annual ceremony to commemorate his late grandfather Kim Il-sung, who founded the North, on April 15.
It has sparked some news reports that he underwent heart surgery. CNN quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying that Washington has intelligence that he's "in grave danger."
Cheong Wa Dae officials, however, said business seems to be going on as usual in the North while Kim is staying in a "local region," not Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, the North's state media said Kim had sent a message of gratitude to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for congratulating him on the recent birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, known as the Day of the Sun.
This image provided by Yonhap News TV shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The NSC officials, meanwhile, reviewed a U.S. military base return scheme under a pair of agreements on base relocation: Yongsan Relocation Plan (YRP) and Land Partnership Plan (LPP).
They agreed to "actively" push for this year's related procedures together with the U.S., Cheong Wa Dae said without elaborating. The U.S. is in the process of handing over a swathe of Yongsan garrison sites in central Seoul.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--NSC 'confirms' no unusual signs in N. Korea regarding Kim Jong-un's health

On Wednesday , the North 's state media said Kim had sent a message of gratitude to Syrian President Bashar @ @ @ @ @ the recent birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung , known as the Day of the Sun @

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security officials on Thursday "confirmed" that there's no unusual activity in North Korea in connection with media-driven speculation that leader Kim Jong-un may be seriously ill, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
They checked what's going on in the secretive communist nation during their weekly session of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee.
They then "confirmed no unusual situations currently inside North Korea," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press statement.
Kim, 36, has been out of the public eye since April 12 and was even a no-show at the key annual ceremony to commemorate his late grandfather Kim Il-sung, who founded the North, on April 15.
It has sparked some news reports that he underwent heart surgery. CNN quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying that Washington has intelligence that he's "in grave danger."
Cheong Wa Dae officials, however, said business seems to be going on as usual in the North while Kim is staying in a "local region," not Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, the North's state media said Kim had sent a message of gratitude to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for congratulating him on the recent birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, known as the Day of the Sun.
This image provided by Yonhap News TV shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Court rules against banning teachers from joining political groups

`` The State Public Officials Act specifies organizations that ( they ) are banned from joining as 'political parties or @ @ @ @ @ but a criteria distinguishing a 'political ' and 'non-political ' organization can not be derived @ @ @ @ @ purpose or activities of an organization , '' it said .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- In a gesture seen as widening the political freedom of teachers, the Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled that banning teachers from creating or joining political organizations is unconstitutional.
The nine-justice panel made the ruling in a 6-3 vote in response to a complaint filed by nine teachers over a public servant law. A vote of two-thirds is required to reverse a ruling.
Article 65 of the State Public Officials Act mandates that "no public official may participate in an organization of, or join in, any political party or other political organization."
The Constitutional Court found that this clause infringes upon teachers' freedom of political expression and right to take part in organizations.
"The State Public Officials Act specifies organizations that (they) are banned from joining as 'political parties or other political organizations,' but a criteria distinguishing a 'political' and 'non-political' organization cannot be derived without any limitation on the purpose or activities of an organization," it said.
The panel also voiced concern over the unclear definition of "other political organization" affecting judgment.
The three justices who opposed the opinion, however, said allowing teachers to join political organizations may cause confusion at schools and affect the public's trust in the political neutrality of education.
The court, meanwhile, ruled in favor of another law that bans civil servants and elementary and middle school teachers from becoming a party organizer or member.
The clause is aimed at guaranteeing the political neutrality of teachers and also securing neutrality in education, the court said, saying both the purpose and method are constitutional.
Umbrella organizations for teachers said Thursday's ruling marks a development but stressed that more time is needed to assess its impact.
They also said the legal scope of "political organization" still remains unclear.
A file photo of the Constitutional Court in central Seoul (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--Catholic churches in Seoul resume public Masses

Meanwhile , a number of Protestant churches are also set to reopen their chapels this weekend , led by Yoido @ @ @ @ @ , the biggest Protestant church in South Korea with 560,000 congregants , which posted an @ @ @ @ @ its official service on Sunday .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Catholic churches in Seoul on Thursday held their first Masses in about two months as South Korea is preparing to go back to normal, months after the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Some 150 people participated in a Mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul starting at 10 a.m. Wearing face masks, they sat at intervals of one or two meters.
It was one of the first Catholic services held since the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, the biggest in South Korea with 1.52 million followers, decided to suspend all meetings and gatherings on Feb. 26.
Earlier this week, the Seoul Archdiocese said that public Masses will be resumed in 232 chapels across the capital city, including Myeongdong Cathedral, on Thursday.
It demanded all participants have their temperature checked at the entrance and provide their names and contact information. Many churches used barcodes to list their attendees.
The resumption came as the South Korean government has partially eased the social distancing rules, conditionally allowing churches, bars, gyms and cram schools to restart operations.
South Korea's new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases have remained around 10 for the past few days. The country reported the first coronavirus patient on Jan. 20.
Out of 16 Catholic dioceses in the country, 12 cities, including Seoul and Incheon, have resumed Masses or are planning to restart on-site services in the near future.
Four dioceses, including the one in Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region, have not yet mapped out detailed plans for reopening.
But some Catholics expressed concerns over the resumption of Masses and possible mass infection, saying that it is still too early to reopen.
Meanwhile, a number of Protestant churches are also set to reopen their chapels this weekend, led by Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, the biggest Protestant church in South Korea with 560,000 congregants, which posted an announcement that it will hold its official service on Sunday.
A Catholic Mass takes place at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korea identifies one citizen aboard coronavirus-hit cruise ship docked in Nagasaki

`` At present , our citizen has no health problem at all , '' a foreign ministry official said on @ @ @ @ @ She has not expressed the need for any immediate aid regarding daily necessities or medicine @ @ @ @ @ support if necessary . ''

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has identified one of its citizens aboard a coronavirus-hit cruise ship docked off the Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki, the foreign ministry said Thursday, noting the woman remains in good shape.
The ministry's consulate general in Fukuoka learned through the owner of the Italian-registered Costa Atlantica that the citizen was among the 623 crewmembers aboard the vessel, where at least 48 people have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
"At present, our citizen has no health problem at all," a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity. "She has not expressed the need for any immediate aid regarding daily necessities or medicine, but we will offer support if necessary."
The ship carrying only its crewmembers was sent to a port in Nagasaki for repairs on Jan 29. It has since been docked there amid the coronavirus outbreak onboard.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- The U.S. state of Colorado will soon receive South Korean-made kits to run more than 100,000 new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ senators has tweeted , after Maryland purchased diagnostic kits to conduct 500,000 tests .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
----------------
Colorado to receive Korean-made kits to run over 100,000 COVID-19 tests soon: U.S. senator
WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- The U.S. state of Colorado will soon receive South Korean-made kits to run more than 100,000 new coronavirus tests, one of its senators has tweeted, after Maryland purchased diagnostic kits to conduct 500,000 tests.
Sen. Cory Gardner, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, expressed appreciation to South Korea's government and its Ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck for cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea designates rail construction on east coast as inter-Korean cooperative project
SEOUL -- South Korea on Thursday designated a rail construction project along the east coast as an inter-Korean cooperative business as part of efforts to kick-start a long-suspended move to reconnect railways across the border with North Korea.
A civilian-government committee on inter-Korean exchanges held a meeting and made the decision for the construction of a 110.9-kilometer-long railway, paving the way for the project to move forward in a speedier manner without a preliminary feasibility study.
----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 2nd day on rebounding oil prices
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended higher for the second straight session Thursday on improved investor sentiment over rebounding oil prices. The Korean won gained ground against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 18.58 points, or 0.98 percent, to 1,914.73.
----------------
(2nd LD) Hyundai Q1 net dips 42 pct on virus impact, further slump in store
SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday its first-quarter net profit plunged 42 percent from a year earlier as the coronavirus outbreak disrupted production and sales, and offered a dim outlook for the second quarter amid virus fallout.
Net profit for the January-March period fell to 552.68 billion won (US$449 million) from 953.79 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a statement.
----------------
(2nd LD) LG Display net loss widens in Q1 on output cut
SEOUL -- LG Display Co., a major South Korean display panel maker, said Thursday it incurred losses in the first quarter due to disruption of its production amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
LG Display reported a net loss of 198.9 billion won (US$161.7 million) during the January-March period, widening from a net loss of 63 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
----------------
(4th LD) Busan mayor resigns over sexual harassment
BUSAN -- The mayor of Busan, South Korea's largest port city, on Thursday resigned and apologized for sexual harassment.
"In a short meeting that lasted five minutes, there was unnecessary physical contact with a person. I realized that this could be recognized as an indecent assault, (something) that should not have been done," the city's Mayor Oh Keo-don said in a press briefing.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(2nd LD) Hyundai Q1 net dips 42 pct on virus impact, further slump in store

`` The company plans to flexibly respond to lower demand in global markets by reducing the production of its export @ @ @ @ @ Instead , it will aggressively promote the new models to local customers in the second @ @ @ @ @ consumption taxes is extended to June , '' Kwon Soon-woo , an analyst at SK @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECAST headline, lead; CHANGES photos; ADDS details, executive comments and stock prices in paras 3-13)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday its first-quarter net profit plunged 42 percent from a year earlier as the coronavirus outbreak disrupted production and sales, and offered a dim outlook for the second quarter amid virus fallout.
Net profit for the January-March period fell to 552.68 billion won (US$449 million) from 953.79 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a statement.
"Global vehicle demand fell over 40 percent in March due to the growing coronavirus impact, far greater than an average of 24 percent on-year decline in demand for the first quarter following supply disruptions and virus fears," Hyundai Senior Vice President Koo Za-yong said in a conference call following the release of the earnings results.
This photo taken on April 8, 2020, shows vehicles lined up at Hyundai Motor's port in Ulsan, about 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Hyundai expected vehicle sales to fall further in the second quarter and suffer lower profitability due to the suspension of overseas plants and dealerships in major markets.
To offset declining sales overseas, the company will focus on increasing sales of new models, such as the Genesis GV80 sport-utility vehicle, the Genesis G80 sedan, and the Avante compact in the domestic market, Koo said.
As for liquidity concerns, the executive said Hyundai Motor won't have financial difficulties until the end of this year as it holds 11 trillion won in cash reserves.
If Hyundai can make up for weak overseas sales with robust domestic sales in the second quarter, it will be able to report earnings results similar to the first quarter, analysts said.
"The company plans to flexibly respond to lower demand in global markets by reducing the production of its export volumes in domestic plants. Instead, it will aggressively promote the new models to local customers in the second quarter as a reduction in consumption taxes is extended to June," Kwon Soon-woo, an analyst at SK Securities Co., said.
Hyundai plans to halt operations at most of its domestic plants from April 30 to May 5.
This photo taken on April 23, 2020, shows a traffic light that turned red against the background of Hyundai Motor's headquarters building in Yangjae, southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
On the overseas front, Hyundai suspended operations at plants in the United States, India and Brazil in line with local governments' directives to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It has seven domestic plants and 10 overseas plants -- four in China and one each in the U.S., the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India and Brazil. Their combined capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles.
Operating profit rose 4.7 percent to 863.78 billion won in the first quarter from 824.87 billion won a year ago. Sales were up 5.6 percent to 25.32 trillion won from 23.99 trillion won during the same period.
In the first three months, Hyundai sold a total of 904,746 vehicles, down 11 percent from 1,021,391 units in the same period of last year.
On Thursday, Hyundai fell 0.2 percent to 92,400 won, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.98 percent gain.
Its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. is set to release its first-quarter results on Friday.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(2nd LD) LG Display net loss widens in Q1 on output cut

The company initially planned to begin mass production of OLED display panels at its plant in the Chinese city of @ @ @ @ @ of the year , but its schedule apparently faced a roadblock after China became the @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 6,8 paras, photo)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., a major South Korean display panel maker, said Thursday it incurred losses in the first quarter due to disruption of its production amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
LG Display reported a net loss of 198.9 billion won (US$161.7 million) during the January-March period, widening from a net loss of 63 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The company posted an operating loss of 361.9 billion won during the cited period, compared with a loss of 132 billion won a year earlier. Sales fell 19.6 percent on-year to 4.72 trillion won.
This undated photo provided LG Display Co. shows the company's plant in Guangzhou, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The company attributed the losses to the reduction of its liquid crystal display (LCD) panel production line, coupled with disruption of other products at overseas plants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
LG Display has been expanding investment in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels to shift from the traditional LCD panels that have been plagued by falling demand and global supply glut in recent years.
The company initially planned to begin mass production of OLED display panels at its plant in the Chinese city of Guangzhou in the first quarter of the year, but its schedule apparently faced a roadblock after China became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LG Display said the OLED market also was tepid in the cited months due to downbeat demand and seasonal trends.
"Risks derived from the COVID-19 outbreak have expanded to every industry, heralding increased volatility down the road," CFO Seo Dong-hee said. "Yet, we expect demand for IT products to increase due to more online activities and people working from home."
Shares of LG Display closed at 10,900 won on the Seoul bourse on Thursday, up 0.46 percent from the previous session. The earnings report was announced after the local market closed.
This Yonhap file photo shows LG Display Co.'s production plant for smartphone displays. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) KB Financial Q1 net down 12.6 pct on losses from equity ties

SEOUL , April 23 ( Yonhap ) -- KB Financial Group Inc. , a major South Korean banking group , @ @ @ @ @ fell 12.6 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier due to losses from @ @ @ @ @ unit .

(ATTN: UPDATES stock prices in last para)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- KB Financial Group Inc., a major South Korean banking group, said Thursday its net profit fell 12.6 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier due to losses from equity ties with its brokerage unit.
Net profit for the three months ending March 31 stood at 739 billion won (US$601.4 million), down from 845.9 billion won a year earlier, KB Financial said in a regulatory filing.
The banking group said the decline in net profit is blamed on KB Securities Co.'s shift to a net loss in the first quarter from a year earlier.
KB Financial said its net interest income rose 4.3 percent on-year to 2.34 trillion won during the first quarter, with its net interest margin, a key barometer of profitability, falling 0.14 percentage point to 1.84 percent.
At the end of March, KB Financial's total assets stood at 544.9 trillion won, up 5.1 percent from the end of last year.
Flagship KB Kookmin Bank reported a net profit of 586.3 billion won during the January-March period, up 35.6 percent from a year ago.
Shares in KB Financial Group fell 0.63 percent to 31,300 won, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.98 percent gain.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(4th LD) Busan mayor resigns over sexual harassment

The victim asked Oh to step down by April and address his reason for resignation , the center said , @ @ @ @ @ not want the case to be used politically .
In a statement released by the @ @ @ @ @ , `` The utterly unexpected incident completely rattled my life '' as `` a hard-working @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS tense in 2nd para, details in penultimate para)
BUSAN, April 23 (Yonhap) -- The mayor of Busan, South Korea's largest port city, on Thursday resigned and apologized for sexual harassment.
"In a short meeting that lasted five minutes, there was unnecessary physical contact with a person. I realized that this could be recognized as an indecent assault, (something) that should not have been done," the city's Mayor Oh Keo-don said in a press briefing.
"As a public servant who takes responsibility, I will live my remaining life repenting and taking responsibility for this mistake," the mayor said as he cried. "I'm at fault for everything."
Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don speaks at a press conference at Busan City Hall on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Oh reportedly touched a female civil servant inappropriately during a recent meeting at his office.
A counseling center for sexual crime victims in Busan said the person reported the case involving "serious molestation" in mid-April. The center asked Oh's aides to verify the details, and they acknowledged the case and agreed to meet any demands.
The victim asked Oh to step down by April and address his reason for resignation, the center said, adding that the person did not want the case to be used politically.
In a statement released by the center, the victim said, "The utterly unexpected incident completely rattled my life" as "a hard-working, average employee."
The person raised concerns over parts of Oh's press conference, saying phrases such as "I realized that this could be recognized as an indecent assault" may make the victim appear to be making a big deal.
The victim denied suspicions that the timing of the mayor's resignation was adjusted to not affect the April 15 general elections, saying "There was no pressure or appeasement from the political circle at all."
Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don bows his head in apology during a press briefing at Busan City Hall on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
The municipal assembly of Busan said it has received his resignation letter, which has immediately gone into effect according to assembly rules.
Oh, who ran as a candidate for the ruling party, was elected as the mayor of Busan, 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in the 2018 gubernatorial elections.
The mayoral post will be temporarily filled by the city's vice mayor for administrative affairs until the by-election scheduled for April 2021.
His political aides are also expected to resign.
The Democratic Party issued an apology, saying they plan to remove him from the party following relevant procedures.
"We deeply apologize to the citizens over Oh resigning midterm due to a disgraceful case," Rep. Yun Ho-jung, the party's secretary-general, said. "We feel sorry to the people of Busan for the inevitable vacuum in Busan's city affairs."
Yun said the party will "take all possible measures to lessen the victim's pain" and review preventive measures against such cases.
An official at the party's ethics committee said it will convene a meeting as soon as possible and take disciplinary action by early next week, at the latest.
Police have launched a preliminary probe into the case.
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korea to sell 12.1 tln won in state bonds in May

The ministry will issue 2.7 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 2.5 trillion won @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance .

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to sell 12.1 trillion won (US$9.84 billion) in state bonds next month, the finance ministry said Thursday.
The ministry will issue 2.7 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of three years and another 2.5 trillion won in five-year bonds in April, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
It also intends to sell 3 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 10 years and 900 billion won in 20-year Treasurys, while floating 3 trillion won in bonds with a maturity of 30 years.
South Korea issued 14.68 trillion won in state bonds this month.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 2nd day on rebounding oil prices

`` The decreased foreign selling and rebounding oil prices , as well as overnight gains on Wall Street , helped @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Noh Dong-kil , an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co .

(ATTN: ADDS photo and bond yields at bottom)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended higher for the second straight session Thursday on improved investor sentiment over rebounding oil prices. The Korean won gained ground against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 18.58 points, or 0.98 percent, to 1,914.73.
Institutions bought a net 99.5 billion won (US$81 million) worth of stocks, offsetting combined net sell-offs valued at 121.3 billion won by foreigners and individuals.
An electronic signboard at KEB Hana Bank in central Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) up 0.98 percent to close at 1,914.73 points on April 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
Foreigners continued to offload local stocks for the fourth consecutive session Thursday, but their selling has weakened
"The decreased foreign selling and rebounding oil prices, as well as overnight gains on Wall Street, helped push up the main index," said Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co.
Investors will remain cautious, however, assessing the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the global economy and corporate profitability, analysts said.
South Korea's economy contracted 1.4 percent in the first quarter from a quarter earlier, the worst since 2008, according to the central bank.
In coming weeks, investors will take a cue from major companies' first-quarter business results.
Large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. remained unchanged at 49,850 won, major pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics was up 3.62 percent to 601,000 won, and leading chemical firm LG Chem rose 1.69 percent to 361,000 won.
Among decliners, South Korea's second-largest chipmaker SK hynix Inc. fell 1.55 percent to 82,600 won, and top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. shed 0.22 percent to 92,400 won.
The local currency closed at 1,229.70 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.5 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 1 basis point to 1.036 percent, but the return on the benchmark five-year government bond rose 2.2 basis points to 1.291 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--KB Financial Q1 net down 12.6 pct on losses from equity ties

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- KB Financial Group Inc., a major South Korean banking group, said Thursday its net profit fell 12.6 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier due to losses from equity ties with its brokerage unit.
Net profit for the three months ending March 31 stood at 739 billion won (US$601.4 million), down from 845.9 billion won a year earlier, KB Financial said in a regulatory filing.
The banking group said the decline in net profit is blamed on KB Securities Co.'s shift to a net loss in the first quarter from a year earlier.
KB Financial said its net interest income rose 4.3 percent on-year to 2.34 trillion won during the first quarter, with its net interest margin, a key barometer of profitability, falling 0.14 percentage point to 1.84 percent.
At the end of March, KB Financial's total assets stood at 544.9 trillion won, up 5.1 percent from the end of last year.
Flagship KB Kookmin Bank reported a net profit of 586.3 billion won during the January-March period, up 35.6 percent from a year ago.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-23--S. Korean Bond Yields on Apr. 23, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Apr. 23, 2020

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


yna--2020-04-24--S. Korea logs trade surplus of US$16.4 bln with FTA partners in Q1

South Korea has been ramping up efforts to diversify its trade markets in an effort to ease its heavy dependence @ @ @ @ @ , which account for nearly 40 percent of its exports .
( END )

SEJONG, April 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted a trade surplus of US$16.4 billion with its free trade agreement (FTA) partners in the first quarter of the year, while posting a deficit with non-FTA partners, data showed Friday.
Exports to FTA partners came to $96.3 billion and imports totaled $79.9 billion in the January-March period, with the trade volume inching down 0.1 percent on-year, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.
South Korea registered the largest trade surplus of $10.5 billion with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In contrast, Asia's fourth-largest economy suffered a trade deficit of $7.6 billion with non-FTA partners during the three-month period.
The office said South Korea's overall trade volume shrank 1.2 percent on-year to $252.9 billion in the first quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic.
South Korea currently has FTAs with 13 countries or regional blocs, including the United States, the European Union (EU) and ASEAN.
According to the data, 75.2 percent of South Korea's overseas shipments benefited from FTAs, up 0.5 percentage point from a year earlier. The comparable figure was 72.7 percent for imports, up 0.4 percentage point.
More than 96 percent of South Korean exports to Canada basked in the bilateral FTA, followed by the EU with 86.9 percent and the United States with 85.1 percent, according to the data.
Around 99 percent of imports from Chile received preferential treatment under the bilateral trade pact, trailed by New Zealand with 94.5 percent and Vietnam with 84.4 percent.
South Korea has been ramping up efforts to diversify its trade markets in an effort to ease its heavy dependence on the U.S. and China, which account for nearly 40 percent of its exports.
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--S. Korea reports 6 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,708

The country , however , said overall social distancing is still in force until May 5 , and it is @ @ @ @ @ life quarantine after the date if the number of cases continues to plateau .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported another single-digit number of new coronavirus cases Friday, apparently on the back of a strict social distancing campaign and enhanced quarantine measures.
The country added six new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,708, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The number of new infection cases has hovered below 20 for the past few days.
The figure marks a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.
Of the six cases detected, two were detected at quarantine checkpoints, according to the KCDC.
Catholics wait in line while maintaining social distancing to join Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on April 23, 2020. The church reopened for Mass as the government eased social distancing rules amid the persistent slowing of new coronavirus infections. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the respiratory disease remained unchanged at 240, the authorities said.
In total, 8,501 virus patients in South Korea have been discharged from hospitals, up 90 from a day earlier.
The number of new infections continued to slow in the southeastern city of Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, with just two additional cases.
With its monthlong social distancing drive, South Korea avoided the worst-case scenario despite being one of the first countries hit hard by the virus that originated from China.
While health authorities remain wary of another wave of COVID-19 infections, the country is slowly moving to lift some of its social distancing regulations this week, giving the go-ahead for some facilities, including gyms.
The country, however, said overall social distancing is still in force until May 5, and it is considering moving toward so-called everyday life quarantine after the date if the number of cases continues to plateau.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--S. Korea discovers more Korean War remains inside DMZ

Under a bilateral military accord signed in September 2018 , the two Koreas agreed to launch a joint excavation project @ @ @ @ @ first such excavation project inside the DMZ .
But Pyongyang has since remained silent over @ @ @ @ @ to carry out the work alone last year .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry said Friday it has discovered four pieces of bones and hundreds of items believed to be from soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea.
The bone pieces, along with 307 articles, were unearthed this week during an excavation project on Arrowhead Ridge, a former battle site inside the DMZ that separates the two Koreas, according to the ministry.
South Korea resumed excavating the remains Monday as Pyongyang remained unresponsive to calls for joint work as was agreed between the two sides.
Under a bilateral military accord signed in September 2018, the two Koreas agreed to launch a joint excavation project on the ridge, the first such excavation project inside the DMZ. But Pyongyang has since remained silent over the project, leaving Seoul to carry out the work alone last year.
"The defense ministry will ... actively make necessary preparations to begin the joint excavation project between South and North Korea at any time, and continue efforts to draw the North's response," it said in a release.
The military discovered a total of 2,030 pieces of bone pieces believed to have belonged to 261 troops killed in the war from the ridge last year and identified seven deceased soldiers.
In this photo, provided by the defense ministry, soldiers excavate the remains of war dead at Arrowhead Ridge, a site of fierce battles during the 1950-53 Korean War, inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). South Korea resumed excavating the remains on April 20, 2020, as Pyongyang remained unresponsive to calls for joint work as was agreed between the two sides. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--N.K. media stay mum on leader's whereabouts amid rumors on his health

Kim seems to be staying in a `` local region '' outside of Pyongyang , and business is going on @ @ @ @ @ , according to Cheong Wa Dae officials .
Some media reports speculated that Kim might @ @ @ @ @ town of Wonsan to avoid the coronavirus .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korean media outlets have stayed mum on leader Kim Jong-un's whereabouts without putting out any reports on his public activity amid persisting speculation over his health.
Speculation about Kim's health problems spiked after CNN reported earlier this week, citing a U.S. official, that Washington is looking into intelligence that Kim is in "grave danger" after a surgery.
North Korea's state media have recently put out reports on Kim sending diplomatic letters and conveying gifts to honored citizens but stopped short of providing reports or photos featuring his public activity.
On Wednesday, state media said Kim had sent another message to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, expressing gratitude for congratulating him on the anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung's birthday.
No reports, however, on the leader's "field guidance" trips or photos on his public activities have been released by state media for nearly two weeks.
Kim was last seen in state media on April 11 presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, calling for strict measures against the coronavirus.
But his absence from a key ceremony commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung on April 15 has sparked speculation over his health. He has never skipped his trip to the mausoleum since taking office in late 2011.
South Korean officials have rejected the speculation, saying no unusual signs have been detected that suggest something may be wrong with Kim's health.
Kim seems to be staying in a "local region" outside of Pyongyang, and business is going on as usual in the North, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials. Some media reports speculated that Kim might be in the eastern coastal town of Wonsan to avoid the coronavirus.
Top security officials here also confirmed again that there's no unusual activity in North Korea during their weekly session of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee on Thursday.
An official of the unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs earlier said that the North's media have scarcely disputed directly any rumors about its leader but usually released reports or photos suggesting that he remains in good health.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 90 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 8,501: KCDC


yna--2020-04-24--(URGENT) S. Korea's virus death toll unchanged at 240: KCDC


yna--2020-04-24--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 6 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,708


yna--2020-04-24--(Yonhap Interview) Armed with strong bullpen, American pitching coach confident his KBO club will co

(Yonhap Interview) Armed with strong bullpen, American pitching coach confident his KBO club will contend again

After spring training ended in early March , they were allowed to travel back to the United States to be @ @ @ @ @ from South Korea , where the coronavirus was raging .
But as the situation here @ @ @ @ @ the turn for the worse in the U.S. , Brigham and Jokisch were brought back @ @ @ @ @ arriving back , they had to be quarantined for two weeks , as per the @ @ @ @ @ .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The Kiwoom Heroes may have been swept in four straight games by the Doosan Bears in the 2019 Korean Series. But Brandon Knight, the Heroes' pitching coach, is quick to point out that it was a much tighter series than it appears on the surface.
Indeed, the Bears won the first two games in their last at-bats in the bottom of the ninth. And the deciding Game 4 went to extra innings, with the Bears clinching the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) title with an 11-9 victory.
It was the Heroes' second Korean Series appearance, and they have yet to win the championship. But with most of the arms that made the Heroes one of the KBO's top pitching teams in 2019 back in the fold, Knight is confident his club has what it takes to contend again in 2020.
In this file photo taken on Aug. 1, 2017, Brandon Knight, pitching coach for the then Nexen (currently Kiwoom) Heroes, watches a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the SK Wyverns at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
"Our whole bullpen was so solid last year. If (our relievers) can repeat what they did last year and if our starters take the next step, that's going to be a real (plus)," Knight told Yonhap News Agency in a phone interview Wednesday.
That bullpen is led by fireballer Cho Sang-woo, who boasted the highest average fastball velocity last year at 152.2 kilometers per hour (94.4 miles per hour). Veteran relievers Kim Sang-su and Oh Ju-won also exceeded expectations well into their 30s, while 20-somethings Kim Seong-min and Yoon Young-sam also thrived under heavy workloads.
Collectively, the Heroes' bullpen led the KBO with a 3.39 ERA and gave up the fewest walks per nine innings with 2.61.
Knight could use all the pitchers he could have, because the 2020 season will be unlike any other in the KBO's 38-year history. For one, the start of the season was postponed from its original March 28 Opening Day due to the coronavirus outbreak. When it finally does begin on May 5, teams will have missed 32 days worth of games.
And despite the delayed start, the KBO still wants to squeeze all 144 games into the compressed schedule, and some managers have already been openly critical of that decision. There will inevitably be doubleheaders, and teams may also have to play on Monday, which is normally a designated off day.
An old baseball adage has it that you can never have enough pitching, and pitching depth will particularly be at a premium this season, Knight said.
This photo provided by the Kiwoom Heroes on April 24, 2020, shows the Korea Baseball Organization club's pitching coach, Brandon Knight. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"For me, (playing 144 games in the tight window) is a lot to ask. We're really going to have to monitor workloads of our guys," Knight said. "My thing for this year is, can our starters give us a few more innings and take pressure off our bullpen? It's going to be really important for us to get contributions from a lot of different people."
Knight said he's also encouraged by the progress of his two American starters, Jake Brigham and Eric Jokisch, after their own adventurous spring.
After spring training ended in early March, they were allowed to travel back to the United States to be with their family and away from South Korea, where the coronavirus was raging. But as the situation here gradually improved and things took the turn for the worse in the U.S., Brigham and Jokisch were brought back ahead of schedule. Upon arriving back, they had to be quarantined for two weeks, as per the government mandate on international arrivals.
Knight said, based on video that the two pitchers sent him from the U.S., both were "totally locked in" before they returned to Seoul. Without the 14-day quarantine, they'd be pitching in preseason games by now. But Knight said Brigham and Jokisch tried to stay "as realistic as possible" about their preparation once their rejoined the team and make sure they wouldn't rush back.
"So far, they've progressed really nicely," Knight said. "We're hoping they'll be ready to give us solid innings in the first games (in the regular season)."
As challenging as the spring has been for pitchers, things haven't exactly been easy for Knight and his fellow coaches, either.
As the KBO was trying to decide exactly when the season would begin and was throwing different dates on the board to see what stuck, Knight has had to figure out which pitcher should throw how many pitches on what day.
In times like this, it has been great for Knight to have almost a second pitching coach in the form of his new manager, Son Hyuk.
Yoon Jung-hyun of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on April 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Son had been the pitching coach for the Heroes and another KBO team, the SK Knights, before he became Kiwoom's new skipper last November.
"He's a pitching guy at heart. There's no doubt about that," Knight said. "The best way to put this is, it's almost like there are two pitching coaches. He wants to be very involved with what's going on. We just collaborate on how we think is the best way to run a pitching staff."
Knight, who assumed his current role in July 2017 after pitching for six seasons in the KBO, said he and Son are talking a great deal as they build a relationship.
"He certainly has his ideas, and he has them be known, whether it's to me or directly to pitchers," Knight said. "In this case, we just have to make sure we're communicating. We have two voices, but it's really one voice. We're both together in telling the pitchers the way we feel. It's taken some getting used to."
Son was the Heroes' pitching coach for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Knight estimated that Son knows "half the people" on the current pitching staff, and that level of familiarity certainly helps.
Son is also "very analytically driven," Knight noted, so much so that the Heroes' analytics department is working overtime to crunch numbers. And Knight said his job is to provide some balance for the pitchers.
"At the end of the day, all the analytics are a supplement. The bottom line: You have to be able to pitch," Knight said. "If you have good vertical movements but if you can't throw strikes, it doesn't matter. So my main focus is making sure these guys know how to pitch, and then use analytics and data to make their pitches even better."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--Kia Q1 net plunge 59 pct on virus impact

The operating profit was 30 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. said Friday its first-quarter net profit plunged 59 percent from a year earlier due to the coronavirus impact on production and sales.
Net profit plunged to 265.97 billion won in the first quarter from 649 billion won a year ago, Kia said in a regulatory filing.
Operating profit for the January-March period fell 25 percent on-year to 444.5 billion won from 594 billion won. Sales increased 17 percent to 14.56 trillion won from 12.44 trillion won.
The operating profit was 30 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--Gov't to allow citizens to buy three masks each week, send 1 mln masks to foreign war veterans

SEOUL , April 24 ( Yonhap ) -- The government said Friday it will allow people in South Korea to @ @ @ @ @ per week under a public distribution system and also announced a plan to supply Korean @ @ @ @ @ million masks .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The government said Friday it will allow people in South Korea to buy three discounted face masks per week under a public distribution system and also announced a plan to supply Korean War veterans abroad with 1 million masks.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said citizens would need more masks once they increase economic activities, going forward.
South Korea suffered a mask supply crisis when the country's coronavirus outbreak peaked in late February and early March. The government stepped in to regulate mask production and distribution.
All South Koreans and registered noncitizens here can buy two KF94 masks a week on an assigned day, which depends on their birth year, at pharmacies and other designated places nationwide.
"The mask supply has been stabilized a lot" thanks to the system, Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response.
Beginning next week, three masks will be allotted to each individual, according to the prime minister.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (3rd from R) speaks at an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response at the government office complex in Seoul on April 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
Daily reported cases of infection in South Korea have markedly slowed recently as well.
"I am still cautious, but we now have room to care about neighboring countries in need," Chung said.
As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, the government has decided to send a total of 1 million masks to foreign war veterans who helped defend South Korea, he added.
Starting Monday, Chung also said, violators of the self-isolation rule will be required to wear wrist bands, designed to trace their locations.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--S. Korea strives to put virus-hit economy back on track in H2

SEJONG , April 24 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will make its utmost efforts to help its economy recover @ @ @ @ @ the second half , as the nation plans an unprecedented aid package to cushion economic @ @ @ @ @ , a senior finance ministry official said Friday .

SEJONG, April 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will make its utmost efforts to help its economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic in the second half, as the nation plans an unprecedented aid package to cushion economic fallout from the virus outbreak, a senior finance ministry official said Friday.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom, however, painted a bleaker picture of second-quarter economic situations, saying that global lockdowns could take a bigger toll on the nation's exports.
"The government will make its utmost efforts for exports and domestic consumption to recover in the second half," Kim said in a meeting with senior ministry officials.
However, a swift economic recovery is unlikely as the pandemic began inflicting damage to local job markets, Kim said.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom speaks at a meeting with senior ministry officials on April 24, 2020, in this photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea's economy contracted 1.4 percent on-quarter in the first quarter of this year, as the pandemic crippled industrial output, consumer spending and job markets.
It marked the sharpest quarterly contraction since the fourth quarter of 2008, when the nation's economy sank 3.3 percent on-quarter, according to the Bank of Korea.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Thursday that the pandemic's shocks to South Korea's exports and job markets could widen in the second quarter.
This week, the government announced an aid package worth 40 trillion won (US$32 billion) for key industries hit by the pandemic and another 10 trillion-won scheme to protect jobs.
South Korea's exports sank 27 percent on-year in the first 20 days of April to $21.7 billion.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--USFK extends public health emergency over coronavirus

The renewal does not change the military 's health protection measures or indicate an increased danger on its installations , @ @ @ @ @ was made as the risk of the virus remains .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Robert Abrams renewed the military's public health emergency over the new coronavirus for another month Friday, his office said.
USFK's initial emergency status over COVID-19, declared March 25, expired Thursday. The renewed status will stay in effect until May 23, unless otherwise notified.
The renewal does not change the military's health protection measures or indicate an increased danger on its installations, but USFK said the decision was made as the risk of the virus remains.
The number of infections reported among the USFK population stands at 25.
USFK has been implementing a series of control measures against the coronavirus and meted out strong punishment for non-compliance.
Seven non-uniformed USFK affiliated individuals have been barred from all of its installations for two years for violating such preventive control measures, according to the U.S. military.
"USFK will continually assess necessary preventive measures to protect the force," it said in a release.
Seen here is a gate of the U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-24--Seoul stocks open lower on dashed hopes for virus treatment

They said the KOSPI likely wo n't rise sharply as investors continue to assess the COVID-19 pandemic 's impact on @ @ @ @ @ profitability for the January-March quarter .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks opened lower Friday, despite rebounding oil prices, as investor sentiment was spooked by the news that a leading experimental coronavirus drug has shown a disappointing test result.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 14.90 points, or 0.78 percent, to 1,899.83 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The main index got to a weak start on reports that Gilead Sciences Inc.'s antiviral drug remdesivir didn't show a satisfactory result in its first clinical trial, analysts said.
They said the KOSPI likely won't rise sharply as investors continue to assess the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the global economy and corporate profitability for the January-March quarter.
Institutions offloaded 126 billion won (US$102 million) worth of stocks, offsetting foreigners and individuals' stock purchases valued at 128 billion won.
Most large-cap stocks retreated.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 0.6 percent, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. declined 1 percent, No. 1 refiner SK Innovation Co. shed 0.5 percent and top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. was down 1.1 percent.
Among gainers, Korean Air Lines Co. rose 0.5 percent as the government is expected to release a financial support plan for the national flag carrier on Friday. No. 1 low-cost carrier Jeju Air Co. climbed 0.3 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,235.35 won against the U.S. dollar, down 5.65 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


Friday's weather forecast

SEOUL , April 24 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-04-24--Military eases restrictions on off-installation visits amid coronavirus

The military will first ease restrictions in regions that have not reported any new infections for a week and review @ @ @ @ @ members to go on vacation , stay out of their bases and meet visitors after @ @ @ @ @ road .

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The military on Friday began partially allowing enlisted service members' off-installation travel amid signs of a slowdown in the spread of the new coronavirus in the country.
The military had restricted all enlisted service personnel from vacationing, staying outside their bases and meeting visitors since the Navy reported the first COVID-19 infection in barracks in mid-February.
Under the eased policy, enlisted service members at designated areas are allowed to go outside their bases as long as they follow the government's broader social distancing guidance, according to the defense ministry.
Earlier, the government said it will ease some rules in the social distancing campaign against the new virus, while urging people to keep major distancing practices in place until early May.
The military will first ease restrictions in regions that have not reported any new infections for a week and review whether to allow the service members to go on vacation, stay out of their bases and meet visitors after monitoring the situation down the road.
Among some 220 cities, counties and districts, around 80 percent meet the criteria as of Wednesday, officials said.
The ministry said the decision was made in part to alleviate difficulties in managing troops after service members increasingly complained of extreme stress.
Though the restriction policy has been in place for two months, some service members could not leave their bases for five to six months depending on their situations, officials said.
The military has so far reported 39 infections in barracks. The last case was reported in mid-March.
South Korea reported eight new coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,702, including 240 deaths.
In this file photo, taken on Feb. 21, 2020, soldiers move to take trains at Seoul Station in Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)