yna--2020-06-16--S. Korea to take steps if volatility grows in financial markets

`` The government will take market stabilization measures if necessary , '' Kim told a meeting with senior officials from @ @ @ @ @ of Korea .

SEJONG, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will swiftly take measures to stabilize financial markets if volatility grows, Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom said Tuesday.
Kim made the remarks a day after South Korea's main stock index plummeted 4.8 percent amid worries about a new wave of coronavirus infections around the world that could dash hopes of a quicker economic recovery.
"The government will take market stabilization measures if necessary," Kim told a meeting with senior officials from financial regulators and the Bank of Korea.
Monday's plunge in stocks marked the sharpest daily decline since late March.
The Korean currency closed at 1,216.00 won against the U.S. dollar on Monday, down 12.2 won from the previous session's close.
Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--S. Korean Im Sung-jae becomes top-ranked Asian man in world golf rankings

Im , the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year , has finished in the top 10 in each of @ @ @ @ @ a streak that began with his first career victory at the Honda Classic in March @

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean golfer Im Sung-jae is now the highest-ranked Asian player on the men's world rankings.
Im climbed two spots to reach a career-high No. 21 on the latest rankings released Monday. The rise came on the heels of Im's third consecutive top-10 finish on the PGA Tour at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Forth Worth, Texas.
In this Getty Images photo, Im Sung-jae of South Korea watches his tee shot at the third hole during the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
It was the first PGA tournament following a three-month pause caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Rankings had been frozen during the tour's hiatus.
Im has jumped past Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who fell a notch to No. 23, to become the top-ranked Asian. Im is the first South Korean to have that distinction since Choi Kyoung-ju in November 2012.
Im, the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, has finished in the top 10 in each of his past three tournaments, a streak that began with his first career victory at the Honda Classic in March.
Im leads the FedEx Cup points with 1,526 after 15 events, with world No. 3 Justin Thomas trailing him at 1,471 points.
On the money list, Im is in second place behind Thomas, with US$4.04 million for the South Korean and $4.39 million for the American.
In this Getty Images photo, Im Sung-jae of South Korea hits a tee shot at the sixth hole during the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(LEAD) N. Korea's military threatens to reenter disarmed border areas

It did not elaborate on where the border areas would be , but they seem to be referring to regions @ @ @ @ @ of Kaesong and Mount Kumgang on the east coast from which the North previously withdrew @ @ @ @ @ economic and tour projects were under way .

(ATTN: RECASTS first 2 paras; ADDS more info throughout, photo)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military said Tuesday it is reviewing plans to reenter border areas disarmed under inter-Korean agreements, days after the North threatened to take military action over the sending of leaflets by activists from South Korea.
The General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) also revealed that the North would send its own propaganda leaflets into the South, saying it is considering opening front-line areas and waters off the southwest coast to cooperate for a "large-scale leaflet scattering struggle against the enemy."
"Our army is keeping a close watch on the current situation in which the north-south relations are turning worse and worse, and getting itself fully ready for providing a sure military guarantee to any external measures to be taken by the Party and government," the General Staff said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
The KPA is studying "an action plan for taking measures to make the army advance again into the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the military vigilance against the south," it said.
It did not elaborate on where the border areas would be, but they seem to be referring to regions around the western border town of Kaesong and Mount Kumgang on the east coast from which the North previously withdrew troops where the now-shuttered joint economic and tour projects were under way.
This photo, captured from the homepage of the Korean Central News Agency on June 9, 2020, shows one of the marches by North Korean youths and students across the nation in protest against anti-Pyongyang leaflets recently sent to the communist nation via balloons by North Korean defectors in South Korea. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
"We also accepted an opinion on opening many areas in the ground front and southwestern waters and taking a thorough-going security measure for positively cooperating with our people from all walks of life in their large-scale leaflet scattering struggle against the enemy that is expected to take place," it said.
"We will map out the military action plans for rapidly carrying out the said opinions to receive approval from the Party Central Military Commission," it added.
The moves came after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Saturday threatened that Pyongyang will take a "next step" against the South and gave an instruction for the General Staff to take necessary measures.
North Korea has lambasted South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, denouncing leafleting as a hostile act that violates a series of peace agreements.
Last week, North Korea defined South Korea as an "enemy" and vowed to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines in the first in a series of steps it will take against South Korea.
The North also threatened to dismantle a now-shuttered industrial park in Kaesong and scrapping a military tension reduction agreement signed in 2018 that calls for a halt to all hostilities along the border.
kokob@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Political parties express strong regret over N. Korea's destruction of liaison office

Rep , Han Ki-ho said that there is a risk that Pyongyang may further escalate the situation .
He warned @ @ @ @ @ North Korean action resulting in the death of South Koreans , Moon needs to be @ @ @ @ @ post as commander in chief .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean political parties expressed strong regrets Tuesday after North Korea blew up a liaison office at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
The ruling Democratic Party said in a statement after a emergency meeting of party members that the provocation seriously endangered cross-border relations and could be an obstacle to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Rep. Kang Hoon-sik, the liberal party's chief spokesperson, said the matter is being viewed as a grave development. He said the party is working closely with the government to respond firmly to such provocations.
"The government must be prepared for any future provocative acts by the North that threaten lives of South Korea and be ready for all eventualities," the lawmaker said.
Lee Hae-chan (R),leader of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, takes part in a meeting of senior party members, including the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Rep. Song Young-gil (L), in Seoul, to discuss North Korea's demolition of the inter-Korean joint liaison office, in Kaesong, just north of the DMZ, on June 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The main opposition United Future Party convened a meeting after news broke of North Korea's actions and criticized the incumbent Moon Jae-in administration.
Rep, Han Ki-ho said that there is a risk that Pyongyang may further escalate the situation. He warned that in the event of North Korean action resulting in the death of South Koreans, Moon needs to be ready to give up his post as commander in chief.
Other conservative lawmakers, who have been skeptical of the government conciliatory policies towards the North, claimed that Seoul need to scrap the Sept. 19 agreement reached between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018. The pact calls for broad easing of tensions and closer ties.
Some argued that the latest action effectively showed that the government's North Korea policy has failed to make progress and there is a need to rethink how the country approaches the North.
The progressive Justice Party also censured the North's action as being reckless and that taken together with recent threats issued by Pyongyang over the sending of propaganda leaflets by South Korean activists, must be considered a grievous move.
Kim Jong-chul, the party's spokesman said that the latest action could cause the country to become even more isolated from the global community.
"We urge the North to make rational decisions and halt all actions that can escalate tensions," he said.
The centrist People's Party warned that the latest act can be seen as an illogical move that indicates the country will likely rejects compromise and dialogue in the future.
"The government needs to decide if it will maintain its current policy of accommodation, despite such provocation, or if it is willing to approach this matter differently," it said.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(LEAD) S. Korea to brace for growing inter-Korean tension

In the afternoon , North Korea blew up the office in the Kaesong Industrial Complex , an inter-Korean cooperative industrial @ @ @ @ @ city near the border , after cutting off all communication lines with South Korea .
@ @ @ @ @ the deadlock in inter-Korean relations on June 13 .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details from para 5)
SEJONG, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will take steps to minimize negative economic fallout caused by North Korea's explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office, the country's finance minister said Tuesday.
In the afternoon, North Korea blew up the office in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, an inter-Korean cooperative industrial zone in the North's city near the border, after cutting off all communication lines with South Korea. Pyongyang blamed the South for the deadlock in inter-Korean relations on June 13.
Ministry of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki chairs a meeting of senior officials at the government complex in Sejong City on June 15, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap).
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki asked the ministry's senior officials to closely monitor the developments in the local and global financial markets in an emergency meeting held late Tuesday afternoon at the government complex in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul.
The policymaker also said the ministry should be ready to take measures to reduce the negative impact of the North's threatening actions on the economy and financial markets.
News of the explosion of the office sent shares of major companies, like Samsung Electronics Co., lower in after-hours trading.
As of 5:40 p.m. shares of Samsung Electronics fell 1.54 percent to 51,300 won (US$42.30) from the closing price of 52,100 won.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(3rd LD) Seoul says it will 'strongly respond' if North further worsens situation

`` The government expresses strong regret over North Korea 's unilateral explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office building , '' @ @ @ @ @ of Cheong Wa Dae 's national security office , told reporters after the meeting .
@ @ @ @ @ we will strongly respond to it if North Korea takes any action that further worsens @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with background; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Hours after North Korea demolished the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong in a surprise provocation Tuesday, South Korea warned of a strong response if the North further worsens the situation.
Cheong Wa Dae made the unusually strong warning after holding an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee to discuss the matter.
"The government expresses strong regret over North Korea's unilateral explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office building," Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, told reporters after the meeting. "We sternly warn that we will strongly respond to it if North Korea takes any action that further worsens the situation."
Kim also said the demolition constitutes an action that betrays "the expectations of all people who wish for the development of inter-Korean relations and the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula."
"We make it clear that the responsibility for anything that could happen because of the act lies entirely with the North Korean side," he said.
Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, briefs reporters after a National Security Council session on June 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The meeting came after the North blew up the communication office, established in 2018 as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation.
According to the defense and unification ministries, North Korea detonated the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong at 2:49 p.m. The North's Korean Central News Agency later confirmed that the country "completely ruined" the building.
The explosion took place three days after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned that the North will demolish the "useless" communication office in protest of Seoul's "failure" to stop activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets into the country.
The North also last week threatened to cut off all communication lines with South Korea and has since been out of touch with the South.
The Tuesday NSC meeting in Seoul was presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of the national security office at Cheong Wa Dae.
President Moon Jae-in was not present. Moon has not presided over a plenary NSC session since March last year, shortly after the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam ended without results.
Two previous NSC sessions this month also did not include Moon, including the last meeting held on Sunday.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Finance ministry to brace for growing inter-Korean tension

SEJONG, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance ministry will take steps to minimize negative economic fallout caused by North Korea's explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office, the country's finance minister said Tuesday.
In the afternoon, North Korea blew up the office in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, an inter-Korean cooperative industrial zone in the North's city near the border, after cutting off all communication lines with South Korea. Pyongyang blamed the South for the deadlock in inter-Korean relations on June 13.
Ministry of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki chairs a meeting of senior officials at the government complex in Sejong City on June 15, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap).
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki asked the ministry's senior officials to closely monitor the developments in the local and global financial markets in an emergency meeting held late Tuesday afternoon at the government complex in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul.
The policymaker also said the ministry should be ready to take measures to reduce the negative impact of the North's threatening actions on the economy and financial markets.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(6th LD) N. Korea blows up joint liaison office in Kaesong

The North has been lashing out at the South almost daily for failing to stop defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets @ @ @ @ @ .
Pyongyang has vowed to deal with South Korea as an `` enemy , '' @ @ @ @ @ lines , and threatened to take other measures , including military action .

(ATTN: ADDS unification ministry's response, details of video footage in paras 6, 12)
By Koh Byung-joon and Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong on Tuesday, sharply escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after near-daily threats to punish Seoul over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
The surprise explosion sparked concern that the communist nation could put other threats against the South into action, including taking military action and moving troops to border regions disarmed under inter-Korean agreements.
South Korea expressed "strong regret" and warned the North not to aggravate the situation.
"The destruction ... is an act that breaches the hope of all people wishing for the development of inter-Korean relations and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement after an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
"The government makes clear that all responsibility caused by this rests totally with the North Korean side," he said. "We sternly warn that if North Korea takes steps further aggravating the situation, we will respond strongly to it."
The unification ministry also issued a statement, calling the destruction "senseless' and "unheard-of" in inter-Korean relations and a violation of a 2018 summit agreement between the two Koreas, saying that Pyongyang should take full responsibility for the act.
Earlier, North Korea's state media confirmed that the liaison office was "completely ruined."
"The relevant field of the DPRK put into practice the measure of completely destroying the North-South joint liaison office in the Kaesong Industrial Zone in the wake of cutting off all the communication liaison lines between the north and the south," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The destruction was in line with "the mindset of the enraged people to surely force human scum and those, who have sheltered the scum, to pay dearly for their crimes," KCNA said, referring to North Korean defectors in the South sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
"At 14:50, the liaison office was tragically ruined with a terrific explosion," it said.
Earlier, witnesses and sources said smoke was seen and an explosion was heard from the border town, with residents in South Korea's northernmost village of Daeseong-dong saying that dark smoke began billowing with a bang sound.
CCTV footage from a camera set up at the border control office showed white smoke rising from the ground along with a quick flashing explosion and window frames of a nearby building falling down from the shock.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The explosion came days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned Saturday night that, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen."
The North has been lashing out at the South almost daily for failing to stop defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border via balloons. Pyongyang has vowed to deal with South Korea as an "enemy," cutting off all cross-border communication lines, and threatened to take other measures, including military action.
Following the explosion in Kaesong, the South Korean military tightened its surveillance and readiness posture for possible accidental clashes near the tense border areas, according to officials.
Earlier in the day, the General Staff of the (North) Korean People's Army warned that it is reviewing an action plan to advance into "the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the vigilance" against the South.
"As of now, no unusual, specific military moves by the North Korean military have been detected. We are closely monitoring them," an officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The demolition of the liaison office marked the latest setback in inter-Korean relations, which have been almost stalled since a no-deal summit between Pyongyang and Washington in February last year.
Last October, North Korea demanded the South tear down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities at the now-shuttered Mount Kumgang resort on its east coast. Launched in 1998, the tour program was a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.
China's foreign ministry said Beijing hopes that peace and stability will be maintained on the Korean Peninsula despite the latest development.
The two Koreas launched the liaison office in September 2018 to facilitate inter-Korean exchange and cooperation amid a reconciliatory mood created by summit talks between their leaders.
The office suspended its operations in early January due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(2nd LD) Seoul says it will 'strongly respond' if North further worsens situation

During the press briefing , Kim also said the demolition constitutes an action that betrays `` the expectations of all @ @ @ @ @ development of the inter-Korean relation and the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula .
@

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with meeting results)
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Hours after North Korea demolished the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong in a surprise provocation Tuesday, South Korea warned that it will "strongly respond" if the North further worsens the situation.
Cheong Wa Dae made the warning after discussing the matter in an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee here.
"The government expresses strong regret over North Korea's unilateral detonation of the inter-Korean liaison office building," Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, told reporters after the meeting. "We sternly warn that we will strongly respond to it if North Korea takes any action that further worsens the situation."
The meeting came after the North blew up the communication office, established in 2018 as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation.
According to the defense and unification ministries, North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong at 2:49 p.m. The North's Korean Central News Agency later confirmed that it "completely ruined" the building.
The explosion took place three days after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned that the North will demolish the "useless" communication office in protest of Seoul's "failure" to stop activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets into the country.
The North also last week threatened to cut off all communication lines with South Korea and has since been out of touch with the South.
During the press briefing, Kim also said the demolition constitutes an action that betrays "the expectations of all people who wish for the development of the inter-Korean relation and the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula."
"We make it clear that the responsibility for anything that could happen because of the act lies entirely with the North Korean side," he said.
The NSC meeting was presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of the national security office at the presidential office.
President Moon Jae-in was not present. Moon has not presided over a plenary NSC session since March last year, shortly after the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam ended without results.
Two previous NSC sessions this month also did not include Moon, including the last meeting held on Sunday.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Postponed int'l Olympic meeting in Seoul rescheduled for Oct. 2021

The ANOC General Assembly is an annual gathering of 206 national Olympic committees .
The KSOC had planned to use @ @ @ @ @ bid to co-host the 2032 Summer Olympics with North Korea .
KSOC President Lee Kee-heung @ @ @ @ @ meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un , along @ @ @ @ @ near the 38th parallel border during the ANOC General Assembly .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- A meeting of national Olympic organizations set to take place in Seoul this year has been rescheduled for October 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) jointly announced on Tuesday that the 2020 ANOC General Assembly, originally scheduled to be held Nov. 25-26 this year in Seoul, will instead take place from Oct. 26-27 next year at COEX Convention Center in the South Korean capital.
The two organizations postponed the meeting on May 19, citing COVID-19 concerns, and then settled on the new dates on Tuesday.
The ANOC General Assembly is an annual gathering of 206 national Olympic committees. The KSOC had planned to use that occasion to promote its bid to co-host the 2032 Summer Olympics with North Korea. KSOC President Lee Kee-heung once talked about organizing a meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, along with international sports leaders, near the 38th parallel border during the ANOC General Assembly.
This image, captured from the website of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) on May 19, 2020, shows the emblems for the ANOC and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(2nd LD) Cash-strapped Doosan to sell core construction equipment maker unit

It has been widely pointed that the power plant builder failed to keep pace with the times when the overall @ @ @ @ @ power plant market has been contracting after the 2015 Paris climate change conference aimed to @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 6-7 and 12-13; RESTRUCTURES)
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Cash-strapped Doosan Group plans to sell its key construction equipment maker unit Doosan Infracore Co. as part of its self-rescue measures to receive financial support from creditor banks, industry sources said Tuesday.
South Korea's 15th-largest conglomerate is seeking to sell its shares and assets to improve its financial structure and repay debts held by the flagship unit Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. in return for a 3.6 trillion-won (US$2.98 billion) lifeline from state-run banks.
The group plans to sell a 36.27 percent stake held by Doosan Heavy in Doosan Infracore as part of its self-rescue measures worth some 3 trillion won, according to financial industry sources.
Market watchers said the deal could fetch between 600 to 800 billion won. Credit Suisse will reportedly arrange the deal as a sales manager.
This file photo shows a Doosan Group logo in front of the group's building. (Yonhap)
In an effort to secure liquidity, Doosan Group has put its affiliates and assets, such as Doosan Solus Co., a copper foil maker for electric vehicles, and Doosan Tower, the group's headquarters building in Seoul, up for sale.
The group put sales of its cash-cow affiliate Doosan Infracore on the back burner when it came up with its asset sale plan, market watchers said.
However, the delayed sales of other affiliates, such as Doosan Solus, made the group include Doosan Infracore in its asset sale list, they said.
"As the process to sell units, including Doosan Solus, is becoming protracted, the group appears to have shifted its focus to Doosan Infracore," Lee Dong-hun, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said.
Doosan Group plans to split its troubled construction unit, Doosan Engineering & Construction Co., into two and to put the newly formed company, with highly valued assets, up for sale.
The sale of Doosan Engineering is part of the group's move to normalize its business. In March, Doosan Heavy acquired the construction firm.
Last week, group chairman Park Jeong-won said the conglomerate aims to raise 1 trillion won this year by selling shares and assets.
South Korea's leading power plant builder Doosan Heavy has faced a liquidity crisis due to its failed business reorganization and the poor financial health of the group's construction affiliate, Doosan Engineering & Construction.
It has been widely pointed that the power plant builder failed to keep pace with the times when the overall size of the global coal-fired power plant market has been contracting after the 2015 Paris climate change conference aimed to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
South Korea seeks to shift its energy policy from nuclear and fossil fuel-based power generation to renewable energy sources, such as solar power. The group is a key player in the commercial nuclear field.
Doosan Heavy swung to a net loss of 371.4 billion won in the first quarter from a year earlier due to increased one-off costs and losses from equity ties with Doosan Bobcat Co.
Shares of Doosan Infracore jumped the daily limit of 30 percent to close at 7,480 won on the main bourse. Stocks of Doosan Heavy jumped 10.4 percent to 5,150 won.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(News Focus) N.K. seeks to distract from domestic hardships with liaison office demolition: experts

`` To put it simply , it is a failure for the North Korean leader , and he might want @ @ @ @ @ the South or deflect criticism .
For the North , the South may be an @ @ @ @ @ feel cautious to direct its grievances to the U.S. , '' he added .

By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's demolition of an inter-Korean liaison office appears aimed at drawing public attention away from deepening economic hardships caused by the new coronavirus and sanctions, but signals Pyongyang's desire to maintain diplomacy with the United States, experts said Tuesday.
In a body blow to President Moon Jae-in's yearslong drive for peace, the North blew up the office in its border city of Kaesong, which was established as a much-trumpeted symbol of cross-border reconciliation in September 2018.
The explosion came after the North took umbrage at anti-Pyongyang leaflets flown in across the border, threatened to turn work with the South into one "against the enemy" and warned of the Kaesong office collapse and of military action.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The fast-moving saga has unfolded against the backdrop of the North's economic travails that have worsened due to biting global sanctions, pandemic-driven curbs on trade with China, tourism and business activity, as well as fears of food shortages caused by a lack of outside fertilizer aid.
"For North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, everything seems to be going awry, from his efforts for a turnaround in nuclear talks with the U.S. to his economic drive and to his push to put the pandemic under control," Nam Chang-hee, professor of diplomacy at Inha University, said.
"To put it simply, it is a failure for the North Korean leader, and he might want to shift the blame to the South or deflect criticism. For the North, the South may be an easy target while it may feel cautious to direct its grievances to the U.S.," he added.
The destruction of the liaison office was foreordained, as Kim Yo-jong, younger sister of the leader, warned Saturday night, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen."
The demolition marked a culmination of the North's near-daily threats to punish the South for anti-Pyongyang leaflets floated by North Korean defectors across the border into the communist country.
Indeed, experts said that the leaflets, aimed at shining a light on the brutality of the North Korean dictatorship, its human rights abuses and the merits of capitalism in the South, posed a challenge to the leadership in Pyongyang.
But the North appears to have seized on the leaflet issue to accuse the South of failing to broker a nuclear deal with the U.S. and make an indirect appeal for U.S. flexibility, observers said.
What's notable is that at the center of Pyongyang's campaign against Seoul has been Kim Yo-jong, serving as the first vice director of the powerful Organization and Guidance Department of the ruling Workers' Party.
Speculation still abounds that the leader's sister could be next in line for the hereditary throne should Kim become incapacitated. But observers said that Kim appears to put his sister at the vanguard of inter-Korean and foreign policy affairs vulnerable to public opprobrium.
The demolition of the Kaesong office dimmed the prospects for inter-Korean reconciliation efforts that have been stalled amid a deadlock in nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.
But analysts said that the ominous development could have a silver lining, as Kim still appears intent on maintaining engagement with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose unorthodox brand of foreign policy had created new diplomatic opportunities, as evidenced in the first U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in 2018 and the unprecedented meeting at the inter-Korean border last year.
"Though the North's recent tough rhetoric against the South has appeared to also target the U.S., Pyongyang did not apply any direct pressure to the U.S. as it would think the pressure tactic against Washington for now may not be effective," Park Won-gon, professor of international politics at Handong Global University, said.
Apparently mindful of a possible pushback from Trump, who is already saddled with a raft of domestic issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, its economic fallout and the upcoming reelection battle, the North has largely been reticent on ties with the U.S.
But Pyongyang's hardening rhetoric is deepening concerns that the demolition of the Kaesong building could mean the South Korean president's persistent push for denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula hangs in the balance.
What's worse, Pyongyang has threatened to scrap an inter-Korean military pact aimed at reducing border tensions, raising the possibility that it could carry out larger military provocations that could bring Moon's peace initiative to naught.
"When the North calls the work with the South the work against the enemy, and has destroyed the liaison office in a way that damaged the South's property rights, Moon may find it difficult to embrace the North," Park said.
"The time appears to have come for a recalibration of Seoul's approach," he added.
Despite the downward trajectory of inter-Korean ties, Trump is likely to take a wait-and-see approach as long as the North does not cross the red line by breaching its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile launches, observers said.
Analysts largely concur that Pyongyang may refrain from provoking Trump for the time being as the U.S. leader is cornered over anti-racism rallies and could return to his past "fire and fury" rhetoric.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(Yonhap Primer) Destroyed inter-Korean liaison office was a symbol of reconciliation

Although the two sides had agreed to hold a weekly meeting of the co-heads of the office -- one from @ @ @ @ @ meeting was held since February last year as relations between the two sides chilled in @ @ @ @ @ summit between the North 's leader and U.S. President Donald Trump .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- The inter-Korean liaison office, which North Korea blew up on Tuesday, was one of the most tangible symbols of cross-border rapprochement, serving as a round-the-clock communication channel between the two Koreas.
The office opened in the North's border city of Kaesong in September 2018 to support exchanges and cooperation after a summit agreement between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in April that year.
The four-story office building, which had been used as the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Consultation Office since 2007, was renovated for use as the liaison office.
South Korea spent 9.78 billion won (US$8.64 million) from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, approved by the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council, to finance the renovation and repair of the building.
Although the two sides had agreed to hold a weekly meeting of the co-heads of the office -- one from each side -- no such meeting was held since February last year as relations between the two sides chilled in the wake of a no-deal summit between the North's leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Since late January, the liaison office was closed temporarily over coronavirus concerns, and South Korea liaison officers stationed there returned home.
Liaison officers of the two sides had since communicated through telephone and fax lines established between Seoul and Pyongyang until early June when the North stopped receiving calls through the liaison office, vowing to cut off all cross-border communication lines.
The two Koreas had made two phone calls daily, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., as part of liaison communication.
The North took those measures in anger over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets that defectors in the South fly into the communist nation. Pyongyang blasted Seoul for failing to stop defectors from sending such leaflets.
Early this month, Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North's leader, warned the North will abolish the inter-Korean liaison office, stressing such actions will be the first in a series of steps against South Korea, vowing to deal with the South as "an enemy."
The North also threatened to scrap a military tension-reduction deal signed in 2018, and dismantle a now-shuttered industrial park in the North's border city of Kaesong, unless South Korea takes action to stop the leaflets.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong said the South will soon see "a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed."
And on Tuesday, the North put the threat into action.
"The relevant field of the DPRK put into practice the measure of completely destroying the North-South joint liaison office in the Kaesong Industrial Zone in the wake of cutting off all the communication liaison lines between the north and the south," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The destruction was in line with "the mindset of the enraged people to surely force human scum and those, who have sheltered the scum, to pay dearly for their crimes," KCNA said, referring to North Korean defectors in the South sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
"At 14:50, the liaison office was tragically ruined with a terrific explosion," it said.
This photo, taken from the South Korean border town of Paju, north of Seoul, shows smoke rising from the inter-Korean industrial complex in the North Korean border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020. Earlier in the day, South Korea's unification ministry said the North blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in Kaesong at 2:49 p.m. The explosion came just days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen." (Yonhap)
This file photo, taken in September 2018, shows the inter-Korean joint liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. South Korea's unification ministry said that the North blew up the office at 2:49 p.m. on June 16, 2020. The explosion came just days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen." (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--S. Korea vows "strong" responses if N. Korea carries out provocation: defense ministry

Earlier in the day , the General Staff of the ( North ) Korean People 's Army warned that it @ @ @ @ @ to advance into `` the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement , @ @ @ @ @ a fortress and further heighten the vigilance '' against the South .

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will strongly respond to any provocative military action by North Korea, the defense ministry said Tuesday, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following the North's surprise demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office.
Earlier in the day, North Korea blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong, three days after leader Kim Jong-un's influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, warned of its demolition in protest over South Korean activists' sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border.
The destruction sparked concern that the North could put other threats against the South into action, including taking military action and moving troops to border regions disarmed under inter-Korean agreements.
"Regarding the current security situations, our military has been closely monitoring the North Korean military's movements round-the-clock, and doing its best to manage the situation to prevent the situation from escalating into a military crisis," the defense ministry said in a statement.
"If North Korea carries out provocative military actions, our military will strongly respond to them," it added.
Earlier in the day, the General Staff of the (North) Korean People's Army warned that it is reviewing an action plan to advance into "the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the vigilance" against the South.
Following the explosion, the South Korean authorities immediately tightened the surveillance and readiness posture, according to officials.
Compilation images provided by South Korea's defense ministry show the inter-Korean liaison office at the Kaesong Industrial Complex being blown up by North Korea on June 16, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(5th LD) N. Korea blows up joint liaison office in Kaesong

(ATTN: ADDS outcome of NSC meeting in para 8)
By Koh Byung-joon and Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong on Tuesday, sharply escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after near-daily threats to punish Seoul over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
The surprise explosion sparked concern that the communist nation could put other threats against the South into action, including taking military action and moving troops to border regions disarmed under inter-Korean agreements.
South Korea expressed "strong regret" and warned the North not to aggravate the situation.
N. Korea blows up joint liaison office Youtube https://youtu.be/mh69lGlr8bE
"The destruction ... is an act that breaches the hope of all people wishing for the development of inter-Korean relations and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement after an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
"The government makes clear that all responsibility caused by this rests totally with the North Korean side," he said. "We sternly warn that if North Korea takes steps further aggravating the situation, we will respond strongly to it."
Earlier, North Korea's state media confirmed that the liaison office was "completely ruined."
"The relevant field of the DPRK put into practice the measure of completely destroying the North-South joint liaison office in the Kaesong Industrial Zone in the wake of cutting off all the communication liaison lines between the north and the south," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The destruction was in line with "the mindset of the enraged people to surely force human scum and those, who have sheltered the scum, to pay dearly for their crimes," KCNA said, referring to North Korean defectors in the South sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
"At 14:50, the liaison office was tragically ruined with a terrific explosion," it said.
Earlier, witnesses and sources said smoke was seen and an explosion was heard from the border town, with residents in South Korea's northernmost village of Daeseong-dong saying that dark smoke began billowing with a bang sound.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The explosion came days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned Saturday night that, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen."
The North has been lashing out at the South almost daily for failing to stop defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border via balloons. Pyongyang has vowed to deal with South Korea as an "enemy," cutting off all cross-border communication lines, and threatened to take other measures, including military action.
Following the explosion in Kaesong, the South Korean military tightened its surveillance and readiness posture for possible accidental clashes near the tense border areas, according to officials.
Earlier in the day, the General Staff of the (North) Korean People's Army warned that it is reviewing an action plan to advance into "the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the vigilance" against the South.
"As of now, no unusual, specific military moves by the North Korean military have been detected. We are closely monitoring them," an officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The demolition of the liaison office marked the latest setback in inter-Korean relations, which have been almost stalled since a no-deal summit between Pyongyang and Washington in February last year.
Last October, North Korea demanded the South tear down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities at the now-shuttered Mount Kumgang resort on its east coast. Launched in 1998, the tour program was a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.
China's foreign ministry said Beijing hopes that peace and stability will be maintained on the Korean Peninsula despite the latest development.
The two Koreas launched the liaison office in September 2018 to facilitate inter-Korean exchange and cooperation amid a reconciliatory mood created by summit talks between their leaders.
The office suspended its operations in early January due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(URGENT) S. Korea to 'strongly respond to any possible N.K. military provocations: defense ministry

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


yna--2020-06-16--(URGENT) S. Korea expresses 'strong regret' over N. Korea's liaison office demolition


yna--2020-06-16--(URGENT) Seoul says it will 'strongly respond' if North further worsens situation


yna--2020-06-16--(LEAD) Cheong Wa Dae convenes top security meeting on N. Korea's demolition of liaison office

Presided over by Chung Eui-yong , director of the national security office at the presidential office , the National Security @ @ @ @ @ opened at 5:05 p.m. , Cheong Wa Dae said .
The meeting brought together top @ @ @ @ @ foreign , unification and defense ministers , as well as the national intelligence chief .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 2-5, 7-9; NOTES that NSC meeting was convened by Cheong Wa Dae, not Moon as the previous story said before correction)
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae convened an emergency meeting of top security officials Tuesday, hours after North Korea demolished the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong.
Presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of the national security office at the presidential office, the National Security Council (NSC) meeting opened at 5:05 p.m., Cheong Wa Dae said. The meeting brought together top security officials, including the foreign, unification and defense ministers, as well as the national intelligence chief.
At the meeting, the officials were expected to discuss details of the latest action by North Korea and Seoul's response to it.
President Moon Jae-in was not part of the meeting. Moon has not presided over a plenary NSC session since March last year, shortly after the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam ended without results.
Two previous NSC sessions this month also did not include Moon, including the last meeting held on Sunday.
According to the defense and unification ministries, North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong at 2:49 p.m.
Later on Tuesday, the North's Korean Central News Agency confirmed that it "completely ruined" the liaison office to force South Korea "to pay dearly for their crimes."
The explosion took place three days after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned that the North will demolish the "useless" communication office in protest of Seoul's "failure" to stop activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets into the country.
Last week, North Korea also threatened to cut off all communication lines with South Korea and has since been out of touch with the South.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--S. Korea moves up to 23rd in global competitiveness ranking

South Korea saw hundreds of daily new infections in late February and early March , but it appeared to bring @ @ @ @ @ Still , concerns persist as cluster infections have continued to emerge in Seoul and the @ @ @

SEJONG, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's global competitiveness ranking rose by five notches this year due to an improvement in the efficiency of the government and companies and expanded infrastructure, an international institute said Tuesday.
The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) said in its annual report that South Korea ranked 23rd in terms of world competitiveness among 63 countries surveyed, up from 28th the previous year.
IMD is a Switzerland-based organization that releases annual competitiveness rankings based on a country's economic achievements, infrastructure, and government and corporate efficiency. It has been issuing the report since 1997.
In terms of economic performance -- covering the domestic economy, international trade and employment -- South Korea placed 27th, unchanged from last year.
In the infrastructure sector, South Korea rose by four notches, to 16th, on a gain in technology and education.
South Korea jumped to 28th place in business efficiency in 2020 from 34th a year earlier due to the improved labor market and entrepreneurship.
South Korea's standing in government efficiency also rose by three notches to 28th this year.
In a statement, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said efforts to halt the spread of the new coronavirus have helped South Korea see a rise in the competitiveness rankings this year.
South Korea saw hundreds of daily new infections in late February and early March, but it appeared to bring the outbreak under control. Still, concerns persist as cluster infections have continued to emerge in Seoul and the neighboring areas.
Singapore retained the top spot this year, while Hong Kong fell by three notches to fifth.
The United States fell to 10th place from third a year earlier. China fell to 20th from 14th a year ago, and Japan fell to 34th, down four notches from a year ago.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Director Yeon Sang-ho tells story of 'Train to Busan' survivors in upcoming film

`` Peninsula , '' which has been invited to this year 's Cannes Film Festival , is set in the @ @ @ @ @ its predecessor , in which the whole country was hit by zombies except for the @ @ @ @ @ .
It is Yeon 's third Cannes ' entry following the animated film `` The @ @ @ @ @ 2011 ) and `` Train to Busan . ''

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- Director Yeon Sang-ho, who helmed the smash hit zombie thriller "Train to Busan," said Tuesday that he wants to tell the story of the survivors and the land ruined by swarms of zombies from the 2016 film in his upcoming work, "Peninsula."
"While I was looking for filming locations for 'Train to Busan' years ago, there were many devastated places in Korea," Yeon said in a press conference streamed online. "I hoped to make a film at those ruins, if 'Train to Busan' went well. Anyway, dreams come true."
"Peninsula," which has been invited to this year's Cannes Film Festival, is set in the same universe four years after its predecessor, in which the whole country was hit by zombies except for the southern port city of Busan. It is Yeon's third Cannes' entry following the animated film "The King of Pigs" (2011) and "Train to Busan."
A scene from "Peninsula" by NEW (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Since the zombie outbreak, Korea has been in a state of anarchy, has lost its name and is now called Peninsula.
Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won), a former soldier who escaped the zombie-infested peninsula four years ago, is tasked with going back to the devastated land to retrieve something.
He arrives in Seoul and discovers that there are some non-infected survivors left on the peninsula, isolated and struggling against attacks from zombies and savage humans in the post-apocalyptic world.
Yeon said he tries to present a wider scope of movement in "Peninsula" to help people feel the same horror and thrills as the characters, compared to high-concept shots of the narrow spaces in "Train to Busan."
"People liked 'Train to Busan' because they felt as if they faced zombie attacks in familiar settings, like a train," he said. "I hope they feel like venturing into an unknown world and being chased by hordes of zombies in 'Peninsula.'"
So the versatile director focused more on filming speedier car chase and shooting scenes in the ruined city of Seoul, with touches of computer-generated special visual effects.
Director Yeon Sang-ho takes part in an online press conference on June 16, 2020, in this photo provided by NEW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
As the creator of the sequel of "Train to Busan," regarded as a precursor to Korean zombie series, like Netflix series "Kingdom," Yeon noted that they are popular because neighbors who turn against each other.
"Korean zombies are not just monsters or evil creatures that we have to fight against. They were our family and colleagues minutes ago," he said. "I think this is the point that people like about Korean zombie films."
He said he did not expect his latest film, with a total budget of 20 billion won (US$16.5 million), to repeat the commercial success that "Train to Busan" achieved at home and abroad. It attracted more than 11 million viewers in South Korea and was the Korean film with the highest overseas earnings, of $129 million worldwide, before Oscar-winning "Parasite" (2019).
"I've just tried to make a high quality movie whose story continues from 'Train to Busan,'" he said. "I think a universal message is important in a big-budget commercial film. And this film gives a message of hope in the post-apocalyptic time."
"Peninsula," one of the most anticipated films in South Korea this summer, will premiere in theatres nationwide in July.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--(4th LD) N. Korea blows up joint liaison office in Kaesong

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with latest info)
By Koh Byung-joon and Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong on Tuesday, sharply escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after near-daily threats to punish Seoul over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
The surprise explosion sparked concern that the communist nation could put other threats against the South into action, including taking military action and moving troops to border regions disarmed under inter-Korean agreements.
North Korea's state media confirmed that the liaison office was "completely ruined."
"The relevant field of the DPRK put into practice the measure of completely destroying the North-South joint liaison office in the Kaesong Industrial Zone in the wake of cutting off all the communication liaison lines between the north and the south," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The destruction was in line with "the mindset of the enraged people to surely force human scum and those, who have sheltered the scum, to pay dearly for their crimes," KCNA said, referring to North Korean defectors in the South sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
"At 14:50, the liaison office was tragically ruined with a terrific explosion," it said.
Earlier, witnesses and sources said smoke was seen and an explosion was heard from the border town, with residents in South Korea's northernmost village of Daeseong-dong saying that dark smoke began billowing with a bang sound.
Smoke rises from North Korea's border town of Kaesong on June 16, 2020, as North Korea, according to the unification ministry, blew up the inter-Korean liaison office there in protest over South Korean activists' anti-regime leaflet campaign, in this photo provided by a Yonhap reader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The office of President Moon Jae-in convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the destruction. Moon did not attend the session and details of the meeting were not immediately available.
The explosion came days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned Saturday night that, "Before long, a tragic scene of the useless North-South joint liaison office completely collapsed would be seen."
The North has been lashing out at the South almost daily for failing to stop defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border via balloons. Pyongyang has vowed to deal with South Korea as an "enemy," cutting off all cross-border communication lines, and threatened to take other measures, including military action.
Following the explosion in Kaesong, the South Korean military tightened its surveillance and readiness posture for possible accidental clashes near the tense border areas, according to officials.
Earlier in the day, the General Staff of the (North) Korean People's Army warned that it is reviewing an action plan to advance into "the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the vigilance" against the South.
"As of now, no unusual, specific military moves by the North Korean military have been detected. We are closely monitoring them," an officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The demolition of the liaison office marked the latest setback in inter-Korean relations, which have been almost stalled since a no-deal summit between Pyongyang and Washington in February last year.
Last October, North Korea demanded the South tear down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities at the now-shuttered Mount Kumgang resort on its east coast. Launched in 1998, the tour program was a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.
China's foreign ministry said Beijing hopes that peace and stability will be maintained on the Korean Peninsula despite the latest development.
The two Koreas launched the liaison office in September 2018 to facilitate inter-Korean exchange and cooperation amid a reconciliatory mood created by summit talks between their leaders.
The office suspended its operations in early January due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-16--Slumping Kiwoom Heroes' slugger Park Byung-ho to stay in No. 2 spot for now

Park has started the last four games as No .
2 hitter , and has batted 3-for-15 with a home @ @ @ @ @ The sample size is admittedly small , and Park is still only putting up an @ @ @ @ @ plus slugging percentage ( OPS ) of 729 .
He is last in batting average @ @ @ @ @ The two-time 50-homer man , who has seven home runs in 36 games this year @ @ @ @ @ a lifetime OPS of .977 .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- There are different ways in which baseball managers try to help struggling hitters. They can give them a breather here and there, or they can send them down in the batting order.
Kiwoom Heroes' skipper Son Hyuk decided to insert his slumping cleanup hitter Park Byung-ho into the No. 2 spot in his lineup, hoping the move will serve multiple purposes: to ease the burden on Park's shoulders and to give the Heroes' middling lineup a jolt at the top.
"I think he looks more relaxed at the plate," Son said in his pregame media availability Tuesday before hosting the Lotte Giants at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "He's been trying to keep things light in the dugout, too."
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes runs to first base after hitting a two-run home run against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Park has started the last four games as No. 2 hitter, and has batted 3-for-15 with a home run and five RBIs. The sample size is admittedly small, and Park is still only putting up an uncharacteristic .202 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 729. He is last in batting average among 58 qualified hitters. The two-time 50-homer man, who has seven home runs in 36 games this year, entered this season with a lifetime OPS of .977.
But Son has liked what he has seen so far -- enough that he'll keep Park in place for the time being.
"I think it's important for him to feel comfortable. When he wasn't producing from the cleanup spot, he was putting a lot of pressure on himself," Son said. "Batting No. 2, he can just think about trying to set the table for the guys hitting behind him."
The two batters behind Park are two of the very best in the KBO: outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, who's tearing up the league to the tune of a .362/.427/.609 line, and shortstop Kim Ha-seong, who's bounced back after a slow start to slash .348/.444/.609 in June.
Last year, then-Kiwoom manager Jang Jung-suk experimented with putting Park in the No. 2 spot during preseason. The decision was based more on an analytically-oriented approach than on rejuvenating a slumping hitter. Park apparently wasn't too pleased with it and he never appeared in the No. 2 spot in the regular season.
"It's a much different situation this year," said Son, who took over as skipper before this season. "Our hitting coach also felt it might be good for Byung-ho to hit second, and I think it has helped him mentally."
Kiwoom Heroes manager Son Hyuk (C) shakes hands with his coach Oh Yoon after beating the NC Dinos 18-5 in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes will need production from Park even more now, because they haven't filled their foreign hitter spot after releasing Taylor Motter on May 30.
The Heroes explored acquiring former KBO hitter Carlos Peguero, but his former club, LG Twins, still reserve rights to the Dominican hitter. That means Peguero can't sign with another KBO club without the Twins' consent, and the Twins said they'd like to keep Peguero in their back pocket.
"I just want someone who can hit," Son said. "I know the front office is working hard to get a deal done."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--New virus cases bounce back, another cluster looming outside Seoul

In a possible silver lining , South Korea 's reproduction rate of COVID-19 , which refers to the average number @ @ @ @ @ virus by a single patient , slightly hovers above one , according to the KCDC @ @ @ @ @ by the center was 1.8 .

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases rebounded to over 40 on Wednesday, as cluster infections continued to linger in greater Seoul and imported cases spiked. Another mass infections outside the greater Seoul area were also reported.
The country added 43 new cases, including 31 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,198, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp rise from the 34 additional cases reported Tuesday.
Of the locally transmitted cases, 25 were reported in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, home to half of the country's population of 50 million. Five were also reported from Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul.
The number of new imported cases came to 12, raising the total number of such infections to 1,371. It marked the fourth time this month for such cases to rise by a two-digit number.
A group of medical workers walk at the Seoul Medical Center in northern Seoul on June 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of daily new cases had reached 56 on Friday, just one shy from this month's peak of 57 reported on June 7. Daily new cases fell to 34 on Sunday.
The Seoul metropolitan area has accounted for most of the newly added virus cases this month, as it has been saddled with cluster infections tied to religious gatherings and a door-to-door sales firm.
As of Tuesday, cases traced to the door-to-door business from the west of Seoul reached 172, up three from the previous day.
Those linked to a warehouse operated by e-commerce giant Coupang increased by five to 152. Cases linked to a sports facility in western Seoul advanced by two to 66.
Virus cases connected to a day care center for seniors in northeastern Seoul rose by three to 22 as well.
South Korea eased strict social distancing in early May on the back of the flattened virus curve, but cluster infections traced to a nightlife district in Seoul soon emerged.
A continued rise in cluster infections forced health authorities to indefinitely extend toughened infection preventive measures in greater Seoul this week following a two-week implementation.
Health authorities warned that the new scheme could be applied across the country if the daily number of new cases does not sharply flatten down the road.
A citizen hangs sunglasses over a protective mask on a street in central Seoul on June 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea is also closely monitoring asymptomatic virus spreaders, who made up 10 percent of newly identified cases this month.
In a possible silver lining, South Korea's reproduction rate of COVID-19, which refers to the average number of people infected with the virus by a single patient, slightly hovers above one, according to the KCDC. The previous estimate provided by the center was 1.8.
The country reported one more virus-related deaths, raising the total death toll to 279.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,774, up 14 from the previous day. Around 88 percent of South Korean COVID-19 patients have been cured.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--(URGENT) 14 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,77

(URGENT) 14 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,774: KCDC


yna--2020-06-17--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 more virus death, death toll now at 279: KCDC


yna--2020-06-17--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 43 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,198: KCDC


yna--2020-06-17--Clinical trials of chloroquine for COVID-19 treatment halted in S. Korea

In light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects , the known and potential benefits @ @ @ @ @ the known and potential risks for the authorized use , according to the FDA .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- Clinical trials in South Korea to evaluate the potential therapeutic efficacy of an anti-malaria drug, chloroquine, for the treatment of the novel coronavirus have been halted, hospital officials said Wednesday.
Two major general hospitals in Seoul -- Asan Medical Center and Gangnam Severance Hospital -- have recently ceased their clinical study of using chloroquine for the treatment of certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients, they said.
The move comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this week revoked the emergency-use authorization of chloroquine, citing potential health risks.
In light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects, the known and potential benefits of chloroquine no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorized use, according to the FDA.
South Korea's drug safety watchdog, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, earlier approved clinical trials of chloroquine and AIDS treatment Kaletra at the two hospitals.
"The clinical study was halted not just because of the FDA decision," said an official from Asan Medical Center who asked not to be named. "There were difficulties in recruiting patients as well."
Chloroquine was frequently touted by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has claimed to have used it himself.
The FDA also warned against giving chloroquine to patients who are receiving remdesivir, a medication developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences Inc.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--DRAM prices on downward trend, boding ill for Korean chipmakers

`` As retail channels in North America and Europe started to reopen and increased sales of electronic products , DRAM @ @ @ @ @ '' Kim Dong-won , an analyst at KB Securities , said .
`` Unlike market @ @ @ @ @ average selling price of DRAM and NAND flash in the third quarter is expected to @ @ @ @ @ quarter . ''

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- Spot market prices for DRAM chips are on a downward trend after reaching their peak in April, industry data showed Wednesday, boding ill for South Korean chipmakers.
The spot price of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM, a benchmark price for the category, reached US$2.90 as of Wednesday, which was down 19.4 percent from the April 7 peak of $3.60, according to data from market tracker DRAMeXchange.
On June 9, the spot price of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM fell below $3 for the first time since Dec. 13, according to DRAMeXchange.
The spot price of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM rose from late last year and took a boost as the novel coronavirus triggered non-face-to-face activities and pushed server companies to buy more chips.
This composite image created by Yonhap News TV shows the corporate logos of South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
However, the price started to decline from April as the COVID-19 pandemic began to severely impact demand for smartphones and other electronic gadgets in major markets like the United States and Europe.
According to market researcher Counterpoint Research, global smartphone shipments were 69.37 million units in April, down 41 percent from a year earlier.
The drop in chip prices may hurt South Korean chipmakers. Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. held a combined 73.4 percent market share in the first quarter, DRAMeXchange data showed.
A spot price is the price quoted in the market, while contract prices are negotiated as monthly or quarterly deals. Changes in spot prices usually affect contract prices. Generally, 90 percent of DRAM chips are traded on contract quotes.
DRAMeXchange expected that if the downward trend in DRAM spot prices continues, it could also led to a fall in contract quotes in the third quarter.
Already, major chipmakers around the globe have predicted that their sales performance may not be impressive during the current quarter.
According to market researcher IC Insights, 14 of 21 semiconductor firms that issued quarterly guidance expected their sales in the second quarter to decline.
But some analysts said that a price drop in DRAM chips may be slower than expected in the third quarter as firms maintain stable inventory levels, while the U.S. and Europe started to reopen their economies recently.
"As retail channels in North America and Europe started to reopen and increased sales of electronic products, DRAM inventory level is declining," Kim Dong-won, an analyst at KB Securities, said. "Unlike market researchers' predictions, the average selling price of DRAM and NAND flash in the third quarter is expected to stay flat from the previous quarter."
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--(2nd LD) N.K. to redeploy troops to Kaesong, Mount Kumgang areas, rejects Seoul's offer for envoys

It did not elaborate on where the border areas would be , but they seem to be referring to regions @ @ @ @ @ of Kaesong and Mount Kumgang on the east coast from which the North previously withdrew @ @ @ @ @ economic and tour projects were under way .

(ATTN: ADDS details on Kim Yo-jong's statement; TRIMS throughout)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it has rejected South Korea's offer to send special envoys and will redeploy troops to two inter-Korean business zones near the border, unrelentingly ratcheting up tensions a day after the regime blew up a joint liaison office.
The North's disclosure of its rejection of the special envoy proposal shows the regime has no intention to defuse tensions through dialogue and will carry out a series of measures it has threatened to take in anger over propaganda leaflets criticizing its leader.
As part of such measures, the General Staff of the Korean People's Army said it will send troops to the now-shuttered inter-Korean industrial complex in its border city of Kaesong and the Mount Kumgang tourist zone on the east coast -- two key symbols of inter-Korean reconciliation.
The North also said it will restore guard posts removed from the Demilitarized Zone separating the two sides and resume "all kinds of regular military exercises" near the inter-Korean border in an apparent move to abolish a military tension-reduction deal signed in 2018.
N. Korea to redeploy troops to Kaesong, Mt. Kumgang areas / S. Korea warns N. Korea will "pay price" Youtube https://youtu.be/qeUgb-8R8f8
These measures came a day after the North blew up the liaison office building in Kaesong.
"Units of the regiment level and necessary firepower sub-units with defense mission will be deployed in the Mount Kumgang tourist area and the Kaesong Industrial Zone," a spokesperson of the General Staff said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
"Civil police posts that had been withdrawn from the Demilitarized Zone under the north-south agreement in the military field will be set up again to strengthen the guard over the front line," it said.
In a separate report, the KCNA also revealed that South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered to send special envoys to leader Kim Jong-un, but the North "flatly" rejected the proposal as a "tactless" and "sinister" proposal.
"Upon the urgent message sent by the south side in a hurry, Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, made known the stand that we flatly reject the tactless and sinister proposal," the KCNA said, referring to leader Kim's sister.
Kim Yo-jong also issued a statement later, blasting South Korean President Moon over his recent speech urging the communist nation not to backtrack inter-Korean relations, and blaming Seoul for hurting cross-border ties.
On Monday, Moon delivered a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000, calling for the North to leave the door for dialogue open and emphasizing the need for the two Koreas to build mutual trust based on the spirit of the historic meeting.
Kim called the speech "disgusting," saying that it was full of excuses and deep-rooted toadyism without making an apology over leafleting and promised to prevent it but only trying to avoid responsibility.
The inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea's border city of Kaesong is blown up by the North on June 16, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
North Korea has taken a series of retaliatory action against South Korea, denouncing the sending of leaflets criticizing its leadership and regime by defectors and other activists as an act that breaches inter-Korean agreements.
Pyongyang has vowed to deal with South Korea as an "enemy," cutting off all cross-border communication lines, and threatened to take other measures, including military action. It also has threatened to dismantle a now-shuttered joint industrial park in Kaesong and scrap the 2018 military deal the two Koreas signed to reduce cross-border tensions.
On Tuesday, the KPA's General Staff warned that it is reviewing an action plan to advance into "the zones that had been demilitarized under the north-south agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the vigilance" against the South.
It did not elaborate on where the border areas would be, but they seem to be referring to regions around the western border town of Kaesong and Mount Kumgang on the east coast from which the North previously withdrew troops as the now-shuttered joint economic and tour projects were under way.
In a surprise move later on the same day, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean joint liaison office in Kaesong in anger over the leafleting issue. The explosion sparked concern that the North could put other threats against the South into action, including taking military action.
South Korea expressed strong regret and warned it would sternly respond if the North takes more action to escalate tension. Washington also urged the North to refrain from "further counterproductive actions."
The demolition of the liaison office marked the latest setback in inter-Korean relations, which have been almost stalled since a no-deal summit between Pyongyang and Washington in February last year.
Last October, North Korea demanded the South tear down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities at the now-shuttered Mount Kumgang resort on its east coast. Launched in 1998, the tour program was a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation, but it has been put on hold since 2008, when a South Korean tourist was shot dead near the resort for allegedly trespassing in an off-limits area.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--Seoul stocks open flat on escalating inter-Korean tensions

North Korea said Wednesday that it will redeploy troops to two inter-Korean business zones near the border and reinstall border @ @ @

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened almost flat Wednesday amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, bucking overnight Wall Street gains.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 1.25 points, or 0.06 percent, to 2,136.80 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
North Korea said Wednesday that it will redeploy troops to two inter-Korean business zones near the border and reinstall border guard posts.
On Tuesday, Pyongyang destroyed the inter-Korean liaison office, a symbol of the two Korea's peace efforts.
The Bank of Korea said Pyongyang's moves are expected to have a limited influence on the financial market.
In Seoul, large caps traded mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.77 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix dropped 1.41 percent.
Internet giant Naver gained 1.23 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics spiked 1.57 percent, while leading chemical maker LG Chem advanced 3.79 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,235.45 won against the U.S. dollar, down 4.65 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--Defense ministry says inter-Korean military deal should be kept

The younger Kim said Seoul should get ready for the `` scrapping of the North-South agreement in military field which @ @ @ @ @ '' if it fails to take corresponding steps for the leaflet campaigns .

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry said Wednesday that an inter-Korean tension-reduction deal signed in 2018 should be kept, following the North's apparent move to abolish the pact amid heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The General Staff of the North's Korean People's Army said it will resume regular military exercises near the inter-Korean border and reestablish guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas that had been demolished following the agreement.
Asked to comment on the announcement, Seoul's defense ministry said, "It is our basic stance that the Sept. 19 military agreement should be complied with without fail to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and to prevent accidental clashes."
The North's announcement came less than two weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong, threatened to scrap the deal altogether in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists here.
The younger Kim said Seoul should get ready for the "scrapping of the North-South agreement in military field which is hardly of any value" if it fails to take corresponding steps for the leaflet campaigns.
After a series of statements ratcheting up tensions on the peninsula, the North blew up an inter-Koran joint liaison office in the western border town of Kaesong on Tuesday.
The defense ministry said the military is closely monitoring the North's moves round-the-clock, and vowed "strong responses" if the North carries out any military provocation.
South Korean Marines patrol a perimeter fence on Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea just south of the Northern Limit Line, the inter-Korean maritime border, on June 16, 2020. South Korea's military said it is ready to respond to any North Korean provocation after Pyongyang blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong earlier in the day. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--(Yonhap Interview) QSTAG offers easy-to-use, affordable diagnostic devices in COVID-19 era

SEOUL , June 17 ( Yonhap ) -- In the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic , health concerns have @ @ @ @ @ Out of fear of catching the virus , more and more people are increasingly reluctant @ @ @ @ @ which is why South Korean bio startup QSTAG pins high hopes on self-care test kits @

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- In the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, health concerns have been growing among citizens. Out of fear of catching the virus, more and more people are increasingly reluctant to visit medical clinics, which is why South Korean bio startup QSTAG pins high hopes on self-care test kits.
QSTAG aims to provide comprehensive digital health care with easy but affordable monitoring and diagnostic methods based on QR code technology, according to its chief Lee Dong-hoon.
"Detecting and ultimately diagnosing a disease can be easily done through our platform," Lee told Yonhap News Agency on Friday. "The QR code is used for the first time in such methods for more precision."
Lee Dong-hoon, CEO of South Korea-based biotech startup QSTAG (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Founded in 2016, QSTAG has an ambitious goal to ultimately develop diagnostic devices and biomarkers that can test diseases ranging from diabetes to infectious diseases, such as the COVID-19 virus at home.
The 37-year-old entrepreneur says QSTAG's products are equipped with highly sensitive biosensors that are different from other diagnostic tools, such as home pregnancy kits, on the market.
Among the lineup of products is a disposable urine test strip, named the QS Check-UIS, that can test glucose, blood, protein and PH balance in urine to detect any abnormal sign in the body.
The strip, installed with a QR code, is then scanned with a mobile application named QS Reader -- available both on Google's Play Store for Android devices and Apple's App Store for iPhones -- for quick analysis.
"What sets QS Check-UIS apart from other conventional urinary strips is that usage is very simple and the analysis is more accurate as the result of conventional strips are often checked with the naked eye," Lee said.
The result of the urinalysis can also be accumulated on the QS Reader so that the statistical data can later be used for all medical treatment and diagnoses, Lee said.
The strip, with a price tag of just 5,500 won (US$4.50), successfully underwent clinical trials and received approval from the country's drug safety watchdog, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
This photo, provided by South Korea-based biotech startup QSTAG, shows the company's QS-Check+, an electrochemical-based disposable kit loaded with an immunologic biosensor that can detect a specific type of virus or protein. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The second product under development is called QS-Check+, an electrochemical-based disposable kit loaded with an immunologic biosensor that can detect a specific type of virus or protein.
"The prototype is under development to diagnose toxemia, but it can be utilized to diagnose other diseases if we just change the antibody of a biosensor," he said.
Toxemia, also known as preeclampsia, is a condition in pregnancy characterized by abrupt hypertension.
The entrepreneur says a dozen programmers and pathologists are preparing to apply QS-Check+ in managing other infectious diseases, possibly the COVID-19 virus.
Naver's D2 Startup Factory, an accelerator for tech startups operated by South Korea's largest internet portal operator Naver Inc., saw the startup's potential growth and decided to invest in early stage funding early this month.
"We expect to seek Series A-1 equity financing in the latter half of this year and are preparing to receive approval from overseas health authorities as well," he said.
This photo, provided by South Korea-based biotech startup QSTAG, shows the company's disposable urine test strip, named the QS Check-UIS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--S. Korea to further tighten lending rules, expand regulated areas to curb rising home prices

The government is set to roll out its toughest measures yet to stem rising housing prices in Seoul and some @ @ @ @ @ of measures , including tax hikes and loan regulations .

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will tighten lending rules and designate areas subject to tighter regulations in an effort to stem a further rise in housing prices, the government said Wednesday.
The government is set to roll out its toughest measures yet to stem rising housing prices in Seoul and some unregulated areas despite a series of measures, including tax hikes and loan regulations.
Under the measures, South Korea will increase the number of areas subject to tougher regulations, tighten lending rules and hike comprehensive real estate taxes.
This photo, taken June 16, 2020, shows apartment buildings in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Housing prices in Seoul and some adjacent cities have risen and overheating appears to spread to non-regulated areas despite the government's efforts to cool the real estate market.
Under the government's property rules unveiled in December, mortgage loans are banned for purchase of houses worth more than 1.5 billion won (US$1.3 million) in areas designated as "speculative" and "overheated speculative."
The loan-to-value ratio for the purchase of a home valued at between 900 million won to 1.5 billion won was also cut to 20 percent from the previous 40 percent.
Home transactions in South Korea sank more than 30 percent in April from the previous month due to tougher property rules and the new coronavirus pandemic, according to government data.
But the tally rose roughly 29 percent, compared with the previous year.
Excessive liquidity, sparked by a long streak of low rates, could fuel a rise in home prices, forcing the government to closely monitor the property market.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-17--KBO's accidental slugger not revealing secret to success

Though he was named the country 's best high school hitter in 2016 , the 21-year-old never hit for much @ @ @ @ @ seasons as a pro in the Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO ) .
He had @ @ @ @ @ games as a sophomore in 2018 , otherwise known as the year of the juiced @ @ @ @ @ In 122 games last year , with the de-juiced ball in play , Kim had @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- When it comes to accidental hitting heroes, few have been as unexpected as the Kiwoom Heroes' infielder Kim Hye-seong this season.
Though he was named the country's best high school hitter in 2016, the 21-year-old never hit for much power over his first three seasons as a pro in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He had five home runs in 136 games as a sophomore in 2018, otherwise known as the year of the juiced ball in the KBO. In 122 games last year, with the de-juiced ball in play, Kim had zero home runs.
But 35 games into this year, Kim already has four home runs. He's also slugging at a .491 clip, after never posting a slugging percentage higher than .367 in any season before. Kim is third on the team in slugging percentage, ahead of more proven, All-Star sluggers Kim Ha-seong and Park Byung-ho.
Kim Hye-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes watches his three-run home run against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
So how has he been able to do this?
"I haven't made any mechanical changes, but I've changed the way I am thinking at the plate," Kim said Tuesday before the Heroes hosted the Lotte Giants at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "I used to have a million things going through my head before. But I've changed in that aspect."
When pressed about specifics of his new thought process, Kim smiled sheepishly and said, "I'll keep that to myself. It's sort of a secret. Maybe I will talk about it when I am about to retire."
One thing Kim did reveal was that he has modified his pregame batting routine. In addition to hitting in the cage, Kim used to only hit off the tee, adjusting its height as necessary. Then late last month, he brought soft toss into his program.
Two days later, on May 30, Kim hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. He then enjoyed back-to-back three-hit games. In a three-game span, Kim's batting average soared from .200 to .304.
In this file photo from May 5, 2020, Kiwoom Heroes' second baseman Kim Hye-seong (C) throws to first to complete a double play against the Kia Tigers in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Kim said having an open-minded hitting coach in Kang Byung-sik has also been helpful.
"He's a great communicator," Kim said. "Whenever I am having issues at the plate, he always comes up with great solutions."
For all his newfound hitting prowess, Kim's bread and butter has been his defensive versatility. He can handle second base, third base and shortstop with equal proficiency, and he said he takes great pride in his glove.
"I always put defense first," he said. "If I struggle on the field, that affects other parts of my game, too."
He hasn't had any issues defensively this year, and offense has been a bonus.
"It feels great to be hitting so well," Kim said. "But it's still early in the season. I want to remain consistent for the rest of the season."
Kim Hye-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes (R) bumps fists with teammate Lee Jung-hoo after hitting a grand slam against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


Wednesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 17 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


KOSDAQ 731.91 DN 3.47 points (open)


KOSPI 2,133.18 DN 4.87 points (open)


yna--2020-06-17--Dollar opens at 1,212.0 won UP from 1,207.2 won


yna--2020-06-17--To get his groove back, KBO pitcher watches MLB All-Star Ryu Hyun-jin

He did n't throw any knuckleball in his first three starts but has featured it in each of his past @ @ @ @ @ he first learned how to throw that pitch in 2017 from his then Lotte pitching @ @ @ @ @ former KBO starter who used that pitch late in his pitching career .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- While pitching for the Lotte Giants in 2018, right-hander Noh Kyung-eun had one of the most effective changeups in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). In a season mostly remembered for leaguewide offensive explosion, Noh rode that changeup to a 9-6 record and a 4.08 ERA, more than a full run better than the league average. It was Noh's best season in five years.
Noh seemed to hit free agency just at the right time, but he couldn't come to terms with the Giants or anyone else. Noh sat out the entire 2019 season. He lost the precious year of pitching at age 35, and he also lost his feel for the changeup.
In this file photo from June 4, 2020, Noh Kyung-eun of the Lotte Giants pitches against the Kia Tigers in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
In hopes of getting it back after re-signing with the Giants in 2020, Noh has turned to an unlikely source for inspiration: Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Ryu Hyun-jin, who's a left-hander.
"Even though we pitch with opposite hands, I watch Hyun-jin for the way he releases the changeup," Noh said Tuesday, after earning his third win of the season in a 7-5 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Noh allowed three runs on a season-low three hits in six innings, while striking out five.
Noh and Ryu both throw a circle changeup, featuring a grip that shows a circle formation with the thumb and the index finger on the side of the ball. Pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, Ryu relied on his changeup to earn the All-Star Game starting nod and to finish second in the National League Cy Young Award voting. He parlayed that into a four-year, US$80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Noh, at 36, will not reach those heights, but he continues to work at his craft.
"I wanted to get back to the way I was throwing the changeup in 2018, but I've been struggling with it," Noh said. "In terms of my arm action and release, I was throwing my changeup like a fastball earlier this season. So I watched Hyun-jin's video quite a bit last night to get my mechanics corrected."
Noh said it's important to study other great pitchers, whether they're right-handed or left-handed, because it can keep him in a positive frame of mind.
"When you're in a slump, you may be having a lot of negative thoughts," Noh said. "But if you keep watching players who are good at what they do, it will rub off on you. It has worked for me."
In this file photo from June 10, 2020, Noh Kyung-eun of the Lotte Giants pitches against the Hanwha Eagles in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The KBO's official pitching chart on Noh's Tuesday start showed that the right-hander threw 24 sliders, 21 two-seam fastballs, 16 changeups, 15 curveballs and five four-seam fastballs. And then there were six pitches merely listed as "miscellaneous." Those were knuckleballs.
He got two swinging strikeouts with the knuckler in the first inning and induced a soft grounder to first in the fifth. Noh touched 115 kph (71.5 mph) with the knuckleball.
He didn't throw any knuckleball in his first three starts but has featured it in each of his past four starts. Noh said he first learned how to throw that pitch in 2017 from his then Lotte pitching coach Chris Oxspring, a former KBO starter who used that pitch late in his pitching career.
"I threw it occasionally in 2018, mostly in situations where I felt I could afford to mix it up a bit," Noh said. "I don't feel entirely comfortable with it just yet, and so I've been practicing hard. I hope I can start throwing more knuckleballs in games."
Lotte Giants' starter Noh Kyung-eun (R) is greeted by teammates after completing the top of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Hanwha Eagles at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)