yna--2020-09-13--(2nd LD) New virus cases under 200 for 11th day, extension of tougher virus curbs under review

(ATTN: UPDATES with more detail throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the 11th consecutive day Sunday, but sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases continued to put health authorities on alert.
Later in the day, the country will decide whether to extend stricter antivirus curbs in the greater Seoul area by another week amid expectations that it may ease some restrictions on eateries and franchise coffee shops.
The country added 121 more COVID-19 cases, including 99 local infections, raising the total caseload to 22,176, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 136 new cases reported Saturday. The number of local infections also declined below 100 for the first time in a month.
A Seoul city official checks how well quarantine measures are kept over the new coronavirus outbreak at a Catholic church in western Seoul on Sept. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
After the country kept new virus cases under 100 for months, it has seen daily infections grow by triple-digit figures since Aug. 14, due mainly to cases tied to a Protestant church and an anti-government rally in Seoul.
Since new virus cases soared to 441 on Aug. 27, they have recently slowed to the 100 range on the back of stricter social distancing guidelines. But daily infections are not on a markedly downward trend.
Health authorities said the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the densely populated Seoul area is more serious than the first wave of the virus outbreak that gripped the southeastern city of Daegu in February and March.
The country is standing at a critical juncture in deciding whether to further extend the enhanced social distancing scheme in the capital region, called Level 2.5 measures. The measures are set to end at midnight.
Under the scheme, eating at restaurants is only allowed until 9 p.m. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors are permitted to offer only takeout and delivery.
Health authorities are struggling to bring new virus cases below 100 on concerns that virus cases may rebound after the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday, set for early next month. But the prolonged virus curbs have dealt a heavy blow to small merchants and the self-employed.
Government sources said the country may keep the Level 2.5 steps in the Seoul metropolitan area but ease some business restrictions at "mid-risk" facilities, such as eateries and coffee shops.
Members of a family pay their respects at an ancestral grave site in a memorial park in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 13, 2020, well ahead of the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday. (Yonhap)
Of the newly identified local infections, 30 cases were reported in Seoul and 27 in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported three more cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern city of Daegu adding 14 cases and the southeastern port city of Busan reporting three new cases.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, stayed unchanged for a fifth day at 1,167 as of noon.
Cases tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15 reached 577, up 12 from the previous day.
Sporadic cluster infections showed no signs of letup, with cases linked to a general hospital in western Seoul rising by six to 29. Infections tied to a mountain hiking club in the Seoul area increased by three to 38.
Over the past two weeks, the proportion of untraceable cases accounted for 23.9 percent of the total 2,477 cases, according to the KDCA.
The country, meanwhile, reported 22 imported cases, with seven cases coming from Uzbekistan and four from India. Total cases coming in from overseas reached 3,003.
South Korea reported three more deaths, raising the death toll to 358. The fatality rate was 1.61 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients reached 157 as of midnight, down seven from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 18,226, up 197 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,143,270 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
This photo, taken Sept. 13, 2020, shows a closed riverside park in Yeouido, western Seoul, due to the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-13--Justice minister apologizes over alleged power abuse scandal involving her son

Choo has come under fire over allegations that she abused her power to seek special treatment for her son when @ @ @ @ @ Augmentation to the United States Army ( KATUSA ) for the 2nd Infantry Division of @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
Choo was chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party at the time .

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae apologized Sunday over allegations she used her influence to seek special favors for her son.
"I feel deeply sorry for causing troubles to the people with issues involving my son," she said in a Facebook post.
But the minister said she has kept her principles strict and has never called a goose a swan.
Choo has come under fire over allegations that she abused her power to seek special treatment for her son when he served in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. 8th Army in 2017. Choo was chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party at the time.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae arrives at the government complex in Seoul on Sept. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-09-13--Biegun expresses U.S. support for lasting peace on Korean Peninsula at ARF meeting

During the video-linked ASEAN Regional Forum ( ARF ) Ministerial Meeting on Saturday , Biegun , who also serves as @ @ @ @ @ North Korea , `` was joined by several foreign ministers in underscoring ... the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula , '' according to the State Department .

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has expressed Washington's support for efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula at a regional security forum, his office said.
During the video-linked ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting on Saturday, Biegun, who also serves as the U.S. special representative for North Korea, "was joined by several foreign ministers in underscoring ... the U.S. support for a path to lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula," according to the State Department.
Also discussed at the meeting were tensions in the South China Sea and human rights issues in Hong Kong, the department said.
The virtual meeting brought together representatives from 26 countries, including the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States, North Korea, China and Japan, as well as the EU High Commissioner.
From South Korea, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called for Asia-Pacific countries to send a "unified message" for the resumption of dialogue with North Korea.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Son-gwon did not participate in the session, but An Kwang-il, a senior North Korean diplomat in Indonesia, attended. He did not make any direct response to Kang's call.
Inter-Korean dialogue has remained stalled amid a deadlock in nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, which has continued since their summit in Hanoi in February last year ended without a deal.
In the file photo, taken July 8, 2020, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, also the U.S. special representative for North Korea, speaks to Lee Do-hoon (not pictured), special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, during their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
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yna--2020-09-13--(URGENT) Justice minister apologizes over alleged power abuse scandal involving her son

(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--2020-09-13--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2018 -- South and North Korea open their joint liaison office in the North 's border town of Kaesong , @ @ @ @ @ communication .
North Korea blew up the office in June 2020 in anger over anti-Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ by activists in the South .
( END )

Sept. 14
1956 -- The Cabinet designates Oct. 1 as Armed Forces Day, commemorating the date in 1950 when U.N.-coalition troops crossed the 38th parallel, which roughly bisects the peninsula, pushing North Korean communists northward in the Korean War.
1984 -- South Korea's Red Cross agrees to provide aid to North Korea's flood victims.
1993 -- French President Francois Mitterrand visits South Korea to discuss enhancing bilateral relations.
2004 -- London's FTSE Group puts South Korea on its watch list for promotion to developed market classification.
2012 -- The Prime Minister's Office moves into the newly built city of Sejong, becoming the first government agency to be relocated to the administrative hub in central South Korea.
2018 -- South and North Korea open their joint liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong, securing a platform for round-the-clock communication. North Korea blew up the office in June 2020 in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists in the South.
(END)


yna--2020-09-13--Trump warns N. Korea will face 'big problems' if it resumes ICBM launching: Woodward book

`` That does n't mean after January he 's not going to be doing something , '' Trump told Woodward @ @ @ @ @ the book obtained by Yonhap News Agency `` If he shoots , he shoots .
@ @ @ @ @ big problems .
Big , big problems .
Bigger than anybody 's ever had before @ @

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea would find itself in trouble "bigger than anybody's ever had before" if it resumes long-range missile tests, U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted as saying in a soon-to-be-published book.
In his upcoming book, "Rage," Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward said Trump made the remark in one of their 18 interviews held between December and July, though Trump dismissed short-range missile launches as no big deal.
"(Kim Jong-un) has tested short-range missiles. Which, by the way, every country has short-range missiles. There's no country that doesn't have them. Okay? It's not a big deal," Trump was quoted as saying.
"That doesn't mean after January he's not going to be doing something," Trump told Woodward, according to excerpts of the book obtained by Yonhap News Agency "If he shoots, he shoots. And then he's got big problems. Big, big problems. Bigger than anybody's ever had before."
The EPA photo shows the cover of the new book "Rage" by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward that is set to be released Sept. 15, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
It was unclear when the remark was made, but North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said during a key party meeting held on the eve of New Year's Day that he was no longer bound by his earlier pledges not to stage nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.
Pyongyang has not staged any nuclear or ICBM testing since then.
Woodward said Trump had stopped just short of revealing a new nuclear weapons system the U.S. has developed and that no one in the world, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, has even heard of.
"We have stuff that you haven't even seen or heard about. We have stuff that Putin and Xi have never heard about before," said Trump, according to Woodward.
The author says he later verified the existence of a new weapons system from sources that he said were surprised by the fact that Trump has even disclosed it.
North Korea staged its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017, followed by its last ICBM test in November that year.
The communist state had since kept a moratorium on nuclear and weapons testing. Its withdrawal in late 2019 from the self-imposed moratorium came after Kim's second bilateral summit with Trump, held in Hanoi in February that year, ended without a deal.
Kim and Trump first met in Singapore in June 2018.
Hwasong-15 missiles on mobile launchers are displayed during a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on Feb. 8, 2018, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
In the midst of North Korean provocations in 2017, Trump said his country came closer to a war with North Korea than anyone can imagine.
"Much closer than anyone would know. Much closer," Trump told Woodward when asked how close the countries were to war.
Trump insisted Kim too must have known.
"But he knows. I have a great relationship, let me just put it that way," Trump told Woodward.
Trump has often insisted, and more frequently in recent months with the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election coming up, that his good relationship with Kim may have been the only thing that prevented a war with the communist state.
"When I say that we got along and we've met, everyone says, 'Oh, that's so terrible.' No, it's a good thing. It's a good thing, not a bad thing. It's a good thing. Doesn't mean bad things don't happen, but it's a good thing," Trump has said of his meetings with Kim.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-13--Trump told Kim only they can end hostility, promised permanent friendship: book

`` Only you and I , working together , can resolve the issues between our two countries and end nearly @ @ @ @ @ bringing an era of prosperity to the Korean peninsula that will exceed all our greatest @ @ @ @ @ be the one to lead , '' Trump said in the letter June 12 , @ @ @ @ @ of the new book `` Rage , '' obtained by Yonhap News Agency .

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said in letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last year that only they can resolve hostility between their countries and promised to be his friend forever, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward writes in his upcoming book.
"Only you and I, working together, can resolve the issues between our two countries and end nearly 70 years of hostility, bringing an era of prosperity to the Korean peninsula that will exceed all our greatest expectations -- and you will be the one to lead," Trump said in the letter June 12, 2019, according to excerpts of the new book "Rage," obtained by Yonhap News Agency.
The file photo taken June 30, 2019, shows U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shaking hands at the Freedom House on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas. (Yonhap)
Trump's letter came about four months after he and Kim held their second bilateral summit in Hanoi in February, which ended without a deal. Trump said in the letter that he wanted to meet Kim again, according to the book.
The Watergate reporter is said to have obtained 27 letters exchanged between Trump and Kim, 25 of which have never been disclosed to the public. The book is set to hit bookshelves Tuesday.
Trump's June 12 letter was a reply to a letter from Kim, dated June 10, which Woodward describes as a "letter of verbose flattery."
"Like the brief time we had together a year ago in Singapore, every minute we shared 103 days ago in Hanoi was also a moment of glory and remains a precious memory," Kim wrote, according to the book.
"I also believe that the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force," the North Korean leader was quoted as saying.
Such flattery came from a man who, according to the book, had offered to Trump a very graphic account of how he had his own uncle executed.
Trump explained to Woodward that Kim had Jang Song-thaek, Kim's uncle by marriage, decapitated, with his body put on display on the steps of a building used by senior North Korean officials.
It was not immediately clear when Kim had offered such a vivid account of Jang's execution.
Still, Trump promised to always be Kim's friend, even after their second summit in Hanoi fell through.
"Thank you again for making this long journey to Hanoi. As I said to you when we parted ways, you are my friend and always will be," Trump wrote in another letter to Kim, dated March 22, 2019.
Kim and Trump met again in June 2019 at the joint village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone that divides the South and North Korea.
Their talks have stalled since then.
The file photo taken June 30, 2019, shows U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossing the Military Demarcation Line into the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas. Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to step onto North Korean soil. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-13--Watchdog mulls tightening unsecured loans amid sharp demand for property-related funds

`` We need to map out ways to impose tailored regulations on unsecured loans that are taken out for purposes @ @ @ @ @ , '' a regulatory authority official said .

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial watchdog is considering tightening rules on unsecured loans as more people took out such lending excessively to buy homes or invest in stocks, financial sources said Sunday.
The financial regulator has stiffened rules on mortgage lending in a bid to curb rising housing prices, but people rushed to take out credit loans to buy houses amid cheap borrowing costs.
A rally in the stock market also prompted people to borrow unsecured loans for stock investments, including public subscription for initial public offering (IPO) shares.
"We need to map out ways to impose tailored regulations on unsecured loans that are taken out for purposes other than funding living costs," a regulatory authority official said.
The watchdog saw the need to regulate credit loans, but any hasty decision could spark a strong backlash as many people borrow such loans to cover living expenses.
Local banks' non-mortgage loans gained 5.7 trillion won (US$4.8 billion) last month, larger than a 3.7 trillion-won increase in July and marking the largest monthly gain on record, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
Unsecured loans accounted for the bulk of banks' non-mortgage lending. The BOK said households rushed to borrow money to meet demand for property-related funds, stock investments and living costs.
The envisioned regulation is expected to focus on preventing people from taking out credit loans for property investments to avoid stricter rules on home-backed lending.
In a related move, the financial regulator may tighten rules for calculating home mortgages, or the debt service ratio that measures all debt principal and interest payments as a proportion of annual income.
The financial watchdog held working-level consultations with local banks last week in a bid to gauge the situation.
The Financial Supervisory Service also plans to hold a videoconference with deputy chiefs of five major banks Monday to discuss the issue.
This file photo, taken Sept. 2, 2020, shows the headquarters of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(LEAD) N. Korea's paper urges antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas

The paper said that every moment is critical in making the country 's yearlong efforts fruitful or not as the @ @ @ @ @ , adding that a sufficient stockpile of rice and food could help the push for @ @ @ @ @ enemies .

(ATTN: ADDS report on minimizing damage to crops in last 5 paras)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Monday for stepped-up antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas as a large number of people have been mobilized for recovery efforts.
North Korea has been scrambling to restore areas hit hard by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks that flooded houses, streets and rice-producing regions.
State media earlier said tens of thousands of people, including elite party members in Pyongyang, have been mobilized for recovery efforts, spawning risks that they could spread the coronavirus.
"The antivirus fight is another important front line on which top priority should be placed, along with recovery from natural disasters," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said.
"Body temperature taking and hand sanitization have been strictly enforced on workers mobilized for construction and all are required to wear masks while working in accordance with regulations," the paper added.
The paper, in particular, warned against the possibility of an outbreak along the country's coastlines through virus-contaminated trash and other items washed upon the shore.
"Due to a large amount of waste washed upon rivers and seashores caused by typhoons and flooding, the risk has increased markedly (for an outbreak of the coronavirus)," the paper said. "Special efforts are being made to strengthen the control on coastlines."
North Korea has claimed to have no coronavirus infections, but it has been swift in closing its border and has toughened quarantine criteria since early this year.
Outside experts, however, question the North's virus-free claim, citing its poor medical infrastructure and long border with China, an earlier epicenter of COVID-19.
In a separate article, the paper said that minimizing damage to crops is a "very important political task" closely related to the ruling party's authority and the country's dignity.
The paper said that every moment is critical in making the country's yearlong efforts fruitful or not as the harvest season is coming closer, adding that a sufficient stockpile of rice and food could help the push for self-reliance and self-prosperity against its enemies.
The recent back-to-back typhoons and flooding affecting the farming sector are feared to aggravate the country's food shortage problem as it is already being squeezed by its protracted border closure due to the pandemic.
Last week, leader Kim Jong-un visited a flood-hit village in the North's southwestern province known as a major rice-producing region and ordered "redoubled efforts to minimize the damage to the crops and increase the yield in a consistent and responsible way."
This marked his second visit to the area in a month. Earlier, state media reported that torrential rains left more than 900 homes flooded or destroyed and 600 hectares of rice fields inundated there.
This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 10, 2020, shows North Korean elite party members holding a mass rally at a plaza in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Sept. 8 to express their resolution to make all-out efforts to recover from typhoon damage in the country's eastern regions. The North has been hit by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks, with the latest one, Haishen, lashing the country's eastern regions on Sept. 7. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-14--GFriend to drop new Japanese digital singles next month

`` Labyrinth - Crossroads '' will consist of Japanese versions of `` Labyrinth '' and `` Crossroads '' from the @ @ @ @ @ `` Labyrinth , '' dropped last February , while `` Song of the Sirens - @ @ @ @ @ Apple '' and `` Tarot Cards '' from its latest EP `` Song of the @ @ @ @ @ out in July in South Korea .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl group GFriend plans to release two digital singles in Japan next month, its management agency said Monday.
The singles -- "Labyrinth - Crossroads" and "Song of the Sirens - Apple" -- will be released on Oct. 14 and 21, respectively, according to Source Music.
"Labyrinth - Crossroads" will consist of Japanese versions of "Labyrinth" and "Crossroads" from the band's eighth EP album "Labyrinth," dropped last February, while "Song of the Sirens - Apple" will carry "Apple" and "Tarot Cards" from its latest EP "Song of the Sirens," which came out in July in South Korea.
These will be the band's first Japanese releases since its first Japanese full-length album, "Fallin' Light," which came out last September.
GFriend debuted in Japan in 2018 in partnership with King Record, a major Japanese record company, and has since released three singles and one full-length album.
The act has successfully settled in the market, winning the "Best 3 New Artists" award at the 33rd Japan Golden Disk Awards.
A photo of K-pop girl group GFriend, provided by the band's management agency Source Music (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-14--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Sep. 14 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-09-14--S. Korean trade minister to head to Washington to drum up support for her bid to become WTO chief

When asked about the trade row between the world 's top two economies last month , Yoo did not provide @ @ @ @ @ that she will serve all members of the WTO .
Yoo added she holds the @ @ @ @ @ trade row between South Korea and Japan .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade minister plans to visit the United States this week to win support for her bid to become the new head of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee will depart for her four-day trip to Washington on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, where she plans to meet U.S. government and business officials.
During the trip, Yoo is also expected to discuss a wide array of issues related to the economic ties between South Korea and the U.S.
The minister also visited Geneva and Paris earlier this month to meet representatives from the member countries.
Yoo is competing against candidates from seven countries -- Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Moldova, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Britain.
Trade Minister Yoo Mying-hee returns home from her trip to Geneva and Paris at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
The WTO member countries will provide a maximum of four preferences, after which three candidates will be removed from the list.
The final result is widely anticipated to be delivered in early November.
She was appointed as trade minister in February last year, becoming the first woman to be named to the top-ranking position in the 70-year history of the trade ministry.
During her campaign, Yoo vowed to focus on rebuilding trust in the multilateral trading system by making it more relevant, resilient and responsive, once she gets picked as the new leader.
The latest selection process comes amid the escalating tension between the U.S. and China.
When asked about the trade row between the world's top two economies last month, Yoo did not provide a direct statement but reiterated that she will serve all members of the WTO. Yoo added she holds the same stance over the yearlong trade row between South Korea and Japan.
colin@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-14--Samsung joins hands with local digital design firm for signage content

Under the partnership with d'strict , Samsung will deliver new digital content for its LED signage products installed across the @ @ @ @ @ famous landmarks such as Times Square in New York , the United States and Milan @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday said it has joined hands with a local digital design firm to develop signage content.
Under the partnership with d'strict, Samsung will deliver new digital content for its LED signage products installed across the globe, including those in famous landmarks such as Times Square in New York, the United States and Milan Cathedral in Italy.
"Through the partnership with d'strict, Samsung's digital signage not only can deliver information, but also can serve as a media art platform," said Ha Hyesung, senior vice president of visual display business at Samsung.
In this photo provided Samsung Electronics Co. on Sept. 14, 2020, a video art installation titled "Wave" from local design firm d'strict is displayed on Samsung's LED signage at COEX in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Founded in 2004, d'strict is a renowned digital media content producer, having claimed various international design awards. In May, the company showcased a video art installation of ocean waves on Samsung's giant LED signage at COEX in Seoul.
According to market researcher Omdia, Samsung was the top brand in the global digital signage market last year with a 27.3 percent share, keeping its lead for 11 consecutive years since 2009.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--S. Korean group provides 50,000 face masks to U.S. Korean War veterans

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the war , in which around 1.95 million people from 22 countries , @ @ @ @ @ participated to help South Korea fight North Korea backed by the Soviet Union and China @

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's veterans association said Monday it has provided 50,000 face masks to a U.S. veterans group to help American Korean War veterans fight the new coronavirus.
The Korean Veterans Association also donated US$10,000 to the U.S.-based Korean War Veterans Association to express gratitude for their sacrifice during the 1950-53 conflict.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the war, in which around 1.95 million people from 22 countries, including 1.6 million Americans, participated to help South Korea fight North Korea backed by the Soviet Union and China.
This undated photo, provided by the Korean Veterans Association on Sept. 14, 2020, shows officials from South Korea and the United States posing for a photo during an event to thank Americans who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-09-14--Cheong Wa Dae dismisses criticism against phone service fee subsidy plan, says the aid is meaningful

Many people have shown a lukewarm , or negative , response to the communication fee subsidy plan estimated to cost @ @ @ @ @ say it 's pointless to offer the financial support of 20,000 won , given the @ @ @ @ @ that the people suffer due to the coronavirus .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae reaffirmed a plan Monday to provide all South Koreans, aged 13 or older, with 20,000 won (US$16.80) in one-off financial support for their communication service charges despite a backlash against it.
The government made the policy decision through "a lot of consideration," Lee Ho-seung, senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in for economic affairs, said during a radio interview.
Last week, Moon announced the scheme, citing increased burdens among people here for their communication fees, including smartphone service charges, due to more non-contact activities attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aid is part of the government's new stimulus package, worth 7.8 trillion won, awaiting parliamentary approval.
Lee Ho-seung, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, in a file photo (Yonhap)
Many people have shown a lukewarm, or negative, response to the communication fee subsidy plan estimated to cost 900 billion won. Critics say it's pointless to offer the financial support of 20,000 won, given the scale of troubles and damages that the people suffer due to the coronavirus.
In a Realmeter survey of 500 voters nationwide, 58.2 percent of respondents said it is a "wrong" policy measure, while 37.8 percent answered positively. The poll was conducted last Friday, with the margin of error standing at plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Even South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, a ruling Democratic Party heavyweight, openly questioned the efficacy of the policy. He proposed instead expanding free-of-charge public Wi-Fi networks across the country in order to relieve the people's communication fee burden.
The conservative main opposition People Power Party earlier stated that it would be better for the government to offer flu shots for all people rather than the communication charge subsidy.
The Cheong Wa Dae official stressed that the 20,000-won support is not trivial.
A household with two secondary school students will be eligible for 80,000 won, he pointed out.
Lee said it is "not understandable" to say that the amount is meaningless from the viewpoint of ordinary people who have to pay communication fees every month.
He added it is difficult to immediately install additional public Wi-Fi facilities, with the supplying of related equipment necessary, and that it also takes time to produce additional flu vaccines.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Prosecutors question justice minister's son over alleged special favors

The minister has come under fire over allegations she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic @ @ @ @ @ leave for her son after he received knee surgery in June 2017 .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors questioned Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's son on the weekend over allegations he got special extended leave during his mandatory military service in 2017, the prosecution said Monday.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office said they called in the 27-year-old, surnamed Seo, on Sunday, and one of Choo's former aides on Saturday.
Seo was questioned the same day Choo apologized for the scandal on her Facebook page.
The minister has come under fire over allegations she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party to get special extended leave for her son after he received knee surgery in June 2017.
Seo served in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Eighth Army.
This photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaving her home in eastern Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--HDC shares climb after Asiana deal collapses

With the collapse of the deal , Asiana will be placed under the control of its creditor banks and undergo @ @ @ @ @ up for sale again , according to its main creditor Korea Development Bank ( KDB @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Shares in HDC Hyundai Development Co. climbed after its planned acquisition of debt-ridden Asiana Airlines Inc. fell through last week amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 10 a.m., HDC shares rose 1.2 percent to 25,050 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.9 percent gain, as it was relieved of the financial burden of taking over the carrier.
But Asiana shares fell 1.5 percent to 4,005 won, as it faces restructuring under its creditor banks. Asiana's parent Kumho Industrial Co. rose 2.2 percent to 6,890 won.
"HDC shareholders appear to be relieved from concerns of the winner's curse," Roh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said.
Kumho Industrial, which owns a controlling 30.77 percent stake in Asiana, on Friday notified HDC of the termination of the drawn-out deal after they failed to narrow differences over the terms of the 2.5 trillion won (US$2.2 billion) deal.
With the collapse of the deal, Asiana will be placed under the control of its creditor banks and undergo restructuring before it is put up for sale again, according to its main creditor Korea Development Bank (KDB).
A state-run key industry fund will inject 2.4 trillion won into the carrier to help it stay afloat this year amid virus woes, the KDB said.
Asiana has suspended most of its flights on international routes since March, dealing a further blow to its bottom line.
Its net losses deepened to 432.88 billion won in the January-June period from 267.4 billion won a year earlier. Its overall debts reached 11.55 trillion won at the end of June.
This Yonhap News TV image shows HDC's headquarters building in Seoul (R) and an Asiana passenger jet at a local airport. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Samsung to unveil budget edition of Galaxy S20 next week

Samsung did not reveal which device will be newly introduced , but industry insiders expect the company will showcase its @ @ @ @ @ FE ) , considering that it emphasized fans in its invitation .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday said it will unveil a new smartphone next week that is widely expected to be a budget edition of the Galaxy S20 smartphone.
The South Korean tech firm said it will hold the "Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan" online event on Sept. 23.
Samsung did not reveal which device will be newly introduced, but industry insiders expect the company will showcase its Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE), considering that it emphasized fans in its invitation.
"Over the years, Samsung has developed a special relationship with Galaxy fans around the world," Samsung said. "Their valuable feedback has helped create exciting innovations and made mobile experiences better for everyone."
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on Sept. 14, 2020, shows the invitation for the company's Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan online event slated for Sept. 23, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The Galaxy S20 FE has been tipped to be a budget model of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S20 series introduced in February.
Foreign tech reviewers predicted the Galaxy S20 FE to have a 6.5-inch display supporting a 120 hertz refresh rate along with 6 gigabytes of RAM and 128GB of storage space. It is expected to have a triple rear camera setup.
The price of the Galaxy S20 FE is estimated to be around 800,000 won (US$670) to 900,000 won in South Korea. The standard Galaxy S20 was launched with a price tag of 1.24 million won here
The new smartphone is expected to go on sale in South Korea next month.
The company asked some 10,000 Samsung Membership owners in the past two months about the Galaxy device features and reportedly tried to best reflect the survey results in the upcoming smartphone.
According to the survey, the users' most preferred color for the Galaxy devices was navy, followed by lavender and mint.
When it comes to display features, users most liked the 120Hz refresh rate, followed by dark mode and Infinity-O display.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin flips script, finds groove vs. Mets

Under the expanded format this year , the top two clubs from each of the six divisions , plus the @ @ @ @ @ each league , will qualify for the postseason .
Either as one of the top @ @ @ @ @ East or as a Wild Card entry , the Blue Jays look poised to advance @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Opponents' scouting report on Ryu Hyun-jin may say the Toronto Blue Jays' left-hander is mostly a changeup pitcher. They wouldn't be entirely wrong, but that wouldn't necessarily prepare them for Ryu's ability to make in-game adjustments and flip the script on hitters.
Ryu picked up his fourth win of the season against the New York Mets at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sunday (local time). He gave up eight hits, just one shy of his season high, but limited the damage to one run over six innings. Ryu struck out seven and walked none, as the Blue Jays took the game 7-3.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the New York Mets in the top of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu had been relying on his changeup about 30 percent of the time prior to this outing. With his four-seam fastball velocity and command not up to par in last week's start against the New York Yankees, Ryu used his changeup to get himself out of trouble.
Against the Mets, Ryu only used his changeup 17 percent of the time -- 16 out of his 92 pitches. After getting away from his fastball last week, Ryu threw it 38 percent of the time against the Mets. He also mixed in cutter, curveball and sinker.
Ryu offered five changeups in the first inning but gave up two singles with that pitch without inducing and swing-and-misses. The Mets scored their only run off Ryu in the first inning, too.
Ryu didn't throw any changeup over the next two frames, instead going with his four-seamer and cutter to keep pitching out of early trouble.
Ryu struck out the side in the fourth in vintage Ryu fashion -- with three different pitches. Pete Alonso fanned on a changeup, Brandon Nimmo looked at an inside fastball, and Robinson Chirinos swung and missed on a high cutter.
Ryu pitched clean innings in the fifth and sixth and threw only one changeup in each of those frames.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the New York Mets in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The veteran said he can change his game plan on the fly as necessary, and Sunday's game was no exception.
"After giving up a run in the first, I decided to change my pitch sequence, and it worked to a great effect," Ryu said in his postgame Zoom session. "I allowed a couple of hits with the changeup in the first inning, and then I started going to my fastball and cutter to keep hitters off balance. That way, I was able to go six innings."
Seven of the Mets' eight hits against Ryu were singles, and some were softly hit balls that managed to find holes through the infield.
"I didn't give up hard contact, so I managed to minimize the damage after those early hits," Ryu said. "If I had allowed more hits with runners on, this would have been a difficult outing."
By taking two out of three against the Mets, the Blue Jays remained in second place in the American League (AL) East at 26-20, half a game ahead of the Yankees.
Under the expanded format this year, the top two clubs from each of the six divisions, plus the next two best teams from each league, will qualify for the postseason. Either as one of the top two in the competitive AL East or as a Wild Card entry, the Blue Jays look poised to advance to their first postseason since 2016.
The Blue Jays are 8-2 in Ryu's 10 starts this season. With a 4-1 record and a 3.00 ERA, Ryu has come as advertised, serving as the bona fide No. 1 starter for an emerging club that needed stability in the rotation to contend.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the New York Mets in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We're all pushing each other this season, and we don't rely on one particular player," Ryu said. "Our young players have been performing well. They're really demonstrating their talent on the field and at the plate."
In this truncated, 60-game season, the Blue Jays have 14 games remaining, with Ryu expected to get two more starts and, should they qualify, pitch in the opening game of the playoffs.
"As always, I'll focus on my command over the next two starts," Ryu said. "I will do my best to help the team win both of those games."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Lotte Aluminium expands output capacity of cathode foil

SEOUL , Sept. 14 ( Yonhap ) -- Lotte Aluminium Co. said Monday that it has increased the production line @ @ @ @ @ plant near Seoul to meet growing demand for electric vehicle batteries .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Aluminium Co. said Monday that it has increased the production line of cathode foil at its plant near Seoul to meet growing demand for electric vehicle batteries.
The move raised the annual production capacity of cathode foil -- a key material in making EV batteries -- at the Ansan plant, about 40 kilometers southwest of Seoul, to 12,000 tons from the previous 3,000 tons.
Lotte Aluminium is also set to complete its plant with a capacity of 18,000 tons of cathode foil in Tatabanya Industrial Park in northwestern Hungary in 2021.
The increased production capacity is meant to meet growing demand for EV batteries amid the global race for zero-emissions cars.
Lotte Aluminium said it aims to sell its cathode foil to South Korean manufacturers of EV batteries, though it did not give details.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(LEAD) New virus cases under 200 for 12th day; eased virus curbs applied in greater Seoul

The KDCA said the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the greater Seoul area is more serious than the @ @ @ @ @ outbreak that gripped the southeastern city of Daegu in February and March .

(ATTN: CORRECTS info about imported cases in 21st para; ADDS more details in paras 12-13)
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the 12th straight day Monday, but health authorities remain on alert over continued cluster infections across the nation and untraceable cases.
The country began eased virus curbs in the greater Seoul area for the next two weeks, allowing eateries, franchise coffee chains and other facilities to operate normally under stricter quarantine measures.
The country added 109 more COVID-19 cases, including 98 local infections, raising the total caseload to 22,285, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 121 new cases reported Sunday. The number of local infections also remained in double digits for the second consecutive day.
But the fall in daily virus cases also came as virus tests tend to be fewer over the weekend than weekdays.
This photo, taken Sept. 13, 2020, shows a closed riverside park in Yeouido, western Seoul, due to the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
After the country kept new virus cases under 100 for months, it has seen daily infections remain in triple digits since Aug. 14, due mainly to cases tied to a church and an anti-government rally in Seoul.
Since new virus cases soared to 441 on Aug. 27, daily virus cases have recently slowed to the 100 range on the back of stricter social distancing guidelines. But daily infections are not on a markedly downward trend.
Despite concerns about sporadic cluster infections, health authorities decided Sunday to ease the enhanced social distancing scheme in the densely populated capital region to take into account economic pains facing the self-employed.
The country placed Seoul and the surrounding area under the Level 2 rules in the three-tier system, on par with the nationwide alert level, after applying Level 2.5 measures for the past two weeks.
Under the enhanced scheme, eating at restaurants was only allowed until 9 p.m. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors were permitted to offer only takeout and delivery.
Now, those facilities are permitted to operate normally, but under the condition that they will strictly manage entry logs of customers and keep other sanitation measures.
A ban on operations was also lifted for midsize cram schools and indoor sports facilities under the strict quarantine steps.
The country is also allowing internet cafes across the nation to reopen. But they should ban the entry of teenagers and eating food inside the cafes and ensure that customers sit at a distance from one another.
A Catholic church in the central city of Daejeon holds Mass on Sept. 13, 2020, as the city government permitted offline religious services amid the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
Despite the relaxed virus curbs, health authorities warned against any complacency on concerns that coronavirus cases may rebound after the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday.
The KDCA said the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the greater Seoul area is more serious than the first wave of the virus outbreak that gripped the southeastern city of Daegu in February and March.
Of the newly identified local infections, 41 cases were reported in Seoul and 30 in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported 10 more cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding three cases and South Chungcheong Province reporting seven new cases.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, stayed unchanged for a fifth day at 1,167 as of noon Sunday.
Cases tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15 reached 577.
Sporadic cluster infections showed no signs of letup, with cases linked to a general hospital in western Seoul rising by six to 29.
The country, meanwhile, reported 11 imported cases, with six cases coming from Uzbekistan and two from the Philippines.
South Korea reported five more deaths, raising the death toll to 363. The fatality rate was 1.63 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients stayed unchanged at 157 as of midnight.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 18,489, up 263 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,151,002 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
Members of a family pay their respects at an ancestral grave site in a memorial park in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 13, 2020, well ahead of the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Gov't signals negative economic growth inevitable for 2020

Advance indicators show that domestic economic activity has worsened to levels in February and March , when the country was @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 outbreak after the first case was reported in late January .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's negative economic growth is expected to be inevitable for this year in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials have said.
Local bureaucrats' growing pessimism about Asia's fourth-largest economy comes as economic activity has been battered by tougher social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area in the past two weeks.
The government has so far maintained a position that it would even draw up an additional supplementary budget to prevent the economy slipping into negative growth.
"The government sees it as difficult for (the economy) to post positive growth for this year," Second Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom told a radio program on Friday.
"The government task for the second quarter is to minimize the pace of economic contraction by controlling COVID-19 outbreaks and engineering a recovery in exports."
This photo, taken on Sept. 8, 2020, shows the quiet Myeongdong shopping district in central Seoul in the wake of stricter social distancing measures. (Yonhap)
It marks the first time for the government to officially mention that it may be difficult for South Korea to pull off positive growth this year.
The finance ministry has yet to adjust its growth projection for 2020. In June, it revised down its growth outlook to 0.1 percent from the 2.4 percent forecast late last year.
Last week, the state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI) cut the nation's economic growth outlook to a contraction of 1.1 percent this year, a sharp downward revision of a 0.2 percent expansion in its May forecast, citing the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
The government's turnabout and the KDI's downward revision are largely attributed to a recent resurgence of the new coronavirus that is widely expected to delay the pace of an economic recovery.
Advance indicators show that domestic economic activity has worsened to levels in February and March, when the country was in the heat of the COVID-19 outbreak after the first case was reported in late January.
According the finance ministry, credit card spending at local restaurants tumbled 28.4 percent in the first week of September from a year earlier.
The number of moviegoers nose-dived 74.7 percent on-year during the fourth week of August, and that of subway users also plunged 41.4 percent on-year in the first week of this month.
According to data from Statistics Korea, retail sales in July contracted 6 percent from the previous month.
In order to keep the economy from lapsing into a further slump, the government is seeking to map out a series of countermeasures, including more investment by public corporations.
The coronavirus outbreak has plunged the South Korean economy into a recession, defined as two consecutive sessions of contraction, as its gross domestic product shrank 3.3 percent in the second quarter after a 1.3 percent on-quarter retreat three months earlier.
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--N. Korea's paper urges antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas

`` Due to a large amount of waste washed upon rivers and seashores caused by typhoons and flooding , the @ @ @ @ @ for an outbreak of the coronavirus ) , '' the paper said .
`` Special @ @ @ @ @ strengthen the control on coastlines . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Monday for stepped-up antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas as a large number of people have been mobilized for recovery efforts.
North Korea has been scrambling to restore areas hit hard by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks that flooded houses, streets and rice-producing regions.
State media earlier said tens of thousands of people, including elite party members in Pyongyang, have been mobilized for recovery efforts, spawning risks that they could spread the coronavirus.
"The antivirus fight is another important front line on which top priority should be placed, along with recovery from natural disasters," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said.
"Body temperature taking and hand sanitization have been strictly enforced on workers mobilized for construction and all are required to wear masks while working in accordance with regulations," the paper added.
The paper, in particular, warned against the possibility of an outbreak along the country's coastlines through virus-contaminated trash and other items washed upon the shore.
"Due to a large amount of waste washed upon rivers and seashores caused by typhoons and flooding, the risk has increased markedly (for an outbreak of the coronavirus)," the paper said. "Special efforts are being made to strengthen the control on coastlines."
North Korea has claimed to have no coronavirus infections, but it has been swift in closing its border and has toughened quarantine criteria since early this year.
Outside experts, however, question the North's virus-free claim, citing its poor medical infrastructure and long border with China, an earlier epicenter of COVID-19.
This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 10, 2020, shows North Korean elite party members holding a mass rally at a plaza in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Sept. 8 to express their resolution to make all-out efforts to recover from typhoon damage in the country's eastern regions. The North has been hit by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks, with the latest one, Haishen, lashing the country's eastern regions on Sept. 7. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Defense ministry begins construction of new military prison

The new facility will adopt an advanced design for a correctional facility , including having a `` day room '' @ @ @ @ @ by prisoners to which they are admitted for diverse activities -- in the first such @ @ @ @ @ according to the ministry .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry broke ground Monday for the construction of a new correctional facility for convicted service members in the city of Icheon to replace decades-old facilities, officials said.
Under the 19.8 billion-won (US$16.6 million) project, the ministry will build three new buildings in Icheon, some 80 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in replacement of the existing buildings at the same location, the ministry said.
The construction will to be completed in April 2022, it said.
The detention complex, named the Military Correctional Institution, is the country's only military prison.
The new facility will adopt an advanced design for a correctional facility, including having a "day room" -- a common space used by prisoners to which they are admitted for diverse activities -- in the first such case among local penitentiaries, according to the ministry.
"The envisioned facility is expected to help upgrade the country's prison culture and to help inmates better cultivate sociality," the ministry said in a statement.
This image provided by the defense ministry shows an envisioned military detention complex to be built in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--BTS leader RM donates 100 mln won to state-run art foundation

The rapper-singer of BTS is well known for his keen interest in and engagement with the art community , having @ @ @ @ @ museums and galleries even during the band 's busy touring and publicity schedules throughout the @ @ @ @ @ social media .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- RM, the leader of K-pop super group BTS and a well-known art buff, has donated 100 million won (US$84,000) to the art foundation of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) on the occasion of his birthday last week, the foundation announced Monday.
The donation will be used to distribute 4,000 art catalogues of leading South Korean contemporary art masters, including Kim Whan-ki, Lee Jung-seob and Yoo Young-kuk, to 400 public and school libraries across the country, according to the MMCA.
This file photo shows RM, leader of South Korean boy group BTS, at a press conference for the band's album "Map of the Soul: Persona" in Seoul on April 17, 2019. (Yonhap)
According to the foundation, RM said he hoped to encourage a culture of reading art books and nurture artistic sensibilities among the youth.
"RM has expressed his wish to support the art community from which he often gets his inspiration and spiritual comfort," MMCA head Youn Bum-mo said.
"We were pleased and surprised after he hoped that young students who have difficulties with access to art galleries can more easily understand art through books."
The rapper-singer of BTS is well known for his keen interest in and engagement with the art community, having made regular visits to art museums and galleries even during the band's busy touring and publicity schedules throughout the years and sharing them on social media.
He made a visit to the digital art exhibition "Starry Beach" by media art unit a'strict at Kukje Gallery in central Seoul on Saturday, his birthday, posting a photo of the visit on his social media account.
BTS became the first-ever South Korean singer or group to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's main Hot 100 singles chart last month with its disco-pop track "Dynamite." Last week, the band retained the top position for the second consecutive week.
This image captured from the social media account of BTS on Aug. 9, 2020, shows group leader RM viewing a retrospective exhibit of Lee Seung-jio at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art's gallery in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Medical students to return to school, ending collective action

Medical students have taken a leave of absence in protest of the government 's plan to increase admission quotas at @ @ @ @ @ fourth-year students who have been boycotting the state licensing exam also said Sunday they will @ @ @ @ @ action .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Medical students will return to schools after ending their collective action taken in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan, their representatives said Monday.
Medical students have taken a leave of absence in protest of the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools. Meanwhile, fourth-year students who have been boycotting the state licensing exam also said Sunday they will put on hold their collective action.
The Korean Medical Student Association representing some 20,000 students said Monday its junior members, excluding the fourth year, will return to school after putting the issue to a vote.
This photo, taken on Sept. 10, 2020, shows a medical student entering a building in Seoul to take the state medical licensing exam. (Yonhap)
As trainee doctors returned to work after weeks of a strike over the government's policy, the medical students' collective action has served as a lingering source of tension between the government and the medical sector over the proposed reform plan.
Doctors and the government have been at odds over whether to give senior medical students another opportunity to take the licensing exam.
Doctors insisted students be allowed to take the test even if they did not register before the deadline, while the government has rejected such a step.
The government's plan to expand the number of medical students by 4,000 over the next 10 years and open a new public medical school sparked tensions within the medical sector.
Thousands of trainee doctors staged a strike for 18 days starting in mid-August over the policy.
A group of doctors and the ruling party agreed in early September to end a nationwide walkout on concerns that the prolonged collective action could disrupt the health care system amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
In response to the deal, the government backed down and promised to suspend the medical reform plan in early September.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--New virus cases under 200 for 12th day; eased virus curbs applied in greater Seoul

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the 12th straight day Monday, but health authorities remain on alert over continued cluster infections across the nation and untraceable cases.
The country began eased virus curbs in the greater Seoul area for the next two weeks, allowing eateries, franchise coffee chains and other facilities to operate normally under stricter quarantine measures.
The country added 109 more COVID-19 cases, including 98 local infections, raising the total caseload to 22,285, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 121 new cases reported Sunday. The number of local infections also remained in double digits for the second consecutive day.
But the fall in daily virus cases also came as virus tests tend to be fewer over the weekend than weekdays.
This photo, taken Sept. 13, 2020, shows a closed riverside park in Yeouido, western Seoul, due to the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
After the country kept new virus cases under 100 for months, it has seen daily infections remain in triple digits since Aug. 14, due mainly to cases tied to a church and an anti-government rally in Seoul.
Since new virus cases soared to 441 on Aug. 27, daily virus cases have recently slowed to the 100 range on the back of stricter social distancing guidelines. But daily infections are not on a markedly downward trend.
Despite concerns about sporadic cluster infections, health authorities decided Sunday to ease the enhanced social distancing scheme in the densely populated capital region to take into account economic pains facing the self-employed.
The country placed Seoul and the surrounding area under the Level 2 rules in the three-tier system, on par with the nationwide alert level, after applying Level 2.5 measures for the past two weeks.
Under the enhanced scheme, eating at restaurants was only allowed until 9 p.m. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors were permitted to offer only takeout and delivery.
Now, those facilities are permitted to operate normally, but under the condition that they will strictly manage entry logs of customers and keep other sanitation measures.
A Catholic church in the central city of Daejeon holds Mass on Sept. 13, 2020, as the city government permitted offline religious services amid the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
Despite the relaxed virus curbs, health authorities warned against any complacency on concerns that coronavirus cases may rebound after the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday.
The KDCA said the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the greater Seoul area is more serious than the first wave of the virus outbreak that gripped the southeastern city of Daegu in February and March.
Of the newly identified local infections, 41 cases were reported in Seoul and 30 in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported 10 more cases.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding three cases and South Chungcheong Province reporting seven new cases.
Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, stayed unchanged for a fifth day at 1,167 as of noon Sunday.
Cases tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15 reached 577.
Sporadic cluster infections showed no signs of letup, with cases linked to a general hospital in western Seoul rising by six to 29.
The country, meanwhile, reported 11 imported cases, with seven cases coming from Uzbekistan and four from India.
South Korea reported five more deaths, raising the death toll to 363. The fatality rate was 1.63 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients stayed unchanged at 157 as of midnight.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 18,489, up 263 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,151,002 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
Members of a family pay their respects at an ancestral grave site in a memorial park in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 13, 2020, well ahead of the upcoming Chuseok fall harvest holiday. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(URGENT) 263 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 18,489: KDCA

(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--2020-09-14--Finance minister, ADB chief vow cooperation against COVID-19

The meeting took place as the ADB is set to hold the 53rd annual meeting of its board of governors @ @ @ @ @ , currently chair of the board , will take part in sessions on Friday .

SEJONG, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa held a video-linked meeting on Monday and pledged to cooperate against the new coronavirus, the finance ministry said.
During the talks, Hong and Asakawa agreed to encourage countries in the Asia Pacific region to cooperate in various sectors to respond to COVID-19, according to the ministry.
Hong also proposed opening ADB's Seoul office to boost cooperative ties, the ministry said.
Asakawa said they should strengthen cooperation in the private sector.
The meeting took place as the ADB is set to hold the 53rd annual meeting of its board of governors later this week. Hong, currently chair of the board, will take part in sessions on Friday.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki holds video-linked talks with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa at the government complex in Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--S. Korea, China to run temporary air routes

The number of regular flight routes between South Korea and China has dropped from 84 as of late last year @ @ @ @ @ the face of the COVID-19 crisis .
The number of flights plunged from 1,164 a @ @ @ @ @ period .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Temporary flights will start to operate this week to allow South Korean residents in China who returned here during COVID-19 outbreak to travel back to China, the government said Monday.
Korean Air Lines Co. and Xiamen Airlines will operate a total seven flights from Incheon, west of Seoul, to Qingdao, Zhengzhou and Xiamen, from Thursday until Oct. 15, it said.
The number of regular flight routes between South Korea and China has dropped from 84 as of late last year to 16 last month in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. The number of flights plunged from 1,164 a week to 21 during the period.
All passengers must submit the results of a coronavirus test conducted within 72 hours prior to boarding and follow anti-virus guidelines.
The flight schedules are subject to change depending on the two countries' coronavirus situations, the government said.
"Our government will continue to consult with the Chinese side to add more flight routes and mitigate inconveniences experienced by our citizens in purchasing air tickets," it said in a release.
In this file photo, taken on May 7, 2020, planes are parked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--BTS says new album will touch on pending global issues

Suga added , `` But also leading the chart on the second week , that we did not expect .
@ @ @ @ @ top the chart on the first week if we were lucky . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- The themes and messages on the upcoming new album by BTS will revolve around major issues faced by the global community, the group hinted Monday.
"(The album) will include various genres of songs, so it's hard to generalize the album as being of such and such genre," BTS leader RM said during an interview on MBC Radio's "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp."
"The message will include topics that are deemed most necessary (for discussion) nowadays." he added.
The seven-member boy band plans to release a new studio album near the end of the year.
BTS made history last month by becoming the first South Korean artist to top Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart with its disco-pop single "Dynamite." The song took the top position on Billboard's main singles chart for the second-straight week last week.
"It'd be a lie (to say) we didn't look forward (to debuting at No. 1 on the Hot 100)," BTS member Suga said when asked whether the group anticipated the stellar performance of "Dynamite."
[BTS NEWS] BTS on radio show, Bang PD cried? Public consensus needed for BTS’ exemption Youtube https://youtu.be/ardUOEVQPAs
A teaser image provided by MBC Radio on Sept. 14, 2020, for the network's evening program "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp," with K-pop group BTS as a featured guest. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Suga added, "But also leading the chart on the second week, that we did not expect. We thought we could potentially top the chart on the first week if we were lucky."
The members also did not shy away from their aspirations for a possible nomination at the Grammy Awards in the United States.
"It's a big goal. We're dreaming for it," said RM.
The runaway success of "Dynamite," the group's first full-English track, in the U.S. has prompted speculations that the band could earn its first-ever Grammy nomination this year.
The band has made appearances twice at the event, as an award presenter in 2019 and as an onstage performer at the 62nd event held in January, where the K-pop septet performed with rapper Lil Nas X.
Besides hopes for a long-awaited nomination, BTS stated earlier this month that it hopes to perform at the annual award ceremony run by the U.S. Recording Academy as a stand-alone act.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(2nd LD) (News Focus) Suga as next Japanese premier likely to stay course on S. Korea relations: exp

(2nd LD) (News Focus) Suga as next Japanese premier likely to stay course on S. Korea relations: experts

Having taken a central role in the Abe administration over the last nearly eight years , Suga is not expected @ @ @ @ @ tenets of its policy agenda .
But his unique background different from other political heavyweights @ @ @ @ @ pedigrees like Abe , raises cautious hopes that he could have more room for policy @ @

(ATTN: ADDS foreign ministry official's comment in 3rd to last para)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- As Yoshihide Suga, a key loyalist of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is poised to succeed the hawkish leader, Tokyo is likely to stay the course in its hard-line stance on Seoul rather than seeking an immediate policy shift, analysts said Monday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s leadership contest and is expected to be endorsed as new premier in a parliamentary vote slated for Wednesday. Abe announced his surprise decision to step down due to ill health last month.
Suga's election came after he garnered crucial support from five of the governing party's seven factions, many favoring policy continuity, in a reminder of the intricate political dynamics that make it difficult for a new leader to push for a drastic policy change.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga waves after being elected head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at a Tokyo hotel on Sept. 14, 2020, in this photo released by Kyodo News. (Yonhap)
Suga could seek to call a snap general election to tighten his power grip and secure a stronger public mandate for his own brand of policy, but the imperative to rally right-wing voters for a win may keep him from drifting far away from Abe's conservative agenda, analysts said.
The leadership change in Japan comes in the midst of tensions between Seoul and Tokyo over trade and wartime history, which have stoked concerns over their failure to step up cooperation to meet shared challenges, such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
"In the broad scheme of things, there may not be a big policy change under Suga, who was once a key member of the Japan Conference," Nam Chang-hee, a professor of international politics at Inha University, said, referring to Japan's largest ultraconservative group.
"Given that the Suga administration will operate within the LDP power dynamics, it may not be easy for him to independently push for policies of his own color immediately," he added.
During his campaign for the ruling party chief post, Suga hinted at his desire to inherit Abe's policies ranging from the "Abenomics" of fiscal and monetary stimulus and structural reforms to the security priority on the U.S.-Japan alliance.
During an election debate on Saturday, Suga said that he will "consult" with Abe on foreign policy while casting the outgoing leader's diplomacy as "truly amazing." But he also said that he will stick to "my own style," without elaboration.
Having taken a central role in the Abe administration over the last nearly eight years, Suga is not expected to depart much from key tenets of its policy agenda. But his unique background different from other political heavyweights, mostly with illustrious political pedigrees like Abe, raises cautious hopes that he could have more room for policy recalibration.
Suga, a son of a strawberry farmer and a self-made politician, is seen as largely free from pressure related to ancestral political traditions, or less fettered by factional demands from within the ruling party, analysts noted.
Seoul-Tokyo relations under Suga Yoshihide: Japan’s soon-to-be next prime minister Youtube https://youtu.be/9-T7qjmqPVg
"There are two crucial differences. The first is that Suga is not bound by ancestral fealty to change Japan's constitution; he may support a strong and prosperous Japan's general goals, but he has more latitude about how to achieve those objectives," Patrick Cronin, the Asia-Pacific security chair at the Hudson Institute, told Yonhap News Agency via email.
"The second difference is that Suga can make a conscious choice to demonstrate his own brand by where he shifts course, however modestly, from Abe," he added.
Since the launch of the Abe administration, relations between Seoul and Tokyo have faltered due to territorial and historical issues stemming largely from Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
At present, the biggest irritants between the neighbors are the export curbs Japan slapped last year in apparent retaliation for the South Korean Supreme Court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese firms to compensate victims of colonial-era forced labor.
Tokyo argues that all reparation issues from Japan's colonial rule were settled under a 1965 treaty that normalized bilateral relations. But Seoul, focusing on its "victim-centric" approach, respects the court rulings on the forced labor issue.
The issue of Japan's wartime sexual slavery has also plagued the Seoul-Toyko ties, as the Abe government was seen as failing to atone fully for the humanitarian issue despite repeated calls from the victims, euphemistically called comfort women here.
A 2015 deal between the two governments appeared to offer an off-ramp from the comfort women issue. But it started to unravel as Seoul's Moon Jae-in administration embraced the claim that the deal was reached without full consent from the victims.
Abe's hard-line foreign policy stance came in line with his intent to shore up Japan's national pride, undermined by the rise of China, decades of economic stagnation and public angst stemming from repeated disasters, such as the Fukushima nuclear meltdown in 2011.
Abe's push for heavier armament and a stronger security role has further exacerbated historical enmity, as it evoked bitter memories of Japan's past militarism particularly amid continued colonial-era disputes.
With the relations between Seoul and Tokyo on a downward trajectory, the change of the hard-nosed leader, who critics said has centralized authority around his office and thus weakened voices of dissent, could create a much-needed opening for Korea to improve bilateral ties.
"The Moon administration should seek a fresh beginning with Suga because one good deed could start a virtuous cycle and produce a far more cooperative and forward-looking relationship between Seoul and Tokyo," Cronin said.
Moon has so far taken a two-pronged approach separating history issues from practical cooperation in economic and other realms. But calls have persisted for more active fence-mending efforts.
"The government will continue to cooperate with Japan's new prime minister and the new Cabinet to promote friendly and cooperative South Korea-Japan relations," a foreign ministry official said.
Moon and Suga could meet face-to-face later this year, as Seoul seeks to host the annual trilateral summit, which would also involve Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Due to the new coronavirus, their talks could take place via videoconferencing.
Some foresee a U.S. role in promoting reconciliation between America's two core Asian allies whose cooperation is vital to its campaign to retain regional preeminence against an increasingly assertive China.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(3rd LD) Ruling party lawmaker charged with fraud, embezzling funds for ex-sex slaves

Meanwhile , prosecutors charged Youn with dereliction of duty for her involvement in the purchase of a shelter for the @ @ @ @ @ , causing financial losses to the group .
But they did not charge her for @ @ @ @ @ below market price , citing its market price in August and the actual price it @ @ @ @ @ as well as the four years it took to sell the property .

(ATTN: CORRECTS charges in 12th para)
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday indicted a ruling party lawmaker on charges of fraud and embezzlement of funds meant for elderly victims of wartime sexual slavery.
Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the Democratic Party is charged with unlawfully accepting more than 360 million won (US$304,000) in government support funds for women who were forced to work at front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II, according to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office.
She has been indicted on eight counts of fraud and related charges, including spending 100 million won in donations and public funds for personal use.
This file photo shows Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the Democratic Party. (Yonhap)
Youn won a parliamentary seat in the April 15 general elections after leading a civic group tasked with supporting the victims, who are euphemistically called "comfort women," for three decades.
One of the women, Lee Yong-soo, came forward in May to accuse the group of "using" the victims and never spending any funds on them.
Youn apologized for the controversy but denied the allegations.
According to prosecutors, Youn received some 300 million won from the culture ministry and the Seoul metropolitan government between 2013 and 2020 after unlawfully applying for financial assistance for the War and Women's Human Rights Museum, run by the civic group.
They said the application was unlawful because it was made to appear that the museum met the legal requirement for registration as a museum, which is to have a curator.
Separately, Youn and two employees of the civic group unlawfully accepted some 65 million won from seven projects run by the gender equality ministry between 2014 and 2020, the prosecutors said.
An executive of the group, Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, was also indicted in the case.
The 100 million won that Youn allegedly embezzled was collected through her personal bank accounts or transferred from the group's accounts between 2011 and 2020, the prosecution said.
Meanwhile, prosecutors charged Youn with dereliction of duty for her involvement in the purchase of a shelter for the victims at above market price, causing financial losses to the group. But they did not charge her for allegedly selling the property at below market price, citing its market price in August and the actual price it sold for in April, as well as the four years it took to sell the property.
In a statement, Youn expressed regret over the indictment and denied all charges, saying none of the collected funds were used personally.
"Today's announcement cannot pull down the 30-year history and cause of the movement to resolve the comfort women issue," she said. "I will prove my innocence at the trial."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--S. Korea welcomes opening of Afghan-Taliban peace talks

`` Our government expects tangible results to be achieved at this negotiations to pave the way for peace and prosperity @ @ @ @ @ , '' foreign ministry spokesperson Kim In-chul said .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday welcomed the launch of negotiations between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban aimed at ending decades of war.
On Saturday, the two sides met in Qatar's capital of Doha for negotiations on a lasting ceasefire.
"Our government expects tangible results to be achieved at this negotiations to pave the way for peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and the region," foreign ministry spokesperson Kim In-chul said.
Seoul will continue to take part in international efforts to establish stability and peace in Afghanistan, he said.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Omnibus film by seven Hong Kong directors to open scaled-down Busan film fest

`` We 've prepared the film festival since May with the first-level distancing at that time in mind .
But @ @ @ @ @ been wondering seriously whether we can stage the event or not , '' festival chairman @ @ @ @ @ online press conference .
`` We inevitably decided to delay the festival for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ can be grave changes to the situation following the upcoming Chuseok holiday . ''

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- "Septet: The Story of Hong Kong," an omnibus film by seven Hong Kong directors, will open this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) with the event to be scaled down by one third due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.
The festival is annually held in early October in the southern port city of Busan, some 325 kilometers south of Seoul, but this year's event has been pushed back for two weeks to Oct. 21-30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There will be no major outdoor events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, while no international guests will be invited to Asia's biggest film festival, according to the festival organizers. BIFF's affiliated events, including the Asian Film Awards and the Asian Project Market, will be held online.
But the 25th edition could be canceled if the situation worsens and the South Korean government strengthens its social distancing, organizers said.
Currently, the second level of the three-tier state-run distancing scheme is in effect nationwide following a spike in the number of virus cases since mid-August.
Lee Yong-kwan, the chairman of the Busan International Film Festival's organizing committee, speaks during a press conference on the closure of the festival on Oct. 12, 2019. (Yonhap)
"We've prepared the film festival since May with the first-level distancing at that time in mind. But since August, we've been wondering seriously whether we can stage the event or not," festival chairman Lee Yong-kwan said in an online press conference. "We inevitably decided to delay the festival for two weeks in the judgment that there can be grave changes to the situation following the upcoming Chuseok holiday."
There has been lingering concerns of possible massive COVID-19 infections caused by increased mobility during the extended five-day Chuseok fall harvest holiday set to begin at the end of this month.
For this year's event, BIFF said, a total of 192 films have been invited, down sharply from about 300 movies screened last year.
BIFF said all 192 invited films will be screened offline in five theaters at the Busan Cinema Center, the main venue of the festival, under strict social distancing guidelines.
"We will screen 192 films created by filmmakers from Asia, Europe and Korea over the past one year at the Busan Cinema Center," BIFF festival director Jay Jeon said during the press conference. "We will do our best to hold the festival as a physical event until the end."
All tickets will be booked online and the capacity of each theater will be limited to 50 people, according to BIFF.
This file photo shows the closing ceremony of the 2019 Busan International Film Festival. (Yonhap)
This year's opening film will be "Septet: The Story of Hong Kong" directed by Sammo Hung, Ann Hui, Patrick Tam, Yuen Wo Ping, Johnnie To, Ringo Lam, and Hark Tsu. It tells the history of Hong Kong through their unique artistic visions from the mid-20th century. The film was one of the official selections of this year's Cannes Film Festival.
The Japanese animated film "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," directed by Tamaru Kotaro, will close the festival. A remake of the 2003 film with the same title is about an ailing girl who opens her mind to the outer world as she learns what love is.
Among the 192 invitees are films that have been invited to or awarded from major international film festivals including the Cannes, Berlin and Venice fests.
"Minari," by Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung, which won a prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, was chosen, as were 23 Cannes-selected films, including Yeon Sang-ho's "Peninsula" and Naomi Kawase's "True Mothers."
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(2nd LD) Ruling party lawmaker charged with fraud, embezzling funds for ex-sex slaves

Meanwhile , prosecutors said Youn was involved in buying a victims ' shelter above market price , causing financial loss @ @ @ @ @ they did not charge her with dereliction of duty , citing the shelter 's market @ @ @ @ @ actual price it sold for in April , as well as the four years it @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS Youn's reaction at bottom)
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday indicted a ruling party lawmaker on charges of fraud and embezzlement of funds meant for elderly victims of wartime sexual slavery.
Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the Democratic Party is charged with unlawfully accepting more than 360 million won (US$304,000) in government support funds for women who were forced to work at front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II, according to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office.
She has been indicted on eight counts of fraud and related charges, including spending 100 million won in donations and public funds for personal use.
This file photo shows Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the Democratic Party. (Yonhap)
Youn won a parliamentary seat in the April 15 general elections after leading a civic group tasked with supporting the victims, who are euphemistically called "comfort women," for three decades.
One of the women, Lee Yong-soo, came forward in May to accuse the group of "using" the victims and never spending any funds on them.
Youn apologized for the controversy but denied the allegations.
According to prosecutors, Youn received some 300 million won from the culture ministry and the Seoul metropolitan government between 2013 and 2020 after unlawfully applying for financial assistance for the War and Women's Human Rights Museum, run by the civic group.
They said the application was unlawful because it was made to appear that the museum met the legal requirement for registration as a museum, which is to have a curator.
Separately, Youn and two employees of the civic group unlawfully accepted some 65 million won from seven projects run by the gender equality ministry between 2014 and 2020, the prosecutors said.
An executive of the group, Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, was also indicted in the case.
The 100 million won that Youn allegedly embezzled was collected through her personal bank accounts or transferred from the group's accounts between 2011 and 2020, the prosecution said.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said Youn was involved in buying a victims' shelter above market price, causing financial loss to the group. But they did not charge her with dereliction of duty, citing the shelter's market price in August and the actual price it sold for in April, as well as the four years it took to sell the property.
In a statement, Youn expressed regret over the indictment and denied all charges, saying none of the collected funds were used personally.
"Today's announcement cannot pull down the 30-year history and cause of the movement to resolve the comfort women issue," she said. "I will prove my innocence at the trial."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Any use of U.S. military force in Korea impossible without Seoul's consent, Cheong Wa Dae says

The U.S. Strategic Command `` had carefully reviewed and studied OPLAN 5027 for regime change in North Korea -- the @ @ @ @ @ that could include the use of 80 nuclear weapons , '' he wrote in the @ @ @ @ @ which was acquired by media ahead of its publication later this week .
OPLAN 5027 @ @ @ @ @ by the allies in the event of a North Korean invasion .

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it is impossible for the United States to use any military force on the Korean Peninsula without South Korea's consent.
It was responding to a description in a forthcoming book authored by Bob Woodward, a Washington Post journalist, that the United States had carefully reviewed using nuclear weapons against North Korea in response to its military provocations in 2017.
"What we can say clearly is that the use of a nuclear weapon is not (included) in our operational plan (OPLAN) and using military force is impossible without South Korea's consent," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters.
According to Woodward's book, titled "Rage," Washington had plans for a war against North Korea "on the shelf" over a series of high-profile military provocations by the North, including the testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July 2017.
The U.S. Strategic Command "had carefully reviewed and studied OPLAN 5027 for regime change in North Korea -- the U.S. response to an attack that could include the use of 80 nuclear weapons," he wrote in the book, a copy of which was acquired by media ahead of its publication later this week. OPLAN 5027 refers to military operation plans by the allies in the event of a North Korean invasion.
The Cheong Wa Dae official pointed out that related news reports may make South Korean people "very anxious."
South Korea will never cease efforts toward lasting peace on the peninsula, although the Korea peace process is in a stalemate, the official added.
President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
He cited President Moon Jae-in's repeated peace overtures in public speeches he made around the sharp escalation of military tensions in Korea in 2017, including the one on July 6 in Berlin, the Aug. 15 Liberation Day address and the Sept. 21 U.N. General Assembly speech, in which he made clear Seoul's principle of zero tolerance for war.
Moon also stressed that there shouldn't be another war in Korea and that no other country can decide on a military action without Seoul's consent.
The Moon government then made extensive follow-up peace efforts, which led to the historic Singapore summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea, the official said, speaking on the customary condition of anonymity.
"The government turned a war crisis (in 2017) into a phase of peace beyond just passing it," he added.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--Mayor calls for bill to keep child rapists in post-release facilities

In a letter to Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae , Yoon Wha-sub , the mayor of Ansan , said , `` @ @ @ @ @ be released , but the serious lack of control over him under current laws makes @ @ @ @ @ and the city 's 740,000 citizens anxious and uneasy . ''

ANSAN, South Korea, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- The mayor of Ansan lodged an urgent request with the Ministry of Justice on Monday to enact a bill to keep child sex offenders in a state-run facility after release.
In a letter to Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Yoon Wha-sub, the mayor of Ansan, said, "Cho Doo-soon is about to be released, but the serious lack of control over him under current laws makes the victim, her family and the city's 740,000 citizens anxious and uneasy."
The only way to safeguard citizens and children is to "enact a bill, before his release, that keeps him in a separated facility," the mayor said, urging the swift enactment of legislation.
A photo of Ansan Mayor Yoon Wha-sub provided by the Ansan city government (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Cho Doo-soon, 69, one of the country's most notorious child rapists, is set to be freed from prison on Dec. 13. He has been serving a 12-year term for kidnapping and raping an 8-year-old girl in a church bathroom in Ansan, 42 kilometers southwest of Seoul, in December 2008.
A huge public outcry has erupted over what has been seen as too lenient a punishment for a horrendous sexual crime against a minor. Over 20,000 people have supported a petition, posted on the website of Cheong Wa Dae, to block Cho's release as of Monday afternoon.
In particular, Ansan residents were showing uneasiness, as local news outlets reported that Cho plans to live with his wife in the city.
The victim, who suffered severe injuries including intestinal rupture, is also known to still live in the city.
Reps. Kim Young-ho (C), Jung Choun-sook (2nd from L) and Jo Seung-lae (L) of the ruling Democratic Party speak at a news conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020, calling for legislation aimed at permanently putting child sex offenders behind bars. (Yonhap)
The ministry tried to enact a similar bill in 2014 to no avail due to controversies over double punishment.
As part of precautionary measures, the city plans to install 211 units of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) at 64 spots, including nearby his house and on streets prone to crime, by the end of this year.
It said it will work together with the ministry to track the movements of high-risk sexual convicts who are wearing electronic anklets and share CCTV footage to prevent a recurrence of similar crimes.
Lawmakers from both sides are also working to propose similar bills.
On Sunday, Rep. Kim Byong-wook of the main opposition People Power Party said he plans to propose a bill similar to that requested by the Ansan mayor.
In August, Rep. Kim Young-ho of the ruling Democratic Party proposed a bill mandating a life sentence for convicts who sexually assault children younger than 13. The bill also calls for a life sentence without the possibility of parole for second offenders.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-14--(LEAD) PM requests parliament's swift approval of 4th COVID-19 response extra budget

`` Through this , ( the government ) will do its best to bolster people 's livelihoods before and after @ @ @ @ @ the economic recovery in the second half of the year , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ on Sept. 30 for a five-day run .

(ATTN: UPDATES with main opposition party's stance in last para)
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Monday requested the National Assembly's swift approval of an extra budget worth 7.8 trillion won (US$6.6 billion) proposed to cushion the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I want the National Assembly to quickly review and approve the extra budget bill the government has submitted so that people in need can receive assistance possibly before the Chuseok (fall harvest) holiday," Chung said in his address to the National Assembly.
The government will be bracing itself for "immediate execution" of the special budget as soon as it wins final parliamentary approval, he said.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun delivers a speech on the government's fourth supplementary budget bill at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Through this, (the government) will do its best to bolster people's livelihoods before and after the Chuseok holiday and support the economic recovery in the second half of the year," he said. The traditional Chuseok holiday starts on Sept. 30 for a five-day run.
Last week, the government submitted the extra budget bill to parliament, the fourth supplementary government spending drawn up to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest extra budget, proposed in light of the virus resurgence since mid-August, aims to assist smaller business owners, in particular, that have been hit hard by tighter social distancing measures, including limits on the operations of restaurants, coffee shops and sports facilities.
The ruling Democratic Party, controlling 176 seats of the 300-member parliament, is seeking to have the bill pass through a National Assembly plenary meeting on Friday.
"I am well aware that there are some voices of concern over fiscal soundness in relation to the four rounds of extra budget this year," the prime minister said. "But now (the country is) in a unprecedented national crisis state" that requires an unprecedentedly bold response, he added.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun delivers a speech on the government's fourth supplementary budget bill at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
The main opposition People Power Party, however, warned that it will not cooperate in the bill's parliamentary passage if the government's plan to provide all citizens aged 13 and older with 20,000-won mobile service fee assistance is not retracted.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)