yna--2020-01-20--N. Korea holds agricultural conference to discuss increasing food production

During the three-day conference until Sunday , participants reviewed `` their work with main emphasis on positively exchanging and sharing @ @ @ @ @ agricultural front on which the best achievements were made even under the worst conditions and @ @ @ @ @ for increased production , '' according to the Korean Central News Agency .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea held an agricultural conference to discuss ways to increase food production, state media said Monday, amid Pyongyang's intensifying "self-reliance" efforts in various areas in the face of crippling global sanctions.
During the three-day conference until Sunday, participants reviewed "their work with main emphasis on positively exchanging and sharing the high-yield experience of the agricultural front on which the best achievements were made even under the worst conditions and on exploring many good reserves for increased production," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
It did not specify what the worst conditions facing the country last year were, but they apparently referred to global sanctions.
They also "expressed their determination to defend the Korean revolution and precious socialism with rice by more fiercely raising the strong wind for increasing crop yields," the KCNA said.
North Korea earlier said that it had achieved a bumper crop last year despite typhoons and other unfavorable weather conditions, but experts say that it is suffering chronic shortfalls in food due to international sanctions hampering imports of key farming materials, such as fertilizer.
The North has called for "self-reliance" in food production, saying that a shortage of rice could make it inevitable to ask for outside help.
In his New Year's Day message, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un emphasized the importance of building an economy independent of external support and called for agricultural production to be "drastically" increased, saying there is no expectation of the U.S. lifting sanctions against Pyongyang amid a lack of progress in denuclearization talks.
Earlier this month, Kim visited a fertilizer plant under construction in his first "field guidance trip" this year, highlighting the importance of agricultural production to feed his people, according to state media.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Jan. 20)

Given such complicated factors , Ambassador Harris made reasonable remarks when he pointed to the need to consult with Washington @ @ @ @ @ joint working group meeting .
It could have been better if the ambassador , a @ @ @ @ @ more refined rhetoric .
Yet it is not right for some South Koreans to denounce @ @ @ @ @ a governor '' or `` interfering in our domestic affairs . ''
The government must @ @ @ @ @ tours and stop bashing the U.S. ambassador for inappropriate reasons .
( END )

Stop bashing Harry
Controversy has erupted after the Moon Jae-in administration considered allowing individual trips by South Koreans to North Korea. When U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris raised it as an issue, a number of South Koreans made derogatory remarks bordering on personal attacks. The new developments are threatening to damage the decades-old alliance with the United States.
The government has based the proposal on the United Nations sanctions on North Korea, which exempt individual tours from the ban. The Moon administration desires to facilitate inter-Korean exchanges through the lift to revitalize the deadlocked South-North relations and help resume the stalled U.S.-North dialogue. The government's move must have come out of desperation to "take the driver's seat" on Korean Peninsula issues.
In fact, the UN sanctions do not apply to individual tours to North Korea, as evidenced by frequent trips to the country by Chinese people. Nevertheless, our government must think twice before allowing such individual tours without any conditions. Not a single nuclear weapon or missile has been dismantled in North Korea since early 2018, when the North's leader Kim Jong-un declared a willingness to get rid of its nuclear weapons.
Since then, the international community led by the United States has been imposing tough sanctions on North Korea. If the South Korean government allows individual-level tours to North Korea under such circumstances, it will surely create an ominous loophole in international sanctions. Revenues from individual tourists, if they are accumulated, will be a boon for the cash-strapped regime in Pyongyang.
If the Moon administration really wants to allow such individual tours, it must get concessions from North Korea in a reciprocal way — whether it be a shutdown of its nuclear facilities or a scaling back of its military drills. Otherwise, our government cannot avoid criticism for returning to its humiliating diplomacy toward Pyongyang and generous cash handouts to the recalcitrant regime. Moreover, it is not clear if North Korea would accept it.
Even if North Korea decides to receive South Korean tourists, ensuring their safety is another matter. We had a nightmarish accident in 2008, when a South Korean tourist was killed by a North Korea guard for no reason while she was touring Mount Kumgang.
Also, the government must make clear who should take responsibility for unwanted accidents in North Korea.
Given such complicated factors, Ambassador Harris made reasonable remarks when he pointed to the need to consult with Washington in the platform of a joint working group meeting. It could have been better if the ambassador, a former admiral, had used more refined rhetoric. Yet it is not right for some South Koreans to denounce him for "behaving as a governor" or "interfering in our domestic affairs." The government must think again before allowing individual tours and stop bashing the U.S. ambassador for inappropriate reasons.
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 20)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 20)

What is being said about his moustache is also not pleasant for South Koreans .
There have been misleading media @ @ @ @ @ disliking his facial hair because it reminds them of memories of mustached Japanese rulers during @ @ @ @ @ But the point is not his moustache .
South Koreans would not have cared that @ @ @ @ @ he was a `` normal '' ambassador .
The stories of South Koreans ' `` @ @ @ @ @ centered on his moustache along with his Japanese mother .
This is a nasty narrative @ @ @ @ @ probably Harris himself .

Row over US ambassador
: It is not strange for Seoul to request replacement
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris is in the hot seat over his controversial remarks last week about the South's push to resume tourism projects with North Korea.
This is only the latest in a series of rows between Harris, who used to lead the U.S. Navy's Pacific Command and is apparently a hardliner toward North Korea, and the liberal government of South Korea. This time the problem looks more serious to the point of raising questions about the solidity of the alliance with the U.S.
If Seoul has already asked Washington to replace the ambassador, what is happening now is rather understandable. But if not, the way Harris is doing his job is definitely not what South Koreans expect from the U.S. ambassador. Frankly, he seems to have lost trust among officials and politicians here.
What is being said about his moustache is also not pleasant for South Koreans. There have been misleading media reports portraying South Koreans as disliking his facial hair because it reminds them of memories of mustached Japanese rulers during the 1910-45 colonial period. But the point is not his moustache. South Koreans would not have cared that much about his moustache if he was a "normal" ambassador. The stories of South Koreans' "bias" toward him are centered on his moustache along with his Japanese mother. This is a nasty narrative for South Koreans ― and probably Harris himself.
Harris is here to promote America's interests in Korea and in the region. He has been doing this job since being appointed in June 2018. But his behavior and words have often triggered controversy here. In some cases, they caused misunderstandings that there is a serious rift in the alliance, especially over how to deal with issues concerning North Korea.
The point in contention in the latest fuss was the Moon Jae-in administration's move to resume exchanges with the North as a means to break the deadlock in the denuclearization dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
Regarding the Moon administration's idea of resuming individual tours to Mount Geumgang in the North, Harris reportedly told foreign reporters in Seoul last week that South Korea would do better to hold prior consultations with the U.S. via the bilateral working group to avoid misunderstandings that might "trigger sanctions." Cheong Wa Dae expressed deep regret over this remark, describing it as "highly inappropriate." A spokesman for the Ministry of Unification handling inter-Korean affairs also protested, saying, "Our policy with regard to North Korea comes under our sovereignty."
It is unfortunate that there is misunderstanding that the U.S. ambassador is trying to intervene in South Korea's internal affairs when the allies need a coordinated approach toward the North more than ever amid the stalled denuclearization dialogue and the North's renewed threats.
We hope Ambassador Harris will learn diplomatic language, if the U.S. does not oppose inter-Korean peace. Some South Koreans have been criticizing him for acting like "governor general" of the Japanese colonial government. He should know it is not just because of his moustache or his Japanese mother.
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Jan. 20)

A senior lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party said the ambassador 's comments were equivalent to interference in domestic affairs @ @ @ @ @ likened his attitude to that of a `` governor general '' in the colonial era @ @ @ @ @ colonial rule of the peninsula from 1910 to 1945 .
He went on to say @ @ @ @ @ retired admiral , was `` a little unfamiliar with diplomacy . ''

Hasty courtship
: Review needed to prevent individual tours to North from violating sanctions
South Korea and the US are showing signs of friction over a possible mismatch in the progress of inter-Korean cooperation and the North Korean denuclearization.
The issue has drawn renewed attention since President Moon Jae-in said in his New Year's press conference Tuesday last week Seoul should expand cross-border cooperation as a way to help facilitate stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
While hoping to resume major inter-Korean projects, Moon suggested allowing South Koreans to make individual tours to the North as a possible route to circumvent international sanctions on Pyongyang.
On Thursday, US Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris told a group of foreign reporters here Seoul should hold prior consultations with Washington in its pursuit of permitting individual tours to the North.
Government officials and ruling party lawmakers came forward the following day to fire a broadside at the ambassador's comments.
An aide to President Moon described the remarks as "very inappropriate," saying inter-Korean cooperation is a matter to be decided by the South Korean government.
"Our policy with regard to North Korea comes under our sovereignty," said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, which handles inter-Korean affairs.
A senior lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party said the ambassador's comments were equivalent to interference in domestic affairs. Another ruling party legislator likened his attitude to that of a "governor general" in the colonial era, referring to Japan's colonial rule of the peninsula from 1910 to 1945. He went on to say he thought Harris, a retired admiral, was "a little unfamiliar with diplomacy."
There might have been a more euphemistic way the US envoy conveyed Washington's concerns about what it saw as the Moon administration's eagerness to enhance inter-Korean cooperation despite little progress in Pyongyang's denuclearization.
But the reactions to his remarks appear oversensitive.
In principle, individual tours can be considered to be beyond the scope of US-led international sanctions against the North.
What Harris stressed was that Seoul ought to run the matter through a working-level consultative channel between the allies on North Korea affairs to avoid "misunderstandings" that might trigger sanctions mechanisms.
If a South Korean tourist hands over a large amount of hard currency to relatives or other residents in the North, it would violate a UN resolution banning the inflow of bulk cash into the communist state.
Looking for possible business opportunities during a tourist trip could go against another UN resolution that prevents joint projects with the North.
The international sanctions regime has made it impossible for the Moon administration to resume two major cross-border projects -- the Kaesong industrial park and group tours to Kumgangsan -- despite its eagerness to promote inter-Korean cooperation.
Pyongyang's frustration with Seoul's failure to restart the lucrative projects has led it to ridicule Seoul's efforts to play a mediator's role between the US and the North.
Officials in the Moon administration say allowing individual tours to North Korea as part of efforts to expand inter-Korean exchanges would help facilitate the nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.
But it is difficult to expect such tours to change the stance of the recalcitrant regime, which appears to be bracing for a protracted standoff with the US. Pyongyang seems to have chosen to strengthen its bargaining power by refining its nuclear and missile capabilities.
The North may refuse to extend invitations or issue visas to South Korean tourists at a time when its leader Kim Jong-un is urging his people to step up efforts to build a self-reliant economy.
Washington has not specifically addressed the issue of individual tours.
But a US State Department spokesperson said Friday the US and South Korea were working together to ensure that "inter-Korean cooperation proceeds in lockstep with progress on denuclearization." The comment suggests that Washington remains wary of any attempt by Seoul to revive inter-Korean projects without consultations with the US.
In what could be viewed as a move to ease Seoul's heated reaction against Harris' remarks, an aide to Moon said Saturday South Korea's push for inter-Korean cooperation would be done in a way that could facilitate the negotiations between the US and the North.
He said Moon's new initiative would "not be pushed in a way that undermines the bargaining powers of either side."
This ambiguous approach turns a blind eye to the North's unequivocal goal to secure the status as a nuclear-armed state and sanctions relief based on its enhanced nuclear and missile capabilities.
The Moon government's overly eagerness to promote inter-Korean projects seems to reflect its wish to influence voter sentiment in favor of the ruling party ahead of April's general elections by trumpeting improved ties with the North. This could only risk disrupting coordination with Washington, as Pyongyang continuously gives a cold shoulder to Seoul.
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back , vows to generate pragmatic centrist party ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Distribution @ @ @ @ @ Korea and Japan single-handedly ( Kookmin Daily ) -- N. Korea deploys military hawk at @ @ @ @ @ ( Donga llbo ) -- N. Korea appoints Ri Son-gwon as foreign minister ( Seoul @ @ @ @ @ appoints Ri Son-gwon with military background as foreign minister , signaling hard-line approach toward U.S. @ @ @ @ @ Shin Kyuk-ho , Lotte honorary chairman and last 1st-generation founder of large conglomerates , passes @ @ @ @ @ -- No plan to review real estate transaction permit system : presidential official ( JoongAng @ @ @ @ @ , 1st-generation biz founder , passes away ( Hankyoreh ) -- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back @ @ @ @ @ run in general elections and create centrist party ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Ahn Cheol @ @ @ @ @ pragmatic centrist party ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back , vows @ @ @ @ @ ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Jan. 20.
Korean-language dailies
-- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back, vows to generate pragmatic centrist party (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Distribution giant nurturing business both in Korea and Japan single-handedly (Kookmin Daily)
-- N. Korea deploys military hawk at forefront of diplomacy toward U.S. (Donga llbo)
-- N. Korea appoints Ri Son-gwon as foreign minister (Seoul Shinmun)
-- N. Korea appoints Ri Son-gwon with military background as foreign minister, signaling hard-line approach toward U.S. (Segye Times)
-- Shin Kyuk-ho, Lotte honorary chairman and last 1st-generation founder of large conglomerates, passes away (Chosun Ilbo)
-- No plan to review real estate transaction permit system: presidential official (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Shin Kyuk-ho, 1st-generation biz founder, passes away (Hankyoreh)
-- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back, says he will not run in general elections and create centrist party (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Ahn Cheol soo says he will make pragmatic centrist party (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Ahn Cheol-soo comes back, vows to create pragmatic centrist party (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Ri Son-gown may be North's foreign minister (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Four South Koreans still missing after avalanche in Annapurna (Korea Herald)
-- Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho dies at age 99 (Korea Times)
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-01-19--(2nd LD) Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho dies at age 99

In 2017 , he was on the brink of facing his last days in prison after he was sentenced to @ @ @ @ @ fined 3.5 billion won ( US $ 2.97 million ) for embezzlement and breach of @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with meeting of the founder's two estranged sons)
SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- Shin Kyuk-ho, founder and honorary chairman of South Korean retail giant Lotte Group, died on Sunday of a chronic illness, the group said. He was 99.
Shin died at about 4:30 p.m. at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, the group said in a statement
Lotte, which started as a small chewing gum manufacturer in Japan in the late 1940s, is now South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate, with its business portfolio ranging from retail and hotels to entertainment and chemicals across South Korea and Japan.
Shin is one of the first-generation founders of the country's chaebol, or family-controlled business groups, who went from rags to riches and saw their businesses flourish on the back of massive state support and a rapidly growing economy.
With his death, all the founders of South Korea's top five conglomerates -- Samsung, Hyundai, LG, Lotte and SK -- have died.
The Federation of Korean Industries, which represents South Korea's large businesses, offered a eulogy to Shin, calling him a pioneer of South Korea's economic growth.
Shin "made a big contribution to South Korea's economic development ... and his passion and spirit of challenge inspired many businessmen," the Korea Enterprises Federation, another business lobby, said in a statement.
This file photo provided by Lotte Group shows Lotte Group founder and honorary chairman Shin Kyuk-ho. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The late entrepreneur was born in the southern port city of Ulsan in 1921, during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
He then went to Japan in 1941 to seek a fortune and established Lotte there in 1948 as a chewing gum producer.
The group's business expansion began in 1967 when it moved to Shin's home country, where he established Lotte Confectionary. He then gradually diversified his business to other areas ranging from construction and retail to chemical industries.
Shin's image as a successful businessman was in part tarnished by a group leadership fight between his sons -- Dong-joo and Dong-bin.
The two brothers have been at the center of a high-profile family feud over succession at the group as the two had controlled the company's operations in Japan and South Korea, respectively.
Dong-bin officially became the successor to his father after defending a series of attempts by his elder brother to take the helm.
The two estranged brothers encountered each other at the Asan Medical Center for the first time in 15 months and the two received visitors.
The late Shin later stepped down from all of his positions in Lotte's operations in both Japan and Korea.
In 2017, he was on the brink of facing his last days in prison after he was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 3.5 billion won (US$2.97 million) for embezzlement and breach of trust.
Shin, however, was allowed to remain free on health issues and has since suffered from various diseases of old age, including dementia.
Lotte Group has dozens of affiliates, including Lotte Shopping Co., Lotte Chemical Corp. and Lotte Engineering & Construction Co.
This undated file photo shows two sons of late Lotte Group Honorary Chairman Shin Kyuk-ho -- Dong-joo (R) and Dong-bin. (Yonhap)
Shin's assets are estimated at well over 1 trillion won.
Shin held a 3.1-percent stake in Lotte Corp., the holding firm of the conglomerate, along with stakes in Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., Lotte Shopping Co., and Lotte Confectionary Co.
He has a 6.87-percent stake in the non-listed affiliate Lotte Property & Development, as well as real estate assets in South Korea, estimated at around 450 billion won.
Shin also holds stakes in Japanese affiliates, including a 0.83-percent stake in the crucial Kojunsha Corp., the group's virtual holding firm.
It was not immediately known how Shin's assets will be inherited by his family.
Lotte Group said Shin's assets will be handled in accordance with the law, and the result will nevertheless not affect the governance structure of the conglomerate.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-19--(LEAD) S. Korea defeat Jordan to move closer to Olympic men's football berth

Cho , who 'd scored once against Iran in the second group match last Sunday , had a couple of @ @ @ @ @ half to double that lead .
In the 35th , Cho volleyed a Kim Dae-won @ @ @ @ @ About five minutes later , Cho received a pretty diagonal pass from Lee Dong-jun and @ @ @ @ @ Al-Fakhouri , but ended up airmailing the shot with his left foot .

(ATTN: ADDS comments, details in last 6 paras, photo)
RANGSIT, Thailand, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea got past Jordan 2-1 on Sunday to move within one victory of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic men's football tournament.
Midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong scored a gorgeous free kick to break a 1-1 tie in the dying seconds, giving South Korea a narrow win in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand.
This AFC event is also the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the top three nations here advancing to the quadrennial competition. South Korea are chasing their ninth straight appearance in the Olympics.
Forward Cho Gue-sung opened the scoring for South Korea in the first half with his second goal of the tournament. Jordan got a second-half equalizer from Yazan Al-Naimat but they came within seconds of forcing extra time.
Cho Gue-sung of South Korea (R) watches his header go into the net against Jordan in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea will face Australia in the semifinals on Wednesday, back at Thammasat Stadium. The kickoff is 8:15 p.m. local time, and 10:15 p.m. in Seoul.
A win there will send South Korea to the Tokyo Olympics. A loss will relegate them to the third-place match, where South Korea would be in a must-win situation against the other semifinals loser.
Before the South Korea-Australia tilt on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia will play either the United Arab Emirates or Uzbekistan in the semifinals.
Cho put South Korea on the board with his 16th-minute header, following some chaotic goalmouth scramble. Lee Dong-jun bumped into goalkeeper Abdallah Al-Fakhouri as he tried to head home a Jeong Tae-wook pass. With Al-Fakhouri caught out of position after the collision, Cho had a wide open net in front of him, and the forward won the aerial battle against Ward Al-Barri to give South Korea a 1-0 lead.
South Korean players celebrate their 2-1 victory of Jordan in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cho, who'd scored once against Iran in the second group match last Sunday, had a couple of chances late in the first half to double that lead. In the 35th, Cho volleyed a Kim Dae-won cross right at Al-Fakhouri. About five minutes later, Cho received a pretty diagonal pass from Lee Dong-jun and found himself in alone on Al-Fakhouri, but ended up airmailing the shot with his left foot.
Other than Omar Hani's shot that went straight into the arms of Song Bum-keun, Jordan didn't generate any dangerous scoring chances. South Korea outshot Jordan 6-1 in the opening 45 minutes.
South Korea pressed hard for an insurance goal in the second half. Kim Jin-kyu hit the right post with a free kick in the 52nd minute, and Kim Jin-ya rang one off the left post from close range in the 69th.
Jordan made South Korea pay for those close calls, as they evened the score in the 75th minute.
Mohammad Bani Atieh's shot attempt from outside the box landed on the feet of Yazan Al-Naimat, who turned and rolled the ball into the bottom left corner.
Cho had an open chance at the net in the 81st minute thanks to a nifty Lee Dong-gyeong setup, but Al-Fakhouri was up for the challenge with a kick save.
Al-Fakhouri made a desperate save in the 89th minute, when he got a piece of a hard shot by Kim Dae-won to keep it out of the net.
Just when extra time seemed inevitable, Lee Dong-gyeong drew a foul from Ibrahim Sadeh just outside the box. Lee then took the free kick himself and curled it just inside the right post for the dramatic go-ahead goal.
Kim Dae-won of South Korea (C) tries to dribble past Ward Al-Barri of Jordan (L) during the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
As he has been doing all tournament, South Korea coach Kim Hak-bum shuffled his starting XI. He replaced eight members from the lineup that faced Uzbekistan in the final group match last Wednesday, with only goalkeeper Song, midfielder Won Du-jae and defender Jeong Tae-wook making back-to-back starts. Song remains the only South Korean to have started each of the team's four matches so far.
Kim has extolled virtues of his team's depth and said he believes anyone can step into the starting lineup or come off the bench and contribute to wins.
The two goal scorers on Sunday, Cho and Lee, were both held out of the starting lineup against Uzbekistan. but didn't miss a beat when they got the call.
"These players didn't give up until the very end, and this is their victory," Kim said. "We clearly didn't make things easy on ourselves. We could have tired out our opponents with passes, but we didn't do a good job on that front."
Kim said his defense broke down in the second half because his players often failed to take advantage of situations when they outnumbered opposing attackers.
"There were a lot of times when our players dribbled the ball into tough areas," the coach said. "We should have kept things simpler. We have to address these issues before the next match."
South Korea head coach Kim Hak-bum instructs his players during the quarterfinals match against Jordan the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-19--(4th LD) N. Korea picks new top diplomat, heralding policy shift

South Korea also said individual tours to the North do not violate U.N. sanctions and that it could eventually induce @ @ @ @ @ dialogue and win international support for partial relief of sanctions , which irked Washington which @ @ @ @ @ consult with the U.S. about its plans to engage with North Korea .

(ATTN: UPDATES with comments by analyst in paras 10-11)
SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have picked its point man for relations with South Korea as its new foreign minister, possibly heralding a shift in its policy toward the United States and South Korea.
According to informed sources here on Sunday, North Korea has notified foreign ambassadors based in Pyongyang of its recent appointment of Ri Son-gwon as the country's new top envoy.
The sources said the notification was made late last week, and his official appointment may be announced this week.
Ri Son-gwon, if confirmed, will replace Ri Yong-ho, probably signaling that the communist state may reshape its policy toward Washington and Seoul, although any drastic changes are unlikely at the moment.
Ri, a former army officer, has been serving as chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, which is equivalent to the South's unification ministry.
The new foreign minister has been North Korea's key official for relations with South Korea.
He was the head of the North Korean delegation to recent high-level talks with South Korea, including the meeting in August 2018 that led to President Moon Jae-in's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang in September the same year.
Besides his career dealing with the South, however, little has been known about his professional experience in the field of foreign affairs.
His apparent appointment came as South Korea renewed its commitment to improving inter-Korean ties amid stalled negotiations between the U.S. and the North and a chasm between Seoul and Washington over approaches toward Pyongyang.
Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said it would be too simplistic to characterize North Korea's new diplomatic line-up as more hawkish and what can be surmised is recognition by Kim that last year's approach didn't work.
"It may be optimistic to say this represents a diplomatic opening for South Korea and the United States, but for now, a shake-up of personnel by North Korea appears less provocative than displaying a new strategic weapon," he said.
This undated photo shows Ri Son-gwon. (Yonhap)
In his New Year's address, South Korean President Moon Jae-in proposed that the two Koreas make concerted efforts to create the conditions for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit South Korea as agreed.
He also reaffirmed his administration's commitment to pushing for the resumption of two major inter-Korean projects -- the Kaesong industrial complex and Mount Kumgang tours -- as well as the reconnection of roads and railways.
Related efforts have made little headway as Seoul has abided by the U.N. Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.
South Korea also said individual tours to the North do not violate U.N. sanctions and that it could eventually induce the North to return to dialogue and win international support for partial relief of sanctions, which irked Washington which in response said Seoul should consult with the U.S. about its plans to engage with North Korea.
The dismissal of Ri Yong-ho, a seasoned career diplomat well versed in diplomacy towards the U.S., as the country's foreign minister came amid the communist country's repeated stance that it will not sit down with the U.S. for denuclearization negotiations.
Denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi collapsed without a deal in February last year.
North Korea has said it will not return to dialogue until the U.S. fully accepts its demands and withdraws what it calls a "hostile policy" against the North.
As the negotiations with the U.S. have been in the doldrums, the North has internally and externally vowed a "long-term" battle on the front with the United States.
Early this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he sees no reason to stick to his commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests and will soon show off a "new strategic weapon," accusing the United States of stalling for time for its own political interests.
Kim, however, appeared to have left room for negotiations as he also said that how much the North will bolster its "nuclear deterrent" will depend on the future U.S. attitude.
The replacement of North Korea's foreign minister appears to be also linked with the recent return of some North Korean ambassadors back to the home country.
North Korean Ambassador to China Ji Jae-ryong and Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song were seen departing for Pyongyang on Saturday, sparking speculation of a possible gathering of overseas-based ambassadors in the North Korean capital.
The latest appointment capped the four-year career of Ri Yong-ho as foreign minister. Ri accompanied North Korean leader Kim to the second and third North Korea-U.S. summits between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the inter-Korean border city of Panmunjom in February and June last year, respectively.
The former foreign minister did not appear for the final-day photo session of a plenary meeting of the North Korean ruling party's Central Committee on Dec. 31, 2019, sparking questions about his whereabouts.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(LEAD) S. Korea strongly protests Japan's renewed claims to Dokdo

`` The government strongly protests the fact that the Japanese government , through a diplomatic speech by its foreign minister @ @ @ @ @ to Dokdo , which is inherently our territory , and we urge it to immediately @ @ @ @ @ Kim In-chul , the ministry 's spokesman , said in a statement .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry issued a strong protest on Monday over Japan's renewed claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, which overshadowed budding efforts to defuse a row between the two countries over wartime history and trade.
The ministry called in Hirohisa Soma, a senior official of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to express regrets over the claims, long a thorn in the already fraught relations between Seoul and its onetime colonizer, Tokyo.
In a parliamentary speech earlier in the day, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that the East Sea islets are inherently Japan's territory.
Further irking South Koreans, Tokyo held a ceremony launching an expanded exhibition facility to reinforce its sovereignty claims to Dokdo and other islands claimed by other countries.
"The government strongly protests the fact that the Japanese government, through a diplomatic speech by its foreign minister, repeated the improper claim to Dokdo, which is inherently our territory, and we urge it to immediately retract the claim," Kim In-chul, the ministry's spokesman, said in a statement.
"As Dokdo is clearly our inherent territory historically, geographically and by international law, our government calls on the Japanese government to halt the futile attempt regarding Dokdo and humbly face history," he added.
This photo, taken on April 23, 2019, shows Kim In-chul, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, speaking during a press conference at the ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
In a separate statement, the spokesman urged Tokyo to immediately shut down the exhibition facility.
"It is deeply regrettable that the Japanese government has opened an expanded facility despite our government's repeated appeals for its immediate closure," he wrote in the statement.
The Japanese government has claimed sovereignty over Dokdo in its annual foreign policy address to the legislature for seven consecutive years.
South Korea has been in effective control of Dokdo since the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule in 1945.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(2nd LD) Search for 4 S. Koreans missing in Himalayas suspended due to bad weather

`` A person who went close to the scene told me that a huge chunk of ice that had been @ @ @ @ @ for a long time collapsed along with the snow , '' Um said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ poured down into a deep valley and likely wo n't melt well even when the @ @ @ @ @ afraid that the search might be prolonged . ''

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES paras 1-6)
KATHMANDU/SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The search for four South Koreans missing in the Himalayas was suspended due to inclement weather hours after being resumed, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
The four South Korean school teachers, from the central province of South Chungcheong, remain unaccounted for following an avalanche while they were trekking at the popular Annapurna Base Camp in northwestern Nepal on Friday. Three Nepali guides are also missing.
Heavy snowfall and rain have been hampering the rescue efforts. Avalanches that occurred at the scene on Sunday forced officials to suspend all search operations.
Nepali authorities resumed the ground and air searches at around 8 a.m. Monday (Nepal time), sending about 50 rescue workers and two helicopters to the scene, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A helicopter carrying the military rescue team, local police and South Korea's quick response team left the airport in Pokhara, a city near Mount Annapurna, and attempted to land at the site of the accident.
"The rescue operations came to a halt due to inclement weather conditions at 1:15 p.m.," said the ministry. "Nobody has been found yet."
Some family members of the missing trekkers boarded another helicopter to see the site of the accident.
An official from Nepal's tourism ministry said Sunday the search could take 20 days as the weather needs to clear for the authorities to start looking for the missing tourists, Reuters reported.
It quoted one of the rescuers as saying that the operations could take even longer because they need to wait for the snow to melt.
This photo provided by Mountain Korea, a South Korean monthly, captures trapped South Korean and Chinese trekkers being rescued by a helicopter near the base camp of Machapuchare, a mountain in Annapurna north of Nepal, on Jan. 18, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Um Hong-gil, a prominent South Korean climber who is in Nepal to assist with the search, told Yonhap News Agency on Monday that the accident site appears to be in the worst situation.
"A person who went close to the scene told me that a huge chunk of ice that had been piled up on high grounds for a long time collapsed along with the snow," Um said. "This snow and ice has poured down into a deep valley and likely won't melt well even when the spring comes. I am afraid that the search might be prolonged."
Um brought a drone and other equipment from a rescue center he recently built with a South Korean company at the Machapuchare Base Camp to lend support to the search operations. He plans to fly the drone to the accident site to help better grasp the situation.
Officials said earlier it takes three days by car and foot to arrive at the scene of an accident from Pokhara, the nearest major city, which is about 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu.
South Korea has dispatched an emergency response team of government officials and others to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to assist the search operations.
The four missing -- two women in their 30s and 50s and two men in their 50s -- were among a nine-member team on a trekking course in the Deurali part of the Annapurna Base Camp when the avalanche engulfed them. The five others were rescued by a chopper from a nearby lodge.
The teachers were part of a 39-member volunteer team dispatched to Nepal by the education office of South Chungcheong Province.
This photo shows a helicopter, which took family members of four South Koreans missing after an avalanche in the Himalayas to the scene of the accident, in Pokhara, Nepal, on Jan. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(4th LD) S. Korea reports 1st confirmed China coronavirus case, raises alert level

The agency said the cabin crew on the plane and the other passengers are being monitored for any symptoms , @ @ @ @ @ by medical personnel .
Three other people who were placed in quarantine as a precautionary @ @ @ @ @ the pancoronavirus and were released .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 6)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday reported the first confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid concerns that a pneumonia-like illness is set to spread across China and Asia.
A Chinese woman who arrived at Incheon International Airport on China Southern Airlines flight CZ6079 at 12:11 p.m. Sunday has tested positive for the virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Upon arrival, the woman was running a fever, experiencing respiratory problems and other symptoms, KCDC said.
"She tested positive in the pancoronavirus polymerase chain reaction test that checks a person's DNA," the country's public health and safety agency said.
A quarantine official (R) checks passengers arriving at South Korea's Incheon International Airport for signs of fever and other symptoms in this file photo taken on Jan. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
The 35-year-old resident arrived from the Chinese central city of Wuhan in Hubei Province -- where the virus appears to have originated -- on Sunday while en route to Japan in tune with the Lunar New Year holiday this week.
The patient has since been quarantined at a designated isolation ward in Incheon, west of Seoul, for treatment after being detected during the quarantine inspection process at the airport.
The agency said the cabin crew on the plane and the other passengers are being monitored for any symptoms, with 14 people being checked by medical personnel. Three other people who were placed in quarantine as a precautionary measure all tested negative for the pancoronavirus and were released.
The agency said it has elevated the country's infectious disease alert level by one notch from "blue" to "yellow" and ordered local governments to strengthen monitoring.
KCDC strongly advised people who visited China showing symptoms like fever and shortness of breath to visit nearby clinics or hospitals so they can be checked.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun instructed his Cabinet to take all possible countermeasures to contain the spread of the virus, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Chung ordered Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo and the chief of the KCDC to completely quarantine and treat the patient after being briefed by Park on the situation, the office said.
"Prime Minister Chung ordered that epidemiological investigations be quickly and thoroughly conducted to verify the movement and contact routes of the patient and contain the spread of the infectious disease," the PMO said.
The prime minister also instructed his Cabinet to take all countermeasures in accordance with the government's manual and to make swift and transparent disclosures of all relevant information to help ease public anxiety.
Seoul reported a suspected case earlier in the month, but that person was released after tests showed she was not infected with the same virus spreading in China.
The Beijing government has reported a total of 201 infected patients, with the death toll at three. There have been two pneumonia-like cases in Thailand and a single case in Japan.
Beijing has said the new strain of the coronavirus is not contagious between people, but the World Health Organization (WHO) is not ruling out person-to-person transmission under certain conditions, the center said.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(2nd LD) Man acquitted more than 70 years after execution for aiding rebel forces

`` As a member of the judiciary , I want to make it clear that the execution of the ruling @ @ @ @ @ the government and I make a deep apology , '' Judge Kim Jung-ah of the @ @ @ @ @ ruled his charges were not proved by the evidence .

(ATTN: ADDS info in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean man was cleared of mutiny charges on Monday, more than 70 years after he was executed for assisting left-wing rebel troops.
A district court in the southwestern city of Suncheon made the ruling on Chang Hwan-bong, a railroad engineer who was executed by government forces in 1948 during the so-called Yeosu-Suncheon incident.
It is the first retrial of civilian victims from one of the most tragic armed revolts in the nation's modern history.
Chang, then a 29-year-old, was among 438 civilians whom a government truth panel in 2009 found to have been unjustly convicted and killed for collaborating with insurgent troops.
His family members filed for a retrial in 2013, and the Supreme Court accepted the request in March last year.
"As a member of the judiciary, I want to make it clear that the execution of the ruling was by illegal power of the government and I make a deep apology," Judge Kim Jung-ah of the Suncheon court said. She ruled his charges were not proved by the evidence.
The incident began in Oct. 19, 1948, when about 2,000 left-leaning soldiers in a regiment in Yeosu rose up in arms, refusing an order to move to Jeju Island to crack down on leftist protests against the South Korean government, which had been established two months before.
The military protest soon grew into a widespread uprising as civilians in Yeosu and Suncheon joined the soldiers. They were largely contained by government troops by early November. Thousands of people are estimated to have been killed by both sides of the conflict.
When government troops recaptured Suncheon later in October, hundreds of people, including Chang, were arrested on charges of helping the rebel forces. Only 22 days later, they were sentenced to death by a court martial for mutiny and challenging state sovereignty and were executed immediately.
Last month the prosecution demanded an acquittal for Chang, citing a lack of evidence to back the charges.
Judge Kim ruled the facts of his crimes cited in 1948 were not proved.
His daughter, Chang Kyung-ja, welcomed the court ruling.
"The state has now apologized, though belatedly. I hope a special law on the Yeosu-Suncheon incident will be enacted as soon as possible so that the victims can be cleared of false charges," she said.
Relatives of two other victims had jointly requested the retrial, but the court closed their cases as the family members had died.
The daughter (L) and widow of the late Chang Hwan-bong celebrate after a district court in the southwestern city of Suncheon acquits him of mutiny charges on Jan. 20, 2020, 72 years after he was executed for collaborating with left-wing rebel troops during the Yeosu-Suncheon incident. (Yonhap)
A civic group campaigning for the victims hailed the court decision as "a judgment against state violence disguised as the judiciary."
"What is most important for finding the truth of the Yeosu-Suncheon incident and restoring the honor of civilian victims is the establishment of a special law. We will try to get the administration and the legislature to enact it," the group said.
"It was a historic ruling that officially recognized the sacrifices of innocent civilians caused by state violence at that time," a coalition of NGOs in South Jeolla Province said.
"We expect the ruling to be a valuable turning point in restoring the honor of the victims and their families and unveiling the truth behind the incident," it said.
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Samsung Display plans to invest U$500 mln in display plant in India: report

According to U.S. tech media outlet TechCrunch , Samsung Display filed an investment plan to India 's regulator earlier this @ @ @ @ @ plant in Noida , located adjacent to New Delhi , would produce smartphone displays .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Display Co., South Korea's major display panel maker and an affiliate of Samsung Electronics Co., plans to invest US$500 million to set up a new manufacturing plant in India, foreign media reported Monday.
According to U.S. tech media outlet TechCrunch, Samsung Display filed an investment plan to India's regulator earlier this month, saying that the plant in Noida, located adjacent to New Delhi, would produce smartphone displays.
Samsung Display officials in South Korea confirmed that the company is preparing to build a plant there, but declined to comment on the scale of the investment.
Last year, the company established its India unit, Samsung Display Noida Private Ltd.
In 2018, Samsung Electronics opened a smartphone manufacturing plant in Noida in a bid to expand its presence in the world's second-largest mobile phone market, after China.
Industry insiders said Samsung Displays' new plant would help its parent company secure smartphone display panels at cheap prices and boost its productivity.
In India, Samsung Electronics has been in a fierce competition with Chinese rivals. According to data from market researcher Counterpoint, Samsung Electronics is the second-largest smartphone vendor behind China's Xiaomi Corp. in India.
This photo provided by Samsung Display Co. shows the company's Asan Campus building in South Chungcheong Province, central South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--S. Korea, UAE to celebrate 40th year of relationship with cultural events

Through the exchange program , South Korea will seek to carve out a new market for Korean tourism in the @ @ @ @ @ exchanges between cultural content companies of Korea and the UAE , according to the Ministry @ @ @ @ @ Tourism .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United Arab Emirates will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year with a range of cultural events throughout 2020, the culture ministry here said Monday.
In a bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi earlier in the day, Culture Minister Park Yang-woo and his UAE counterpart, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi, officially announced the designation of the year of "Cultural Dialogue UAE-Korea" to celebrate the anniversary.
Culture Minister Park Yang-woo (L) and UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi shake hands during their meeting in Seoul on Dec. 10, 2019. (Yonhap)
Under the program, which embodies the theme, "Converging Cultures," the two countries will host events promoting their cultural assets in both countries from January through November.
Through the exchange program, South Korea will seek to carve out a new market for Korean tourism in the Middle East and to expand exchanges between cultural content companies of Korea and the UAE, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
South Korea is poised to kick off its year-long cultural program in the UAE with a "Korea Day" event this month, which will bring together UAE students associated with university student clubs specializing in Korean popular culture.
Following a pottery exhibition, an art fair and cultural lecture series from February till May, Korea will host a K-pop festival in the UAE capital in June to entertain fans of Korean pop music and other entertainment content, and draw in new fans.
The festival will hit Abu Dhabi's Yas Mall around June 18, the date of the two countries' official establishment of diplomatic relations 40 years ago.
The months till November will also present a special exhibition on contemporary Korean art, a Korean traditional performing art show, a taekwondo demonstration show, a poetry reading event and a package of promotional programs for Korea tourism, according to the ministry.
As the first Middle Eastern country to host a Korean Cultural Center, a state-run center for promoting Korean culture overseas, the UAE is a place fit to be the Arab stronghold for the promotion of "hallyu," or the phenomenon of Korean culture's popularity overseas, according to the ministry.
"Through the successful hosting of 'Cultural Dialogue UAE-Korea,' I hope the people of the two countries will understand each other's culture ... and that the two nations could renew their friendship," Park said.
This emblem of "Cultural Dialogue UAE-Korea" is provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Teens join Europe-based stars for S. Korea at Olympic women's football qualifiers

The top two teams from Group A will advance to the playoff round , going up against the top two @ @ @ @ @ made up of Australia , China , Thailand and Chinese Taipei .
In the home-and-home @ @ @ @ @ March 6 and 11 , the Group A winner will face the Group B runner-up @ @ @ @ @ winner will play the Group A runner-up .
Only the victorious teams from those two @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea announced their 20-player roster for the Olympic women's football qualifiers on Monday, with a pair of teenagers having survived the final cuts to join Europe-based veterans.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said head coach Colin Bell whittled down his 26-player camp roster to 20, including Cho So-hyun of West Ham United FC Women, a longtime national team captain, and Ji So-yun of Chelsea FC Women, South Korea's all-time leading scorer with 55 goals in 121 matches.
In this file photo from Dec. 15, 2019, members of the South Korean women's national football team pose for photos in front of their fans after beating Chinese Taipei 3-0 at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Two other Europe-based players are Lee Geum-min of Manchester City Women's FC and Jang Sel-gi of Madrid CF Femenino.
They'll be joined by two 19-year-olds who thrived at camp: midfielder Kang Ji-woo and forward Choo Hyo-joo.
Kang was the leading scorer at the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-19 Women's Championship with seven goals in five matches. She was named the Female Young Player of the Year for 2019 by the KFA in December. She has yet to play for the senior team.
Choo made her senior international debut at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship last month, after also making an impression at the AFC U-19 event.
This file photo from Jan. 10, 2020, shows members of the South Korean women's football training camp roster for the Olympic qualifying tournament huddled around their coaches at Gongcheonpo Training Center in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. (Yonhap)
Of the 20 players, 14 played at the EAFF championship, which didn't feature any overseas-based players.
South Korea will host the third round of the Asian qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next month in Jeju Island.
In Group A action, South Korea will face Myanmar on Feb. 3 and then Vietnam on Feb. 9.
The top two teams from Group A will advance to the playoff round, going up against the top two nations from Group B -- made up of Australia, China, Thailand and Chinese Taipei. In the home-and-home series to take place on March 6 and 11, the Group A winner will face the Group B runner-up, while the Group B winner will play the Group A runner-up. Only the victorious teams from those two will compete at Tokyo 2020.
This photo provided by the Korea Football Association on Sept. 3, 2019, shows Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
North Korea were initially paired with South Korea in Group A in the third round, but they pulled out of the competition, without citing reasons. The tournament will go ahead with three remaining countries in Group A.
Women's football was first contested at the Olympics in 1996, and South Korea, dubbed the "Taeguk Ladies," have never played at the quadrennial event.
Bell will carry three goalkeepers who have combined for just 31 caps. Yun Young-geul, 31, is the most experienced of the trio with 16 matches to her credit.
The team has five defenders, eight midfielders and four forwards.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--KT develops 5G-powered medical service

KT develops 5G-powered medical service

Through its 5G network , KT said medical staff at the SMC can now have quick and uninterrupted access to @ @ @ @ @ , which is critical in determining the conditions of patients .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp., South Korea's major telecommunications firm, said Monday it has developed a 5G-powered medical service with a Seoul hospital to provide better patient care.
KT said it built a 5G network at the Samsung Medical Center (SMC) and successfully applied its 5G technology to medical practices last week.
KT and the SMC have been working together since September 2019 after signing a partnership to develop 5G-powered medical services.
This photo provided by KT Corp. on Jan. 20, 2020, doctors at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul check pathological data. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Through its 5G network, KT said medical staff at the SMC can now have quick and uninterrupted access to pathological data obtained during surgery, which is critical in determining the conditions of patients.
Its 5G medical service also includes a delivery robot that can remove contaminated materials and other medical waste for disposal, according to KT, and an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered care for patients.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Military chief inspects western border unit, calls for staunch readiness

`` It is necessary to arm ourselves with capabilities to respond to any incidents at any time through a practical @ @ @ @ @ , '' Park said , calling for the utmost efforts to make it possible `` @ @ @ @ @ to war . ''

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki called for a staunch readiness posture on Monday during his inspection of a border security unit near the Yellow Sea, his office said.
The purpose of the visit was to check on the readiness of and encourage the soldiers at the unit in charge of the maritime and riverside surveillance near the western sea border ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, according to the JCS.
"It is necessary to arm ourselves with capabilities to respond to any incidents at any time through a practical level of education and training," Park said, calling for the utmost efforts to make it possible "win first and then go to war."
Tensions remain high on the Korean Peninsula amid chances of a North Korean military provocation. In its New Year's Day announcement, the communist country warned that it will show off a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, which experts say could be an advanced type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
The holiday season runs from Friday to next Monday.
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki (2nd from L) inspects a military unit near the Yellow Sea on Jan. 20, 2020, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

`` In the new year , indications are being seen that our economy is getting better and bouncing back , @ @ @ @ @ start of a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides .
The president 's @ @ @ @ @ pool reporters and cameras , during the session are used to deliver his public message @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
-----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks hit 15-month high on U.S. data
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks rose for the third consecutive session Monday to hit a 15-month high on positive U.S. data and a rally by tech stocks. The South Korean won gained ground against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 12.07 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 2,262.64, the highest level since Oct. 5, 2018.
-----------------
S. Korea protests Japanese FM's claim to Dokdo
SEOUL -- The foreign ministry issued a strong protest on Monday over Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi's parliamentary speech that renewed Japan's claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.
During his speech on foreign policy, Motegi claimed that the East Sea islets are inherently Japan's territory, remarks that overshadowed budding efforts to defuse a row between Seoul and Tokyo over wartime history and trade.
-----------------
Seoul mulling ways to hold talks with N.K. about individual tours
SEOUL -- South Korea is mulling ways to hold discussions with North Korea about allowing its people to travel to the communist nation on an individual basis, a unification ministry official said Monday, stressing the issue is not subject to international sanctions on Pyongyang.
Seoul's consideration of individual trips to North Korea gained traction after President Moon Jae-in last week cited them as a possible way to expand inter-Korean exchanges without violating U.N. sanctions on the North.
-----------------
Moon upbeat about S. Korea's economy, vows to maintain recovery momentum
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in on Monday sought to assure the public that South Korea's economy has apparently bottomed out and said his government will make every effort to maintain the recovery momentum.
"In the new year, indications are being seen that our economy is getting better and bouncing back," he said at the start of a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. The president's opening remarks, open to pool reporters and cameras, during the session are used to deliver his public message.
-----------------
Parasite wins Screen Actors Guild award for acting ensemble in run-up to Academy Awards
SEOUL -- "Parasite," Bong Joon-ho's black comedy film, has clinched a key award at this year's Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in the United States, the film's latest achievement that bodes well for its showing at the Academy Awards next month.
The South Korean film's 10-person cast, including Song Kang-ho and Cho Yeo-jeong, was named the winner of the 26th Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in the award ceremony held on Sunday (U.S. time) in Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium.
-----------------
(LEAD) Search resumes for 4 S. Koreans missing in Himalayas
KATHMANDU/SEOUL -- Search operations resumed Monday for four South Koreans missing in the Himalayas, officials said, amid projections that the search could take at least a few weeks due to bad weather conditions.
The school teachers from South Korea's central province of South Chungcheong remain unaccounted for after an avalanche while they were trekking at the popular Annapurna Base Camp northwest of Nepal on Friday. Three Nepali guides are also missing.
-----------------
(LEAD) Prosecutors demand death penalty for Jeju murder suspect
JEJU -- Prosecutors on Monday demanded the death penalty for a 37-year-old woman accused of brutally killing her former husband and stepson last year.
In a hearing at the Jeju District Court, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for Koh Yu-jeong, who allegedly murdered her former husband and 5-year-old stepson in two separate incidents.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--S. Korea to select risk-free rate in June

The authorities said they will consider an overnight call rate or an overnight repo rate as a risk-free rate and @ @ @ @ @ of market participants before selecting a risk-free rate .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial authorities said Monday that they plan to select a risk-free rate in June in a move to brace for the end of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) in the coming years.
The authorities said they will consider an overnight call rate or an overnight repo rate as a risk-free rate and take into account the views of market participants before selecting a risk-free rate.
The move came as there is a possibility that rates based on LIBOR -- a benchmark for short-term interest rates -- could not be published beginning in 2022.
Global efforts to replace LIBOR gained ground following the 2012 manipulation of LIBOR by major banks in the United States and Britain.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(LEAD) Man acquitted more than 70 years after execution for aiding rebel forces

(ATTN: ADDS info from 3rd para, photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean man was cleared of mutiny charges on Monday, more than 70 years after he was executed for assisting left-wing rebel troops.
A district court in the southwestern city of Suncheon made the ruling on Chang Hwan-bong, a railroad engineer who was executed by government forces in 1948 during the so-called Yeosu-Suncheon incident.
It is the first retrial of civilian victims from one of the most tragic armed revolts in the nation's modern history.
Chang, then a 29-year-old, was among 438 civilians whom a government truth panel in 2009 found to have been unjustly convicted and killed for collaborating with insurgent troops.
His family members filed for a retrial in 2013, and the Supreme Court accepted the request in March last year.
"As a member of the judiciary, I want to make it clear that the execution of the ruling was by illegal power of the government and I make a deep apology," Judge Kim Jung-ah of the Suncheon court said. She ruled his charges were not proved by the evidence.
The incident began in Oct. 19, 1948, when about 2,000 left-leaning soldiers in a regiment in Yeosu rose up in arms, refusing an order to move to Jeju Island to crack down on leftist protests against the South Korean government, which had been established two months before.
The military protest soon grew into a widespread uprising as civilians in Yeosu and Suncheon joined the soldiers. They were largely contained by government troops by early November. Thousands of people are estimated to have been killed by both sides of the conflict.
When government troops recaptured Suncheon later in October, hundreds of people, including Chang, were arrested on charges of helping the rebel forces. Only 22 days later, they were sentenced to death by a court martial for mutiny and challenging state sovereignty and were executed immediately.
Last month the prosecution demanded an acquittal for Chang, citing a lack of evidence to back the charges.
Judge Kim ruled the facts of his crimes cited in 1948 were not proved.
His daughter, Chang Kyung-ja, welcomed the court ruling.
"The state has now apologized, though belatedly. I hope a special law on the Yeosu-Suncheon incident will be enacted as soon as possible so that the victims can be cleared of false charges," she said.
Relatives of two other victims had jointly requested the retrial, but the court closed their cases as the family members had died.
The daughter (L) and widow of late Chang Hwan-bong celebrate after a district court in the southwestern city of Suncheon pardons him of mutiny charges on Jan. 20, 2020, 72 years after he was executed for collaborating with left-wing rebel troops during the Yeosu-Suncheon incident. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(News Focus) Hanjin's family feud intensifying ahead of crucial voting showdown in March

The family feud first came to light in late December when Cho Hyun-ah , the eldest daughter of late Hanjin @ @ @ @ @ Chairman Cho Yang-ho , lashed out at her younger brother Cho Won-tae , chairman of @ @ @ @ @ national flag carrier , for not heeding their father 's wish in the way of @ @ @ @

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The heiress of South Korean airline-focused conglomerate Hanjin Group, widely known for the "nut rage" incident in 2014, has come under the spotlight again in what appears to be a fresh twist to a family feud brewing over the group's throne.
The family feud first came to light in late December when Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of late Hanjin Group and Korean Air Lines Chairman Cho Yang-ho, lashed out at her younger brother Cho Won-tae, chairman of the airline-to-logistics conglomerate and the national flag carrier, for not heeding their father's wish in the way of managing the group.
The 45-year-old heiress claimed that her brother, 44, was appointed to the top post without sufficient discussions among family members after their father's death in April and has been making management decisions without prior consultations.
This graphic image shows Hanjin Group's inheritors Cho Hyun-ah (L) and Cho Won-tae, chairman of the group and its flagship Korean Air Lines. (Yonhap)
Early this month, Hyun-ah reportedly met with the head of local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) and midsized builder Bando Engineering & Construction Co. -- the single largest shareholder and the No. 3 shareholder, respectively -- for "possible cooperation" ahead of a general shareholders' meeting in March, when Won-tae seeks to be reelected as head of Hanjin Group.
No details are known about the possible cooperation.
Hanjin Group said they cannot confirm the meetings. KCGI and Bando could not be reached for comment.
The meeting has raised speculation that she could try to join hands with KCGI and Bando in order to oppose her brother's reappointment.
The Cho family and other relatives together hold a 28.93 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group. Hyun-ah owns a 6.49 percent stake and Won-tae holds a 6.52 percent stake, with their younger sister Cho Hyun-min and mother Lee Myung-hee controlling 6.47 percent and 5.31 percent, respectively.
KCGI is the biggest shareholder with a stake of 17.29 percent in Hanjin KAL, followed by Delta Air Lines Inc. with 10 percent, Bando with 8.28 percent and the National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea's state pension fund, with 4.11 percent.
It remains to be seen whether KCGI will team up with Hyun-ah or not as it has strongly demanded an improvement in the group's governance structure and financial status, and its founding family members' irregularities have dragged down prices of group affiliates, such as Korean Air.
In November, KCGI asked for a meeting with Delta Air Chief Executive Ed Bastian to join forces to monitor Hanjin's efforts to enhance its governance structure.
Earlier, KCGI also demanded a Seoul court designate an auditor to review the process by which Hanjin KAL's board appointed the late chairman's only son Won-tae as new chairman of the group in April.
Among major stakeholders, Bando also has emerged as a deciding vote in a possible battle between Hyun-ah and Won-tae over managerial control of Hanjin Group as it recently announced it will participate in management of the group after raising its Hanjin KAL stake to 8.28 percent early this month from 6.28 percent in November.
Meanwhile, Delta has been regarded as friendly as the U.S. carrier said its stake investment in Hanjin KAL is aimed at strengthening business ties, not at affecting management rights.
In 2018, Delta and Korean Air formed a joint venture to collaborate on the industry's most robust trans-Pacific routes, providing customers with access to more than 290 U.S. destinations and over 80 in Asia.
This photo taken on Jan. 13, 2020, shows a Korean Air plane about to land at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
To be reappointed in March, Won-tae is required to take concrete action to improve the group's governance structure and roll out business plans ahead of the planned shareholders meeting, analysts said.
"The chairman has yet to present any detailed action plans to enhance the group's corporate value as he has been engaged in the family feud and issues involving inheritance from his late father," Lee Sang-heon, an analyst at HI Investment & Securities Co., said.
In November, Hanjin KAL's board of directors took initial steps by setting up the governance committee and the compensation committee under its wing as part of its broader efforts to improve its governance structure.
The governance committee will conduct a feasibility study on management issues directly related to shareholder value before a decision is made and review the legality of transactions between affiliates, Hanjin said.
Hanjin's family scandal began in 2014 when the infamous nut rage incident made global headlines.
Back then, Hyun-ah forced a Korean Air flight back to the boarding gate at a New York airport because she lost her temper over the way she was served nuts in first class -- in an unopened bag instead of on a plate.
In March 2018, Hyun-ah, former vice president of the group's flagship Korean Air, came back as head of KAL Hotel Network Co., the hotel affiliate of Hanjin Group.
But she was dismissed from the post a month later, along with Cho Hyun-min, 37, who was accused of throwing water in the face of an ad agency manager during a meeting in March 2018.
Hyun-ah may want to make a comeback as a board member and participate in the group's management, but she may not object to her brother heading the group, analysts said.
In June last year, Hyun-min returned as senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the holding company as she was cleared of any charges.
This photo taken on Jan. 13, 2020, shows Korean Air's headquarters building in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--S. Korea protests Japanese FM's claim to Dokdo

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry issued a strong protest on Monday over Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi's parliamentary speech that renewed Japan's claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.
During his speech on foreign policy, Motegi claimed that the East Sea islets are inherently Japan's territory, remarks that overshadowed budding efforts to defuse a row between Seoul and Tokyo over wartime history and trade.
"The government strongly protests the fact that the Japanese government, through a diplomatic speech by its foreign minister, repeated the improper claim to Dokdo, which is inherently our territory, and we urge it to immediately retract the claim," Kim In-chul, the ministry's spokesman, said in a statement.
"As Dokdo is clearly our inherent territory historically, geographically and by international law, our government calls on the Japanese government to halt the futile attempt regarding Dokdo and humbly face history," he added.
This photo, taken on April 23, 2019, shows Kim In-chul, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, speaking during a press conference at the ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Japanese government has claimed sovereignty over Dokdo in its annual foreign policy address to the legislature for seven consecutive years.
South Korea has been in effective control of Dokdo since the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule in 1945.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 20, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 20, 2020

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


yna--2020-01-20--(LEAD) Moon picks Cho Kuk's ex-assistant as new presidential secretary

Cho was later picked to lead the Ministry of Justice , causing weeks of massive street rallies against him and @ @ @ @ @ has been indicted on multiple charges , including alleged irregularities involving power abuse and his @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with Cheong Wa Dae's briefing, other details from 4th para; ADDS photo, byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in appointed a lawyer who worked as a policy assistant to former Justice Minister Cho Kuk as a new presidential secretary Monday, a choice expected to trigger public controversy.
Moon named Kim Mi-kyoung as his secretary for balanced personnel affairs, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Kim served as deputy secretary at Cheong Wa Dae from 2017-2019 under Cho, who was senior secretary for civil affairs.
Cho was later picked to lead the Ministry of Justice, causing weeks of massive street rallies against him and the Moon administration. He has been indicted on multiple charges, including alleged irregularities involving power abuse and his children's schooling.
Kim Mi-kyoung, newly appointed presidential secretary for balanced personnel affairs, in a photo released by Cheong Wa Dae (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae, however, said it did not take her connection with Cho into account.
"She has been appointed on the basis of an assessment of her career as an expert in such issues as gender equality and human rights law," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters.
Her new job is to handle the work on removing inequality in assigning duties to civil servants, in particular for social minorities, and improving the related system, the official pointed out.
Kim is experienced in promoting people's rights at the Ministry of Government Legislation and also served as a member of the Korean Bar Association's panel for the victims of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.
Moon named Kim Je-nam, a former lawmaker with the progressive Justice Party, as secretary for climate and environment.
She earlier worked as secretary general of Green Korea United, a Seoul-based environmental civic group.
The Cheong Wa Dae official emphasized that her party background has not been considered either, saying her expertise was the main factor.
Kim Je-nam, appointed as presidential secretary for climate and environment, in a photo released by Cheong Wa Dae (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon also filled three other secretarial posts with new faces -- senior officer for financial affairs, secretary for social economy and secretary for gender equality and family affairs -- in the shake-up of his Cheong Wa Dae staff.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(LEAD) Seoul stocks hit 15-month high on U.S. data

Top cap Samsung Electronics was up 1.79 percent to end at a fresh high of 62,400 won on expectations that @ @ @ @ @ to an improvement in its earnings .
South Korea 's No .
2 chipmaker , @ @ @ @ @ percent to 99,900 won .

(ATTN: UPDATES with bond yields at bottom; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose for the third consecutive session Monday to hit a 15-month high on positive U.S. data and a rally by tech stocks. The South Korean won gained ground against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 12.07 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 2,262.64, the highest level since Oct. 5, 2018.
Foreign investors purchased a net 53.7 billion won (US$46.3 million) worth of stocks, giving a boost to the main index. Meanwhile, institutions offloaded a net 18 billion won.
Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said positive U.S. housing data boosted investor sentiment, which in turn led to foreign buying in the South Korean markets.
U.S. housing starts rose to a 13-year high in December.
Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities Co., said the Chinese policy of supporting fifth-generation network services gave a boost to Korean tech shares.
In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.
Top cap Samsung Electronics was up 1.79 percent to end at a fresh high of 62,400 won on expectations that higher chip prices will lead to an improvement in its earnings. South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, SK hynix, rose 0.91 percent to 99,900 won.
Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. was down 0.42 percent at 118,000 won, and Celltrion, a major biotech firm, shed 1.43 percent to hit 172,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,158.10 to the U.S. greenback, up 1.30 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 2.2 basis points to 1.455 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond climbed 3.0 basis points to reach 1.583 percent.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--(LEAD) Prosecutors demand death penalty for Jeju murder suspect

The death penalty is the heaviest sentence that can be handed down by a South Korean court .
South Korea @ @ @ @ @ as an `` abolitionist in practice country , '' which means that the government retains @ @ @ @ @ not executed a criminal for the past 10 years or longer .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 2, 8-10)
JEJU, South Korea, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday demanded the death penalty for a 37-year-old woman accused of brutally killing her former husband and stepson last year.
In a hearing at the Jeju District Court, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for Koh Yu-jeong, who allegedly murdered her former husband and 5-year-old stepson in two separate incidents.
"The defendant Koh Yu-jeong murdered a father in front of a son and a son in front of her father. ... Both cases derive from her contempt towards human life and she has not shown any signs of remorse," the prosecution explained.
The prosecution cited traces of sedative found in a bloodstain made by her ex-husband and an autopsy result that suggested the deliberate murder of her stepson as evidence supporting her conviction.
Koh was indicted for allegedly killing her former husband, surnamed Kang, at a pension on the southern resort island of Jeju in May last year. She is also suspected of mutilating his body and disposing of it.
In a separate incident, she was indicted on charges of having suffocated her five-year-old stepson to death at their home in South Chungcheong Province in March 2019.
Koh has argued that the murder of her ex-husband was not premeditated. She has denied killing her stepson.
Monday's session was set to be the final hearing before the court hands down its decision. However, the final hearing was delayed as Koh or her attorneys did not make their final plea.
The next hearing is due on Feb. 10.
The death penalty is the heaviest sentence that can be handed down by a South Korean court. South Korea, however, is classified as an "abolitionist in practice country," which means that the government retains the death penalty but has not executed a criminal for the past 10 years or longer.
A composite image showing murder suspect Koh Yu-jeong and a crime scene (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Nat'l team goalkeeper switches clubs in K League

He has been a national team mainstay in the past couple of years .
Most notably , Jo started every @ @ @ @ @ the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia .
Though South Korea were eliminated in the @ @ @ @ @ defending champions Germany 2-0 in the final preliminary match , with Jo standing tall in @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean international goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo has switched clubs for the first time in his K League career.
Ulsan Hyundai FC announced their signing of the 28-year-old without disclosing financial details. It spelled the end of Jo's seven-season stint with Daegu FC, with whom he made his professional debut in 2013.
Jo has been named the best goalkeeper in the K League 1 in each of the past three seasons. In two years before that, Jo was recognized as the top custodian in the second-tier K League 2.
This photo provided by Ulsan Hyundai FC on Jan. 20, 2020, shows the K League 1 club's new goalkeeper, Jo Hyeon-woo, standing next to the team logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
He has been a national team mainstay in the past couple of years. Most notably, Jo started every match for South Korea at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Though South Korea were eliminated in the group stage, they defeated defending champions Germany 2-0 in the final preliminary match, with Jo standing tall in net.
Later that same year, Jo was one of the overage players for the under-23 national team at the Asian Games in Indonesia and helped South Korea to their second straight gold medal.
With Ulsan, Jo will be replacing his long-time national team rival Kim Seung-gyu, who signed with Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol earlier this month.
Ulsan finished in second place last year, falling to Pohang Steelers 4-1 in their season finale and wasting a chance to end their title drought at 14 years.
In that loss, Kim took a throw-in from the sidelines and gave the ball to Pohang forward Heo Yong-jun, who scored into the empty net for a 3-1 lead in the 88th minute.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-20--Moon picks Cho Kuk's ex-assistant as new presidential secretary

Moon also filled four other secretarial posts with new faces -- senior officer for financial affairs , secretary for social @ @ @ @ @ and environment and secretary for gender equality and family affairs -- in the shake-up of @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in appointed a lawyer who worked as a policy assistant to former Justice Minister Cho Kuk as a new presidential secretary Monday, a choice expected to trigger public controversy.
Moon named Kim Mi-kyoung as his secretary for balanced personnel affairs, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Kim served as deputy secretary at Cheong Wa Dae from 2017-2019 under Cho, who was senior secretary for civil affairs.
Cho was later picked to lead the Ministry of Justice, causing weeks of massive street rallies against him and the Moon administration. He has been indicted on multiple charges, including alleged irregularities involving power abuse and his children's schooling.
Moon also filled four other secretarial posts with new faces -- senior officer for financial affairs, secretary for social economy, secretary to climate and environment and secretary for gender equality and family affairs -- in the shake-up of his Cheong Wa Dae staff.
Kim Mi-kyoung, newly appointed presidential secretary for balanced personnel affairs, in a photo released by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-21--(LEAD) Korea's exports down 0.2 pct in first 20 days of January

The country 's exports stood at US $ 25.7 billion in the January 1-20 period , down $ 40 million @ @ @ @ @ year , according to the Korea Customs Service .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details)
By Kim Deok-hyun
SEJONG, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 0.2 percent in the first 20 days of January, data showed Tuesday.
The country's exports stood at US$25.7 billion in the January 1-20 period, down $40 million from the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.
The rate of decline was also much less than the 2 percent fall in the December 1-20 period last year, the data showed.
By product, exports of semiconductors and petrochemical goods gained 8.7 percent and 19.3 percent, respectively.
In contrast, outbound shipments of passenger cars and wireless equipment fell 6.8 percent and 6.2 percent, according to the data.
South Korea's economy is expected to have suffered its weakest annual growth in a decade last year, hit by a lengthy U.S.-China trade war and a cyclical slump in the memory chip sector.
For December last year, monthly exports slipped 5.2 percent on-year to $45.7 billion to extend their slump to a whopping 13th consecutive month. However, this year's outbound shipments are forecast to rise 3 percent.
South Korea's exports fell 10.3 percent on-year in 2019 to $542.4 billion, according to government data.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


Tuesday's weather forecast

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


yna--2020-01-21--U.S. reaffirms need for inter-Korean cooperation, denuclearization to move in lockstep

Earlier , Seoul 's unification ministry said it is looking at ways to hold talks with Pyongyang on allowing tours @ @ @ @ @ individual basis .
The push has gained traction after President Moon Jae-in cited it last @ @ @ @ @ expand inter-Korean exchanges without violating sanctions .

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The United States reaffirmed Monday that inter-Korean cooperation should proceed "in lockstep" with progress in North Korea's denuclearization, as Seoul continued to push for individual tours to the North.
Earlier, Seoul's unification ministry said it is looking at ways to hold talks with Pyongyang on allowing tours to North Korea on an individual basis. The push has gained traction after President Moon Jae-in cited it last week as a way to expand inter-Korean exchanges without violating sanctions.
"The United States supports inter-Korean cooperation and coordinates with our ROK ally to ensure inter-Korean cooperation proceeds in lockstep with progress on denuclearization," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency, using the abbreviation for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
The comment underscores Washington's concern that any flow of resources to North Korea could undermine its "maximum pressure" campaign to denuclearize the regime.
Still, U.S. officials have also told their South Korean counterparts that Washington respects decisions Seoul makes as a sovereign nation.
Meanwhile, asked about reports that North Korea has replaced its foreign minister, the spokesperson said, "I don't have anything for you on this."
This AFP file photo shows the U.S. Department of State in Washington. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 2,259.81 DN 2.83 points (open)


KOSDAQ 683.82 UP 0.35 points (open)


yna--2020-01-21--Dollar opens at 1,159.9 won UP from 1,158.1 won


yna--2020-01-21--Korea's exports down 0.2 pct in first 20 days of January

SEJONG , Jan. 21 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's exports fell 0.2 percent in the first 20 days @ @ @ @ @ of semiconductors gaining 8.7 percent , data showed Tuesday .


yna--2020-01-21--Yonhap news advisory for Tuesday, Jan. 21

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency .
Your queries are welcome .
Yonhap 's @ @ @ @ @ reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 ( general ) and 82-2-398-3460 ( economics ) , and @ @ @ @ @ yna.co.kr or sam @ yna.co.kr .

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency. Your queries are welcome. Yonhap's English-language news desk can be reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 (general) and 82-2-398-3460 (economics), and by email at sshim@yna.co.kr or sam@yna.co.kr.
General
-- Moon to preside over Cabinet meeting
-- Search efforts for 4 S. Korean teachers missing in Himalayas
Economy & Finance
-- Exports data for Jan. 1-20
-- Follow-up stories on new coronavirus in S. Korea
(END)


yna--2020-01-21--Park In-bee cracks top 15 in world rankings after LPGA runner-up finish

This was the earliest start to a season for Park since 2016 and only the third time she began a @ @ @ @ @ .
She has often opened her seasons in February but made an exception this year @ @ @ @ @ moving up in the world rankings and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in the summer @

SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean LPGA star Park In-bee has cracked the top 15 in the world rankings after finishing in second place in the tour's season opener.
Park moved up two spots to reach No. 14 in the latest rankings released Tuesday. The former world No. 1 lost in a three-way playoff at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, last weekend, and ended up tying for second with Nasa Hataoka behind the winner, Gaby Lopez.
In this Getty Images photo, Park In-bee of South Korea watches her tee shot on the seventh hole during the final round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
This was the earliest start to a season for Park since 2016 and only the third time she began a year in January since 2010. She has often opened her seasons in February but made an exception this year because she hopes to keep moving up in the world rankings and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in the summer.
The Olympic field will feature 60 players, and those inside the top 15 in the world rankings at the end of June will automatically qualify. But there is a limit of four players per country, and South Korea, thanks to its deep talent pool, now has six players inside the top 15.
Ahead of Park are Ko Jin-young (No. 1), Park Sung-hyun (No. 2), Kim Sei-young (No. 6), Lee Jeong-eun (No. 7) and Kim Hyo-joo (No. 12).
Park, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, has said she'll try to play in as many tournaments as she can in the first half of this year, in order to give herself a chance to defend her Olympic title.
The world rankings award points based on the strength of the field and evaluate players' performances over a rolling two-year period. An extra emphasis is placed on results from the 13 most recent weeks.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-21--Trump's defense suggests U.S. troop presence in S. Korea is form of foreign aid

Trump 's lawyers made the case in the 110-page Trial Memorandum for the Senate 's impeachment proceedings against the president @ @ @ @ @ to begin in earnest Tuesday , with Trump facing charges of abusing his power by @ @ @ @ @ political rival Joe Biden and withholding U.S. military aid to the country in the process @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to suggest Monday that the stationing of American forces in South Korea is a form of foreign aid, rejecting the long-held view that the troop presence serves both countries' interests.
Trump's lawyers made the case in the 110-page Trial Memorandum for the Senate's impeachment proceedings against the president. The trial is set to begin in earnest Tuesday, with Trump facing charges of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden and withholding U.S. military aid to the country in the process.
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a "Keep America Great" campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Jan. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
In the memo, Trump's defense presents arguments for why "Pauses on Foreign Aid Are Often Necessary and Appropriate."
"Placing a temporary pause on aid is not unusual. Indeed, the President has often paused, re-evaluated, and even canceled foreign aid programs," it says.
The memo goes on to cite the example of a tweet Trump sent in August 2019 before formal negotiations on renewing a defense cost-sharing deal between South Korea and the U.S. got under way.
"In August 2019, President Trump announced that the Administration and Seoul were in talks to 'substantially' increase South Korea's share of the expense of U.S. military support for South Korea," the document reads.
Other examples include the Trump administration's announcement in September 2019 that it was withholding more than US$100 million in aid to Afghanistan over concerns about government corruption.
Another example is Trump's decision in June to cut or pause more than $550 million in foreign aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala "because those countries were not fairly sharing the burdens of preventing mass migration to the United States."
Washington has been heaping pressure on Seoul to significantly increase its financial contributions to the upkeep of 28,500 American troops on the peninsula.
The last round of negotiations was held in Washington last week, following the expiry of the previous cost-sharing deal at the end of December.
The talks ended without a breakthrough. The next day, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper penned a joint opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal saying South Korea is an ally, not a dependent, and should contribute more to its national defense.
Meanwhile, Trump's defense also argued that the president brought "fresh and successful approaches to foreign policy," including in relations with NATO, China, Israel and North Korea.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)