yna--2020-02-20--(2nd LD) Heiress-led coalition recommends new chief for debt-laden Hanjin Group

In response to Hyun-ah 's alliance with the KCGI and Bando , her mother Lee Myung-hee and younger sister Hyun-min @ @ @ @ @ stand against Hyun-ah 's approach .
They asked Hyun-ah to come back as a member @ @ @ @ @ join forces to promote the group 's stability and development .

(ATTN: ADDS Hyun-ah alliance's stake in last 3 paras)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- The three-party alliance led by Hanjin Group heiress Cho Hyun-ah, widely known for the "nut rage" incident in 2014, on Thursday reiterated a need to replace the current leadership of the debt-laden South Korean airline conglomerate.
The 45-year-old heiress has recently joined hands with the Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) and the midsized builder Bando Engineering & Construction Co. to invite a new chief for the logistics-centered conglomerate to improve the group's financial status and its shareholder value.
The KCGI recommended Kim Shin-bae, who served as executive vice chairman at SK Group and president at SK Telecom Co., as a professional manager who will replace Cho Won-tae, current chairman of Hanjin Group and Korean Air Lines Co., also her younger brother.
This photo taken Feb. 20, 2020, shows Kang Sung-boo, CEO of the local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI), delivering a briefing on measures to restore the financial health of the airline conglomerate Hanjin Group at a press conference held at Glad Hotel in Seoul. (Yonhap)
"Hanjin KAL and Korean Air's accumulated losses reached 1.74 trillion won (US$1.45 billion) during the 2014-19 period and Korean Air's debt-to-equity ratio soared to 861.9 percent during the same period as a result of unilateral and short-sighted investment decisions by the management," KCGI Chief Executive Kang Sung-boo said in a press conference.
Korean Air's overwhelming debt ratio is far higher than United Airlines' 366 percent and Delta Air Lines, Inc.'s 329 percent during the specified period, he said.
The heiress alliance has said that they have no interest in taking over the management of Hanjin Group.
Under the leadership of a professional manager, the decision-making process should transparently improve for the benefit of employees and shareholders, Kang said.
Kim Shin-bae who attended the press conference said if he has an opportunity to lead Hanjin Group, he will put a top priority on reviving the company's corporate value, which is "seriously damaged" due to mismanagement by the Hanjin family.
Hours after the KCGI-led press conference, Hanjin Group released a statement to rebut the alliance's arguments.
Hyun-ah apparently has an interest in participating in the group's management given the alliance's proposal to change Hanjin KAL's articles of association and the professional manager candidate Kim Shin-bae has no experience or expertise in the airline industry, the group said.
As for its heavy debt ratio, the group said it chose its own planes for a stable operation of the fleet and growth and the debt increased due to the won's weakness against the dollar.
This 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)
The Hyun-ah coalition has been at loggerheads with her brother Won-tae, 44, and other family members over the way of managing the airline-to-logistics conglomerate.
To be reappointed as chairman of Hanjin Group and the national flag carrier, Won-tae needs to obtain an approval at Hanjin KAL Corp.'s shareholders meeting on March 25.
Hanjin KAL is the holding company of Hanjin Group, which has Korean Air and low-cost carrier Jin Air Co. under its wing.
Won-tae took the helm of Hanjin Group and Korean Air in April last year following his father's death.
In response to Hyun-ah's alliance with the KCGI and Bando, her mother Lee Myung-hee and younger sister Hyun-min, 37, said they stand against Hyun-ah's approach. They asked Hyun-ah to come back as a member of the Hanjin family and join forces to promote the group's stability and development.
Korean Air's 10,000-strong union said it will take all possible measures to block the plan proposed by the heiress coalition.
For 2019, Korean Air's net losses widened to 624.87 billion won from 185.65 billion won a year earlier on lower demand on Japanese routes and declining cargo-carrying volumes.
In a regulatory filing on Thursday, KCGI said the three-party alliance's stake in Hanjin KAL rose to 37.8 percent from 32.06 percent.
The stake is higher than the 33.45 percent collectively held by Won-tae, his mother, younger sister, related people, Delta Air and the country's leading messaging app, Kakao Corp.
"The alliance can exercise voting rights over a 31.98 percent stake they purchased last year at this year's shareholders' meeting next month," a Korean Air spokeswoman said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-20--(LEAD) USFK limits soldiers' travel to Daegu, closes several facilities amid surge in coronavirus ca

(LEAD) USFK limits soldiers' travel to Daegu, closes several facilities amid surge in coronavirus cases

Since Wednesday , South Korea has confirmed more than 70 additional cases of the COVID-19 virus , and a majority @ @ @ @ @ are from Daegu , 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul , and its surrounding North Gyeongsang @ @ @ @ @ 's health authorities .
The total figure of confirmed cases stood at 104 , including @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .

(ATTN: ADDS latest info, more details in paras 2-3, 12; CHANGES spelling of church name in 8th para)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has banned "non-essential" travel to and from South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu and shut down all of its children-related facilities there in the wake of a surge in new coronavirus cases in the region.
Since Wednesday, South Korea has confirmed more than 70 additional cases of the COVID-19 virus, and a majority of the newly confirmed patients are from Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, according to Seoul's health authorities. The total figure of confirmed cases stood at 104, including one death, as of Thursday.
"As a Health Protection measure, I've elevated the risk for USFK peninsula-wide personnel and installations to moderate until KCDC completes its contact trace procedures," USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams said, according to a release updated on Wednesday.
A patient suspected of carrying the new coronavirus, COVID-19, arrives at Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Feb. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
As proactive and precautionary measures, USFK prohibited all service members' non-essential travel to and from Daegu, and minimized off-installation travel.
"I highly request all family members, civilians and contractors do likewise regarding their travel as well," Abrams said.
"All USAG-Daegu and Area IV schools, child development centers and child and youth services activities will be closed Thursday, and we will make a decision regarding a Friday closure tomorrow," he added. USAG means U.S. army garrison.
Visitors who are not performing essential missions or official business will be denied access to its military installations in Daegu for 24 hours from Thursday, and the directive is to be reassessed every 24 hours, according to the military.
USFK also implemented self-quarantine measures on all service members who have attended the New World Church, also known as Shincheonji Church of Jesus, since Feb. 9, while recommending the same measures for their family members, civilians and contractors.
Most of the newly confirmed patients in Daegu were found to have attended the same religious services as the country's 31st COVID-19 patient, which were held in Daegu earlier this month.
"I want to emphasize the care and well-being of our Daegu service members, families and civilians is a top priority of mine," Abrams said, calling for good hygiene practice as the best way to control the spread of virus.
No confirmed or suspected cases among U.S. service members and their family members have been reported so far, according to USFK officials.
USFK, meanwhile, dismissed rumors that families of U.S. soldiers in South Korea are preparing to evacuate to the U.S. due to the virus outbreak, adding that the military has shared its anti-virus steps on its website.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams speaks during a press conference at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on Nov. 12, 2019, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-20--(URGENT) Navy sailor tests positive for coronavirus in initial examination

(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--2020-02-20--(LEAD) S. Korea's surge in virus cases tied to church stokes fears over religious services

Out of the 73 new cases , 42 were directly or indirectly from the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church @ @ @ @ @ of the Tabernacle of the Testimony , commonly known as Shincheonji .
It is a @ @ @ @ @ South Korean Lee Man-hee in 1984 .

(ATTN: UPDATES with numbers in paras 2-3)
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- With a number of coronavirus infections confirmed to be linked to a church in the southeastern city of Daegu, fears over going to crowded religious services are growing across the country.
South Korea reported a total of 104 patients infected with the COVID-19 virus as of Thursday afternoon, with a combined 73 new cases confirmed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Out of the 73 new cases, 42 were directly or indirectly from the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, commonly known as Shincheonji. It is a minor Christian sect established by South Korean Lee Man-hee in 1984.
Quarantine officials disinfect the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The new infections were believed to be linked to one of its followers, known as the 31st patient, a 61-year-old woman who tested positive for the contagious virus earlier this week.
She had reportedly attended a couple of church services before and after she felt the symptoms of the coronavirus infection.
Preliminary results of a survey conducted by the city government showed that around 90 of some 1,000 people who were reportedly at the church with the patient reported symptoms of the virus.
A former member of the Shincheonji church assumed that Shincheonji's service practices may have amplified the spread of the coronavirus as all participants sit close together on their knees and sing songs with their arms around each others' shoulders during services.
It also takes about 15 minutes for hundreds of people to move downstairs in a cramped staircase in the church's nine-story building, according to the former member.
The health authorities said they have secured a list of more than 1,000 members of the Shincheonji Daegu church and asked them to be self-quarantined for a while. They are now seeking to identify another 8,000 church members from the organization.
Consequently, South Korean religious communities have been seeking preventive measures as there have been growing fears about religious events in large churches and temples that can become a focal point of infections.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu has suspended all Masses held by churches, institutions and schools in the diocese for two weeks until March 5.
It is the first time that a Catholic diocese has decided not to hold Masses since the first outbreak was reported in South Korea on Jan. 20.
A church in central Seoul was closed for about two weeks earlier this month as one of its believers was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus.
However, few Protestant and Catholic churches or Buddhist temples have actually rescheduled or reduced their services or events despite the rapid spread of the virus.
They only offer sanitizers or masks to service participants and visitors, while some provide livestreamed services for people who cannot attend.
Some criticized the intransigent religious communities for adhering to services that bring large numbers of people to one place amid the outbreak of the highly contagious virus.
"I don't want to oppose the opinion that the Sunday service is essential," Shin Sung-wook, a professor at Asia United Theological University, said in a contribution to Kookmin Daily. "But I want to point out one thing. Does a church have to be a brick-and-mortar building?"
But others claim that it will be alright if people remain clean and sanitary before attending services.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Seoul stocks open lower on coronavirus woes

In Seoul , most large caps had a weak start on angst over the rapid spread of the virus here @

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street amid rising concerns of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 18.56 points, or 0.85 percent, to 2,176.94 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
U.S. stock markets closed lower Thursday (local time) over the global spread of the novel coronavirus.
Investor sentiment was also hurt after U.S. Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Clarida downplayed talks for a rate cut.
In Seoul, most large caps had a weak start on angst over the rapid spread of the virus here.
The country has reported 104 COVID-19 cases, with half of them confirmed in just two days.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics shed 1.17 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix dropped 0.96 percent.
Leading auto maker Hyundai Motor dipped 0.38 percent, while auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis declined 0.87 percent.
The country's No. 1 chemical firm, LG Chem, lost 1.07 percent, and top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics slid 1 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,204.50 won against the U.S. dollar, down 5.8 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(LEAD) S. Korea designates Daegu, Cheongdo as 'special care zones' over coronavirus

`` The government will take special measures by declaring the Daegu and Cheongdo areas as special care zones as a @ @ @ @ @ was reported there , '' Chung said at the start of a pan-government meeting over @ @ @

(ATTN: REWRITES lead; REVISES with more info throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea designated the southeastern cities of Daegu and Cheongdo as "special care zones" over infectious disease Friday, as a cluster of new coronavirus cases has been reported there in recent days.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun vowed government efforts to take "strong and swift" measures to prevent further spread of the virus, calling the latest development an "emergency" situation.
"The government will take special measures by declaring the Daegu and Cheongdo areas as special care zones as a sudden rise in confirmed cases was reported there," Chung said at the start of a pan-government meeting over the virus.
The country confirmed its first death of a COVID-19 patient in Cheongdo on Thursday, with the total number of confirmed cases in the country surpassing 100 since its first outbreak on Jan. 20.
Concerns about community spread have mounted as 70 new cases were reported this week in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city and home to 2.4 million people, and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province.
"It is urgent to find people who have contacted infected people and cure patients," Chung said.
He said the government is ready to "fully" support necessary resources, including sickbeds, health workers and equipment.
"The government has so far focused on curbing infections coming from outside the country. From now on, the government will further prioritize preventing the virus from spreading locally," Chung said.
The prime minister also called for concerted efforts by the central and local governments, people and medical sectors to cope with the situation.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun presides over a pan-government meeting to cope with the new coronavirus at the government complex building in Seoul on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(LEAD) Korea's exports up 12.4 pct in first 20 days of February

SEJONG , Feb. 21 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's exports moved up 12.4 percent in the first 20 @ @ @ @ @ data showed Friday , led mostly by chips and auto parts .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
SEJONG, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports moved up 12.4 percent in the first 20 days of February, customs data showed Friday, led mostly by chips and auto parts.
The country's outbound shipments reached US$26.3 billion in the Feb. 1-20 period, compared with $23.3 billion a year earlier, according to the Korea Customs Service.
By product, exports of chips soared 15.4 percent, and outbound shipments of auto parts surged 40.6 percent.
But the average daily exports -- which reflect working days -- fell 9.3 percent on-year in the first 20 days of February, the data showed.
South Korea will announce its monthly exports data on March 1.
Exports earlier fell at a slower-than-expected pace in January but extended their slump to a 14th consecutive month due to there being fewer working days.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Toronto manager finds Ryu's first live batting practice 'fun to watch'

Ryu is in his first spring training with the Jays , which he joined on a four-year , US $ @ @ @ @ @ after leading the majors in ERA and finishing second in the National League Cy Young @ @ @ @ @ the largest deal ever handed out by the Blue Jays to a pitcher , and @ @ @ @ @ be their Opening Day starter in Toronto against the Boston Red Sox on March 26 @

DUNEDIN, United States, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- One of the most-used expressions by Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo is "fun to watch." So far this spring training, he's relied on it often to describe his new South Korean ace, Ryu Hyun-jin.
"Ryu is Ryu. He throws strikes. It was fun to watch," Montoyo told reporters at TD Ballpark on Thursday, a day after Ryu's first live batting practice of spring training. "He's going to be around the zone. I could see how his pitches moved. He's going to make you beat him. He's not going to walk you."
Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo speaks to reporters at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu is in his first spring training with the Jays, which he joined on a four-year, US$80 million contract in December after leading the majors in ERA and finishing second in the National League Cy Young Award voting. That's the largest deal ever handed out by the Blue Jays to a pitcher, and barring injuries, Ryu will be their Opening Day starter in Toronto against the Boston Red Sox on March 26.
The Blue Jays will begin their preseason game schedule Saturday against the New York Yankees. Their first game at the brand new TD Ballpark will be next Monday against the Atlanta Braves.
Throughout camp, the Jays have kept mum on Ryu's pitching schedule. When reporters asked Ryu about his first spring appearance, the pitchers told them to go ask the manager.
When informed of that exchange, Montoyo quipped, "That's a good man."
"When he's pitching, I don't know yet," Montoyo said. "Probably by Saturday, I'll let you guys know when he's pitching."
Whether or not Ryu will have another live batting practice before his first game, the manager said: "It's up to him. He knows what he's got to do. If he needs another one, we'll give him another one."
Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays takes a groundball during a fielding drill for pitchers at the Player Development Complex, outside TD Ballpark, in Dunedin, Florida, on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSDAQ 673.57 DN 8.09 points (open)


KOSPI 2,165.65 DN 29.85 points (open)


yna--2020-02-21--Korea's exports up 12.4 pct in first 20 days of February

SEJONG , Feb. 21 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's exports moved up 12.4 percent in the first 20 @ @ @ @ @ data showed Friday .


Friday's weather forecast

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


yna--2020-02-21--Dollar opens at 1,205.7 won UP from 1,198.7 won


yna--2020-02-21--S. Korea designates Daegu, Cheongdo as 'special care zones' over coronavirus

On Thursday , the country confirmed its first death of a COVID-19 patient in the southeastern city of Cheongdo , @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases in the country surpassing 100 .
Concerns about community spread have mounted as @ @ @ @ @ in Daegu , the country 's fourth-largest city and home to 2.4 million people , @ @ @ @ @ Province .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea declared the southeastern cities of Daegu and Cheongdo are "special care zones" Friday as a cluster of coronavirus cases have been reported there in recent days.
On Thursday, the country confirmed its first death of a COVID-19 patient in the southeastern city of Cheongdo, with the total number of confirmed cases in the country surpassing 100. Concerns about community spread have mounted as new cases surged this week in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city and home to 2.4 million people, and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province.
"The government will take special measures by declaring the Daegu and Cheongdo areas, where a sudden rise in confirmed cases were reported, as special care zones," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at the start of a pan-government meeting over the virus.
Chung said the government will focus on preventing the virus from spreading locally.
"The government will mobilize all resources to overcome the virus," he added.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--IFRC requests sanctions waiver for plan to help N. Korea's fight against coronavirus

North Korea has claimed there have been no cases of coronavirus infection on its soil , but the country has @ @ @ @ @ including tightening its border with virus-stricken neighboring China and increasing quarantines for those coming from @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The International Red Cross has asked the United Nations to grant temporary sanctions exemptions for its efforts to help North Korea's fight against the new coronavirus, a U.S. broadcaster said Friday.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) made the request, Richard Blewitt, the organization's permanent observer at the U.N., was quoted as saying to Radio Free Asia.
He said that a sanctions waiver is necessary to help Pyongyang's ongoing preventive efforts against COVID-19 and provide items, such as protective suits, goggles, test kits and thermometers, to the country.
The official also said that he has heard nothing about an outbreak of the coronavirus in North Korea.
North Korea has claimed there have been no cases of coronavirus infection on its soil, but the country has been intensifying preventive efforts, including tightening its border with virus-stricken neighboring China and increasing quarantines for those coming from foreign countries.
Concerns are growing that the North could be more vulnerable to the highly contagious virus that has killed more than 2,000 people in China alone as it lacks key medical supplies to diagnose and treat infected people.
Humanitarian activities in North Korea are not banned under global sanctions imposed against its regime for its nuclear and missile provocations, but related materials are subject to sanctions waivers.
This image, captured from North Korea's Korean Central TV on Feb. 2, 2020, shows an official disinfecting a train compartment -- one of numerous disinfections taking place across the country. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Moon to receive emergency report on virus response

SEOUL , Feb. 21 ( Yonhap ) -- President Moon Jae-in will be briefed Friday on South Korea 's response @ @ @ @ @ by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun , Cheong Wa Dae said , as the number of @ @ @ @ @ more than tripled over the past two days .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in will be briefed Friday on South Korea's response to the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the number of confirmed cases in the country more than tripled over the past two days.
The virus has begun to spread locally at a rapid pace, putting the quarantine authorities on high alert.
Moon plans to receive the "emergency" report at Cheong Wa Dae with Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young and Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo also in attendance.
Moon's office will later make public the results of the Cheong Wa Dae session that will start at around 9 a.m.
The prime minister announced that the government will designate Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and the nearby town of Cheongdo as "special care zones" as a response to a cluster of coronavirus cases being reported there in recent days.
The nation's efforts against COVID-19 have entered a new phase following the report of its first coronavirus death Thursday and an uptick in the total number of patients to more than 100.
The government is considering whether to raise the state alert level to "serious" from the current "watch."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(URGENT) S. Korea to designate Daegu, Cheongdo as 'special care zones' over infectious disease: prim

(URGENT) S. Korea to designate Daegu, Cheongdo as 'special care zones' over infectious disease: prime minister


yna--2020-02-21--S. Korea reports 1st military member infected with coronavirus

It is yet to be known exactly how he contracted the virus .
But South Korea has seen a surge @ @ @ @ @ the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province in recent days , as the country 's 31st patient @ @ @ @ @ along with around 1,000 others .
As of late Thursday , the total number of @ @ @ @ @ , according to health authorities .

SEOUL/JEJU, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- A Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju was confirmed Friday to have contracted the new coronavirus in the first confirmed case among service personnel in South Korea, officials said.
The sailor, 22, tested positive for COVID-19 in the initial examination the previous day and was finally confirmed earlier in the day, according to the officials.
He visited his hometown, Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from Feb. 13 to Tuesday. Upon returning to the base, he showed symptoms, such as coughing, prompting the authorities to immediately quarantine him at the base. He is now at a Jeju hospital.
It is yet to be known exactly how he contracted the virus. But South Korea has seen a surge in patients in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province in recent days, as the country's 31st patient attended a church service, along with around 1,000 others. As of late Thursday, the total number of confirmed cases stood at 104, according to health authorities.
In the wake of high chances of the first coronavirus case among service personnel, the defense ministry decided late Thursday to restrict all enlisted soldiers from vacationing and staying outside their base to meet visitors starting Saturday.
A Navy sailor arrives at a hospital on South Korea's southern island of Jeju to undergo a test for the new coronavirus on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Feb. 21)

Moon must wake up .
He must raise his level of crisis response to `` serious '' from `` cautious @ @ @ @ @ as quickly as possible , and also designate some private hospitals as quarantine facilities .
@ @ @ @ @ he must make it clear that he has no intention to take political advantage of @ @ @ @ @ his political opponents to cooperate with the government .
Moon must not forget his 2017 @ @ @ @ @ People come first . ''
( END )

Put people first
The first death in Korea from the new coronavirus was confirmed Thursday. The number of people infected with the lethal virus has soared to 104, a shocking increase in just two days. Many of the new infections occurred in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and transmissions have been pinpointed to a church. People undergoing tests for the virus skyrocketed to 1,633, a whopping increase of 484 in just a day.
The role of Patient No. 31 — a 61-year-old woman in Daegu who has never been to foreign countries and who allegedly had no contact with other patients — is fueling fear among the public. Nevertheless, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) merely intensified public confusion by dismissing the possibility of the patient being a "super-spreader" of the virus.
In a 15-minute telephone conversation on Thursday with Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin, President Moon Jae-in pledged to offer all available government support to the fourth largest city in Korea. But many people were more struck by televised scenes of the president laughing aloud with Director Bong Joon-ho at the Blue House over the Academy Awards he received for the movie "Parasite." That was the image of the day, not the image of a head of state rolling up his sleeves to address a national emergency.
In a speech before a meeting Monday with officials from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Moon warned about the "graveness of the situation." But after listening to countermeasures from Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, the president attributed dampened consumption and a sluggish economy to an "overblown scare." In a cabinet meeting the following day, he reiterated the word "emergency" and demanded extraordinary measures to cope with the deadly infection.
On Feb. 13, when no infection was reported for three days in a row, Moon said the infection would be over soon, which invited criticism from both opposition parties and the medical community. If he had the grace to accept their criticism sincerely, the public might have more faith in his government's efforts.
News reports say that visits to traditional markets by Moon and Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun were originally scripted by their aides, who demanded mom-and-pop store owners talk about business, not politics. We suspect that the two leaders must have been worried about ordinary people blaming the government for their lousy business.
At times of a national crisis, a president's words are significant. Moon became president partly thanks to his vow to "not repeat the poor reaction to Middle East respiratory syndrome [MERS] during the previous administration."
Moon must wake up. He must raise his level of crisis response to "serious" from "cautious," isolate infected people as quickly as possible, and also designate some private hospitals as quarantine facilities. To the opposition camp, he must make it clear that he has no intention to take political advantage of the crisis, and persuade his political opponents to cooperate with the government. Moon must not forget his 2017 presidential campaign slogan, "People come first."
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Feb. 21)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Feb. 21)

Shockingly however , there was the news that some elders of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu , where @ @ @ @ @ service with hundreds of other people Feb. 9 , asked the congregation to lie if @ @ @ @ @ for virus checks .
According to a `` response manual '' posted on the church @ @ @ @ @ were asked to lie to health officials about their attendance at the service and to @ @ @ @ @ the church when the patient was there ; something that stretches credulity .
This was @ @ @ @ @ , but they should know that this blatant lie endangers the lives of not only @ @ @ @ @ .

Virus spreading locally
Measures needed urgently to stabilize situation in Daegu
The new coronavirus is spreading locally at an alarming pace. On Thursday, the health authorities confirmed 53 new cases of the deadly virus, bring the total number of infections here to 104.
What is happening in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province is particularly serious. Over the past two days, 70 people have been confirmed to have been infected just in that region alone, with most of them reportedly linked to a 61-year-old woman living in Daegu, who attended a church service, and visited a hotel and a clinic center in the city despite showing symptoms before testing positive as the nation's 31st patient, Tuesday.
It is not hard to imagine how the affected communities feel about the alleged "super spreader." The southeastern city and surrounding areas are now in a state of panic. The streets have become quiet and the places she visited, including the church, have been temporarily closed. It is apparent that she disregarded the government's guidance that those who show any symptoms should report to the authorities immediately and voluntarily quarantine themselves at home. Thus, she victimized people around her. She didn't care about herself ― or others.
This case proves that, in fighting a virus, all the preventive measures implemented by the administration become useless if people with symptoms don't follow the regulations. What is most important is to realize that anyone can contract and spread the virus.
Shockingly however, there was the news that some elders of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, where the 31st patient attended a service with hundreds of other people Feb. 9, asked the congregation to lie if the health authorities contacted them for virus checks. According to a "response manual" posted on the church's online community, members were asked to lie to health officials about their attendance at the service and to say they were not in the church when the patient was there; something that stretches credulity. This was apparently to protect the church, but they should know that this blatant lie endangers the lives of not only the congregants but their neighbors.
The authorities said it is still unclear how the 31st patient contracted the virus as she had no contact with other confirmed patients nor had she been abroad recently. She allegedly came into contact with more than 160 people while symptomatic.
From now on, the government must focus on stabilizing the situation in Daegu and adjacent areas. On Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will deploy 24 specialized doctors to Daegu and increase the number of virus-testing centers to 22. However, it fell short of raising the level of alert regarding the virus spread, saying, "The spread is limited at this stage."
All measures should be effective and adequate. The country's fight against the new virus has most certainly entered a critical phase.
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Feb. 21)

More broadly , fiscal expansion pursued by the Moon administration since it took office in 2017 has done little to @ @ @ @ @ economy .
Increased government spending has been largely funneled into increasing cash transfers and offsetting @ @ @ @ @ income-led growth policy backed by a string of pro-labor measures , including steep minimum wage @ @ @ @ @ .

Emergency prescription
Drastic policy shift needed to cope with economic woes aggravated by virus crisis
Presiding over a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in called for all extraordinary measures to be taken to cope with what he described as an emergency economic situation.
He said the situation required an emergency prescription, stressing the need to exert imaginative powers beyond expectations in making such efforts.
His remarks came a day after he instructed his economic team to take strong measures to minimize the impact of the spread of a new coronavirus on the economy.
His sense of urgency marks a departure from his earlier optimistic view of the economy. Until recently, he had repeatedly said the country's economy was showing signs of recovery.
Although it may be belated, Moon's latest diagnosis of the difficult economic situation is correct.
Partly affected by the coronavirus outbreak, Korea's annual economic growth rate is expected to tumble below 2 percent this year, reaching the lowest level in more than a decade.
The spread of the epidemic, which originated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December, is beginning to hurt local consumption and production in addition to reducing exports to China and disrupting Korean manufacturers' supply chains there.
But it is a misperception that Korea's economy was showing signs of rebounding before being shocked by the coronavirus crisis. Actually, the economy was already going into a slump with the private sector losing its vitality.
The economy managed to grow 2 percent last year, mainly on the back of fiscal expansion amid a simultaneous downturn in corporate investment, private consumption and outbound shipments. Fiscal spending contributed 1.5 percentage point to the 2019 growth rate, the lowest since 2009, while the private sector's contribution remained at 0.5 percentage point.
Critics say Moon appears to be using the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak to cover the negative effects of his misguided policies and make the case for further expanding fiscal spending.
He may feel all the more need to shore up the faltering economy through increased fiscal expenditure to avoid aggravating voter sentiment against the ruling party ahead of the general election on April 15.
During the Cabinet meeting, Moon said the early spending of the state budget for this year would be just a basic step the government should take.
His emphasis on the need to mobilize all possible means to bolster the economy has raised the possibility that the government will consider drawing up an extra budget.
It is necessary to increase tax incentives and other financial support for companies and small business owners struggling to keep afloat. But such stopgap measures are far from enough to overcome what Moon describes as an emergency economic situation.
More broadly, fiscal expansion pursued by the Moon administration since it took office in 2017 has done little to strengthen the fundamentals of the economy. Increased government spending has been largely funneled into increasing cash transfers and offsetting the negative effects of its income-led growth policy backed by a string of pro-labor measures, including steep minimum wage hikes and a shortened workweek.
The government has also imposed more regulatory restrictions on private firms, contradicting its pledge to promote innovative growth through sweeping deregulation.
In the face of toughening business conditions at home, Korean companies have reduced domestic facility investment, while moving their factories abroad.
Attention is now being drawn to a package of measures Moon's economic team plans to come up with by the end of this month.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said this week the package would include policy tools to support exports, consumption and investment.
The government should go beyond resorting to more fiscal spending just to cope with the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic.
All measures need to be taken to help revitalize corporate activity.
Regulatory barriers for corporate investment in new businesses should be lifted. Bolder tax cuts and measures to make the labor market more flexible should be included in the package.
It would not require much imagination to work out such corporate-friendly steps.
Moon was right to stress the importance of the timing of policy during the Cabinet meeting.
In the fourth quarter of last year, more than half of Korea's listed firms saw their earnings plummet amid deteriorating business conditions at home and abroad. The fallout from the coronavirus crisis may push many of them over the cliff.
The Moon government should recognize it now has just one last chance to pull the economy out of the deepening slump by making a fundamental shift in its economic approach that has proved wrong.
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- S. Korea confirms first coronavirus death , cases now above 100 ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Nightmare @ @ @ @ @ Korea confirms first coronavirus death , number of patients over 100 ( Kookmin Daily ) @ @ @ @ @ death of coronavirus patient , confirmed cases now over 100 ( Donga llbo ) -- @ @ @ @ @ reported in S. Korea , confirmed cases over 100 ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- S. @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , confirmed cases over 100 ( Segye Times ) -- Number of coronavirus patients @ @ @ @ @ to 106 ; first death also reported ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- First coronavirus patient @ @ @ @ @ 5 nurses infected ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- S. Korea reports first coronavirus death , @ @ @ @ @ Hankyoreh ) -- First death reported from psychiatric ward 'blind spot ' ( Hankook Ilbo @ @ @ @ @ reported , national quarantine network collapses ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Businesses cut staff @ @ @ @ @ Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Feb. 21.
Korean-language dailies
-- S. Korea confirms first coronavirus death, cases now above 100 (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Nightmare comes to life, S. Korea confirms first coronavirus death, number of patients over 100 (Kookmin Daily)
-- S. Korea reports first death of coronavirus patient, confirmed cases now over 100 (Donga llbo)
-- First death of coronavirus patient reported in S. Korea, confirmed cases over 100 (Seoul Shinmun)
-- S. Korea reports first death from coronavirus, confirmed cases over 100 (Segye Times)
-- Number of coronavirus patients jumps from 31, 51 to 106; first death also reported (Chosun Ilbo)
-- First coronavirus patient dies in Cheongdo hospital, 5 nurses infected (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- S. Korea reports first coronavirus death, virus spread within hospital (Hankyoreh)
-- First death reported from psychiatric ward 'blind spot' (Hankook Ilbo)
-- First coronavirus death reported, national quarantine network collapses (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Businesses cut staff amid 'coronavirus slump' (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Virus claims victim, cases double in 1 day (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Coronavirus cases spike to surpass 100 (Korea Herald)
-- Fears growing over coronavirus epidemic (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Bolton makes no apology for hardline stance on N. Korea: report

`` It endangers us and our people , and endangers our friends and allies in the Asian Pacific , '' @ @ @ @ @ , it endangers peace and security around the world because North Korea with nuclear weapons @ @ @ @ @ anybody with hard currency to buy .
So I make no apology for taking what @ @ @ @ @ line against North Korea 's nuclear weapons program because you can bet , and you @ @ @ @ @ you can read it .
A softer line has failed . ''

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has stood by his hardline stance on North Korea, saying softer positions have failed to make the regime give up its nuclear weapons program.
In an interview this week with The Vanderbilt Hustler, the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, Bolton also defended his suggestions that North Korea follow the "Libya model" and hand over its nuclear program before receiving any concessions in return.
"I think that you've seen, unfortunately, over four American administrations, the failure to stop North Korea in making progress in getting deliverable nuclear weapons. That's a terrible record for our country," the former adviser said.
This AP photo shows former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton taking part in a discussion on global leadership at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Feb. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Bolton left the Donald Trump administration in September after clashing with the president on multiple policy issues, including how to denuclearize the North.
"It endangers us and our people, and endangers our friends and allies in the Asian Pacific," he continued. "Indeed, it endangers peace and security around the world because North Korea with nuclear weapons will sell those weapons to anybody with hard currency to buy. So I make no apology for taking what some people call a hard line against North Korea's nuclear weapons program because you can bet, and you can see the history and you can read it. A softer line has failed."
Following Bolton's departure, Trump accused his former adviser of having complicated U.S.-North Korea negotiations by bringing up the Libya model.
Libya surrendered its weapons of mass destruction program in 2003, but its then-leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power and killed by NATO-backed rebel forces in 2011.
North Korea has bristled at suggestions it should follow the same steps and vowed never to meet the same fate as the North African country.
Bolton dismissed the criticism, saying the two events in Libya had nothing to do with each other.
"The North Koreans have, over a period of now close to 30 years, not demonstrated a single piece of evidence that they've made a strategic decision to give up nuclear weapons," he said, adding that without such evidence there is no reason to believe any denuclearization commitment the North makes.
"Gaddafi, we knew had done it because we were boxing up this stuff," he pointed out, referring to Libya's nuclear program. "We boxed it up, we put it on ships, and we sent it to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where it is today. And where there's plenty of room for the Iranian and North Korean nuclear weapons programs too."
On the notion that the dismantlement of Libya's nuclear program led to Gaddafi's demise, Bolton rejected it as "a classic demonstration of the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy -- after the fact, therefore, because of the fact."
"In 2003, 2004, nobody on earth, literally nobody, predicted the Arab Spring. And, the Arab spring as it affected Libya and Gaddafi, had nothing to do with the renunciation of nuclear weapons," he said. "So people who conflated saying, well, Gaddafi gave up nuclear weapons and then he was killed by his own people seven years later are confusing two completely unrelated historical events."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--S. Korea reports 2nd death of coronavirus patient

The woman in her 50s died at a hospital in the southeastern city of Busan after being transferred from a @ @ @ @ @ , where the nation 's first COVID-19 fatality was reported the previous day .
She @ @ @ @ @ and moved to Busan earlier Friday .
( END )

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported the nation's second death from the new coronavirus, with the number of confirmed cases surpassing 200, officials said Friday.
The woman in her 50s died at a hospital in the southeastern city of Busan after being transferred from a hospital in a nearby county, where the nation's first COVID-19 fatality was reported the previous day. She was confirmed to be infected and moved to Busan earlier Friday.
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(URGENT) Korea reports 2nd death of coronavirus patient


yna--2020-02-21--(3rd LD) BTS drops new album 'Map of the Soul: 7' with video of lead single

Looking back on the band 's musical journey so far , he said `` We did expand our musical expanse @ @ @ @ @ ( including the size of the audience ) ... so everything got bigger and happier @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- K-pop phenomenon BTS dropped a new album, "Map of the Soul: 7," Friday with a majestic music video of the album's lead track, "ON," ready to rock the world music scene once again.
The upcoming 20-track album is the second part of its "Map of the Soul" album series, following "Map of the Soul: Persona," released in April last year.
Like its predecessor, "7" is a soul-searching musical journey, focused on facing up and embracing the shadows as well as the glories of the band's eventful seven-year band career.
The lead track "ON" is a captivating, powerful hip hop number, which parallels "N.O," the lead track of the band's first EP, "O!RUL8,2?," released in September 2013, just three months after the band's debut.
With the official album release, BTS also dropped the latest lead single's music video, labeled as "Kinetic Manifesto Film : Come Prima," a dazzling visual rendering of the new song.
A team of some 30 dancers and marching band members help the septet put on a majestic dance performance of the song against the background of an outdoor scene.
"ON" primarily explores BTS' devotion and sense of being artists, developed and refined through the band's seven-year history. The song poetically calls the double-edged quality of the band's stardom and global musical career as "a beautiful prison into which I walked into with my own feet."
The septet called the main track "a big diary (of BTS) over the past seven years."
"It's like a (shrunk-down) version of the whole BTS identity," member RM said on Apple Music's "New Music Daily with Zane Lowe" show Friday morning (Korean time).
"It's like a declaration that we have admitted our destiny," the BTS leader said in English, elaborating on the new lead song.
Looking back on the band's musical journey so far, he said "We did expand our musical expanse and everything has been upscaled (including the size of the audience) ... so everything got bigger and happier."
The seven-year journey to the global stardom has been paved with ordeals and the band members have also been burdened by shadows of their global success, the band's management agency Big Hit Entertainment said in its specification of the new album.
"But BTS is more focusing on the future to come ... The band is determined to continue on its journey along with the fan club, Army," Big Hit said.
This image of BTS was provided by Big Hit Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
BTS prereleased three songs from the album: "Interlude: Shadow," "Outro: Ego" and "Black Swan." The band premiered the latter on American TV show "The Late Late Show with James Corden" last month.
Including the prereleased tracks and the main song, the new album has 15 brand new numbers, like "Filter," "UGH!," "00:00 (Zero O'Clock)," "Inner Child," "Moon," "Louder than Bombs" and "We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal."
They also include a special digital version of "ON" featuring Australian singer-songwriter Sia.
"Filter" is a solo effort by member Jimin that delves into Jimin's growth from K-pop trainee to adult. On his solo track, "Inner Child," V talks about an ordeal he faced, while Jin expresses his love for BTS fans -- the "Army" -- in "Moon."
Pop star Troye Sivan helped produce "Louder than Bombs."
The album also contains five hit songs from "Map of the Soul: Persona," including "Boy With Luv," "Make It Right" and "Dionysus."
The band is currently in the United States for their appearance on American TV program "The Today Show" on Friday (U.S. time).
In a live video log on South Korean online broadcasting platform V Live, aired from the U.S. on Friday, the BTS members talked about their new release.
"It's our comeback (to release a new album) after 10 months. We spent a record length of time on the preparations and practiced for the longest time," leader RM said.
"The album walks through the seven years since our debut ... carrying (the process of) confronting (one's) shadows that have been hidden and acknowledging them as part of one's own self," he said.
Member Jimin said the Army may feel proud of themselves, knowing that "ON" depicts moments BTS shared with the fans.
Following the TV appearance in the U.S., the band will then fly back to Seoul to host a global press conference in the South Korean capital on Monday.
These images from BTS music video "ON" are provided by Big Hit Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"7" has shown signs of making another global mega-hit after BTS clinched three No. 1s on the Billboard 200 album chart within a span of one year, rewriting Billboard history.
Preorders for "Map of the Soul: 7" had reached 4.02 million copies as of Monday, a record in South Korea.
"ON" immediately topped real-time music charts of major online South Korean music streaming services including Melon, Genie Music and Bugs! just in an hour of its release.
The new album's other tracks also made it to the top 10 lists of the music charts, taking them by storm.
These images from BTS music video "ON" are provided by Big Hit Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--N. Korea cancels int'l marathon over coronavirus: tour agencies

The World Health Organization 's office in Pyongyang has said that there are no indications of any coronavirus outbreak in @ @ @ @ @ 's health minister said on state TV this week that the country remains free of @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) –- North Korea has canceled its annual Pyongyang Marathon to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, tour agencies said Friday.
The international marathon event, also known as the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, was scheduled to take place on April 12.
Young Pioneer Tours, a travel company specializing in North Korea tours, said in a Facebook post that it has received confirmation from North Korea that the Pyongyang Marathon has been cancelled due to the border closure over coronavirus.
Koryo Tours, another agency specializing in tours to North Korea, confirmed the cancelation.
"This is due to the ongoing closure of the North Korean border and COVID-19 virus situation in China and the greater region," the company said in a statement posted on its website, citing North Korea's official confirmation.
The Beijing-based company is one of official partners of the Pyongyang Marathon.
The World Health Organization's office in Pyongyang has said that there are no indications of any coronavirus outbreak in North Korea. North Korea's health minister said on state TV this week that the country remains free of the deadly virus.
Young Pioneer Tours said the Pyongyang Marathon in September this year is still scheduled and is open for registration.
North Korea has held the annual race since 1981 in celebration of the April 15 birthday of its late founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Since 2014, the event has been open to foreign runners.
North Korea has used the event as a way to earn hard currency from foreign travelers.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 more case of novel coronavirus

(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--2020-02-21--S. Korea, Japan to hold talks next month over trade row

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have been deadlocked since July when Japan imposed tighter regulations on exports to South Korea @ @ @ @ @ the production of semiconductors and flexible displays .
Japan later removed Seoul from its list @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday that it will hold talks with Japan next month in the latest attempt to resolve the two countries' monthslong trade row.
Lee Ho-hyeon, South Korea's director general for international trade policy, is set to meet with his Japanese counterpart, Yoichi Iida, in Seoul on March 10, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
In December, the two neighbors held their first director-general-level talks since 2016 but failed to make progress toward loosening their export control systems.
Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have been deadlocked since July when Japan imposed tighter regulations on exports to South Korea of three materials critical for the production of semiconductors and flexible displays. Japan later removed Seoul from its list of trusted trading partners.
South Korea wants Japan to put it back on the whitelist, but Japan said the issue should be handled separately.
Japan cited South Korea's allegedly lax export control system for sensitive materials that could be diverted for military use as the ostensible reason for its export restrictions but did not provide clear evidence to back the allegation up.
South Korea views the Japanese moves as retaliation against 2018 South Korean Supreme Court rulings ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(2nd LD) Seoul city to ban rallies, Shincheonji church services to curb virus

`` The right to rally is protected under the Constitution .
We can not block that .
But we are @ @ @ @ @ a lot of senior citizens have been attending the recent Gwanghwamun rallies , and we @ @ @ @ @ health and safety , '' he said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figures in last para)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- As part of drastic measures to fight the spreading new coronavirus, the Seoul city government on Friday said it will ban rallies at three major public squares in the city center and close down Shincheonji churches in the capital.
"We plan to ban the use of Seoul plaza, Cheonggye plaza and Gwanghwamun plaza to protect the elderly who are susceptible to contagious diseases," Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said in a press briefing, referring to venues where conservative rallies have taken place in the past few months.
Park said the decision was based on a local health law that allows the banning rallies or key events for public health reasons. Those who breach the measure can be fined up to 3 million won (US$2,490).
"The right to rally is protected under the Constitution. We cannot block that. But we are focusing on the fact that a lot of senior citizens have been attending the recent Gwanghwamun rallies, and we are banning it for public health and safety," he said.
Health officials disinfect a public bus terminal in eastern Seoul on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
The city mayor also announced plans to close down Seoul churches of the minor religious sect Shincheonji Church of Jesus, The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.
A Daegu branch of the church has emerged as a hotbed of COVID-19, with a majority of the country's cases assumed to be linked to the church in the southeastern city.
"Patients (linked to Shincheonji) may also emerge in Seoul. Seoul is no longer a safety zone. In a preemptive measure to block community spread, we thought there is a need to take action over Shincheonji church services and gatherings," Park said.
Under the move, the city plans to close down church offices in the Seoul wards of Yeongdeungpo, Seodaemun, Nowon and Gangseo.
As part of precautionary measures, the city government will temporary close down more than 3,000 social welfare facilities across the capital.
Visitors stand in front of a gate at Tapgol Park in central Seoul Feb. 21, 2020. The park, popular among the city's senior citizens, was closed down following the coronavirus outbreak in the capital. (Yonhap)
South Korea reported 100 new cases of the new coronavirus on Friday as of 4 p.m., bringing the total number of infections in the nation to 204. Of the total, 20 cases were confirmed in Seoul, according to the city government and health authorities.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(LEAD) Daegu on full alert as coronavirus numbers soar

The numbers are feared to rise as 409 members of the congregation have reported having symptoms .
Around 2,700 said @ @ @ @ @ , while 343 could not be reached .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
DAEGU/ANDONG, South Korea, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's southeastern area was on full alert as the number of coronavirus patients continued to surge on Friday, with most cases assumed to be related to a church associated with a minor religious sect.
South Korea reported 100 new cases of the new coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 204.
The number of COVID-19 infections here quadrupled from Wednesday, with most new infections traced to a branch of the Shincheonji church in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
Of the 100 new cases, 86 are in Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province, which together are home to a population of 5 million.
With the latest update, the number of infections in the southeastern region rose to 153. Of the total, 144 are assumed to be linked to the Shincheonji church.
The numbers are feared to rise as 409 members of the congregation have reported having symptoms. Around 2,700 said they do not have symptoms, while 343 could not be reached.
A road in front of a famous market in Daegu is empty following a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the city on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city, is grappling to prevent the contagious virus from further spreading.
It has urged residents to refrain from going outdoors and to wear masks.
The city has recommended more than 1,300 preschools close down, while 252 welfare facilities for the elderly will be closely monitored on concerns over their health.
Concerns over the city's public health capacity are rising as some emergency units have been closed and health personnel quarantined after people who were later confirmed as patients were found to have visited.
The city has asked the central government for more support, such as opening up a military hospital and providing medical personnel and 1 million masks.
Tension also ran high in Cheongdo in North Gyeongsang Province as 16 cases, including five involving medical personnel, were confirmed at a local hospital. One patient has died.
The number of patients is forecast to rise as the government is testing other patients and staff at the hospital.
On Friday, South Korea designated Daegu and Cheongdo as "special care zones" following the mass outbreak.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun vowed government efforts to take "strong and swift" measures to prevent further spread of the virus, calling the latest development an "emergency" situation.
President Moon Jae-in also called for swift and powerful measures to curb the further spread of the new coronavirus in local communities, repeatedly describing the current situation as "severe."
A notice in a store window shows that a Daegu market has temporarily closed to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Moody's lowers Lotte Shopping's outlook to negative

To ride out the challenging operating conditions , Lotte Shopping said last week it will sell 200 , or 30 @ @ @ @ @ brick-and-mortar stores , including department stores , discount stores and supermarkets , across the country @ @ @ @ @ profit and strengthen its e-commerce business .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- Moody's Investors Service on Friday lowered its outlook for Lotte Shopping Co. to negative from stable due to the growing impact of the spreading coronavirus on its retail business.
The global credit ratings firm maintained the Baa3 rating for Lotte Shopping, the operator of South Korea's biggest department store chain.
"The change in outlook to negative reflects our expectation that Lotte Shopping's financial leverage will remain elevated over the next 1-2 years, after weakening significantly in 2019," Moody's Vice President Yoo Wan-hee said in a statement.
While the company's potential restructuring measures may lead to better profitability over the next 2-3 years, there are uncertainties and execution risks over such plans, said Yoo, who also serves as Senior Credit Officer.
This photo taken Feb. 10, 2020, shows the main entrance of the Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong, central Seoul, which resumed operations following a three-day shutdown after the 23rd confirmed coronavirus patient turned out to have visited the store on Feb. 2. (Yonhap)
For the whole of 2019, Lotte Shopping's net losses deepened to 1.02 trillion won (US$841.8 million) from 449 billion won a year earlier due to decreased sales in its department store, supermarket and electronics retail businesses.
Operating profit fell 28 percent to 428 billion won last year from 597 billion won the year before. Sales fell 1.1 percent to 17.63 trillion won from 17.82 trillion won.
Moody's said Lotte Shopping's businesses would be more vulnerable to the effects of the new coronavirus outbreak this year.
To ride out the challenging operating conditions, Lotte Shopping said last week it will sell 200, or 30 percent, of its 700 brick-and-mortar stores, including department stores, discount stores and supermarkets, across the country to shore up its falling profit and strengthen its e-commerce business.
The company did not provide a fixed time frame for the asset sale plans.
"This measure will help restore profitability over the next 2-3 years, although Lotte Shopping could incur related restructuring costs over the next 12-18 months," Moody's said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(7th LD) S. Korea steps up containment efforts as virus cases jump to 204

The 31st patient also visited Cheongdo before testing positive for the virus , but she did not visit the Daenam @ @ @ @ @ , adding that a larger probe is needed to identify how the 16 people at @ @ @ @ @ medical staff members , were infected by the virus .

(ATTN: ADDS latest tally, WHO chief's remarks in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday the new coronavirus is in the initial stage of a full-blown outbreak, but stressed that it is still "manageable," although the number of infections has almost quadrupled in just three days.
The country reported 100 new cases of the novel coronavirus as of 4 p.m. on Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 204, the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
Most new infections have been traced to church services in the southeastern city of Daegu.
Daegu, where the 2.5 million inhabitants have been asked to stay indoors, and neighboring Cheongdo were designated as a "special management zone" earlier in the day. The nation's capital, Seoul, banned demonstrations in downtown areas.
Only a few passengers ride a subway in the southeastern city of Daegu on Feb. 21, 2020, amid the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Of the 100 new cases, 86 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province. Another seven were reported in Seoul, the KCDC said.
The health authorities vowed to make more containment efforts as the potentially fatal illness spreads fast across the country.
Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo told reporters that the health authorities will allow hospitals to separate respiratory patients from others in an effort to prevent human-to-human transmissions at hospitals.
Health authorities will also check all pneumonia patients in Daegu hospitals, Park said.
Still, the authorities have kept the virus alert at the third-highest, or "orange," level, but the virus response will be carried out with an urgency appropriate to the "red" level, Park said.
The spike of infections in Daegu and several cases in Seoul, where routes of infections are not immediately traceable, have prompted health officials to declare that COVID-19 has begun spreading locally.
The KCDC said eight new cases were reported in South Gyeongsang Province. In a sign that the virus may broadly spread nationwide, other provinces, including Jeju, Chungcheong and North Jeolla, reported cases. Gyeonggi Province also reported more new cases.
Of the 100 new cases, 85 are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, where the 31st patient, the country's probable "super spreader," attended worship services, the KCDC said.
A 61-year-old South Korean woman, who tested positive for the virus earlier this week, attended worship services at the church on Feb. 9 and this past Sunday.
The total accumulated number of confirmed cases in Daegu and its neighboring North Gyeongsang Province stood at 153, with the number of cases linked to the Daegu church coming to 128.
Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo speaks during a press meeting on quarantine measures to fight the new coronavirus, which is spreading fast across the country, in Seoul, on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Currently, the COVID-19 situation at home is that the scope of mass outbreak via a single exposure is relatively big," KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said.
Health authorities are investigating how the Daegu church was infected by the virus, Jung said.
The religious organization has branches in China and other nations, Jung said, adding that the investigation included whether the church members visited China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the virus.
Most virus-infected patients are stable, but about seven patients with underlying illness are in relatively critical conditions, Jung said.
The number of confirmed cases at the Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, near Daegu, stood at 16, including five nurses, the KCDC said.
On Wednesday, a South Korean man, age 63, died at the same hospital and posthumously tested positive for the flu-like virus.
In a separate statement, the KCDC said the man with chronic pneumonia had been hospitalized for a long time, and he died as the illness worsened.
A group of health experts suspected the man died from the virus, but they expressed opinions that his death might have been also caused by other factors, the KCDC said.
The 31st patient also visited Cheongdo before testing positive for the virus, but she did not visit the Daenam Hospital, the KCDC said, adding that a larger probe is needed to identify how the 16 people at the hospital, including five medical staff members, were infected by the virus.
South Korea is set to release one more fully recovered novel coronavirus patient from a hospital later in the day, the KCDC said. So far, a total of 16 patients have been discharged.
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 3,180, up from 2,707 a day earlier, the KCDC said.
South Korea has screened 16,400 people for COVID-19 since Jan. 3, with 13,016 testing negative and 17 patients having been discharged from quarantine after making full recoveries.
Tour buses are parked at a logistics terminal in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Feb. 20, 2020. Thirty-eight new coronavirus cases were reported in the city on Feb. 21. (Yonhap)
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that despite the spike in infections in South Korea, the situation is manageable.
In Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, "I think the number of cases are really manageable. And I hope that South Korea will do everything to contain this outbreak at this early stage."
The WHO chief said South Korea's virus response "is proportionate to the public risk they have."
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Trump raps Academy Awards for honoring 'Parasite' with best picture Oscar

`` What the hell was that all about ?
We 've got enough problems with South Korea with trade , @ @ @ @ @ give them the best movie of the year ? ''
he asked .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced displeasure over the Academy Awards' decision to give this year's best picture Oscar to the South Korean film "Parasite," news reports said Friday.
During a rally in Colorado on Thursday, Trump made the remarks about the Bong Joon-ho-directed film that won four Oscars -- best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best international feature film -- earlier this month.
"How bad were the Academy Awards this year, did you see? And the winner is ... a movie from South Korea," Trump said.
"What the hell was that all about? We've got enough problems with South Korea with trade, on top of it they give them the best movie of the year?" he asked.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on Feb. 20, 2020, in Colorado Springs, Colo., in this photo provided by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)
South Koreans have reveled in the fact that the Korean black comedy film depicting class disparity -- a theme that resonated with many in capitalist countries around the world -- became the first foreign language film to win the best picture Oscar.
But "Parasite" doesn't seem to have appealed to the U.S. president.
"I'm looking for like, let's get 'Gone with the Wind' -- can we get like 'Gone with the Wind' back, please? 'Sunset Boulevard,' so many great movies," Trump said.
His display of discomfort over the Korean film's Oscar wins came amid tensions between Seoul and Washington over the sharing of the cost for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops in South Korea.
Since September last year, the two countries' negotiation teams have held six rounds of negotiations to reach a new cost-sharing deal. But they have failed to reconcile their differences with Washington calling for a hefty rise in Seoul's payments.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Son Heung-min has surgery on fractured right forearm

Son suffered the injury during a Premier League match against Aston Villa last weekend .
Son landed hard on the @ @ @ @ @ with a defender in the early moments of the match .
Son somehow played the @ @ @ @ @ , including the go-ahead goal during second-half stoppage time , for the Spur 's 3-2 @ @ @ @ @ goal scoring streak to a new career-high five matches .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min underwent surgery to fix his broken right forearm at a Seoul hospital on Friday.
Son had metal plates and pins inserted to hold the fractured radius in the arm. He will remain hospitalized through the weekend and remain in South Korea for further treatment. He will likely miss the rest of the Premier League season.
In this Reuters file photo from Feb. 16, 2020, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur (L) winces in pain while grabbing his right arm during a Premier League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. (Yonhap)
Son suffered the injury during a Premier League match against Aston Villa last weekend. Son landed hard on the right arm following a collision with a defender in the early moments of the match. Son somehow played the entire contest and scored twice, including the go-ahead goal during second-half stoppage time, for the Spur's 3-2 victory. He extended his goal scoring streak to a new career-high five matches.
The club initially said Son could be out for "a number of weeks," but head coach Jose Mourinho was much less optimistic on Tuesday, saying, "I'm not going to count on him again this season."
Son also broke his right forearm during a World Cup qualifying match in June 2017 and ended up missing 61 days.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(LEAD) S. Korea releases 1 more fully recovered coronavirus patient

The country has confirmed 204 COVID-19 cases , with the number of infections here almost quadrupling in three days .
@ @ @ @ @ traced to church services in the southeastern city of Daegu .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea released one more fully recovered coronavirus patient on Friday, bringing the total number of discharged patients here to 17.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said the country's 19th patient, a 37-year-old South Korean man who was confirmed to be infected on Feb. 5, was discharged from quarantine at his hospital.
The man is believed to have contracted the virus in Singapore, according to the KCDC.
The country has confirmed 204 COVID-19 cases, with the number of infections here almost quadrupling in three days. Most of those cases are traced to church services in the southeastern city of Daegu.
Health authorities disinfect platform screen doors at a subway station in Seoul on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(3rd LD) Moon: virus spread in local communities 'very severe'

A hundred new patients were reported formally on Friday alone , mostly in the two regions that have emerged as @ @ @ @ @ super spread '' of the virus .
The total number of patients in South Korea @ @ @ @ @ and one of them died , with several others declared fully cured .

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional cases in paras 2-3 )
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called Friday for swift and powerful measures to curb the further spread of the new coronavirus in local communities, repeatedly describing the current situation as "severe."
He was receiving an emergency briefing from Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the so-called super proliferation of the COVID-19 illness in local communities, especially in Daegu, a three-hour drive southeast from Seoul, and the nearby town of Cheongdo.
A hundred new patients were reported formally on Friday alone, mostly in the two regions that have emerged as an epicenter of the "super spread" of the virus. The total number of patients in South Korea is tallied at 204, and one of them died, with several others declared fully cured.
President Moon Jae-in (R) receives an emergency report from Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (3rd from L) on South Korea's response to COVID-19 at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 21, 2020, in this photo provided by Moon's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The government has hurriedly designated Daegu, a city with 2.4 million residents, and Cheongdo, with a population of 43,000, as special care zones.
"Now that the situation is severe in various aspects, I would like the government to take speedy and powerful support measures," Moon told Chung during the Cheong Wa Dae session, according to his spokesperson Kang Min-seok.
The president stressed the need for thorough efforts to trace the origin of new cases that are apparently connected to a minor Christian sect known as Sincheonji, which means "new world" in Korean.
Many of its members contracted the illness after attending recent services at their church in Daegu or a funeral for the older brother of church leader Lee Man-hee at a hospital in Cheongdo.
Moon said it is necessary to quickly secure relevant materials such as guest books.
Regarding the issue of whether to raise the state alert level on COVID-19 to "serious," the prime minister said the government is keeping it at "watch" but would take relevant quarantine steps on par with that the higher level.
Chung pointed out that nations like Japan and Singapore as well as Hong Kong are maintaining a "watch" level.
Later in the day, Moon met with a group of small business owners at a sales center for small and medium-sized firms' products in western Seoul.
"It's a very severe situation," he stated. "The government is significantly strengthening its infection response system in local communities."
President Moon Jae-in (3rd from L) meets with a group of moderately small shop and other business owners at the Small & Medium Business Distribution Center in western Seoul on Feb. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
He asked people to cooperate in undergoing early medical tests and treatment if they have symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
Moon again emphasized that it's important to "overcome excessive anxiety" but toned down his call for the public to continue their routines and daily activities.
"Such things are easier said than done," Moon pointed out.
He reaffirmed the government's resolve, nonetheless, to catch the "two hares" of containing the virus and revitalizing the economy.
"We can't afford to lose either," he said. "The government will map out unprecedented special measures, mobilizing every available means." He noted that domestic consumption accounts for 60 percent of South Korea's economy.
The first package of measures, including financial, tax, budget and regulatory reform steps, will be announced before the end of February, Moon said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(2nd LD) Seoul city, schools to support Chinese students as coronavirus outbreak prolongs

Some 38,330 Chinese students are enrolled in 68 universities in the city , according to the latest data .
Around @ @ @ @ @ to arrive here for the new school year that starts in March .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figures in last three paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul city government and universities in the capital on Friday announced a set of measures aimed at helping Chinese students enrolled in local schools as the coronavirus outbreak shows no sign of abating.
The measures include providing shuttle bus services from the airport to schools for students who are returning for the new school year after spending their winter vacation in their home country, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul-based universities.
The city government and district offices will also provide temporary accommodations for students as some universities may not have enough space at their dormitories to quarantine all students coming from China.
Meals, daily necessities and regular room disinfection will be provided to quarantined students, they added.
A school official uses a thermal camera at a dormitory at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul on Feb. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
As part of precautionary measures, the city government and schools plan to monitor students' health twice a day and run a mobile app where students will be able to report their health conditions.
"The city will cooperate closely with the education ministry, universities and district offices to prevent the contagious virus from further spreading and help ease concerns for local residents," Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said.
Some 38,330 Chinese students are enrolled in 68 universities in the city, according to the latest data. Around 17,000 of them are expected to arrive here for the new school year that starts in March.
The education ministry has advised local universities to postpone the start of the new school year by up to four weeks.
In a press briefing held Friday, however, the ministry said it does not yet plan to expand the advisement to postpone to kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools.
The southeastern city of Daegu, which has seen a sharp surge in infections, has taken the exceptional step of postponing the first day of school by a week to March 9.
As of Friday, South Korea has reported 204 cases of COVID-19, adding 100 more cases in a single day. It reported its first case on Jan. 20.
Many of the infections are in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, with the number of confirmed cases there reaching 153.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(2nd LD) Virus-infected hospital staff stoke concerns over further transmission to patients

The KCDC said that it is in the process of checking everyone as quickly as possible and plans to move @ @ @ @ @ to other medical facilities for observation .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more latest tally in para 5)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- Some nurses at a hospital here have contracted the new coronavirus, fueling fears that more virus cases will be identified, public health officials said Friday.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), and public health authorities in North Gyeongsang Province said Thursday that five nurses at the psychiatric ward at Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, have all tested positive for COVID-19.
The country's first death from the virus was reported at the same hospital.
The country's health authorities said a total of 16 people have tested positive for the virus out of 600 patients and medical staff at the hospital.
The country has reported 204 cases of COVID-19. In three days, the number of virus infections has almost quadrupled with over 150 cases being reported in the country's fourth-largest city of Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
The first infection was confirmed here on Jan. 20.
Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is temporarily closed, with patients and staff placed in quarantine, after 16 people including five nurses tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Feb. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
Transmissions taking places in hospitals and clinics are of grave concern because of the risk of exposing sick people, who are more vulnerable to infections, to the virus.
The KCDC said that it is in the process of checking everyone as quickly as possible and plans to move people who have tested negative to other medical facilities for observation.
Infections among medical staff are of particular concern, as South Korea struggled with outbreaks related to medical institutions during the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak that resulted in 38 deaths after 186 people were infected in the country.
It is estimated that 172 of the people infected at the time contracted MERS at medical institutions, with the total including 25 doctors, nurses and medical support personnel.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--(LEAD) Jongno district skittish about virus spread after reporting most infections in Seoul

SEOUL , Feb. 21 ( Yonhap ) -- Jongno Ward in central Seoul has reported the most cases of the @ @ @ @ @ , spawning concerns that the district with many senior citizens and commuters may be vulnerable @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figure, more info throughout)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- Jongno Ward in central Seoul has reported the most cases of the new coronavirus in the capital, spawning concerns that the district with many senior citizens and commuters may be vulnerable to infections.
As of Friday afternoon, nine cases of COVID-19 infections had been reported in Jongno, according to public authorities. Seoul has reported 20 confirmed cases.
Jongno, located in the heart of Seoul, has a constant flow of commuters, visitors and travelers as it houses many companies, key government facilities -- the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae and the government complex building -- and public plazas.
The district also has the second-highest portion of people over age 65 in the capital, trailing Gangbuk Ward in northeast Seoul.
Officials from the Jongno Ward Office disinfect Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul in an effort to contain the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Experts said the demographic trend in the district may reveal its vulnerability to infections amid growing concerns that the virus has begun spreading locally. South Korea has reported one death of an infected patient, with the total confirmed cases at 204.
COVID-19 patients in Jongno have no records of foreign travel and an average age of 60, according to officials. In some cases, quarantine authorities failed to trace down exact infection routes, indicating that community transmission has begun.
Citing CCTV footage, quarantine authorities said Friday that four infected patients had meals at relatively close distance at a welfare facility for the elderly in late January.
To help contain the virus, the Jongno office has ordered an immediate suspension of operations at preschools and public facilities for senior citizens, including Tapgol Park, a hangout for the elderly.
The country, meanwhile, avoided the risk of shutting down the government complex building in Gwanghwamun that houses thousands of public servants after one official tested negative for the virus on Friday.
"I am living and working in Jongno. I feel uncomfortable everyday as facilities that infected patients have visited are not far from my living and working places," a 27-year-old office worker said.
A sign announcing a temporary closure is posted on the door of a senior citizen center in Jongno, central Seoul, on Feb. 20, 2020, after a patient infected with the new coronavirus was confirmed in the district. (Yonhap)
In a drastic measure to curb the spread of the virus, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon announced that the city government will ban the use of public plazas in central Seoul for outdoor rallies and shut down Shincheonji church services.
Massive weekend rallies in public plazas such as Gwanghwamun Square and Seoul Plaza have recently spawned concerns that COVID-19 could quickly spread in crowded places.
Park also unveiled plans to close down Seoul churches of the minor religious sect Shincheonji as a majority of the country's cases are presumed to be linked to its provincial church in the southeastern city of Daegu.
The virus outbreak also affected politicians' election campaigning in Jongno ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections.
Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon voluntarily took a virus test earlier in the day as concerns about infection emerged due to his visit to the senior citizen center linked to confirmed cases. He and his wife tested negative for the virus.
Lee visited the center on Feb. 6, three days after the ward office disinfected the facility following days of closure.
Quarantine officials said Lee does not necessarily have to take the test, given his track record. But his decision reflects how politicians are prioritizing voters' concerns about the virus outbreak in the run-up to the elections.
As a ruling party candidate, Lee will run in Jongno, a symbolic constituency in South Korean politics where key political heavyweights are elected.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Summary of external news of North Korea this week

This type of aircraft was detected four times here last month .
The latest flight came just a couple of @ @ @ @ @ 's E-8C , or JSTARS , flew over the Korean Peninsula , according to the @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.
------------
Railcars seen at Yongbyon, inbound shipment of radioactive material unlikely: U.S. think tank
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (Yonhap) -- Recent satellite imagery shows the presence of specialized railcars at North Korea's main nuclear complex, a U.S. think tank said, downplaying any association with the inbound shipment of radioactive material.
In an article published earlier this week, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said there were three specialized railcars at the Yongbyon nuclear facility in satellite imagery it obtained Monday.
Those railcars have previously been associated with the movement of radioactive material and were last spotted by the think tank in November, it said.
------------
U.S. flies surveillance aircraft over Korean Peninsula to monitor N. Korea
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- The United States again flew a surveillance aircraft over South Korea on Thursday, an aviation tracker said, on an apparent mission to monitor North Korea.
The U.S. Air Force's RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted in the skies above South Korea at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots tweeted.
This type of aircraft was detected four times here last month. The latest flight came just a couple of days after the Air Force's E-8C, or JSTARS, flew over the Korean Peninsula, according to the tracker.
------------
Bolton makes no apology for hardline stance on N. Korea: report
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has stood by his hardline stance on North Korea, saying softer positions have failed to make the regime give up its nuclear weapons program.
In an interview this week with The Vanderbilt Hustler, the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, Bolton also defended his suggestions that North Korea follow the "Libya model" and hand over its nuclear program before receiving any concessions in return.
"I think that you've seen, unfortunately, over four American administrations, the failure to stop North Korea in making progress in getting deliverable nuclear weapons. That's a terrible record for our country," the former adviser said.
------------
IFRC requests sanctions waiver for plan to help N. Korea's fight against coronavirus
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The International Red Cross has asked the United Nations to grant temporary sanctions exemptions for its efforts to help North Korea's fight against the new coronavirus, a U.S. broadcaster said Friday.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) made the request, Richard Blewitt, the organization's permanent observer at the U.N., was quoted as saying to Radio Free Asia.
He said that a sanctions waiver is necessary to help Pyongyang's ongoing preventive efforts against COVID-19 and provide items, such as protective suits, goggles, test kits and thermometers, to the country.
------------
China, Russia supply combined 53,000 tons of refined oil to N. Korea last year
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- China and Russia supplied around 53,000 tons of refined oil to North Korea last year despite tough sanctions restricting trade with Pyongyang, a United Nations report showed Friday.
According to the report disclosed by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on its website, China and Russia shipped 22,730 tons and 30,180 tons of refined oil, respectively, to the North last year.
Their combined 53,000 tons, or 418,000 barrels, represented about 83 percent of the UNSC-imposed maximum annual ceiling of 500,000 barrels.
(END)


yna--2020-02-21--Summary of inter-Korean news this week

Summary of inter-Korean news this week

Pyongyang had remained mum on the issue until the North 's propaganda outlet DRPK Today lashed out at Seoul for @ @ @ @ @ a cross-border issue on its own in the first ever mention of the proposal by @ @ @ @ @ or propaganda outlets .

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.
------------
N.K. media slams S. Korea's reliance on U.S. over individual tourism
SEOUL, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet mentioned for the first time South Korea's push to allow its citizens to travel to the communist nation on an individual basis, accusing Seoul of trying to win U.S. approval for the initiative.
Seoul has been working on the idea of individual trips since President Moon Jae-in cited it last month as a possible cross-border project that could be pursued to expand exchanges and cooperation with the North without violating international sanctions on Pyongyang.
Pyongyang had remained mum on the issue until the North's propaganda outlet DRPK Today lashed out at Seoul for failing to push for such a cross-border issue on its own in the first ever mention of the proposal by the North's official media or propaganda outlets.
------------
N. Korea keeps mum on letter urging reopening of Kaesong
SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has not given any response to a letter from an association of South Korean businesspeople calling for reopening the shuttered inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong, the unification ministry said Monday.
Marking the fourth anniversary of the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the association of businesspeople who once operated factories there held a rally in Seoul last Monday and urged the government to do everything to reopen the factory park.
They also asked the ministry to deliver the North a letter urging Pyongyang to allow businesspeople to visit the industrial complex to prepare for the resumption of its operation. Officials said the contents of the letter and its purpose were explained verbally through the joint liaison office Wednesday.
------------
N.K. defectors to form first-ever political party ahead of April elections
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korean defectors launched a preparatory committee Tuesday to establish the first-ever political party composed of defectors in South Korea, saying the envisioned party will work for democratization of their communist homeland and better protection of defectors' rights.
Around 200 North Korean defectors came together at the meeting in Seoul to announce the launch of the party tentatively named the Inter-Korean Unification Party, less than two months before the April 15 parliamentary elections.
"I am here today to support the big challenge of fellow North Koreans and to congratulate the launch of the new party of North Korean defectors," Thae Yong-ho, a former No. 2 diplomat at North Korea's Embassy in London, said in his congratulatory speech at the meeting.
------------
S. Korea to consider support for N. Korea's anti-virus fight if int'l agencies make requests
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will consider international agencies' requests for assistance in efforts to help North Korea with coronavirus quarantine measures if official requests come from aid groups, the unification ministry said Wednesday.
North Korea has repeatedly claimed there hasn't been an outbreak of the COVID-19 infection on its soil but reportedly asked for outside help in its nationwide preventive efforts against the highly contagious virus.
"If there is an official request, the government will look into it," Yoh Sang-key, the ministry's spokesperson, told a regular press briefing in response to a question whether the government is willing to provide anti-virus aid to the North via international agencies.
------------
N.K. propaganda media accuses Moon of 'subservient' attitude to U.S.
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda media outlet slammed South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday over his recent remarks of emphasizing the importance of the alliance with the United States, accusing him of having a "subservient" attitude, begging for outside help to resolve inter-Korean matters.
On Feb. 8, Moon said that the alliance with the U.S. is essential to maintaining peace and freedom on the Korean Peninsula in a video message during a reception of the U.S. National Governors Association (NGA) at South Korea's embassy in Washington.
Moon added that Seoul-Washington ties have evolved into a "great alliance" that goes beyond the area of security into economic and global cooperation. He called each governor a "dependable bridge that enables dynamic exchanges" between the allies.
------------
S. Korea watching N.K. economy over negative effects of coronavirus outbreaks in China
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is watching North Korea's economy amid reports that prices in the impoverished nation have risen after Pyongyang shut down the borders with China to prevent the coronavirus from entering the country, an official said Thursday.
"We are aware of media reports citing some sources that the prices of rice and other certain commodities have risen in North Korea, but I think we need more time to assess the overall prices," a unification ministry official said.
Pyongyang has tightened its borders with China since late January in an effort to prevent the new deadly coronavirus from spreading into the country. China accounts for around 90 percent of the North's external trade.
------------
Pro-N. Korea paper calls 'Parasite' a masterpiece laying bare class warfare
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- A pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan reported on Friday about Oscars-winning "Parasite," calling the South Korean movie a "masterpiece" laying bare the problem of class warfare.
It is the first time that a North Korea-affiliated media outlet has mentioned the movie since it won four Oscars last week, including best picture and best director.
"It is noteworthy that the masterpiece rose to the top in the American and white-dominated movie community and the world's most renowned Academy by clearly revealing the reality in which a small number of the wealthy dominates the absolute majority," the Choson Sinbo, a pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan, said.
(END)