yna--2020-08-06--(2nd LD) New virus cases bounce back to over 40 on surge in domestic infections

Health authorities said 336 people who attended an Islamic festival in Cheongju , where six virus patients were confirmed Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ .
Cheongju is located some 130 kilometers south of Seoul , with city health officials @ @ @ @ @ that participants at the gathering followed strict social distancing rules , like keeping their masks @ @ @ @ @ eating .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info regional cases in paras 6-7, 11, additional death in para 20)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- The number of new daily coronavirus cases in South Korea bounced back to above 40 on Thursday as domestic infections climbed up.
The country added 43 cases, raising the total caseload to 14,499, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked the first time since July 29 that the daily rise in COVID-19 cases reached above 40.
Of the newly identified cases, 23 were domestic infections, reaching its highest level since July 25. The latest tally marked an uptick from 13 cases Tuesday and 15 cases Wednesday.
Locally transmitted cases also outnumbered imported cases for the first time in 13 days.
Of the local transmissions, roughly half were from the greater Seoul area -- with close to 10 in Seoul and around a dozen for Gyeonggi Province. The southeastern port city of Busan reported three more COVID-19 cases.
The capital city has reported 1,644 confirmed coronavirus cases, while neighboring Incheon had 387.
In this photo, taken by the Joint Press Corps on Aug. 5, 2020, a health worker checks the body temperature of an arrival at a shelter in Incheon. (Yonhap)
Health authorities are on high alert over virus outbreaks at churches, offices and restaurants.
A total of 15 cases have been traced to a coffee shop and a restaurant, both of them located in southern Seoul, up two from a day earlier, the KCDC said.
One more patient was traced to a church in the eastern Seoul ward of Songpa, bringing total infections from the church to 22, the KCDC added.
Health authorities said 336 people who attended an Islamic festival in Cheongju, where six virus patients were confirmed Wednesday, tested negative for COVID-19. Cheongju is located some 130 kilometers south of Seoul, with city health officials taking flak for not ensuring that participants at the gathering followed strict social distancing rules, like keeping their masks on at all times and eating.
"Due to heavy rain, people tend to spend more time indoors, and it is also difficult to ventilate, which increases infection risks," Kwon Jun-wook, a senior health official, said at a briefing. "However, we must keep up virus prevention measures."
Infections coming in from overseas have risen steadily by double-digit numbers for 42 consecutive days.
Of the 20 newly reported imported cases, six were detected at quarantine checkpoints at ports and airports.
By country, five cases were from the United States, followed by Russia with four and Uzbekistan with two.
The total number of imported cases in the country is now at 2,520.
This photo, taken on Aug. 6, 2020, shows the Young Jin 607 fishing vessel docked at Gamcheon Port in Busan. Health authorities said four sailors, including the ship's captain, have tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
In Busan, health authorities reported two more virus-infected Russian sailors. Since June, 94 seafarers from nine Russia-flagged ships docked in Busan have tested positive for COVID-19.
The KCDC said a total of 111 coronavirus patients in critical condition in 34 hospitals across the country have been administered with remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola.
For the development of blood plasma-based treatments, 1,158 people who fully recovered from the virus have expressed their willingness to donate their blood plasma, according to the KCDC. Among them, health authorities said they have collected samples of plasma from 772 people.
The country reported no additional deaths, keeping the number of fatalities at 302, with the mortality rate reaching 2.08 percent, according to the KCDC. It, however, confirmed that one person in her 90s died after having been diagnosed with the illness last month. The death will be reflected in the official tally released on Friday.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,501, up 95 from the previous day, while 696 are currently under treatment, down 52 from a day earlier.
South Korea has carried out 1,606,487 tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(3rd LD) Major highways in Seoul partly closed, flood alerts issued as downpours raise water level o

(3rd LD) Major highways in Seoul partly closed, flood alerts issued as downpours raise water level of Han River

The water line was predicted to go up further , possibly over the 8.5-meter level at around the noon .
@ @ @ @ @ since July of 2011 that a flood alert has been in place at this point @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout, photos; CORRECTS typos)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Major highways running across Seoul were partly closed on Thursday, with the first flood alerts in nine years issued for areas near a major bridge on the Han River, as heavy rains pushed up the water level of the river that flows through the capital city.
Several sections of the Dongbu Urban Expressway, Seoul Inner Loop, Olympic-daero and Gangbyeon Northern Highway have been closed to traffic due to the inner city river's swelled water level, according to the police and the city of Seoul.
Traffic congestion was reported in these areas, with the average speed of vehicles on Seoul roads drastically slowing to 11.8 kilometers per hour at 7 p.m.
As heavy rains continued to batter the country's metropolitan and central regions, authorities opened the floodgates of Soyang River Dam and Paldang Dam a day earlier, releasing the waters to empty into the sea through the Han River.
A riverside park in Seoul's Banpo district adjoining the Han River is inundated due to heavy rains on Aug. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
The swollen river also forced authorities to cut off access to riverside roads in Seoul's Yeouido and other areas. Jamsu Bridge linking the southern and northern parts of the city over the Han River also remained off limits.
The water level over Jamsu Bridge reached a record high level of 11.3 meters shortly before noon, completely submerging the bridge under water. The previous highest point was 11.03 meters posted in the July monsoon in 2011, according to the Han River Flood Control Center.
As of 11 a.m. a flood alert was also issued for areas near the Han River Bridge in central Seoul.
Real footages captured by citizens reveal flooded cities amid Korea’s longest monsoon in 7 years Youtube https://youtu.be/CeasqpXmBZ0
The Han River Flood Control Center of the Environment Ministry issued the alert as the nearby water level surged to 8.23 meters, close to the 8.5-meter level where extra caution is required against risks of flooding.
The water line was predicted to go up further, possibly over the 8.5-meter level at around the noon. It was the first time since July of 2011 that a flood alert has been in place at this point of the river.
All the 11 riverside parks adjoining the Han River were also closed to visitors and vehicles due to safety concerns.
Roads along the Han River in Seoul are empty on Aug. 6, 2020, as the river was swollen amid torrential rain. (Yonhap)
A total of 11 of Seoul's 25 wards, including Yongsan, Gangnam, Seocho and Mapo, are at risk of flooding because of the river's swelling water level, according to authorities.
As heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in the country's central regions, including the Seoul metropolitan area, the death toll has risen to 17 this month, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
Ten people remained missing as of 4:30 p.m. on Thursday due to the cloudburst, while more than 2,000 people were displaced from their homes in areas hit hardest, such as North and South Chungcheong provinces, Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province.
Rescue operations continue amid intense rainfall in Korea Youtube https://youtu.be/8Ctq65zbEMM
Separately, five more people, including a police officer and a public servant, went missing in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers northeast of Seoul.
A rubber boat and a patrol ship were sent to help after a police vessel capsized while engaged in an operation to fix a facility at Uiam Dam in the city.
All three ships, carry eight people altogether, were swept away by flood waters at the dam, leaving five of them missing and one dead. One of them narrowly escaped, while the other was rescued.
Three train lines, including Taebaek and Chungbuk, remained totally or partially out of service, while 56 roads across the affected areas were off limits due to mudslide damage from the torrential rains, according to authorities.
As of Thursday afternoon, more than 6,000 houses and facilities were reported flooded or damaged in the latest bout of heavy rains. A total of 8,161 hectares of farm land have been inundated or ravaged.
Jara Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, is submerged in water following heavy rain in this photo provided by Gapyeong country office on Aug. 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
This photo, provided by officials at Nami Island, show the tourist attraction in Chuncheon, Gangwon swamped on Aug. 6, 2020, as water levels rose. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
Tourist attractions were also affected. Jara Island, known for its annual jazz festival, and Nami Island, the shooting location for the hugely popular 2002 television romantic drama series "Winter Sonata," were swamped. Both islands are located by Bukhan River.
The sky cleared up in the afternoon for most of the regions, with all the heavy rain alerts lifted nationwide except for mountainous areas on Jeju Island. But authorities were still on guard against further damage as the Seoul metropolitan area and central regions were expected to experience more rainfall on Friday.
Residents of a village in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, evacuate a flooded area in a boat on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
A section of Seoul Dongbu Urban Expressway is closed on Aug. 6, 2020, after heavy rains pushed up the water level of the Han River. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Hyundai teams up with British firm to build urban air mobility infrastructure

The arrangement comes as Hyundai has been moving aggressively into the UAM space .
Earlier this year , it unveiled @ @ @ @ @ in cooperation with global ride hailing company Uber Technologies , Inc. , and said it @ @ @ @ @ a company that provides connected services for purpose built vehicles and mobility hubs that can @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. will work with a British partner to build urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure, South Korea's leading carmaker said Thursday.
The deal with Urban-Air Port calls for close cooperation in the building of facilities that can handle takeoff and landings of future personal air vehicles (PAVs) as well as related recharging stations and maintenance and repair works, Hyundai said.
The company said its has already signed memorandums of understanding for UAM endeavors with two cities, including Coventry, in the central Midland region of England.
Hyundai said that while a lot of the attention on air mobility in centered on flying vehicles, supporting infrastructure is incredibly important for the growth of the industry. It said close cooperation with its partner will allow Hyundai to establish critical foundations in the sector.
The arrangement comes as Hyundai has been moving aggressively into the UAM space. Earlier this year, it unveiled its vision for PAV, in cooperation with global ride hailing company Uber Technologies, Inc., and said it is planning to grow into a company that provides connected services for purpose built vehicles and mobility hubs that can revolutionize how people move about.
This file photo shows Hyundai Motor's unveiling of its future mobility plan. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--S. Korean bourse operator postpones decision on delisting Sillajen

`` There have been management transparency issues at Sillajen and one of the agenda items for an upcoming shareholders ' @ @ @ @ @ company 's management , '' an official at Korea Exchange ( KRX ) said .

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's bourse operator on Thursday decided to further review the possible delisting of bio tech from Sillajen from its secondary bourse.
"There have been management transparency issues at Sillajen and one of the agenda items for an upcoming shareholders' meeting is to replace the company's management," an official at Korea Exchange (KRX) said.
"(The postponement) means that we will factor in such details to make a decision after reviewing situations following the shareholders' meeting," the source said.
Since May 4, the KRX has imposed a trading ban of Sillajen shares on the tech-laden KOSDAQ.
The KRX has been reviewing the company's listing for the past four weeks, after the bio tech firm's chief executive and key management were indicted over charges of embezzlement and breach of trust.
On July 10, SillaJen submitted its business normalization scheme to the bourse operator. Some of Sillajen's executives resigned from their posts, hoping to speed up the firm's normalization.
Sillajen came under fire after some of its executives sold stocks ahead of its regulatory filing in August 2019 that its key product Pexa-Vec failed to pass clinical tests.
Since its market debut on Dec. 6, 2016, shares of Sillajen rallied to 152,300 won (US$128.47) on Nov. 21, 2017 from just 9,050 won on Feb. 20, 2017.
SillaJen finished at 12,100 won on Thursday, lower than its IPO price of 15,000 won per share.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Downpour swamps popular tourist spots Jara, Nami islands

`` We set up a company in April 2000 and developed ( Nami Island ) as a tourist spot .
@ @ @ @ @ we have seen damages to the extent of the island being inundated , '' an @ @ @

GAPYEONG/CHUNCHEON, South Korea, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Jara and Nami islands -- two popular tourist attractions near Seoul -- have been submerged as water levels rose following the recent downpour that battered South Korea's central region.
The islands, both located by Bukhan River, were flooded in the early hours of Thursday as more than 600 millimeters of rain dropped on Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province and water was discharged from Soyang River Dam, quickly driving up water levels.
Officials removed movable facilities after the government announced plans to open floodgates at Soyang dam with upwards of 3,000 tons of water per second being released.
Jara Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, is submerged in water following heavy rain in this photo provided by Gapyeong country office on Aug. 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
No casualty was reported. A 49-year-old resident at Jara Island, who had fallen asleep outdoors was rescued by fire authorities.
It marked the first time in 20 years that Nami Island was flooded. Jara Island was last swamped in 2016 due to heavy seasonal rain.
"We set up a company in April 2000 and developed (Nami Island) as a tourist spot. It's the first time we have seen damages to the extent of the island being inundated," an official said.
While facilities at the outskirts of Nami Island, such as docks and walking routes, were flooded, commercial facilities and exhibition spaces near the center of the island were left unscathed.
Both islands are popular tourist attractions that are easily accessible from Seoul.
Nami Island is famous as one of the on-site shooting locations for the hugely popular 2002 television romantic drama series Winter Sonata.
Jara Island, consisting of four islands, measures 661,000 square meters, roughly 1.5 times bigger than Nami Island. It has become a tourist destination for its namesake jazz festival that takes place every fall.
The island had been submerged by water before dam facilities were built to control floods.
This photo, provided by the company that runs Nami Island, shows the tourist attraction submerged in water on Aug. 6, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
Firefighters from Gapyeong Fire Station rescue a resident at Jara Island in Gyeonggi Province on Aug. 6, 2020 in this photo provided by the fire station. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
A bird's eve view of Jara Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, provided by island officials. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--President Moon express regret over N.K. not informing Seoul of dam discharge

`` If the North informed us of discharge plans , it would have greatly helped us control water levels at @ @ @ @ @ , but it is a shame that this has not been the case , '' @ @ @ @ @ officials .
He pointed out that the two sides agreed in the past to share @ @ @ @ @ agreement has not been carried out .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in expressed regret over North Korea not giving Seoul advance notice of the discharging of water from its dam just north of the inter-Korean border, sources said Thursday.
The chief executive made the comment during a visit to Gunnam Dam, which lies downriver from the North's Hwanggang Dam, aides to the president said.
Earlier in the week, Hwanggang's floodgates opened to release water down the Imjin River that flows through South Korea into the Yellow Sea. The discharge caused water to rise to record-high levels and forced local authorities in the northern Gyeonggi region to order evacuations of low lying areas.
"If the North informed us of discharge plans, it would have greatly helped us control water levels at the Gunnam flood control dam, but it is a shame that this has not been the case," Moon told water resource management officials. He pointed out that the two sides agreed in the past to share such information, but that agreement has not been carried out.
President Moon Jae-in (L) talks with an official of the state-run Korea Water Resources Corp. during a visit to Gunnam Dam on the Imjin River that runs across the inter-Korean border in the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon, north of Seoul, on Aug. 6, 2020. The corporation opened all of the dam's 13 floodgates to lower the water level after the region received heavy rain. (Yonhap)
Moon said that in light of the lack of information coming out of the North, the South needs to check the weather reports carefully and plan ahead in anticipation of water being discharged without warning.
"It is imperative that there is no damage downriver so our dam operator needs to work closely with Yeoncheon County and Paju City," Moon said. The country and city can be directly impacted by rising water levels on the Imjin.
During the visit, Gunnam Dam authorities said that they have set up various contingency plans related to developments in the North.
An official told the president that even in the worst-case scenario of the Hwanggang Dam giving way, the South will be able to handle the situation to reduce damage.
Besides visiting the dam, Moon visited a temporary shelter for displaced people in the region to pledge quick relief and assistance.
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--S. Korea mulls support for Lebanon through local peacekeeping unit

Tuesday 's explosion in a warehouse along the waterfront in Beirut has claimed more than 130 lives and injured over @ @ @ @ @ reports .
No South Korean casualties have been reported from the blast , though the @ @ @ @ @ in Beirut were damaged , officials here said .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, said Thursday that the National Security Council (NSC) discussed ways to help Lebanon recover from a deadly explosion earlier this week, including provision of support from South Korean peacekeeping unit Dongmyung stationed in the Middle Eastern country.
NSC members exchanged views on ways to extend support to Lebanon through the Dongmyung Unit during the regular meeting of the council's standing committee, Cheong Wa Dae said in a release.
This file photo provided by Yonhap News TV shows national security adviser Suh Hoon. (Yonhap)
About 280 Dongmyung Unit troops are currently serving in Lebanon as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping efforts.
Tuesday's explosion in a warehouse along the waterfront in Beirut has claimed more than 130 lives and injured over 5,000, according to news reports. No South Korean casualties have been reported from the blast, though the homes of two South Koreans in Beirut were damaged, officials here said.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Tight surveillance, thorough health checks ensured at quarantine shelters: officials

At the Incheon shelter , the room for self-isolators is the same as a standard double room at hotels .
@ @ @ @ @ her own room , but for those who are under age 12 , they are @ @ @ @ @ with their parents .

INCHEON, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- At first glance, it looks like an ordinary hotel, but visitors soon realize that the place is not a normal lodging facility when they see signs like "go back to your room now" on elevators.
South Korea's Central Disaster Management Headquarters operates nine temporary quarantine shelters in the greater Seoul area as of end-July, using hotels and dormitories to accommodate arrivals who do not have local addresses.
Since April, all entrants from overseas are obliged to self-quarantine for 14 days in a move to help contain the spread of the virus.
People who come into South Korea for diplomatic and state affairs can also use the facility for a short period of time while waiting for their virus test results.
In recent weeks, health authorities have been in hot water after some foreigners escaped from quarantine shelters, raising concerns over virus infections in communities.
However, health officials vowed that such cases will not happen again as they reinforced supervision measures.
This photo taken by the Joint Press Corps on Aug. 5, 2020, shows military officials monitoring surveillance cameras at a temporary quarantine shelter in Incheon. (Yonhap)
"We are protecting foreign arrivals safely, so there is no risk of spreading the virus to local residents," said Koh Deuk-young, who manages entry measures at the Central Disaster Management Headquarters. "You can say that the facility is safer than eating dinner outside with your friends."
Some residents have demanded that the facilities be closed after cases of foreigners deserting temporary shelters, but Koh said the authorities have installed more CCTV cameras and strengthened the outdoor surveillance system.
At a shelter in Incheon, health authorities were running six cameras on each floor. Sixteen officials from the Ministry of National Defense worked in groups of two to monitor screens 24 hours a day.
"To minimize fatigue of our monitoring workers, they are working over a three-week period," Kim Woo-kyun, a military official supporting quarantine issues, said. "We guarantee enough rest time for workers."
To enter quarantine shelters, foreign arrivals need to go through three stages of screenings. They first need to provide a sample to health workers for a coronavirus test, sign documents for quarantine policies and receive quarantine supplies.
This photo taken by Joint Press Corps on Aug. 5, 2020, shows health workers explaining quarantine policies at a temporary quarantine shelter in Incheon. (Yonhap)
All people in isolation must install a mobile app that allows authorities to monitor them in real time and ensure they are following the rules.
The government charges 120,000 won (US$101) per day, meaning that for the 14-day quarantine period shelter users need to pay a total of 1.68 million won. The government previously charged 100,000 won per day, but after it started using private-run facilities as shelters, it raised the rate.
At the Incheon shelter, the room for self-isolators is the same as a standard double room at hotels. Each arrival gets his or her own room, but for those who are under age 12, they are allowed to share a room with their parents.
Upon entering the room, they are not allowed to go outside until the quarantine period is over. They need to do their own laundry inside the restroom. Food boxes are delivered to their rooms for meals.
This photo taken by Joint Press Corps on Aug. 5, 2020, shows a health worker demonstrating what self-isolators need to do at a temporary quarantine shelter in Incheon. (Yonhap)
Health authorities said the number of people using quarantine shelters has decreased in recent weeks after the government decided to end visa-free entry regarding crew transfers.
Previously, foreigners entering the country for ship crew changes were eligible for visa-free entry. But from July 24, they have been required to hold a visa and need to submit a health certificate proving that they tested negative for COVID-19.
The number of people admitted to quarantine shelters between July 19 and 25 was 1,945, but the figure dropped to 996 in the July 26-Aug. 1 period.
As of Tuesday, only 1,154 rooms, or 33.7 percent of the total rooms, at government-designated quarantine shelters were occupied, the Central Disaster Management Headquarters said.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--6 more USFK-affiliated Americans test positive for coronavirus

Meanwhile , USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams ordered the lifting of travel restrictions to the southwestern city of Gwangju effective @ @ @ @ @ designated the city off limits to its troops and their family members last month due @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases in the region .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Five more American service members and one Department of Defense civilian employee tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrivals in South Korea, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
The service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on U.S. government chartered flights, while the civilian arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, on a commercial flight, it said.
Five of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, while the other individual tested positive on the second test required to exit mandatory quarantine, according to the U.S. military.
They have all been transferred to an isolation facility for confirmed patients at Camp Humphreys or at the Osan base.
"None of the new arrivals have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community," it said.
The latest virus cases brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 139.
Meanwhile, USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams ordered the lifting of travel restrictions to the southwestern city of Gwangju effective Friday. The commander had designated the city off limits to its troops and their family members last month due to the rapid increase of confirmed cases in the region.
This file photo shows a gate of the U.S. base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

`` Any architect of this age who is interested in land and urban design would feel the same way that @ @ @ @ @ , 67 , said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ to accept the offer . ''

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
-----------------
(2nd LD) Major highways in Seoul partly closed, flood alerts issued as downpours raise water level of Han River
SEOUL -- Major highways running across Seoul were partly closed on Thursday, with the first flood alerts in nine years issued for areas near a major bridge on the Han River, as heavy rains pushed up the water level of the river that flows through the capital city.
Several sections of the Dongbu Urban Expressway, Seoul Inner Loop, Olympic-daero and Gangbyeon Northern Highway have been closed to traffic due to the inner city river's swelled water level, according to the police and the city of Seoul.
-----------------
(LEAD) New virus cases bounce back to over 40 on surge in domestic infections
SEOUL -- The number of new daily coronavirus cases in South Korea bounced back to above 40 on Thursday as domestic infections climbed up.
The country added 43 cases, raising the total caseload to 14,499, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
-----------------
(2nd LD) N.K. leader orders special aid for Kaesong on coronavirus lockdown
SEOUL) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party and ordered special aid to the city of Kaesong under lockdown over coronavirus concerns, state media reported Thursday.
In late July, North Korea declared a "maximum emergency system" against the coronavirus after it claimed a defector returned home from the South with symptoms. It has since intensified antivirus efforts, putting the border town of Kaesong under complete lockdown since July 24 and tightening its national borders.
-----------------
N. Korea pursues long-range nuclear missiles through 'deliberate testing program': Pentagon official
SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- North Korea continues to push aggressively to develop long-range nuclear missiles capable of striking the U.S. homeland through a "very deliberate testing program" for systems improvement, a senior Pentagon official has said.
Victorino G. Mercado, assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and capabilities, made the remarks during the 2020 Space and Missile Defense Symposium held online on Tuesday (Washington time), according to the transcript posted on the Pentagon website on Thursday.
-----------------
(LEAD) Opposition party narrows gap with ruling party to below 1 pct point in poll
SEOUL -- South Korea's main opposition United Future Party (UFP) posted its highest-ever approval rating this week, narrowing the gap with the ruling party to less than 1 percentage point for the first time, a survey showed Thursday.
The opinion poll conducted by pollster Realmeter also showed an erosion in support of both President Moon Jae-in and the ruling Democratic Party (DP), apparently due to controversial real estate policies and growing tensions with the prosecution leadership.
-----------------
(Yonhap Interview) Spatial design over eye-catching architecture: Seung H-Sang's vision for Yongsan Park
SEOUL -- Architect Seung H-Sang realized he had been waiting for that moment all along, when a call came in from a Dutch landscape architecture firm asking if he wanted to work together in an international competition to come up with a master plan for Yongsan Park.
"Any architect of this age who is interested in land and urban design would feel the same way that I did," Seung, 67, said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday. "There was no reason not to accept the offer."
-----------------
(LEAD) Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin back to himself, earns 1st win of 2020
SEOUL -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin made it back to where he was.
Ryu shut down the Atlanta Braves over five innings at Truist Park in Atlanta on Thursday (Korean time). Striking out eight and walking three, he allowed only one hit to pick up his first win of the season as the Blue Jays beat the Braves 2-1.
-----------------
(News Focus) With star-studded release calendar, August poised to be colossal month for K-pop
SEOUL -- Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the strength and popularity of K-pop, a bedrock pillar of South Korean soft power, has proven to be as unrelenting and far-reaching as the virus itself.
According to the Korea Music Content Association-operated Gaon chart, the number of top 100 albums sold during the first half of 2020 soared 42.1 percent on-year to 16.42 million, with BTS alone moving 4.26 million records of its latest album just in South Korea. Albums by Seventeen and Baekhyun of EXO also sold handsomely, with each selling over 1 million copies.
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Yoo says WTO reform vital to cope with unprecedented challenges like pandemic

`` Recently , each country was on its own due to the unprecedented economic crisis , such as the new @ @ @ @ @ Yoo Myung-hee said during a meeting with reporters .
`` Amid such challenges , the @ @ @ @ @ function , regardless of any crisis , to maintain trade . ''

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEJONG, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade minister, who is running to become the next head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said Thursday she wishes to reform the body to become more resilient to never-before-seen hurdles, such as the virus pandemic.
"Recently, each country was on its own due to the unprecedented economic crisis, such as the new coronavirus," Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee said during a meeting with reporters. "Amid such challenges, the WTO should maintain its full function, regardless of any crisis, to maintain trade."
Yoo added the WTO needs to normalize its role of handling negotiations and settling disputes under a multilateral regime, and that the COVID-19 pandemic gave an opportunity to look at the pending issues.
South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, who is running to be the next director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), speaks during a press conference at the WTO headquarters in Geneva on July 16, 2020, after presenting her goals for the trade body. (Yonhap)
"The WTO needs to especially rebuild trust in the multilateral trading system by making it more relevant, resilient, and responsive," Yoo said.
"Many countries are disappointed and expressing concerns over the WTO, which has been facing impasses while failing to fulfill its original function," she added.
The remarks came amid criticism that the WTO's role in mediating trade disputes and deadlocks has weakened recently.
"I have extensive experience in working with countries with different levels of economic development throughout my career," Yoo added, saying this would help her better understand the different needs of the member states.
Asked about the trade row between the United States and China, Yoo did not provide a direct statement but reiterated that she will serve all members of the WTO. Yoo added she holds the same stance over the yearlong trade row between South Korea and Japan.
The trade minister, however, pointed out that it is also important for Japan to have a fully functioning WTO, which is one of her top priorities.
South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee (C) arrives at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization in Geneva on July 16, 2020. The official was in the Swiss city to deliver a speech outlining her bid to run for director general of the WTO. (Yonhap)
Last week, the WTO's dispute settlement body decided to set up a panel to look into South Korea's complaint against Japan's export restrictions, a month after the decision was put off due to Tokyo's opposition.
In June, South Korea reopened the WTO complaint about Japan's export curbs on key industrial materials, as Tokyo remained unresponsive to Seoul's call for the removal of the export restrictions it imposed one year ago.
The dispute began in July last year, when Japan abruptly announced it would regulate South Korea-bound exports of three materials that are critical for the chip and display industries, the backbone of Asia's No. 4 economy.
Yoo is the third South Korean to run for the top post of the Geneva-based trade body. Two South Koreans made unsuccessful bids in 1994 and 2012, respectively.
WTO's first female boss? Seoul's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee's ambitious challenge Youtube https://youtu.be/6U0cNhu5spY
Being a veteran negotiator in trade talks, she was appointed as South Korea's trade minister in February last year. Yoo is fluent in English and served as the presidential office's spokesperson for foreign correspondents during the Park Geun-hye administration.
The WTO needs to pick a new leader, as incumbent Director-General Roberto Azevedo of Brazil is set to stand down in August, about a year before his term ends. The organization recently failed to choose an interim leader, as members could not reach a consensus.
Yoo, the only incumbent trade minister, is competing for the top WTO post with candidates from seven countries -- Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Moldova, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Britain.
The process to pick the new WTO chief will officially begin on Sept. 7 and may take up to two months.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(LEAD) Korean Air shifts to Q2 profit on cargo demand

Looking ahead , Korean Air said it will focus on achieving as many cargo deals as possible to deliver quarantine @ @ @ @ @ semiconductor equipment in the second half of this year .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 5-8)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co. said Thursday it shifted to a net profit in the second quarter from a year earlier helped by strong cargo demand despite the new coronavirus outbreak.
The country's biggest carrier swung to a net profit of 162.4 billion won (US$137 million) in the April-June quarter from a net loss of 380.78 billion won in the same period of last year, the company said in a statement.
"Increased cargo deliveries helped offset a sharp decline in passenger travel demand amid virus fears," the statement said.
Looking ahead, Korean Air said it will focus on achieving as many cargo deals as possible to deliver quarantine goods, e-commerce products and semiconductor equipment in the second half of this year.
This photo taken July 7, 2020, shows Korean Air planes at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
To stay afloat amid virus woes, Korean Air is in consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to remove seats on some of its 26 B777-300ER passenger jets and fill the space with cargo.
The national flag carrier aims to start operations of the converted planes this month upon approval from Boeing and the transport ministry.
The carrier expects its overall cargo volumes to increase by at least 10 tons to 34 tons if the conversion plan is approved. It has a fleet of 143 passenger jets, including 26 B777-300ERs and 23 cargo planes.
Korean Air also shifted to an operating profit of 148.5 billion won in the second quarter from an operating loss of 101.5 billion won a year ago. Sales fell 44 percent to 1.69 trillion won from 3.2 trillion won during the same period.
The company released parent-based figures Thursday, and its consolidated quarterly financial results will be available next week, a company spokesman said.
It has suspended most of its flights on international routes since March, as more than 180 countries and territories closed their borders or imposed entry restrictions on incoming passengers amid virus fears.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Samsung heir vows to improve corporate culture for working mothers

`` We must fix what is wrong and insufficient , '' Lee said in a meeting with a group of @ @ @ @ @ rearing children at Samsung Electronics Co. 's campus in Suwon , south of Seoul .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group, vowed Thursday to improve the corporate system for working mothers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Lee said Samsung should review its corporate culture as the COVID-19 pandemic forced closures or reduced operations of day care centers and schools nationwide, which burdens female workers raising children.
"We must fix what is wrong and insufficient," Lee said in a meeting with a group of female employees who work while rearing children at Samsung Electronics Co.'s campus in Suwon, south of Seoul.
"We should make a corporate culture that allows qualified female talent to become leaders and serve as role models."
As of 2019, women accounted for a 40.2 percent of Samsung Electronics employees. The portion of female executives increased from 0.76 percent in 2009 to 6.53 percent in 2019, according to the company.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (R) speaks with female employees raising children at the company's plant in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Aug. 6, 2020, in this photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Korean Air wins deal to supply parts for B787s through 2030

On top of flight services , Korean Air also manufactures aircraft parts and supplies them to Airbus and U.S. aerospace @ @ @ @ @ began to supply the parts to Boeing and Airbus in 1986 and 1987 , respectively @

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest airline, said Thursday it has received a deal from a Japanese company to supply an aircraft component for B787 planes through 2030.
Korean Air has obtained a deal estimated at US$299 million to provide the aft wheel well bulkhead component for B787 planes for eight years through 2030 through Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., the company said in a regulatory filing.
The national flag carrier signed the contract with the Japanese company to supply the body part for B787 jets, a company spokesman said.
The deal is an extension of the previous contract Korean Air signed with Kawasaki Heavy in 2005 to supply the same part for B787 planes through 2021, he said.
On top of flight services, Korean Air also manufactures aircraft parts and supplies them to Airbus and U.S. aerospace giant Boeing Co. It began to supply the parts to Boeing and Airbus in 1986 and 1987, respectively.
This undated photo provided by Korean Air shows an employee working at the airline's cargo door assembly line in Busan, 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(2nd LD) N.K. leader orders special aid for Kaesong on coronavirus lockdown

`` Then the meeting heard a report on the anti-epidemic work and the situation in Kaesong City that is completely @ @ @ @ @ 's maximum emergency system , discussed and decided on the Party Central Committee 's special @ @ @ @ @ to the city to stabilize the living of its citizens , and instructed relevant field @ @ @ @ @ this regard , '' the Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info throughout, comments from expert)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party and ordered special aid to the city of Kaesong under lockdown over coronavirus concerns, state media reported Thursday.
In late July, North Korea declared a "maximum emergency system" against the coronavirus after it claimed a defector returned home from the South with symptoms. It has since intensified antivirus efforts, putting the border town of Kaesong under complete lockdown since July 24 and tightening its national borders.
"Then the meeting heard a report on the anti-epidemic work and the situation in Kaesong City that is completely locked down under the state's maximum emergency system, discussed and decided on the Party Central Committee's special supply of food and funds to the city to stabilize the living of its citizens, and instructed relevant field to take immediate measures in this regard," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
KCNA said that over 550,000 relief items of more than 30 kinds have been urgently sent to Kaesong since the start of the maximum emergency system.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party on Aug. 5, 2020, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. During the meeting, Kim ordered special aid to the city of Kaesong under lockdown over coronavirus concerns. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Officials at the meeting also decided to launch "a new department within the Central Committee of the Party and studied and discussed the ways to radically improve the personnel affairs system of the Party," KCNA added without elaborating.
Key party officials attended the meeting, including Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, and Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission, and Ri Pyong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.
This marks the first time North Korea has disclosed the results of the party's executive policy council meeting since it began in 2016.
Experts say the North's move to disclose the results of the meeting may reflect its desire to leave room for inter-Korean cooperation.
"I don't think they are reaching out to South Korea for any immediate resumption of inter-Korean cooperation but they're naturally exposing the current situation in the North to leave room for humanitarian cooperation for the two Koreas in the future, especially if damages from the flood get worse there," Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said.
"Kim must have wanted to listen to the opinions of key officials in the party as the two issues involving the defector and lockdown of Kaesong are important in keeping North Koreans under control and solidifying unity internally," Yang said.
As the two-week quarantine period will end this week in Kaesong, officials could have discussed whether to continue with the lockdown of the city, he added.
North Korea has claimed to be coronavirus-free but many observers have questioned the claim since it has a long and porous border with China and is known to lack the necessary infrastructure in coping with such a highly contagious disease.
The North has also taken relatively swift and drastic measures, shutting down its borders since late January and tightening quarantine measures.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(3rd LD) SK Telecom Q2 net surges on increased equity gains, rise in 5G users

`` Due to the impact from COVID-19 , 5G subscriber growth fell short of expectations but the market has stabilized @ @ @ @ @ Yoon Poong-young , SK Telecom 's chief financial officer , said in a conference call @ @ @ @ @ marketing campaigns from mobile carriers since 5G 's launch last year .
`` We expect @ @ @ @ @ the future as a result of increasing 5G users . ''

(ATTN: ADDS photo, paras 10, 11, 16, 18 for more info)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile carrier, said Thursday its second-quarter net income jumped 66.8 percent from a year earlier due to increased equity gains and improved mobile business.
Net income reached 432.2 billion won (US$365.1 million) in the April-June period, compared with 259.1 billion won the previous year, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Sales came to 4.6 trillion won in the second quarter, up 3.7 percent from the previous year, while operating profit rose 11.4 percent to 359.5 billion won over the same period.
The corporate logo of SK Telecom Co. is shown in this undated photo provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
SK Telecom said a strong performance from its chipmaking affiliate SK hynix Inc. improved its bottom line.
Equity gains totaled 267 billion won in the second quarter, compared with 136.1 billion won a year earlier, according to the company.
SK Telecom holds a 20 percent stake in the chipmaker, which reported last month that net income more than doubled on-year in the second quarter.
The mobile carrier said its mobile network business recorded improved sales despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sales from its mobile network business reached 2.94 trillion won in the second quarter, up 3.2 percent from a year earlier, thanks to a rise in 5G subscribers.
The carrier had 3.35 million 5G subscriptions in the April-June period, up 700,000 from the previous quarter, it said.
South Korea had a total of 6.9 million 5G users as of the end of May, according to ICT ministry data.
"Due to the impact from COVID-19, 5G subscriber growth fell short of expectations but the market has stabilized without excessive competition," Yoon Poong-young, SK Telecom's chief financial officer, said in a conference call, referring to less aggressive marketing campaigns from mobile carriers since 5G's launch last year. "We expect sales growth to continue in the future as a result of increasing 5G users."
As of the second quarter, SK Telecom had a total of 24.15 million handset subscribers, up from 24.05 million a year ago.
The telecom operator said it spent 917.8 billion won on facilities investment in the second quarter, up 56.7 percent from a year earlier. Total investment in the first half of the year amounted to 1.2 trillion won.
SK Telecom Co. CEO Park Jung-ho speaks during a shareholders' meeting on March 2019 in this photo provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The telecom operator's media business also reported improved results, with sales from its IPTV subsidiary SK Broadband Co. reaching 918.4 billion won, up 16.2 percent from a year earlier due to increased subscribers from its merger with No. 2 cable TV operator t-broad Co.
The merged entity, which launched in late April, had 8.4 million subscribers in the April-June period, compared with SK Broadband's 5.3 million subscribers in the first quarter.
The mobile carrier said in the conference call that it plans to boost SK Broadband's sales by expanding its internet data center service next year. It added that it is pursuing initial public offerings for SK Broadband and other subsidiaries, while not specifying a time frame.
SK Telecom's online and media commerce units posted sales of 192.6 billion won in the second quarter, up 8.5 percent from a year earlier, as consumers turned to online shopping amid the pandemic.
Shares in SK Telecom fell 2.86 percent to 220,500 won, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.33 percent gain.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(LEAD) Seoul stocks rally amid global economic rebound hopes, surprise Q2 earnings

SEOUL , Aug. 6 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares rallied Thursday , extending a winning streak to a @ @ @ @ @ to ample economic rebound hopes in financial markets and better-than-expected quarterly earnings by leading stocks @ @ @ @ @ against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares rallied Thursday, extending a winning streak to a fourth consecutive session, thanks to ample economic rebound hopes in financial markets and better-than-expected quarterly earnings by leading stocks. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 30.75 points, or 1.33 percent, to close at 2,342.61.
The closing marks the highest since 2,343.07 points on Sept. 28, 2018.
Trading volume was high at about 785 million shares worth some 17.6 trillion won (US$14.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 512 to 337.
Foreigners bought a net 162 billion won, snapping a four-session selling streak, while retail investors sold a net 89 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 75 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,342.61 on Aug. 6, 2020, up 30.75 points, or 1.33 percent, from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The market continued its bullish run after closing at a nearly two-year high in the previous session.
Investor sentiment remained high despite nationwide downpours and concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Stocks lifted over rosy expectations that the U.S. stimulus package is nearing an accord, in addition to improvements in economic indexes in major economies.
"But later, (South Korean stock) markets trimmed part of that gains, as the U.S.-China political tensions extended losses in Chinese stock markets," Seo Sang-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities Co., said.
Estimate-beating quarterly earnings by KOSPI heavyweights Kakao and SK Telecom also fueled market optimism that Asia's fourth-largest economy may have passed the worst part of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kakao retreated 1.75 percent to 364,000 won, and SK Telecom dipped 2.86 percent to 220,500 won on investors' profit-taking drive.
Top cap Samsung Electronics fared bullish, as the company unveiled three new models of smartphones. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.93 percent to 58,000 won.
Most other large caps traded higher.
The country's second-largest chipmaker, SK hynix, climbed 0.50 percent to 81,100 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem hiked 1.49 percent to 680,000 won, and top steelmaker POSCO leaped 3.61 percent 201,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, spiked 7.84 percent to 144,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors jumping 2.55 percent to 42,150 won.
Internet portal giant Naver rose 2.71 percent to 322,000 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics fell 1.14 percent to 778,000 won, and Celltrion dropped 1.27 percent to 311,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,183.50 won against the U.S. dollar, up 5.30 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 1.2 basis points to 0.807 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 0.8 basis point to 1.053 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--(LEAD) Lotte Shopping swings to loss in Q2 amid pandemic

SEOUL , Aug. 6 ( Yonhap ) -- Lotte Shopping Co. said Thursday it swung to a net loss in @ @ @ @ @ previous year as sales were hit by the new coronavirus outbreak and the company set @ @ @ @ @ losses .

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with details)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Shopping Co. said Thursday it swung to a net loss in the second quarter from the previous year as sales were hit by the new coronavirus outbreak and the company set aside reserves to cover potential losses.
Net losses reached 199 billion won (US$168.1 million) in the April-June period, tumbling from a net profit of 76.9 billion won a year earlier, the key unit of retail giant Lotte Group said in a regulatory filing.
Operating profit declined 98.5 percent on-year to 1.4 billion won and sales declined 9.2 percent to 4.05 trillion won.
The outcome was better than the market consensus of 2 billion won in operating losses in a poll conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, on 17 brokerage houses.
The corporate logo of Lotte Shopping Co. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Lotte Shopping, the operator of South Korea's biggest department store, suffered from an industry-wide slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as people refrained from visiting offline stores due to the risk of virus infection.
The company said the net loss also came as it set aside reserves worth 340.6 billion won to cover potential loss stemming from its closure of brick-and-mortar stores. The company earlier said it will sell 121 stores within this year.
Lotte Shopping's department store business reported rises in sales and an operating profit in the second quarter compared with three months earlier, on the back of demand for foreign luxury goods and consumer electronics goods.
Lotte Department Store's revenues rose 10 percent on-quarter to 666.5 billion won and its operating profit advanced 54 percent to 43.9 billion won.
In April, Lotte Shopping launched an ambitious online shopping website, Lotte On, which integrates the websites of Lotte's eight affiliates, in a bid to better compete with major e-commerce operators.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-06--Korean Air shifts to Q2 profit on cargo demand

The national flag carrier also shifted to an operating profit of 148.5 billion won in the second quarter from an @ @ @ @ @ won a year ago .
Sales fell 44 percent to 1.69 trillion won from 3.2 @ @ @ @ @ period .

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co. said Thursday it shifted to a net profit in the second quarter from a year earlier helped by strong cargo demand despite the new coronavirus outbreak.
The country's biggest carrier swung to a net profit of 162.4 billion won (US$137 million) in the April-June quarter from a net loss of 380.78 billion won in the same period of last year, the company said in a statement.
"Increased cargo deliveries helped offset a sharp decline in passenger travel demand amid virus fears," the statement said.
The national flag carrier also shifted to an operating profit of 148.5 billion won in the second quarter from an operating loss of 101.5 billion won a year ago. Sales fell 44 percent to 1.69 trillion won from 3.2 trillion won during the same period.
The company released parent-based figures Thursday, and its consolidated quarterly financial results will be available next week, a company spokesman said.
Korean Air expects its overall cargo volumes will increase by at least 10 tons to 34 tons if the conversion plan is approved.
The carrier has a fleet of 143 passenger jets, including 26 B777-300ERs and 23 cargo planes.
It has suspended most of its flights on international routes since March, as more than 180 countries and territories closed their borders or imposed entry restrictions on incoming passengers amid virus fears.
This photo taken July 7, 2020, shows Korean Air planes at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Orion Q2 net income up 78.3 pct. to 65.7 bln won

The operating profit was 4.9 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Orion Corp. on Friday reported its second-quarter net income of 65.7 billion won (US$ 55.3 million), up 78.3 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the April-June period rose 71 percent on-year to 86.2 billion won. Sales increased 17.3 percent to 515.1 billion won.
The operating profit was 4.9 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Seoul stocks pare earlier gains late Fri. morning on profit-taking

The index got off to a strong start , but trimmed some of its earlier gains as investors attempted to @ @ @ @ @ The local stock market rose for four consecutive sessions .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares trimmed gains late Friday morning on profit-taking.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.61 points, or 0.11 percent, to 2,345.22 as of 11:20 a.m.
The index got off to a strong start, but trimmed some of its earlier gains as investors attempted to cash in recent gains. The local stock market rose for four consecutive sessions.
EV battery makers rallied.
LG Chem, the country's largest electric vehicle battery maker, spiked 7.21 percent to a new record.
Among other electric vehicle battery gainers, Samsung SDI jumped 3.73 percent, and SK Innovation shot up 11.93 percent.
Other large caps in Seoul traded mixed.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.52 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix retreating 1.11 percent.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 1.04, but leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics lost 1.54 percent.
Internet giant Naver shed 2.02 percent, with its rival Kakao dipping 2.06 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,186.95 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.45 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--KT Q2 net profit up 2.3 pct. to 207.6 bln won

The operating profit was in line with the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , the @ @ @ @ @ News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp. on Friday reported its second-quarter net profit of 207.6 billion won (US$ 174.7 million), up 2.3 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 341.8 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 288.2 billion won a year ago. Revenue fell 3.6 percent to 5.87 trillion won.
The operating profit was in line with the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korea to lift restrictions on arrivals from China's Hubei from Monday

`` We will lift entry restrictions and visa-related steps on arrivals from Hubei as there have been no reported virus @ @ @ @ @ China eased coronavirus restrictions on the entry of South Koreans , '' Vice Health Minister @ @ @ @ @ briefing .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will lift restrictions on arrivals from the Chinese province of Hubei, believed to be the epicenter of COVID-19 outbreaks, starting Monday as virus cases have eased there and China has relaxed entry restrictions for South Korean nationals, health authorities said Friday.
Since Feb. 4, South Korea has imposed entry bans on foreigners who visited or traveled to Hubei province in the preceding two weeks and holders of visas issued by Hubei authorities.
"We will lift entry restrictions and visa-related steps on arrivals from Hubei as there have been no reported virus cases in the province and China eased coronavirus restrictions on the entry of South Koreans," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said in a briefing.
China started Wednesday to accept visa applications from South Korean students and workers in the first such relaxation of the restrictions that were implemented in March to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
This photo, taken on July 31, 2020, shows international arrivals waiting for transportation options at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korean bio firm wins FDA approval for clinical trials of coronavirus treatment

SEOUL , Aug. 7 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean bio venture firm Enzychem Lifesciences Corp. said Friday that it @ @ @ @ @ U.S. health agency to conduct clinical trials for its treatment candidate for the novel coronavirus @

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean bio venture firm Enzychem Lifesciences Corp. said Friday that it has won approval from the U.S. health agency to conduct clinical trials for its treatment candidate for the novel coronavirus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Enzychem Lifesciences to conduct a phase two clinical study assessing the candidate, dubbed "EC-18," as a preventive therapeutic against Acute Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19 pneumonia.
A phase two clinical study for EC-18 in preventing ARDS due to novel coronavirus pneumonia is ongoing in South Korea, the firm said.
The trial is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of EC-18 in preventing the progression of COVID-19 infection to severe pneumonia, the bio firm said.
The study will involve the participation of a total of 60 subjects, with 30 patients administered with the treatment candidate and the remaining 30 patients on the placebo, Enzychem Lifesciences said.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korea to provide US$1 million worth of emergency aid to explosion-hit Lebanon

The aid is the first batch of a total of $ 4 million the government has set aside for humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ country for this year , the ministry said in a press release .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will provide US$1 million worth of emergency relief aid to help Lebanon recover from a massive deadly explosion that killed more than 140 people and wounded thousands, the foreign ministry said Friday.
The aid is the first batch of a total of $4 million the government has set aside for humanitarian assistance to the Middle Eastern country for this year, the ministry said in a press release.
The government is also pushing to provide Beirut with an additional $3 million to help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic, it added.
The explosion occurred Tuesday when a waterfront warehouse with nearly 2,800 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive fertilizer, caught fire. Tuesday's blast has claimed 145 lives and wounded more than 5,000.
On Thursday, ministry spokesperson Kim In-chul said the government was actively considering ways to provide support for Beirut.
According to news reports, the explosion has left some 300,000 people, or over 12 percent of Beirut's population, displaced, with the city's total damage estimated at $10 billion to $15 billion.
Since 2011, South Korea has provided $13.3 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon.
This photo, published by TASS news agency on Aug. 4, 2020, shows the scene in the aftermath of the deadly explosion that ripped through Lebanon's capital of Beirut. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) Japanese company appeals S. Korean court's decision on asset seizure

Japan has indicated that it would take retaliatory steps -- on top of its export curbs -- should the court @ @ @ @ @ steps could include higher tariffs , financial sanctions , temporary recall of Japan 's top @ @ @ @ @ restrictions , observers said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 4-5, 10-11)
DAEGU, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- A Japanese company has appealed a South Korean court's ruling to seize its assets in the country to compensate victims of wartime forced labor in a move expected to worsen tensions between the two countries.
Nippon Steel Corp. has submitted an immediate complaint against the court's decision to seize some of its stake in PNR, a joint venture established with Korea's top steelmaker, POSCO, the Daegu District Court in the southeastern city of Daegu said Friday.
The move, which came days before the order was set to go into effect next week, effectively grants the defendant a chance to again defend its stance, postponing the court's order.
The court's review is expected to take months, according to local legal sources, allowing the company to buy time before the forced sale of its assets.
The assets subject to sales are 81,075 shares in PNR -- worth about 405 million won (US$341,484) at face value.
In June, the Pohang branch of Daegu District Court decided to begin the procedure of "Service by Public Notice," as the Japanese foreign ministry has failed to pass the document containing the Korean court's asset seizure ruling to Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp.
Under the Hague Conventions, the court ruling is considered to have been delivered to a defendant in another country if the defendant fails to respond purposely or if the delivery fails due to an invalid address.
The move was based on an October 2018 ruling by South Korea's top court, which ordered Nippon Steel to pay compensation to four South Koreans for their forced labor and unpaid work during World War II. Korea was under Japan's colonization at that time.
After the firm refused to comply with the ruling, the plaintiffs requested asset seizure, which was approved by the court in Pohang.
Tokyo has rejected the compensation calls, arguing the forced labor issue was settled under a bilateral 1965 treaty that normalized the two countries' ties after Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Japan has indicated that it would take retaliatory steps -- on top of its export curbs -- should the court decision be executed. The steps could include higher tariffs, financial sanctions, temporary recall of Japan's top envoy in Seoul and visa restrictions, observers said.
A pedestrian walks past the headquarters of Nippon Steel Corp. in Tokyo on Aug. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Yang Geum-duk (L), a South Korean victim of wartime forced labor in Japan, and other participants chant slogans demanding Japan's apology during a rally in front of the foreign ministry in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Military searching for landmines possibly swept from N. Korea by heavy rains

`` Wooden-boxed landmines from the North do not look like explosives on the surface , so we 've been doing @ @ @ @ @ the mines for the safety of the people and service members , '' a ministry @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The military is trying to detect and remove landmines in border regions that could have been washed away across the border from North Korea due to heavy rains, the defense ministry said Friday.
Front-line military units launched the work earlier in the day amid concerns the mines could have made their way south due to swollen water levels following heavy precipitation since last week, according to the ministry.
Millions of landmines are believed to have been laid on the Korean Peninsula during the 1950-53 Korean War, particularly in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that bisects the two Koreas.
"Wooden-boxed landmines from the North do not look like explosives on the surface, so we've been doing this work preemptively to find the mines for the safety of the people and service members," a ministry official said.
The ministry also heightened the level of emergency duty by one notch to the third and the highest one as of 8 a.m. to be fully prepared for heavy downpours, according to the officials.
To help civilians recover from damage, around 2,600 troops and 120 military equipment are mobilized as of now, they added.
Torrential rains that have pounded South Korea's central areas killed 10 people and left 17 others unaccounted for, according to the disaster headquarters.
Soldiers remove mud from a greenhouse as they carry out restoration work in the city of Anseong, south of Seoul, following heavy rains in the region, on Aug. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(2nd LD) New virus cases fall back to 20 as local cases return to single digit

On Thursday , the new virus cases rose above 40 for the first time since July 29 , when the @ @ @ @ @ domestic cases outnumbering imported ones for the first time in 13 days .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell sharply on Friday as local infections grew again in a single-digit figure. But new cluster infections at restaurants and churches are still straining the country's anti-virus fight.
The country added 20 cases, including nine local infections, raising the total caseload to 14,519, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
On Thursday, the new virus cases rose above 40 for the first time since July 29, when the figure reached 48, with domestic cases outnumbering imported ones for the first time in 13 days.
South Korea added just 23 total cases on Monday as local infections reached a three-month low. But sporadic cluster infections have led to yet another uptick in the number of local cases.
Visitors receive new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Aug. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally-transmitted cases added on Friday, six were from the capital city of Seoul.
A total of 15 cases have been traced to a coffee shop and a restaurant in southern Seoul as of Thursday, up two from a day earlier.
Starting Thursday, South Korea made it mandatory for coffee shops and other cafes to have their employees wear masks all times, with visitors also being required to wear them while waiting in queues or ordering drinks.
One more patient was traced to a church in the eastern Seoul ward of Songpa on the previous day, bringing total infections from the church to 22 as well.
Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul added three new cases.
Health authorities said 336 people who attended an Islamic festival in Cheongju, 137 kilometers south of Seoul where six virus patients were confirmed Wednesday, tested negative for COVID-19. More investigation is underway.
Cases coming in from overseas have risen by double-digit numbers for 43 consecutive days. Among the 11 additional cases, five were detected at quarantine checkpoints at ports and airports.
This photo, taken on Aug. 6, 2020, shows the Youngjin-607, a Russian pelagic fishing boat, moored at a port in the southeastern city of Busan, where four crew members, including three South Koreans, tested positive for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Of the newly added imported cases, the United States accounted for four, followed by Iraq with three. There were new cases from Russia, Hong Kong, Ethiopia, and Kazakhstan as well.
The daily imported cases reached a record on Feb. 25 by reaching 86.
The country suffered a sharp increase in the number of such cases due to South Korean workers returning home from Iraq, along with sailors from Russian ships docked at its port.
Since June, 94 seafarers from nine Russia-flagged ships docked in Busan have tested positive for COVID-19.
Health authorities said among 216 workers from Iraq who tested negative upon their arrival on July 24, 214 were released from their mandatory quarantine on Friday. Two tested positive for the virus.
The number of South Korean construction workers overseas is currently estimated at around 9,350, with 121 of them testing positive for the virus.
South Korea added it has decided to lift restrictions on arrivals from China's Hubei Province from Aug. 10, where the pandemic is believed to have originated, starting Monday.
The country reported one more, keeping the number of fatalities at 303, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.09 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,543, up 42 from the previous day. This indicates 93.28 percent of patients reported here were recovered.
South Korea, which has a population of around 51 million, carried out 1,613,652 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) Trainee doctors launch strike in protest over medical workforce reform

As part of the country 's medical workforce reform plan , the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas @ @ @ @ @ over the next 10 years , starting in 2022 , and to open a new @ @ @ @ @ seeks to broaden the reach of health care services .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors at hospitals on Friday launched a one-day strike in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan, causing concerns about potential inconvenience for patients using general hospitals nationwide.
But there was no disruption in medical services, as major general hospitals in Seoul mobilized alternative health workers in advance.
The Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), a group of interns and resident doctors, began the 24-hour walkout earlier in the day in opposition to the government's plan to raise admission quotas at medical schools.
Around 70 to 80 percent of the group's 16,000 members are known to be taking part in the strike.
The Korea Medical Association (KMA), which speaks for 130,000 doctors, also plans to stage a separate general strike next Friday.
Patients wait for medical tests at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul on Aug. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Doctors in training working at hospitals' essential fields linked to patients' lives, including intensive care units, surgery and emergency rooms, joined the strike.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
Major general hospitals in Seoul mobilized clinical doctors, medical professors and other health workers to reduce possible disruptions.
Surgeries and tests that were not deemed urgent were also rescheduled in advance.
Hospitals dispatched more nurses to screening centers to conduct new coronavirus tests.
"Waiting time is not that long when compared with the normal amount of time," said a 72-year-old man who was waiting to see a doctor at Asan Medical Center in southern Seoul.
The government earlier called on trainee doctors to retract their planned strike, as it could disrupt the medical system amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
The health ministry and KIRA made last-ditch efforts Thursday to resolve the issue, but the talks fell through.
The government earlier warned it would take stern actions if the walkout caused harm to people's health and safety.
"There are grave concerns that (the strike) may cause some disruption in the medical areas directly tied to people's lives, such as emergency rooms and intensive care units," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a pan-government meeting.
The entrance of Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul bustles with visitors on Aug. 7, 2020, as trainee doctors launched a strike in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun to make starting debut against Pirates next week

In a video interview with local media , Cardinals ' manager Mike Shildt said the left-hander will start the second @ @ @ @ @ against the Pirates next Tuesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun will make his first MLB start next week against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team's manager said Friday.
In a video interview with local media, Cardinals' manager Mike Shildt said the left-hander will start the second match of the three-game series against the Pirates next Tuesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
"KK on Tuesday," he said, while naming his five starting pitchers for the upcoming games. KK is Kim's nickname.
"Kim threw in sim game today to get legs and arm working again. Got better as he went," he added.
On the same day, Toronto Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin is scheduled to take on the Miami Marlins at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York.
Kim, who joined the Cardinals from this season on a two-year contract, started his first MLB season as the closer and earned a save on July 24 against the Pirates.
But he has been included in the five-man starting rotation as the team has been struggling with injuries and COVID-19 infections.
Last week, starter Miles Mikolas was ruled out for the season after suffering a torn flexor tendon. And seven players, including catcher Yadier Molina, were sidelined by positive coronavirus tests.
Having missed seven regular season games since July 31 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, they will play 21 games in next 20 days in a new schedule update announced by MLB.
In this AP photo, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun (R) celebrates with catcher Yadier Molina after saving a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in St. Louis on July 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(URGENT) S. Korea to lift restrictions on arrivals from Chinese province of Hubei province from Aug.

(URGENT) S. Korea to lift restrictions on arrivals from Chinese province of Hubei province from Aug. 10

(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--2020-08-07--Week of heavy rain in central region displaces 2,500 people

The number tallied at 6 a.m. Friday did not include the casualties from three capsized vessels in Uiam Dam in @ @ @ @ @ which claimed one life the previous day .
Five others who were swept away in @ @ @ @ @ repair operation are still unaccounted for as the search in the water continues .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Unusually intense rainfall for the past week has displaced some 2,500 people in the central region, the national disaster control center said Friday.
Torrents have left 10 people dead and 17 missing, and wrecked havoc on 6,162 buildings, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said, adding 60 percent of the damage has been repaired so far.
The number tallied at 6 a.m. Friday did not include the casualties from three capsized vessels in Uiam Dam in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, which claimed one life the previous day. Five others who were swept away in a strong current during a repair operation are still unaccounted for as the search in the water continues.
Rescuers assist a boat carrying stranded passengers from a flooded inter-city bus in Paju, north of Seoul, on Aug. 6, 2020, after the bus was caught in a flash flood amid heavy rain, in this photo released by the Paju fire station. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Chungcheong Province saw the biggest number of people displaced by heavy rains at 748, followed by 636 in North Chungcheong Province, 628 in Gangwon Province, 479 in Gyeonggi Province, six in Seoul and three in North Gyeongsang Province.
Among those people, 1,139 people were forced to take a temporary shelter in relatives' houses, gymnasiums or community centers. More than 4,700 people were temporarily evacuated from their homes to avoid the threat of flooding and landslides.
Real footages captured by citizens reveal flooded cities amid Korea’s longest monsoon in 7 years Youtube https://youtu.be/CeasqpXmBZ0
Torrential rains have also destroyed 6,162 buildings and infrastructure nationwide -- 3,297 private houses and farm facilities and the rest being public properties, including roads, railroads, drainage systems and lamp posts.
The agency said work to repair the damage for 4,085 cases, 65.5 percent of the total, has been completed, even though continued rainfall strained the restoration work.
This photo taken Aug. 6, 2020, shows the Dongbu Arterial Road in northeastern Seoul closed as the water level of the Jungnang Stream along the road continued to rise amid heavy downpours. (Yonhap)
On Thursday, major highways running across Seoul were partly closed, and the first flood alerts in nine years were issued for the main part of the Han River as the water level there has sharply risen due to the discharge of water from the Paldang and Soyang dams in the upper reaches amid heavy rain.
Many disconnected or blocked riverside roads and inter-city highways in the capital were open for traffic Friday morning, while some parts of Olympic-daero and Jamsu Bridge connecting the southern and northern parts of the city still remain off-limits.
Rescue operations continue amid intense rainfall in Korea Youtube https://youtu.be/8Ctq65zbEMM
The flood alerts also were lifted for the lower parts of the river that flow through the city, and Tancheon, its tributary that runs through Yongin, south of Seoul, to the wards of Songpa and Gangnam.
But more rainfall is expected to continue into the weekend for most of the country, with some parts forecast to be hit by up to 300 mm of precipitation.
Seen here is the Olympic-daero along the Han River on Aug. 6, 2020. Flood alerts were issued for areas near the Han River Bridge in central Seoul at 11:00 a.m. as the water level there has sharply risen due to the discharge of water from the Paldang and Soyang dams in the upper reaches amid heavy rain. (Yonhap)
Cars are moving bumper to bumper on Gangbyeon Express Highway on Aug. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--Japanese company appeals S. Korean court's decision on asset seizure

Under the Hague Conventions , the court ruling is considered to have been delivered to a defendant in another country @ @ @ @ @ respond purposely or if the delivery fails due to an invalid address .

DAEGU, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- A Japanese company has appealed a South Korean court's ruling to seize its assets in the country to compensate victims of wartime forced labor in a move expected to worsen tensions between the two countries.
Nippon Steel Corp. has submitted an immediate complaint against the court's decision to seize some of its stake in PNR, a joint venture established with Korea's top steelmaker, POSCO, the Daegu District Court in the southeastern city of Daegu said Friday.
The move, which came days before the order was set to go into effect next week, effectively grants the defendant a chance to again defend its stance, postponing the court's order.
In June, the Pohang branch of Daegu District Court decided to begin the procedure of "Service by Public Notice," as the Japanese foreign ministry has failed to pass the document containing the Korean court's asset seizure ruling to Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp.
Under the Hague Conventions, the court ruling is considered to have been delivered to a defendant in another country if the defendant fails to respond purposely or if the delivery fails due to an invalid address.
The move was based on an October 2018 ruling by South Korea's top court, which ordered Nippon Steel to pay compensation to four South Koreans for their forced labor and unpaid work during World War II. Korea was under Japan's colonization at that time.
After the firm refused to comply with the ruling, the plaintiffs requested asset seizure, which was approved by the court in Pohang.
A pedestrian walks past the headquarters of Nippon Steel Corp. in Tokyo on Aug. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Yang Geum-duk (L), a South Korean victim of wartime forced labor in Japan, and other participants chant slogans demanding Japan's apology during a rally in front of the foreign ministry in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Aug. 7 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korea's corporate bond sales soar 74 pct in July

Foreign holdings of South Korean bonds rose by 3.5 trillion won to a new record of 150.2 trillion won .
@ @ @ @ @ 6.3 trillion won worth of local bonds in July , lured by relatively high interest @ @ @ @ @ the won 's strength , the association said .
( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Corporate bond issues in South Korea shot up nearly 74 percent in July due to higher sales of low-grade debt, industry data showed Friday.
South Korean companies floated bonds worth 20.8 trillion won (US$17.5 billion) last month, up 73.5 percent from the previous month, according to the data from the Korea Financial Investment Association.
The association said corporate debt dales soared in July, driven by a spike in low-grade bond issues through private placement.
Sales of privately placed corporate bonds stood at 14.7 trillion won in July, up a whopping 11.6 trillion won from the previous month.
In contrast, issues of gilt-edged bonds with a credit rating of AA and higher sank 27.2 percent on-month to 3.1 trillion won.
The data also showed overall bond sales in South Korea coming to 85.2 trillion won in July, up 1.9 trillion won from the prior month.
The value of bonds traded over the counter came to 487.3 trillion won last month, down 28.9 trillion won from April, with the daily turnover dropping by 2.3 trillion won to 21.2 trillion won.
Foreign holdings of South Korean bonds rose by 3.5 trillion won to a new record of 150.2 trillion won. Offshore investors bought a net 6.3 trillion won worth of local bonds in July, lured by relatively high interest rates here and hopes for the won's strength, the association said.
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(2nd LD) N.K. leader visits flood-damaged village, orders release of reserve grain for victims

Kim 's visit and his decision to open up his grain reserves for the flood victims appear intended to allay @ @ @ @ @ impoverished country has struggled to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the North for over @ @ @ @ @ already faltering under international sanctions .

(ATTN: ADDS photos, more info throughout)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a flood-damaged village in North Hwanghae Province after recent heavy rains left more than 900 homes inundated or destroyed there, state media said Friday.
During the visit to the Taechong-ri aArea of Unpha County, Kim ordered officials to send his special stock of grain to the flood victims and facilitate the use of necessary supplies, such as cement, in rebuilding the damaged sites, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"It is of priority importance to quickly supply sleeping materials, daily commodities, medicines and other necessities to the flood-affected people to stabilize their living as early as possible," Kim was quoted as saying.
"He ordered the relevant field to submit a document on supplying every household in the afflicted area with the reserve food grain of the chairman of the State Affairs Commission," KCNA said.
Although the KCNA did not specify the date of Kim's visit, he is likely to have inspected the damaged sites Thursday, as state media reported special heavy rain warnings were issued in Hwanghae province for two days starting Tuesday.
Farmland in the Sadong district of eastern Pyongyang is flooded after heavy rains pummeled vast areas of the country, in this photo captured from Korean Central Television footage on Aug. 6, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Nearly 730 homes and 600 hectares of rice fields have been flooded and 179 homes destroyed after a levee broke as heavy rainfall pounded the country for days, but no casualties were reported, according to the KCNA.
Kim called on officials to "responsibly conduct the work of putting up the residents who lost their homes at offices, including those at the Party committee and people's committee of the county, public buildings and separate houses, to stabilize their living and comfort them."
He instructed them to use his "strategic reserve supplies" to ensure the North has enough construction materials, such as cement, for restoring the damaged buildings and roads.
The outlet added that Kim also mobilized the army and ordered its urgent deployment to wrecked houses, roads and zones.
Kim's visit to the flood-damaged regions marks the second of its kind since he became leader in 2011, following the inspection of North Hamgyong Province that was hit by a flood in 2015.
Kim's visit and his decision to open up his grain reserves for the flood victims appear intended to allay public grievances, as the impoverished country has struggled to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the North for over six months in an economy already faltering under international sanctions.
On Thursday, state media reported that Kim convened an executive policy council meeting of the Worker's Party and ordered special aid to the city of Kaesong under lockdown over coronavirus concerns.
Earlier, the North issued special heavy rain warnings for the Hwanghae province, as well as Kaesong and other parts of the country.
North Korea is vulnerable to natural disasters due to its lack of infrastructure, with heavy rains, in particular, leaving thousands of people displaced in the impoverished country.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a meeting of the executive policy council of the Workers' Party's central committee in Pyongyang on Aug. 5, 2020, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency. The meeting decided to send a special supply of food and funds to Kaesong, which is completely locked down under the state's maximum emergency system due to the spread of the coronavirus. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--S. Korea unveils prototype of advanced AESA radar for indigenous fighter jet

`` There has been skepticism about whether it could be developed successfully at home without technology transfer from overseas , @ @ @ @ @ , '' DAPA official Choi Ho-cheon said during a ceremony to mark the release of @ @ @

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has produced a prototype of an advanced radar system for its indigenous fighter jet under development, the arms procurement agency said Friday.
The active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system has been under development since 2016 by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) as a key part of the envisioned KF-X fighter aircraft.
Dubbed the eyes of the aircraft, the AESA radar system can detect and track multiple targets simultaneously and extensively, as the beam of radio waves is electronically steered to a point in different directions without moving the antenna, according to the ADD.
The prototype will be installed on a mock-up of the jet and go through other due procedures, such as the systems integration and flight tests, until 2026, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
"There has been skepticism about whether it could be developed successfully at home without technology transfer from overseas, but we finally made it," DAPA official Choi Ho-cheon said during a ceremony to mark the release of the prototype.
"I expect the radar and the fighter aircraft to be highly competitive in the global market," he said.
South Korea launched the 8.8 trillion won (US$7.43 billion) KF-X project in 2016 to develop the home-grown fighter jet by 2026 to replace the country's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 aircraft.
The indigenous jet is designed to be able to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.81, with its flying range reaching 2,900 kilometers. It bears outward similarities to the fifth-generation F-35A, according to the Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI) in charge of the project.
With a maximum payload of 7,700 kilograms, the fighter is capable of installing 10 pods for missiles and fuel barrels. It will be able to carry several types of air-to-air missiles, such as Germany's IRIS-T and European developer MBDA's active radar guided Meteor missiles, it added.
This photo, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), shows South Korea's indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, whose prototype was unveiled on Aug. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--(LEAD) New virus cases fall back to 20 as local cases return to single digit

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell sharply on Friday as local infections grew again in a single-digit figure. But new cluster infections at restaurants and churches are still straining the country's anti-virus fight.
The country added 20 cases, including nine local infections, raising the total caseload to 14,519, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
On Thursday, the new virus cases rose above 40 for the first time since July 29, when the figure reached 48, with domestic cases outnumbering imported ones for the first time in 13 days.
South Korea added just 23 total cases on Monday as local infections reached a three-month low. But sporadic cluster infections have led to yet another uptick in the number of local cases.
Visitors receive new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Aug. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the locally-transmitted cases added on Friday, six were from the capital city of Seoul.
A total of 15 cases have been traced to a coffee shop and a restaurant in southern Seoul as of Thursday, up two from a day earlier.
One more patient was traced to a church in the eastern Seoul ward of Songpa on the previous day, bringing total infections from the church to 22 as well.
Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul added three new cases.
Health authorities said 336 people who attended an Islamic festival in Cheongju, 137 kilometers south of Seoul where six virus patients were confirmed Wednesday, tested negative for COVID-19. More investigation is underway.
Cases coming in from overseas have risen by double-digit numbers for 43 consecutive days. Among the 11 additional cases, five were detected at quarantine checkpoints at ports and airports.
This photo, taken on Aug. 6, 2020, shows the Youngjin-607, a Russian pelagic fishing boat, moored at a port in the southeastern city of Busan, where four crew members, including three South Koreans, tested positive for the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Of the newly added imported cases, the United States accounted for four, followed by Iraq with three. There were new cases from Russia, Hong Kong, Ethiopia, and Kazakhstan as well.
The daily imported cases reached a record on Feb. 25 by reaching 86.
The country suffered a sharp increase in the number of such cases due to South Korean workers returning home from Iraq, along with sailors from Russian ships docked at its port.
Since June, 94 seafarers from nine Russia-flagged ships docked in Busan have tested positive for COVID-19.
The country reported one more, keeping the number of fatalities at 303, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.09 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,543, up 42 from the previous day. This indicates 93.28 percent of patients reported here were recovered.
South Korea, which has a population of around 51 million, carried out 1,613,652 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-07--CJ Logistics Q2 net income up 105.4 pct. to 36.2 bln won

The operating profit was 5.8 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- CJ Logistics Corp. on Friday reported its second-quarter net income of 36.2 billion won (US$ 30.6 million), up 105.4 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the April-June period rose 16.8 percent on-year to 83.9 billion won. Sales increased 4.5 percent to 2.64 trillion won.
The operating profit was 5.8 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)