yna--2020-02-10--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Feb. 10)

The point of `` democratic procedure '' is understandable , but it is doubtful whether the commission is overreaching by @ @ @ @ @ nomination procedures .
It will likely be embroiled in controversies , over whether it is @ @ @ @ @ the political neutrality of election management .
Critics view the ban as a drag on @ @ @ @ @ among others , launched by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party as its sister party @ @ @ @ @ representation candidates under the new election system .

Keep neutral
Doubtful if election commission went too far by deciding on candidate nomination
The National Election Commission on Thursday banned "strategic nominations" of proportional representation candidates in the upcoming election for the National Assembly.
Parties have nominated proportional representation candidates strategically so far.
Strategic nomination means the selection of candidates based on the strategic judgment of party leaders without intraparty competition.
Currently strategic nomination is permitted without any restriction for candidates who run in single-member constituencies. But the commission has banned strategic nomination for proportional representation candidates in the April 15 general election.
It is hard to understand why only proportional representation candidates must not be nominated strategically.
The commission cites the revised election law that says it can cancel the registration of proportional representation candidates if they are not nominated through a "democratic procedure." Without explaining the procedure, it banned strategic nominations, raising concerns that activities of political parties may be discouraged, not encouraged.
The point of "democratic procedure" is understandable, but it is doubtful whether the commission is overreaching by sticking its nose even in nomination procedures. It will likely be embroiled in controversies, over whether it is overriding its authority while undermining the political neutrality of election management. Critics view the ban as a drag on the Future Korea Party, among others, launched by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party as its sister party that will only send proportional representation candidates under the new election system.
The pan-ruling bloc pushed through the election bill over fierce protests by the Liberty Korea Party late last year in an under-the-table deal to pass another bill to create an agency to investigate and indict only high-ranking officials.
At that time, the commission said nothing about the changes in election rules, but now it cites the law in an apparent attempt to tie the hands of the main opposition party.
In January last year, President Moon Jae-in appointed a former special adviser for his 2017 presidential election campaign as a standing member of the election commission despite protests by opposition parties. Critics view the appointment as a strategic long-term move to obstruct the Liberty Korea Party over election issues.
Last month, the commission banned the use of "proportional" in naming a political party. It was a decision apparently to bar the Liberty Korea Party, among others, from naming its satellite party "Proportional Liberty Korea Party."
The Liberty Korea Party was preparing to launch the new outfit by that name to overcome disadvantages it could suffer under the revised election law.
Of course, it is not normal to create such satellite parties, but the ruling party made the election landscape abnormal by pushing through the election law advantageous to four minor parties. The Liberty Korea Party created a satellite party for self-defense. But the commission which is required to abide by political neutrality acted apparently against the main opposition party, first over the naming of its satellite party and then over candidate nomination.
Despite the spread of the latest novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, President Moon went to Busan on Thursday to attend an event. About 300 participants including him wore face masks.
Officially, it was a ceremony to mark an agreement on "Busan-style job creation and mutual growth," but the related investment agreement had already been signed between a car parts maker and Busan Metropolitan City in July last year. The agreement ceremony was effectively held again so Moon could attend for publicity.
He visited Busan and South Gyeongsang Province adjacent to the city on 16 occasions last year. The region, traditionally supportive of the Liberty Korea Party, is strategically important for the ruling party in the general election.
Moon emphasized it is better for the government to err on the safe side of caution in responding to the Wuhan coronavirus. But despite the diffusion of the outbreak, he went to Busan for the apparently rehashed ceremony.
It is questionable whether he took the risk of visiting Busan for the ceremony to counter the campaign of the ruling party.
The full text of the prosecution's indictment of 13 figures including former Cheong Wa Dae officials charged with meddling in the Ulsan mayoral election last year was disclosed by news media despite the justice minister's refusal to make it public.
A phrase in the indictment reads: "Political neutrality in elections is required from the president and public servants assisting the president much more than from other civil servants."
Political neutrality of public officials is a matter of high concern.
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- No consistent standard on coronavirus-related suspensions , closures , quarantines ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- 25th confirmed @ @ @ @ @ daughter-in-law , raises concerns over secondary infections by patients with mild symptoms ( Kookmin Daily @ @ @ @ @ business owners hit by 'corona black hole ' ( Donga llbo ) -- Gov't says @ @ @ @ @ despite local confirmed cases involving other Chinese provinces ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Citizens actively @ @ @ @ @ ( Segye Times ) -- Yoo Seong-min says 'will follow people 's order to form @ @ @ @ @ Chosun Ilbo ) -- Shorter contagious virus cycles may trigger increase in variant viruses ( @ @ @ @ @ to send third evacuation flight for Wuhan residents , defers entry ban on all of @ @ @ @ @ Both exports , domestic economy hit by coronavirus shock ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Gov't @ @ @ @ @ all of China ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Global automakers again delay running factories @ @ @ @ @ ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Feb. 10.
Korean-language dailies
-- No consistent standard on coronavirus-related suspensions, closures, quarantines (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- 25th confirmed patient affected by son, daughter-in-law, raises concerns over secondary infections by patients with mild symptoms (Kookmin Daily)
-- Entrepreneurs, small business owners hit by 'corona black hole' (Donga llbo)
-- Gov't says 'no additional entry bans' despite local confirmed cases involving other Chinese provinces (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Citizens actively helping out amid coronavirus spread (Segye Times)
-- Yoo Seong-min says 'will follow people's order to form united right-wing front' (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Shorter contagious virus cycles may trigger increase in variant viruses (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Gov't to send third evacuation flight for Wuhan residents, defers entry ban on all of China (Hankyoreh)
-- Both exports, domestic economy hit by coronavirus shock (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Gov't delays expanding entry ban on all of China (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Global automakers again delay running factories in China amid coronavirus spread (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Third Wuhan extraction planned (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Korea's growth outlook hit hard as coronavirus outbreak prolongs (Korea Herald)
-- Korea to send third evacuation flight for Wuhan residents (Korea Times)
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(2nd LD) S. Korea to send 3rd flight to Wuhan to bring home Korean nationals, families

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said in the briefing that the South Korean consulate in Wuhan has confirmed that there are @ @ @ @ @ and Chinese family members staying in the city , expecting that some 100 of them @ @ @ @ @ third chartered plane .

(ATTN: COMBINES with story slugged govt-coronavirus; ADDS details on health minister's press briefing in paras 12-13)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it will send an additional flight to the central Chinese city of Wuhan to evacuate about a hundred Korean nationals and their Chinese family members as concerns are growing over the global spread of the new coronavirus.
South Korea earlier sent two chartered flights to Wuhan, the epicenter of the highly contagious virus, to shuttle around 700 South Koreans back home. More than 200 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members are staying there and in surrounding areas amid little progress in relevant negotiations with China.
"We have decided to deploy one additional temporarily arranged flight, and it will fly to Wuhan at the earliest date possible as soon as relevant discussions with Chinese authorities are complete," Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo said in a briefing on Sunday.
Park said that the Chinese government had maintained that Chinese family members not board a chartered evacuation plane but recently changed their stance to allow their evacuation as well.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said in the briefing that the South Korean consulate in Wuhan has confirmed that there are around 230 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members staying in the city, expecting that some 100 of them would apply to board the third chartered plane.
"We are conducting a survey on those people, which will be completed by midnight," she added. "Detailed schedules are being discussed with the Chinese side now."
South Korean evacuees from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan disembark from a chartered flight after arriving at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul on Jan. 31, 2020. South Korea's first evacuation plane brought back 368 nationals, and those with no symptoms were to be isolated at two state facilities for two weeks. (Yonhap)
Where those evacuees will be housed after returning home has not been decided, but officials gave assurances that they will be tightly quarantined for 14 days, the presumed incubation period for the virus, at government-run facilities located away from populated areas.
Those people brought back to the South on two chartered flights on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 are being quarantined for 14 days at state facilities in Asan and Jincheon, both about 90 km south of Seoul.
Wuhan, a city with a population of some 11 million, has been placed under a lockdown, and many countries in the world have sent evacuation planes to pull out their people from the virus-stricken city.
South Korea has banned the entry of foreigners who have traveled to Hubei province in recent weeks in its stepped-up quarantine efforts against the virus.
The government earlier said that it is considering further limiting the entry of people from China and tightening quarantine checks on entrants from countries that have reported infections of the new coronavirus.
Health Minister Park said that the government will not expand the ban on entrants to other Chinese regions and other countries, saying that the current restrictions are enough to stem the spread.
In a bid to prevent the flow of the virus from countries other than China, Park, however, said that the government will advise its people against making nonessential overseas travel, including trips for the sake of sightseeing.
South Korea has reported 27 confirmed cases of new coronavirus infections, though none of the patients have died. On Sunday alone, three additional cases were reported.
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(7th LD) S. Korea adds 3 more virus cases for 27 total, no entry ban expansion

The 55-year-old South Korean man returned from his visit to Wuhan on Jan. 20 and was diagnosed with the deadly @ @ @ @ @ He was the country 's third case to fully recover from the virus and be @ @ @ @ @ Two others left the hospital last week .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, paras 4-7 with health minister's briefing)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday confirmed three infection cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total here to 27, and said that it will not expand the entry ban to additional regions of China or other countries.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said a 51-year-old South Korean man and a 37-year-old Chinese woman, who returned here after staying in China's Guangdong province from November to Jan. 31, have tested positive for the virus.
Another South Korean woman, aged 73, was also confirmed to be infected earlier in the day. She is a family member of the couple.
Travel agency counters on the third floor of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, remain deserted on Feb. 9, 2020, amid the coronavirus scare. (Yonhap)
In a move to stem further influx from overseas, South Korea said it will tighten quarantine checks on entrants from countries where intense community transmission of the new coronavirus has been reported.
South Korea also earlier said that it would consider banning the entry of foreigners from regions in China where many confirmed cases have been reported.
But Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said later that the government will take the expansion of the entry ban to other Chinese regions and countries off the table, saying that the current restriction will remain in place unless emergency situations arise.
"Without additional steps on the entry ban, we have achieved restrictions and scaling down on entrants as we have intended," Park said during a press briefing. "We will keep the current status unchanged until situations change fast."
The government said that it will advise its people against making nonessential overseas travel, including trips for the sake of sightseeing, as a way to block the flow of the virus from countries other than China.
On Sunday, 24 out of the country's 27 confirmed patients were receiving treatment at local hospitals as the country's fourth virus-infected patient was discharged from a hospital in the morning, the KCDC said.
The 55-year-old South Korean man returned from his visit to Wuhan on Jan. 20 and was diagnosed with the deadly virus on Jan. 27. He was the country's third case to fully recover from the virus and be discharged from a hospital. Two others left the hospital last week.
The first fully recovered person is a 55-year-old man who had visited China, while the second is a 35-year-old Chinese woman who had come from Wuhan.
The KCDC official expects more of the diagnosed people will be discharged as most of them have minor symptoms.
South Korea had tested a total of 2,571 people for the new virus as of 4 p.m. Sunday since Jan. 3, the KCDC said on its webpage, adding that it was checking 888 people for potential cases.
A few people walk on a street in Myeongdong in downtown Seoul on Feb. 8, 2020. The normally busy tourist district was nearly empty amid growing fears of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Since Friday, the country's health authorities have expanded the scope of people subject to the test for the contagious virus and have allowed more medical centers to conduct the tests.
The government said on Sunday that it will expand medical supplies to triple the number of daily tests on people for the new coronavirus to some 10,000 cases by the end of this month.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but the authorities said the current alert level, the third highest, will be maintained.
South Korea, which reported its first confirmed case on Jan. 20, has stepped up its response to contain further spread of the novel coronavirus.
The country has expanded the scope of its checks to anyone who has visited any part of China and shown symptoms like an elevated temperature or respiratory issues.
These people are classified as "suspected cases" and are subject to a medical check, according to the KCDC. People who are suffering from pneumonia brought on by unknown causes can also be examined for the virus.
Previously, South Korea only checked people who felt sick within 14 days of returning from Hubei.
On Friday, a quick test for the epidemic became available at 124 public health centers across the country in the latest effort to further stem the spread of the disease here.
Those who have been to China in the last 14 days and feel ill can visit health centers for a check-up. In addition, doctors at the centers can test a person at their own discretion even if he or she has not been to China recently.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--N. Korea appears to mark founding anniversary of armed forces in low-key manner

Some also speculated that the North might not have staged a military parade this year given that Pyongyang usually commemorates @ @ @ @ @ on every fifth and 10th anniversary and that in particular it wanted to avoid what @ @ @ @ @ provocation amid a stalemate in its denuclearization talks with Washington .

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have marked the founding anniversary of its armed forces last week in a low-key manner amid its nationwide efforts to stem the outbreak of the new coronavirus on its soil, according to state media reports.
North Korea's 72nd anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army on Saturday has been closely monitored as Pyongyang has often used such dates as a chance to showcase its new weapons and flex its military muscle.
Some speculated that the North might unveil a "new strategic weapon" that its leader threatened to showcase in the near future in his New Year's message, but experts said that the global outbreak of the highly contagious new coronavirus appear to make it hard for Pyongyang to organize any massive public events for the time being.
The Rodong Sinum, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, on Sunday carried an article and a photo featuring soldiers laying a bouquet of flowers before statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, the late grandfather and father of current leader Kim Jong-un, respectively.
The paper and other state media outlets have not provided any hints that the North has conducted a military parade or large-scale celebration in time for the anniversary, nor have they reported on leader Kim's public schedules. It briefly mentioned that flowers sent by Kim were placed in front of the statues of the late leaders.
Observers said there is a possibility that the North held a military parade but did not report on it. But many said that Pyongyang appears to have marked the anniversary in a low-key manner this year as it is scrambling to stem the outbreak of the highly contagious new coronavirus in its country.
North Korea has intensified its preventive efforts against the coronavirus that causes a pneumonia-like illness and originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
Pyongyang has not reported any confirmed cases of infection but has tightened borders with China and strengthened quarantines for people arriving from the neighboring country.
Some also speculated that the North might not have staged a military parade this year given that Pyongyang usually commemorates such dates with large-scale events on every fifth and 10th anniversary and that in particular it wanted to avoid what could be seen as a provocation amid a stalemate in its denuclearization talks with Washington.
In his New Year's message, leader Kim said that he does not feel bound to maintain a self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range and nuclear weapons in protest of an impasse in denuclearization negotiations with Washington, saying that the North will show off a "new strategic weapon" in the near future.
The North celebrated the foundation of its armed forces on Feb. 8 until 1977 but switched the anniversary to April 25 in 1978, the date when the late founder Kim Il-sung created anti-Japanese guerrilla forces in 1932. It was changed back to the original date in 2018 when the North held a large-scale military parade.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--S. Korea advances to playoff in Olympic women's football qualifying

South Korea dominated from the beginning .
Ji So-yun of Chelsea FC Women made a pass to Choo Hyo-joo in @ @ @ @ @ penalty box , who struck it into the goal in the 5th minute .
But @ @ @ @ @ Choo 's shot in the 16th minute was also ruled offside .

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean women's football team beat Vietnam on Sunday to get the top seed in the final Asian qualifying playoff for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In the Group A match of the Asian qualifying round held at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju, South Korea defeated Vietnam 3-0 on goals by Jang Sel-gi, Choo Hyo-joo and Ji So-yun.
Along with a 7-0 victory over Myanmar on Monday, South Korea stand atop Group A, followed by Vietnam with one win and Myanmar ranked third with no wins.
South Korea will be seeded first for the playoff round slated for March, while Vietnam will be the No. 2 seed. Myanmar had already been eliminated from contention.
In the playoff, those two teams will be joined by the top two seeds from Group B, which is made up of Australia, China, Chinese Taipei and Thailand.
The two-legged playoff will pit the Group A winner against the Group B runner-up, and the Group B winner against the Group A runner-up, on March 6 and March 11. The two victorious nations will punch their tickets to Tokyo.
In Group B, Australia, China and Chinese Taipei are in contention for the two berths.
South Korea's Ji So-yun (C) celebrates after scoring in the Asian Olympic qualifying match against Vietnam at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, on Feb. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea dominated from the beginning. Ji So-yun of Chelsea FC Women made a pass to Choo Hyo-joo in the left corner of the penalty box, who struck it into the goal in the 5th minute. But it was declared offside. Choo's shot in the 16th minute was also ruled offside.
Defender Jang Sel-gi, who plays for Madrid CF Femenino in Spain, was the first to score in the tighter-than-expected game.
She received a deft pass by Jang Chang and lobbed the ball into the corner of the goal.
In the second half, Choo recorded her first international goal in her third appearance. She fired the ball into the goal and helped South Korea take a 2-0 lead.
In the 83rd minute, Ji, the country's all-time leading scorer, scored her 58th international goal and sealed the 3-0 victory.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(6th LD) S. Korea adds 3 more virus cases for 27 total, entry ban expansion under review

(ATTN: ADDS details on health minister's press briefing in paras 8, 15)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday confirmed three infection cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total here to 27, and said it will review expanding the entry ban to entrants from Chinese regions other than Hubei province, where the epicenter of the virus outbreak is located, depending on situations.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said a 51-year-old South Korean man and a 37-year-old Chinese woman, who returned here after staying in China's Guangdong province from November to Jan. 31, have tested positive for the virus.
Another South Korean woman, aged 73, was also confirmed to be infected earlier in the day. She is a family member of the couple.
Travel agency counters on the third floor of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, remain deserted on Feb. 9, 2020, amid the coronavirus scare. (Yonhap)
In a move to stem further influx from overseas, South Korea said it will tighten quarantine checks on entrants from countries where intense community transmission of the new coronavirus has been reported.
South Korea also said it will consider banning the entry of foreigners from regions in China where many confirmed cases have been reported.
Since Feb. 4, South Korea has imposed an entry ban on foreigners who have recently traveled to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and Hubei province.
South Korea has stepped up its defense, with several countries banning arrivals from China, while major airlines have suspended or reduced flights on Chinese routes.
The government said on Sunday that it is also considering advising its people against making nonessential overseas travel, including trips for the sake of sightseeing, as a way to block the flow of the virus from countries other than China.
On Sunday, 24 out of the country's 27 confirmed patients were receiving treatment at local hospitals as the country's fourth virus-infected patient was discharged from a hospital in the morning, the KCDC said.
The 55-year-old South Korean man returned from his visit to Wuhan on Jan. 20 and was diagnosed with the deadly virus on Jan. 27. He was the country's third case to fully recover from the virus and be discharged from a hospital. Two others left the hospital last week.
The first fully recovered person is a 55-year-old man who had visited China, while the second is a 35-year-old Chinese woman who had come from Wuhan.
The KCDC official expects more of the diagnosed people will be discharged as most of them have minor symptoms.
South Korea had tested a total of 2,571 people for the new virus as of 4 p.m. Sunday since Jan. 3, the KCDC said on its webpage, adding that it was checking 888 people for potential cases.
A few people walk on a street in Myeongdong in downtown Seoul on Feb. 8, 2020. The normally busy tourist district was nearly empty amid growing fears of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Since Friday, the country's health authorities have expanded the scope of people subject to the test for the contagious virus and have allowed more medical centers to conduct the tests.
The government said on Sunday that it will expand medical supplies to triple the number of daily tests on people for the new coronavirus to some 10,000 cases by the end of this month.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but the authorities said the current alert level, the third highest, will be maintained.
South Korea, which reported its first confirmed case on Jan. 20, has stepped up its response to contain further spread of the novel coronavirus.
The country has expanded the scope of its checks to anyone who has visited any part of China and shown symptoms like an elevated temperature or respiratory issues.
These people are classified as "suspected cases" and are subject to a medical check, according to the KCDC. People who are suffering from pneumonia brought on by unknown causes can also be examined for the virus.
Previously, South Korea only checked people who felt sick within 14 days of returning from Hubei.
On Friday, a quick test for the epidemic became available at 124 public health centers across the country in the latest effort to further stem the spread of the disease here.
Those who have been to China in the last 14 days and feel ill can visit health centers for a check-up. In addition, doctors at the centers can test a person at their own discretion even if he or she has not been to China recently.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(LEAD) S. Korea to send 3rd flight to Wuhan to bring home Korean nationals, families

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS more info in 7th para and last 5 paras, photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it will send an additional flight to the central Chinese city of Wuhan to evacuate about a hundred Korean nationals and their Chinese family members as concerns are growing over the global spread of the new coronavirus.
South Korea earlier sent two chartered flights to Wuhan, the epicenter of the highly contagious virus, to shuttle around 700 South Koreans back home. More than 200 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members are staying there and in surrounding areas amid little progress in relevant negotiation with China.
"We have decided to deploy one additional temporarily arranged flight, and it will fly to Wuhan at the earliest date possible as soon as relevant discussions with Chinese authorities are complete," Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo said in a briefing on Sunday.
Park said that the Chinese government had maintained that Chinese family members not board a chartered evacuation plane but recently changed their stance to allow their evacuation as well.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said in the briefing that the South Korean consulate in Wuhan has confirmed that there are around 230 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members staying in the city, expecting that some 100 of them would apply to board the third chartered plane.
"We are conducting a survey on those people, which will be completed by midnight," she added. "Detailed schedules are being discussed with the Chinese side now."
South Korean evacuees from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan disembark from a chartered flight after arriving at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul on Jan. 31, 2020. South Korea's first evacuation plane brought back 368 nationals, and those with no symptoms were to be isolated at two state facilities for two weeks. (Yonhap)
Where those evacuees will be housed after returning home has not been decided, but officials gave assurances that they will be tightly quarantined for 14 days, the presumed incubation period for the virus, at government-run facilities located away from populated areas.
Those people brought back to the South on two chartered flights on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 are being quarantined for 14 days at state facilities in Asan and Jincheon, both about 90 km south of Seoul.
Wuhan, a city with a population of some 11 million, has been placed under a lockdown, and many countries in the world have sent evacuation planes to pull out their people from the virus-stricken city.
South Korea has banned the entry of foreigners who have traveled to Hubei province in recent weeks in its stepped-up quarantine efforts against the virus.
The government said that it is considering further limiting the entry of people from China and tightening quarantine checks on entrants from countries that have reported infections of the new coronavirus.
In a bid to prevent the flow of the virus from countries other than China, Health Minister Park said that the government will advise its people against making nonessential overseas travel, including trips for the sake of sightseeing.
South Korea has reported 27 confirmed cases of new coronavirus infection, though none of the patients have died. On Sunday alone, three additional cases were reported.
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(LEAD) Park Hee-young wins first LPGA tour title in 7 years

It is her third LPGA title since her debut in 2008 and her first tour trophy following the one that @ @ @ @ @ Financial LPGA Classic in 2013 .

(ATTN: ADDS more info from 7th para)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Park Hee-young captured her first LPGA title in nearly seven years in an all-Korean playoff on Sunday, winning the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.
She shot a one-over 73 on the last day at the 13th Beach Golf Club in Victoria to tie with her compatriots Choi Hye-jin and Ryu So-yeon with an eight-under 281.
Park won the fourth playoff hole with a par, while Choi hit the rough and failed to recover. Ryu was eliminated after the second playoff hole.
It is her third LPGA title since her debut in 2008 and her first tour trophy following the one that she collected at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in 2013.
She lost LPGA status last year due to poor performance, but she regained it after finishing runner-up at the LPGA qualifying event.
With the title, Park took home prize money of US$165,000, while Choi and Ryu received $90,049 each.
Park's victory was the first South Korean LPGA win of the 2020 season, following a runner-up finish by Park In-bee at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions last month.
Last year, South Korean golfers combined for 15 wins out of 32 LPGA tournaments.
Park entered the fourth round at nine-under on Sunday, three strokes behind then-leader Cho A-yeon of South Korea, the 2019 KLPGA Rookie of the Year.
Despite two bogeys on the 14th and 17th, Park's last birdie putt on the 18th hole helped her get the chance to compete in the playoff and finally win the tournament.
Cho, the leader after the third round, finished 16th with a three-under 286 in total, as she hit nine over in the final round.
Park Hee-young in a photo provided by the LPGA (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--S. Korea to send 3rd flight to Wuhan to bring home Korean nationals, family members

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it will send an additional flight to the central Chinese city of Wuhan to evacuate about a hundred Korean nationals and their Chinese family members as concerns are growing over the global spread of the new coronavirus.
South Korea earlier sent two chartered flights to Wuhan, the epicenter of the highly contagious virus, to shuttle around 700 South Koreans back home. More than 200 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members are staying there and in surrounding areas amid little progress in relevant negotiation with China.
"We have decided to deploy one additional temporarily arranged flight, and it will fly to Wuhan at the earliest date possible as soon as relevant discussions with Chinese authorities are complete," Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo said in a briefing on Sunday.
Park said that the Chinese government had maintained that Chinese family members not board a chartered evacuation plane but recently changed their stance to allow their evacuation as well.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said in the briefing that the South Korean consulate in Wuhan has confirmed that there are around 230 South Korean nationals and Chinese family members staying in the city, expecting that some 100 of them would apply to board the third chartered plane.
"We are conducting a survey on those people, which will be completed by midnight," she added. "Detailed schedules are being discussed with the Chinese side now."
Where those evacuees will be housed after returning home has not been decided, officials said.
Those people brought back to the South on two chartered flights on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 are being quarantined for 14 days at state facilities in Asan and Jincheon, both about 90 km south of Seoul.
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--Park Hee-young wins first LPGA tour title in 7 years

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Park Hee-young captured her first LPGA title in nearly seven years in an all-Korean playoff on Sunday, winning the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.
She shot a one-over 73 on the last day at the 13th Beach Golf Club in Victoria to tie with her compatriots Choi Hye-jin and Ryu So-yeon with an eight-under 281.
Park won the fourth playoff hole with a par, while Choi hit the rough and failed to recover. Ryu was eliminated after the second playoff hole.
It is her third LPGA title since her debut in 2008 and her first tour trophy following the one that she collected at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in 2013.
She lost LPGA status last year due to poor performance, but she regained it after finishing runner-up at the LPGA qualifying event.
Park Hee-young in a photo provided by the LPGA (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(URGENT) S. Korea to send additional flight to Wuhan to bring home Korean nationals, families

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


yna--2020-02-09--(5th LD) S. Korea adds 3 more virus cases for 27 total, entry ban expansion under review

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead with updated info; ADDS more details in paras 8-10; RESTRUCTURES throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday confirmed three infection cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total here to 27, and said it will review expanding the entry ban to entrants from Chinese regions other than Hubei province, where the epicenter of the virus outbreak is located, depending on situations.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said a 51-year-old South Korean man and a 37-year-old Chinese woman, who returned here after staying in China's Guangdong province from November to Jan. 31, have tested positive for the virus.
Another South Korean woman, aged 73, was also confirmed to be infected earlier in the day. She is a family member of the couple.
Travel agency counters on the third floor of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, remain deserted on Feb. 9, 2020, amid the coronavirus scare. (Yonhap)
In a move to stem further influx from overseas, South Korea said it will tighten quarantine checks on entrants from countries where intense community transmission of the new coronavirus has been reported.
South Korea also said it will consider banning the entry of foreigners from regions in China where many confirmed cases have been reported.
Since Feb. 4, South Korea has imposed an entry ban on foreigners who have recently traveled to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and Hubei province.
South Korea has stepped up its defense, with several countries banning arrivals from China, while major airlines have suspended or reduced flights on Chinese routes.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but the authorities said the current alert level, the third highest, will be maintained.
On Sunday, 24 out of the country's 27 confirmed patients were receiving treatment at local hospitals as the country's fourth virus-infected patient was discharged from a hospital in the morning, the KCDC said.
The 55-year-old South Korean man returned from his visit to Wuhan on Jan. 20 and was diagnosed with the deadly virus on Jan. 27. He was the country's third case to fully recover from the virus and be discharged from a hospital. Two others left the hospital last week.
The first fully recovered person is a 55-year-old man who had visited China, while the second is a 35-year-old Chinese woman who had come from Wuhan.
The KCDC official expects more of the diagnosed people will be discharged as most of them have minor symptoms.
South Korea had tested a total of 2,571 people for the new virus as of 4 p.m. Sunday since Jan. 3, the KCDC said on its webpage, adding that it was checking 888 people for potential cases.
A few people walk on a street in Myeongdong in downtown Seoul on Feb. 8, 2020. The normally busy tourist district was nearly empty amid growing fears of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Since Friday, the country's health authorities have expanded the scope of people subject to the test for the contagious virus and have allowed more medical centers to conduct the tests.
South Korea, which reported its first confirmed case on Jan. 20, has stepped up its response to contain further spread of the novel coronavirus.
The country has expanded the scope of its checks to anyone who has visited any part of China and shown symptoms like an elevated temperature or respiratory issues.
These people are classified as "suspected cases" and are subject to a medical check, according to the KCDC. People who are suffering from pneumonia brought on by unknown causes can also be examined for the virus.
Previously, South Korea only checked people who felt sick within 14 days of returning from Hubei.
On Friday, a quick test for the epidemic became available at 124 public health centers across the country in the latest effort to further stem the spread of the disease here.
Those who have been to China in the last 14 days and feel ill can visit health centers for a check-up. In addition, doctors at the centers can test a person at their own discretion even if he or she has not been to China recently.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(LEAD) U.S. official in Seoul for working group talks on N. Korea

The working group was set up in late 2018 to coordinate North Korea-related issues .
It will be the first @ @ @ @ @ to have held such talks since the last one took place in May last year @ @ @ @ @ held five rounds of the meetings since its launch .

(ATTN: UPDATES story with Wong's arrival; ADDS comment from U.S. Embassy in Seoul, byline; REPLACES photo)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. State Department official involved in nuclear talks with North Korea arrived in South Korea on Sunday for a meeting of a bilateral policy coordination working group on the communist regime.
Alex Wong, U.S. deputy special representative for North Korea, is expected to meet with his South Korean counterpart, Rhee Dong-yeol, director general at the foreign ministry's Korean Peninsula Peace Regime bureau, for the working group talks Monday, according to foreign ministry officials.
He could also pay a courtesy call on Lee Do-hoon, the South's chief nuclear negotiator, and meet with other government officials here until he returns Wednesday.
"Deputy Special Representative Wong will lead the U.S. delegation at a meeting of the U.S.-ROK Working Group on North Korea as part of our continued close coordination with our Republic of Korea ally on issues related to North Korea, including inter-Korean cooperation, humanitarian issues and brighter future planning," a spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said.
The working group was set up in late 2018 to coordinate North Korea-related issues. It will be the first time for the two sides to have held such talks since the last one took place in May last year. Seoul and Washington have held five rounds of the meetings since its launch.
In this week's talks, the two sides are expected to discuss South Korea's push for inter-Korean exchanges amid the prolonged deadlock in the nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang since the collapse of the second summit in February last year between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong-un.
In his press conference for the new year, President Moon Jae-in vowed to push for an expansion of inter-Korean cooperation as a way to facilitate the stalled nuclear talks, citing allowing individual tourism to the communist state as it does not fall under U.N. sanctions against the North.
Alex Wong, U.S. deputy special representative for North Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 9, 2020, for policy coordination working group talks on North Korea slated for early this week. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--S. Korea reports 2 more virus cases, total now at 27

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) said that a 51-year-old South Korean man and a @ @ @ @ @ returned here after staying in China 's Guangdong province from November to Jan. 31 , @ @ @ @ @ virus .

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported two additional confirmed cases of new coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total to 27, health authorities said.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said that a 51-year-old South Korean man and a 37-year-old Chinese woman, who returned here after staying in China's Guangdong province from November to Jan. 31, have tested positive for the virus.
Another South Korean woman, aged 73, was also confirmed to be infected earlier in the day. She is a family member of the couple.
(END)


yna--2020-02-09--(LEAD) S. Korea to tighten quarantine for entrants from countries besides China: PM

The South Korean consulate in Wuhan said earlier that it was in talks with Chinese authorities to arrange another evacuation @ @ @ @ @ of South Korean citizens as well .
The two previous flights could not bring them @ @ @ @ @ not allow an evacuation of people who hold Chinese citizenship .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will tighten quarantine checks on entrants from countries other than China that have reported community infections of the new coronavirus, the government said Sunday, as part of stepped-up efforts to contain the potentially deadly disease.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced the measure as South Korea has seen a rapid growth of infections, reporting three additional confirmed cases on Sunday, with the total number of infections reaching 27 since the first reported case on Jan. 20.
"We will find suspected patients at an early stage by providing their travel records to medical institutions," he told an emergency government meeting.
The government will also consider further limiting the entry of people from China, possibly including those who have visited other regions besides Hubei province, where Wuhan city, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, is located.
"We will additionally consider taking measures to limit the entry from other risky regions within China where they have reported many patients," Chung said.
South Korea has so far banned the entry of foreigners who have traveled to Hubei province in recent weeks.
Chung also said that South Korea is working to send a third chartered flight to Wuhan to evacuate some 200 remaining South Korean nationals and their families out of the city.
Seoul has evacuated 701 nationals from Wuhan via two emergency flights as the virus has swept fast across the globe.
The South Korean consulate in Wuhan said earlier that it was in talks with Chinese authorities to arrange another evacuation flight for the family members of South Korean citizens as well. The two previous flights could not bring them to Seoul as Beijing did not allow an evacuation of people who hold Chinese citizenship.
South Korea has tested 2,340 people for the new virus as of 1 p.m. Sunday since Jan. 3, up from 2,097 tallied at 4 p.m. the previous day, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its webpage, adding it was checking 960 people.
Three patients have been discharged from hospitals after making full recoveries.
Regarding the national crisis warning level, Chung said the government intends to maintain the current level of "alert", citing low fatalities and that the infected patients have been managed under the control of the government quarantine system.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a government meeting on anti-coronavirus measures in Seoul on Feb. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Seoul stocks open sharply lower on virus outbreak concerns

The outbreak may slow down the country 's economic growth , partly by limiting its outbound shipments to China , @ @ @ @ @ been reported .
China is South Korea 's largest trading partner , accounting for roughly @ @ @ @ @ in total .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Monday amid fears that the new coronavirus outbreak may delay the country's economic recovery.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 30.25 points, or 1.37 percent, in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The local stock market began to fluctuate after the country reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus late last month.
South Korea has so far reported 27 confirmed cases.
The outbreak may slow down the country's economic growth, partly by limiting its outbound shipments to China, where most confirmed cases have been reported. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, accounting for roughly 20 percent of its exports in total.
South Korea's exports have dropped for 14 consecutive months since December 2018.
Most large caps were in negative terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung electronics plunged 1.99 percent, with leading automaker Hyundai Motor tumbling 1.15 percent.
Top chemical maker LG Chem slipped 0.78 percent, while steel giant POSCO lost 2.69 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,193.85 won against the U.S. dollar, down 7.35 won from the previous session's close.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--NPS raises number of big-stake firms

NPS raises number of big-stake firms

The National Pension Service ( NPS ) held stakes of 5 percent or greater in 313 companies traded on the @ @ @ @ @ bourses as of the end of January , up 7.2 percent , or 21 firms @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , according to FnGuide .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state pension provider owns 5 percent or more of over 300 listed companies amid increased shareholder activism by the service, a financial information provider said Monday.
The National Pension Service (NPS) held stakes of 5 percent or greater in 313 companies traded on the country's major and secondary bourses as of the end of January, up 7.2 percent, or 21 firms, from the end of 2018, according to FnGuide.
The state pension provider also owned 10 percent or more of 96 listed corporations, up 20 percent, or 16 companies, from 11 months earlier.
In particular, the NPS was the largest shareholder of nine listed firms, including No. 2 mobile carrier KT Corp., steel behemoth POSCO, top Internet portal operator Naver Corp. and financial giant Shinhan Financial Group.
The NPS approved a set of guidelines for shareholder activism in late December 2019, paving the way for the fund to press firms to fire board members over breach of trust and other illegal activities.
The NPS, the country's top institutional investor, had been pushing for a more aggressive shareholder role, prodding firms to adopt better governance and do business in a way that does not hurt shareholder value.
Under the guidelines, the pension fund will be able to actively exercise its stewardship and shareholder rights against law-breaking companies.
The NPS is the world's third-largest pension fund, with assets under its management totaling nearly 724 trillion won (US$607 billion) as of November 2019.
(END)


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Feb. 10 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


KOSPI 2,185.63 DN 26.32 points (open)


KOSDAQ 669.53 DN 3.10 points (open)


yna--2020-02-10--Dollar opens at 1,193.0 won UP from 1,186.5 won


yna--2020-02-10--S. Korea, U.S. to hold working group talks on N. Korea

In his press conference for the new year , President Moon Jae-in vowed to push for an expansion of inter-Korean @ @ @ @ @ facilitate the stalled nuclear talks , such as allowing individual tourism to the communist state @ @ @ @ @ under U.N. sanctions against the North .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States were set to hold a meeting Monday to coordinate policy on issues related to North Korea, including inter-Korean cooperation projects, such as allowing individual trips to the North.
Alex Wong, deputy special representative for North Korea policy, arrived in Seoul on Sunday for the "working group" meeting with Rhee Dong-yeol, director general at the foreign ministry's Korean Peninsula Peace Regime bureau.
The two sides are expected to discuss South Korea's push for inter-Korean exchanges amid the prolonged deadlock in the nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang since the collapse of the second summit in February last year between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong-un.
In his press conference for the new year, President Moon Jae-in vowed to push for an expansion of inter-Korean cooperation as a way to facilitate the stalled nuclear talks, such as allowing individual tourism to the communist state, which does not fall under U.N. sanctions against the North.
Possible aid to North Korea with regard to the new coronavirus could also be discussed, though the communist nation has not reported any confirmed case yet.
Wong is also expected to meet with officials from Seoul's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs and the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, and to pay a courtesy call on Lee Do-hoon, the South's chief nuclear negotiator.
The working group was set up in late 2018 to coordinate North Korea-related issues.
Alex Wong, U.S. deputy special representative for North Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Feb. 9, 2020, for policy coordination working group talks on North Korea. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Stock funds suffer net outflow this year

The virus , which is believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan , has claimed more than @ @ @ @ @ As of Monday , South Korea had 27 confirmed cases with no deaths reported .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean domestic stock investment funds have suffered a net outflow of about 2 trillion won (US$1.68 billion) this year amid the new coronavirus scare, a market tracker said Monday.
A total of 961 major local equity funds had a combined 54.3 trillion won under their management as of Friday, down slightly over 2 trillion won from the start of the year, according to FnGuide.
The outflow comes as growing concerns over the spread of the potentially deadly virus have chilled investor sentiment and stoked flight to safety.
The virus, which is believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed more than 900 lives in China. As of Monday, South Korea had 27 confirmed cases with no deaths reported.
"The spread of the coronavirus has prompted investors to seek traditional safe assets, such as bonds and gold, since mid-January, while making them take in profits," an analyst said.
In contrast, 781 overseas stock funds posted a net inflow of some 27 billion won during the period, with those for Chinese equities chalking up a net outflow of 223.4 billion won.
As of Monday, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up 0.65 percent from the start of the year amid a seesaw run, with the secondary KOSDAQ price index rising 0.42 percent over the cited period.
Domestic bond funds, meanwhile, chalked up a net inflow of 262.6 billion won over the cited period as investors turned risk-averse, according to FnGuide.
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(LEAD) High-profile N. Korean defector to run in S. Korea's spring election: party

Asked about the possibility that Thae 's activities as lawmaker could be constrained if elected due to a number of @ @ @ @ @ said , `` The problem has been resolved . ''
He did not elaborate .

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, plans to run in the April 15 general elections here as a member of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), a party official announced Monday.
Kim Hyong-o, head of the LKP's election candidate selection panel, said Thae has joined the conservative party for a race in a Seoul constituency and not in pursuit of a National Assembly seat from proportional representation.
"I think he would probably be the first North Korean defector" who is engaged in an electoral competition in a South Korean constituency, Kim said.
Thae is a person who risked his life for freedom and who can present a vision for peace and publicize South Korea's related position, he added.
Thae is also expected to give hope to not only North Korean defectors but also all people in both Koreas desiring "genuine reunification," according to Kim.
Regarding his constituency, Kim said the party will find one where Thae will "play a good role." He said, "(I) am thinking of one in Seoul."
Asked about the possibility that Thae's activities as lawmaker could be constrained if elected due to a number of bodyguards accompanying him, Kim said, "The problem has been resolved." He did not elaborate.
Chances seem high that Thae will be granted the LKP's "strategic ticket" to contest in the affluent region of Gangnam in southern Seoul, where the party has been traditionally predominant.
Thae, 58, served as the North's deputy ambassador to London before his defection.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(LEAD) Moon congratulates 'Parasite' on winning 4 Oscars

The president wrote in an official letter that his government will `` be with our movie people '' so that @ @ @ @ @ filmmaking free from worry .
He was apparently reaffirming his administration 's commitment to protect @ @ @ @ @ censorship .

(ATTN: UPDATES with Moon's letter to 'Parasite' team in lead paras, details in last 2 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory message Monday to Bong Joon-ho and his "Parasite" team for the historic Oscar success of the South Korean film, saying it has given South Koreans pride and courage as they try to overcome the challenges of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The president wrote in an official letter that his government will "be with our movie people" so that they can engage in imaginative filmmaking free from worry. He was apparently reaffirming his administration's commitment to protect freedom of speech with minimal censorship.
"'Parasite' has moved the hearts of people around the world with a story that best highlights Korean style, and has proved its capability to the world through unique and detailed directing, pithy dialogue, script, editing, music, art and the actors' performances," Moon said.
This photo released by Cheong Wa Dae shows President Moon Jae-in's congratulatory letter for the "Parasite" team on its winning of four Academy Awards. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The movie, directed by Bong, was awarded the best picture, best screenplay, best director and best international feature film prizes at the 92nd Academy Awards earlier in the day.
Moon described it as the fruit of "the accumulated efforts of all who have made movies over the past 100 years (in South Korea)."
"I am very happy that South Korean movies are now able to begin a new 100 years standing in comparison to world movies," he added.
The film is about the gap between rich and poor in modern Seoul and touches on related social problems in a blackly comedic tone, ending with a tragic and grotesque scene.
Moon praised "Parasite" for its "great and fresh" social message as well.
"It makes us realize the impact and power of movies," Moon said, adding that he's already curious about the "next plan" of Bong, the cast and crew. The president was apparently referencing a popular line in the movie, "Son, you've got a plan!"
He posted the same message on his social media accounts earlier in the day.
President Moon Jae-in's congratulatory message on the multiple Oscar wins by South Korean film "Parasite" is shown in this image captured from his Facebook account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(3rd LD) S. Korea in final talks with China to send 3rd evacuation plane to virus-hit Wuhan on Tuesd

(3rd LD) S. Korea in final talks with China to send 3rd evacuation plane to virus-hit Wuhan on Tuesday

`` It 's our armed forces ' duty to protect the life and safety of the people , '' he @ @ @ @ @ The compound has a four-story building with more than 350 rooms and is situated about @ @ @ @ @ downtown area of Icheon .

(ATTN: ADDS defense minister's visit to planned quarantine facility in paras 5-6; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is fine-tuning the details with China over its plan to send a third evacuation flight to the new coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan this week to bring back about 150 of its citizens and their Chinese family members, Seoul officials said Monday.
Seoul seeks to send the chartered flight to the epicenter of the virus on Tuesday after its two flights recently brought back a total of 701 nationals from the city amid growing fears over the spread of the deadly virus that has sickened 27 people in South Korea.
Under Seoul's current plan, the flight is to depart from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Tuesday, and return to Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, on Wednesday morning.
South Korean officials hold a press briefing on Seoul's efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus and support citizens in the virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan at the government complex in Sejong, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Upon their arrival, the evacuees are to be screened for possible infection and then be transported to temporary accommodation at a language instate of the Joint Forces Military University in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul, for 14 days, the virus' incubation period.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo inspected the facility Monday and ordered thorough preparations for their stay, according to his ministry.
"It's our armed forces' duty to protect the life and safety of the people," he was quoted as saying. The compound has a four-story building with more than 350 rooms and is situated about 17 kilometers away from the downtown area of Icheon.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, wearing a yellow jacket, inspects a room at the Joint Forces Military University in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Feb. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by his ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korean Ambassador to China Jang Ha-sung said in Beijing that the Chinese authorities gave the verbal approval for the evacuation flight over the weekend.
"Currently, we are waiting for the final notification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China regarding the details of the flight operation," he told reporters.
"We believe that that will come soon," he added.
Amid the mounting dread of the virus that emerged in the central Chinese city in December, Seoul has been stepping up quarantine efforts, as well as its diplomacy to ensure the safety of its citizens in Wuhan and its vicinity.
About 230 of South Korean citizens and their immediate family members, including those of Chinese descent, are currently in Wuhan.
According to Chinese authorities, the death toll of the virus has risen to 908 in China, with the total number of confirmed cases standing at 40,171.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--High-profile N. Korean defector to run in S. Korea's spring election: party

Regarding his constituency , Kim said the party will find one where Thae will `` play a good role .
@ @ @ @ @ ( I ) am thinking of one in Seoul . ''

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, plans to run in the April 15 general elections here as a member of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), a party official announced Monday.
Kim Hyong-o, head of the LKP's election candidate selection panel, said Thae has joined the conservative party for a race in a Seoul constituency and not in pursuit of a National Assembly seat from proportional representation.
"I think he would probably be the first North Korean defector" who is engaged in an electoral competition in a South Korean constituency, Kim said.
Thae is a person who risked his life for freedom and who can present a vision for peace and publicize South Korea's related position, he added.
Thae is also expected to give hope to not only North Korean defectors but also all people in both Koreas desiring "genuine reunification," according to Kim.
Regarding his constituency, Kim said the party will find one where Thae will "play a good role." He said, "(I) am thinking of one in Seoul."
Thae served as the North's deputy ambassador to London before his defection.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Barriers in film world are crumbling, 'Parasite' director Bong says

`` My previous film 'Okja ' was a co-production between Korea and the U.S. , but 'Parasite , ' which @ @ @ @ @ , has garnered more enthusiasm from audiences of all over the world .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ the deeper I delve into things that are around me , the broader the story @ @ @ @ @ appeal it can have to an international audience , '' he said .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Director Bong Joon-ho of "Parasite" anticipates a future in which world cinema is so connected and diverse that a non-English-language winner of the Oscar for best picture will not make news any longer.
The South Korean dark comedy on class division made movie history on Sunday (U.S. time) by becoming the first foreign-language movie to earn the top honor, along with the director, original screenplay and international feature film prizes.
In a news conference after the ceremony, he reminded reporters of a request he made during this year's Golden Globe Awards for American viewers to "overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles."
"During the Golden Globes, I mentioned the one-inch barrier of subtitles, but I feel like that was already a little late," Bong told journalists backstage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
"People were already overcoming this barrier through streaming services, YouTube videos and social media. In the environment we currently live in, I think we are all connected. So I think naturally we will come to the day when a foreign-language film or not doesn't really matter, and a foreign-language film winning this won't be much of an issue later on hopefully," he said through a translator.
He attributed the movie's appeal to its uniquely Korean character.
"My previous film 'Okja' was a co-production between Korea and the U.S., but 'Parasite,' which is a purely Korean film, has garnered more enthusiasm from audiences of all over the world. That's making me think that perhaps the deeper I delve into things that are around me, the broader the story can become and the more appeal it can have to an international audience," he said.
Director Bong Joon-ho (4th from R) and cast members of "Parasite" pose during a press conference in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020 (local time), after the movie took four titles at the 92nd annual Academy Awards. (Yonhap)
Bong expressed his respect for legendary director Martin Scorsese, whose film "The Irishman" failed to get any awards.
"I've seen Martin Scorsese (lose) this award multiple times, and he didn't know me back then, but I was so frustrated. I remember when he won one for "The Departed" (2006) I was so excited. Being nominated with him is a huge honor, and it's hard to believe," he said.
Asked whether he would advance into Hollywood, he replied, "I have a plan," using the famous line from "Parasite."
"Regardless of what happened at Cannes and (the) Oscars, I have been working on two projects before then. I'm continuing work on them and nothing has changed because of these awards. One is in Korean, and one is in English," he said.
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Korean film industry elated at historic Oscar victories by 'Parasite'

`` It increased the possibility of Korean films such as 'Parasite ' getting accepted in the American market as they @ @ @ @ @ like collaborations with Hollywood , '' he said , adding that the victory is likely @ @ @ @ @ Korean films to ordinary American audiences .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The sensational Oscar victories by Bong Joon-ho's black comedy "Parasite" came as a landmark feat for South Korea's century-old film industry as well as the director's more than 20-year movie career, with movie circles here ecstatically hailing the achievement.
"Parasite" picked up four awards at the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. local time), including best picture, the event's highest prize.
Having won best director, best original screenplay and best international feature film as well, "Parasite" was the first non-English title to win the Oscar's best picture in the more than 90-year history of the award event.
Among a handful of new records it generated, the film was also the first title to win both Cannes' Palme d'Or and the Oscars' top honor since American romantic comedy "Marty" did so in 1955.
Bong's colleagues back in South Korea erupted in jubilance over the news of his film winning big at the prominent film awards.
"I am lucky to be able to work alongside such gifted people related with the film 'Parasite' in the same time frame and in the same industry," said Park Chan-wook, the director of "Oldboy," the winner of the Cannes' No. 2 Grand Prix award in 2003.
Park and Bong are known to be on close terms, both pioneers in the local cinematic industry who have promoted Korean films outside of the country.
Park was on the judging panel for the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017 when Bong's Netflix film, "Okja," unsuccessfully competed for the Palme d'Or.
Park partly predicted Bong's breakout hit when he said in an interview in November that, "I thought that when director Bong came back to the Korean language and society as a Korean, having done 'Snowpiercer' and 'Okja,' the insights accumulated inside him would finally explode."
Park Chan-wook (Yonhap)
Screen actor Kim Nam-gil, who starred in a TV show with "Parasite" actor Lee Sun-kyun, also celebrated the victory in a text message released to the media.
"(The film) took the biggest (parasite) host called the U.S. by surprise. It is somehow a natural outcome after the film presented a new (cinematic) language through original variations," he said, expressing congratulations to Bong and his colleagues.
"I wish the Korean cinema world would have more original and eye-opening titles going forward," he said.
Rising screen star Park Jung-min also celebrated the victory with a message referencing the title of the film. "'Parasite' Did Parasite," he said, referring to the film's breaking into the Oscars.
Director Bong Joon-ho (C) speaks during a press conference following winning four awards at the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
Filmmakers hailed the Oscar honors as major headway for the local film industry's global infiltration while calling for more investment and support for diversity in cinema.
The victory will totally renew the perspective toward Korean films in Hollywood, the epicenter of the global film industry, said Lee Joon-dong, the director of the Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea.
He was a producer of the Korean film "Burning," which made it as far as the long list of 10 foreign films competing for the 2019 Oscars' best foreign-language film, which was renamed best international feature film this year.
"It increased the possibility of Korean films such as 'Parasite' getting accepted in the American market as they are, without direct methods like collaborations with Hollywood," he said, adding that the victory is likely to boost the appeal of Korean films to ordinary American audiences.
Jeon Yang-joon, the director of the Busan International Film Festival, said the local film industry needs to give up its vested interest in keeping today's run-of-the-mill production style, relying heavily on bestselling actors and directors.
"In order to greet the second and third Bong Joon-ho, the film industry needs to form an environment fit for talented and creative filmmakers," he said.
Jeon Yang-joon, the director of the Busan International Film Festival (Yonhap)
Culture Minister Park Yang-woo also hailed the Oscar victory as "a great feat in the 101-year history of Korean cinema and in Korean cultural history."
"I am sure the wins will widely open up a new 100-year period for our cinematic history as well as the globalization of hallyu," he said, referring to the continuing phenomenon of Korean cultural content gaining popularity outside of the country.
"Parasite" is a family satire that depicts the entrenched social class system through the lives of two families, one rich and one poor, with Bong's unique humor and suspense.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--S. Korea to step up efforts to minimize economic fallout from new coronavirus

Last week , the finance ministry said it will provide 2 trillion won ( US $ 1.7 billion ) in @ @ @ @ @ who are expected to be hurt by the spread of the virus .

SEJONG, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will step up efforts to bolster its economy as it seeks to contain the economic fallout from the spread of a new coronavirus, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Monday.
Hong said the government will come up with additional measures in coming weeks to help local firms cushion the economic impact of the virus.
Such measures will include policy tools to boost local tourism, exports and private consumption, Hong told a meeting with senior ministry officials.
South Korea's tourism sector is expected to take a harder hit from the virus, as a large proportion of visitors come from China.
South Korea has placed restrictions on foreigners coming from some places in China as it tries to stem the spread of the illness here.
The nation's manufacturers, including Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, have been affected by a shortage of auto parts from China.
South Korea had 27 confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday.
The government will unveil support measures for exports and private consumption this month or next month, Hong said.
Last week, the finance ministry said it will provide 2 trillion won (US$1.7 billion) in financial support to small merchants who are expected to be hurt by the spread of the virus.
It is difficult to gauge how broadly the virus will spread, but the little-known disease is expected to negatively affect the South Korean economy.
Hong has said the virus will exert a downside risk on the Korean economy unless it is swiftly brought under control.
South Korea's economy grew 2 percent last year, the slowest growth in a decade. The Bank of Korea expects the nation's economy to grow 2.3 percent this year.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Kim absent from public view amid concerns about new coronavirus

It was unclear why Kim has stayed away from public activity , but his absence could be related to concerns @ @ @ @ @ Pyongyang has been making all-out efforts to prevent the viral disease from reaching the country @

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been absent from public view for more than two weeks amid concerns about the new coronavirus sweeping through the region, even though the communist nation has not reported any confirmed case yet.
Kim was last seen in public around at a concert in Pyongyang celebrating Lunar New Year's Day on Jan. 25. He has since not appeared in state media reports.
Pyongyang also quietly marked the 72nd anniversary of its army's founding on Saturday with no reports of the leader's attendance at the events.
"Army-Building Day," which commemorates the 1948 establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA), is one of North Korea's biggest national holidays.
The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, reported Sunday that North Korean military officers visited the statues of the former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in commemoration of the army's founding.
The paper mentioned Kim Jong-un only briefly, saying that he had sent a floral basket to "the statues of the great leaders on Mansu Hill."
It was unclear why Kim has stayed away from public activity, but his absence could be related to concerns about the new coronavirus. Pyongyang has been making all-out efforts to prevent the viral disease from reaching the country.
Kim was seen in public at military events before and during the army's founding day every year since he came to power after the death of late leader and his father Kim Jong-il in late 2011.
At the 70th anniversary in 2018, he attended the mass military parade in Pyongyang and went to the largest-ever fire drill in 2017 when tensions between the United States and North Korea had escalated.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(LEAD) 1,100 soldiers quarantined over new coronavirus: defense ministry

South Korea is scheduled to send about 400 soldiers to the multinational drills set to be held from Feb. 26 @ @ @ @ @ , which is expected to bring together more than two dozen countries , including the @ @ @ @ @ Singapore .

(ATTN: ADDS defense chief's visit to planned temporary accommodation for Wuhan evacuees in last 4 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- About 1,100 soldiers are quarantined as part of efforts to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading into barracks, the defense ministry said Monday.
The quarantined soldiers, including 400 conscripts, have either visited China, Hong Kong or Macao in the past 14 days or had contact with people who traveled to those places, according to the ministry.
"No confirmed or suspected cases have been reported among our service personnel. We've been thoroughly implementing related preemptive measures," a ministry official said, citing such measures as banning soldiers' trips to China and modifying field trainings.
As of early Monday, South Korea had 27 confirmed cases of the new virus.
Service personnel check health conditions of an enlistee in front of the main gate of an Army recruit training center in Daeju, South Korea, on Feb. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
Asked if the ministry has made a decision on whether to take part in the upcoming Cobra Gold multinational exercise as planned, ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing that the authorities are closely monitoring developments of the outbreak.
"As of now, no changes have been made. We've been keeping close tabs on the current situation," Choi said.
South Korea is scheduled to send about 400 soldiers to the multinational drills set to be held from Feb. 26 through March 6 in Thailand, which is expected to bring together more than two dozen countries, including the United States, Japan and Singapore.
But officials have said it is reviewing the plan due to the novel coronavirus that has swept through Asia.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo visited the Korea Defense Language Institute in Icheon, 80 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and checked facilities there, as it will house South Korean evacuees from the Chinese city of Wuhan, according to the ministry.
Seoul plans to send a third evacuation flight to the virus-hit city on Tuesday to bring back about 150 of its citizens and their Chinese family members.
Around nine service personnel and officials of the institute will be joined by central government officials to support the people for 14 days -- the virus' incubation period -- the ministry noted.
"We will make utmost efforts to help the people from Wuhan return to their families after staying healthy and safe here," Jeong said.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (front, R, wearing yellow jacket) looks around the Korea Defense Language Institute in Icheon, 80 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Feb. 10, 2020, after the institute was chosen as a facility for a two-week stay for some 150 South Koreans and their Chinese family members who will be brought back from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan via a third evacuation flight this week. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(5th LD) 'Parasite' wins four Oscar trophies including best picture

It is the first time that a non-English film has been chosen for the Oscar best picture award by the @ @ @ @ @ and Sciences ( AMPAS ) in the more than 90 years of its history .
@ @ @ @ @ time that the winner of Cannes ' Palme d'Or grabs the top honor at the @ @ @ @ @ the American romantic comedy `` Marty '' doubled the two accolades .

(ATTN: ADDS more info, comments in paras 5-6, 9, 18-19; RECASTS lead, 3rd para)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Bong Joon-ho's sensational black comedy "Parasite" has bagged four Oscar titles, becoming the first non-English language film to win best picture.
At the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. local time), Bong's seventh feature film, a tale of class division, won the ceremony's highest prize -- best picture.
It beat out strong competition from "1917" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" for the win. Other nominees were "The Irishman," "Jojo Rabbit," "Ford v Ferrari," "Little Women," "Joker," and "Marriage Story."
"Parasite" also won best director, best original screenplay and best international feature film. It is South Korea's first Oscar-nominated film.
South Korean director Bong Joon-ho poses for a photo after winning four Oscars during the 92nd annual awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020 in this photo released by AFP. (Yonhap)
It is the first time that a non-English film has been chosen for the Oscar best picture award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the more than 90 years of its history. It also is the first time that the winner of Cannes' Palme d'Or grabs the top honor at the Oscars since 1955, when the American romantic comedy "Marty" doubled the two accolades.
The top prize winner of last year's Cannes is a family satire that depicts the entrenched social class system through the lives of two families, one rich and one poor, with Bong's unique humor and suspense.
It became the biggest winner of this year's Oscars with four statuettes, outnumbering runner-up "1917," which had three for cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing. The World War I movie directed by Sam Mendes had been regarded as the main contender until the show started.
"Joker," "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and "Ford v. Ferrari" took two titles each.
"I feel like, a very opportune moment in history is happening now," Kwak Sin-ae, a producer of "Parasite," said. "I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect for all the members of the academy for making this decision. Thank you."
Bong accepted the award with Kwak. But he didn't make a speech for the award since he ascended to the stage three times before to grab the best director, best screenplay and best international feature film awards.
In this photo released by AFP, "Parasite" producers Kwak Sin-ae (L) and Bong Joon-ho (R) accept the best picture award for the film during the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
He became the second Asian director to win the Academy's best directing award, after Taiwan's Ang Lee who won twice for "Brokeback Mountain" and "Life of Pi."
"Parasite" is also the second subtitled movie to capture the best directing and best international feature film prizes at the same time, following Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" last year.
At the acceptance speech for international feature film, previously known as best foreign language film, Bong said he could feel the change in the Academy.
"I'm so happy to be its first recipient under the new name," the director said through an interpreter. "I applaud and support the new direction that this change symbolizes."
When accepting best director, he said he was influenced by master directors in Hollywood like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
"When I was in school, I studied Martin Scorsese's films," he said. "Just to be nominated with him is a huge honor, and I never thought I would win."
He also expressed his respect for his fellow nominees including Sam Mendes and Todd Phillips, joking that he wanted to divide the statuette between them.
"If the Academy allows, I would like to get a Texas chainsaw and split the Oscar trophy into five and share it with all of you," he said.
"Parasite" was also nominated in best film editing and best production design but lost to "Ford v. Ferrari" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," respectively.
Bong Joon-ho (C) and the cast and crew of "Parasite" arrive for the 92nd annual Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020, in this UPI photo. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--SK Chemicals swings to profits in 2019

SK Chemicals swings to profits in 2019

Operating profit for the year was 80.3 billion won , up 75.5 percent on-year , the company said in a @ @ @ @ @ rose 4.3 percent to 1.42 trillion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- SK Chemicals Co. on Monday reported its 2019 net income of 5.4 billion won (US$ 4.6 million), swinging from a loss of 16.4 billion won a year earlier.
Operating profit for the year was 80.3 billion won, up 75.5 percent on-year, the company said in a regulatory filing. Annual revenue rose 4.3 percent to 1.42 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--SK Chemicals shifts to profits in Q4

SK Chemicals shifts to profits in Q4

Operating profit for the October-December period was 19 billion , compared with a loss of 2.4 billion won a year @ @ @ @ @ in a regulatory filing .
Revenue rose 7.3 percent to 347.1 billion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- SK Chemicals Co. on Monday reported its fourth-quarter net profit of 2 billion won (US$ 1.7 million), swinging from a loss of 42.3 billion won a year earlier.
Operating profit for the October-December period was 19 billion, compared with a loss of 2.4 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Revenue rose 7.3 percent to 347.1 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--UNC highlights quick approval of Seoul's 'short notice' requests for DMZ entry

The command , which has jurisdiction over the DMZ that separates the two Koreas , said in a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ and coordinated `` the short notice request from the ROK government '' to support the @ @ @ @ @ to Observation Post 717 ( OP Geumgang ) inside the DMZ the previous day .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations Command (UNC) has been highlighting the swift way it has been approving Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) entry requests from South Korea's government amid calls for improvement in its handling of the issue.
The command, which has jurisdiction over the DMZ that separates the two Koreas, said in a Facebook post on Sunday that it approved and coordinated "the short notice request from the ROK government" to support the PyeongChang Peace Forum's visit to Observation Post 717 (OP Geumgang) inside the DMZ the previous day.
The three-day global forum on peace began in the alpine city of PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, on Sunday, bringing together some 1,000 officials and experts from at home and abroad.
The latest one followed a similar post uploaded last week, which said that the UNC approved a "short-notice and urgent access request" for the Seoul government's entry into the DMZ to assess the situation of African swine fever (ASF).
Such emphases came at a time when calls have grown for the amendment of UNC regulations on passage through the DMZ since last year to spur inter-Korean exchanges, among others, after the command reportedly rejected several South Korean requests to access the area for nonmilitary purposes.
For one, the command blocked Seoul from moving materials through the zone that separate the two Koreas for a joint railway survey in the North, though it later allowed the entry.
The UNC, however, has said that it only denies access to the DMZ when the submitted requests do not include all the required information or seek to gain access to unsafe or unsecured areas within the zone.
The U.S.-led UNC is an enforcer of the armistice agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.
This image captured from the United Nations Command's Facebook page shows a participant in the PyeongChang Peace Forum visiting Observation Post 717 located inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--(2nd LD) Top U.S. envoy congratulates 'Parasite' director for winning Oscars

In the movie , the affluent housewife orders her new maid to cook a pot of jjapaguri for her children @ @ @ @ @ some sirloin topping because she does n't want her kids to eat cheap food .
@ @ @ @ @ by critics as an illustration of class tension between the rich and poor .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with envoy's second message; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris posted two consecutive messages online Monday congratulating the director of the South Korean thriller "Parasite" for snagging four Oscars, including best picture.
"More #Oscars did come for @ParasiteMovie and Director Bong Joon-Ho! 4 total: Best Original Screenplay, Best Int'l Feature, Best Director & 1st time in Academy Awards history a non-English language film wins Best Picture! Wow! Congrats Director Bong, Team #Parasite & ROK cinema!" he said in a tweet, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
He posted a similar message earlier shortly after the film won its first prize -- best original screenplay.
The pictures attached to the messages showed plastic bowls of "Jjapaguri," a dish that mixes two popular instant noodle brands in Korea, which Harris presumably had with his embassy officials to reenact a scene in the film.
In the movie, the affluent housewife orders her new maid to cook a pot of jjapaguri for her children and then decides to add some sirloin topping because she doesn't want her kids to eat cheap food. The scene has been cited by critics as an illustration of class tension between the rich and poor.
Jjapaguri was translated into "ramdon," an invented word combining "ramen" and "udon."
This image, captured from the Twitter account of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris on Feb. 10, 2020, shows director Bong Joon-ho erupting in delight after wining four Oscars, including best picture. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image, captured from the Twitter account of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris on Feb. 10, 2020, shows his congratulatory message to Bong Joon-ho for winning an Oscar. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The number of those tested for the coronavirus reached 2,776 as of early Monday , with 1,940 of them testing @ @ @ @ @ Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .
The KCDC said a @ @ @ @ @ in quarantine and will be checked for the coronavirus .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
----------------
(3rd LD) S. Korea, U.S. hold working group talks on N. Korea
SEOUL -- South Korean officials briefed their U.S. counterparts Monday on Seoul's push to expand exchanges with North Korea, such as allowing individual trips to the communist nation, as they held a "working group" meeting to coordinate policy on Pyongyang, officials said.
U.S. officials, led by U.S. Deputy Special Representative for North Korea Alex Wong, expressed understanding of Seoul's position during the closed-door meeting with South Korean officials led by Rhee Dong-yeol, direct general at the foreign ministry's Korean Peninsula peace regime bureau, officials said.
----------------
Q1 smartphone output may drop to 5-year low due to coronavirus: report
SEOUL -- Global smartphone production in the first quarter of the year may drop to a five-year low due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, a market researcher said Monday.
TrendForce said it expects global smartphone production in the first quarter to decline 12 percent on-year to 275 million units following the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 900 people in China.
----------------
(2nd LD) S. Korea in final talks with China to send 3rd evacuation plane to virus-hit Wuhan on Tuesday
SEOUL -- South Korea is fine-tuning the details with China over its plan to send a third evacuation flight to the new coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan this week to bring back about 150 of its citizens and their Chinese family members, Seoul officials said Monday.
Seoul seeks to send the chartered flight to the epicenter of the virus on Tuesday after its two flights recently brought back a total of 701 nationals from the city amid growing fears over the spread of the deadly virus that has sickened 27 people in South Korea.
----------------
(LEAD) Seoul stresses need to reopen Kaesong complex
SEOUL -- The shuttered inter-Korean industrial complex in North Korea's border city of Kaesong must reopen to help bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula, the unification ministry said Monday, marking the fourth anniversary of the closure of the factory park.
In 2016, Seoul closed the Kaesong Industrial Complex in retaliation against the North's fourth nuclear test. Efforts to resume the complex since then have made little progress amid a protracted stalemate in denuclearization talks.
----------------
(4th LD) S. Korea on high alert over further spread of virus, cases unchanged at 27
SEOUL -- South Korea said Monday it is working to contain the new coronavirus by blocking arrivals from overseas and enhancing quarantine efforts as the country's confirmed cases remains unchanged at 27.
The number of those tested for the coronavirus reached 2,776 as of early Monday, with 1,940 of them testing negative, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The KCDC said a total of 809 people are in quarantine and will be checked for the coronavirus.
----------------
(4th LD) 'Parasite' wins four Oscar trophies including best picture
SEOUL -- Bong Joon-ho's sensational black comedy "Parasite" has bagged four Oscar titles, including best picture and best director, to become the first non-English language film to achieve such a feat.
At the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. local time), Bong's seventh feature film, a tale of class division, won the ceremony's highest prize -- best film.
----------------
(LEAD) 3 S. Koreans in China confirmed to be infected with new coronavirus: Seoul gov't
SEOUL -- South Korea said Monday that three of its nationals in mainland China have been confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus.
The three members of a family staying in China's northeastern province of Shandong have tested positive for the new strain of virus, according to the Seoul government.
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--S. Korea, Japan hold Middle East policy talks

Their meeting came amid tensions in the Middle East caused by a confrontation between the United States and Iran earlier @ @ @ @ @ over U.S. President Donald Trump 's proposed peace plan for the region , which critics @ @ @ @ @ of Israel 's interests .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan held working-level policy consultations on a volatile Middle East in Seoul on Monday, the foreign ministry said, in a sign of their continued diplomatic cooperation despite their row over trade and wartime history.
Hong Jin-wook, the ministry's director-general for Africa and Middle East affairs, met his Japanese counterpart, Katsuhiko Takahashi, for the talks held annually by the two sides since 2014.
Their meeting came amid tensions in the Middle East caused by a confrontation between the United States and Iran earlier this year and a controversy over U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for the region, which critics said has tilted in favor of Israel's interests.
"The two sides have shared the understanding that peace and stability in the Middle East is directly linked to stability for the whole of the international community, including Northeast Asia," the ministry said in a press release.
"The two countries, which have similar perspectives regarding Middle East issues, have agreed to continue communication and cooperation," it added.
Last Thursday, the two countries held a separate director general-level meeting to discuss the dispute surrounding the issue of Japan's wartime forced labor. But they made little progress in addressing the row.
Seoul has used the talks to call on Tokyo to retract export curbs that are seen as retaliation for 2018 South Korean Supreme Court rulings ordering Japanese firms to compensate victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.
Tokyo claims that all reparation issues stemming from its colonization of the peninsula were settled in a 1965 pact that normalized bilateral ties.
Hong Jin-wook (R), the foreign ministry's director-general for Africa and Middle East affairs, and his Japanese counterpart, Katsuhiko Takahashi, pose for a photo before their talks at the ministry in Seoul on Feb. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by the ministry. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Handsome 2019 net profit up 15.3 pct. to 83.5 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the year rose 16.7 percent on-year to 106.4 billion @ @ @ @ @ 3 percent to 1.25 trillion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Handsome Corp. on Monday reported its 2019 net profit of 83.5 billion won (US$ 70.4 million), up 15.3 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the year rose 16.7 percent on-year to 106.4 billion won. Annual revenue decreased 3 percent to 1.25 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-10--Handsome Q4 net income up 10.6 pct. to 28.5 bln won

Operating income for the October-December period was 34.2 billion won , up 12.9 percent from a year ago , the @ @ @ @ @ filing .
Sales fell 2.4 percent to 384.2 billion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- Handsome Corp. on Monday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 28.5 billion won (US$ 24 million), up 10.6 percent from a year earlier.
Operating income for the October-December period was 34.2 billion won, up 12.9 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales fell 2.4 percent to 384.2 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)