yna--2020-08-22--(2nd LD) Gov't urges trainee doctors to end walkouts, warns of strong action

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

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea repeated its call for trainee doctors to stop walkouts and return to their duties on Saturday as they have entered an indefinite strike in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The health ministry said it will soon issue a return-to-work order to protesting trainee doctors working at hospitals in the greater Seoul region in a move that could involve stringent punishments, including license revocation, for violators.
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo issued a public message calling for trainee doctors to return to their work of treating patients as the country faces a flare-up in virus cases.
"It is time for the medical sector and the government to closely cooperate to stem another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," Park said.
"We are calling on doctors to return to their work of treating patients," the minister said.
Trainee doctors holding signs denouncing the government's medical reform plan take part in a strike at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Thousands of trainee doctors, including interns and resident doctors, kicked off unlimited walkouts on Friday on a staggered basis in a bid to protest the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools. A group of doctors also plans to stage a three-day strike starting Wednesday.
The health ministry said about one third of the country's trainee doctors participated in Saturday's strike. Of the 2,996 trainee doctors registered at 244 medical institutes, 932 took part in the collective action, it added.
The figure was lower than the previous day when more than 44 percent of the country's trainee doctors joined the strike, according to the ministry.
Trainee doctors held a one-day strike on Aug. 7 and also participated in doctors' similar walkout a week later.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
But their collective actions have spawned concerns about potential disruption in the health care system as the country has reported spiking virus cases in Seoul and surrounding area.
A doctor walks through a hallway at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital on Aug. 21, 2020, as trainee doctors started a walkout to protest the government's medical sector reform measures. (Yonhap)
Park said the government is willing to temporarily suspend its push for the medical workforce reform until after the country contains a surge in virus cases in the wider Seoul area.
By end-August, the health ministry is supposed to notify the education ministry of by how many it seeks to increase the number of medical students.
"We plan to suspend the move until the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control," the ministry said.
South Korea's new daily virus cases topped 300 for the second straight day on Saturday, with more than 2,200 new infections reported in past nine days.
The government warned it is ready to take stern actions if the strike poses a threat to the people's safety and lives.
"If health workers do not return to their duties, the government will take necessary measures," Park said.
The central and provincial governments can issue an order to resume operations when medical workers suspend treatment without due cause or when doctors' collective walkouts disrupt or could hamper the health care system.
A violator of the order could face a prison term of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won (US$25,220). A medical license could be revoked if a breach of the medical law leads to punishments that are heavier than imprisonment without forced labor.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents 130,000 doctors, said it will press ahead with the planned strike while slamming the government's move to suspend the reform plan as "political rhetoric that cannot be trusted."
The medical sector has urged the government to recant its medical workforce reform drive as the condition for ending its collective action.
"As long as the government's stance is not changed, doctors will push ahead with the walkout as scheduled," the KMA said.
A group of trainee doctors also called on the government to stop handling the contentious issue in a unilateral manner and instead launch discussions over it.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo issues a public message at the government complex building in Seoul on Aug. 22, 2020, to call on trainee doctors to call off their strike and return to their duties. (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(2nd LD) Heavy rain advisory lifted for all of Seoul

There was rain damage in the city .
In Eunpyeong Ward , a man in his 50s was rescued after @ @ @ @ @ bridge in floodwaters .
Authorities said a power outage was reported in Bongcheon-dong , Gwanak @ @ @ @ @ strike , but fixed the problem in about an hour .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS more info in paras 2-4, 6)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- A heavy rain advisory was lifted for all of Seoul on Saturday evening following a decrease in precipitation, the country's weather agency said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration lifted the advisory for the nation's capital at 8 p.m.
The advisory was first issued for the city's northeastern wards of Nowon, Seongbuk, Jungnang, Gwangjin, Dongdaemun, Dobong, Gangbuk and Seongdong right after noon.
The weather agency expanded the advisory at 2:30 p.m., including the city's southern parts. Affected areas included the wards of Songpa, Gangnam, Seocho, Gangdong, Gangseo, Gwanak, Guro, Dongjak, Yeongdeungpo and Geumcheon.
Thirty minutes later, the central and northwestern wards of Eunpyeong, Mapo, Seodaemun, Yongsan, Jongno and Jung were included.
There was rain damage in the city. In Eunpyeong Ward, a man in his 50s was rescued after being trapped on a small bridge in floodwaters. Authorities said a power outage was reported in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak Ward, following a lightning strike, but fixed the problem in about an hour.
An advisory is issued when precipitation is expected to reach more than 60 millimeters for three hours or 110 mm for 12 hours, amounts that make it hard to stay dry even under an umbrella.
The country experienced the longest rainy season on record this summer, with torrential rains and flash floods killing dozens of people and wreaking havoc on buildings, farmlands and infrastructure nationwide.
The undated file photo shows pedestrians walking under umbrellas. (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Typhoon Bavi to possibly make landfall in S. Korea next week

The typhoon is likely to become stronger while moving over warm waters off Jeju Island , the agency said , @ @ @ @ @ to move up to near northeastern city of Sokcho on Thursday .

(ATTN: UPDATES lead, paras 2-3; CHANGES image)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Bavi, formed off the east coast of Taiwan, is expected to hit the Korean Peninsula next week, the national weather agency said Saturday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said the season's 8th tropical storm is moving northwest towards the peninsula at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour as of 4 p.m. and forecast to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon after passing through the southern island of Jeju.
The typhoon is likely to become stronger while moving over warm waters off Jeju Island, the agency said, adding that it is expected to move up to near northeastern city of Sokcho on Thursday.
Although the typhoon's course and size can change, it will come with strong winds and heavy rains, the agency said, advising safety measures be put in place before it arrives.
This graphic provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration on Aug. 22, 2020, shows Typhoon Bavi's expected direction. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--Major Seoul movie theater closed temporarily over virus case

Disinfection work is underway at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in central Seoul after a part-time worker contracted COVID-19 , CGV @ @ @ @ @ to work through Wednesday and tested positive for the virus Saturday , it added .

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean multiplex chain CGV said Saturday its flagship movie theater in downtown Seoul has been closed temporarily after a worker there tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Disinfection work is underway at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in central Seoul after a part-time worker contracted COVID-19, CGV said. The worker came to work through Wednesday and tested positive for the virus Saturday, it added.
CGV said it has ordered employees who came in contact with the virus-infected worker to self-isolate and take virus tests.
The cinema chain operator said it will confirm the reopening schedule of the theater later.
CGV Yongsan IPark Mall, which has 20 screens with more than 3,800 seats, was closed temporarily on Thursday and Aug. 12 after health authorities confirmed virus patients had visited there.
A sign at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in Seoul shows the movie theater is closed after a worker tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) BTS' 'Dynamite' sweeps iTunes charts in 104 regions; remixes announced

In a press conference held online Friday , the group said the song was a `` refresh project '' for @ @ @ @ @ sent out cheerful , bright messages for people across the globe who are going through @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, UPDATES with more details in paras 5-6, 10; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy band BTS has topped more than 100 regional iTunes charts with its latest single, "Dynamite," according to its agency Big Hit Entertainment on Saturday.
The single released at 1 p.m. Friday, Seoul time, debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 104 countries and regions. The song also topped local music streaming charts as soon as it was published.
“Dynamite” MV hits 100 mln views in 24 hours, yet BTS is nervous to perform at VMAs Youtube https://youtu.be/OBSqeh561jY
The bright, upbeat disco-pop track, sung entirely in English, is the group's latest release following the album "Map of the Soul: 7 — The Journey" released in Japan in July.
In a press conference held online Friday, the group said the song was a "refresh project" for themselves and was meant to sent out cheerful, bright messages for people across the globe who are going through a hard time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This promotional image, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Aug. 22, 2020, celebrates the 100-million view count achievement of the music video for "Dynamite" by K-pop sensation BTS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The music video for "Dynamite" garnered over 100 million views on YouTube in a little over 24 hours, setting a new record for fastest video to reach the number.
Previously, "Boy With Luv," released last year, was the fastest BTS video to surpass 100 million views, clocking in at 37 hours and 37 minutes.
After the song's release, the septet had an interview with MTV's music program, Fresh Out Live, and is scheduled to appear on NBC's TODAY show on Aug. 24, local time.
It is also scheduled to perform the new single at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 30 in its first-ever appearance on the awards show.
"ON," the lead song on the band's album "Map of the Soul: 7," has been nominated in three categories for the award show -- Best Pop, Best Choreography and Best K-pop.
Big Hit also announced that two remixes of "Dynamite" -- an acoustic version and an electronic-dance arrangement version -- will be released on Monday.
In this photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment, members of K-pop sensation BTS pose for photos during an online press conference for the new single "Dynamite" held in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--Kangwon Land casino to close temporarily due to tightened social distancing scheme

Kangwon Land casino , the country 's only casino open to locals , in Jeongseon , some 200 kilometers northeast @ @ @ @ @ from 10 a.m. Sunday , as health authorities decided to enforce the Level Two social @ @ @ @ @ following a spike in virus cases .

JEONGSEON, South Korea, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- State-run casino operator Kangwon Land Inc. said Saturday it has decided to temporarily shut down its casino in accordance with the country's tighter virus prevention measures.
Kangwon Land casino, the country's only casino open to locals, in Jeongseon, some 200 kilometers northeast of Seoul, will close from 10 a.m. Sunday, as health authorities decided to enforce the Level Two social distancing guidelines across the country following a spike in virus cases.
More than 2,200 COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Korea over the past nine days.
Under the Level 2 guidelines, high-risk facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, must close. Indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor events involving 100 or more people are strictly prohibited.
Kangwon Land said the reopening schedule of the casino will be determined after reviewing health authorities' advisory and the virus situation.
Kangwon Land closed its casino in late February due to the nationwide spread of COVID-19 infections. It resumed the operation of its casino in July with limited admission.
This photo provided by Kangwon Land Inc. on Feb. 21, 2020, shows a health worker disinfecting equipment inside Kangwon Land casino in Jeongseon, some 200 kilometers northeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Samsung reports coronavirus infections of workers at chip plant; production unaffected

`` The two employees have been on duty wearing various safety equipment , such as masks , dustproof clothes and @ @ @ @ @ the inside of the semiconductor production line is a space where the pressure is controlled @ @ @ @ @ .
Thus there is a slim possibility of in-house transmission of the virus , '' @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS more info in paras 2-3, last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Saturday that two employees at its semiconductor plant in South Korea have tested positive for the coronavirus, but its chip production has not been affected.
Two chip production line workers at Samsung's Hwaseong Campus in Hwaseong, about 60 kilometers south of the capital, have contracted COVID-19.
Despite the virus cases, the world's leading memory chip producer said its production remains at normal, though it has ordered those who have come in contact with the virus-infected workers to self-isolate.
This file photo shows a semiconductor production line at Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong Campus in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
One of them took a coronavirus test at an in-house clinic Friday after displaying symptoms, such as fever and cough, according to the company. He took a summer vacation from Aug. 16-19 and was on duty on Wednesday and Thursday.
Another employee was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday after displaying symptoms of the virus the previous day.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact transmission routes of the two employees, the company explained.
"The two employees have been on duty wearing various safety equipment, such as masks, dustproof clothes and dustproof shoes. Moreover, the inside of the semiconductor production line is a space where the pressure is controlled by a positive pressure facility. Thus there is a slim possibility of in-house transmission of the virus," a company official said.
Meanwhile, Samsung Display Co., a major display panel maker under Samsung Group, also reported a virus-infected worker at its facility in Asan, 90 kilometers south of Seoul.
The company said a subcontracted worker involved in upgrading its manufacturing equipment has tested positive for COVID-19. Samsung Display said it has temporarily closed the worksite of the virus-infected worker, but production has not been affected.
Some facilities at Samsung Display's Asan Campus are under construction as the company pushes to switch its existing LCD manufacturing lines to the next-generation quantum-dot display production lines.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(3rd LD) Xi to visit S. Korea after coronavirus situation is 'stabilized,' top officials agree

`` The two sides agreed that if Premier Li Keqiang visits South Korea on the occasion of the South Korea-China-Japan @ @ @ @ @ greatly to the future-oriented development of South Korea-China ties as well as the trilateral relations @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details; ADDS photo, byline)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China agreed Saturday that President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea "at an early date" once the COVID-19 situation is stabilized, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The accord came at a meeting in Busan between President Moon Jae-in's national security adviser Suh Hoon and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, that lasted for several hours.
"The two sides agreed to get President Xi Jinping's early visit to South Korea realized after the condition is created, with the COVID-19 situation stabilized," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, shakes hands with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, after holding talks at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
China confirmed that South Korea is at the top of the list of countries he will travel to, he added.
Diplomatic authorities plan to continue consultations on relevant details, including the specific timing of Xi's trip here.
Xi agreed to make a trip to South Korea in the first half of 2020, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic.
Suh and Yang also discussed the need for holding an annual trilateral summit involving Japan within this year. Moon is supposed to chair this year's session, to be joined by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
"The two sides agreed that if Premier Li Keqiang visits South Korea on the occasion of the South Korea-China-Japan summit, it would contribute greatly to the future-oriented development of South Korea-China ties as well as the trilateral relations," Kang said.
Suh, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, stressed that the Moon administration would continue efforts for progress in the Korea peace process.
Yang promised "constant communication and cooperation" with South Korea for the denuclearization and establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to Kang.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, head to a luncheon venue after talks at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
On the coronavirus response, Suh requested China's cooperation for the prompt increase in the number of flights and visa issuance for South Koreans.
Despite difficulties caused by the pandemic, Yang replied, the neighboring countries have endeavored to develop bilateral ties, according to Kang.
Yang then suggested that the two sides keep cooperating as "important neighbors and cooperation partners."
Yang explained China's position in connection with the recent Beijing-Washington rifts and Suh emphasized the significance of their win-win and friendly cooperation for prosperity and peace in Northeast Asia and other parts of the world.
Among other issues discussed were accelerating the second phase of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within the year and tapping jointly into a third country market.
China's approach to S. Korea.. is it a gift or a burden? Youtube https://youtu.be/kOEiRmYRCAQ
They also talked about a push for pilot projects to link South Korea's New Southern and New Northern policies with China's Belt and Road initiative and some multilateral issues, including the election of the World Trade Organization chief. South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee is running for the job.
Emerging from four hours of talks at a seaside hotel in the southern port city earlier in the day, Suh told reporters that, "I think (we) had a very good conversation, (spending) a lot of time talking about all topics broadly and enough."
Yang said through a translator that he had adequate and very good discussions with Suh.
They had a separate 90-minute luncheon meeting before Yang ends his two-day stay in Busan, 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul. It was his first visit to South Korea in more than two years. He became the highest-profile Chinese figure to travel to South Korea since the new coronavirus outbreak.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, holds talks with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, flanked by their aides, at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(2nd LD) Nurse at one of Korea's largest hospitals tests positive for virus

The hospital has closed parts of the 10th floor of its New Building , where the infected nurse was on @ @ @ @ @ hospital staff as well as patients and their family members who came into contact with @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus test .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in 4th and last paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Seoul's Asan Medical Center, one of the largest hospitals in South Korea, was partially shut down on Saturday after one of its nurses tested positive for the new coronavirus, hospital officials said.
The nurse working in the southeastern Seoul hospital's otolaryngology ward was diagnosed with COVID-19 at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, they said.
This undated file photo shows the Asan Medical Center in southeastern Seoul. (Yonhap)
The hospital has closed parts of the 10th floor of its New Building, where the infected nurse was on duty, and asked all hospital staff as well as patients and their family members who came into contact with the nurse to take a coronavirus test.
The entry ban for the 10th floor was lifted later Saturday after disinfection and epidemiological investigation were completed, the hospital said, adding the possibility of in-house transmission is very low due to its strict observance of quarantine rules.
The hospital speculates that the nurse, a resident of the southeastern ward of Gangdong, may have contracted the virus from her husband, who had previously come into contact with his mother already diagnosed with COVID-19.
This file photo shows the Masan Medical Center. (Yonhap)
A similar nurse infection and partial hospital shutdown has occurred in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The Masan Medical Center, a public institution designated as a coronavirus specialized hospital for South Gyeongsang Province to which Changwon belongs, said one of its nurses has tested positive for COVID-19.
The nurse had complained of a headache, beginning Thursday, before taking the coronavirus test, the hospital said, noting that 18 people, including three doctors, four nurses and seven family members, have been found to have come into contact with the infected nurse and been asked to take a virus test.
The hospital closed its emergency room and disinfected its entire building.
According to government data, a total of 137 local medical workers, including 11 doctors and 80 nurses, have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(2nd LD) Xi to visit S. Korea after coronavirus situation is 'stabilized,' top officials agree

Emerging from four hours of talks at a seaside hotel in the southern port city earlier in the day , @ @ @ @ @ `` I think ( we ) had a very good conversation , ( spending ) @ @ @ @ @ about all topics broadly and enough . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with press briefing)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China agreed Saturday that President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea "at an early date" once the COVID-19 situation is stabilized, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The accord came at a meeting in Busan between President Moon Jae-in's national security adviser Suh Hoon and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, that lasted for several hours.
"The two sides agreed to get President Xi Jinping's early visit to South Korea realized after the condition is created, with the COVID-19 situation stabilized," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said.
Xi agreed to make a trip to South Korea in the first half of 2020, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic.
Suh, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, also stressed that South Korea would continue efforts for progress in the Korea peace process.
Yang promised "constant communication and cooperation" with South Korea for the denuclearization of Korea and establishment of peace on the peninsula, according to Kang.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, head to a luncheon venue after talks at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Emerging from four hours of talks at a seaside hotel in the southern port city earlier in the day, Suh told reporters that, "I think (we) had a very good conversation, (spending) a lot of time talking about all topics broadly and enough."
Yang said via translator that he had adequate and very good discussions with Suh.
South Korea expects China to play a constructive role in efforts to revitalize the Korea peace process.
Beijing apparently wants South Korea to better understand its position on rifts with Washington and the controversial Hong Kong national security law.
Yang arrived in Busan, 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday afternoon, his first visit to South Korea in more than two years. He became the highest-profile Chinese figure to travel to South Korea since the new coronavirus outbreak.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, holds talks with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, flanked by their aides, at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--2 workers of Samsung's chip production line test positive for coronavirus

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Saturday that two employees working at a semiconductor production line in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The employee infections are unlikely to affect the chip manufacturing operations of the world's largest semiconductor company, Samsung said, adding the two employees belong to a semiconductor production line at the company's Hwaseong Campus in Hwaseong, about 60 kilometers south of the capital.
This file photo shows a semiconductor production line at Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong Campus in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
One of them took a coronavirus test at an in-house clinic Friday after displaying symptoms, such as fever and cough, according to the company. He took a summer vacation from Aug. 16-19 and was on duty on Wednesday and Thursday.
Another employee was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday after displaying symptoms of the virus the previous day.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact transmission routes of the two employees, the company explained.
"The two employees have been on duty wearing various safety equipment, such as masks, dustproof clothes and dustproof shoes. Moreover, the inside of the semiconductor production line is a space where the pressure is controlled by a positive pressure facility. Thus there is a slim possibility of in-house transmission of the virus," a company official said.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--Seoul gov't secures list of over 10,000 participants in Aug. 15 rally

The disaster headquarters listed some 50,000 people in cooperation with telecommunication companies , who were at or near the protest @ @ @ @ @ p.m. on Aug. 15 for longer than 30 minutes .
It has sent out text @ @ @ @ @ on the list , asking them to get tested .

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Seoul city government said Saturday that it has secured a list of more than 10,000 participants in last week's massive anti-government rally and is working to have all participants tested for the coronavirus.
The municipal government said it received the list of 10,576 people who attended the Aug. 15 rally in and around Gwanghwamun Square from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. They are now being asked to get tested for the coronavirus, it said.
The disaster headquarters listed some 50,000 people in cooperation with telecommunication companies, who were at or near the protest sites from noon to 5 p.m. on Aug. 15 for longer than 30 minutes. It has sent out text messages to all the people on the list, asking them to get tested.
Despite government warnings, approximately 20,000 conservative protestors took to the streets in downtown Seoul, denouncing the liberal Moon Jae-in government.
The health authorities have so far identified 104 coronavirus cases linked to the event, and warned that the number will continue to grow as more test results come in.
The city implored its citizens to cooperate with the quarantine efforts and to receive testing regardless of symptoms.
"Even if you did not participate in the protest, there is a possibility of infection. We seek active cooperation from citizens," said Park Yoo-mi, a health official from the city, adding that the text messages will be sent out until Sunday.
The city also got hold of the list of congregation of the Sarang Jeil Church at the center of the recent spike in coronavirus outbreaks. So far 796 cases have been confirmed to be tied to the church.
Police and health officials on Friday night raided the church following a failed attempt to secure a full list of its members. Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon of the church took part in the rally, leading church members and his political followers from around the country.
It is not known exactly how many of the church congregants participated in the event. Jun and several of his aides tested positive after the rally.
The city has banned gatherings with more than 10 people until Aug. 30 to stem the spread of the virus. With the measure, 1,654 gatherings were canceled, while 52 will proceed as scheduled, the city said.
Police officers wearing protective gear head toward Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2020, for a search and seizure operation. (Yonhap)
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(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) S. Korea at critical moment before raising social distancing to highest level

The move came as the country reported 332 new COVID-19 cases , the most since March 8 when 367 new @ @ @ @ @ to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .
All of @ @ @ @ @ cities and provinces simultaneously reported infections for the first time since the country reported its @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 10-13, 21-23, photos)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea faces a critical moment before further heightening its social distancing guidelines to the highest level if a decision to expand the current measures nationwide starting Sunday fails to put a break on a continued surge in new virus cases.
On Saturday, the government announced it would be expanding the Level Two social distancing guidelines, currently only applicable in the greater Seoul area, Busan and parts of North Jeolla Province, across the country starting Sunday.
The move came as the country reported 332 new COVID-19 cases, the most since March 8 when 367 new cases were identified, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). All of the country's 17 major cities and provinces simultaneously reported infections for the first time since the country reported its first case in January.
A health worker fastens her equipment at a screening center in the northern Seoul ward of Seongbuk on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
A beach in the southeastern port city of Busan is mostly empty on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Under the latest measure, the second-highest in a three-tier social distancing system, high-risk facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, are restricted from running. Face-to-face Sunday church services are also banned. Indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor events involving 100 or more people are strictly prohibited.
Sports games are held in empty stadiums, and schools are advised to cap attendance at one-third of the total in kindergartens, elementary and middle schools and two-thirds in high schools. Schools in areas that reported cluster infections will switch to remote learning starting Wednesday.
Separately, all beaches around the country will be closed from midnight.
In Seoul, which has already entered Level Two, street rallies of 10 or more people are banned, which is equivalent to a Level Three measure.
People in Wonju, Gangwon Province, wait to be screened at the city's community center on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the Buk Ward office in the southwestern city of Gwangju, shows health workers resting at a screening center on Aug. 20, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Authorities warned that the country may face a more severe situation if the outbreak shows no sign of letting up despite the latest measure.
"If we fail to block the current spread, what waits ahead of us is only a bigger crisis," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said on Saturday, saying the risk of a bigger crisis as seen in the southeastern areas of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province is "higher than ever."
The country suffered its first mass outbreak in February and March as more than 5,000 cases were identified in the southeastern region in relation to the fringe religious sect of Shincheonji.
While the number of infections coming from a single source is smaller than the Shincheonji case, a recent church-related cluster infection has put authorities on alert, with most of the patients being elderly people who are more vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
Of the patients identified in the past two weeks, 773, or 32 percent, of them were aged 65 or older.
Infections coming from unidentified sources have reached 20.2 percent, the highest since health authorities began to tally data in April, raising alert over the virus silently spreading in daily life.
A baseball game between the NC Dinos and Kia Tigers takes place without fans at a stadium in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Aug. 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Friday, KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said the country may have to raise the current Level Two to the highest Level Three if the spread continues.
"The current priority is to strictly manage (situations) so that the Level Two is properly implemented," Jeong said, "If that is not kept and if the spread continues, we are at a situation that requires a review of Level Three."
Jeong stressed that the weekend will likely be the "crucial moment" in tackling the current situation, adding that "all situations, locations and areas" present infection risks as community infections are rampant. She urged people to refrain from nonessential visits over the weekend.
Level Three, the highest in a three-tier system, is issued when the number of daily virus cases reaches a two-week average of 100-200 and the doubling of new COVID-19 cases occurs more than twice a week.
Under Level Three, gatherings or 10 or more people are banned, in comparison with Level Two, which bans indoor gatherings of 50 or more people and outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people.
Only essential public and corporate activities are allowed, and companies are advised to mandate remote working. Schools have to suspend all on-site classes, and sports games are banned.
Mid-risk facilities, such as cafes, public baths and wedding halls, also have to close, in comparison with Level Two, which only suspends high-risk facilities, such as nightlife facilities and internet cafes.
The government said it would prudently consider shifting to a Level Three measure, which could prompt massive changes in everyday life.
"If we get to the point of raising the social distancing guidelines to Level Three due to continued spread, a substantial shock will hit the livelihood and daily life of citizens," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a government response meeting early on Saturday.
"If the citizens and the government team up, we can overcome the current crisis."
A bird's eye view of an empty field at an elementary school in Wonju, Gangwon Province, that has been temporarily closed after a teacher tested positive for the new coronavirus on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
A health worker checks a police officer for the new coronavirus at a temporary screening center set up at police facilities on Aug. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Gov't urges trainee doctors to end walkouts, warns of strong action

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more info throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea repeated its call for trainee doctors to stop walkouts and return to their duties on Saturday as they have entered an indefinite strike in protest of the government's medical workforce reform plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The health ministry said it will soon issue a return-to-work order to protesting trainee doctors working at hospitals in the greater Seoul region in a move that could involve stringent punishments, including license revocation, for violators.
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo issued a public message calling for trainee doctors to return to their work of treating patients as the country faces a flare-up in virus cases.
"It is time for the medical sector and the government to closely cooperate to stem another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," Park said.
"We are calling on doctors to return to their work of treating patients," the minister said.
Trainee doctors holding signs denouncing the government's medical reform plan take part in a strike at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
Thousands of trainee doctors, including interns and resident doctors, kicked off unlimited walkouts on Friday on a staggered basis in a bid to protest the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools. A group of doctors also plans to stage a three-day strike starting Wednesday.
Trainee doctors held a one-day strike on Aug. 7 and also participated in doctors' similar walkout a week later.
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
But their collective actions have spawned concerns about potential disruption in the health care system as the country has reported spiking virus cases in Seoul and surrounding area.
A doctor walks through a hallway at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital on Aug. 21, 2020, as trainee doctors started a walkout to protest the government's medical sector reform measures. (Yonhap)
Park said the government is willing to temporarily suspend its push for the medical workforce reform until after the country contains a surge in virus cases in the wider Seoul area.
By end-August, the health ministry is supposed to notify the education ministry of by how many it seeks to increase the number of medical students.
"We plan to suspend the move until the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control," the ministry said.
South Korea's new daily virus cases topped 300 for the second straight day on Saturday, with more than 2,200 new infections reported in past nine days.
The government warned it is ready to take stern actions if the strike poses a threat to the people's safety and lives.
"If health workers do not return to their duties, the government will take necessary measures," Park said.
The central and provincial governments can issue an order to resume operations when medical workers suspend treatment without due cause or when doctors' collective walkouts disrupt or could hamper the health care system.
A violator of the order could face a prison term of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won (US$25,220). A medical license could be revoked if a breach of the medical law leads to punishments that are heavier than imprisonment without forced labor.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents 130,000 doctors, said it will press ahead with the planned strike while slamming the government's move to suspend the reform plan as "political rhetoric that cannot be trusted."
The medical sector has urged the government to recant its medical workforce reform drive as the condition for ending its collective action.
"As long as the government's stance is not changed, doctors will push ahead with the walkout as scheduled," the KMA said.
A group of trainee doctors also called on the government to stop handling the contentious issue in a unilateral manner and instead launch discussions over it.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo issues a public message at the government complex building in Seoul on Aug. 22, 2020, to call on trainee doctors to call off their strike and return to their duties. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Heavy rain advisory expanded to entire Seoul

An advisory is issued when precipitation is expected to reach more than 60 millimeters for three hours or 110 mm @ @ @ @ @ that make it hard to stay dry even under an umbrella .

(ATTN: CHANGES lead; UPDATES with latest info in first 3 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- A heavy rain advisory was expanded to other parts of the capital of Seoul on Saturday afternoon, after it was issued in the northeastern parts earlier in the day.
At 2:30 p.m. the Korea Meteorological Administration included the city's southern parts in the advisory list as well. Affected areas included the wards of Songpa, Gangnam, Seocho, Gangdong, Gangseo, Gwanak, Guro, Dongjak, Yeongdeungpo and Geumcheon.
Thirty minutes later, the central and northwestern wards of Eunpyeong, Mapo, Seodaemun, Yongsan, Jongno and Jung were included.
The advisory has been in effect for the northeastern wards of Nowon, Seongbuk, Jungnang, Gwangjin, Dongdaemun, Dobong, Gangbuk and Seongdong since right after noon.
An advisory is issued when precipitation is expected to reach more than 60 millimeters for three hours or 110 mm for 12 hours, amounts that make it hard to stay dry even under an umbrella.
The weather agency issued a special safety warning for people who are near rivers and streams.
The country experienced the longest rainy season on record this summer, with torrential rains and flash floods killing dozens of people and wrecking havoc on buildings, farmlands and infrastructure nationwide.
The undated file photo shows pedestrians walking under umbrellas. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Nurse at one of Korea's largest hospitals tests positive for virus

(ATTN: UPDATES with another nurse infection in Changwon in last four paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Seoul's Asan Medical Center, one of the largest hospitals in South Korea, was partially shut down on Saturday after one of its nurses tested positive for the new coronavirus, hospital officials said.
The nurse working in the southeastern Seoul hospital's otolaryngology ward was diagnosed with COVID-19 at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, they said.
This undated file photo shows the Asan Medical Center in southeastern Seoul. (Yonhap)
The hospital has closed parts of the 10th floor of its New Building, where the infected nurse was on duty, and asked all hospital staff as well as patients and their family members who came into contact with the nurse to take a coronavirus test.
The hospital speculates that the nurse, a resident of the southeastern ward of Gangdong, may have contracted the virus from her husband, who had previously come into contact with his mother already diagnosed with COVID-19.
This file photo shows the Masan Medical Center. (Yonhap)
A similar nurse infection and partial hospital shutdown has occurred in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The Masan Medical Center, a public institution designated as a coronavirus specialized hospital for South Gyeongsang Province to which Changwon belongs, said one of its nurses has tested positive for COVID-19.
The nurse had complained of a headache, beginning Thursday, before taking the coronavirus test, the hospital said, noting that 18 people, including three doctors, four nurses and seven family members, have been found to have come into contact with the infected nurse and been asked to take a virus test.
The hospital closed its emergency room and disinfected its entire building.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(3rd LD) S. Korea braces for nationwide epidemic, expands stricter social distancing rules

Cases tied to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul , a new hotbed of the latest flare-up in virus @ @ @ @ @ as of noon Saturday .
It is the largest cluster infection since more than 5,000 @ @ @ @ @ minor religious sect of Shincheonji were reported in Daegu in late February and early March @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; UPDATES with latest figures throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- As South Korea's daily new virus cases surpassed 300 again Saturday, with infections reported in all major cities and provinces, the government decided to expand strict social distancing guidelines to the rest of the country starting Sunday.
The move came amid concerns that the country is entering a new phase in the pandemic, with infections rapidly spreading throughout the country and unknown transmissions surpassing 20 percent, the highest since the outbreak of COVID-19 here.
The shopping district of Myeongdong in Seoul is quiet on Aug. 22, 2020 (Yonhap)
The country reported 332 more COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including 315 local infections, raising the total caseload to 17,002, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The figure marked the largest since March 8 when the country reported 367 new cases.
Also, all of the country's 17 major cities and provinces reported COVID-19 cases for the first time since the first case was confirmed on January 20.
Amid grim prospects of a nationwide epidemic, the government decided Saturday to impose a stricter social distancing scheme outside the greater Seoul area, starting Sunday.
Officials leave Seoul City Hall on Aug. 19, 2020, as it was shuttered after a city official was confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Announcing the measure, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the country stands at "a critical juncture of a national epidemic of COVID-19."
Earlier this week, the government raised its social distancing guideline for Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon by a notch to Level Two of the three-tier system, following a surge in cluster infections at churches.
Under the enhanced guidelines, high-risk facilities, including karaoke rooms, clubs, PC cafes and buffets, have been ordered to shut down. Sunday church services are also banned. Indoor gatherings of more than 50 people and outdoor events with more than 100 people are strictly prohibited.
Schools in the areas that reported clusters of infections should switch to all online instruction, starting Wednesday.
School attendance caps are limited nationwide to one-third of capacity in kindergartens, elementary and middle schools and to two-thirds in high schools.
From midnight, all beaches around the country will be closed.
This photo shows a quiet Haeundae Beach in Busan, the southern port city, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
The number of daily infections has been in the triple digits since last Friday when 103 additional cases were reported. Over the past nine days, 2,232 cases have been identified.
A resurgence in new coronavirus cases, mostly traced to churches, has been reported in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province, home to half of the country's 51 million people.
Seoul reported 127 new local infections, followed by 91 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 21 in Incheon. The tally took up some 72 percent of the total of 315 local infections.
Citizens wearing protective masks walk on a street in central Seoul on Aug. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities said a surge in cases traced to a church in northern Seoul and infections tied to a massive weekend rally in central Seoul appear to have served as a catalyst in spurring virus spread nationwide.
Cases tied to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a new hotbed of the latest flare-up in virus cases, came to 796 as of noon Saturday. It is the largest cluster infection since more than 5,000 virus cases traced to the minor religious sect of Shincheonji were reported in Daegu in late February and early March.
Health authorities also urged participants in the anti-government rally held last weekend to immediately take virus tests regardless of whether they are showing symptoms. Many of the Sarang Jeil Church members took part in the rally. Infection cases linked to the rally rose to 104.
The KCDC remained on high alert over a potential explosive outbreak tied to the march as it is hard to trace the whereabouts of thousands of protesters who came to Seoul from other cities.
Church-linked cluster infections continued to grow, with 176 at Woori Jeil Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and 28 at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul.
Other pockets of infection cases also kept growing, including 26 infections tied to a Seoul-based theater company and another 17 linked to a group of friends who went to Sokcho in Gangwon Province for summer vacation.
This undated file photo shows South Koreans wearing face masks. (Yonhap)
Police officers head toward Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2020, for a search and seizure operation. A court issued a warrant after health authorities failed to secure the full list of the members of the church at the center of recent spikes in coronavirus infections in the country. (Yonhap)
The government said it is not yet the time to consider raising the level of social distancing to Level 3.
The highest anti-virus curbs can be issued when the number of daily virus cases reaches a two-week average of 100-200 and the doubling of new COVID-19 cases occurs more than twice a week.
If the level is raised, its impact on the economy and people's daily lives could be severe. Gatherings of 10 or more people would be banned, and offline school classes would be suspended.
South Korea reported 17 imported cases, including 4 each from the Philippines and India, 3 from the United States, 2 from Japan, and 1 each from Qatar, Egypt, Senegal and Ethiopia. Cases coming in from overseas rebounded back to double-digit numbers from mid-June for about a month, but such infections recently slowed.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total tally at 309.
The fatality rate was 1.82 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 14,169, up 49 from the previous day.
The country has carried out more than 1.77 million coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--(LEAD) Top S. Korean, Chinese officials have 'good' and 'enough' discussions, no announcement on Xi'

(LEAD) Top S. Korean, Chinese officials have 'good' and 'enough' discussions, no announcement on Xi's visit

Following four hours of talks with Yang , a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China @ @ @ @ @ Committee , at a seaside hotel in the southern port city , Suh told reporters @ @ @ @ @ ( we ) had a very good conversation , ( spending ) a lot of @ @ @ @ @ broadly and enough . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with post-talks comments; ADDS photos)
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in's national security adviser Suh Hoon said Saturday he had "very good" and "enough" dialogue with Yang Jiechi, a top Chinese official, during their meeting in Busan.
Following four hours of talks with Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, at a seaside hotel in the southern port city, Suh told reporters that, "I think (we) had a very good conversation, (spending) a lot of time talking about all topics broadly and enough."
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, head to a luncheon venue after talks at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Yang also said via translator that he had adequate and very good discussions with Suh, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office.
Yang, who also serves as director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC's Central Committee, avoided a direct answer to a question about whether a schedule for President Xi Jinping's trip to South Korea has been fixed.
He reiterated that he had a "quite good dialogue" with his new South Korean counterpart. It was their first meeting since Suh assumed the post in early July.
Xi agreed to make a trip to South Korea in the first half of 2020, but it has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the Suh-Yang talks, Cheong Wa Dae said they would discuss Xi's visit plan and coronavirus response cooperation as well as the Korean Peninsula issue and international security affairs.
South Korea expects China's constructive role in efforts to revitalize the Korea peace process.
Beijing apparently wants South Korea to better understand its position on rifts with Washington and the controversial Hong Kong national security law.
Yang was scheduled to leave Busan after having lunch with Suh. He arrived in the city, 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday afternoon, his first visit to South Korea in more than two years.
Suh Hoon (L), director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, holds talks with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee, flanked by their aides, at the Westin Chosun Busan hotel in the southern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--BTS' new single 'Dynamite' sweeps iTunes charts in 104 nations

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy band BTS has topped more than 100 regional iTunes charts with its latest single, "Dynamite," according to its agency Big Hit Entertainment on Saturday.
The single released at 1 p.m. Friday, Seoul time, debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 104 countries and regions. The song also topped local music streaming charts as soon as it was published.
The bright, upbeat disco-pop track, sung entirely in English, is the group's latest release following the album "Map of the Soul: 7 — The Journey" released in Japan in July.
“Dynamite” MV hits 100 mln views in 24 hours, yet BTS is nervous to perform at VMAs Youtube https://youtu.be/OBSqeh561jY
In a press conference held online Friday, the group said the song was a "refresh project" for themselves and was meant to sent out cheerful, bright messages for people across the globe who are going through a hard time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the song's release, the septet had an interview with MTV's music program, Fresh Out Live, and is scheduled to appear on NBC's TODAY show on Aug. 24, local time.
It is also scheduled to perform the new single at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 30 in its first-ever appearance on the awards show.
"ON," the lead song on the band's album "Map of the Soul: 7," has been nominated in three categories for the award show -- Best Pop, Best Choreography and Best K-pop.
In this photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment, members of K-pop sensation BTS pose for photos during an online press conference for the new single "Dynamite" held in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-22--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2015 -- South and North Korea open rare high-level talks at the border village of Panmunjom that separates the two @ @ @ @ @ lasted for three days produced an agreement on defusing tensions heightened over a land mine @ @ @ @ @ in early August .
The incident maimed two South Korean soldiers near the border .

Aug. 23
1911 -- The Japanese colonial government, which ruled the Korean Peninsula from 1910 until 1945, announces a new public education system in Korea that prohibits the use of Korean language at schools.
1971 -- A group of 24 South Korean commandos, who trained on an island off the country's west coast called Silmido to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, blows itself up while trying to enter Seoul on a stolen bus.
1974 -- President Park Chung-hee cancels two emergency acts prohibiting any attempts, requests or discussions to amend the Yushin Constitution, which gives him the right to appoint a large portion of the National Assembly. Park rose to power through a 1960 military coup.
1977 -- Bulgaria allows South Korean diplomats to enter its country, becoming the first Eastern European nation to do so.
1996 -- South Korea signs a visa waiver program with El Salvador.
1999 -- South Korea and China hold their first military talks since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War in Beijing. The two normalized diplomatic ties in 1992.
2001 -- President Kim Dae-jung holds a summit with the visiting Vietnamese head of state Tran Duc Luong.
2005 -- South Korean pop star Cho Yong-pil gives a concert in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to mark the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule.
2009 -- The state funeral of the late President Kim Dae-jung takes place in Seoul, attended by tens of thousands of people, including incumbent President Lee Myung-bak. North Korea sent a group of delegates to the funeral. Kim died of pneumonia.
2015 -- South and North Korea open rare high-level talks at the border village of Panmunjom that separates the two Koreas. The talks that lasted for three days produced an agreement on defusing tensions heightened over a land mine blast blamed on the North in early August. The incident maimed two South Korean soldiers near the border.
2016 -- A 59-year-old man from the southern city of Gwangju is diagnosed with cholera. It was the first confirmed case of the water-borne disease infection in 15 years in South Korea.
2019 -- South Korea's foreign ministry calls in Japan's top envoy in Seoul to officially notify Tokyo of its intent to end a bilateral military intelligence-sharing pact. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young gave Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine a note verbale, a diplomatic document, to formally express Seoul's intent to terminate the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--(LEAD) Trainee doctors at all levels on strike despite gov't plea during pandemic

The Korean Intern and Resident Association said Sunday that the first- and second-year residents became the last group of trainee @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the day .
Since Friday , interns and third- and fourth-year residents walked @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 8-10)
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors across all levels have begun an indefinite strike, protesting the government's medical workforce reform plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Korean Intern and Resident Association said Sunday that the first- and second-year residents became the last group of trainee doctors to join the protest earlier in the day. Since Friday, interns and third- and fourth-year residents walked out of hospitals.
They are opposed to the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul take off their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
The government has pleaded with the young doctors to return to work, out of concerns that their collective actions could compromise the health care system amid a spike in coronavirus cases nationwide.
With trainee doctors staging a walkout, Severance Hospital, a major general hospital in central Seoul, has told its remaining doctors that its emergency room will not be able to handle critical patients for the time being.
An official with Severance said its trainee doctors in the internal medicine department have all gone on strike, including those who would normally be on duty in the emergency room and intensive care unit.
Other general hospitals have also scaled back their outpatient services and adjusted operation schedules in response to their workforce crunch.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 397 cases, the highest total in more than five months. Over the past 10 days, 2,269 cases have been identified.
The health ministry has offered to shelve the reform plan until the COVID-19 situation stabilizes. But the trainee doctors' association shot back that the ministry couldn't be trusted, accusing it of a history of deception and about-faces.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul stack up their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--(LEAD) Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin settles for no-decision in sharp outing vs. Rays

Ryu cruised through four innings , before giving up his lone run in the protracted fifth inning .
He needed @ @ @ @ @ of that inning , though he only faced five batters , as the pesky Rays @ @ @ @ @ and worked Ryu deep into counts .

(ATTN: UPDATES with final score in 4th para)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin walked away with a no-decision despite looking sharp for five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Ryu allowed just a run on three hits in five innings against the Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday (local time). The bullpen took over to start the sixth inning, with the score tied at 1-1.
Ryu struck out six and didn't walk anybody for the second straight outing.
The Rays walked off the Blue Jays 2-1 in the bottom of the 10th, thanks to Kevin Kiermaier's pinch-hit single. It snapped the Blue Jays' winning streak at six games.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu remained at 2-1 for the season, though his ERA came down from 3.46 to 3.19. In August, Ryu has been 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA, with only three earned runs allowed in 25 innings.
Ryu cruised through four innings, before giving up his lone run in the protracted fifth inning. He needed 30 pitches to get out of that inning, though he only faced five batters, as the pesky Rays hitters fouled off multiple pitches and worked Ryu deep into counts.
Ryu had a three-up, three-down first inning and pitched around a leadoff single by Jose Martinez in the second.
The left-hander had another clean inning in the third, and then struck out two batters in the perfect fourth inning, using only 14 pitches.
The Blue Jays, held without a hit through four innings, spotted Ryu a 1-0 lead in the top fifth, as Cavan Biggio drew a bases-loaded walk.
But Ryu gave it away immediately in the bottom half of that inning. Willy Adames led off with a single, and reached third on a follow-up single by Joey Wendle, who poked one through the hole on the right after a nine-pitch battle.
Adames then scored the tying run on a soft grounder to second by Manuel Margot.
Ryu struck out the next two batters, but his night was done.
The Blue Jays needed Ryu to go deeper into this game, with their bullpen already taxed from recent games. He threw 94 pitches, the second-highest total of the season, but that could only get him through five frames.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays (L) bumps fists with his catcher Reese McGuire before a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun in line for 1st MLB victory with 6 shutout innings

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the third , with Tommy Edman 's two-run single , which followed consecutive bloop @ @ @ @ @ second and third .
Harrison Bader made it 3-0 for St. Louis with a solo @ @ @ @ @ , and Kim made the lead stand through six innings .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun has put himself in line for his first career big league victory.
Kim tossed six shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Saturday (local time), and he handed the reins over to the bullpen to begin the seventh with the Cardinals up 3-0.
Kim gave up just three hits and struck out three without walking any batters. He lowered his ERA from 3.86 to 1.69 in the process.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
This was Kim's second career start, following a relief appearance and a start on Monday. In that previous outing against the Chicago Cubs, Kim was pulled after throwing 57 pitches in 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball.
The Cardinals missed a big chunk of time earlier in August with a COVID-19 outbreak on the team, and all starters were kept on a pitch counts in the early going.
Kim was kept on a longer leash this time and managed his pitch count well enough to go six innings and qualify for a win.
The left-hander had a breezy, three-up, three-down first inning and another clean frame in the second inning, which included his first strikeout.
He retired the first two batters of the third before giving up his first hit of the game to No. 9 hitter Kyle Farmer. Kim quickly settled down and struck out former MVP Joey Votto on a 3-2 slider.
Kim retired the side in order in the fourth, and pitched around a one-out double by Jesse Winker in the fifth.
In this Getty Images photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
His pitch count was up to 74 after five, and despite some action in the Cardinals' bullpen, Kim went back out for the sixth inning.
Farmer reached with an infield single, but Kim retired the next three batters and needed just nine pitches for that inning.
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the third, with Tommy Edman's two-run single, which followed consecutive bloop hits that had runners at second and third. Harrison Bader made it 3-0 for St. Louis with a solo home run in the fifth, and Kim made the lead stand through six innings.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--BTS' 'Dynamite' tops Global Top 50 on Spotify

In a press conference held online Friday , the group said `` Dynamite '' was a `` refresh project '' @ @ @ @ @ to send out cheerful , bright messages for people across the globe who are going @ @ @ @ @ to the COVID-19 pandemic .

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- The hit song "Dynamite" by K-pop superstars BTS has topped Spotify's main chart, making the band the first K-pop act to achieve the feat, the group's agency said Sunday.
The K-pop septet's EP garnered 7,778,950 streaming hits on Friday (Korea time) on the Global Top 50 chart compiled by music streaming service provider Spotify.
"Dynamite" garners 7.77 mln hits on Spotify, MV officially breaks YouTube record, Remix version out Youtube https://youtu.be/54cJuSDWwVQ
It marks the highest streaming record by a K-pop song on Spotify on the day of release this year, Big Hit Entertainment said.
The song beat the previous record by "How You Like That," a hit by K-pop girl group BLACKPINK that won the No. 2 spot in June.
BTS members pose in a teaser image for the group's latest EP "Dynamite," in this photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Aug. 23, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In addition to the Spotify chart, "Dynamite" rose to the No. 1 spot on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 104 countries and regions as soon as it was released.
The upbeat disco-pop song is BTS' latest release after the album "Map of the Soul: 7 — The Journey" was rolled out in Japan in July.
In a press conference held online Friday, the group said "Dynamite" was a "refresh project" for themselves and was meant to send out cheerful, bright messages for people across the globe who are going through a hard time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--Trainee doctors at all levels on strike despite gov't plea during pandemic

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors across all levels have begun an indefinite strike, protesting the government's medical workforce reform plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Korean Intern and Resident Association said Sunday that the first- and second-year residents became the last group of trainee doctors to join the protest earlier in the day. Since Friday, interns and third- and fourth-year residents walked out of hospitals.
They are opposed to the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul take off their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
The government has pleaded with the young doctors to return to work, out of concerns that their collective actions could compromise the health care system amid a spike in coronavirus cases nationwide.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 397 cases, the highest total in more than five months. Over the past 10 days, 2,269 cases have been identified.
The health ministry has offered to shelve the reform plan until the COVID-19 situation stabilizes. But the trainee doctors' association shot back that the ministry couldn't be trusted, accusing it of a history of deception and about-faces.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul stack up their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--(LEAD) New coronavirus cases near 400, alarm all across S. Korea

The KCDC remained on high alert over a potential explosive outbreak tied to the rally as it is hard to @ @ @ @ @ of protesters who came to Seoul from other cities .
A total of 104 cases @ @ @ @ @ to the march .

(ATTN: ADDS photo and more info from 8th para)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new virus cases spiked to 397 on Sunday, and infections were reported in all major cities and provinces across the country, health authorities said.
Of the total COVID-19 cases, 387 were local infections, 297 of them in Seoul and the surrounding areas, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The country's total caseload has risen to 17,399.
Officials of the Bupyeong Ward of Incheon, west of Seoul, administer coronavirus tests on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Sunday's new cases are the most since March 7, when the country reported 483 new cases, the KCDC said.
The number of daily infections has been in the triple digits since Aug. 14, when 103 additional cases were reported. Over the past 10 days, a total of 2,629 cases has been identified.
A resurgence in new coronavirus cases, mostly traced to churches, has been reported in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province, home to half of the country's 51 million people.
Of the newly identified local infections, 138 cases were reported in the capital city of Seoul, 124 from Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital city and 32 from the western port city of Incheon, the KCDC said.
Health authorities warned that the wider capital region should brace for another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the country stands on the cusp of a nationwide outbreak.
A notice on the door of McDonald's Seoul Station branch in Seoul shows that the shop is closed after a worker there tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
In a sign that the virus is spreading across the nation, more virus cases have been newly added outside the greater Seoul, with 100 new cases. It marks the first time in recent weeks that the number reached triple digits.
The southern city of Gwangju and the central city of Daejeon each reported 15 new cases, the KCDC said.
Amid grim prospects of a nationwide epidemic, the government decided on Saturday to impose a stricter social distancing scheme outside the greater Seoul area, starting earlier in the day.
Health authorities said a surge in cases traced to a church in northern Seoul and infections tied to a massive weekend rally in central Seoul appear to have served as a catalyst in spurring virus spread nationwide.
Health authorities also urged participants in the anti-government rally held last weekend to immediately take virus tests regardless of whether they are showing symptoms. A large number of Sarang Jeil Church members took part in the rally.
As of Saturday at noon, a total of 796 COVID-19 patients has been traced to the church, the KCDC said.
The KCDC remained on high alert over a potential explosive outbreak tied to the rally as it is hard to trace the whereabouts of thousands of protesters who came to Seoul from other cities. A total of 104 cases have so far been tied to the march.
The government earlier said it is not yet time to consider raising the level of social distancing to Level 3.
The highest anti-virus curbs can be issued when the number of daily virus cases reaches a two-week average of 100-200 and the doubling of new COVID-19 cases occurs more than twice a week.
If the level is raised, its impact on the economy and people's daily lives could be severe. Gatherings of 10 or more people would be banned, and offline school classes would be suspended.
South Korea reported 10 new imported cases on Sunday. Cases coming in from overseas rebounded back to double-digit numbers from mid-June for about a month, but such infections recently slowed.
South Korea reported no new deaths, with the tally remaining at 309, the KCDC said. The fatality rate was 1.78 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 14,200, up 31 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,791,186 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--2 coronavirus cases reported at foreign ministry building

It was the first time that virus cases were reported at the foreign ministry building , though one case occurred @ @ @ @ @ building next to it last month .

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Two cases of the new coronavirus have been reported at the foreign ministry building in central Seoul, officials said Sunday.
A ministry employee and a janitor have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said.
It was the first time that virus cases were reported at the foreign ministry building, though one case occurred at the main government complex building next to it last month.
Both of the new infections are believed to have been transmitted from the patients' spouses, officials said.
The wife of the ministry employee tested positive Saturday and the janitor's husband was confirmed to have the virus on Friday, officials said.
Those who came into contact with the two have been placed under self-quarantine, with the building's sixth, 11th and 15th floors shut down.
On Sunday, disinfection work will be carried out throughout the whole ministry building and the main government complex as well, officials said.
The foreign ministry building in a file photo (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--New coronavirus cases near 400, alarm all across S. Korea

The number of daily infections has been in the triple digits since Aug. 14 , when 103 additional cases were @ @ @ @ @ 10 days , a total of 2,629 cases has been identified .

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new virus cases spiked to near 400 on Sunday, and infections were reported in all major cities and provinces across the country, health authorities said.
The country added 397 more COVID-19 cases, including 387 local infections, raising the total caseload to 17,399, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Officials of the Bupyeong Ward of Incheon, west of Seoul, administer coronavirus tests on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Sunday's new cases are the most since March 7, when the country reported 483 new cases, the KCDC said.
The number of daily infections has been in the triple digits since Aug. 14, when 103 additional cases were reported. Over the past 10 days, a total of 2,629 cases has been identified.
A resurgence in new coronavirus cases, mostly traced to churches, has been reported in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province, home to half of the country's 51 million people.
Of the newly identified local infections, 138 cases were reported in the capital city of Seoul, 124 from Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital city and 32 from the western port city of Incheon, the KCDC said.
Health authorities warned that the wider capital region should brace for another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the country stands on the cusp of a nationwide outbreak.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--(URGENT) 31 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 14,200: KCDC

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


yna--2020-08-23--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus death, total at 309: KCDC


yna--2020-08-23--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 397 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 17,399


yna--2020-08-23--Stock volatility may return as virus infections jump: analysts

SEOUL , Aug. 23 ( Yonhap ) -- Stock market volatility is likely to return this week as the nation @ @ @ @ @ rapid spread of the new coronavirus in the greater capital area , analysts said Sunday @

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Stock market volatility is likely to return this week as the nation has struggled to contain a rapid spread of the new coronavirus in the greater capital area, analysts said Sunday.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,304.59 points on Friday, down 4.27 percent from 2,407.49 a week ago.
The index remained choppy last week, as daily new cases of COVID-19 infections flared up.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,304.59 on Aug. 21, 2020, up 30.37 points, or 1.34 percent, from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Analysts said the virus scare is likely to trigger a downward adjustment this week.
"Investor sentiment has weakened considerably since the government raised the social distancing level to Phase 2," said Moon Nam-joong, a global strategist at Daishin Securities Co. "Despite the favorable environment in financial markets, the local stock market is under strong downward pressure."
Analysts expected that the fifth U.S. stimulus package, a potential booster for stock prices, would need more time before lawmakers reach an agreement.
"The local stock market is prone to (downward) adjustment, unless the U.S. Fed signals additional stimulus measures, or the U.S. show progress in the stimulus talks," NH Investment & Securities analyst Noh Dong-kil said.
The political frictions between the United States and China, South Korea's two largest trade partners, also remain a risk, he said.
The Bank of Korea's monetary policy meeting is set for Thursday. The central bank is widely expected to keep the policy interest rate at the current 0.50 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--LG releases new midrange 5G smartphone in S. Korea

The Q92 is likely to compete with the Galaxy A51 5G from Samsung Electronics Co. in the domestic budget 5G @ @ @ @ @ A51 5G , which was launched in May , has been sold at 572,000 won @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. on Sunday introduced a new midrange 5G smartphone as the South Korean tech firm seeks to overcome a long slump in its mobile business with price-competitive devices.
LG said the Q92 will go on sale in South Korea on Wednesday with a price tag of 499,400 won (US$420). The handset is the first 5G-supporting model in LG's Q series.
The Q92 comes with a quad rear camera setup. It houses a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 5-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro lens. On the front, it sports a 32-megapixel selfie camera.
The latest smartphone, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, features a 6.67-inch punch-hole display.
The Q92 offers 6 gigabytes of RAM and a 128-gigabyte base storage option that can be extended to up to 2 terabytes via a micro SD card. It packs a 4,000-mAh battery.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. on Aug. 23, 2020, shows models introducing the company's Q92 5G smartphone. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
LG hopes the Q92 can boost its presence in the fast-growing 5G market here. South Korea had 7.3 million 5G accounts in June, accounting for just over 10 percent of the 69.6 million mobile accounts in total, according to science ministry data.
The Q92 is likely to compete with the Galaxy A51 5G from Samsung Electronics Co. in the domestic budget 5G smartphone market. The Galaxy A51 5G, which was launched in May, has been sold at 572,000 won here.
China's Xiaomi Corp. also released the Mi 10 Lite 5G smartphone last month with a price tag of 451,000 won.
LG has been trying to turn around its struggling mobile business with new smartphones, including the Velvet, recently.
LG's Mobile Communications division posted an operating loss of 206.5 billion in the second quarter of the year, extending its losses to 21 consecutive quarters. Its revenue also declined 18.9 percent on-year to 1.31 trillion won in the April-June period.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--N.K. opens anti-smoking website, though Kim has yet to kick the habit

On his long train trip to Vietnam for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump , Kim was seen @ @ @ @ @ a smoking break .
Photos showed him smoking at a railway platform with his sister @ @ @ @ @ next to him .

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has opened an anti-smoking website on its domestic-only internet network, a state propaganda outlet reported Sunday, even though leader Kim Jong-un has yet to kick the habit.
An anti-smoking research center opened the "Anti-smoking 1.0" site on the country's computer network system last month to provide the public with information about quitting smoking, according to Meari, one of the North's propaganda websites.
The website is not accessible from outside as the North's strictly controlled computer network, Kwangmyongsong, is disconnected from the global internet to prevent people from accessing outside information.
Meari said that providing science-based information is key to the anti-smoking campaign.
Chain-smoker Kim Jong-un encourages anti-smoking campaign Youtube https://youtu.be/3DrbHx_NCL0
The research center is also offering services checking the amount of nicotine in a smoker's body while producing teas and other beverages believed to be conducive to quit-smoking efforts, according to the website.
The North has been stepping up anti-smoking efforts in recent years, revising a law last year to restrict imports of foreign cigarette and prohibit electronic cigarettes and vapes. The country also expanded no-smoking zones in public places and buildings.
Despite the campaign, leader Kim has yet to quit smoking, with state media outlets often showing him talking to officials with a cigarette in his hand.
Kim has long been known as a heavy smoker.
On his long train trip to Vietnam for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kim was seen making a stop to have a smoking break. Photos showed him smoking at a railway platform with his sister Kim Yo-jong holding an ashtray next to him.
This image captured from North Korea's state TV on July 20, 2020, shows leader Kim Jong-un visiting a construction site while holding a cigarette in his hand. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin settles for no-decision in sharp outing vs. Rays

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin walked away with a no-decision despite looking sharp for five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Ryu allowed just a run on three hits in five innings against the Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday (local time). The bullpen took over to start the sixth inning, with the score tied at 1-1.
Ryu struck out six and didn't walk anybody for the second straight outing.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Ryu remained at 2-1 for the season, though his ERA came down from 3.46 to 3.19. In August, Ryu has been 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA, with only three earned runs allowed in 25 innings.
Ryu cruised through four innings, before giving up his lone run in the protracted fifth inning. He needed 30 pitches to get out of that inning, though he only faced five batters, as the pesky Rays hitters fouled off multiple pitches and worked Ryu deep into counts.
Ryu had a three-up, three-down first inning and pitched around a leadoff single by Jose Martinez in the second.
The left-hander had another clean inning in the third, and then struck out two batters in the perfect fourth inning, using only 14 pitches.
The Blue Jays, held without a hit through four innings, spotted Ryu a 1-0 lead in the top fifth, as Cavan Biggio drew a bases-loaded walk.
But Ryu gave it away immediately in the bottom half of that inning. Willy Adames led off with a single, and reached third on a follow-up single by Joey Wendle, who poked one through the hole on the right after a nine-pitch battle.
Adames then scored the tying run on a soft grounder to second by Manuel Margot.
Ryu struck out the next two batters, but his night was done.
The Blue Jays needed Ryu to go deeper into this game, with their bullpen already taxed from recent games. He threw 94 pitches, the second-highest total of the season, but that could only get him through five frames.
In this Getty Images photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays (L) bumps fists with his catcher Reese McGuire before a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Aug. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--Typhoon Bavi expected to pass through Seoul next week

Typhoon Bavi is on course to reach waters about 270 kilometers south of Seogwipo in Jeju Island by 4 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ continue its northward movement along the west coast , the Korea Meteorological Administration said .

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- A typhoon formed off the east coast of Taiwan is expected to pass through Seoul next week following a course change, the state weather agency said Sunday.
Typhoon Bavi is on course to reach waters about 270 kilometers south of Seogwipo in Jeju Island by 4 a.m. Wednesday, and then to continue its northward movement along the west coast, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
On Thursday, it will likely move over Seoul and the surrounding areas, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rains.
Earlier, the weather agency had said the typhoon would move off South Korea on the east coast, near Gangwon Province.
As of 3 a.m. Sunday, Typhoon Bavi remained modest in size, though it could become much stronger by the time it reaches South Korea.
The agency said the typhoon's course may change again and added that safety measures must be in place, especially on coastal areas.
This graphic provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration on Aug. 23, 2020, shows Typhoon Bavi's expected direction. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 23 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


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(END)


yna--2020-08-23--Five S. Korean sailors return home one month after release from captivity in Africa

They arrived at Incheon International Airport in the afternoon , where reporters and TV cameras were waiting to have their @ @ @ @ @ the airport after only saying `` Thank you . ''

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Five South Korean sailors, who were kidnapped by an unidentified armed group in waters off the western African country of Benin, returned home Sunday, a month after they were freed.
They arrived at Incheon International Airport in the afternoon, where reporters and TV cameras were waiting to have their comments. But they left the airport after only saying "Thank you."
They were abducted aboard a Ghana-flagged tuna-fishing vessel around 111 kilometers away from Cotonou Port of Benin on June 24.
They were released unharmed on July 24, along with a Ghanaian national who was kidnapped as well.
An image provided by Yonhap News TV (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-23--(3rd LD) Trainee doctors at all levels on strike during pandemic; medical association proposes talks

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES with political leader's meeting in paras 9-11, gov't message in last para)
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Trainee doctors across all levels have begun an indefinite strike amid the COVID-19 pandemic, protesting the government's medical workforce reform plan, while their interest group proposed a meeting with the prime minister and political leaders.
The Korean Intern and Resident Association said Sunday that the first- and second-year residents became the last group of trainee doctors to join the protest earlier in the day. Since Friday, interns and third- and fourth-year residents walked out of hospitals.
They are opposed to the government's plan to increase admission quotas at medical schools.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul take off their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
As part of the country's medical workforce reform plan, the health ministry is planning to expand admission quotas at medical schools by 4,000 over the next 10 years, starting in 2022, and to open a new public medical school as it seeks to broaden the reach of health care services.
This will increase the number of students admitted annually to medical schools to 3,458 in the 2022-2031 period from the current 3,058, according to the plan.
Doctors have opposed what they called the government's "hasty and unilateral" decision.
The government has pleaded with the young doctors to return to work, out of concerns that their collective actions could compromise the health care system amid a spike in coronavirus cases nationwide.
Later Sunday, though, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents 130,000 doctors, said it reached out to the Prime Minister's Office, the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) with a proposal for emergency talks.
The UFP's caretaker leader Kim Chong-in had a meeting with KMA head Choi Dae-zip, during which Kim was quoted as saying, "Both the government and the KMA should place the people ahead." Kim asked the KMA to reconsider the "ultimate means of the strike."
Choi said on his Facebook page that doctors would immediately return to work if the government withdraws its controversial medical policies.
"It's the very government that is using the people's health and lives as a subject of bargaining," he argued.
The KMA said earlier, with the virus wreaking havoc throughout the country, it is imperative for doctors and the political community to cooperate with one another.
"In light of a grave situation with COVID-19 spreading nationwide, we've proposed a meeting while leaving all possibilities open," KMA spokesman Kim Dae-ha said. "We hope we can come to a resolution through dialogue."
With trainee doctors staging a walkout, Severance Hospital, a major general hospital in central Seoul, has told its remaining doctors that its emergency room will not be able to handle critical patients for the time being.
An official with Severance said its trainee doctors in the internal medicine department have all gone on strike, including those who would normally be on duty in the emergency room and intensive care unit.
Other general hospitals have also scaled back their outpatient services and adjusted operation schedules in response to their workforce crunch.
On Sunday, South Korea reported 397 cases, the highest total in more than five months. Over the past 10 days, 2,269 cases have been identified.
The health ministry has offered to shelve the reform plan until the COVID-19 situation stabilizes. But the trainee doctors' association earlier shot back that the ministry couldn't be trusted, accusing it of a history of deception and about-faces.
"We once again request that (the striking doctors) return to medical service sites and discuss all (related) issues next time," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said at a press briefing, emphasizing that South Korea is in a "grave situation" in its fight against the coronavirus.
Trainee doctors at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul stack up their white gowns on Aug. 23, 2020, in a protest of the government's plan to increase medical school admission quotas. (Yonhap)
(END)