yna--2020-06-02--Online global summit of mayors to discuss anti-infection measures

SEOUL , June 2 ( Yonhap ) -- Mayors of major cities around the world on Tuesday were to agree @ @ @ @ @ to better fight infectious diseases like the new coronavirus that has infected more than 6 @ @ @

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Mayors of major cities around the world on Tuesday were to agree on building an intercity network to better fight infectious diseases like the new coronavirus that has infected more than 6 million globally.
The agreement is part of a virtual meeting involving 42 mayors of cities -- including Seoul, Jakarta, Moscow and London -- that is scheduled to go live on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/seoulcityofficial
) at 10 p.m., according to the Seoul metropolitan government.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon will propose building an intercity network "in order to brace for future disasters and infectious disease outbreaks with the joint efforts of our partner cities" in his keynote speech, the city government said.
"Cities will take the lead in overcoming the pandemic and shape the future of humanity," read the proposal for the network tentatively named "Cities Alliance Against Pandemic."
Foreigners living in South Korea discuss their thoughts on the new coroanvirus at City Hall in central Seoul on June 1, 2020, on the sidelines of a five-day summit on tackling the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The mayors are expected to discuss and brainstorm ways to fight the infectious virus and adopt a joint statement vowing to keep cities safe.
"We agree that solidarity and cooperation among municipal governments is the most effective way to respond to an infectious disease," read the document named the Seoul Declaration.
"Today, we, at the Mayoral Meeting of the Cities Against COVID-19 (CAC) Global Summit 2020, share countermeasures to infectious diseases and ultimately wish to build a healthy city through unwavering city-to-city cooperation."
Under the initiative, they plan to share information on infectious diseases and provide human and material resources following outbreaks.
The mayors also plan to reduce barriers to travel and commercial activities and cooperate on people-to-people exchanges to build a specialized anti-virus workforce.
The virtual mayoral meeting is part of a five-day event for global municipal governments to discuss anti-virus tactics and plans for the post-coronavirus era.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(Yonhap Interview) Animation director Ahn Jae-huun hopes to draw past, present, future of Korea

`` French audiences might have been surprised by my work as it is a musical animation , which is totally @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` It 's sad that this year 's festival is @ @ @ @ @ doors because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Only juries will watch the film . ''

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A few decades ago, many South Korean animators worked as part-time illustrators for big-name studios, like Disney.
They were sought after for their quality, inexpensive hand-drawing skills, participating in hit projects, such as "The Simpsons" or "Pink Panther."
But their illustration and coloring capabilities did not lead to opportunities to create their own stories depicting the lives of Korean people in 2D animations, while the industry trend moved to computer-based animated films, which require bigger budgets and up-to-date techniques.
During an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Monday, South Korean director and animator Ahn Jae-huun, whose latest feature, "The Shaman Sorceress," was invited to this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival, said because of this vacant experience, there are no hand-drawn animations that riff on Koreans' daily lives and present local canons of beauty.
Director Ahn Jae-huun in this photo provided by Studio Meditation with a Pencil (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Many Korean adults have grown up watching Disney animations and Japan's Studio Ghibli films, which made them unfamiliar with homegrown animations telling our own story and picturing our own nature," Ahn said.
As a first-generation animator, who worked for a local studio that animated the "The Simpsons" early in his career, he felt responsible for the cultural vacancy.
So he has worked to revive famous Korean short stories into animated films in a bid to express the Korean feeling and scenery in a pencil-drawn style.
"The Shaman Sorceress" is the third and last of his literature project, based on a 1936 Korean novel with the same title written by Kim Dong-ri, following "The Road Called Life" (2014) and "The Shower" (2017).
The new film depicts the breakup of a traditional family after a religious clash between shamanism and Christianity through a female shaman and her Christian son.
Ahn re-created the story as an animated musical, adding songs with voices of the popular musical singers Sonya and Kim Da-hyun. His hand-drawn style and vivid but understated colors befit the bygone days of early 20th century Korea.
Director Ahn Jae-huun in this photo provided by Studio Meditation with a Pencil (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"In Korean novellas, we can clearly feel our own mood, emotions and colors. It's good to animate them," he said. "My films will give Korean grownups a rare chance to see animated versions of their past lives and emotions."
"The Shaman Sorceress" will compete in the Contrechamp competition category for feature films at the Annecy festival to be held online from June 15-30. It is Ahn's second invitation to the French festival following "Green Days: Dinosaur and I" in 2011.
"French audiences might have been surprised by my work as it is a musical animation, which is totally different from those of Disney," he said. "It's sad that this year's festival is to take place behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. Only juries will watch the film."
He is now working on a new original feature that depicts present-day Seoul, while his previous films are literary portrayals of the country's past.
"It's about Korean youths in their 20s living in South Korea," he said. "I just want to unfold the city that they live and love everyday for my audience."
A scene from "The Shaman Sorceress" from the homepage of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(2nd LD) Dozens of church-linked infections rekindle virus fears in capital area

While cases coming from the two biggest clusters in the greater Seoul area -- nightclubs in the Seoul neighborhood of @ @ @ @ @ in Bucheon , west of Seoul -- appear to be slowing , more than 70 @ @ @ @ @ of Monday in relation to religious facilities and events since May .

(ATTN: ADDS details in 5th para, last two paras, photo)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A spike in new coronavirus infections traced to small Protestant churches and gatherings have rekindled fears over possible spread of the virus through the densely-populated greater Seoul area.
While cases coming from the two biggest clusters in the greater Seoul area -- nightclubs in the Seoul neighborhood of Itaewon and a logistics center in Bucheon, west of Seoul -- appear to be slowing, more than 70 cases have been reported as of Monday in relation to religious facilities and events since May.
Most of these cases are concentrated in the capital area that refers to Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, which are home to around half of the country's population.
This photo, from June 1, 2020, shows a pedestrian in front of a church in Incheon, west of Seoul, where group infections have occurred among participants of a religious meeting. (Yonhap)
At least 45 cases have been traced to a small church in the Incheon ward of Michuhol, where pastors from Incheon and Gyeonggi Province took part in a bible study gathering, according to the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
A 57-year-old pastor who leads a church in the Incheon ward of Bupyeong is assumed to be a key transmitter in the case. The woman attended meetings at several churches in Incheon, but authorities have yet to identify her infection route.
The case has ballooned to a cluster involving 23 churches in the area, with lax hygiene habits -- such as not wearing face masks and people sitting close to one another -- suspected of worsening the case.
"Some 73 percent of participants ended up being infected as a small number of people gathered in a cramped area and sang hymns and prayed without wearing masks, according to a report by the Incheon city office," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said in a briefing.
Some 71 percent of the participants did not show any symptoms in early stages, which may have prompted the virus to spread more quickly, Sohn added.
The entrance to a church in Incheon, west of Seoul, where a new coronavirus case was reported, is empty on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Fifteen cases have been reported among pastors in Gunpo and Anyang, both south of Seoul, who visited the southern resort island of Jeju in a group trip late last month.
In Seoul, nine cases have been traced to a Christian university students group, while 11 cases have been reported in relation to a church in the southern neighborhood of Gangnam.
Fourteen infections were also reported in relation to a bible study meeting. One participant, in his 70s, has died, while another is in critical condition.
Most of the recent cases come from small churches and irregular religious meetings that were seen as relatively safe compared with mass Sunday services at the country's megachurches.
South Korea had earlier reported cases linked to one of Seoul's biggest churches in the eastern ward of Gangdong. It also took a hit from cases linked to the fringe religious sect of Shincheonji, which infected thousands of people mostly in the southeastern city of Daegu.
But while the experience has prompted bigger churches to shift to online services and tighten quarantine rules, such as limiting the number of worshipers and using quick response (QR)-based entry logs, small churches had been caught off guard.
What further raises concerns is that the cases involving pastors from different churches may lead to bigger outbreaks involving churchgoers of different age groups, including the elderly who are more prone to infection.
Another complication is that the current quarantine guidelines for religious meetings -- such as keeping a distance and designating a quarantine key man -- may not be sufficient to regulate meetings outside of regular worship sessions.
This photo, from June 1, 2020, shows health workers disinfecting a church in Suwon, south of Seoul, where infections occurred in relation to the Coupang logistics center in Bucheon, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Health authorities have urged churchgoers to refrain from face-to-face meetings until infection risks ease.
"(We advise) holding non-contact meetings instead of in-person bible studies, prayer meetings and group trips until infection risks fall in the capital area, where local transmissions are spreading," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyung said in a Monday press briefing.
Jeong said officials may have to resort to administrative measures if quarantine guidelines are not strictly followed.
The city of Incheon said it plans to tighten inspections of 4,234 religious facilities in its jurisdiction and is considering imposing a set of mandatory quarantine rules at such facilities.
Most churches in the country had suspended in-person Sunday services under the government's strict social distancing campaign. However, they began to resume in-person sessions as social distancing guidelines were eased from May 6.
South Korea has identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541 on Tuesday.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Ruling party submits unilateral request for chamber's convocation amid bipartisan row

The UFP insists that it will agree to the opening of the inaugural session of the 21st National Assembly only @ @ @ @ @ with the DP over the appointment issue .
It is demanding the DP give up @ @ @ @ @ two committees .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) submitted a letter of request for the convocation of the new chamber's inaugural session Tuesday, pushing forward with its plan to activate the new National Assembly on time despite an ongoing bipartisan row over the naming of standing committee chairmen.
The National Assembly began its new four-year term on Saturday but the DP and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) are at odds over how to distribute the chairman posts of the chamber's 18 standing committees, in particular, the legislation and judiciary committee and the budget-accounts committee.
The UFP insists that it will agree to the opening of the inaugural session of the 21st National Assembly only if an agreement is made with the DP over the appointment issue. It is demanding the DP give up the chairman seats of the two committees.
Defying the resistance, the DP, which controls 177 seats in the 300-member assembly, submitted the letter to the chamber in cooperation with minor left-leaning parties, including the Justice Party.
The motion, backed by more than one fourth of the sitting lawmakers, as required by law, puts the 21st National Assembly on course to convene its first extraordinary session on Friday.
Friday is the legal deadline for the new chamber to host its inaugural session.
The DP is willing to unilaterally go ahead with the necessary appointment of the committee chairmen and the parliamentary leadership, according to party officials.
"The DP will do its best to appoint the new parliamentary leadership and the heads of the standing committees (during the session) within the legal deadlines," Rep. Cho Jung-sik, the head of the DP's policy committee, said during a party meeting on Tuesday.
The proposed unilateral action by the DP is likely to further raise the ire of the main opposition.
Under the National Assembly Act, the 21st chamber is required to fix the lineup of committee chairmen by June 8 and the majority DP is legally empowered to take all the 18 seats.
As the partisan strife is feared to overshadow the new parliamentary term, however, the DP is leaving room for further negotiations with the opposition bloc.
"In accordance with the law and its principles, the DP will continue its negotiations (with the UFP) over the appointment issue," a DP official said.
An image of the National Assembly in Seoul (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--BLACKPINK member Lisa defrauded by ex-manager: agency

The former manager , according to YG , compensated Lisa for part of the incurred losses .
The rest is @ @ @ @ @ plan agreed upon by both parties .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- K-pop group BLACKPINK's Thai member Lisa fell victim to financial fraud by her former manager, the singer's agency disclosed Tuesday.
"Through an internal investigation, we have learned that Lisa had fallen victim to monetary fraud by her former manager," YG Entertainment said.
The amount of financial losses Lisa faced reportedly ranged in the hundreds of millions of won.
YG said that Lisa and the person in question reached a settlement.
The former manager, according to YG, compensated Lisa for part of the incurred losses. The rest is to be compensated under a plan agreed upon by both parties.
The former manager is no longer employed by the entertainment company, YG added.
Having debuted in 2016, Lisa is the lead rapper and dancer of the K-pop quartet. The band plans to release a new single later this month.
A publicity file photo of BLACKPINK member Lisa, provided by YG Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--S. Korean Protestant group expresses condolences to U.S. over Floyd's death

`` We not only send prayers to you but will stand with you in solidarity as together we seek to @ @ @ @ @ they may value and protect the lives and dignity of all the people within their @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Let us continue working together for that justice and that shalom so that @ @ @ @ @ injustice will be healed and reconciled . ''

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), an organization of South Korea's Protestant churches, said Tuesday that it has sent a letter of condolences to U.S. churches over the recent death of African American man George Floyd.
"We are familiar with the frustration and the anger that people may feel toward institutions that treat people as if their lives are dispensable," the NCCK said in the letter sent to the National Council of Churches of the United States of America (NCCUSA).
It said it will pray for the United States and make efforts in solidarity to end the hate and racism in both countries.
"We not only send prayers to you but will stand with you in solidarity as together we seek to reform our institutions so that they may value and protect the lives and dignity of all the people within their care," it said. "Let us continue working together for that justice and that shalom so that social disorder caused by racial injustice will be healed and reconciled."
The death of George Floyd, which was caused by a police officer last month, has triggered a huge wave of protests across the United States and even led to rioting and looting in public places.
In this Associated Press photo, people stage a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington, D.C., on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Interagency meeting held to help S. Korean COVID-19 patients in Middle East

In Tuesday 's meeting , officials of the land and trade ministries and health authorities shared updates on the situation @ @ @ @ @ and discussed ways to provide necessary support , such as medical assistance and quarantine items @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government held an interagency meeting on Tuesday to discuss ways to help about 60 South Koreans in the Middle East confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus.
Most of them are construction workers involved in large infrastructure projects, the ministry said.
In Tuesday's meeting, officials of the land and trade ministries and health authorities shared updates on the situation and difficulties at the scenes and discussed ways to provide necessary support, such as medical assistance and quarantine items, the ministry said.
According to the foreign ministry, a total of 5,625 South Korean employees of 194 companies are currently working at 313 construction sites in 18 Middle Eastern countries, including the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states, Iraq, Israel and Morocco.
Government officials hold an interagency meeting to discuss measures to help South Korean employees working in the Middle East cope with the coronavirus pandemic, in this photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry on June 2, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Last week , China 's parliament endorsed the legislation for Hong Kong , which critics say could serve as a @ @ @ @ @ or dissent in the former British colony and tighten Beijing 's grip on it .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
-------------
(2nd LD) Church-tied virus cases on steady rise ahead of further school reopenings
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL -- South Korea's virus fight hit another snag Tuesday as church-linked cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continued to rise ahead of further school reopenings, a key feature of eased social distancing.
The country identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
-------------
(LEAD) With 1.78 mln more pupils ready to return to school Wednesday, parental concerns remain unresolved
(ATTN: UPDATES with latest data in paras 10-13)
SEOUL -- South Korea is geared up for its third phase of school reopening Wednesday, but parents and educators alike still have a low level of confidence for a return to school.
Since May 20, the government has run the phased school reopening program, first with 440,000 high school seniors and second with 2.37 million students in other year groups, including kindergartners.
-------------
(2nd LD) Seoul to resume WTO complaint over Tokyo's export curbs, door for talks still open
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details throughout, photo)
SEJONG -- South Korea on Tuesday said it will reopen a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Japan's export curbs in a move that could potentially batter the already frayed bilateral relations.
But Seoul's trade ministry said it is still ready for more talks to resolve the monthslong dispute.
-------------
(LEAD) S. Korea expects to become formal member of expanded G7: Cheong Wa Dae
(ATTN: UPDATES with details on relations with China in last paras)
SEOUL -- South Korea said Tuesday it is expected to become a standing member of an expanded group of leading economies, not a temporary observer, once U.S. President Donald Trump's related plan is implemented smoothly.
The outlook came as Trump and President Moon Jae-in agreed to add South Korea to the lineup of Group of 7 (G7) members during their phone talks the previous day.
-------------
S. Korea honors 1984 Sino-British declaration on Hong Kong autonomy: foreign ministry
SEOUL -- South Korea respects the 1984 declaration between China and Britain ensuring Hong Kong's autonomy, the foreign ministry said Tuesday, amid concerns Beijing's contentious security legislation could erode the semiautonomous territory's civil liberties.
Last week, China's parliament endorsed the legislation for Hong Kong, which critics say could serve as a legal framework to suppress subversion or dissent in the former British colony and tighten Beijing's grip on it.
-------------
79 cases of property damage reported at S. Korean-owned stores in U.S. due to anti-racism protests
SEOUL -- Seventy-nine cases of property damage have been reported at South Korean-owned stores in the United States due to violent protests sparked by the death of a black man caused by police, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Of them, 50 cases were reported from Philadelphia, 10 cases from Minneapolis, five from Raleigh and four from Atlanta, the ministry said in a release. No casualties have been reported.
-------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 3rd day on recovery hopes
SEOU -- South Korean stocks rose by more than 1 percent Tuesday, extending a winning streak to a third consecutive session on hopes for economic reopening, despite uncertainties from the spreading protests against police violence in the United States. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 22.11 points, or 1.07 percent, to close at 2,087.19. Trading volume was heavy at about 985.1 million shares worth some 10.1 trillion won (US$8.2 billion), with winners outnumbering losers 639 to 195.
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Versatile veteran rejoins K League 1's Pohang Steelers

Oh , who played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup , made his professional debut with Pohang in 2003 .
@ @ @ @ @ , and then embarked on an international journey that took him to Japan , Russia @ @ @ @ @ K League 1 , he has played for Ulsan Hyundai FC , Suwon Samsung Bluewings @ @ @ @ @ FC .
He has 370 K League matches under his belt .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Former South Korean international Oh Beom-seok has rejoined his former club Pohang Steelers after 13 years away.
The K League 1 club announced Tuesday that Oh, 35, has signed for the rest of the 2020 season. The versatile player can play as right back, center back and defensive midfielder, and with this acquisition, Pohang will address their glaring hole on the right side of the defense.
Oh, who played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, made his professional debut with Pohang in 2003. He stayed there until 2007, and then embarked on an international journey that took him to Japan, Russia and China. In the K League 1, he has played for Ulsan Hyundai FC, Suwon Samsung Bluewings and most recently, Gangwon FC. He has 370 K League matches under his belt.
Oh and Gangwon mutually agreed to part ways on May 20, and Oh had been fielding offers from multiple K League clubs before reuniting with Pohang.
Players switching clubs during the current transfer window can formally register with their new teams starting on June 25. The earliest Oh can suit up for Pohang will be June 26 against Gwangju FC.
This photo provided by Pohang Steelers on June 2, 2020, shows the K League 1 club's new acquisition, Oh Beom-seok. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Novelist Hwang Sok-yong explores topic of industrial labor in 'Railworkers'

`` We used to think that we have to catch up to the Western or European literary world , as @ @ @ @ @ the Olympics .
But in reality , news on ( winning a Nobel Prize ) @ @ @ @ @ form of a short news brief overseas , '' Hwang said .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hwang Sok-yong, considered one of South Korea's most important and influential modern day novelists, said Tuesday that he wanted to take a literary deep dive on the topic of industrial labor in his new novel, "Three Generations of Railworkers."
"There hasn't really been a full-length novel that deals head on with industrial workers. It's a very important aspect (of modern society) but has largely been ignored (by the literary circle)," Hwang said at a press conference for his first new book in five years.
"Hence I had the thought of filling that void," Hwang elaborated while stressing that his political views in the novel combine both conservative and liberal perspectives.
"Railworkers," published by Changbi Publishers, is a sprawling modern epic that spans across three generations of a family of railroad workers, beginning from the era of Japan's colonial rule of the Korean peninsula all the way to 21st century modern South Korea. The book was released on Monday.
The cross-generational tale, centered around the Lee family, delves into the complexities of everyday life of the working class, paired with themes surrounding the independence movement against imperial Japan prior to Korea's liberation. The modern-day portion also touches upon the topics of hunger and rooftop sit-in strikes by laid off workers.
Novelist Hwang Sok-yong speaks to reporters at a press conference for his new novel, "Three Generations of Railworkers," at an office of Changbi Publishers in western Seoul on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
According to Hwang, writing "Railworkers," from the initial conceptualization to completing the final draft, took some 30 years. He considers his new book as one of the most defining works of his literary career.
The 77-year-old novelist explained that he wanted to explore a story of labor and family centered around railways and steel, as opposed to lighter industries based on manufacturing.
"Unlike, say, a sock factory or a tofu factory, railroads and steel are symbols of modern industrial society, central to the concept of modern labor," Hwang said.
"If any, railway workers are the ones that stand at the core of modern industrialized society," Hwang argued.
Hwang said he finished the novel hopping across 19 different personal offices throughout the entire process. The writer said he wrote about eight to 10 hours per day on a regular basis.
"I had a hard time finishing the novel, as my memory at times failed due to a lack of energy. At times, I got confused about the name of the characters, sometimes mixing them up," Hwang recalled of the writing process.
When asked of his chances of winning a Nobel Prize in literature, Hwang downplayed the significance of the prize within the modern day literature landscape.
However, he expressed hope for the resurrection of the Lotus Prize for Literature, which was organized by the Afro-Asian Writers' Association in 1969 but later discontinued.
"We used to think that we have to catch up to the Western or European literary world, as if winning a medal at the Olympics. But in reality, news on (winning a Nobel Prize) is perhaps publicized in the form of a short news brief overseas," Hwang said.
He also downplayed the relevance of the Swedish Academy, responsible for choosing the Nobel Laureates in literature, in modern literature, describing the academy as being in the "rural countryside of Europe."
Born in 1943 in Changchun, Manchuria, Hwang debuted in 1962 at the age of 19 and later became a literary household name through his body of works, including "On the Road to Sampo," "Jang Gilsan," "Shadow of Arms" and "At Dusk." He is the recipient of several of Korea's highest literary prizes, including the Manhae Literary Prize and the Danjae Literary Prize.
Novelist Hwang Sok-yong speaks to reporters at a press conference for his new novel, "Three Generations of Railworkers," at an office of Changbi Publishers in western Seoul on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(LEAD) With 1.78 mln more pupils ready to return to school Wednesday, parental concerns remain unres

(LEAD) With 1.78 mln more pupils ready to return to school Wednesday, parental concerns remain unresolved

On Friday , a high school senior in the southern port city of Busan tested positive for COVID-19 .
Two @ @ @ @ @ elementary school student in Anyang , a suburb of Seoul , was confirmed to have @ @ @ @ @ cases , the schools they attend and others in the area were closed to curb @ @ @ @ @ virus .

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest data in paras 10-13)
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is geared up for its third phase of school reopening Wednesday, but parents and educators alike still have a low level of confidence for a return to school.
Since May 20, the government has run the phased school reopening program, first with 440,000 high school seniors and second with 2.37 million students in other year groups, including kindergartners.
Under the third phase of the plan, first-year high school students, second-year middle school students and third- and fourth-year elementary school students are set to return to school. The total number amounts to 1.78 million.
By Wednesday, 4.59 million, about 77 percent of the total South Korean school kids, will be attending in-person classes.
According to top educational officials, the reopening is inevitable at a time when a great deal of uncertainty over COVID-19 is holding back normal life activities, including those of students.
They believe staying at home and learning through virtual classes are just not enough for the mental and intellectual development of young Koreans.
A pupil is encouraged by his mother through a fence as he arrives at Ochi Elementary School in the southwestern city of Gwangju on May 29, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
But infection cases have been consistently reported at schools, cram schools and business establishments frequently visited by students.
On Friday, a high school senior in the southern port city of Busan tested positive for COVID-19. Two days later, a second-year elementary school student in Anyang, a suburb of Seoul, was confirmed to have the virus. In both cases, the schools they attend and others in the area were closed to curb the potential spread of the virus.
On Monday, an official at a Seoul elementary school tested positive, leading to the closure of the school and its kindergarten.
The Education Ministry said 534 schools nationwide suspended their reopening on Tuesday to limit the spread of the virus. What is concerning is 531, or 99 percent of them, are located in the capital area.
Bucheon, which is located between Incheon and Seoul, closed the largest number of schools at 251, followed by 242 in Incheon. Seoul saw 27 schools closed.
Bucheon recently reported a cluster of 117 infections connected to a logistics center there.
The city and two wards -- Bupyeong and Gyeyang -- of Incheon decided to postpone the reopening of schools until June 10, except for classes for high school seniors.
The operation of cram schools -- which have mostly stayed open despite the government's warning against it -- is particularly worrisome.
According to the ministry, a total of seven confirmed cases involving students were reported from cram schools from February to May. But the figure rose to 20 in May. Since February, more than 30 cases involving teachers or officials at cram schools have been reported.
To address the concerns, the government is inspecting the safety conditions of private education institutes in the capital area on Monday and Tuesday.
Health care officials disinfect a high school in the southeastern port city of Busan on May 30, 2020, after a third grader was confirmed to have contracted the new coronavirus a day earlier. (Yonhap)
But the education ministry maintains its position that the coronavirus is under control, with the government's stringent quarantine protocols and testing and tracing capability.
Last week, it toughened measures to minimize classrooms crowding in Seoul and the surrounding area.
Elementary and middle schools are required to cap the number of students at one-third of the total student body and high schools at two-thirds.
It also strongly advised businesses frequented by teenagers to remain closed until June 14.
If they choose to remain open, they have to make sure that patrons write entry logs, wear masks and maintain at least a 1-meter distance from one another.
But some parents remain apprehensive.
Ju Eun-hwa, a working mother with three kids, said she wanted the country to switch back to strict social distancing guidelines and postpone the reopening of school to the second half.
Earlier last month, the government eased the guidelines in an attempt to resume normal life and prop up the ailing economy.
"It is really frustrating to see the infection number going up again after hitting nearly zero at one point. I want the government to implement stricter social distancing rules again," she said.
Her twins, second-year middle schoolers, and her youngest son, a third-year elementary school pupil, are set to go to school Wednesday.
They have been on their own at home for the last three months as both parents are working.
She said, "The best option, I think, is to run online classes for the time being. Safety at school, not to mention in cram schools, is not guaranteed."
A pupil has her temperature checked at Ochi Elementary School in the southwestern city of Gwangju on May 29, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 3rd day on recovery hopes

SEOUL , June 2 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks rose by more than 1 percent Tuesday , extending @ @ @ @ @ third consecutive session on hopes for economic reopening , despite uncertainties from the spreading protests @ @ @ @ @ United States .
The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose by more than 1 percent Tuesday, extending a winning streak to a third consecutive session on hopes for economic reopening, despite uncertainties from the spreading protests against police violence in the United States. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 22.11 points, or 1.07 percent, to close at 2,087.19. Trading volume was heavy at about 985.1 million shares worth some 10.1 trillion won (US$8.2 billion), with winners outnumbering losers 639 to 195.
Electronic signboards at a KEB Hana Bank trading room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) up 22.11 points, or 1.07 percent, to close at 2,087.19 on June 2, 2020, while the Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar. (Yonhap)
The growing hopes for economic reopening boosted investor sentiment in the face of growing unrest in the United States and the escalating Sino-American tensions.
"We are still seeing market expectations that the post-lockdown economic recovery will pick up down the road," said Kim Yong-gu, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment.
Among gainers, shipbuilders outshined others on news that big-three players here have landed a mega deal to build LNG carriers.
Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering signed a combined $19.2 billion deal with Qatar Petroleum to reserve their LNG ship construction capacity for Qatar Petroleum through 2027, the Middle Eastern company said.
Samsung Heavy Industries shot up 18.27 percent to end at 5,890 won, and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering jumped 14.41 percent to 27,400 won.
Most other large caps finished in positive terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.39 percent to 51,400 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slid 0.36 percent to 83,300 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics stayed flat at 629,000 won, but Celltrion dipped 1.32 percent to 224,500 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 2.50 percent to 102,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors spiking 5.49 percent to 36,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,225.40 won per dollar, down 0.40 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 2.0 basis points to 0.851 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond advanced 0.8 basis point to 1.127 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Recent earthquakes in southwest not precursor to major tremors: experts

The first quakes in 40 years to hit the region have sparked concerns , but the professors and researchers in @ @ @ @ @ a seismic phenomenon that can usually be detected on the Korean Peninsula .

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A recent series of minor earthquakes on the southwestern tip of the nation should not be seen as a precursor to larger-scale tremors, experts told a forum Tuesday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) hosted a conference of experts to analyze 75 successive earthquakes that have occurred in Haenam County, about 430 kilometers south of Seoul, since late April. Most of them had magnitudes less than 3.
The first quakes in 40 years to hit the region have sparked concerns, but the professors and researchers in the session concluded they show a seismic phenomenon that can usually be detected on the Korean Peninsula.
The latest analysis located their epicenters in an area 500 meters in diameter, far smaller than the initially thought 1.2 kilometers, suggesting the size of the faults is not big enough to cause any earthquakes on a dangerous scale.
Their depths were mostly 20 kilometers, deeper than the 5-15 kilometers of ordinary quakes in Korea, but they do not deviate from the usual seismic pattern in the peninsula, the experts said.
Among the Haenam quakes, those of magnitude 2 or higher showed a horizontal movement of faults typical of the peninsula events, they said.
The KMA has yet to determine the cause of the earthquakes, which requires a further study on the fault structure and tremor patterns.
Kim Jong-seok, chief of the KMA, pledged to strengthen monitoring and alert systems and push for a research project to find out the cause of the quakes.
This photo, provided by the Haenam County office, shows officials of the Korea Meteorological Administration installing a mobile earthquake observation station in the county, about 430 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 4, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jjhwang@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 2, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jun. 2, 2020

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


yna--2020-06-02--(LEAD) S. Korea expects to become formal member of expanded G7: Cheong Wa Dae

If Moon makes a trip to the U.S. for the meeting within this year , it would mean that South @ @ @ @ @ member of the new international mechanism , '' not a one-time or provisional observer , @ @ @ @ @ Min-seok said at a press briefing .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details on relations with China in last paras)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it is expected to become a standing member of an expanded group of leading economies, not a temporary observer, once U.S. President Donald Trump's related plan is implemented smoothly.
The outlook came as Trump and President Moon Jae-in agreed to add South Korea to the lineup of Group of 7 (G7) members during their phone talks the previous day.
Trump is seeking to include Russia, Australia, India and probably Brazil in the longstanding club, which he regards as outdated. The existing members are the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
Talking with Moon for 15 minutes, Trump explained about his scheme to host a gathering of G7 members and the other four or five nations in the U.S. as early as in September.
Moon expressed support for the move and willingness to attend an in-person group summit if organized. The U.S. is the host of this year's G7 session on a rotational basis.
If Moon makes a trip to the U.S. for the meeting within this year, it would mean that South Korea becomes a "formal member of the new international mechanism," not a one-time or provisional observer, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said at a press briefing.
It suggests South Korea's emergence as one of the nations leading the global order, which would help enhance its global stature and national interest, he added.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok in a file photo (Yonhap)
Moon, in particular, was the first foreign leader with whom Trump had a phone conversation in connection with the plan to scale up the G7, Kang pointed out.
Trump's initiative is widely seen as aimed at putting more pressure on China amid deepening rifts between the superpowers.
It's an open secret that his administration has been pursuing an anti-China bloc of the U.S. and other like-minded nations with democracies.
Speaking to reporters later on the customary condition of anonymity, a Cheong Wa Dae official dismissed media-driven concerns about Beijing's possible protest against Seoul's decision to join the G7.
"First, the issue of China or Hong Kong was not raised in the (Moon-Trump) phone talks," he said. "I saw news reports of China's possible complaint, but I don't think China will lodge a protest."
Holding a face-to-face summit of G7 members and other invited nations would itself send a positive signal that the world is returning to a normal condition and economy, he added.
Moon's focus lies on a fresh diplomatic mechanism and international relations suitable for the post-coronavirus era, not any attempt to target a certain nation, according to his aides.
Seoul and Beijing have maintained solid mutual trust in the course of coping with the virus.
The official would not predict whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to South Korea ahead of the envisioned G7 meeting.
"The timing of his visit has not been decided yet," he said. Xi earlier agreed to make a trip here within this year.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-02--Seoul stocks up for 3rd day on recovery hopes

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose by more than 1 percent Tuesday, extending a winning streak to a third consecutive session on hopes for economic reopening, despite uncertainties from the spreading protests against police violence in the United States. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 22.11 points, or 1.07 percent, to close at 2,087.19. Trading volume was heavy at about 985.1 million shares worth some 10.1 trillion won (US$8.2 billion), with winners outnumbering losers 639 to 195.
The growing hopes for economic reopening boosted investor sentiment in the face of growing unrest in the United States and the escalating Sino-American tensions.
"We are still seeing market expectations that the post-lockdown economic recovery will pick up down the road," said Kim Yong-gu, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment.
Among gainers, shipbuilders outshined others on news that big-three players here have landed a mega deal to build LNG carriers.
Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering signed a combined $19.2 billion deal with Qatar Petroleum to reserve their LNG ship construction capacity for Qatar Petroleum through 2027, the Middle Eastern company said.
Samsung Heavy Industries shot up 18.27 percent to end at 5,890 won, and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering jumped 14.41 percent to 27,400 won.
Most other large caps finished in positive terrain.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.39 percent to 51,400 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slid 0.36 percent to 83,300 won.
Leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics stayed flat at 629,000 won, but Celltrion dipped 1.32 percent to 224,500 won.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 2.50 percent to 102,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors spiking 5.49 percent to 36,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,225.40 won per dollar, down 0.40 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(LEAD) Pentagon accepts S. Korea's proposal to fund labor costs for Korean USFK workers on furlough

`` The Department of Defense has accepted the Republic of Korea 's ( ROK ) proposal to fund the labor @ @ @ @ @ Forces Korea ( USFK ) Korean National ( KN ) employees through the end of @ @ @ @ @ Department of Defense said in a release .
South Korea will provide more than US @ @ @ @ @ entire Korean workforce , it said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details, background in paras 3, 6-14)
By Lee Haye-ah and Oh Seok-min
WASHINGTON/SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. defense department said Tuesday it has accepted South Korea's proposal to fund the labor costs for all Koreans working for the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) amid their stalled defense cost-sharing talks.
Around 4,000 employees were placed on unpaid leave starting April 1 amid the protracted stalemate in negotiations to work out a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that stipulates how much Seoul would pay for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong USFK.
"The Department of Defense has accepted the Republic of Korea's (ROK) proposal to fund the labor costs for all U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Korean National (KN) employees through the end of 2020," the U.S. Department of Defense said in a release. South Korea will provide more than US$200 million for the entire Korean workforce, it said.
"USFK expects all KN employees to return to work no later than mid-June," it added.
The defense cost-sharing negotiations have been deadlocked after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Seoul's offer as insufficient. Officials said Washington has asked Seoul to pay $1.3 billion per year, a nearly 50 percent increase from last year, while Seoul says its best offer stands at a 13 percent increase.
After the previous SMA expired at the end of last year, Seoul proposed in February that the two sides first settle the issue of salaries for the USFK workers and then work toward an overall cost-sharing agreement.
Washington objected to the idea, claiming it would "greatly detract from expeditiously concluding a mutually acceptable and comprehensive SMA."
In April, South Korea notified the United States of its intention to pay the workers first and then deduct the amount from whatever financial contribution it agrees to make under a new SMA.
"Since the last SMA lapsed on 31 December 2019, the United States has unilaterally shouldered the burden for all costs associated with U.S. Forces in Korea," the Pentagon said, citing labor costs, logistics contracts, and construction project design and oversight costs.
"This decision enables a more equitable sharing of the KN employee labor burden by the ROK and the U.S. More importantly, it sustains the Alliance's number one priority -- our combined defense posture," it added.
The Pentagon still maintained that South Korea should increase its contributions toward shared defense costs.
"We strongly encourage our Ally to reach a fair agreement as quickly as possible," it said. "The United States has shown considerable flexibility in their approach to the SMA negotiations and requests that the ROK does the same."
It added that without a new SMA critical defense infrastructure projects will remain suspended, the U.S. will continue to pay completely for all logistics support contracts, and "burden sharing will remain out of balance for an Alliance that values and desires parity."
"USFK's mid- and long-term force readiness remains at risk," it said.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Church-tied virus cases stoke concerns over new wave of infections in greater Seoul

It stayed below 40 for the past four days .
Any numbers above the 50 threshold mean South Korea has @ @ @ @ @ to strict social distancing , again shuttering schools and public facilities nationwide .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases spiked again Wednesday as cluster infections tied to religious gatherings in the greater Seoul area continued to swell, putting further strain on the country's virus fight.
The country added 49 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 46 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,590, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 50 million population, had all but four of the new cases, fueling concerns that a new wave of COVID-19 infections may occur.
The daily number of new infections had been slowing, albeit with some ups and downs, since hitting a nearly two-month high of 75 last week.
It stayed below 40 for the past four days. Any numbers above the 50 threshold mean South Korea has to seriously consider going back to strict social distancing, again shuttering schools and public facilities nationwide.
A churchgoer scans her quick-response (QR) code with a smartphone before entering a church in central Seoul on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Church-linked transmission in Seoul and surrounding areas have been a new source of concern for health authorities.
After the country eased social distancing guidelines in early May, the country has reported more than 100 cases from churches. Nearly most of them were from the Seoul metropolitan area.
On Tuesday, the number of cases tied to 23 small churches in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, first detected Sunday, reached 45, up 22 from a day ago, according to the KCDC.
Since May 6, South Korea has been rolling out what it calls an "everyday life quarantine" campaign, which aimed at normalizing most of the daily activities under basic quarantine measures.
The eased social distancing scheme has been in peril, however, as cluster infections among clubgoers in central Seoul emerged early last month. More recently, mass infections connected to a logistics center have been a difficult task for health authorities.
Alarmed by the spiking new infections tied to clubs and the distribution center just west of Seoul, South Korea rushed to enhance quarantine measures in the greater Seoul area.
The country's health authorities warned that citizens will be forced to go back to the strict social distancing scheme nationwide should it fail to get the virus spread under control by June 14.
As of Tuesday, a total of 270 infections have been linked to clubgoers and 117 cases to the warehouse run by e-commerce giant Coupang.
A group of medical workers collects samples from visitors to carry out new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in Incheon, west of Seoul, on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Sporadic cluster infections are also putting health authorities to the test as more students are set to return to schools.
Students have been gradually returning to classrooms in phases since late last month, although some schools, most of them from the greater Seoul area, were forced to delay the schedule due to local infections.
On Wednesday, first-year high school students, second-year middle school students and other selected elementary school students returned to their classrooms.
When the third phase is completed, 4.59 million, about 77 percent of all South Korean school kids, will be attending in-person classes.
Schools, however, will continue taking precautionary measures, including staggered lunches, shifting student attendance, reduced class time, and a mix of online and offline classes.
The country added three imported cases and reported one additional death, raising the total death toll to 273.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,467, up 21 from the previous day.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--SK Global Chemical completes acquisition of Arkema's functional polyolefins business

SK Global Chemical in recent years has been focusing on strengthening its packaging business .
It purchased ethylene acrylic acid @ @ @ @ @ the Dow Chemical Co. in 2017 to expand into the North American region .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- SK Global Chemical Co., a chemical affiliate of South Korea's energy giant SK Innovation Co., said Wednesday it has completed the acquisition of French chemical firm Arkema S.A.'s functional polyolefins business for 335 million euros (US$375 million) in the latest move to boost its packaging business.
Under the deal, SK Global Chemical will take control of Arkema's three France-based production facilities, technology and marketing talents for four products used as adhesives in multilayer packaging.
"We expect the acquisition to further strengthen our business competitiveness," Na Kyung-soo, CEO of SK Global Chemical, said in a comment provided by the company.
SK Global Chemical in recent years has been focusing on strengthening its packaging business. It purchased ethylene acrylic acid and polyvinylidene chloride businesses from the Dow Chemical Co. in 2017 to expand into the North American region.
The corporate logo of SK Group at its main building in central Seoul (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) 21 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,46

(URGENT) 21 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,467: KCDC


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 more virus death, death toll now at 273: KCDC


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 49 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 11,590: KCDC


yna--2020-06-03--Gist of proposed 3rd extra budget

Gist of proposed 3rd extra budget

Some 11.3 trillion won earmarked to revive economic growth -- 3.7 trillion won will be used to boost consumption -- @ @ @ @ @ used for Korean version of the New Deal -- 2.5 trillion won will be used @ @ @ @ @ devices -- to expand nationwide fifth-generation telecom networks -- to install renewable energy equipment at @ @

SEJONG, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The following is the gist of the 35.3 trillion-won (US$29 billion) extra budget that was unveiled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Wednesday.
Some 11.4 trillion won eyed to make up tax-revenue shortfalls
Some 11.3 trillion won earmarked to revive economic growth
-- 3.7 trillion won will be used to boost consumption
-- 5.1 trillion won will be used for Korean version of the New Deal
-- 2.5 trillion won will be used to help companies export containment devices
-- to expand nationwide fifth-generation telecom networks
-- to install renewable energy equipment at public places
Some 9.4 trillion won earmarked for social safety nets
-- 8.9 trillion won will be used to strengthen employment safety nets
-- to create more than 550,000 jobs
-- 500 billion won will be used for low-income households
Some 5 trillion won set aside to deal with the economic slowdown
-- 1.9 trillion will be used to help small and medium-sized merchants hit by the pandemic
-- 3.1 trillion won will be used to provide liquidity to key industries
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--S. Korea proposes largest-ever extra budget to battle pandemic

The biggest-ever budget , which is subject to approval from the National Assembly , will raise the total of the @ @ @ @ @ 270 trillion won as the government has stepped up fiscal and monetary responses to the @ @ @ @ @ Ministry of Economy and Finance .

By Kim Deok-hyun
SEJONG, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday proposed another extra budget plan worth 35.3 trillion won (US$29 billion) that will help key industries cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic and protect jobs.
The biggest-ever budget, which is subject to approval from the National Assembly, will raise the total of the nation's stimulus packages to 270 trillion won as the government has stepped up fiscal and monetary responses to the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The third budget follows a second supplementary budget worth 12.2 trillion won in April to fund emergency handouts for households and the first one totaling 11.7 trillion won in March to cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
It was the first time in 48 years that South Korea drew up a third extra budget in a year, the ministry said.
If the bill is approved by the parliament, the government will spend more than 75 percent of the extra budget within three months, the ministry said.
Addressing a tax revenue shortfall and tax cuts makes up 11.4 trillion won of the third budget, and another 11.3 trillion won is earmarked to revive economic recovery, according to the ministry.
Some 5.1 trillion won will be set aside for a "Korean-version New Deal" project, which will boost state spending on artificial intelligence and fifth-generation telecommunications services, it added.
About 9.4 trillion won will go for subsidies to strengthen social safety nets for people who recently lost jobs and create about 550,000 jobs.
As much as 5 trillion won will be spent to provide emergency loans to small merchants who have struggled with falling revenues over the pandemic.
To fund the third budget, the government will issue 23.8 trillion won in state bonds. The remaining 11.5 trillion won will be funded by readjustments of the government's spending.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki told reporters that the third extra budget will play a significant role for the nation to boost economic growth and create jobs when the pandemic wanes.
"I believe that this extra budget will become a valuable foundation for the nation to create new growth engines in the post-coronavirus era," Hong said.
Hong said the government will submit the extra budget bill to the National Assembly on Thursday, urging lawmakers to swiftly approve the bill.
"As the effectiveness of an extra budget depends on its speed and timing, utmost efforts are urged to cooperate so that the National Assembly can pass the third extra budget this month," Hong said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki briefs reporters on the government's second-half economic policy on June 1, 2020. (Yonhap)
In April, South Korea suffered its biggest monthly job losses in 21 years as the coronavirus outbreak and containment measures hammered the economy.
The number of employed people in South Korea stood at 26.56 million in April, 476,000 people fewer than a year ago, marking the biggest on-year decline since February 1999.
South Korea's export-reliant economy is expected to suffer a bigger hit from the pandemic as the novel coronavirus disrupted global businesses and ravaged consumer demand.
Exports dropped for the third consecutive month in May due to the growing economic fallout from the pandemic. Outbound shipments dipped 23.7 percent to hit $34.8 billion last month, compared with $45.7 billion posted a year earlier.
Last week, the Bank of Korea (BOK) predicted that the nation's economy will contract 0.2 percent this year, a steep downgrade from the 2.1 percent growth it had forecast in February.
The latest forecast would mark the biggest contraction since 1998, when the nation's economy was hit by the Asian financial crisis.
To shore up the virus-hit economy, the BOK slashed its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.50 percent.
Containers are loaded for shipment at an export pier in South Korea's largest port city of Busan on June 1, 2020. South Korea's exports dropped for the third consecutive month in May due to the growing economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted the global supply chain. (Yonhap)
The finance ministry painted a less gloomy picture for this year's economic growth, expecting Asia's fourth-largest economy to grow 0.1 percent this year, although it is a sharp cut from the 2.4 percent growth the ministry had predicted last December and would mark the lowest growth in about two decades.
Still, the ministry's latest forecast is higher than projections by other agencies.
In a bleaker outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that South Korea's economy will contract 1.2 percent this year.
The IMF predicted the global economy will shrink 3 percent this year, saying the coronavirus pandemic will bring the worst economic pain since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The Korean economy grew 2 percent last year, the slowest on-year growth since 2009.
The latest extra budget is the sixth under the Moon Jae-in administration.
In 2017, the current administration set aside an extra 11 trillion won to create more jobs and then an additional 3.8 trillion won in 2018 for the same purpose.
Last year, the Moon administration also formed a 6.7 trillion-won supplementary budget to fight fine dust and help the economy.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) S. Korea proposes 3rd extra budget of 35.3 tln won to combat coronavirus pandemic.


yna--2020-06-03--300 bln won of defense budget to be cut for extra spending over coronavirus

`` The U.S. government and its manufacturer had initially planned to sign a contract this month to sell the missiles @ @ @ @ @ their contract was deferred due to internal issues .
So we are to return the @ @ @ @ @ the state , '' an official of the arms procurement agency said .
The purchase @ @ @ @ @ a government-to-government `` foreign military sale ( FMS ) '' program .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The government is seeking to slash about 300 billion won (US$244.96 million) from this year's defense budget to fund an extra spending plan aimed at coping with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
The planned cut is to fund a third extra budget of 35.3 trillion won by readjusting this year's annual budget and issuing state bonds to cushion the economic fallout from COVID-19.
A total of 315.8 billion won is expected to be reduced, 153.6 billion won from arms procurement expenses and 162.2 billion won from troop operations. But the actual budget cut will amount to 297.8 billion won, as 18 billion won will be newly added to the budget for soldiers' education on the latest information and communications technologies, officials said.
The planned cut, with the amount to be fixed after parliamentary approval, comes after a 1.47 trillion-won reduction in this year's defense budget in April to fund the second supplementary budget. Taken together, the reduction will constitute about 3.6 percent of this year's defense budget of 50.15 trillion won.
The National Assembly convenes a plenary session to vote on a 12.2 trillion-won (US$10 billion) extra budget and other bills on April 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the total, 70.6 billion won will be slashed from the budget for the planned purchase of ship-to-air missiles from the United States.
"The U.S. government and its manufacturer had initially planned to sign a contract this month to sell the missiles to South Korea, but their contract was deferred due to internal issues. So we are to return the funds for this project to the state," an official of the arms procurement agency said. The purchase was to be made through a government-to-government "foreign military sale (FMS)" program.
Also on the list of budget cuts are the construction of around 20 230 ton-class next-generation patrol killers and the facility construction regarding tactical ground-based guided weapons, according to the ministry.
The additional budget cut has sparked concerns over the possible impact on the country's defense capabilities.
"The budget cut can be seen as the defense ministry's responses to nontraditional threats against the lives and the safety of the people," the ministry said. "Most of the budget will be cut from projects to be postponed, so its impact on our readiness posture and the financial status will be minimized."
This photo, provided by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., shows the King Sejong the Great Aegis destroyer, which the shipbuilder delivered to the Navy in 2008. On Oct. 10, 2019, Hyundai won a US$565 million contract for an upgraded Aegis destroyer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Korean shipyards eye more LNG ship orders after Qatar megadeal

The preliminary pact , an arrangement that precedes a major shipbuilding order , allows the Qatari company to secure so-called @ @ @ @ @ Korean shipyards .
The deal is expected to lead to the securing of more than @ @ @ @ @ near future .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's three major shipyards are on course to win more overseas orders for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers following a massive deal from Qatar, industry sources said Wednesday.
The shipbuilders -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Samsung Heavy Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) -- signed a combined US$19.2 billion deal on Monday with Qatar Petroleum to reserve their LNG ship construction capacity for Qatar Petroleum through 2027.
The preliminary pact, an arrangement that precedes a major shipbuilding order, allows the Qatari company to secure so-called construction slots from the South Korean shipyards. The deal is expected to lead to the securing of more than 100 LNG carriers in the near future.
With a megadeal from the Middle Eastern country in the bag, the three shipbuilding behemoths are now setting their sights on future orders from Russia and Mozambique.
Russia's state-run gas producer Novatek has been carrying out the so-called Arctic LNG-2 project under which it will place orders for an additional 10 icebreaking LNG carriers on top of its original 15 vessels.
Expectations are growing that Samsung Heavy Industries and DSME may bag orders from Russia's top gas company. Samsung Heavy Industries clinched a new order to build five icebreaking LNG ships from Novatek last year.
This undated image, provided by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., shows an LNG carrier built by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Samsung Heavy Industries is reportedly pinning high hopes on the remaining 10 orders under Novatek's original plan as it has joined forces with Russian shipbuilder Zvezda for the LNG project.
DSME and China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. are widely expected to win orders for the additional 10 LNG carriers -- five ships each.
In 2014, DSME obtained a mammoth deal to build 15 icebreaking LNG vessels for the development of a gas field on the Yamal Peninsula in western Siberia.
"Novatek is likely to place orders for the 10 LNG carriers during the third quarter of the year," an industry insider said. "DSME is better positioned, given its past experience."
Watchers also said Mozambique is highly likely to place orders to build 16 LNG vessels for its LNG project late this year or in early 2021.
The forecast comes as the Export-Import Bank of the United States has recently raised its support for the project, led by French oil and gas titan Total S.A., to $6.5 billion.
Industry observers expect Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries to clinch orders to build eight LNG carriers each.
The megadeal from Qatar and hopes for more orders come amid a bleak outlook for local shipbuilders in the second half of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices.
Some analysts claim it is still too early to say that the shipbuilding industry is enjoying a turnaround from sluggish business last year due to a Sino-U.S. trade war and other negative factors.
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Pentagon accepts S. Korea's proposal to fund labor costs for Korean USFK workers on furlough

`` The Department of Defense has accepted the Republic of Korea 's ( ROK ) proposal to fund the labor @ @ @ @ @ Forces Korea ( USFK ) Korean National ( KN ) employees through the end of @ @ @ @ @ Department of Defense said in a release .

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. defense department said Tuesday it has accepted South Korea's proposal to fund the labor costs for all Koreans working for the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) amid their stalled defense cost-sharing talks.
Around 4,000 employees were placed on unpaid leave starting April 1 amid the protracted stalemate in negotiations to work out a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that stipulates how much Seoul would pay for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong USFK.
"The Department of Defense has accepted the Republic of Korea's (ROK) proposal to fund the labor costs for all U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Korean National (KN) employees through the end of 2020," the U.S. Department of Defense said in a release.
"USFK expects all KN employees to return to work no later than mid-June," it added.
The defense cost-sharing negotiations have been deadlocked after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Seoul's offer as insufficient. Officials said Washington has asked Seoul to pay $1.3 billion per year, a nearly 50 percent increase from last year, while Seoul says its best offer stands at a 13 percent increase.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Seoul stocks open higher on Wall Street gains

Such an advance followed reports of a reduction of friction between the United States and China over the latter 's @ @ @ @ @ security law that could undermine Hong Kong 's autonomy .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened sharply higher Wednesday, taking a cue from overnight Wall Street gains amid hopes of economic reopening and eased Sino-American political turmoil.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 32.86 points, or 1.57 percent, to 2,120.05 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 267.63 points, or 1.05 percent, to close at 25,742.65 on Tuesday (New York time).
Such an advance followed reports of a reduction of friction between the United States and China over the latter's passing of the new national security law that could undermine Hong Kong's autonomy.
The latest reports suggested China continued to import soybeans from the United States, a key component in their trade deal signed January, dismissing earlier reports that Beijing may be pressuring its state-run importers to stop purchasing American products.
In Seoul, large caps mostly traded higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics surged 1.75 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 0.84 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics climbed 0.48 percent, with leading chemical maker LG Chem added 1.01 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,217.65 won against the U.S. dollar, up 7.75 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) USFK expects all S. Korean employees to return to work no later than mid-June: Pentagon


yna--2020-06-03--(URGENT) Pentagon accepts S. Korea's proposal to fund labor costs for Korean USFK workers on furloug

(URGENT) Pentagon accepts S. Korea's proposal to fund labor costs for Korean USFK workers on furlough


yna--2020-06-03--N.K. leader stresses close relations with Cuba in birthday message to Raul Castro

`` It expressed the belief that the strategic and comradely relations of friendship and cooperation between the two parties and @ @ @ @ @ long history and tradition will be invariably carried forward and developed , '' it added @

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a birthday message to Raul Castro, the first secretary of Cuba's communist party, stressing "strategic" and "comradely" relations between the two countries, state media reported Wednesday.
"The message extended warm comradely greetings to Raul Castro Ruz with best wishes on his 89th birthday," the Korean Central News Agency said.
"It expressed the belief that the strategic and comradely relations of friendship and cooperation between the two parties and two countries based on a long history and tradition will be invariably carried forward and developed," it added.
North Korea and Cuba have maintained close relations since establishing diplomatic ties in 1960, and they have recently stepped up efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
In November 2018, Cuban President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez visited Pyongyang for three days. In May last year, a North Korean delegation led by Ri Su-yong, vice chairman of the Workers' Party, visited the island nation.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


Wednesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , June 3 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


KOSPI 2,108.55 UP 21.36 points (open)


KOSDAQ 749.49 UP 5.91 points (open)


yna--2020-06-03--Dollar opens at 1,218.0 won DN from 1,225.4 won


yna--2020-06-03--S. Korean economy could contract over 2 pct in Q2: finance minister

On the predictions made by the Bank of Korea that Asia 's fourth-largest economy may contract this year vis-a-vis 2019 @ @ @ @ @ not ruling out such an outcome , but claimed that the huge stimulus package being @ @ @ @ @ , along with aggressive fiscal and monetary policies , could allow the country to post @ @ @ @ @

SEJONG, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy may contract by more than 2 percent in the second quarter of this year as the country reels from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the country's top economic policymaker said Wednesday.
In a interview with Yonhap News TV, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said while the country's real gross domestic product (GDP) posted minus 1.3 percent growth in the first quarter of 2020, compared with three months earlier, that number could fall into the lower negative 2 percent range in the April-June period, as the impact of COVID-19 is felt more widely.
The official, however, said that things could improve in the third and fourth quarters, if the outbreak comes under control in the country and other parts of the world.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks during an interview with Yonhap News TV on June 3, 2020, in this image captured from the cable news channel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
On the predictions made by the Bank of Korea that Asia's fourth-largest economy may contract this year vis-a-vis 2019, Hong said he is not ruling out such an outcome, but claimed that the huge stimulus package being pushed forward by the government, along with aggressive fiscal and monetary policies, could allow the country to post 0.1 percent overall growth.
"The growth target for this year is attainable if everything falls into place," Hong, who doubles as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said in the interview with the news-only cable channel.
Seoul earlier proposed the largest-ever extra budget of 35.3 trillion won (US$29 billion) that will be used to help key industries overcome the current coronavirus crisis. The plan, that needs to be passed by parliament, comes after the country approved an 11.7 trillion won supplementary budget in March followed by a 12.2 trillion won spending plan in April.
Touching on concerns that the latest extra budget will raise national debt to high levels, Hong stressed that taking no action at this juncture would do more harm to the economy.
He said aggressive use of all resources could lead to a rebound in growth and more tax revenue. Such a development, he argued, can benefit the country in the long run.
Hong then pointed out that while the debt ratio to GDP will reach 43.5 percent with the latest extra budget, that is still far lower than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average of 110 percent.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Returning closer to be eased back into KBO action

`` If he starts going into games in the ninth inning , he may feel some pressure , '' Huh @ @ @ @ @ have enough time , we 'll see what happens .
We may send him out @ @ @ @ @ give him some time to adjust . ''

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The greatest closer in South Korean baseball history is on track to return from a lengthy suspension next week, but his manager said Wednesday he is in no hurry to throw him into the fire.
Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions, the all-time saves leader in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with 277, is serving out his 72-game suspension, stemming from an overseas gambling conviction. The KBO handed down the ban in 2016 and the half-season suspension kicked in when Oh rejoined the Lions last August, after getting released by the Colorado Rockies.
Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions puts on his cap during practice at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
Oh played for the Lions from 2005 to 2013, before spending the next two years with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan and then parts of four seasons in the majors with the Rockies, the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Barring rainouts, Oh will be eligible to join the Lions' active roster next Tuesday. He traveled with the team to Seoul this week for a three-game series against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. He threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session prior to Wednesday's game, but he isn't yet allowed to sit in the dugout or bullpen during games.
Samsung manager Huh Sam-young said he liked what he saw from Oh, considering the circumstances.
"A bullpen session is obviously different from a game, and he couldn't have been pitching at his 100 percent today," Huh said at his pregame press conference. "I think he has been preparing himself while taking into account differences in intensity and pressure."
Huh said he hasn't yet discussed what Oh's role will be upon his return. Logically, Oh will be the Lions' closer, but Huh said it won't necessarily happen right away.
"If he starts going into games in the ninth inning, he may feel some pressure," Huh said. "Since we have enough time, we'll see what happens. We may send him out in less stressful situations and give him some time to adjust."
He threw some spring training games with the Lions this year. But his last competitive game came with the Rockies on May 30 last year. He went on the 10-day injured list on June 10 with left abdominal strain, and then was ruled out for season on July 16 with right elbow injury.
Oh returned to South Korea in August to undergo an operation. He spent a big chunk of his 72-game ban rehabbing the elbow.
Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions stretches before practice at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 2, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--(2nd LD) Unification minister holds videoconference with WFP chief

The videoconference comes as North Korea is facing chronic food shortages caused by crippling global sanctions and unfavorable weather .
@ @ @ @ @ due to the global coronavirus pandemic , which prompted Pyongyang to close its border with @ @ @ @ @ of food imports .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; CHANGES photo; UPDATES with more info throughout)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul held a videoconference with the head of the World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday and discussed plans to provide aid to North Korea, his office said.
In the conference, WFP Executive Director David Beasley explained the need to cooperate in providing assistance to North Korea amid the global coronavirus pandemic and urged South Korea to play an active role, the ministry said in a press release.
"The South Korean government has a strong vision to build a 'biotic community on the Korean Peninsula' through cooperation with North Korea and the international community," Kim said, and expressed his appreciation for WFP's contribution in helping the North.
The ministry did not elaborate on what specific plans or issues were discussed.
It also said the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation for the next five years.
The talks were set up at the request of the U.N. food agency and were held through a videoconference in consideration of concerns over COVID-19, the ministry said.
Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul (second from R) holds a video conference with World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley in Seoul on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The videoconference comes as North Korea is facing chronic food shortages caused by crippling global sanctions and unfavorable weather. Things appear to be worse due to the global coronavirus pandemic, which prompted Pyongyang to close its border with China, hampering regular shipments of food imports.
Beasley visited South Korea in May last year and met Kim and other government officials and expressed concerns over the North's food shortages.
His visit to Seoul followed a gloomy report by the agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on food situations in North Korea.
About a month later, the Seoul government announced a plan to send 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea through the WFP, though its shipment has not been made amid chilled inter-Korean relations.
The government also donated $8 million to the WFP and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for their projects in North Korea to support the nutrition of children and pregnant women and address their health problems.
Chronic food paucity appears to be taking a toll on its people's health.
The FAO and two other organizations -- Johns Hopkins Alliance for a Healthier World and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition -- said in a recent report that around 48 percent of the North's population is facing "undernourishment."
The figure is much higher than the global average of 11 percent and the East Asian average of 8.4 percent.
The report is in line with the FAO's assessment earlier this year that North Korea is one of 44 countries that need outside food support.
North Korea has claimed it recorded a bumper harvest last year, but the unification ministry said that the North might be facing a shortage of around 860,000 tons of grain this year.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung meets with former Korean club over potential reunion

The world class outside hitter made her professional debut with the Pink Spiders in 2005 and spent four seasons there @ @ @ @ @ career that took her to Japan , Turkey and China .
She spent time overseas @ @ @ @ @ had n't fulfilled free agency requirements of six seasons , and the Pink Spiders still @ @ @ @ @ If Kim were to compete again in the V-League , she must sign with her @ @ @

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean volleyball superstar Kim Yeon-koung met with her former South Korean club on Wednesday to negotiate a possible reunion.
Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders of the V-League said their general manager, Kim Yeo-il, and Kim Yeon-koung had "a good conversation" on Wednesday. An official with the team said the player asked for more time before she can chart a path back to where it all began.
Kim, considered the greatest South Korean volleyball player ever, ended her two-year stint with the Turkish club Eczacibasi VitrA last month. She had been linked to China, but her interest in a return to the V-League, which would offer more stability than overseas leagues during the coronavirus pandemic, was leaked to the local media Monday evening.
In this file photo from Feb. 20, 2020, South Korean volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, before departing for Turkey. (Yonhap)
Wednesday's meeting was the first between the player and the club since the report.
The world class outside hitter made her professional debut with the Pink Spiders in 2005 and spent four seasons there before embarking on an international career that took her to Japan, Turkey and China. She spent time overseas on loan deals because she hadn't fulfilled free agency requirements of six seasons, and the Pink Spiders still have rights to Kim. If Kim were to compete again in the V-League, she must sign with her original team.
The team official said the Pink Spiders will give Kim all the time she needs. If a player hopes to compete in the 2020-2021 V-League season, which will begin in the fall, she must sign by 6 p.m. on June 30.
There's no team that wouldn't make room for a player of Kim's caliber on its roster, but the pressing issue for the Pink Spiders is the salary cap.
For the 2020-2021 season, the cap for the women's V-League teams has been set at 2.3 billion won (US$1.9 million). The Pink Spiders have already spent 1 billion won on re-signing former league MVP Lee Jae-yeong and then acquiring her twin sister Lee Da-yeong via free agency.
While Kim's exact salary figure hasn't been made public, she has reportedly been one of the world's highest-paid volleyball players, male or female, and may be worth more than the entire salary cap figure.
Kim has won numerous championships and individual awards over her 15-year career. She was named the MVP of the women's volleyball tournament at the 2012 London Olympics, where South Korea finished in fourth place.
In this photo provided by FIVB on Jan. 9, 2020, Kim Yeon-koung of South Korea serves against Kazakhstan in their countries' Pool B match of the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualification tournament at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--S. Korea to offer $18.5 mln in humanitarian aid to Yemen

The foreign ministry said South Korea announced its plans , in a virtual high-level pledging event organized on Tuesday by @ @ @ @ @ Nations , to provide assistance to Yemen where more than 24 million people , or @ @ @ @ @ population , are in need of assistance .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Wednesday it will provide US$18.5 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen to help combat food shortages and the coronavirus pandemic.
The foreign ministry said South Korea announced its plans, in a virtual high-level pledging event organized on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia and the United Nations, to provide assistance to Yemen where more than 24 million people, or some 80 percent of the population, are in need of assistance.
The aid will be used to help Yemen fight the new coronavirus and deal with the food shortage, including support for a project that has provided rice to the poverty-stricken country since 2018, according to the ministry.
South Korea plans to continue providing assistance to countries struggling with protracted humanitarian crisis and take responsibility as a middle power in solidarity with the world, the ministry added.
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--FM Kang calls for S. Korea to seize middle power status to bolster ASEAN policy

`` We need to further expand and deepen the New Southern Policy based on our capabilities for innovation that have @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 , and the status as a competent middle power that has been further @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha highlighted the need Wednesday for South Korea to seize its diplomatic status, bolstered by its response to the new coronavirus, to expand its policy initiative aimed at deepening ties with Southeast Asian countries.
Kang made the remarks during a videoconference with chiefs of South Korean diplomatic missions in 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is a core partner of Seoul's New Southern Policy.
"We need to further expand and deepen the New Southern Policy based on our capabilities for innovation that have been employed in our response to COVID-19, and the status as a competent middle power that has been further solidified," Kang said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaks takes part in a videoconference with chiefs of South Korean missions in the ASEAN region at the foreign ministry in Seoul on June 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
The policy, one of the Moon Jae-in administration's signature diplomatic initiatives, aims to strengthen relations with ASEAN -- a crucial partner for South Korea due to its growth potential, rich resources and geopolitical importance.
Pointing to "unstable international situations," Kang stressed that the strategic importance of the regional bloc as a "trustworthy" partner has grown.
"If we make efforts, taking the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity, the New Southern Policy will become a fertilizer to further solidify the foundation for our diplomacy," Kang said.
At the video-linked session, Park Bok-yeong, head of a government committee on the policy, said that the economic and political importance of the ASEAN region has been increasing amid a major-power conflict over global supply chains.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Samsung Group heir seeks opportunity for public review of ongoing probe

As its first step , the prosecution office is expected to put together a public committee sometime next week .
@ @ @ @ @ the ongoing Samsung probe and determine whether to ask the Supreme Prosecutors Office to set @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong, under investigation over a controversial merger between two Samsung units, is seeking an opportunity for a public assessment of a potential indictment's validity, legal sources said Wednesday.
According to the sources, Lee's legal representative asked the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for the formation of an investigation review committee.
As its first step, the prosecution office is expected to put together a public committee sometime next week. That committee will go over the ongoing Samsung probe and determine whether to ask the Supreme Prosecutors Office to set up the investigation review committee.
The review committee will be made up of outside experts, who will determine whether prosecutors should continue with their investigation and whether those under the probe should be indicted.
The system was adopted in 2018, as prosecutors decided to subject themselves to a review on cases that are of great public interest.
Lee was summoned on May 26 and 29 on suspicions surrounding the 2015 merger of two major affiliates: Samsung C&T Corp. and Cheil Industries Inc.
Prosecutors suspect Samsung's top management was involved in efforts to facilitate Lee's managerial succession from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee, and may have intentionally lowered the value of Samsung C&T prior to its merger with Cheil Industries to benefit the heir apparent.
Lee was the largest shareholder in Cheil Industries, an affiliate that produces textiles, chemicals and electronic chemical materials, with a stake of 23.2 percent. That means a fall in the valuation of Samsung C&T paves the way for a merger ratio advantageous to the Samsung heir.
Lee is said to have denied the allegations.
Prosecutors have also grilled other current and former senior Samsung executives, and they were planning on wrapping up their investigation in June.
This file photo from May 19, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, following his arrival from Xian, China. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Ex-MLB player Kang Jung-ho due back in S. Korea on Friday, to meet press after quarantine

Kang is hoping to be reunited with the Kiwoom Heroes , the last KBO team he played for before signing @ @ @ @ @ 2015 .
Because Kang was n't a free agent then and went through the posting @ @ @ @ @ big league deal , the Heroes retain rights to Kang and must first activate him @ @ @ @ @ '' list before he can play in the KBO again .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Former major leaguer Kang Jung-ho, eyeing a return to the South Korean league under the cloud of multiple drunken driving cases, will arrive back from the United States on Friday.
Leeco Sports Agency, Kang's agency in Seoul, said Kang will land at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, Friday afternoon. As is required for all international arrivals during the coronavirus pandemic, Kang will enter a two-week quarantine.
The agency said once his quarantine ends, Kang will hold a press conference to discuss his future in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
In this Getty Images file photo from May 11, 2019, Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates (L) reacts after striking out against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the eighth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
Kang is hoping to be reunited with the Kiwoom Heroes, the last KBO team he played for before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015. Because Kang wasn't a free agent then and went through the posting system to land his first big league deal, the Heroes retain rights to Kang and must first activate him from the "voluntarily retired" list before he can play in the KBO again.
Based on Kang's three drunken driving cases from 2009, 2011 and 2016, the KBO handed down a one-year suspension on the infielder on May 25. The ban will take effect once Kang signs a KBO deal.
The Heroes, who have the ultimate say on whether Kang can continue his career, have said they'll only begin discussing their possible future with Kang after the player speaks to the media.
Once Kang comes off the voluntarily retired list, the Heroes can either sign him or trade him.
Kang received a suspended jail term in 2017 for driving into a guardrail in Seoul while under the influence, then fleeing the scene, in December 2016. That third case effectively ended Kang's once-promising big league career.
The former KBO All-Star shortstop missed the entire 2017 season because he was unable to obtain his work permit and he appeared in only three games in 2018.
Kang's four-year deal with the Pirates expired in 2018, but the team gave him a second chance by handing him a new one-year deal for the 2019 season.
In this file photo from Oct. 31, 2014, Kang Jung-ho of the Nexen Heroes celebrates his two-run home run against the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization postseason game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Kang led the majors with seven home runs in spring training in 2019, but in the regular season he stumbled to a .169/.222./.395 line in 65 games with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs. The Pirates released him on Aug. 4.
Kang briefly worked out with the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A team, but no new deal came out of it.
Kang had been among the premier sluggers in the KBO. In his last season before moving to the majors, Kang established a new KBO record for most home runs in a season by a shortstop with 40.
In 2015, Kang finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, thanks to a .287/.355/.461 line, 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 126 games.
Then in 2016, Kang posted a .513 slugging percentage while setting career highs with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs in 103 games. But following the DUI arrest in December that year, Kang never duplicated that level of production.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-03--Art of conservation science takes center stage in special exhibition

The types of works on display are wide in spectrum and medium , ranging from paintings and sculptures to installations @ @ @ @ @ sound piece by Ryu Han-kil , which merges different industrial and explosive sounds in a @ @ @ @ @ highlighting the emotions of a conservator when observing physical damage of an aged work of @ @

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Conservation science, the discipline of conserving art, architecture and other cultural works, serves as a tool for restoring art as closely to the creator's intended vision. The discipline combines aspects of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering -- nerdy fields that are hardly considered romantic or associated with timeless beauty by the general public.
Subverting this very notion, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) has opened a special art exhibition themed around the very art of conservation science, titled "Conservator C's Day," from May 26-Oct. 4 at its Cheongju museum, located 137 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
This photo provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) on June 3, 2020, shows "Conversation Tool: Brush" by Jung Jung-ho, which is on display at the "Conservator C's Day" exhibition at MMCA Cheongju. (Yonhap)
The exhibition centers around an imaginary art conservator, named "C," with modern artworks themed around the daily science of conservation and metaphysical anxieties that C confronts at work.
The curation brings together some 30 art pieces centered around five keywords -- Damage, Tools, Time, Anxiety and Thought.
The types of works on display are wide in spectrum and medium, ranging from paintings and sculptures to installations. Included is a non-visual sound piece by Ryu Han-kil, which merges different industrial and explosive sounds in a dim and hollow room, highlighting the emotions of a conservator when observing physical damage of an aged work of art.
This photo provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) on June 3, 2020, shows the restored version of "Woman in a Cross Striped Dress" by Lee Gap-gyeong from 1937, which is on display at the "Conservator C's Day" exhibition at MMCA Cheongju. (Yonhap)
Kim Jee-soo presents a work titled "Pul Pul Pul," centered around empty bottles attached to a wall, intended to symbolize the smell of the museum's conservation labs and their scientists. Jung Jung-ho brings to the exhibition photography that sheds light on equipment in a conservation lab from unique perspectives.
Also featured is a pixel art video piece by Joo Jae-bum, juxtaposing high-definition imagery against blocky pixel images that resemble retro video games, depicting a day in the life of a conservation scientist in a video. A gallery dedicated to C's imaginary library introduces novels and science books as sources of literary inspiration for the imaginary conservation scientist.
Various video interviews by former renowned conservation scientists, such as Kang Jung-sik and Cha Byung-kab, have also been put on display.
Youn Bum-mo, head of MMCA, said the exhibition will offer special intrigue to visitors, providing unique visual representations of the art of conservation science.
"The exhibition will offer new insights on the art of conservation science into various research and studies related to the process of preservation and restoration of artworks," Youn said.
This photo provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) on June 3, 2020, shows "Pul Pul Pul" by Kim Jee-soo, which is on display at the "Conservator C's Day" exhibition at MMCA Cheongju. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)