yna--2020-06-28--(LEAD) S. Korea dogged by double whammy of local, imported cases, new infections at over 1-week high

The southern city of Gwangju , which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases , reported four new cases @ @ @ @ @ time in nearly three months , the KCDC said .
All of the new four @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6-10, 14-16)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Sunday in the face of a steady rise in both locally transmitted infections and imported cases, further complicating the country's virus fight.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
A medical worker collects a sample from a person at a coronavirus screening clinic in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, on June 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the city government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
A continued rise in new local infections in the metropolitan area is due to new infections related to two churches that have emerged as sources of cluster infections.
A 31-year-old woman from Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak was first identified on Wednesday, and 21 other church followers have since tested positive for the virus as of late Saturday.
A total of 1,700 followers, and some 100 family members and acquaintances, have completed COVID-19 tests, with the results expected in the coming days.
The KCDC said a total of 11 infections has been reported in connection with a church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul, as of late Saturday.
The southern city of Gwangju, which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, reported four new cases on Sunday for the first time in nearly three months, the KCDC said. All of the new four cases were locally transmitted.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, with 16 of them detected at quarantine checkpoints, the KCDC said.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back since mid-June, with double-digit numbers reported for a total of 11 days in June, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Seoul to expand ties with Beijing, Tokyo in marine shipping amid pandemic

South Korea will take part in a virtual ministerial meeting for logistics slated for Monday , and plans to request @ @ @ @ @ shipping industry ties to cope with the virus pandemic , according to the Ministry of @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday it plans to bolster ties with neighboring countries in the field of marine shipping to overcome the pandemic-caused challenges, by utilizing smart technologies and promoting non-contact cooperation.
South Korea will take part in a virtual ministerial meeting for logistics slated for Monday, and plans to request China and Japan to bolster shipping industry ties to cope with the virus pandemic, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
"South Korea, China, and Japan have been enjoying economic growth through specialization and cooperation, connected by marine logistics," Oceans Minister Moon Seong-hyeok said in a statement.
"The three countries will continue to make efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and maintain the steady flow of logistics down the road," he added.
The country also aims to establish deeper ties with Beijing and Tokyo to utilize smart technologies to inspect ships while minimizing face-to-face contact, while promoting the development of self-driving vessels.
South Korea said earlier this month that it will spend 160 billion won (US$133 million) to launch a vessel capable of sailing with a minimal number of sailors by 2025.
The ministry plans to request China and Japan to provide discounts on port fees to support troubled passenger ferry operators in Northeast Asia as well.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' becomes fastest video ever to top 100 mln YouTube views

`` How You Like That '' is the first of the four-piece act 's two pre-release singles from its first @ @ @ @ @ out in September .
A follow-up single was announced for sometime during July or August @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- The music video of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's latest song "How You Like That" racked in over 100 million views on YouTube at the fastest pace ever, its management agency said Sunday.
The 100 million views were reached at around 2:23 a.m. Sunday, about 32 hours after the music video was released, according to YG Entertainment.
The previous record was set by BTS in April 2019 with "Boy With Luv," the main track off its album titled "Map of the Soul: Persona."
BLACKPINK's new song also ranked at the top of iTunes charts in 60 nations, YG said on Saturday.
"How You Like That" is the first of the four-piece act's two pre-release singles from its first studio album scheduled to come out in September. A follow-up single was announced for sometime during July or August.
One of the biggest K-pop girl groups today, BLACKPINK debuted in 2016, storming multiple music charts back to back with their edgy hip-hop tracks "Whistle" and "Boombayah."
This photo, provided by YG Entertainment on June 19, 2020, shows South Korean girl group BLACKPINK's teaser for its new song "How You Like That." The agency said the group will perform the song for the first time on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on June 26 (U.S. time). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Nearly 10,000 booked for alleged dating abuse in 2019: data

The number of dating violence cases reported to police came to 19,940 in 2019 , up from 18,671 a year @ @ @ @ @ data compiled by the National Police Agency ( NPA ) .
In 2017 , the @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- Reports of violence by dating partners rose last year from a year earlier, police said Sunday, vowing to step up efforts to prevent this type of crime and protect victims.
The number of dating violence cases reported to police came to 19,940 in 2019, up from 18,671 a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the National Police Agency (NPA). In 2017, the figure came to 14,136.
Of the total, 9,858 people were booked for criminal charges last year, compared to 10,245 in 2018, the data showed.
Assault charges accounted for the largest share with 7,003 people, followed by confinement and intimidation with 1,067, sexual violence with 25 cases and murder with 10, the police said, noting that most of the victims were women.
Police said they will continue to implement diverse measures to root out the crimes and better protect victims.
A two-month campaign will be launched starting in July to encourage people to proactively report dating violence to the authorities.
Police will also extend support for victims to receive more counseling services and review an option to cover their medical and living expenses, according to the NPA.
"Dating violence undoubtedly constitutes a criminal act, not lovers' quarrel, and active responses are a must," an NPA officer said.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Duty-free sales rebound in May amid virus outbreak

Sales of duty-free shops have been hurt by the spread of COVID-19 since late January , which has made it @ @ @ @ @ , their major customers , to visit South Korea .

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean duty-free stores saw their sales rebound slightly in May after dipping below the 1 trillion-won (US$804 million) mark in April amid the new coronavirus pandemic, industry data showed Sunday.
Combined sales of local duty-free shops rose 3 percent on-month to reach 1.02 trillion won, rebounding from 986.7 billion won in April, according to the data from the Korea Duty Free Shops Association.
The number of visitors to duty-free outlets came to some 466,000 last month, up from 354,000 the previous month.
Foreigners accounted for 19 percent of the total visitors last month, sharply down from 33 percent in April, which means locals made up a large share of the duty-free sales.
Sales of duty-free shops have been hurt by the spread of COVID-19 since late January, which has made it impossible for small-scale Chinese vendors, their major customers, to visit South Korea.
Those Chinese vendors sell their duty-free purchases, mostly cosmetic products, in large quantities to consumers back home.
The country's two leading duty-free operators -- Lotte Shopping and Hotel Shilla -- earlier decided to give up their bids to operate stores at South Korea's main airport, Incheon International Airport.
Duty-free operators started to sell duty-free products through local retail channels last week, as the government has decided to temporarily permit such sales to help the pandemic-hit sector.
Few customers are spotted at duty-free stores at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on May 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--S. Korea dogged by double whammy of local, imported cases, new infections at over 1-week high

The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases @ @ @ @ @ of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June .

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Sunday in the face of a steady rise in both locally transmitted infections and imported cases, further complicating the country's virus fight.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
A medical worker collects a sample from a person at a coronavirus screening clinic in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, on June 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the city government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, after 20 on Saturday and 20 on Wednesday, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(URGENT) 47 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 11,

(URGENT) 47 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 11,364: KCDC

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


yna--2020-06-28--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus death, total death toll at 282: KCDC


yna--2020-06-28--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 62 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,715: KCDC


yna--2020-06-28--Japanese carmakers suffer extended setback in S. Korea from trade row

Honda Motor Co. suffered a sharp decline in its operating income to 1.98 billion won ( US $ 1.64 million @ @ @ @ @ March 2020 , down from an operating income of 19.6 billion won a year earlier @ @ @ @ @ report .
Its sales also plunged 23 percent to 363 billion won over the cited @ @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) --- Japanese automakers are suffering an extended slump in South Korea amid a protracted trade row between the two Asian neighbors and the coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said Sunday.
Honda Motor Co. suffered a sharp decline in its operating income to 1.98 billion won (US$1.64 million) between April 2019 and March 2020, down from an operating income of 19.6 billion won a year earlier, according to its audit report. Its sales also plunged 23 percent to 363 billion won over the cited period.
Its vehicle sales here also sank by 73 percent in the first five months of the year from a year earlier to 1,323.
Nissan Motor Co. also decided to pull out from South Korea 16 years after its landing here amid an extended slump with weak sales caused by lingering anti-Japan sentiment and the new coronavirus outbreak.
Nissan and its premium brand Infiniti logged 38 percent and 71 percent drops in sales, respectively, to 1,041 and 222 vehicles in the January-May period.
Toyota Motor Corp. and its luxury brand Lexus also were also stung by protracted slumps, with their vehicle sales dropping 57 percent and 64 percent, respectively, in the first five months of the year compared to a year earlier, industry data showed.
Last July, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of semiconductors and displays.
In August, Japan also removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in trade procedures.
South Korea views the moves as retaliation against 2018 Supreme Court rulings here ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
This undated photo provided by Nissan Korea shows the Altima sedan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jun .
28 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .


yna--2020-06-28--Samsung to launch 2 foldable smartphones in H2: sources

Samsung is expected to use ultra-thin glass ( UTG ) for the Galaxy Fold 2 , as it did it @ @ @ @ @ .
However , many predicted that the second generation of the Galaxy Fold is not @ @ @ @ @ .

By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to launch two new foldable smartphones in the second half of the year, with an affordable foldable handset model likely to come out next year, industry sources said Sunday.
Samsung is projected to unveil the Galaxy Fold 2 and the 5G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip at an event in August, along with its flagship phablet Galaxy Note 20 series, according to the sources.
But its affordable foldable smartphone, presumably named the Galaxy Fold Lite, is not likely to make its debut at the event, they said.
This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on May 3, 2020, shows the Galaxy Z Flip smartphone. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The South Korean tech giant has been rumored to introduce a version of its foldable smartphone that sells for nearly half the price of a regular Galaxy Fold.
Foreign tech reviewers have predicted that the Galaxy Fold 2 will feature a 7.7-inch screen when unfolded, while having a 6.23-inch cover display, both larger than its predecessor's 7.3-inch and 4.6-inch displays, respectively.
Samsung is expected to use ultra-thin glass (UTG) for the Galaxy Fold 2, as it did it for the Galaxy Z Flip. However, many predicted that the second generation of the Galaxy Fold is not likely to sport the S-Pen.
The 5G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip is not expected to have major changes in specifications from the first model, according to the sources.
Samsung's unveiling of the new foldable smartphones will come amid stiff competition from Huawei Technologies Co. and Microsoft Corp.
China's Huawei is reportedly planning to release its Mate X2, while Microsoft is looking to introduce the Surface Duo in the third quarter of the year.
This photo, taken on Oct. 31, 2019, shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, displayed at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-06-28--(5th LD) Seoul adopts three-level social distancing as virus cases rise

Under Level 2 , all private and public indoor meetings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of over 100 @ @ @ @ @ Level 3 , all meetings of 10 people or more will be banned and all @ @ @ @ @ going to schools , the health agency said .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline and lead; RECASTS throughout; ADDS details in paras 8-10)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday it will implement a three-level social distancing scheme as the country's daily new coronavirus cases rebounded to over 60 without showing signs of slowdown.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections mainly involving religious gatherings, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
This photo taken on June 28, 2020, shows the main entrance of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak closed. A 31-year-old woman from the church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak was first identified to be infected with the coronavirus on June 26, and 21 other church followers have since tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The KCDC said Sunday the government will adopt three levels of social distancing and countermeasures, depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The country currently recommends Level 1 social distancing, which is implemented when the number of virus cases is manageable by the medical system. The government plans to apply Level 2 distancing measures if daily infections exceed 50 for 14 straight days but remain below 100, and Level 3 measures if daily infections far exceed 100, the KCDC said.
Under Level 2, all private and public indoor meetings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of over 100 will be banned. Under Level 3, all meetings of 10 people or more will be banned and all students will be prohibited from going to schools, the health agency said.
At least 17 countries, including Singapore, Britain, and Taiwan, and some U.S. states, are limiting or have banned group meetings and events amid the pandemic, the KCDC said.
Under the current Level 1 distancing, the government said Sunday it would allow spectators to start attending sports events as early as this week, on condition that strict infection preventive measures are taken.
Sports leagues are expected to sell tickets for about 30 percent of their stadium capacity in the beginning, and then gradually increase that number.
Elementary school students wait in line to take COVID-19 tests at a clinic temporarily set up at a school in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak on June 28, 2020, after new infections related to a nearby church were reported. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
The continued rise in new local infections in the metropolitan area is due to new cases related to churches that have emerged as sources of cluster infections.
Eight followers of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak were newly confirmed to be infected on Sunday, bringing the related cases to 27 since a 31-year-old woman was first identified as infected on Wednesday.
A total of 1,962 people, including some 1,700 church followers and their family members, is undergoing COVID-19 tests, with the results expected in the coming days.
The KCDC said a total of 18 infections, up seven from a day earlier, has been reported in connection with a church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Three members of a church in Suwon, just south of Seoul, were also newly confirmed on Sunday, the KCDC said. A total of 717 people participated in four different church services with the COVID-19 patients, according to the KCDC.
The southern city of Gwangju, which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, reported four new cases on Sunday for the first time in nearly three months, the KCDC said. All of the new four cases were locally transmitted.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
The authorities said they have not been able to trace infection routes for 71 out of 631 new patients over the past two weeks, or 11.3 percent.
The portion of infections tied to untraceable transmissions exceeded 10 percent on June 15, for the first time since the authorities began counting such data on April 6.
The ratio is between 10 and 11 percent level this month, they said.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, with 16 of them detected at quarantine checkpoints, the KCDC said.
Of the total, 18 were from Asia, followed by three from the United States and one from Europe, the KCDC said.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back since mid-June, with double-digit numbers reported for a total of 11 days in June, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
People keep distance from one another while waiting in line for Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(LEAD) Japanese carmakers suffer extended setback in S. Korea from trade row

Honda Korea reported an operating profit to 1.98 billion won ( US $ 1.64 million ) in the 2019 fiscal @ @ @ @ @ , plunging 90 percent from 19.6 billion won a year earlier , according to its @ @ @ @ @ also plunged 23 percent to 363.2 billion won from 467.4 billion won over the cited @ @

(ATTN: ADDS background in paras 7-8)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) --- Japanese automakers are suffering an extended slump in South Korea amid a protracted trade row between the two Asian neighbors and the coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said Sunday.
Honda Korea reported an operating profit to 1.98 billion won (US$1.64 million) in the 2019 fiscal year that ended in March, plunging 90 percent from 19.6 billion won a year earlier, according to its audit report. Its sales also plunged 23 percent to 363.2 billion won from 467.4 billion won over the cited period.
Its vehicle sales here also sank by 73 percent in the first five months of the year from a year earlier to 1,323.
Nissan Motor Co. also decided to pull out from South Korea 16 years after its landing here amid an extended slump with weak sales caused by lingering anti-Japan sentiment and the new coronavirus outbreak.
Nissan and its premium brand Infiniti logged 38 percent and 71 percent drops in sales, respectively, to 1,041 and 222 vehicles in the January-May period.
Toyota Motor Corp. and its luxury brand Lexus were also stung by protracted slumps, with their vehicle sales dropping 57 percent and 64 percent, respectively, in the first five months compared to a year earlier, industry data showed.
Five Japanese brands are available in the Korean passenger vehicle market -- Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan and Infiniti.
The five brands saw their sales plunge 62 percent to 1,672 units in the five-month period from 4,415 a year ago, as the two countries are still at odds over Japan's export curbs against South Korea.
Last July, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of semiconductors and displays.
In August, Japan also removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in trade procedures.
South Korea views the moves as retaliation against 2018 Supreme Court rulings here ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
This undated photo provided by Nissan Korea shows the Altima sedan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Coach for last-place K League club quits

Incheon have lost seven in a row , and they 're the only winless club in the K League 1 @ @ @ @ @ losses .
They 've scored a league-low three goals after nine contests , and they @ @ @ @ @ 11th-ranked Busan IPark .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- With his club mired in last place in South Korean football this season, Incheon United head coach Lim Wan-sup resigned Sunday.
Lim became the first coaching casualty in the 2020 K League 1 season. He offered to quit Saturday evening, following a 1-0 loss to FC Seoul on the road, and the club announced Sunday it accepted the resignation.
Incheon have lost seven in a row, and they're the only winless club in the K League 1 with two draws and seven losses. They've scored a league-low three goals after nine contests, and they're six points behind the 11th-ranked Busan IPark.
The worst K League 1 club at the end of the 27-match season will be automatically relegated to the second-tier K League 2 for 2021.
This photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League on June 28, 2020, shows Lim Wan-sup, who resigned as head coach of Incheon United. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Lim took over Incheon United in February, after spending the past season and a half with the K League 2 club Ansan Greeners FC. Lim succeeded Yoo Sang-chul, who began battling cancer late last season. Lim had been Yoo's assistant when both were on the bench for Daejeon Citizen in 2011.
Incheon United have had rotten injury luck this season. Forward Lanre Kehinde is out for the season with a knee injury, while fellow forward Stefan Mugosa, the team's leading scorer last year, missed Saturday's match with an ankle injury.
In this file photo from June 5, 2020, members of Incheon United react to their 2-1 loss to Gangwon FC in their K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Sports leagues welcome reopening of stadiums, prepared for safe fan experience

Unlike baseball , some K League clubs have already played before fans during the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ , Ulsan , FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings each had a home match during @ @ @ @ @ Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) Champions League .
Fans were allowed back then , @ @ @ @ @ fill out health questionnaires and go through temperature checks at the entrance .
They also @ @ @ @ @ on during the match .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean professional sports leagues on Sunday welcomed the government decision to reopen stadiums to fans, albeit on a limited basis, and vowed to ensure safe experience for their fans.
Baseball, football and golf have been in action since May during the coronavirus pandemic, but fans haven't been able to attend any of the games or tournaments so far. Then on Sunday, the government said doors will swing open for sports fans as early as this week, provided that the leagues will take strict infection preventive steps.
This file photo from May 31, 2020, shows a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants being played without fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
League and team officials in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said they are confident that they'll be able to keep their spectators safe at stadiums. Their season began on May 5 without fans, and teams have been struggling financially without any gate revenue.
Ryu Dae-hwan, KBO's secretary general, thanked health and medical workers for their hard work that has made it possible to play ball games in front of fans.
"We haven't yet established specific guidelines, and we have to monitor the situation with the virus, but we expect to have fans back in the stands by Friday at the earliest," Ryu said. "We'll make the health and safety of our fans the No. 1 priority."
KBO clubs play a pair of three-game series each week, from Tuesday to Thursday and then from Friday to Sunday.
Three clubs, SK Wyverns, LG Twins and NC Dinos, said Sunday they've already made preparations for the return of fans, in terms of how tickets will be purchased online, how fans should enter the ballparks while maintaining distance, and how they'll be spread out once they're in the stands.
LG manager Ryu Joong-il said he welcomed the government's move and added, "I hope baseball can lift people's spirits during this difficult time."
This file photo from June 20, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC being played without fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The KBO will only allow fans to book tickets using their credit card, so that health authorities can trace contacts in case of COVID-19 cases.
In football's K League, officials for the top two clubs, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Ulsan Hyundai FC, said they're ready to put on memorable shows for their fans. K League teams have been playing since May 8.
Unlike baseball, some K League clubs have already played before fans during the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak. In February, Jeonbuk, Ulsan, FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings each had a home match during the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. Fans were allowed back then, and they were required to fill out health questionnaires and go through temperature checks at the entrance. They also had to keep their masks on during the match.
"We have that experience from our AFC match where we operated our quarantine system," an official with Ulsan said. "We'll improve on that system and create a safe environment for our fans."
The KBO is hoping to make about 30 percent of the seats available in the beginning, and then increase it to up to 50 percent in the coming weeks.
The K League is looking at 30 to 40 percent of the capacity at first before a gradual rise.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings, based in the 43,959-seat Suwon World Cup Stadium, plan to open only 18,000 seats, or slightly over 40 percent, and keep all concession stands closed so that fans won't congregate in the stadium concourse.
This file photo from May 15, 2020, shows the final round of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Championship being played without fans at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, just north of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which resumed its season on May 14 after a five-month pause, said the safety and health of players, fans and tour officials will remain its top priority, and that it will discuss gradual reopening with its corporate sponsors.
With baseball and football, league offices will likely ban cheering in order to prevent infections through droplets or contact.
Empty seats and baseball and football stadiums have so far been filled with cardboard cutouts of fans, dolls and banners.
South Korea reported 62 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, up from 51 the previous day. The latest total includes 40 local infections.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(4th LD) S. Korea dogged by both local, imported cases; new infections at over 1-week high

Under level two , all private and public indoor meetings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of over 100 @ @ @ @ @ level three , all meetings of 10 people or more will be banned and all @ @ @ @ @ going to schools , the health agency said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 17-19)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Sunday in the face of a steady rise in locally transmitted infections tied to religious gatherings, further complicating the country's virus fight.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
This photo taken on June 28, 2020, shows the main entrance of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak closed. A 31-year-old woman from the church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak was first identified to be infected with the coronavirus on June 26, and 21 other church followers have since tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
The continued rise in new local infections in the metropolitan area is due to new cases related to churches that have emerged as sources of cluster infections.
Eight followers of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak were newly confirmed to be infected on Sunday, bringing the related cases to 27 since a 31-year-old woman was first identified as infected on Wednesday.
A total of 1,962 people, including some 1,700 church followers and their family members, is undergoing COVID-19 tests, with the results expected in the coming days.
The KCDC said a total of 18 infections, up seven from a day earlier, has been reported in connection with a church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Three members of a church in Suwon, just south of Seoul, were also newly confirmed on Sunday, the KCDC said. A total of 717 people participated in four different church services with the COVID-19 patients, according to the KCDC.
The southern city of Gwangju, which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, reported four new cases on Sunday for the first time in nearly three months, the KCDC said. All of the new four cases were locally transmitted.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
The authorities said they have not been able to trace infection routes for 71 out of 631 new patients over the past two weeks, or 11.3 percent.
The portion of infections tied to untraceable transmissions exceeded 10 percent on June 15, for the first time since the authorities began counting such data on April 6.
The ratio is between 10 and 11 percent level this month, they said.
Elementary school students wait in line to take COVID-19 tests at a clinic temporarily set up at a school in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak on June 28, 2020, after new infections related to a nearby church were reported. (Yonhap)
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The KCDC said the government will adopt three levels of social distancing and countermeasures, depending on the severity of the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
The country currently recommends the level one social distancing in which the number of virus cases is manageable by the medical system. The government plans to apply level two social distancing measures if daily infections exceed 50 for 14 straight days but remain below 100, and the level three measures if daily infections far exceeds 100, the KCDC said.
Under level two, all private and public indoor meetings of 50 or more and outdoor meetings of over 100 will be banned. Under level three, all meetings of 10 people or more will be banned and all students will be prohibited from going to schools, the health agency said.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, with 16 of them detected at quarantine checkpoints, the KCDC said.
Of the total, 18 were from Asia, followed by three from the United States and one from Europe, the KCDC said.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back since mid-June, with double-digit numbers reported for a total of 11 days in June, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
People keep distance from one another while waiting in line for Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(LEAD) Sports games to reopen to limited numbers of fans in S. Korea

The measure came as baseball clubs are reportedly nearing a breaking point without having had gate revenue since the start @ @ @ @ @ 5 .
Some teams have said they may have to take out bank loans to @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with info, background throughout; ADDS photos)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it would allow spectators to start attending sports events amid the coronavirus pandemic as early as this week, on condition that strict infection preventive measures are taken.
The entry of fans into sports stadiums will be limited, according to health authorities.
This file photo, from May 31, 2020, shows a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants being played without fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said it will divide its social distancing drive into three phases depending on intensity, and the current "distancing in daily life" is in Level 1.
Sports leagues are expected to sell about 30 percent of their stadium capacity in the beginning, and then gradually increase that number.
The government said if the worsening pandemic forces it to raise the social distancing drive to Level 2, stadiums will be closed again.
Under Level 2, all indoor events with 50 or more people and outdoor events with 100 or more people will be banned.
Three professional sports -- baseball, football and golf -- have been under way in South Korea during the coronavirus pandemic, but they have been all been played without fans in attendance due to lingering infection concerns.
The measure came as baseball clubs are reportedly nearing a breaking point without having had gate revenue since the start of the season on May 5. Some teams have said they may have to take out bank loans to pay player salaries.
This file photo from June 20, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC being played without fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Korea Professional Football League (K League) opened its season on May 8, and its clubs have also been struggling financially. The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) resumed its season in May and has so far hosted six tournaments without fans.
In recent days, there has been growing discontent among sports fans who argue that it made no sense for water parks and beaches to open while sports stadiums remained closed, even though teams all vowed to implement stringent quarantine and distancing measures.
The KBO had hoped to open the gates by early June, but talks were shelved in late May amid a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in and around Seoul.
The country eased strict social distancing in early May, with school reopenings starting in mid-May. But sporadic cluster infections tied to religious gatherings, a large distribution center and other facilities have put strain the country's efforts to contain local transmission of COVID-19.
This file photo from May 15, 2020, shows the second round of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Championship being played without fans at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, just north of Seoul. (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Sports games to reopen to limited numbers of fans in S. Korea

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday that it would allow spectators to attend sports events amid the coronavirus pandemic on condition that strict infection preventive measures are taken.
The entry of fans into sports stadiums will be limited, according to health authorities.
Three professional sports -- baseball, football and golf -- have been under way in South Korea during the coronavirus pandemic, but they have been all been played without fans in attendance due to lingering infection concerns.
The measure came as baseball clubs are reportedly nearing a breaking point without having had gate revenue since the start of the season on May 5. Some teams have said they may have to take out bank loans to pay player salaries.
This file photo, from May 31, 2020, shows a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants being played without fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Korea Professional Football League (K League) opened its season on May 8, and its clubs have also been struggling financially. The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) resumed its season in May and has so far hosted five tournaments without fans.
In recent days, there has been growing discontent among sports fans who argue that it made no sense for water parks and beaches to open while sports stadiums remained closed, even though teams all vowed to implement stringent quarantine and distancing measures.
The KBO had hoped to open the gates by early June, but talks were shelved in late May amid a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in and around Seoul.
The country eased strict social distancing in early May, with school reopenings starting in mid-May. But sporadic cluster infections tied to religious gatherings, a large distribution center and other facilities have put strain the country's efforts to contain local transmission of COVID-19.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(URGENT) Limited number of spectators to be allowed at sports games amid coronavirus pandemic.


yna--2020-06-28--Investment funds suffer cash outflow as retail investors rush to market

Some 1,863 investment funds had 86.5 trillion won ( US $ 71.8 billion ) in assets under management as of @ @ @ @ @ won or 13.04 percent from Jan. 2 , according to financial market tracker FnGuide data @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- Investment funds in South Korea are suffering from a large outflow of cash in a sharp contrast to rising direct investment by individuals, financial industry data showed Sunday.
Some 1,863 investment funds had 86.5 trillion won (US$71.8 billion) in assets under management as of Thursday, down 12.97 trillion won or 13.04 percent from Jan. 2, according to financial market tracker FnGuide data.
The funds include stock-focused, bond-centered and mixed type investment funds.
Since March, when the local stock market hit a yearly nadir amid the coronavirus pandemic, a total of 15.2 trillion won has been drained from the investment funds.
Financial experts said a set of misselling fiascos and a liquidity crisis spooked investors.
The "derivatives-linked fund fiasco" struck the heaviest blow to the financial industry late last year, prodding retail investors to pull their money from investment funds.
In contrast, retail investors jumped into the market directly hoping that the market would rebound on the back of a set of stimulus measures and market stabilization steps.
From the year's start to June 26, retail investors have purchased a net 39.1 trillion won worth of local stocks.
Their top 10 picks delivered an average gain of 71.38 percent in March 19-June 26.
As of Thursday, the amount of stock-related funds hit 134.3 trillion won, up 36.25 percent from the year's start.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(3rd LD) S. Korea dogged by both local, imported cases; new infections at over 1-week high

The southern city of Gwangju , which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases , reported four new cases @ @ @ @ @ time in nearly three months , the KCDC said .
All of the new four @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info on cases with untraceable transmissions in paras 13-15; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Sunday in the face of a steady rise in locally transmitted infections tied to religious gatherings, further complicating the country's virus fight.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
This photo taken on June 28, 2020, shows the main entrance of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak closed. A 31-year-old woman from the church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak was first identified to be infected with the coronavirus on June 26, and 21 other church followers have since tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
The continued rise in new local infections in the metropolitan area is due to new cases related to churches that have emerged as sources of cluster infections.
Eight followers of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak were newly confirmed to be infected on Sunday, bringing the related cases to 27 since a 31-year-old woman was first identified as infected on Wednesday.
A total of 1,962 people, including some 1,700 church followers and their family members, is undergoing COVID-19 tests, with the results expected in the coming days.
The KCDC said a total of 18 infections, up seven from a day earlier, has been reported in connection with a church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Three members of a church in Suwon, just south of Seoul, were also newly confirmed on Sunday, the KCDC said. A total of 717 people participated in four different church services with the COVID-19 patients, according to the KCDC.
The southern city of Gwangju, which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, reported four new cases on Sunday for the first time in nearly three months, the KCDC said. All of the new four cases were locally transmitted.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
The authorities said they have not been able to trace infection routes for 71 out of 631 new patients over the past two weeks, or 11.3 percent.
The portion of infections tied to untraceable transmissions exceeded 10 percent on June 15, for the first time since the authorities began counting such data on April 6.
The ratio is between 10 and 11 percent level this month, they said.
Elementary school students wait in line to take COVID-19 tests at a clinic temporarily set up at a school in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak on June 28, 2020, after new infections related to a nearby church were reported. (Yonhap)
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, with 16 of them detected at quarantine checkpoints, the KCDC said.
Of the total, 18 were from Asia, followed by three from the United States and one from Europe, the KCDC said.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back since mid-June, with double-digit numbers reported for a total of 11 days in June, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
People keep distance from one another while waiting in line for Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Japan voices opposition to Trump's idea of adding South Korea to G7: Kyodo

Asked about its stance on Japan 's reported response , an official of Seoul 's foreign ministry simply said , @ @ @ @ @ G7 structure are subject to discussions among current members .
We know that Washington is @ @ @ @ @ ''

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- Japan has delivered to the United States its opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's idea of expanding the Group of Seven (G7) advanced nations to include South Korea, Kyodo News reported Sunday.
In late May, Trump floated the idea of adding South Korea, along with Australia, India and Russia, to the lineup of the G7, as the current membership is "outdated" and fails to properly represent global circumstances.
The existing members are the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
Citing diplomatic sources, Kyodo reported that Japan conveyed the objection immediately after Trump raised the prospect, saying that South Korea is not "in lockstep with G7 members on China and North Korea issues."
The U.S. government then told the Japanese senior official who conveyed the message that Trump would make a final decision on the matter, according to Kyodo.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ahead of their summit talks in Chengdu, southwestern China, on Dec. 24, 2019. (Yonhap)
The agency also reported that Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on a TV program that it is "important to keep the G7 framework itself, and I believe this is an overall consensus."
Asked about its stance on Japan's reported response, an official of Seoul's foreign ministry simply said, "Any changes to the G7 structure are subject to discussions among current members. We know that Washington is internally reviewing the case."
Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party expressed "strong regret" over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his "irresponsible deeds." He chairs the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee.
"Abe has conducted anti-South Korean politics to boost his approval rating, though global coordination is necessary against the global COVID-19 pandemic," Song said in a Facebook post, calling on Tokyo "to be a responsible member of the international community."
Relations between Seoul and Tokyo have remained at the lowest ebb in years over historical and economic rows.
The Seoul government has welcomed Trump's offer.
During telephone talks with Trump, President Moon Jae-in expressed his 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.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--(2nd LD) S. Korea dogged by both local, imported cases; new infections at over 1-week high

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS photos, more info throughout)
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Sunday in the face of a steady rise in locally transmitted infections tied to religious gatherings, further complicating the country's virus fight.
The country added 62 cases of COVID-19 as of midnight, including 40 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,715, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 51 on Saturday to bounce back to over 60 for the first time since hitting 67, the most in a month, on June 20.
This photo taken on June 28, 2020, shows the main entrance of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak closed. A 31-year-old woman from the church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak was first identified to be infected with the coronavirus on June 26, and 21 other church followers have since tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
Of the locally transmitted cases, 13 cases were reported in densely populated Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, 13 in Seoul and six in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
South Korea has been gripped by sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
The continued rise in new local infections in the metropolitan area is due to new cases related to churches that have emerged as sources of cluster infections.
Eight followers of Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak were newly confirmed to be infected on Sunday, bringing the related cases to 27 since a 31-year-old woman was first identified as infected on Wednesday.
A total of 1,962 people, including some 1,700 church followers and their family members, is undergoing COVID-19 tests, with the results expected in the coming days.
The KCDC said a total of 18 infections, up seven from a day earlier, has been reported in connection with a church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Three members of a church in Suwon, just south of Seoul, were also newly confirmed on Sunday, the KCDC said. A total of 717 people participated in four different church services with the COVID-19 patients, according to the KCDC.
The southern city of Gwangju, which had reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, reported four new cases on Sunday for the first time in nearly three months, the KCDC said. All of the new four cases were locally transmitted.
Health authorities are on alert over rising trends in cluster infections, with most traced to door-to-door retailers, churches and day care centers for senior citizens.
Elementary school students wait in line to take COVID-19 tests at a clinic temporarily set up at a school in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak on June 28, 2020, after new infections related to a church located nearby were reported. (Yonhap)
Health officials have warned that they could consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country, if virus situations get worse.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas -- once the main source of virus cases here -- as the number of such daily cases has continued to show double-digit increases since mid-June.
A total of 22 additional imported cases were reported on Sunday, with 16 of them detected at quarantine checkpoints, the KCDC said.
Of the total, 18 were from Asia, followed by three from the United States and one from Europe, the KCDC said.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back since mid-June, with double-digit numbers reported for a total of 11 days in June, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 282. The fatality rate was 2.22 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 47, bringing total cured patients at 11,364.
The country has carried out 1,251,695 tests since Jan. 3.
A medical worker collects a sample from a person at a coronavirus screening clinic in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, on June 28, 2020, in this photo provided by the city government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Regulator further cuts maximum interest rate on loans by illegal lenders

The Financial Services Commission ( FSC ) , the country 's financial regulator , drafted a new set of regulations @ @ @ @ @ interest rate on loans extended by unregistered lenders to 6 percent from the current 24 @ @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean financial authorities on Sunday said that illegal money lenders cannot impose annual interest rates of more than 6 percent, in a move to protect consumers in the pandemic-hit economy.
The Financial Services Commission (FSC), the country's financial regulator, drafted a new set of regulations that lowers the maximum annual interest rate on loans extended by unregistered lenders to 6 percent from the current 24 percent.
The modifications to related laws will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval within this year.
The regulator said undocumented loan contracts and loan extensions will be nullified.
The loan sharks will also be required to preserve the contracts and the lending-related documents to ensure consumer safety, according to the FSC.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Teacher, child at defense ministry day care center infected with coronavirus

According to Yongsan Ward and ministry officials , the boy is one of 14 children who had direct contact with @ @ @ @ @ who was confirmed to have the virus on Saturday .
The remaining 13 children tested @ @

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- A three-year-old boy who has attended a day care center run by the defense ministry tested positive for the new coronavirus on Sunday after his teacher was infected, officials said.
Disinfection work is under way at the ministry's major facilities, including the briefing room, as the day care center is located inside the ministry compound in central Seoul.
According to Yongsan Ward and ministry officials, the boy is one of 14 children who had direct contact with the teacher in her 20s who was confirmed to have the virus on Saturday. The remaining 13 children tested negative.
Following the cases, the ministry shut down the day care center, which is attended by a total of 214 kids, for two weeks, the officials said.
Ministry members can undergo a virus test, if necessary, as most of the attendees are children of officials or service members who work at the compound, they added.
Officials carry out disinfection operations at the briefing room of the defense ministry in Seoul on June 28, 2020, after a teacher of its day care center and one of its attendees tested positive for the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2002 -- South and North Korea engage in a skirmish near the border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea @ @ @ @ @ boats crossed the Northern Limit Line , the de facto sea border , and opened @ @ @ @ @ Navy officers were killed and 19 others wounded .
At least 10 North Korean soldiers @ @ @ @ @ been killed .
The skirmish is called the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong , following a @ @ @ @ @

June 29
1882 -- Chinese troops arrive at the western port of Incheon as Korea's royal court requested assistance to suppress a revolt staged by army soldiers who were angry at the creation of a modern military contingent. The new unit was entitled to a higher salary and better treatment.
China later used the troops' deployment as a pretext to station its forces on the Korean Peninsula, thus prompting Japan to send its own forces here to curb Chinese expansionism.
1979 -- President Park Chung-hee meets his U.S. counterpart, Jimmy Carter, in Seoul. Carter traveled to Seoul to discuss a plan to reduce the level of U.S. troops in Korea and to press Park on human rights issues.
1987 -- Roh Tae-woo, a ruling party candidate for the presidential election, announces a set of democratic reform plans, bowing to mounting nationwide pro-democracy protests. Among the plans were an introduction of a direct presidential election system and the release of jailed opposition leader Kim Dae-jung. Roh eventually won the December 1987 election as Kim Dae-jung and another dissident leader, Kim Young-sam, both ran, splitting the votes for opposition candidates.
1993 -- South Korea dispatches noncombat troops to Somalia as part of U.N. peacekeeping operations to help restore order in the insurgency-torn African country.
1995 -- Sampoong Department Store in southern Seoul collapses, killing 502 people and injuring 900 others. The building had undergone illegal remodeling and was not inspected by structural engineers.
2002 -- South and North Korea engage in a skirmish near the border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea, after North Korean patrol boats crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto sea border, and opened fire. Six South Korean Navy officers were killed and 19 others wounded. At least 10 North Korean soldiers were also presumed to have been killed. The skirmish is called the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, following a similar confrontation in 1999.
2012 -- South Korea announces it is holding off on signing a controversial military pact with Japan. The announcement came less than an hour before the two nations were scheduled to sign the deal in Tokyo, after South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party urged the government to put off the signing and discuss the issue with the National Assembly.
2018 -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) opens its new headquarters of Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, as part of a project to relocate the base from Yongsan, central Seoul. It marked the separation of the USFK and United Nations Command headquarters from that of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, which remained in Seoul.
Koo Kwang-mo, the son of LG Group's late Chairman Koo Bon-moo, is tapped as CEO, becoming the fourth-generation leader of the family-controlled conglomerate.
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--S. Korea to implement new global bank capital rules this month

The Financial Services Commission said JB Financial Group , Kwangju Bank and Jeonbuk Bank will adopt the new banking regulations @ @ @ @ @ other banks and financial groups , including Shinhan Bank , Woori Bank and KB Kookmin @ @ @ @ @ by the end of this year .

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will begin to implement new global bank capital rules this month, the country's financial regulator said Sunday, a move that could boost capital adequacy ratios of South Korean banks.
The banking regulations, known as Basel III, were agreed upon by financial regulators around the world in 2017.
The new rules, including revisions to calculation systems for capital requirements and credit risks, were set in the aftermath of the 2008-09 global financial crisis.
The corporate logos of major banks in South Korea (Yonhap)
The Financial Services Commission said JB Financial Group, Kwangju Bank and Jeonbuk Bank will adopt the new banking regulations this month, while 17 other banks and financial groups, including Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank and KB Kookmin Bank, will implement them by the end of this year.
The commission said KEB Hana Bank, its parent Hana Financial Group and the Export-Import Bank of Korea will adopt the banking regulations next year.
The move will raise capital adequacy ratios of the South Korean banks and financial groups under the Bank for International Settlements' standard.
A key barometer of financial health, the capital adequacy ratio measures the proportion of a bank's total capital to its risk-weighted assets.
The Basel, Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements, an international organization of central banks, advises lenders to maintain a ratio of 8 percent or higher.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-28--Mobile carriers allowed to extend use of frequency bands

SK Telecom , the country 's largest mobile operator , and KT , a leading telecom service provider , will @ @ @ @ @ .
SK currently controls the bandwidth of 105 MHz , but 10 MHz will be @ @ @ @ @ has announced plans to end 2G services in the coming months .

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's three main mobile carriers will continue to use the communications frequency bands that they control at present after current licenses expire in 2021, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Sunday.
The decision to assign frequency bandwidth of 310 megahertz (MHz) to SK Telecom, KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted service to consumers and improving the efficiency of local carriers, the ministry said.
SK Telecom, the country's largest mobile operator, and KT, a leading telecom service provider, will get 95 MHz of bandwidth. SK currently controls the bandwidth of 105 MHz, but 10 MHz will be taken away, as it has announced plans to end 2G services in the coming months.
LG Uplus, which is still offering 2G network services, will retain its 120 MHz bandwidth that includes 20 MHz dedicated to 2G network services.
The ministry said the country needs to gradually shift toward 5G network services, given the high costs and technical issues.
Also, a large number of people still subscribe to 3G and LTE networks, it added.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--BLACKPINK becomes highest-charting K-pop act on Spotify's Global Top 50

`` How You Like That , '' the first of the four-piece act 's two pre-released singles from its first @ @ @ @ @ out in September , ranked second on Spotify 's Global Top 50 as of Sunday @ @ @ @ @ YG Entertainment said .
The song was released on Friday .

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- BLACKPINK became the hightest-charting K-pop group on Spotify's main chart with "How You Like That," the latest single from the group's upcoming studio album, according to the group's agency Monday.
"How You Like That," the first of the four-piece act's two pre-released singles from its first studio album scheduled to come out in September, ranked second on Spotify's Global Top 50 as of Sunday (U.S. time), YG Entertainment said. The song was released on Friday.
The female quartet outpaced BTS to become the highest-charting K-pop act on the chart. BTS previously reached as high as No. 3 with "Boy With Luv."
BLACKPINK previously ranked as high as No. 5 on the chart with "Kill This Love" last year. "How You Like That" also reached as high as eighth on Spotify's U.S. Top 50 chart.
The music video for "How You Like That" also broke the record as the fastest music video to achieve more than 100 million views on YouTube, reaching the milestone 32 hours after its release.
Upon release, the song also took the No. 1 spot on iTunes charts in 60 countries and regions.
One of the biggest K-pop girl groups today, BLACKPINK of YG Entertainment landed a successful debut in 2016, storming multiple music charts back to back with its edgy hip-hop tracks, "Whistle" and "Boombayah." Other hits include "Playing With Fire" and "Kill This Love."
A publicity file photo of K-pop act BLACKPINK, provided by YG Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--(LEAD) New virus cases dip to below 50; cluster infections traced to churches in focus

In a bid to stem the virus spread , health authorities plan to advise companies to let their employees stretch @ @ @ @ @ to early September .
It will also guide firms in splitting lunch hours into two @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases fell back to below 50 on Monday, but a continued rise in cluster infections, mostly tied to churches, put to the test the country's capability to fight the virus.
The country added 42 cases, including 30 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,757, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a sharp fall from 62 new cases of COVID-19 reported Sunday and 51 additional cases identified Saturday, which might be due to less testing over the weekend.
Citizens line up to receive new coronavirus tests at a screening center at a hospital in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwangak on June 29, 2020, as at least 27 virus cases tied to a major church in the district were reported. (Yonhap)
The country's health authorities remain concerned about sustained rises in local infections and imported cases, which may trigger another wave of virus outbreak in the summer.
The total global virus caseload topped 10 million Sunday, less than seven months since the first reported outbreak in China late last year, as the virus is spreading at an alarming pace.
Of the locally transmitted cases, 21 cases were reported in densely populated Seoul and the surrounding area. Two cases were newly reported in the central city of Daejeon and three in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul, the KCDC said.
Cluster infections tied to churches in the greater Seoul area have emerged as the bane of the country's efforts to contain further virus spread.
Cases traced to a major church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak reached 27 as of noon Sunday. The infections were connected to close contacts via choir activities and a two-day workshop program, the KCDC said.
More small-scale mass infections were also reported in the capital and adjacent areas.
"Infections tied to small gatherings have increased, making it hard to contain virus transmission. It is worrisome that the virus is spreading in regions beyond the Seoul metropolitan area," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said in a briefing.
Yoon said the government is considering the adoption of measures to stem the virus spread at churches and other religious facilities.
The government remains cautious about designating religious facilities as "high-risk" places as critics regard the move as infringing on religious freedom.
This photo, taken on June 29, 2020, shows the closed front gate of an elementary school in Seoul's central ward of Yongsan as the school has suspended students' off-line classes after virus cases were reported at a day care center run by the defense ministry in the vicinity of the school. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been dogged by rises in sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the back of the flattened virus curve. The greater Seoul area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month.
Health officials warned that they may consider expanding tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country if virus situations get worse.
Health authorities unveiled a three-level social distancing scheme on Sunday, saying that it could strengthen the degree of social distancing depending on the severity of the virus outbreak.
The country is currently in the Level 1 social distancing scheme, under which the number of daily virus infections, mostly below 50, is manageable under the current medical system.
Level 2 will be applied when daily infections exceed 50 for the 14th straight day, but remain below 100. Level 3 means there is an outbreak of mass infections, under which daily virus cases exceed 100, according to the KCDC.
The country also decided Sunday to allow spectators to start attending sports events, albeit in a limited number, as early as this week under the condition that strict infection prevention measures are taken.
Health officials disinfect areas surrounding a church in Suwon, south of Seoul, on June 28, 2020, as at least three cases tied to the Baptist church were reported. (Yonhap)
In a bid to stem the virus spread, health authorities plan to advise companies to let their employees stretch the use of summer vacation to early September. It will also guide firms in splitting lunch hours into two or three segments.
The country is also struggling to stem cases coming in from overseas. It reported 12 additional imported cases, raising the total such cases to 1,562.
Recently, cases coming from Asia have spiked mainly because the number of foreign migrant workers has risen. Of 22 new imported cases reported Sunday, 18 cases came from Asian countries, including four from Saudi Arabia and two from Pakistan.
At least 19 cases were connected to cluster infections on Russia-flagged cargo ships docked at a port in the southeastern city of Busan.
Imported cases, once the main source of virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional deaths, bringing the total death toll to 282. The fatality rate was 2.21 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 11,429, up 65 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,259,954 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--Virus outbreaks at churches prompt authorities to mull more targeted guidelines

Other major outbreaks have been reported at the River of Grace Community Church in Seongnam , Gyeonggi Province with 67 @ @ @ @ @ in Bucheon , Gyeonggi Province , with 50 , the Manmin Central Church , a @ @ @ @ @ southwestern ward of Guro , with 41 cases and the Onchun Church in the southern @ @ @ @ @ 39 .
There has also been a flurry of infection cells with fewer than five @ @

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- As a rising number of new infection clusters has cropped up in churches in Seoul and its adjacent cities, health authorities are preparing more detailed guidelines to stem the virus's rapid spread at worship houses.
On Sunday, two churchgoers and one family member were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 at a megachurch with nearly 9,000 members in Suwon, south of Seoul, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The church's first known patient, who had COVID-19 symptoms on June 19, attended services three times before and after that day, sounding an alarm bell for potential virus spread among 717 people who had worshiped with the person at the Central Baptist Church.
The recent infection clusters at Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak and at Jesus Younggwang Church in the southern city of Anyang added eight and seven more cases on Sunday, respectively, bringing the total caseloads to 27 and 18. The former has 1,700 members while the latter has some 80.
Church clusters have unsettled quarantine and health officials, as the country witnessed its single largest COVID-19 cluster from the minor religious sect of Shincheonji in Daegu, once the epicenter of the country's coronavirus outbreak.
According to KCDC, the southeastern city has reported 6,906 cases, and about 61 percent were confirmed to be Shincheonji members. The county added 42 more cases, taking the total number of cases to 12,757, on Monday.
While most churches comply with the government quarantine protocols for mask wearing and social distancing, the virus is spreading through small circles of meetings among congregants.
The known cases tied to the so-called pioneer churches in the capital area have amounted to 119. A pioneer church refers to a newly established one with lack of financial independence.
Other major outbreaks have been reported at the River of Grace Community Church in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province with 67 cases, the Saengmeyoungsoo Church in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, with 50, the Manmin Central Church, a fringe religious church in the southwestern ward of Guro, with 41 cases and the Onchun Church in the southern port city of Busan with 39. There has also been a flurry of infection cells with fewer than five cases.
Experts point out that the virus is more likely to spread via airborne droplets in churches where congregants sit close to each other to sing or pray in a poorly ventilated space and have meals together, all of which are against the quarantine guidelines issued by the government.
Also, people at friendly church gatherings seemed reluctant to practice strict social distancing and wear face masks when talking to each other. In case of infections tied to Wangsung Church, the virus seemed to have spread through a choir meeting and membership training.
Authorities therefore plan to issue more detailed guidelines targeted at a small church gatherings, concluding that a targeted approach would be more effective than its previous plan to control all worship houses by including them among high-risk facilities.
"We could control religious gatherings by designating them as high-risk activities, but we are actively discussing to come up with a more targeted plan factoring in the purpose of each meeting," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a briefing on Sunday, adding that the government will announce a new set of guidelines in the near future.
Health officials spray a disinfectant mist at a megachurch in Suwon, south of Seoul, on June 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--Seoul stocks trade lower late Monday morning on virus concerns

SEOUL , June 29 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares traded lower late Monday morning despite trimming earlier losses @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus stemming from a spike in the number of new cases at home @ @ @

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares traded lower late Monday morning despite trimming earlier losses sparked by renewed fears of the new coronavirus stemming from a spike in the number of new cases at home and abroad.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 18.82 points, or 0.88 percent, to 2,115.82 as of 11:20 a.m.
Investors turned risk-averse amid the resurgence in new COVID-19 cases.
As of Sunday, the global toll has surpassed what experts have called two milestones -- 500,000 confirmed deaths and 10 million confirmed infections.
New cases in the United States, one of South Korea's largest trade partners, grew 1.7 percent. Florida reported a 6.4 percent increase in infections, with Arizona exceeding its weekly average for a fourth day.
The KOSPI index, however, erased some of its earlier losses, following reports that South Korea's new virus cases fell back to below 50.
The country added 42 cases, including 30 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,757, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a drop from 62 new cases reported Sunday and 51 additional cases identified Saturday.
Most large caps traded lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics lost 0.94 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gained 0.24 percent.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics retreated 1.48 percent, with leading chemical maker LG Chem falling 1.10 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,199.15 won against the U.S. dollar, up 1.45 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--Dozens of defense ministry officials in self-isolation after day care center infections

`` Tests are under way for all attendees , and if necessary , their parents .
We will continue to @ @ @ @ @ take necessary steps , '' Moon said .

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of defense ministry officials have been put into self-isolation after a three-year-old boy, who attended a ministry-run day care center, tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Monday.
The boy was confirmed to have the COVID-19 virus Sunday following the infection of a teacher at the nursery located inside the ministry compound in central Seoul, officials said.
"The child's parents tested negative," deputy spokesperson Col. Moon Hong-sik said. "As a preventive step, however, we ordered colleagues of his father to be in self-isolation for two weeks starting Monday."
As the boy's father works at the ministry's main building, officials carried out disinfection work at major facilities of the building, including the briefing room, according to the official.
The day care center was shut down on Saturday after the first patient was reported. A total of 214 kids had attended the center, and most of their parents are ministry officials or service members.
"Tests are under way for all attendees, and if necessary, their parents. We will continue to thoroughly monitor the situation and take necessary steps," Moon said.
As of Monday, the total number of infections among the military population stood at 58. Of them, 54 have completely recovered, according to the ministry.
Currently, 18 service personnel are quarantined in accordance with health authorities' guidelines. In addition, military authorities have put 989 members in isolation as a preventive step, it added.
South Korea added 42 more new coronavirus cases Monday, raising the total caseload to 12,757, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
This photo taken on June 27, 2020, shows the building of the defense ministry's day care center located inside the ministry compound in Seoul's Yongsan Ward. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--Weeklong online edition of KCON attracts large virtual crowd: company

`` Knowing the standards our fans expect when it comes to an interactive concert experience , we set out to @ @ @ @ @ fans worldwide as close as possible to their favorite stars inside of a virtual space @ @ @ @ @ CJ ENM 's executive vice president and head of the music contents department , said @

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- This year's online edition of KCON, a major K-pop and Korean culture festival series held overseas every year, attracted 4 million viewers, far more than the combined number of visitors to the festival in the past eight years, according to its organizer Monday.
Under this year's banner theme "KCON:TACT 2020 Summer," KCON was streamed from June 20-26 through the channel M-net K-POP on YouTube and CJ's streaming platform Tving. The annual event was held online for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM, the weeklong event drew 4.05 million viewers from across 150 countries and regions through YouTube and Tving.
The figure is 3.5 times larger than the combined number of visitors at the in-person KCON events held in the past eight years, CJ explained.
A total of 33 artists were showcased on KCON:TACT 2020 Summer. Some of the top-billed K-pop acts included Mamamoo, ITZY, Monsta X, Oh My Girl, IZ*ONE, SF9, Stray Kids and Tomorrow X Together.
Content ranged from live performances and interviews to remote meet-and-greet events between artists and fans. The event was streamed 24 hours a day for seven days nonstop.
Fans could also watch behind-the-scenes footage of the artists getting ready, fancams of specific performers in 4K and replays of past KCON concerts.
"Knowing the standards our fans expect when it comes to an interactive concert experience, we set out to create something that would bring fans worldwide as close as possible to their favorite stars inside of a virtual space," Shin Hyung-kwan, CJ ENM's executive vice president and head of the music contents department, said.
"We'll continue to provide new ways for fans to connect with Korean music and culture via both traditional and digital festivals," Shin added.
Launched in 2012 amid the global emergence of K-pop and Korean cultural content, KCON has been at the forefront of promoting Korean pop culture overseas. KCON's cumulative visitor total has topped 1.1 million, according to CJ.
This image proved by CJ ENM on June 29, 2020, shows a performance highlight of K-pop girl group IZ*ONE during KCON:TACT 2020 Summer incorporating augmented reality technology. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-06-29--KBO's top club also 1st in overseas merchandise sales

ESPN , the American sports cable giant , has been broadcasting six KBO games per week live since the start @ @ @ @ @ 5 , and KBO games are now available in 130 countries via ESPN 's international @ @ @ @ @ has been a hit in the United States , with Major League Baseball ( MLB @ @ @ @ @ season going due to the coronavirus pandemic and squabbles in negotiations between owners and players @

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- The NC Dinos, so far the top team in South Korean baseball, are also leading everyone in overseas sales of merchandise, data showed on Monday.
In response to growing international interest, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) launched an English-language version (http://kbomarket.com/us) of its official merchandise site, the KBO Market, in the beginning of June.
A league official declined to disclose exact sales figures for the 10 KBO clubs, but confirmed that the Dinos have been the most popular team on the KBO Market. They're also first in the standings at 32-14.
ESPN, the American sports cable giant, has been broadcasting six KBO games per week live since the start of the season on May 5, and KBO games are now available in 130 countries via ESPN's international affiliates. And Korean baseball has been a hit in the United States, with Major League Baseball (MLB) unable to get its season going due to the coronavirus pandemic and squabbles in negotiations between owners and players.
In this file photo from June 26, 2020, members of the NC Dinos celebrate their 9-3 victory over the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Dinos, in particular, found unlikely support in the state of North Carolina, since the state's postal abbreviation, NC, is the same as the name of the company that owns the baseball club.
The Dinos were featured on ESPN's very first telecast, and Mo Chang-min's bat flip after his first home run of 2020 introduced the unsuspecting U.S. audience to a whole new baseball culture.
Bat flips are mostly frowned upon in MLB as a sign of disrespect for opponents, and animated tosses of the bat have led to brawls. In the KBO, few, if any, bat an eye over bat flips, which sometimes happen on flyouts.
KBO bat flips had been made into memes and GIFs on social media for the few baseball connoisseurs, and this season has been the first wide exposure to that aspect of Korean baseball.
The KBO Market recently sold a t-shirt commemorating Mo's epic toss, with the words, "Oh, My Goodness!"
In the absence of fans in the stands due to COVID-19 infection concerns, the Dinos have filled seats behind the home plate with cardboard cutouts of fans who sent their photos to the team, including ESPN's play-by-play man, Jon Sciambi.
The Dinos said they have had hundreds of international fans visiting the club's own merchandise site to place orders this season.
In this file photo from June 20, 2020, Na Sung-bum of the NC Dinos (C) is greeted by his teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Hanwha Eagles during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Between May 14 and 31, the Dinos sold about 400 items, worth some 20 million won ($US16,660).
Jerseys were the most popular item, with 117 pieces sold, followed by hats, with 109.
All-Star outfielder/designated hitter Na Sung-bum has been the top international jersey seller, accounting for 38 percent of all jerseys sold overseas with players' names on the back.
Na, a Scott Boras client hoping for a big league opportunity next season, has been profiled on ESPN.com and has been one of the more recognizable KBO names this season. After missing most of the 2019 season with a serious knee injury, Na has bounced back nicely this year, with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs in 45 games putting him among league leaders.
The Dinos said 342 of the orders during the May 14-31 period came from the United States, with destinations including California, New York, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Arizona and Illinois.
Dinos' products have also been shipped to Canada, Germany, Australia, Britain and Chinese Taipei.
"Having KBO games televised live overseas and drawing so much interest has been a pleasant surprise for us," a Dinos' official said. "I think baseball fans around the world wanted something that could lift their spirits during the pandemic and found that in the KBO."
This file photo from May 24, 2020, shows the cardboard cutout of ESPN's baseball play-by-play man, Jon Sciambi (C), placed in the stands at Changwon NC Park, home of the Korea Baseball Organization club NC Dinos, in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--State pension fund launches 2.8 tln won joint venture with Allianz for overseas property investment

The tie-up with Allianz will allow it to diversify its presence in both advanced economies and emerging markets in the @ @ @ @ @ as ensure long-term earnings , it claimed .

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Pension Service (NPS) said Monday that it has set up a 2.8 trillion won (US$2.3 billion) joint venture with global asset manager Allianz to invest in overseas real estate.
The joint venture, owned evenly by the two, will invest in countries like China, Australia, Japan and Singapore, according to the operator of the country's state pension fund.
"The investments will target landmark office buildings, logistics centers and residential properties in major urban areas that have the highest potential for growth," the NPS said in a press release.
The tie-up with Allianz will allow it to diversify its presence in both advanced economies and emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as ensure long-term earnings, it claimed.
The pension operator has been more focused on the safe North American and European markets.
The NPS is one of major pension fund operators in the world with assets under management reaching 737.4 trillion won ($599 billion) as of February this year.
Allianz is a global player in asset management and insurance fields with operations in 70 countries and management of some 990 trillion won worth of funds.
This file photo shows a National Pension Service office in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-06-29--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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

(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--2020-06-29--(LEAD) Gov't holds hearing on defector groups over anti-N.K. leafleting

According to the ministry , Kuensaem has tried to send plastic bottles carrying rice , USBs , Bibles and other @ @ @ @ @ times this year .
Fighters for a Free North Korea claimed last week to send @ @ @ @ @ and $ 1 bills into the North via balloons , but they appear to have @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES headline, first 2 paras; ADDS details in paras 4-6)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry held a hearing Monday to give two North Korean defector groups a final chance to explain themselves before going ahead with a decision to revoke their operation permits for sending propaganda leaflets into the North.
The hearing came weeks after the ministry decided to file a criminal complaint with police against Fighters for a Free North Korea and Kuensaem and revoke their business permits for their sending of leaflets into the North.
"The hearing to be held on Monday is intended to hear their explanations," a ministry official said. "It is a procedure that should be carried out before taking any measure of revoking permits granted to such civic groups."
If their permits are revoked, donors for the activist groups will not be eligible for various tax benefits. Observers see the hearing as a perfunctory step before revoking their operations permits.
A legal representative for Kuensaem told reporters before going into the hearing that the ministry's decision to revoke permits is an "infringement on the right to freedom of expression and assembly guaranteed under the Constitution."
Fighters for a Free North Korea did not send an official or legal representative to the hearing, saying that it had not received the ministry's notice that the hearing would be held.
The campaign to scatter leaflets has recently emerged as a major source of cross-border tensions since Pyongyang called it a violation of an inter-Korean summit agreement in 2018 and threatened to take a series of retaliatory steps against South Korea unless it fails to stop such activity.
North Korea later called South Korea an "enemy" and blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in its border town of Kaesong in anger over the leafleting issue.
North Korean defectors and anti-Pyongyang activists have for years sent a large number of leaflets via giant balloons, criticizing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his ruling family.
The government has advised against sending such leaflets, citing concerns about the safety of residents in the border regions, but they have often ignored the appeal, citing their right to freedom of expression.
Fighters for a Free North Korea and Kuensaem consisting of defectors are among the most active groups in sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
According to the ministry, Kuensaem has tried to send plastic bottles carrying rice, USBs, Bibles and other materials to North Korea eight times this year. Fighters for a Free North Korea claimed last week to send 500,000 leaflets, SD cards and $1 bills into the North via balloons, but they appear to have failed to cross the border.
On Friday, police raided the offices of the two groups and secured documents and devices necessary for its ongoing investigation into their sending of leaflets.
Members of Fighters for a Free North Korea, an organization of defectors from North Korea, send balloons carrying anti-North leaflets across the border from the South Korean border city of Paju, in this file photo dated April 2, 2016. On June 4, 2020, South Korea called for a halt to a civic campaign to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, hours after the North threatened to scrap a military tension reduction agreement and exchange projects unless Seoul stops the campaign. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)