yna--2020-10-15--(LEAD) Seoul shares dip for 3rd session on virus woes, U.S. stimulus deadlock

`` The delay in the U.S. fiscal stimulus and the resurgence of COVID-19 infections seem to have reduced local investors @ @ @ @ @ in addition to the political uncertainties from the U.S. presidential election , '' Kiwoom Securities @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks dipped for a third consecutive session Thursday as spreading new coronavirus infections and the deadlocked U.S. fiscal stimulus weighed heavily on the local financial markets. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 19.27 points, or 0.81 percent, to close at 2,361.21.
Trading volume was moderate at about 1.1 billion shares worth some 12.8 trillion won (US$11.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 583 to 279.
Foreigners sold a net 21 billion won, while retail investors purchased a net 332 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 117 billion won.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) having closed at 2,361.21 on Oct. 15, 2020, down 19.27 points, or 0.81 percent, from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
Investor sentiment worsened as South Korea's new coronavirus cases rebounded to over 100 due mainly to a new cluster infection in the southeastern port city of Busan.
The country added 110 COVID-19 cases, including 95 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,988, with the death toll reaching 439, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
The losses came after a weak start, tracking overnight Wall Street retreats that stemmed from doubts that U.S. lawmakers will be able to break a deadlock on passing a stimulus package anytime soon.
"The delay in the U.S. fiscal stimulus and the resurgence of COVID-19 infections seem to have reduced local investors' appetite for risks, in addition to the political uncertainties from the U.S. presidential election," Kiwoom Securities analyst Seo Sang-young said.
In Seoul, most large caps closed lower.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics retreated 1.48 percent to 60,000 won, but No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix added 0.69 percent to 87,100 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics lost 0.42 percent to 704,000 won, and Celltrion shed 2.67 percent to 255,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver dipped 2.01 percent to 292,500 won, with its rival Kakao down 1.76 percent to 362,000 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem climbed 1.43 percent to 367,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI declined 2.17 percent to 429,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, fell 1.12 percent to 176,000 won, while top steelmaker POSCO advanced 2.24 percent to 205,000 won.
Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop phenom BTS, fell 4.44 percent to 258,000 won on the first day of trading after it jumped by the daily limit of 30 percent as soon as the market opened.
The local currency closed at 1,143.2 won per dollar, up 3.7 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 2.4 basis points to 0.877 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond fell 3.1 basis points to 1.163 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-15--S. Korean Bond Yields on Oct. 15, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Oct. 15, 2020

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


yna--2020-10-15--2 more American service members test positive for new coronavirus

They arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek , south of Seoul , on U.S. government chartered flights from the @ @ @ @ @ adding that one individual tested positive on his first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering @ @ @ @ @ was confirmed to have been infected on the second test required to exit quarantine .

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- Two American service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States this month, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
They arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on U.S. government chartered flights from the U.S., USFK said, adding that one individual tested positive on his first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and the other was confirmed to have been infected on the second test required to exit quarantine.
"Both have been transferred to an isolation facility designated for confirmed COVID-19 cases at Camp Humphreys," USFK said in a statement. "None of the new arrivals have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community."
The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 227, most of whom tested positive upon their arrivals here.
Starting on Aug. 30, the U.S. Department of Army has required all American soldiers, family members and other related civilians to have a negative test result for the new coronavirus prior to their departure for South Korea.
But the requirement does not apply to service members from the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps.
In this file photo, taken on March 31, 2020, an employee of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is on duty at the entrance of the U.S. Army's Yongsan Garrison in Seoul. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-15--U.N. rapporteur urges N.K. to punish those responsible for killing of S. Korean citizen at sea

`` The Democratic People 's Republic of Korea must ... hold those responsible to account , compensate the family of @ @ @ @ @ events are not repeated , '' he said in the report , referring to North @ @ @ @ @ .

By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation has urged Pyongyang to punish those responsible for the killing of a South Korean fisheries official, compensate the official's family and ensure no such incident happens again.
Tomas Ojea Quintana made the appeal, denouncing the killing as a "violation of international human rights law" in his latest report on the North's human rights situation. The document was released by the U.N. human rights office in Seoul, and Quintana plans to present it to the U.N. General Assembly next week.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea must ... hold those responsible to account, compensate the family of the official and ensure such events are not repeated," he said in the report, referring to North Korea by its official name.
"The incident seems to entail an unlawful and arbitrary killing of a civilian who was not exhibiting any imminent threat to the life of the security guards, which is in violation of international human rights law."
The 47-year-old official was fatally shot by the North Korean military on Sept. 22 while adrift in North Korean waters. Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the deceased official, has filed a request for a U.N. probe, raising strong doubts about the interim result of a government probe that his brother attempted to defect to the North.
The North has apologized but has given no response to Seoul's calls for a joint probe.
In the report, the rapporteur also called for the two Koreas to disclose all information about the case.
The Seoul office of the U.N. human rights interviewed Lee early this week to gather information for its own analysis on the case. The office has also called on Seoul and Pyongyang to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the incident in line with international human rights law.
Meanwhile, Quintana also called for the international community to urgently re-evaluate the sanctions regime against Pyongyang, citing the devastating impact on its trade and food security due to the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak.
Although Pyongyang claims to have no single case of COVID-19, its all-out anti-virus efforts made known so far, including the border closure with China, indicate its economic hardship, which is believed to have further exacerbated after recent typhoons, he said.
Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, speaks during a news conference in Seoul on June 21, 2019, wrapping up a five-day trip to Seoul to gather information for a report that he was to submit to the U.N. General Assembly in October. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--N.K. paper warns against global hunger crisis

The Minju Joson , the North 's cabinet newspaper , said that at least 820 million people around the globe @ @ @ @ @ of June this year , among which 244 million are children under the age of @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean newspaper on Friday warned against a global hunger crisis in commemoration of World Food Day as the impoverished country continues to struggle with its own chronic food shortage.
The Minju Joson, the North's cabinet newspaper, said that at least 820 million people around the globe were suffering from starvation as of June this year, among which 244 million are children under the age of 5.
The paper pointed out that production levels in agriculture across the world dropped sharply this year due to unfavorable weather conditions, such as flooding and drought.
It stressed that the world is in danger of a major hunger crisis amid the global spread of infectious diseases, citing an official at the World Food Programme.
North Korea's chronic food shortage will likely worsen as recent heavy rainfall and typhoons have dealt a blow to its agriculture. Its focus on a global hunger crisis appears aimed at telling its people that the food shortage problem is not confined to the North.
This undated photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 9, 2019, shows farmers harvesting damaged rice at a paddy after Typhoon Lingling passed through the Korean Peninsula on Sept. 7. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Biden criticizes Trump for making U.S. less secure, more isolated

`` We have ... our NATO allies publicly saying they ca n't count on us .
We are in a @ @ @ @ @ the Far East , we find ourselves in , and in the western Pacific , @ @ @ @ @ well , '' he said in a town hall meeting hosted by U.S. television network @ @ @

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden lashed out at President Donald Trump on Thursday, arguing that he has made the United States less secure and more isolated in the world.
The former vice president also claimed the U.S. president has made the United States a laughing stock on the global stage.
"We find ourselves in a position where we're more isolated in the world than we have ever been," Biden said, adding Trump's America First policy has left "America alone" in the world.
"We have ... our NATO allies publicly saying they can't count on us. We are in a situation as well where in the Far East, we find ourselves in, and in the western Pacific, where we're isolated as well," he said in a town hall meeting hosted by U.S. television network ABC News.
This image captured from the website of U.S. TV network ABC News shows Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaking in a town hall meeting held on Oct. 15, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Biden argued his country is less secure than it has ever been, partly because of North Korea possessing more nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
"You have Iran closer to having enough nuclear material to build a bomb. North Korea has more bombs and missiles available to it," he said.
Biden's remarks came hours after Trump again took credit for preventing what he claims to have been an imminent nuclear war with North Korea.
"Remember, you would have been in a war without (me), because North Korea, we were going to have a nice nuclear war with North Korea," he said earlier in the day while campaigning in Greenville, North Carolina.
Trump frequently boasts of his personal and close relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, with whom he held the first and second-ever U.S.-North Korea summits in June 2018 and February 2019.
Biden accused the U.S. president of embracing "all the thugs in the world," including Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping.
"I mean he is best friends with the leader of North Korea. He is sending love letters. He doesn't take on Putin in any way, and he is just, he has learned the art of the steal from the art of the deal by Xi in China," Biden said.
Biden also claimed the U.S. has become a laughing stock because of Trump's lack of what he called a "coherent foreign policy."
"He has pulled out of almost every international organization. He gets laughed at, literally not figuratively, when he goes to the United Nations," he said.
"I mean it's just not about the president per se. It is about the nation, and their lack of respect is shown to us," he added.
In a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, one of Biden's foreign policy advisers, Brian McKeon, said the Democratic candidate, if elected, would immediately reaffirm the U.S.' commitment to its alliances to its key allies, including South Korea.
"(Biden) frequently says (that) when he takes office, he will immediately get on the phone with some of our key allies in Europe and Asia, and centrally say, 'America is back, and we have your back,'" McKeon has said.
Trump and Biden were originally scheduled to hold their second presidential TV debate on the day, but the debate was canceled as Trump refused to do it virtually, a precautionary measure taken by the organizing committee for COVID-19.
The U.S. president was admitted to a hospital after testing positive for the new coronavirus about two weeks ago. He has since recovered and tested negative in a recent series of tests, according to the White House.
The second and last presidential TV debate before the Nov. 3 presidential election is slated for next Thursday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(2nd LD) New virus cases drop below 50 amid eased social distancing

`` It appears that there is no upward trend in virus infections and that we want to thank people for @ @ @ @ @ '' said Sohn Young-rae , a senior health official .
`` However , we can @ @ @ @ @ because of cases coming from high-infection risk facilities and sporadic cluster outbreaks . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 8, 13-15, 18, 2nd photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell sharply Friday, but health authorities are staying vigilant over possible cluster infections amid an eased social distancing scheme.
The country added 47 COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,035, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily figure dropped sharply from 110 a day earlier when the country reported a new cluster infection at a nursing home in the southeastern port city of Busan with more than 50 cases.
It is the first time since Sept. 29 that the daily tally of COVID-19 has dropped below the 50 mark.
The country earlier suffered a major uptick in virus cases in mid-August, mostly traced to a conservative church in northern Seoul. The daily figure shot up to 441 on Aug. 27 and stayed in the triple digits until reaching 82 on Sept. 20.
The number of daily new COVID-19 cases has been staying around 100 this month, though health authorities are keeping their guard up, saying a resurgence in virus infections could happen anytime with sporadic outbreaks.
South Korea on Monday began to enforce Level 1 distancing, the lowest in its three-tier social distancing system.
People wait in chairs to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift virus screening clinic in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
"It appears that there is no upward trend in virus infections and that we want to thank people for following virus prevention measures," said Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official. "However, we cannot let out guard down because of cases coming from high-infection risk facilities and sporadic cluster outbreaks."
Of the 41 newly identified local infections, 36 were in the greater Seoul area.
Seoul, the nation's capital, reported 17 cases, and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province added 14 cases. Incheon, west of Seoul, confirmed four additional cases.
The number of new imported cases was six, which is also a sharp drop from 15 cases reported a day earlier. It is also the first time since Oct. 8 that the daily figure of imported cases fell below 10.
The country's total number of imported cases is now at 3,476.
To stem imported cases coming from foreign ships, health authorities said they will enforce strict quarantine measures regarding crew transfers.
Vessels that have records of boarding and disembarking seafarers in high-risk virus countries in the past two weeks are not allowed for ship crew changes here, health authorities said.
Vessels carrying sailors that submitted doctored health certificates will also be banned from entering South Korean ports.
People wait in line to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift virus screening clinic in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
There were two additional deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the country's death toll to 441. The fatality rate was 1.76 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 85 as of midnight, up three from a day earlier.
Health authorities said 135 hospital beds are available for COVID-19 patients in serious condition, which is enough for the country to handle critically ill patients at this point considering the virus situation here.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 23,180, up 98 from the previous day, with 1,414 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, down 53 from a day ago.
The country has carried out 2,459,426 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Army to observe U.S.-led multinational space exercise

Global Thunder , led by the U.S. Strategic Command , is an annual command and control exercise that provides training @ @ @ @ @ 's mission areas with a specific focus on nuclear readiness , according to the U.S. @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The Army said Friday it will observe an annual U.S.-led multinational exercise focused on space operations as part of efforts to boost its space defense capabilities.
In a parliamentary audit report, the Army said it will join the Global Thunder exercise expected to be held next month as an observer.
Global Thunder, led by the U.S. Strategic Command, is an annual command and control exercise that provides training opportunities to assess the command's mission areas with a specific focus on nuclear readiness, according to the U.S. military.
Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand also participate in the drill.
The Army is also pushing to observe the Global Sentinel and the Schriever Wargame exercises next year. Also led by the United States, the exercises are aimed at boosting participating countries' space power.
"The Army is the largest user of space power ... with the capabilities to effectively carry out related operations," the report said.
New Army Chief of Staff Nam Yeong-shin speaks during his inauguration ceremony at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 23, 2020, in this photo provided by the Army. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Seoul stocks extend losses late Fri. morning on COVID-19 jitters

The Dow Jones Industrial Average went down 0.07 percent to close at 28,494.2 on Thursday ( New York time ) @ @ @ @ @ and the S & P 500 dipping 0.47 percent and 0.15 percent , respectively .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares widened losses late Friday morning, as a resurgence of the new coronavirus stoked concerns over hopes of a global economic recovery.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 13.53 points, or 0.57 percent, to 2,347.68 as of 11:20 a.m.
Stocks traded bearish after the KOSPI fell for a third consecutive day the previous session.
Losses in tech and auto heavyweights led the KOSPI's retreat, tracking overnight Wall Street losses that stemmed from a continued hike in new COVID-19 infections.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average went down 0.07 percent to close at 28,494.2 on Thursday (New York time), with the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 dipping 0.47 percent and 0.15 percent, respectively.
Samsung Electronics lost 0.33 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix dipping 1.03 percent.
Pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics retreated 2.13 percent, but leading chemical maker LG Chem climbed 0.16 percent.
The country's largest automaker, Hyundai Motor, dropped 2.56 percent, but internet portal giant Naver gained 0.34 percent.
Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop phenoms BTS, plunged 17.44 percent on the second day of trading.
The local currency was trading at 1,146.6 won against the U.S. dollar, down 3.4 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Gyeonggi Gov. wins high-stakes retrial, political clouds cleared for potential presidential candidat

Gyeonggi Gov. wins high-stakes retrial, political clouds cleared for potential presidential candidate

In December 2018 , Lee was indicted on four charges , including power abuse and violating the national election law @ @ @ @ @ he used his official position to lock his elder brother in a mental hospital against @ @ @ @ @ .
Lee denied involvement in the forced hospitalization on television debate shows in 2018 .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung was acquitted on Friday of violating election law, winning a high-profile retrial that could have cost him his governorship.
The Suwon High Court overturned its previous verdict and found him not guilty of spreading false information during televised debate shows in the runup to the 2018 local elections.
In July, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the appeals court in a ruling that said Lee should not be punished for what he said during the debates, as they were not intended to deliberately disseminate misinformation.
"It is more important to guarantee freedom of expression (during a debate) to offer (debaters) room, free of legal responsibilities," Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo said while delivering the livestreamed verdict, adding that it is impossible to hold a politician accountable for every inaccurate expression he or she makes.
Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung answers a question from a reporter upon arriving at Suwon High Court in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 16, 2020. The court acquitted him of violating election law. (Yonhap)
Lee's trial has attracted national attention for its political implications. He governs the country's biggest administrative division with a population of 13 million and is considered one of the ruling Democratic Party's strong presidential hopefuls. In 2017, he unsuccessfully ran against President Moon Jae-in in the party's presidential primary. Recent opinion polls found that Lee was among the leading potential presidential candidates.
In December 2018, Lee was indicted on four charges, including power abuse and violating the national election law, related to allegations that he used his official position to lock his elder brother in a mental hospital against his will in April 2012. Lee denied involvement in the forced hospitalization on television debate shows in 2018.
In May 2019, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court found Lee not guilty of the four criminal charges. But the Suwon High Court fined Lee 3 million won (US$2,506) in September for spreading false information about the hospitalization on television.
By law, elected public officials lose their posts and are not allowed to run for a public post for five years if they receive a sentence heavier than imprisonment or are fined more than 1 million won for violating the election law and political funding act.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea to launch annual defense drill to deter N. Korea

The Hoguk exercise , set to run from Monday through Oct. 30 across the country , will involve the Army @ @ @ @ @ and Marine Corps , and diverse programs will be staged , such as joint landing @ @ @ @ @ northwestern islands in the Yellow Sea .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday it will kick off an annual military exercise next week amid persistent nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.
The Hoguk exercise, set to run from Monday through Oct. 30 across the country, will involve the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, and diverse programs will be staged, such as joint landing drills and those to defend northwestern islands in the Yellow Sea.
"As an annual drill, the Hoguk exercise is defensive in nature, and focuses on the maintenance of our military readiness posture and the improvement of joint operations capabilities," the JCS said in a statement.
Thorough preventive measures against the new coronavirus and the African swine fever will be implemented, it said, adding that the scale and the overall plans would be similar to previous ones.
South Korean Marines and amphibious landing vehicles conduct a landing drill on a beach in the southeastern industrial city of Pohang on Nov. 3, 2016. The maneuver is part of the broader two-week Hoguk defense exercise, which the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have carried out annually since 1996. (Yonhap)
Launched in 1996, the exercise has been held on an annual basis in the second half of each year.
North Korea has often bristled at the drill, claiming the exercise is tantamount to an intrusion into the regime.
The communist country is believed to be continuing efforts to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities amid stalled denuclearization talks with the United States. Last week, the regime unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) during a massive military parade.
The North has also been working to modernize its conventional weapons system, including short-range ballistic missiles that can target South Korea.
The Koreas remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
This photo, released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, shows rocket launcher vehicles during a military parade held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on Oct. 10, 2020, to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea to introduce multiple voting rights for non-listed venture startups

The move is subject to parliamentary approval , and the government will submit a relevant bill to the National Assembly @ @ @ @ @ year , Hong said .

SEJONG, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance minister said Friday that the government plans to introduce multiple voting rights for non-listed venture startups to help shareholders strengthen their control over companies.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the scheme is aimed at encouraging venture startups to get major investment deals, while defending companies against hostile takeovers.
The scheme could allow one stock to give 10 votes if a non-listed venture startup faces a hostile takeover.
However, more than 75 percent of shareholders must agree on the scheme if multiple voting rights are implemented, Hong said.
If a startup is listed, the scheme will be abolished after a three-year grace period, Hong said.
The move is subject to parliamentary approval, and the government will submit a relevant bill to the National Assembly by the end of this year, Hong said.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks at a policy meeting on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 16 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-10-16--Woori Bank sells AU$400 mln in bonds in Australia

The floating-rate bonds carry an interest rate of 0.72 percentage point above the Australian bank bill swap rate , with @ @ @ @ @ percent for the fixed-rate ones .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Major South Korean lender Woori Bank said Friday it has issued AU$400 million (US$283 million) in bonds in Australia as part of efforts to help coronavirus-hit South Korean firms and finance eco-friendly projects.
The three-year "Kangaroo" bonds come in two tranches -- floating-rate bonds worth AU$250 million and fixed-rate debt worth AU$150 million, the lender said.
The floating-rate bonds carry an interest rate of 0.72 percentage point above the Australian bank bill swap rate, with the rate coming to 0.839 percent for the fixed-rate ones.
Kangaroo bonds are Australian dollar-denominated bonds floated in Australia by non-residents and classified as environment, social and governance (ESG) bonds -- a type of sustainability debt offering aimed to finance corporate activities in environmentally friendly and sustainable projects.
Woori Bank said it has succeeded in floating the COVID-19 recovery sustainability Kangaroo bonds on the back of its good asset soundness and solid financial performances.
The corporate logo of Woori Bank (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Asian American communities hold key in U.S. presidential election: Biden supporters

`` Our AAPI community is not always accustomed to being reached out to by either party .
And so the @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris ' team was willing to do this and to make sure that they @ @ @ @ @ and reaching out to our AAPI communities made a huge difference , '' she added @

By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- Asian American voters, including Pacific Islanders, will play a major role in determining who will win in many of the most closely contested states of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, a group of supporters for Democratic candidate Joe Biden said Thursday.
They said the number of registered Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters more than doubled over the last decade, making them the fastest growing block of voters in the U.S.
"There are over 11 million eligible AAPI voters," said Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), adding the number accounts for about 5 percent of all U.S. voters.
"If you take a look at the numbers of all the eligible AAPI voters in almost all of our battleground states, (they) outnumber the number of votes that we lost by (four years ago), so our community should feel proud and empowered," she said in a virtual press town hall meeting organized by a coalition of affinity groups supporting Biden, AAPIs for Biden.
The captured image from AAPIs for Biden, a support group for Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden, shows U.S. representatives and other participants taking part in a virtual press town hall meeting hosted by AAPIs for Biden on Oct. 15, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The coalition recently staged a virtual tour of 12 battleground states where the Democratic Party had lost in the 2016 presidential election by a margin that is now exceeded by the number of AAPI voters in each of the states.
"We went to 12 key battleground states where AAPI voters have tremendous power and potential to make a difference -- states like Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Pennsylvania where AAPIs make up at least one to two percent of the electorate and can be the margin of victory," Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) said.
Understanding the importance of Asian communities in the U.S. and in the upcoming election, the Biden campaign is doing all it can to reach out to their community members, possibly for the first time by any presidential candidate, the participants of Thursday's event noted.
"The investments that the Biden team has made in multilingual ads on TV, on radio and hiring organizers who speak multiple languages and who can communicate to our community in their language, over 19 languages I believe, has really made such a big difference," Meng said.
"Our AAPI community is not always accustomed to being reached out to by either party. And so the fact that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' team was willing to do this and to make sure that they were listening to their concerns and reaching out to our AAPI communities made a huge difference," she added.
Connie Chung, a renowned journalist and former news anchor, urged Asians to vote, saying, "We Asians, remarkably, can make a difference in this election."
The captured image shows U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) speaking in a virtual press town hall meeting hosted by a support group for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, AAPIs for Biden, on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The supporters insisted a Biden administration would not only bring peace among different ethnic groups but also restore America's leadership on the global stage.
"As president, Joe Biden will immediately take steps to renew U.S. democracy and alliances and protect our economic future and help to restore America's leadership on the global stage," Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), a former national security specialist at the Department of Defense, said.
Murphy argued that President Donald Trump has undermined the United States' relationships with its key allies, in turn weakening its ability to mobilize others against common threats, such as climate change and nuclear proliferation.
"And unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden is a battle-tested leader who is going to strengthen our relationship with our allies in Asia and Europe, and he's going to stand up for America's interests and values, in the face of aggression from China and Russia," the congresswoman said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--BOK chief vows soft monetary policy to bolster virus-hit economy

In the process , the BOK will keep close tabs on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economies @ @ @ @ @ and abroad , as well as the effect of policy measures to counter the disease @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) will maintain a soft monetary policy to bolster the recovery of the South Korean economy hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the top central banker said Friday.
"The BOK will keep its monetary policy accommodative to help the domestic economy bounce back," BOK Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said at the start of an annual parliamentary audit of the central bank.
In the process, the BOK will keep close tabs on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economies and financial markets at home and abroad, as well as the effect of policy measures to counter the disease, Lee said.
Lee's comments came two days after the central bank froze its key interest rate at a record low of 0.5 percent amid heightened economic uncertainties due to the protracted coronavirus outbreak and rising housing prices.
Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol (R) speaks during a parliamentary committee meeting at the National Assembly Building in Seoul on Aug. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
October marked the third straight month of a key rate freeze. In August, the BOK froze the key rate, citing the fallout of a flare-up in new coronavirus cases. In July, the bank left the rate unchanged as well.
The BOK chief said that despite a slight recovery in exports, Asia's fourth-largest economy remains faced with great uncertainties due to the resurgence of coronavirus cases from mid-August.
In August, the central bank its 2020 growth outlook to a sharper-than-expected contraction of 1.3 percent, citing the impact of a resurgence in virus cases. The South Korean economy shrank 3.2 percent in the second quarter from three months earlier after contracting 1.3 percent on-quarter in the January-March period.
Lee also said the BOK will closely monitor such changes as the flow of funds in asset markets and an upturn in household debt, while making concerted efforts to stabilize the financial markets and keep the country's credit flow smooth.
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--N. Korea urges all-out push for '80-day campaign' without outside help

`` We can not successfully achieve the massive and impending tasks facing us by the end of the year with @ @ @ @ @ attitude , '' the Rodong Sinmun , the official newspaper of the ruling party , @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Friday for all-out efforts to carry out leader Kim Jong-un's calls for an "80-day campaign," saying priority should be placed on recovering from recent typhoons and tackling economic challenges without outside help.
Earlier this month, Kim held a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party and launched the "80-day campaign" to achieve the country's national and economic goals by the end of the year ahead of a rare party congress scheduled for January.
"We cannot successfully achieve the massive and impending tasks facing us by the end of the year with routine supervision and a banal attitude," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party, said in an editorial.
"We need to strictly eradicate our dependence and reliance on others that hurts our pride and hinders progress and boost production using our own raw materials and resources," the paper said.
The paper also emphasized the importance of scientific research based on its "own wisdom" to solve the technological problems raised in the process of the ongoing campaign against the coronavirus.
In August, leader Kim acknowledged that his five-year economic development plan ending this year failed to achieve intended goals in the face of unexpected internal and external challenges, and he pledged to unveil a new scheme at a rare party congress in January.
He also rejected any outside help, despite damage from recent heavy downpours, saying that accepting foreign aid could heighten the risk of coronavirus infections.
North Korea is faced with multiple challenges, including the fallout of the prolonged antivirus campaign, devastation caused by recent typhoons and economic woes from crippling global sanctions.
North Korean people stage a mass rally on Oct. 14, 2020, vowing to wage an 80-day economic development campaign to mark the ruling party's 75th founding anniversary that fell on Oct. 10, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 15. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Upcoming album by Seventeen exceeds 1 mln in presales

`` Presales of 'Semicolon ' topped 1.1 million as of Friday , '' Pledis Entertainment said .
`` It is @ @ @ @ @ million-seller album , following the previous 'Heng : garae . '
''

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming special album by K-pop boy band Seventeen has scored more than 1 million preorders ahead of its release next week, the group's management agency said Friday.
"Presales of 'Semicolon' topped 1.1 million as of Friday," Pledis Entertainment said. "It is expected to become its second million-seller album, following the previous 'Heng:garae.'"
The 13-member band will release its new special album "Semicolon" on Monday, along with the music video of its title track, "HOME;RUN."
Sales of its seventh EP, "Heng:garae," released in June, posted 1.09 million copies in its first week of release, earning the title of "million seller." Its preorders came to 1.06 million.
If the first-week sales of "Semicolon" match the current presale record, Seventeen will have two albums selling more than 1 million units in a single year, dubbed "double million sellers."
The promotional image of K-pop boy band Seventeen's upcoming special album "Semicolon" by Pledis Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Choi Ji-man homers, reaches base 4 times in ALCS loss

In the top fifth , Choi stepped in with two outs and a runner on against new pitcher , Andre @ @ @ @ @ were down 3-2 .
Choi singled up the middle to extend the inning , but @ @ @ @ @ to capitalize , as Manuel Margot hit a groundball to third for the final out @

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Choi Ji-man delivered a key home run for the Tampa Bay Rays in a postseason losing cause, as the American League Championship Series (ALCS) got extended by another game.
Choi belted a game-tying solo home run in the top eighth against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series at Petco Park in San Diego on Thursday (local time), only to see the Astros walk it off for a 4-3 victory in the bottom ninth on Carlos Correa's solo shot.
In this Getty Images photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the top of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choi went 2-for-2 with two walks, but the Rays have dropped two straight games after winning the first three of the series.
They'll attempt to close out the Astros again in Game 6 at 3:07 p.m. Friday local time, or 7:07 a.m. Saturday in South Korea.
With right-hander Luis Garcia starting for the Astros, Choi batted fifth for the first time this series, after hitting cleanup in his two earlier appearances.
In this EPA photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (L) celebrates with teammate Willy Adames after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the top of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Choi drew a one-out walk in his first plate appearance in the top of the second inning. He reached as far as third base after a hit-by-pitch and another walk, before getting stranded there on Mike Zunino's inning-ending flyout.
Choi got another free pass leading off the top fourth, this time facing reliever Enoli Paredes. But Choi didn't come home, as Paredes, who walked another batter in the inning, wiggled out of the jam with three strikeouts.
In the top fifth, Choi stepped in with two outs and a runner on against new pitcher, Andre Scrubb, and the Rays were down 3-2. Choi singled up the middle to extend the inning, but the Rays once again failed to capitalize, as Manuel Margot hit a groundball to third for the final out.
In this EPA photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays blasts a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the top of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
With the Rays still trailing 3-2, Choi led off the eighth inning against reliever Josh James. After taking a curve for a ball, Choi took a fastball for a strike and another four-seamer for a ball.
James came back with another fastball, and Choi clobbered the inside pitch, clocked at 96.6 miles per hour, and sent it deep into right field seats.
The ball traveled 447 feet with an exit velocity of 108.9 mph.
In this USA TODAY Sports photo via Reuters, the Tampa Bay Rays' first baseman Choi Ji-man (R) tags out Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros on a pickoff throw from Tampa Bay pitcher John Curtiss during the bottom of the first inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The blast gave the Rays a new life, but they couldn't cash in with a man on second base in the top of the ninth. The Astros made them pay thanks to Correa's game-winning homer in the bottom ninth.
The Rays were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in this game and left nine men on base.
In this USA TODAY Sports photo via Reuters, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a single against the Houston Astros during the top of the fifth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
In this USA TODAY Sports photo via Reuters, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (L) reaches for the hand of his first base coach Ozzie Timmons after drawing a walk against the Houston Astros during the bottom of the second inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea extends special travel advisory due to continued COVID-19 spread

`` We also considered the need to prevent our citizens from contracting COVID-19 during travel overseas and the fact that @ @ @ @ @ efforts , it is crucial for our citizens to refrain from traveling abroad , '' @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday it will extend its special travel advisory again for all countries and territories amid the continued spread of the new coronavirus.
The latest measure, which recommends citizens cancel or postpone their overseas travel plans, will remain in place until Nov. 17. The current advisory, issued for the third time Sept. 19, is set to expire Sunday.
"The extension this time comes in consideration of the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world and a considerable number of countries continuing entry bans and restrictions and the suspension of flights," the ministry said in a press release.
"We also considered the need to prevent our citizens from contracting COVID-19 during travel overseas and the fact that in light of domestic antivirus efforts, it is crucial for our citizens to refrain from traveling abroad," it added.
The ministry also called on citizens to stick to hygiene guidelines, avoid large gatherings and outdoor activities, and minimize contact with other people.
In its daily tally, South Korea added 47 COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,035, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It was a sharp decline from 110 recorded the previous day.
This file photo, taken Oct. 7, 2020, shows a notice about some countries imposing entry restrictions, at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(LEAD) New virus cases drop below 50 amid eased social distancing

The number of new imported cases was six , which is also a sharp drop from 15 cases reported a @ @ @ @ @ also the first time since Oct. 8 that the daily figure of imported cases fell @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info from 8th para; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell sharply Friday, but health authorities are staying vigilant over possible cluster infections amid an eased social distancing scheme.
The country added 47 COVID-19 cases, including 41 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 25,035, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily figure dropped sharply from 110 a day earlier when the country reported a new cluster infection at a nursing home in the southeastern port city of Busan with more than 50 cases.
It is the first time since Sept. 29 that the daily tally of COVID-19 has dropped below the 50 mark.
The country earlier suffered a major uptick in virus cases in mid-August, mostly traced to a conservative church in northern Seoul. The daily figure shot up to 441 on Aug. 27 and stayed in the triple digits until reaching 82 on Sept. 20.
The number of daily new COVID-19 cases has been staying around 100 this month, though health authorities are keeping their guard up, saying a resurgence in virus infections could happen anytime with sporadic outbreaks.
South Korea on Monday began to enforce Level 1 distancing, the lowest in its three-tier social distancing system.
People wait in chairs to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift virus screening clinic in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the 41 newly identified local infections, 36 were in the greater Seoul area.
Seoul, the nation's capital, reported 17 cases, and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province added 14 cases. Incheon, west of Seoul, confirmed four additional cases.
The number of new imported cases was six, which is also a sharp drop from 15 cases reported a day earlier. It is also the first time since Oct. 8 that the daily figure of imported cases fell below 10.
The country's total number of imported cases is now at 3,476.
There were two additional deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the country's death toll to 441. The fatality rate was 1.76 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 85 as of midnight, up three from a day earlier.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 23,180, up 98 from the previous day, with 1,414 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, down 53 from a day ago.
The country has carried out 2,459,426 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Economic recovery shows signs of delay over virus resurgence: finance ministry

SEJONG , Oct. 16 ( Yonhap ) -- Economic recovery has shown signs of delay due to a resurgence in @ @ @ @ @ , but the pace of decline in exports eased , the finance ministry said Friday @

SEJONG, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Economic recovery has shown signs of delay due to a resurgence in new coronavirus infections in mid-August, but the pace of decline in exports eased, the finance ministry said Friday.
In a monthly economic report, called the "Green Book," the Ministry of Economy and Finance also flagged the economy's continuing uncertainty stemming from the virus resurgence.
"Indicators of domestic consumption and employment took a turn for the worse because of a resurgence in COVID-19 and the elevated social distancing rules," the report said.
However, the report said the nation's exports showed signs of a modest recovery.
Externally, worries over a delay in global economic recovery persists due to the continued global spread of the coronavirus and escalating conflicts between major countries, despite stable financial markets and improvements in real-economy indicators.
The nation's overall industrial production fell 0.9 percent on-month in August, marking the first monthly decline in three months.
Retail sales rose 3 percent from a month earlier, and facility investment declined 4.4 percent on-month.
Production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries fell 0.7 percent on-month in August, marking the first monthly decline in three months.
In September, South Korea's exports rebounded for the first time in seven months, helped by increased shipments of chips and automobiles as major trade partners gradually resumed their business activities amid the pandemic.
Outbound shipments came to US$48 billion last month, up 7.7 percent from $44.6 billion posted a year earlier.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(LEAD) SK Telecom partners with Uber in mobility biz spinoff

`` SK Telecom will likely foster its mobility unit as the leading company of SK Group 's self-driving and sharing @ @ @ @ @ Hong-sik , an analyst at Hana Financial Investment , said in a report .
`` @ @ @ @ @ complete new value as it expands into the self-driving industry . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more details in 6th para)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest mobile carrier, said Friday it will spin off its mobility platform business into a separate entity as it partners with U.S. ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc. in a move to strengthen its focus in the connected mobility sector.
The business -- tentatively called T map Mobility Co. -- will be wholly owned by SK Telecom and become a separate company on Dec. 29, the mobile carrier said in a regulatory filing.
In a joint statement with Uber, SK Telecom said it has also agreed for the new company to set up a joint venture with the U.S. ride-hailing company by the first half of next year.
Uber plans to invest more than US$100 million into the joint venture, which will focus on ride-hailing services, and another $50 million into SK Telecom's new spinoff, according to the statement.
SK Telecom said it expects the joint venture to provide an innovative taxi-hailing business based on its map and navigation services and Uber's global experience and platform technology in ride-hailing services.
The company added that it aims to increase T map Mobility's valuation to 4.5 trillion won (US$3.9 billion) by 2025 from the current 1 trillion won.
The file photo provided by SK Telecom Co. on Sept. 1, 2020, shows its T map navigation service. The mobile carrier said it will spin off its mobility business on Dec. 29. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The South Korean carrier's mobility business is currently focused around its popular map application T map, which has around 12.5 million monthly active users. Based on the app, SK Telecom also provides navigation, taxi-hailing and parking services.
The company's navigation service competes with KakaoNavi from the country's largest messenger operator Kakao Corp. and Naver Map from top internet portal operator Naver Corp.
Local analysts, however, expect the carrier's new mobility business to shift gears beyond current services and could focus on self-driving technology based on SK Telecom's 5G network.
"SK Telecom will likely foster its mobility unit as the leading company of SK Group's self-driving and sharing economy businesses," Kim Hong-sik, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment, said in a report. "T map will have a complete new value as it expands into the self-driving industry."
The latest generation network is considered one of the core components of self-driving technology as its high speeds and low latency allow the seamless transmission of mass data for vehicles to position themselves autonomously.
The spinoff will also expand the telecom operator's string of tech units, from video streaming service operator Content Wavve Corp. to Android app market ONE Store.
The company set out ambitious plans early this year to become a tech giant beyond its traditional focus in telecommunications.
SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho said in January the company is considering dropping Telecom from its name to shift away from its network-focused business.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Samsung dominates 5G smartphone market in Western Europe in H1: report

`` Samsung 's 5G dominance will soon come to an end in the second half of the year and final @ @ @ @ @ said Ville-Petteri Ukonaho , an associate director at Strategy Analytics .
`` Apple 's popular @ @ @ @ @ on sale , while a flood of Chinese rivals with lower-cost 5G models , such @ @ @ @ @ is pouring into the region . ''

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. dominated the 5G smartphone market in Western Europe in the first half of the year, a report showed Friday, but its market share is likely to decline in the second half as Apple Inc.'s first 5G-supporting handset, the iPhone 12, will go on sale.
Samsung captured an 88 percent market share of all 5G smartphones shipped in Western Europe in the first six months of the year, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics.
"Samsung today is the clear 5G leader across Western Europe, due to a strong portfolio of premium Android models, such as the Galaxy S20 5G and A90 5G," said Ken Hyers, a director at Strategy Analytics.
A record 4 million 5G smartphones were estimated to have been shipped to Western Europe in the first half of 2020, accounting for 7 percent of all smartphones shipped in the region, Strategy Analytics said.
This file photo, taken April 2, 2020, shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy S20 5G smartphone displayed at a store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
With the 5G smartphone market in Western Europe tipped to grow further, Samsung, however, was expected to face big challenges in the second half of the year as its rivals Apple and other Chinese brands are to release new 5G smartphones.
"Samsung's 5G dominance will soon come to an end in the second half of the year and final months of 2020," said Ville-Petteri Ukonaho, an associate director at Strategy Analytics. "Apple's popular iPhone 12 5G is finally on sale, while a flood of Chinese rivals with lower-cost 5G models, such as Xiaomi and OPPO, is pouring into the region."
Apple on Tuesday unveiled its new iPhone 12 lineup with four models. They are scheduled to start launching next week in select countries.
Strategy Analytics estimated that Apple could ship 50 million units of the iPhone 12 in the remainder of 2020 and become the second-largest 5G smartphone vendor this year.
The market researcher also predicted that Apple could rise to become the world's biggest 5G smartphone vendor next year, with its shipments reaching an estimated 180 million.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea, U.S. hold high-level videoconference on nuclear energy cooperation

`` Amid the growing strategic importance of nuclear energy cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. , the two countries @ @ @ @ @ should continue to deepen and develop cooperation in nuclear reactor exports , atomic research and @ @ @ @ @ in accordance with the revised nuclear energy pact , '' the ministry said in a @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held high-level nuclear energy talks via video links on Friday to discuss bilateral cooperation in nuclear research and security, and other related issues, the foreign ministry said.
South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes chaired the session of the High Level Bilateral Commission (HLBC).
The HLBC is the allies' highest consultative body on strategic nuclear energy cooperation. It was launched in 2016 following the 2015 revision of their nuclear energy cooperation agreement.
"Amid the growing strategic importance of nuclear energy cooperation between South Korea and the U.S., the two countries shared the view that they should continue to deepen and develop cooperation in nuclear reactor exports, atomic research and development, and nuclear security in accordance with the revised nuclear energy pact," the ministry said in a press release.
"To this end, the countries agreed to continue close consultation down the road," it added.
The videoconference was the first HLBC session since Menezes took office in August. It was attended by officials from Seoul's ministries of foreign affairs, trade and science, along with those from the U.S. Departments of State and Energy.
The commission consists of four working groups -- the Spent Fuel Management Working Group, the Assured Fuel Supply Working Group, the Promotion of Nuclear Export and Export Control Cooperation Working Group and the Nuclear Security Working Group.
Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho (C) attends the video-linked session of the High Level Bilateral Commission with U.S. officials at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020, in this photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Slumping slugger shows sign of life with key hit

Park went 2-for-4 with those two RBIs .
Though it was just one game in what has been a frustrating @ @ @ @ @ production the Heroes can get from Park is welcome , especially as they try to @ @ @ @ @ postseason run .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- As gratifying as it was for the Kiwoom Heroes to beat their rivals Doosan Bears on Friday, perhaps the real satisfaction was in seeing who played an instrumental role in their 7-4, come-from-behind victory in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) contest.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrates his two-run double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cleanup Park Byung-ho came through with a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The Heroes erupted for six runs in that frame alone to erase a 4-1 deficit.
Park went 2-for-4 with those two RBIs. Though it was just one game in what has been a frustrating season for Park, any production the Heroes can get from Park is welcome, especially as they try to position themselves for a long postseason run.
Park entered Friday with a .221/.351/.443 line, 20 home runs and 61 RBIs in 89 games. Held back by assorted injuries all season, the 34-year-old has been a shell of his former, fearsome self. Just last season, Park led the league with 33 home runs, extending his streak of 30-homer seasons to six.
Park opened this season by batting .212 in May and never rediscovered his stroke. He missed almost two months, from mid August to early October, with a hand injury. Park only returned to the lineup a week ago. He had gone 3-for-23 before breaking through on Friday.
"I am happy to have given us the lead at such a critical juncture in the game," Park said. "I've spent so much time on the sidelines. My mindset going into every at-bat is to get back into rhythm as quickly as possible."
Park was lifted after the seventh inning because of pain in his right thumb. The Heroes said Park felt the sting after getting jammed on a pitch in the first inning, and that he was taken out for precaution.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes hits a two-run double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(LEAD) Kiwoom Heroes' Lee Jung-hoo sets KBO doubles record

Despite his October swoon , Lee is still batting a robust .336 for the season , which puts him in @ @ @ @ @ .
But the 22-year-old hitting machine holds himself to a high standard .
Lee admitted @ @ @ @ @ about getting stuck at both 47 doubles and 99 RBIs for so long -- his @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 8 -- and Friday 's breakthrough got that big monkey off his back .

(ATTN: ADDS comments, details, photos)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes set a new single-season record for doubles in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Friday.
Lee smoked one down the left field line for his 48th double of the season against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the sixth inning at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Lee broke a tie with Jared Hoying, a former Hanwha Eagles outfielder who had 47 doubles in 2018.
Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrates his RBI double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lee's two-bagger, off Doosan reliever Kim Kang-ryul, knotted the score at 1-1. It also gave Lee 100 RBIs, the first time he's reached the century mark in his four-year career.
The Heroes went on to win 7-4, and Lee finished the day 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
Lee, one of the KBO's top contact hitters since his debut in 2017, entered Friday having batted just 6-for-41 in October. He had just two doubles in 11 games prior to this game.
The scoreboard at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul shows that Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes has set a single-season Korea Baseball Organization record for most doubles with 48, following his two-bagger against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the sixth inning on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Never mind doubles. I wasn't even getting a lot of singles recently," Lee said after Friday's win. "I made a bit of an adjustment to my batting stance, so that I would go back to the same form from earlier in the season. I'd been working at it during practices and it was nice to see that bear fruit in a game."
Despite his October swoon, Lee is still batting a robust .336 for the season, which puts him in seventh place in the league. But the 22-year-old hitting machine holds himself to a high standard. Lee admitted he had been stressed out about getting stuck at both 47 doubles and 99 RBIs for so long -- his previous RBI had come on Oct. 8 -- and Friday's breakthrough got that big monkey off his back.
"This is a crucial time of the season for the club, and I didn't feel like I was helping the team at all," said Lee, whose team jumped from fifth to third with the win. "This game felt like a postseason game. I'll try to keep helping the club from here and on."
Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes watches his single against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the fourth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--In U.N. speech, N.K. criticizes S. Korea's 'hostile' acts, vows military beef-up

`` On the southern side of the Korean Peninsula , a provocative joint military drill was conducted even in the @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease and state-of-the-art weapons continued to be brought in from outside , threatening peace @ @ @ @ @ secret , '' the delegate was quoted as saying .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has criticized South Korea at a U.N. meeting for conducting a joint military drill with the United States and vowed to bolster its military in response to the South's "hostile" acts, the foreign ministry in Pyongyang said Friday.
An unnamed North Korean chief delegate made the remarks during a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Oct. 9, the ministry said.
"On the southern side of the Korean Peninsula, a provocative joint military drill was conducted even in the midst of the spread of infectious disease and state-of-the-art weapons continued to be brought in from outside, threatening peace and making hostile acts no secret," the delegate was quoted as saying.
The delegate's remarks apparently refer to a joint military drill carried out between South Korea and the United States in August amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the South's move to bring in Global Hawk unmanned aircraft.
North Korea has long denounced Seoul and Washington's military drills as a rehearsal for an invasion of the North, calling on the U.S. to end its hostile policy. The allies say that the exercises are defensive in nature.
North Korea stressed that it needs to strengthen its military force in a bid to ensure the country's safety and development.
"We will never stop on the path to build the strongest defense capability that no one can stand against," the delegate said.
The North Korean official also called on the U.S. to withdraw nuclear weapons installed outside its territory, saying that states that have many nukes should take the lead in removing nuclear weapons for the goal of nuclear disarmament.
Since withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a key Cold War-era arms control accord with Russia, in August 2019, the U.S. has been exploring possibilities of deploying longer-range ballistic missiles to East Asia in an apparent bid to enhance regional security.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to continue to strengthen "war deterrence" for self-defense and showed off a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other weapons during a military parade in Pyongyang on Oct. 10 to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party.
This image, captured from the website of North Korea's Rodong Sinmun on Oct. 10, 2020, shows a new intercontinental ballistic missile being displayed during a military parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Heroes rally past Bears to jump to 3rd place in KBO

Park , a two-time MVP in the midst of his worst full season , came in batting just .221 with @ @ @ @ @ -- this after hitting at least 31 homers and driving in at least 98 runs @ @ @ @ @ Park missed nearly two months of action with a hand injury and only rejoined the @ @ @ @ @ had gone 3-for-23 with three RBIs in six games since his return .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Cleanup hitter Park Byung-ho delivered a go-ahead double as part of the six-run seventh inning, lifting the Kiwoom Heroes past the Doosan Bears 7-4 on Friday.
In the thrilling, anxiety-inducing Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) pennant race, the Heroes jumped two spots to reach third place at 78-61-1 (wins-losses-ties). The Bears fell from third to fourth at 73-58-4.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes follows through on a two-run double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes have four games left in the 144-game season after Friday, all four of them against the Bears. Doosan will play nine more games the rest of the way.
Park, a two-time MVP in the midst of his worst full season, came in batting just .221 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs -- this after hitting at least 31 homers and driving in at least 98 runs in six straight seasons. Park missed nearly two months of action with a hand injury and only rejoined the Heroes last Friday. He had gone 3-for-23 with three RBIs in six games since his return.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrates his two-run double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against starter Jake Brigham.
After a leadoff single and a walk put two runners aboard, Jose Miguel Fernandez cashed in a run with a single.
Brigham walked another batter later in the inning to load the bases, and fell behind 3-1 on Park Sei-hyok. Brigham battled back to strike out Park on a 3-2 slider, and then retired Jung Soo-bin on a grounder to second to escape further damage.
The Heroes tried to rally against rookie right-hander Kim Min-gyu but shot themselves in the foot early on.
In the bottom second, Lee Jung-hoo hit a one-out single but was caught stealing second base. Huh Jung-heop led off the third inning with a single but was erased on a double play ball by Jeon Byeong-woo.
The Heroes managed two more singles after that twin killing, though Seo Geon-chang flied out to end that rally.
Two singles put runners at the corners for the Heroes in the bottom fourth, but Huh struck out looking at a fastball from Kim.
Brigham, meanwhile, settled down after the shaky first inning, allowing just one hit over his next four frames.
Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes heads to first base after hitting an RBI double against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The American right-hander ran into some trouble in the top sixth, giving up a pair of singles to put runners at the corners. He wiggled out of the jam by getting Kim Jae-ho to ground into a 6-4-3, inning-ending double play.
With Brigham keeping them in the game, the Heroes finally evened the score in the bottom sixth.
Kim Ha-seong drew a one-out walk and that was the end of Kim Min-gyu's night. Two batters later, Lee Jung-hoo doubled home Kim Ha-seong to make it a 1-1 game.
It was Lee's 48th double of 2020, a new record for most two-baggers in one season.
The Bears responded right away against the Heroes' bullpen in the top seventh. Jo Soo-haeng worked a walk against reliever Yang Hyun to start the rally, and two batters later, facing new pitcher An Woo-jin on the mound, Choi Joo-hwan knocked in the tiebreaking run with a single.
Kim Jae-hwan then broke things open for the Bears with his two-run home run to left-center field.
That 4-1 lead didn't even last an inning. With one out, two straight singles and a walk loaded the bases for Kim Ha-seong, who cashed in two runs with a single to left. Park Byung-ho then stepped up and smacked a double to the right field corner to drive in two more runs, giving the Heroes a 5-4 lead.
Jake Brigham of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
The floodgates swung open. Park Dong-won came off the bench for an RBI single, and then Jeon Byeong-woo, batting for the second time in the inning, dropped a run-scoring single into shallow center field for a 7-4 advantage.
Closer Cho Sang-woo shut the door in the ninth inning and added to his league-leading total of 33 saves.
The Bears wasted a potential rally in the ninth with a base running gaffe.
With one out and a runner on first for the Bears, Fernandez drilled one off the top of the right field fence for what could have been a double. Right fielder Lee Jung-hoo made a quick throw back to the infield and Fernandez, who made a wide turn at first base, got tagged out on his way back to the bag.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(LEAD) Watchdog fails to conclude audit of controversial reactor closure

For more than a year , BAI has been looking into whether the shutdown decision was based on independent research @ @ @ @ @ predetermined or politically influenced by the administration .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with result of the meeting)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) failed Friday to adopt a final report on its audit of the controversial early closure of the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor.
The Council of Commissioners, the agency's top decision-making body, convened to review the audit result but could not conclude the report due to differences on wording, officials said. They decided to hold another meeting on Monday.
The council has held serial meetings since last Wednesday but has not yet managed to wrap up the report.
BAI chief Choe Jae-hyeong recently told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit of his agency that the report will be sent to parliament no later than Tuesday.
The 2019 closure of Wolsong-1, South Korea's second-oldest nuclear reactor, has remained a hot-button topic in domestic politics since President Moon Jae-in decided in 2017 to decommission the reactor earlier than scheduled in line with his energy policy.
The 679-megawatt reactor in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was shut down earlier than scheduled last year by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), citing the company's negative projection of the reactor's future economic viability.
For more than a year, BAI has been looking into whether the shutdown decision was based on independent research, as opposed to being predetermined or politically influenced by the administration.
The audit was commissioned by the National Assembly in September 2019 amid a heated public debate on the early closure.
This file photo taken Feb. 27, 2015, shows the now-decommissioned Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Justice minister orders inspections of prosecutors over hedge fund scandal

In a statement issued from prison , Kim claimed that he had his lawyer treat three incumbent prosecutors with a @ @ @ @ @ won ( US $ 8,726 ) last year .
One of them took part in @ @ @ @ @ scandal , he said .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae on Friday ordered immediate inspections of prosecutors whom a jailed businessman allegedly lobbied in connection with a hedge fund scandal.
Kim Bong-hyun, a key suspect in a financial fraud case involving Lime Asset Management Co., claimed earlier in the day that he lobbied prosecutors and politicians in both the ruling and opposition camps before the investigation was launched early this year.
In a statement issued from prison, Kim claimed that he had his lawyer treat three incumbent prosecutors with a drinking party worth 10 million won (US$8,726) last year. One of them took part in the investigation into the Lime scandal, he said.
The justice ministry said Choo was "shocked" by the allegation.
"The minister ordered officials to thoroughly uncover the truth as it is a grave issue that draws keen public attention," the ministry said.
Kim, the owner of Star Mobility, believed to be the main financial source for Lime, was arrested in April on charges of embezzlement.
Lime Asset is under probe over its alleged cover-up of massive losses and subsequent suspension of fund redemption worth an estimated 1.6 trillion won.
The company is accused of having concealed investment losses and inflating investment returns in a bid to keep its customer base.
This file photo shows Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Kiwoom Heroes' Lee Jung-hoo sets KBO doubles record

Lee smoked one down the left field line for his 48th double of the season against the Doosan Bears in @ @ @ @ @ inning at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul .
Lee broke a tie with Jared Hoying @ @ @ @ @ outfielder who had 47 doubles in 2018 .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes set a new single-season record for doubles in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Friday.
Lee smoked one down the left field line for his 48th double of the season against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the sixth inning at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Lee broke a tie with Jared Hoying, a former Hanwha Eagles outfielder who had 47 doubles in 2018.
Lee's two-bagger, off Doosan reliever Kim Kang-ryul, knotted the score at 1-1. It also gave Lee 100 RBIs, the first time he's reached the century mark in his four-year career.
Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes watches his single against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the fourth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea, China's top economic policymakers hold talks after nearly 3 years

In February 2018 , the two countries resumed the talks after a hiatus of nearly two years caused by a @ @ @ @ @ of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in South Korea .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The top economic policymakers of South Korea and China held talks for the first time in nearly three years Friday, focused on ways to boost tourism battered by the new coronavirus outbreak.
South Korean Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki had the virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, according to Seoul's finance ministry. The high-level economic talks were last held in February 2018.
They discussed ways to bolster exchanges in the tourism and cultural sectors that have nearly halted over the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the ministry.
South Korea stressed the need to boost exchanges in cultural content, tourism and video games, proposing resumption of cultural exchange programs, including a friendship concert involving singers of both nations.
China proposed ways to promote cooperation in the health care industry, sports and other sectors, the ministry added.
The economic talks began at the vice-ministerial level in 1992 and were upgraded to the ministerial level in 1999.
In February 2018, the two countries resumed the talks after a hiatus of nearly two years caused by a diplomatic feud over the installment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in South Korea.
This photo, provided by South Korea's finance ministry on Oct. 16, 2020, shows Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki holding a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng over ways to boost bilateral cooperation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Prosecution seeks 20-year sentence for ex-short track coach over alleged sexual assault

Cho 's history of alleged assault came to light only weeks before the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics in @ @ @ @ @ Shim still skated at the competition and picked up her second career Olympic gold in @ @ @ @ @ .

SUWON, South Korea, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison term for Cho Jae-beom, a former national short track speed skating coach, for his alleged sexual assault of Olympic champion Shim Suk-hee.
Prosecutors in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, also asked the local court Friday to restrict Cho's employment for 10 years and place him on probation for five years.
Cho is accused of having sexually abused and assaulted Shim on multiple occasions from 2014 to 2017. He has already served an 18-month sentence for physical assault on Shim.
This file photo from Jan. 23, 2019, shows former national short track speed skating team coach Cho Jae-beom leaving a court in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Cho has acknowledged his physical and verbal abuse, but has denied he ever sexually assaulted his athletes.
But prosecutors said Cho has committed "an extremely serious crime" and that Shim wants him severely punished for his action.
Cho's history of alleged assault came to light only weeks before the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea's PyeongChang. Shim still skated at the competition and picked up her second career Olympic gold in the women's 3,000m relay.
Shim, 23, has been one of South Korea's most visible winter sports athletes, and she has been praised for her courage in stepping up to wage a legal battle against Cho.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Prosecution raids several firms, including state agency, over fund scam scandal

Persecutors are said to have secured a testimony from a person familiar with the matter of kickbacks paid by Jeng @ @ @ @ @ the alternative investment division of Optimus , to an official , who is now working @ @ @ @ @ 's Gyeonggi and Incheon branch , to secure an investment from the agency .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution said Friday it raided a few businesses and a state agency in connection with its investigation into a financial fraud scandal at a private equity investment company.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office raided a regional branch of the Korea Communications Agency (KCA) in Incheon, the headquarters of Daishin Securities in central Seoul and Gangnam N Tower in southern Seoul to secure materials related to the allegations that the state agency was lobbied by Optimus Asset Management, which is embroiled in a massive fund scam scandal.
The private equity firm has been investigated on allegations that it solicited funds worth hundreds of billions of won from investors by promising a high return of 2.8-3.2 percent and claiming the money would be invested in safe receivables of state-run companies.
The company, however, is suspected of fabricating its reports to invest the funds in financially unhealthy companies, including private real estate firms and lenders, instead of the state-run companies it promised.
Since June 17, the total amount of customers' money that couldn't be withdrawn from the company's funds has surpassed 500 billion won (US$436 million), as the company suspended withdrawals due to liquidity problems.
The entrance of Optimus Asset Management in southern Seoul is closed on Oct. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Persecutors are said to have secured a testimony from a person familiar with the matter of kickbacks paid by Jeng Yeung-jea, former president of the alternative investment division of Optimus, to an official, who is now working as president of the agency's Gyeonggi and Incheon branch, to secure an investment from the agency.
The agency invested some 106 billion won from June 2017 to March 2018 in Optimus, but later retracted it after the investment was ruled against its internal regulations. Of the investment, some 83 billion won was invested through Daishin Securities, which was the first brokerage company that started to sell Optimus fund products to the public.
Prosecutors were said to be looking into how the brokerage company initially began selling Optimus products.
Gangnam N Tower is where three companies, including Trust All, a real estate company, were registered as businesses. The prosecution suspect some of Optimus money went to the companies.
President Moon Jae-in ordered a thorough investigation into the scandal and asked the authorities to examine how several state-run agencies, including the KCA and the Korea Racing Authority, have come to allegedly invest in the asset company, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--(LEAD) Another delivery worker dies on duty amid pandemic

But Coupang said its employees at logistics centers are adhering to the limit of 52 hours of work per week @ @ @ @ @ 's claim that the man died from overwork , saying that he worked an average @ @ @ @ @ over three months .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 5-6)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Another delivery worker died recently while on duty, an advocacy group said Friday, after dealing with a heavy workload due to the new coronavirus outbreak.
A temporary worker in his 20s, affiliated with leading ecommerce operator Coupang, died Monday, according to a committee supporting Coupang workers damaged by the new coronavirus outbreak.
At a distribution center in Chilgok, about 210 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the man worked for eight hours per day, five days per week, like regular workers, and sometimes worked overtime, it said.
The group suspected that the heavy workload might have caused his death as he did not have underlying health issues.
But Coupang said its employees at logistics centers are adhering to the limit of 52 hours of work per week. It rejected the group's claim that the man died from overwork, saying that he worked an average of 44 hours per week over three months.
Earlier this month, a delivery worker associated with CJ Logistics Corp. died while working.
Delivery workers saw their workload shoot up this year as more consumers opt to shop online amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Members of an umbrella union for delivery workers hold a press conference on Oct. 15, 2020, over the death of a delivery worker. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Another delivery worker dies on duty amid pandemic

At a distribution center in Chilgok , about 210 kilometers southeast of Seoul , the man worked for eight hours @ @ @ @ @ per week , like regular workers , and sometimes worked overtime , it said .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Another delivery worker died recently while on duty, an advocacy group said Friday, after dealing with a heavy workload due to the new coronavirus outbreak.
A temporary worker in his 20s, affiliated with leading ecommerce operator Coupang, died Monday, according to a committee supporting Coupang workers damaged by the new coronavirus outbreak.
At a distribution center in Chilgok, about 210 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the man worked for eight hours per day, five days per week, like regular workers, and sometimes worked overtime, it said.
The group suspected that the heavy workload might have caused his death as he did not have underlying health issues.
Earlier this month, a delivery worker associated with CJ Logistics Corp. died while working.
Delivery workers saw their workload shoot up this year as more consumers opt to shop online amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Members of an umbrella union for delivery workers hold a press conference on Oct. 15, 2020, over the death of a delivery worker. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--USFK to ease coronavirus restrictions in greater Seoul area

`` The threat of COVID-19 still exists .
Our community has been a vital role in preventing the spread of @ @ @ @ @ must remain vigilant in maintaining social distancing and wearing a mask when out in the @ @ @ @ @ added .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday that it will ease anti-coronavirus restrictions for its personnel in the greater Seoul area in step with the South Korean government's recent lowering of its social distancing level following drops in new cases.
Last month, the U.S. military lowered the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level by one notch to the second-lowest level of "Bravo" from "Charlie," except for Area II defined as the greater Seoul area, including the western city of Incheon.
The B level will be applied across the peninsula, including the capital area, starting at 4 p.m., Monday, which means all USFK members will be allowed to dine at restaurants and conduct off-base activities.
USFK has a five-scale warning system, which ranges from HPCON A to B, C, C+ and D.
The decision was made "based on the continued low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the greater Seoul metropolitan area, and the South Korean government lowering their social distancing to level 1," USFK said in a statement.
South Korea began implementing the Level 1 social distancing guideline on Monday following a slowdown in new cases in recent weeks. Level 1 allows 10 types of "high-risk" facilities to reopen, such as bars, karaoke rooms, large cram schools and buffet restaurants.
But USFK decided to continue to ban its personnel from visiting clubs, bars and adult-only establishments across the country until further notice.
"The continued hard-work and diligence of the ROK government, KDCA and local communities to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus has been remarkable," USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams said.
"The threat of COVID-19 still exists. Our community has been a vital role in preventing the spread of the virus, and we must remain vigilant in maintaining social distancing and wearing a mask when out in the local community," he added.
USFK reported 227 coronavirus infections among its population as of Thursday, most of whom tested positive upon their arrival here from the U.S.
South Korea reported 47 new virus cases Friday, raising the total caseload to 25,035.
Fans sit apart and cheer while watching a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Hanwha Eagles and the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, on Oct. 13, 2020. The government eased social distancing rules over the coronavirus, allowing sports leagues to admit crowds of up to 30 percent of stadium capacities. (Yonhap)
This image captured from the U.S. Forces Korea's website on Sept. 23, 2020, shows its classification of areas in South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Manager with 3 Korean Series rings not fazed by tight pennant race

`` Teams in third , fourth and fifth are pretty much in the same spot , '' Kim said with @ @ @ @ @ media availability at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul .
`` Lose one day , we @ @ @ @ @ Win , and then we 're up to third .
These changes do n't really @ @ @ @ @ .
I think we 'll have to wait until the very end to see how @ @ @ @ @ ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Bears' manager Kim Tae-hyoung has been to every Korean Series since taking the helm in 2015. His Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club has won three championships in that span, and finished either in first or second place in those five regular seasons.
No other KBO manager has been as battled tested as Kim, which is likely why he sounds casually detached when discussing the intense pennant race in the current season.
Members of the Doosan Bears celebrate their 16-3 victory over the Hanwha Eagles in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Bears entered Friday's game against the Kiwoom Heroes in third place, half a game behind the LG Twins for second place and 5.5 out of first place, held down by the NC Dinos.
The Bears are in a virtual tie with the KT Wiz and the Heroes. With all three teams having played different numbers of games so far, there is no separation among them in the "games behind" column. At 73-57-4 (wins-losses-ties), the Bears have the best winning percentage in this group at .562. The Wiz (74-58-1) are at .561, and the Heroes (77-61-1) are at .558.
In an illustration of how tight things have been, the Bears started this week in fifth place and climbed two spots in three days. The Wiz fell two spots in the same span.
"Teams in third, fourth and fifth are pretty much in the same spot," Kim said with a smile during his pregame media availability at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "Lose one day, we're down to fifth. Win, and then we're up to third. These changes don't really mean much at this point. I think we'll have to wait until the very end to see how it all plays out."
After Friday's game, the Bears will have nine games remaining, and the regular season concludes on Oct. 30. They should have enough games left to control their own destiny.
Doosan Bears' manager Kim Tae-hyoung watches his team in action against the Hanwha Eagles in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Oct. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes, on the other hand, will have just four games to go following Friday. All four will be against the Bears.
After the three-game series that concludes Sunday, the two clubs will meet on Oct. 23 and then on Oct. 30. With so much time in between those two, the Heroes' interim manager Kim Chang-hyun said earlier Friday he may use his top two starting pitchers, Eric Jokisch and Jake Brigham, in both games. In such a scenario, one would start and the other would immediately follow, and then do so again on six days' rest.
When told of this strategy, Kim Tae-hyoung smiled and said, "Let them do whatever they want."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Hyundai, Kia's market share in Europe likely to top 7 pct this year

But during the first nine months of the year , their combined share in the European market reached 7.2 percent @ @ @ @ @ in the same period of last year .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. may see their combined share in the European market surpass 7 percent for the first time this year, industry watchers said Friday.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors sold 101,322 vehicles in Europe in September, down 0.8 percent from a year earlier and representing a 7.8 percent market share, according to the two companies.
Hyundai's sales declined 4.6 percent on-year to 49,439 units in Europe last month, while Kia's sales gained 3.2 percent to 51,883 units.
In the January-September period, the two carmakers sold a total of 620,072 units in Europe, down 24.1 percent from a year earlier amid the fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak.
Hyundai Motor sold 308,747 autos in the cited period, down 27.9 percent from a year earlier. Kia's sales declined 20 percent on-year to 311,325.
But during the first nine months of the year, their combined share in the European market reached 7.2 percent, up from 6.7 percent in the same period of last year.
Industry watchers said in light of the trend, their market share in Europe is expected to surpass 7 percent for the first time this year.
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--Vice FM seeks Norway's support for S. Korean minister's WTO bid

He made the request during a meeting with Norwegian Ambassador to Seoul Frode Solberg , as Yoo is in the @ @ @ @ @ process for the WTO director-general post .
The trade body is expected to announce its @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun on Friday asked Norway to support South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid for the top post at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the foreign ministry said.
He made the request during a meeting with Norwegian Ambassador to Seoul Frode Solberg, as Yoo is in the final round of the selection process for the WTO director-general post. The trade body is expected to announce its new leader early next month.
On bilateral relations, Choi expressed hope for the two countries to advance cooperation into future-oriented fields, such as areas related to the Arctic, health and environmentally-friendly issues.
Choi also asked for Norway's cooperation in multilateral efforts toward the development of COVID-19 vaccines and asked Norway to positively consider joining the Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute (IVI), according to the ministry.
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun greets Frode Solberg with a fist bump ahead of their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul, in this photo provided by the ministry on Oct. 16, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-16--S. Korea top OECD country for gov't digital capability: report

`` The solid performance '' of high-ranking countries , including South Korea , `` shows the extent to which digital @ @ @ @ @ the core of broader policies with overarching reform efforts consolidated across several administrations , '' @ @ @ @ @ worked to build long-term foundations and strategies as a basis for digital transformation , '' @ @ @ @ @ report .

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government has been acknowledged as having the most advanced digital capabilities among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said Friday, citing an OECD report.
The country ranked No. 1 among 33 countries surveyed for "Digital Government Index(DGI): 2019," the first-ever report published by the OECD that measures the level of digitalization, efficiency and transparency of public sectors of 29 member countries and four non-member countries.
A total of 33 countries were surveyed from 2018 to 2019 and data were not available for a few countries, including the United States, Australia, Switzerland, Hungary and Mexico.
This image, provided by the Ministry of Interior and Safety, shows the Digital Government Index: 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea topped the list of Overall Results DGI 2019, with a composite score of 0.742 on a 1.0 point scale, followed by Britain at 0.736, Colombia at 0.729, Denmark at 0.652 and Japan at 0.645. The average composite score of 33 countries stood at 0.501.
The overall score combines the results of six different dimensions -- digital by design, data-driven public sector, government as a platform, open by default, user-driven and proactiveness.
The country received the highest scores in two dimensions, digital by design and open by default, which measure the integration of digital technology with existing governing processes, and the level of openness of the government's data, system and policy-making processes, respectively.
This photo, provided by the Ministry of Interior and Safety, shows its officials speaking at a news conference announcing that South Korea ranked No. 1 on OECD's Digital Government Index: 2019 on Oct. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
"The solid performance" of high-ranking countries, including South Korea, "shows the extent to which digital government policies are embedded at the core of broader policies with overarching reform efforts consolidated across several administrations," and that they "have worked to build long-term foundations and strategies as a basis for digital transformation," the OECD said in the report.
Interior Minister Chin Young said in a press release, "The government's innovative efforts to promote the digital transformation of the public sector have been internationally recognized … (The government) will try to continue to enhance its digital capability in order to lead in the post pandemic era."
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)