yna--2020-10-05--(LEAD) Prosecutors seek 1 1/2 yr prison term for ex-President Chun in libel trial

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 6, 10)
GWANGJU, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution on Monday sought a 1 1/2 year prison term for former President Chun Doo-hwan on charges of defaming an activist priest who documented a bloody crackdown by Chun's troops on pro-democracy demonstrators in Gwangju.
On May 18, 1980, citizens in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, rose up against the military junta led by Chun. His troops ruthlessly cracked down on the nine-day uprising, leaving more than 200 people dead and 1,800 others wounded, according to official data.
The 89-year-old, who led an authoritarian government from 1980-1988, was indicted in May 2018 for allegedly making slanderous statements toward the late activist priest Cho Pius' eyewitness accounts of the brutal crackdown in his controversial memoir.
The undated file photo shows former President Chun Doo-hwan. (Yonhap)
In the memoir published in early 2017, Chun refuted earlier claims made by Cho, who had testified to witnessing the military shooting at citizens from helicopters during the Gwangju uprising. Chun has insisted that Cho lied, calling him "Satan wearing a mask."
In the last court arguments at the Gwangju District Court on Monday, which Chun did not attend, citing poor health, the prosecution asked the court to levy a 1 1/2 year prison sentence to Chun for defaming the late priest.
"Scoffing at people who remember the pain of history should not be justified as freedom of expression ... Giving the defendant a jail term would serve as a stepping stone for our society to gain power to not repeat unjust history," the prosecution said.
In a meeting with reporters before attending the final court hearing, Father Cho Young-dae, the plaintiff and also a nephew of the late priest, said the testimony by the late priest made it possible for the country to "take a big step toward the truth" about the May 18 democratic uprising.
Priest Cho Young-dae, the plaintiff, speaks to the press in front of the Gwangju District Court in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
On the other side, Jung Ju-gyo, a lawyer for Chun, told reporters that he was confident that the former president will be cleared of the charges "based on evidence that has been garnered so far."
"On the question of whether there were shootings from helicopters, there is only one truth," he said. "I have been working on the trial with my eyes set on finding the truth," he said.
During the final presentation at the court, Jung said, "There was not a single shot fired from the skies of Gwangju. That is the truth," he argued, adding that there was no evidence to support the prosecution's claim that citizens were being shot from helicopters.
Since his indictment in May 2018, Chun has rejected court summons several times, citing health reasons, which include a claim that he suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He appeared in court most recently in April.
Jung Ju-gyo, a lawyer for former President Chun Doo-hwan, speaks to reporters in front of the Gwangju District Court in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
The disgraced ex-leader stood in a separate criminal trial on treason and other charges in 1996. The former Army general, who seized power in a 1979 coup, received the death penalty, but the top court reduced the sentence to life imprisonment. He was released in December 1997 on a presidential pardon.
The court is expected to hand down the ruling at the end of the year at the earliest.
This photo provided by the May 18 Memorial Foundation shows a military helicopter flying over Gwangju in May 1980. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--SsangYong's Sept. sales fall 4.4 pct on weak overseas sales

The carmaker said it is extending `` untact '' sales channels such as online global launching to recover exports and @ @ @ @ @ prepare for the post-coronavirus era .

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- SsangYong Motor Co. said Monday its sales fell 4.4 percent last month from a year earlier due mainly to an extended slump in overseas sales.
SsangYong Motor sold 9,834 vehicles in September, down from 10,285 units a year ago due to weak demand for its models amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said in a statement.
Domestic sales rose 13.4 percent to 8,208 units from 7,235 during the same period, while exports plunged 46.7 percent to 1,626 from 3,050, the statement said.
The carmaker said it is extending "untact" sales channels such as online global launching to recover exports and is reorganizing sales network to prepare for the post-coronavirus era.
SsangYong said it "will extend its global sales by strengthening strategy for global markets and launching upgraded models, including the upcoming face-lifted G4 Rexton as well as the Tivoli Air."
From January to September, sales fell 24.5 percent to 74,707 units from 98,987 in the year-ago period, it said.
SsangYong Motor's lineup consists of the flagship G4 Rexton, as well as the Tivoli, Korando and Rexton Sports.
In 2011, Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. acquired a 70 percent stake in SsangYong Motor for 523 billion won (US$437.93 million).
Mahindra currently owns a 74.65 percent stake in the SUV-focused carmaker.
This file photo taken on Sept. 20, 2019, shows SsangYong Motor's plant in Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

On May 18 , 1980 , citizens in Gwangju , about 330 kilometers south of Seoul , rose up against @ @ @ @ @ Chun .
His troops ruthlessly cracked down on the nine-day uprising , leaving more than @ @ @ @ @ others wounded , according to official data .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
---------------------------
(LEAD) Moon urges no let-up in coronavirus alert ahead of another holiday period
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in expressed his appreciation Monday for South Korean people's cooperation in the fight against the novel coronavirus during the Chuseok holiday season and requested continued support for the government's antivirus campaign.
He cited another holiday that will start Friday, which is Hangeul Day, or the Korean Alphabet Day, while speaking in front of pool reporters and cameras during a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides.
---------------------------
Prosecutors seek 1 1/2 yr prison term for ex-President Chun in libel trial
GWANGJU -- The prosecution on Monday sought a 1 1/2 year prison term for former President Chun Doo-hwan on charges of defaming an activist priest who documented a bloody crackdown by Chun's troops on pro-democracy demonstrators in Gwangju.
On May 18, 1980, citizens in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, rose up against the military junta led by Chun. His troops ruthlessly cracked down on the nine-day uprising, leaving more than 200 people dead and 1,800 others wounded, according to official data.
---------------------------
Seoul city vows to block rallies on another national holiday
SEOUL -- The Seoul city government will block all mass rallies on Hangeul Day in an ongoing effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, an official said Monday.
The city government imposed a ban on rallies of 10 or more people in August after mass anti-government rallies on Liberation Day on Aug. 15 were blamed for a spike in coronavirus cases in the country. The ban has since been extended until midnight Sunday.
---------------------------
(LEAD) Seoul stocks extend winning streak to 4th day on U.S. stimulus hopes
SEOUL -- South Korean shares jumped by more than 1 percent to extend their winning streak to a fourth session Monday, as investor sentiment improved on hopes for fresh economic stimulus in the United States. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 30.11 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,358.0.
---------------------------
Cordoning off Gwanghwamun Square from protestors 'inevitable' to prevent COVID-19 outbreak: police chief
SEOUL -- The police chief said Monday that cordoning off a main public plaza in central Seoul on Saturday was inevitable in the country's fight against the coronavirus, refuting criticisms from opposition politicians that the measure stymied people's right to assemble.
No large-scale anti-government rally was held at Gwanghwamun Square on National Foundation Day as some 300 police buses sealed off the area and subway trains passed without stopping at nearby stations to prevent protesters from gathering there.
---------------------------
S. Korea to terminate temporary visa policy for foreign spouses
SEOUL -- The government will terminate its temporary service that allows foreign spouses of South Koreans whose short-term visas are close to expiry to apply for marriage migrant visas while staying in the country, starting next week, the justice ministry said Monday.
South Korea has temporarily allowed foreign spouses who entered the country with short-term visas to change their visas to marriage migrant visas (F-6) since late May, as it became harder for them to re-enter the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
---------------------------
(LEAD) BTS agency begins 2-day IPO subscription from individuals
SEOUL -- Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop superstars BTS, attracted a promising amount of deposits from retail investors on the first day of a two-day subscription for its initial public offering (IPO) next week, probably the biggest share sale on the local market.
The IPO subscription runs Monday to Tuesday, prior to the company's listing on Oct. 15.
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--(2nd LD) Seoul city vows to block rallies on another national holiday

`` We are reporting rallies for Hangeul Day out of desperation that the only way to confront the oppression of @ @ @ @ @ through freedom of assembly and association , '' Choi In-sik , secretary-general of the group @ @ @ @ @ conference outside Jongno Police Station in central Seoul .

(ATTN: UPDATES with police data in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul city government will block all mass rallies on Hangeul Day in an ongoing effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, an official said Monday.
The city government imposed a ban on rallies of 10 or more people in August after mass anti-government rallies on Liberation Day on Aug. 15 were blamed for a spike in coronavirus cases in the country. The ban has since been extended until midnight Sunday.
Police officers break up a group of activists trying to hold a rally near the Jongno Ward Office in central Seoul on Oct. 3, 2020. (Yonhap)
Park Yoo-mi, a city disease control officer, said during a regular press briefing that there are currently 52 rallies involving 10 or more people planned for the national holiday celebrating the invention of the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, on Friday.
"We plan to consult the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and jointly respond (to the rallies) at their source," she said, adding that the city government continues to believe in the importance of safeguarding citizens' lives as much as their freedom of assembly.
Rallies on National Foundation Day on Saturday were scaled back as police installed checkpoints at 90 locations in the central Gwanghwamun area and subway trains passed without stopping at nearby stations.
Conservative activists leading the rallies have accused the Moon Jae-in government of using the pandemic as an excuse to crack down on dissent.
One conservative group, made up of participants in the Aug. 15 rallies, reported plans to hold two rallies of 1,000 people each to the police.
"We are reporting rallies for Hangeul Day out of desperation that the only way to confront the oppression of the Moon Jae-in government is through freedom of assembly and association," Choi In-sik, secretary-general of the group, said in a press conference outside Jongno Police Station in central Seoul.
Choi's group had previously planned to hold a mass rally on Saturday.
He said they decided to report plans for two rallies, both in the Gwanghwamun area, expecting them to be banned, and will in fact hold only one.
Choi also denounced what he called inconsistencies in the government's actions as it allowed crowds to gather at tourist spots over the recent holiday.
If the Hangeul Day rallies are banned again, the group will take the case to court, he added.
According to a separate tally released by the police, a total of 1,116 rallies were reported for Friday and 1,089 for the following day.
Of those planned for Friday, 56 involve 10 or more people, and of Saturday's, 54 do. One group has reported plans for a rally of 4,000 people.
Choi In-sik, secretary-general of a conservative activists' group, holds a press conference outside Jongno Police Station in central Seoul on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--Ahead of long-awaited matches, U-23 nat'l football coach feels alive again

The last time the U-23 national team played a match of any kind came in January this year , when @ @ @ @ @ first place at the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) U-23 Championship .
The tournament @ @ @ @ @ for the Tokyo Olympics , and had it not been for the coronavirus pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ 's team would have competed at the quadrennial event this past summer .

PAJU, South Korea, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- It has been nine months since the South Korean men's under-23 national football team played a match, and for head coach Kim Hak-bum, the pair of exhibitions against the senior national team couldn't have come a day sooner.
"I feel alive again," Kim said Monday after arriving at the National Football Center (NFC) in Paju, just north of Seoul, to open mini-training camp for his squad. The U-23 team will face the senior side on Friday and next Monday.
Kim Hak-bum, head coach of the South Korean men's under-23 national football team, speaks to reporters at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
"I think the players are also really excited to be here," Kim added. "Our fans have been thirsting for national team action, and we'll give them something to cheer about."
The last time the U-23 national team played a match of any kind came in January this year, when Kim led South Korea to first place at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship. The tournament doubled as the qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics, and had it not been for the coronavirus pandemic that forced its postponement, Kim's team would have competed at the quadrennial event this past summer.
These exhibitions will give Kim an opportunity to see some of his mainstays back in the national team setting and also to test new faces who are hoping to make an impression on the coach and make the Olympic team for next July.
The entire 23-man squad is made up of players from the domestic K League. The mandatory, 14-day quarantine for all inbound travelers to South Korea during the pandemic ruled out selections of any overseas-based players.
"I hope someone will step up and be the hero for our side," Kim said. "Every one of these players is capable of that."
Kim Hak-bum, head coach of the South Korean men's under-23 national football team, waves at cameras at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--Defense minister, U.S. ambassador vow to strengthen alliance

`` Minister Suh and Ambassador Harris agreed that the ironclad South Korea-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of Northeast Asia 's @ @ @ @ @ and vowed to closely communicate for the development of the alliance '' between the two @ @ @ @ @ in a release .

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Suh Wook and U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris agreed Monday to work together to strengthen the alliance between the two countries, calling it a "linchpin" of regional security, the defense ministry said.
Their meeting marked the first time since Suh took office as defense minister about two weeks ago.
"Minister Suh and Ambassador Harris agreed that the ironclad South Korea-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of Northeast Asia's security, peace and prosperity and vowed to closely communicate for the development of the alliance" between the two countries, the ministry said in a release.
The defense minister is planning to visit Washington this month for his first talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, officials earlier said. The visit, if realized, will be Suh's first overseas trip since his inauguration.
New Defense Minister Suh Wook delivers an address during his inauguration ceremony at the defense ministry in Seoul on Sept. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--(LEAD) BTS agency begins 2-day IPO subscription from individuals

SEOUL , Oct. 5 ( Yonhap ) -- Big Hit Entertainment , the management agency of K-pop superstars BTS , @ @ @ @ @ deposits from retail investors on the first day of a two-day subscription for its initial @ @ @ @ @ next week , probably the biggest share sale on the local market .

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS financial data in paras 3-4, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop superstars BTS, attracted a promising amount of deposits from retail investors on the first day of a two-day subscription for its initial public offering (IPO) next week, probably the biggest share sale on the local market.
The IPO subscription runs Monday to Tuesday, prior to the company's listing on Oct. 15.
Small investors deposited some 8.6 trillion won (US$7.4 billion) on the first day of their subscription.
IPO managers said Big Hit Entertainment shares up for grabs were oversubscribed by 69.77 to 187.99 times by retail investors as of 4 p.m.
Big Hit Entertainment put up 1,426,000 shares, valued at 192.51 billion won, for offering for retail investors. The shares account for 20 percent of the company's total offering this time. Its IPO was set at 135,000 won.
The agency has been dubbed one of this year's three big IPO deals in South Korea, along with biopharmaceutical blue chip SK Biopharmaceuticals and mobile game giant Kakao Games.
Last month, investors chipped in 58.5 trillion won in Kakao Games' subscription deposit, the most in South Korean IPO history.
Some experts forecast that Big Hit Entertainment, the creative nest of BTS, may break the game publisher's record subscription.
The firm's annual sales almost doubled to 587.2 billion won last year, with an operating profit of 98.7 billion won.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Oct. 3, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS singing "Dynamite," its latest Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, for the "BTS Week" special on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Brokerage houses' forecasts vary over how the company will perform in the pandemic-hit entertainment markets.
In late September, the agency decided to switch BTS' "BTS MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E" concert to an online event.
Some brokerages noted that virus risks will have limited impact on the agency, as BTS has accumulated rich experience in online activities.
BTS accounted for 98.2 percent of the agency's annual sales in 2018 and 97.4 percent in 2019, according to the agency's data.
Big Hit Entertainment has built up its own K-pop empire since it was founded in 2005 by former JYP Entertainment producer Bang Si-Hyuk.
Upon the company's market debut, Bang will become the 14th-richest stockholder in South Korea.
As the company's largest shareholder, the agency chief holds a 36.6 percent stake valued at about 1.67 trillion won.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--(LEAD) Seoul stocks extend winning streak to 4th day on U.S. stimulus hopes

SEOUL , Oct. 5 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares jumped by more than 1 percent to extend their @ @ @ @ @ session Monday , as investor sentiment improved on hopes for fresh economic stimulus in the @ @ @ @ @ won rose against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares jumped by more than 1 percent to extend their winning streak to a fourth session Monday, as investor sentiment improved on hopes for fresh economic stimulus in the United States. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 30.11 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,358.0.
Trading volume was moderate at about 746 million shares worth some 10.5 trillion won (US$9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 647 to 211.
Foreigners bought a net 169 billion won, ending their seven-session selling streak, while retail investors sold a net 548 billion won. Institutions purchased a net 388 billion won.
Electronic signboard at the trading room of KB Kookmin Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,358.0 on Oct. 5, 2020, up 30.11 points or 1.29 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The gains were largely attributed to optimistic statements by key U.S. officials related to the new US$2.2 trillion stimulus proposal.
Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted his support for the stimulus bill, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi showing stronger confidence about the stimulus talks.
"The stock markets are paying attention to policy options that Trump can come up with (during his campaign)," Hana Financial Investment analyst Lee Jae-man said.
"The increasing possibility of stimulus agreement seems to be holding up the stock market against the political uncertainties," he added.
Most large caps closed higher in Seoul.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 0.86 percent to 58,700 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 0.95 percent to 83,200 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country's largest automaker, jumped 4.76 percent to 187,000 won, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors spiked 7.68 percent to 50,500 won.
Leading steelmaker POSCO surged 5.87 percent to 205,000 won.
Internet portal giant Naver advanced 0.67 percent to 298,500 won, and its rival Kakao added 1.65 percent to 370,500 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem climbed 0.76 percent to 659,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI rose 0.69 percent to 436,500 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics retreated 0.72 percent to 685,000 won, and Celltrion dropped 1.17 percent to 254,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,163.4 won per dollar, up 6.1 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 3.5 basis points to 0.881 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 4 basis points to 1.147 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--S. Korean Bond Yields on Oct. 5, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Oct. 5, 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--2020-10-05--(LEAD) GM Korea's Sept. sales rise 89.5 pct on increased exports

Exports more than doubled to 34,447 from 16,222 during the same period , it said .
GM Korea 's exports @ @ @ @ @ on-year basis for three consecutive months .

(ATTN: UPDATES with quote by GM Korea vice president in 6th para)
SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- GM Korea Co. said Monday its sales rose 89.5 percent last month from a year earlier, helped by robust exports despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The South Korean unit of General Motors Co. sold 40,544 vehicles in September, up from 21,393 units the previous year, the company said in a statement.
Domestic sales rose 17.9 percent to 6,097 units last month from 5,171 a year ago. The Chevrolet Spark led domestic sales, selling 2,689 units.
Exports more than doubled to 34,447 from 16,222 during the same period, it said. GM Korea's exports have been up on an on-year basis for three consecutive months.
Robust sales of the Trailblazer SUV helped push up the monthly sales results, GM Korea said.
"We are fully committed to gaining momentum and increasing sales based on the positive market response for Chevrolet vehicles like the Trailblazer," Cesar Toledo, GM Korea vice president of sales, service and marketing, said in comments provided by the company.
From January to September, its sales fell 12.9 percent to 268,961 autos from 308,933 in the same period of last year.
Domestic sales rose 11.4 percent to 60,075 in the first nine months from 53,934 a year ago, while exports fell 18.1 percent to 208,886 from 254,999.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--Prosecutors seek 1 1/2 yr prison term for ex-President Chun in libel trial

In a meeting with reporters before attending the final court hearing , Father Cho Young-dae , the plaintiff and also @ @ @ @ @ priest , said the testimony by the late priest made it possible for the country @ @ @ @ @ step toward the truth '' about the May 18 democratic uprising .

GWANGJU, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution on Monday sought a 1 1/2 year prison term for former President Chun Doo-hwan on charges of defaming an activist priest who documented a bloody crackdown by Chun's troops on pro-democracy demonstrators in Gwangju.
On May 18, 1980, citizens in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, rose up against the military junta led by Chun. His troops ruthlessly cracked down on the nine-day uprising, leaving more than 200 people dead and 1,800 others wounded, according to official data.
The 89-year-old, who led an authoritarian government from 1980-1988, was indicted in May 2018 for allegedly making slanderous statements toward the late activist priest Cho Pius' eyewitness accounts of the brutal crackdown in his controversial memoir.
The undated file photo shows former President Chun Doo-hwan. (Yonhap)
In the memoir published in early 2017, Chun refuted earlier claims made by Cho, who had testified to witnessing the military shooting at citizens from helicopters during the Gwangju uprising. Chun has insisted that Cho lied, calling him "Satan wearing a mask."
In the last court arguments at the Gwangju District Court on Monday, which Chun did not attend, citing poor health, the prosecution asked the court to levy a 1 1/2 year prison sentence to Chun for defaming the late priest.
In a meeting with reporters before attending the final court hearing, Father Cho Young-dae, the plaintiff and also a nephew of the late priest, said the testimony by the late priest made it possible for the country to "take a big step toward the truth" about the May 18 democratic uprising.
Priest Cho Young-dae, the plaintiff, speaks to the press in front of the Gwangju District Court in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
On the other side, Jung Ju-gyo, a lawyer for Chun, told reporters that he was confident that the former president will be cleared of the charges "based on evidence that has been garnered so far."
"On the question of whether there were shootings from helicopters, there is only one truth," he said. "I have been working on the trial with my eyes set on finding the truth," he said.
Since his indictment in May 2018, Chun has rejected court summons several times, citing health reasons, which include a claim that he suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He appeared in court most recently in April.
Jung Ju-gyo, a lawyer for former President Chun Doo-hwan, speaks to reporters in front of the Gwangju District Court in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
The disgraced ex-leader stood in a separate criminal trial on treason and other charges in 1996. The former Army general, who seized power in a 1979 coup, received the death penalty, but the top court reduced the sentence to life imprisonment. He was released in December 1997 on a presidential pardon.
The court is expected to hand down the ruling at the end of the year at the earliest.
This photo provided by the May 18 Memorial Foundation shows a military helicopter flying over Gwangju in May 1980. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-10-05--Kia's Sept. sales up 10.3 pct on strong domestic sales

Its sales fell 8.8 percent to 1,863,966 autos from January to September from 2,043,780 during the same period last year @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp. said Monday its sales rose 10.3 percent last month from a year earlier on robust domestic sales.
Kia Motors sold 260,023 vehicles in September, up from 235,810 units a year ago, helped by strong sales of the Sportage SUV, the company said in a statement.
Domestic sales jumped 21.9 percent on-year to 51,211 units last month from 42,005. Overseas sales climbed 7.7 percent to 208,812 from 193,805 during the same period, it said.
Its sales fell 8.8 percent to 1,863,966 autos from January to September from 2,043,780 during the same period last year, the statement said.
To further prop up sales, Kia plans to launch the all-new Soul box car and the all-new Seltos compact SUV in global markets later this year.
This photo, taken on April 27, 2020, shows Kia Motors' plant in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--S. Korean shipyards take No.1 spot in new orders in Q3

According to the data provided by Samsung Heavy Industries Co. , Korean shipbuilders ' new orders came to 1.42 million @ @ @ @ @ ) , taking up 45 percent of the total orders amounting to 3.19 million CGTs @ @ @ @ @

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shipbuilders took the top spot in new global shipbuilding orders in the third quarter of the year, beating their Chinese rivals, industry data showed Tuesday.
According to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service, Korean shipbuilders' new orders came to 1.42 million compensated gross tons (CGTs), taking up 45 percent of the total orders amounting to 3.19 million CGTs in the July-September period.
The South Korean shipbuilders were followed by Russian shipbuilders with 860,000 CGTs, or 27 percent, and Chinese shipbuilders with 830,000 CGTs, or 26 percent, in the period.
This photo, provided by Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE), shows the shipbuilder's very large crude carrier (VLCC). The company said on Sept. 29, 2020, it has secured four VLCC orders from Europe. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Global new orders of ships reached 9.75 million CGTs in the January-September period, down 51 percent from 20.03 CGTs a year ago.
Chinese shipbuilders won 4.84 million CGTs in new orders, or 233 ships, accounting for 50 percent of the total new orders in the first nine months of the year.
They were trailed by South Korean shipbuilders with 2.62 million CGTs, or 81 ships, Russian shipbuilders with 930,000 CGTs, or 21 ships, and Japanese shipbuilders with 850,000 CGTs, or 57 ships.
Global order backlogs fell slightly by 1.77 million CGTs, or 3 percent, to 68.06 million CGTs at the end of September compared with the same period a month earlier.
Global order backlogs have been on a downward path this year since 80.82 million CGTs in January.
Chinese shipbuilders' order backlogs reached 24.65 million CGTs, or 36 percent of the total, followed by South Korean shipbuilders with 18.42 million CGTs and Japanese shipbuilders with 9.05 million CGTs.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--He does it again: Rays' Choi Ji-man homers off Yankees' Gerrit Cole in ALDS

During this past regular season , Choi had only three home runs , but two of them came against Cole @ @ @ @ @ his success against one of MLB 's top pitchers , Choi got the start in @ @ @ @ @ first game .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Choi Ji-man hits Gerrit Cole like few others in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Choi, the South Korean first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays, blasted a two-run homer off the New York Yankees' ace in Game 1 of their American League Division Series (ALDS) at Petco Park in San Diego on Monday (local time).
It was Choi's fourth career home run and 10th hit in 19 career at-bats against Cole, including postseasons. Choi also has 10 RBIs against the right-handed fireballer.
In this EPA photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a two-run home run against the New York Yankees' starter Gerrit Cole during the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 1 of their American League Division Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
The ball left Choi's bat at 108.9 miles per hour and traveled 429 feet over left center. These teams will play their entire best-of-five series in San Diego as the neutral venue, with no traveling during the coronavirus pandemic.
During this past regular season, Choi had only three home runs, but two of them came against Cole. With the history of his success against one of MLB's top pitchers, Choi got the start in the cleanup spot in the first game.
In this Getty Images photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (R) celebrates his two-run home run against the New York Yankees' starter Gerrit Cole with teammate Willy Adames during the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 1 of their American League Division Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
Cole won the early battle, as Choi popped out to third baseman Gio Urshela to end the first inning.
But in the fourth with the Rays trailing 2-1, Choi drilled a 95.8 mph fastball on the outer part of the plate for a go-ahead, two-run shot.
The Rays' 3-2 lead was short-lived, however, as the Yankees responded with two solo homers in the top of the fifth against starter Blake Snell to take a 4-3 lead.
In this EPA photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays runs around the bases after smacking a two-run home run against the New York Yankees' starter Gerrit Cole during the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 1 of their American League Division Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Suncheon catching on as eco-friendly destination amid protracted virus fears

Seonam Temple on Mount Jogye in Suncheon was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in June 2018 .
The @ @ @ @ @ Bridge , which is designated as National Treasure No .
400 and is said to @ @ @ @ @ arched stone bridge .
Of the temple 's twenty some old trees , two -- @ @ @ @ @ a red mume tree -- are designated as Natural Monument No .
488 .

SUNCHEON, South Korea, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Nature-friendly tourist destinations are drawing increasing attention these days from people fatigued by the protracted battle against the coronavirus outbreak.
Suncheon, a South Jeolla Province city known as South Korea's center of ecology, is one of the recommended destinations for those wanting to rest away from fears of COVID-19 and enjoy various experience tours.
This photo provided by Suncheon City Hall shows Songgwang Temple. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Suncheon, about 415 kilometers south of Seoul, gained international fame in 2006 when Suncheon Bay, a coastal wetland featuring wide tideland, fields of reeds, salt swamps and habitat for migratory birds, became the first Korean coastal wetland to be included in the Ramsar list of protected wetlands.
In 2018, the entire city of Suncheon was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The tidal flat of Suncheon Bay and Naganeupseong Folk Village, a well-preserved town castle of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), are about to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Seonam Temple on Mount Jogye in Suncheon was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in June 2018. The temple is known for Seungseon Bridge, which is designated as National Treasure No. 400 and is said to be Korea's most beautiful arched stone bridge. Of the temple's twenty some old trees, two -- a white mume tree and a red mume tree -- are designated as Natural Monument No. 488.
This file photo shows a sunset at Waon Beach in Suncheon. (Yonhap)
Mount Jogye is also home to Songgwang Temple, which is dubbed as one of Korean Buddhism's "Three Jewels" for producing a large number of high priests. It is also frequently visited by foreign monks wanting to study Buddhism.
The two temples are recommended as great places to think and clear the mind while walking along the dense forest and valley.
Naganeupseong Folk Village, designated as historical site No. 302, is a representative planned city of the Joseon Dynasty.
It features straw roof houses and daily dwellings indigenous to the southern area, with kitchen areas, clay rooms and Korean-style verandas. Even now, nearly 100 households actually live in the village.
This photo provided by Suncheon City Hall shows Naganeupseong Folk Village. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Naganeupseong was selected by the Korean government as the "2019 Korea Tourism Star" and as one of 32 family-friendly travel destinations. U.S. news network CNN also named the village as one of the 16 most popular tourist destinations in South Korea.
The municipality of Suncheon is planning to introduce a prestigious World Heritage tour program that combines visits to Seonam Temple and Naganeupseong with the nation's intangible cultural heritage, such as ssireum (Korean wrestling), pansori (Korean musical storytelling), arirang (Korean folk music), nongak (farmers' music), kimjang (kimchi making) and ganggangsullae (ancient Korean dance).
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Suspected operator of controversial Digital Prison repatriated from Vietnam

Since the controversy , the site 's service has been on and off .
When it resumed service on Sept. @ @ @ @ @ for several days , it said on the website , `` We promise to release @ @ @ @ @ criminals ) only when there is damning evidence , '' clearly noting mounting concerns over @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- An alleged operator of the controversial Digital Prison internet site was repatriated to South Korea on Tuesday, after being captured in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, last month.
The man, in his 30s, is suspected of violating privacy law by releasing personal information of alleged pedophiles, child abusers and murderers on the website that claimed to socially punish alleged perpetrators of horrendous crimes.
Escorted by police, the suspect did not respond to questions by reporters and was hurriedly taken to a police vehicle outside the terminal at Incheon International Airport.
An alleged operator of the controversial Digital Prison internet site arrives at Incheon International Airport on Oct. 6, 2020. (Yonhap)
The website was created earlier this year to protest against what the public sees as an unfair criminal justice system, but it carries a perennial risk of punishing falsely accused people.
The site has come under intense scrutiny after a 20-year-old university student, whose private details were made public on the site, was found dead in an apparent suicide last month. In another case, a psychiatrist in Seoul was proved innocent by police after being wrongly accused in June of trying to buy sexual exploitation content online.
The police started an investigation into the website in May for sharing illegal content and were trying to track down its operators. They requested international cooperation to arrest the suspect on intelligence that the man was in Vietnam. An Interpol red notice had been issued for the man.
An illustration of Digital Prison created by Chang Hyun-kyung (Yonhap)
Since the controversy, the site's service has been on and off. When it resumed service on Sept. 11, after shutting down for several days, it said on the website, "We promise to release private information (of alleged criminals) only when there is damning evidence," clearly noting mounting concerns over potentially false accusations.
As of Tuesday, access to the website has become forbidden by the government. Last month, Han Sang-hyuk, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, a state media regulation agency, warned of stern measures against illegal sharing of personal information during a parliamentary meeting.
"What they do is (criminal) defamation," he said of releasing private details to punish alleged criminals.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 6 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .


yna--2020-10-06--Another soldier tests positive for virus in Pocheon Army unit cluster infection

The soldier was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 the previous day while away from the unit for vacation .
@ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus before leaving the unit last week for his last vacation before his @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Another soldier has tested positive for the new coronavirus at an Army unit in the northern city of Pocheon, bringing the total cases in the unit's infection cluster to 37, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
The soldier was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 the previous day while away from the unit for vacation. It was unclear whether he contracted the virus before leaving the unit last week for his last vacation before his discharge from mandatory military duty.
Soldiers on their last vacation are discharged from their military service without returning to bases.
The latest case raised the number of coronavirus infections reported at the Pocheon base to 37 since the first case was reported Sunday.
All service members stationed in the city have been banned from off-base trips following the outbreak.
Authorities are tracing the routes of their infection, but the exact cause has yet to be identified.
"We are putting utmost efforts to confirm the route of the infections, with preventing the virus from spreading to other bases as a priority," deputy ministry spokesperson Col. Moon Hong-sik said during a regular press briefing.
On Monday, Defense Minister Suh Wook convened an emergency meeting involving major military commanders over the virus situation and ordered all units to review whether service members are properly following antivirus guidelines.
The military reported 149 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday.
A soldier locks the front gate of a military unit in Pocheon, north of Seoul, on Oct. 5, 2020, as COVID-19 infections broke out there. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--BTS should be given preferential treatment for military: lawmaker

Son secured an exemption in September 2018 , when the Korean national team defeated Japan to win the gold medal @ @ @ @ @ All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 28 are ordered to @ @ @ @ @ about two years for national defense against North Korea .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- A prominent ruling party lawmaker said Tuesday members of K-pop superstar BTS should be offered preferential treatment in terms of their mandatory military duties.
"Why is it OK for Son Heung-min but not for BTS?," Rep. Noh Woong-rae of the ruling Democratic Party said in a radio interview with CBS, referring to the military exemption for South Korean footballer Son of the English Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur.
Son secured an exemption in September 2018, when the Korean national team defeated Japan to win the gold medal at the Asian Games. All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 28 are ordered to serve in the military for about two years for national defense against North Korea.
By law, the country's military offers special treatment, such as exemptions or deferrals, to international award-winning athletes and classical musicians for their roles in elevating the country's overseas reputation.
But amid the growing outreach and influence of K-pop and South Korean cultural content, questions have been raised on whether the program should also include prominent pop celebrities such as BTS.
Members of K-pop group BTS speak in a prerecorded address to the high-level meeting of the U.N. Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security on Sept. 23, 2020, in this image captured from YouTube. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Noh, a three-term lawmaker and a member of the DP's supreme council, said BTS singers should be allowed to serve their duties through alternative services outside of the military so as to avoid a career hiatus.
"Let them carry out their duties but in a way that benefits national interest," Noh said.
The lawmaker on Monday also called for parliament to start discussions on the matter for legislation.
"BTS has generated an economic effect of 1.7 trillion won (US$14.7 billion) by topping the Billboard chart. It's impossible to even begin to estimate the value it has brought about in terms of promoting 'hallyu' and elevating national prestige," Noh stated during the DP's supreme council meeting Monday.
Hallyu is a term for the global popularity of South Korean pop culture, such as music and TV shows.
The topic of military duty in general is a highly sensitive subject in South Korea, with singer PSY of "Gangnam Style" having been infamously redrafted into active duty in 2007 after he was found to have neglected his duties while carrying out an alternative civil service.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Sept. 21, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS performing on the "Tiny Desk Concert" show on National Public Radio in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Former Korean-American singer Yoo Seung-joon has also been legally barred from entering South Korea since 2002, when allegations emerged that he dropped his Korean citizenship in order to avoid serving in the military.
Noh suggested operating an independent review committee to deliberate on whether BTS qualifies for preferential treatment. He also recommended utilizing the group in national promotions, such as the publicizing of South Korea's sovereignty over the eastern islets of Dokdo in the East Sea.
Kim Jong-cheol, a candidate for the leadership race in the minor progressive Justice Party, however, opposed offering BTS special treatment.
"BTS members themselves have repeatedly stated that they will diligently carry out their military duties. It could also cause an unnecessary controversy on the issue of fairness among other young men," Kim wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Kim suggested opening talks on reducing the mandatory service period to six to eight months while introducing a volunteer enlistment program to enhance the country's career military program.
Last month, BTS surprised the nation by debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's main singles chart with its latest single "Dynamite," becoming the first South Korean singer or group to achieve the feat.
Jin of the K-pop group BTS poses for a photo during the Melon Music Awards 2019 Imagine event by Kia, held in Seoul on Nov. 30, 2019. (Yonhap)
Born in 1992, BTS member Jin, the eldest of the seven singers, is subject to enlistment by the end of the year. But Big Hit Entertainment has stated that Jin could potentially postpone his draft until the end of 2021, citing his enrollment in an online graduate course at Hanyang Cyber University.
BTS members stated in February that they consider military duty as something that should be obviously served out and that they will answer the call of duty whenever the nation demands.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--S. Korea's exports of agricultural goods up 6.5 pct through Sept.

Outbound shipments of agricultural goods reached US $ 5.51 billion over the first nine months of 2020 , up $ @ @ @ @ @ same period a year earlier , according to the data released by the Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ Affairs .

By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of agricultural products rose 6.5 percent on-year in the January-September period, data showed Tuesday, on the back of strong overseas demand for kimchi and other traditional fermented products.
Outbound shipments of agricultural goods reached US$5.51 billion over the first nine months of 2020, up $5.18 billion posted over the same period a year earlier, according to the data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
By category, outbound shipments of fresh products moved up 0.2 percent on-year to $986 million. Those of processed goods also increased 8 percent to hit $4.5 billion.
This undated file photo provided by South Jeolla Province shows kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish normally made of fermented cabbage, salt and hot peppers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALES) (Yonhap)
The increase was largely attributable to the rising demand for healthy food items overseas amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
Exports of kimchi reached a record high of $18 million over the cited period, soaring 38.5 percent on-year. Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish normally made of fermented cabbage, salt and hot peppers, and it is eaten with almost all meals.
South Korea also diversified export destinations for kimchi products. Japan, which accounted for 80 percent of the outbound shipments in 2012, took up around 50 percent over the January-September period.
Instead, shipments to the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia sharply gathered ground, according to the ministry.
"The gain came as South Korea utilized the boom of Korean pop culture overseas, while releasing customized kimchi products for different countries, such as those made without salted seafood for vegetarians," the ministry said in its report.
Exports of fermented bean and pepper pastes, along with soy sauce, also shot up 31 percent over the period.
By destination, exports of overall agricultural goods to Japan edged down 6.8 percent to $986 million. Those to the U.S., on the other hand, shot up 41.2 percent to $881 million.
Exports to China gained 2.1 percent on-year to $820.2 million over the January-September period, it added.
South Korea said it plans to continue to expand the sales of agricultural goods for the remaining 2020, especially promoting the global sales of grapes and ginseng as well.
The country's overall exports, meanwhile, rebounded for the first time in seven months in September amid the coronavirus pandemic, 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 the $44.6 billion posted a year earlier, the government data showed.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--SK hynix announces launch of DDR5 DRAM

SK hynix announces launch of DDR5 DRAM

SK hynix said its DDR5 DRAM has advanced error correcting code ( ECC ) inside the chip that can correct @ @ @ @ @ boosting the reliability of applications by 20 times .
Its DDR5 DRAM could also build @ @ @ @ @ with through-silicon via technology , the chipmaker added .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc. said Tuesday it has launched the world's first Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) DRAM, as South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker strives to expand its presence with the next-generation memory product.
SK hynix's 16 Gigabit (Gb) DDR5 DRAM, which was developed in 2018 using 1Ynm process technology, is now available on the market after completing various verification and compatibility tests.
DDR5 is a next-generation DRAM standard that boasts fast speed and high density with reduced power consumption as compared to DDR4. It is optimized for use in data-intensive applications such as big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
SK hynix's latest chip supports transfer rates of 4,800-5,600 megabit-per-second (Mbps), which is 1.8 times faster than the previous generation DDR4. The product's operating voltage is 1.1 volts (V), being lowered from 1.2 V of DDR4, meaning that it also consumes less power.
This photo provided by SK hynix Inc. shows the company's 16 Gigabit (Gb) DDR5 DRAM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
SK hynix said its DDR5 DRAM has advanced error correcting code (ECC) inside the chip that can correct 1-bit-level errors by itself, boosting the reliability of applications by 20 times. Its DDR5 DRAM could also build up to 256 gigabyte capacity with through-silicon via technology, the chipmaker added.
"We will focus on the fast-growing premium server market, solidifying its position as a leading company in server DRAM," said Oh Jong-hoon, chief marketing officer at SK hynix.
SK hynix said it has been collaborating closely with its global partners, including Intel Corp., to launch its DDR5 DRAM. The company conducted joint operation of on-site labs, system-level tests and simulations with system-on-chip manufacturers to verify the functions of the product.
"We worked collaboratively with SK hynix on silicon development by designing and testing prototypes to ensure DDR5 meets its performance goals and are fully ready for our mutual customers," Carolyn Duran, vice president of Intel's Data Platforms Group, said.
According to market researcher Omdia, DDR5 demand is expected to surge next year and account for 10 percent of total global DRAM market in 2022 and 43 percent in 2024.
SK hynix was the world's second-largest DRAM producer with a 30.1 percent market share in the second quarter of the year, only behind local rival Samsung Electronics Co., according to data from industry tracker TrendForce.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--KBO's defending champions looking to make big jump

The Wiz will try to hold ground when they face the Lotte Giants starting Tuesday .
The Wiz are just @ @ @ @ @ their worst record against any opponent this season .
The Giants went 5-1 last week @ @ @ @ @ of fifth place and keep their postseason hopes alive .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- With the NC Dinos running away with the pennant, other postseason hopefuls are left to play for second place.
Holding down the final playoff spot in fifth place, the defending Korean Series champions Doosan Bears will look to make a major leap. And that second spot, as distant as it seems, is well within reach this week.
Heo Kyoung-min of the Doosan Bears hits an RBI double during the bottom of the seventh inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Kia Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Dinos hold an eight-game lead over the KT Wiz at the top with 21 games remaining. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) pennant seems theirs to lose.
Then it gets more interesting. The Wiz, the Kiwoom Heroes, the LG Twins and the Bears are lined up from second to fifth, each separated by just one game.
The Bears could potentially leapfrog every one of those teams and claim second place by the week's end.
The Bears overtook the Kia Tigers for the fifth spot by sweeping them in a three-game weekend series and will take on the lowly SK Wyverns for a new three-game set beginning Tuesday. The Bears are 10-3 against the ninth-ranked Wyverns this season.
Mel Rojas Jr. of the KT Wiz follows through on his solo home run during the bottom of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the LG Twins at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Wiz will try to hold ground when they face the Lotte Giants starting Tuesday. The Wiz are just 4-8 against the Giants, their worst record against any opponent this season. The Giants went 5-1 last week to stay three games out of fifth place and keep their postseason hopes alive.
Then the Bears and the Wiz will square off from Friday to Sunday.
The Tigers have a seven-game week coming up, but it will be four games, including a doubleheader, against the last-place Hanwha Eagles and three against the Wyverns -- all very winnable contests.
Kia Tigers' shortstop Park Chan-ho (R) makes a throw to first base during the bottom of the second inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Heroes, who once got to within half a game of the Dinos for the top spot, have won just two of their past 10. They're hosting the Dinos from Tuesday before meeting the Eagles over the weekend.
The Twins will be taking on the Samsung Lions and then the Dinos this week. Their pitching staff had an adventurous week, and they'll now be without starter Tyler Wilson for at least a few weeks.
Wilson, who took himself out of Sunday's game against the Wiz, has been diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow. The Twins said Wilson will receive injections over the next two weeks, and they will then determine the timetable for his return.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Overseas Korean Cultural Centers to host events celebrating Hangeul Day

`` We hope Hangeul Day will serve as an opportunity to let foreigners around the world learn of the excellence @ @ @ @ @ of events and further spread the Korean language and its writing system to the world @ @ @ @ @ the Korean Culture and Information Service affiliated with the ministry was quoted as saying in @ @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run Korean Cultural Centers overseas will hold various events this month to mark the anniversary of the creation of Hangeul, the Korean writing system.
Dozens of overseas Korean Cultural Centers in 27 countries, including the United States, Canada, Russia and Japan, will host various events, such as Korean speech and calligraphy and song contests and special lectures, to mark the 574th Hangeul Day on Friday, the culture ministry said in a release.
Hangeul, which consists of 24 Korean letters, was invented in 1443 by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).
What you should know about Korean Alphabet (한글) Youtube https://youtu.be/BlYNwuYZEU4
The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles will host a Korean speaking contest on any content related to the Korean language or culture until Oct. 16, while a center in New York plans to host a Korean calligraphy contest until this Friday.
The Korean Cultural Centre India and Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi also plan to throw diverse events, such as a quiz on Korea, a Korean song contest, ad a Hangeul handwriting competition, from Thursday to Friday. India has added Korean to its foreign language education in July.
Due to the spread of the new coronavirus across the world, however, most of the events will be held online, according to the ministry.
"We hope Hangeul Day will serve as an opportunity to let foreigners around the world learn of the excellence of Hangeul through a variety of events and further spread the Korean language and its writing system to the world," an official at the Korean Culture and Information Service affiliated with the ministry was quoted as saying in the release.
This is a poster of the "Online Korean Speaking Contest" to be held in Thailand on Oct. 8, 2020, provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Daewoo wins approval for ammonia-fired ship from LIoyd's Register

As Daewoo Shipbuilding has won the go-ahead for the ammonia-powered ships , South Korea 's three shipbuilders -- Hyundai Mipo @ @ @ @ @ Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding -- have gotten closer to building the eco-friendly ships .

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. said Tuesday that it has gotten the nod for its ammonia-powered ship from Lloyd's Register, a British quality assurance and risk management company.
Daewoo Shipbuilding plans to commercialize the ammonia-fueled 23,000 TEU container carrier by 2025, the company said in an emailed statement.
TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit, a measurement of a ship's cargo capacity.
In a bid to develop the ammonia-propelled container carrier, Daewoo Shipbuilding has joined hands with Lloyd's Register and global engine maker MAN Energy Solutions since June, the company said.
This photo provided by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. shows a 24,000 TEU container carrier built by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
As Daewoo Shipbuilding has won the go-ahead for the ammonia-powered ships, South Korea's three shipbuilders -- Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Samsung Heavy Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding -- have gotten closer to building the eco-friendly ships.
Hyundai Mipo obtained approval for its ammonia-powered 50,000 DWT oil tanker from Lloyd's Register in July, while Samsung Heavy Industries got the nod for its ammonia-fired A-Max tanker in September from the British company.
The A-Max tankers refer to 85,000 to 125,000-deadweight-tonnage oil tankers, which are in the highest demand and most economically feasible among other oil tankers.
DWTs are a measure of the combined weight of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water, provisions, passengers and crew that a ship can carry.
Samsung Heavy and Hyundai Mipo plan to commercialize their ammonia-fueled ships by 2024 and 2025, respectively.
MAN Energy Solutions is in charge of developing the engine of the shipbuilders' eco ships.
Ammonia has been attracting the attention of global shipbuilders as eco-friendly ship fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide when it is burned.
The International Energy Agency expects ammonia to be one of the main fuels for ships in 2060, according to a report.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted mandatory steps to cut emissions of carbon dioxide from ships by more than 30 percent by 2025 compared with 2008 and 70 percent by 2050.
This year, the IMO lowered the sulfur cap on fuel content from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Samsung to spend 39.6 bln won for 31 research projects

SEOUL , Oct. 6 ( Yonhap ) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it will spend more than 39.6 billion @ @ @ @ @ million ) for 31 research projects in the areas of basic science , materials engineering @ @ @ @ @ solutions through its foundation .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it will spend more than 39.6 billion won (US$34.1 million) for 31 research projects in the areas of basic science, materials engineering and information and communication technology solutions through its foundation.
The South Korean tech giant confirmed the research projects chosen for funding in the second half of 2020, which include studies related to human taste receptors, cell therapy and quadruped walking robots.
Since 2013, Samsung has been funding local scientists under its future technology fostering scheme after endowing a total 1.5 trillion won through its foundation.
It has so far provided 812.5 billion won in funding for 634 research projects at universities and public research institutes in South Korea.
This image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows the corporate logo of the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Hyundai Glovis wins delivery deal in Kazakhstan

RG Brands is the second-biggest beverage producer in Kazakhstan .
It annually produces about 750 million liters of beverage products @ @ @ @ @ , water , carbonated drinks and iced tea , at its four plants , it @ @

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Glovis, a logistics unit of Hyundai Motor Group, said Tuesday it has signed a seven-year delivery deal with a Kazakhstan beverage company as part of its expansion strategy.
Hyundai Glovis will deliver RG Brands JSC's beverage products from the Kazakhstan firm's warehouses to wholesale and retail stores in the central Asian country, the company said in a statement.
The company did not reveal the value of the contract.
RG Brands is the second-biggest beverage producer in Kazakhstan. It annually produces about 750 million liters of beverage products, including juice, nectars, water, carbonated drinks and iced tea, at its four plants, it said.
Hyundai Glovis said it aims to expand business ties with local companies that sell meat, dairy products and pharmaceuticals.
"The company will also explore new business opportunities in neighboring markets based on the delivery deal signed in Kazakhstan, which connects Asia and Europe," a company official said.
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--S. Korean Olympic chief willing to risk IOC membership to run for reelection

Under the current KSOC statutes , an incumbent KSOC president must first resign 90 days before a reelection if he @ @ @ @ @ a second term .
Lee 's election to the IOC in 2019 was linked to @ @ @ @ @ , and he will have to remain as KSOC chief to retain his IOC membership @ @ @ @ @ going for his second term , he will first have to step down from his @ @ @ @ @ will lose his IOC membership .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Lee Kee-heung, head of the South Korean Olympic committee, has declared his intent to run for a second term, even if it means losing his membership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Lee, who has spent two decades in sports administration, was elected as president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) in October 2016. His four-year term concludes at the end of this year, and the next election is scheduled for January 2021.
Under the current KSOC statutes, an incumbent KSOC president must first resign 90 days before a reelection if he or she wants to pursue a second term. Lee's election to the IOC in 2019 was linked to his function within the KSOC, and he will have to remain as KSOC chief to retain his IOC membership. Now that Lee is going for his second term, he will first have to step down from his KSOC perch, meaning he will lose his IOC membership.
Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, speaks to Yonhap News Agency during an interview in his office at the KSOC headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
In an interview with Yonhap News Agency last week, Lee said this was no time to leave the KSOC.
"This is my 20th year in sports administration, and I've done everything I could have done as someone who wasn't an athlete," said Lee, former head of the South Korean governing bodies for canoeing and swimming. "But there are too many pressing issues in sports that I felt it would be irresponsible for me to step aside."
The KSOC has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to amend the part of the statutes guiding its presidential election, so that the current head won't have to resign to run for a second term but will instead only be suspended from duties during the election campaign. In that case, Lee wouldn't have to give up his IOC membership for his KSOC campaign, and if he's reelected to the top KSOC job, he'll remain an IOC member for four additional years as well.
But the ministry hasn't approved those changes, citing the need to ensure fairness in the election. The ministry's drive to split up the KSOC into two entities -- one handling elite sports and the other overseeing sports for all -- and the KSOC's pushback also appear to be tied to the ministry's reluctance.
The situation even prompted the IOC's National Olympic Committee (NOC) Relations Department to write a letter to the KSOC in its support of Lee, calling for unity rather than division of the organization. The letter also pointed out that under the Olympic Charter, all national Olympic bodies must be autonomous organizations that are free from any undue pressure, and urged the South Korean government to resolve the issue promptly.
Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, speaks to Yonhap News Agency during an interview in his office at the KSOC headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
"There are other deserving people (for IOC seats)," Lee said, when asked if he was really willing to lose his IOC membership to run for his second KSOC term. "The best-case scenario (without the sports ministry's changes) is for me to groom someone to succeed me as an IOC member. I am close enough with the IOC to have those kinds of conversations."
Lee, who served as the head of the South Korean delegations to the 2010 Asian Games and the 2012 Summer Olympics, is one of two South Korean IOC members. Former Olympic table tennis champion Ryu Seung-min has been on the IOC's Athletes Commission since 2016, and commission members can only serve a single eight-year term.
This image provided by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee on Sept. 15, 2020, shows a letter from the National Olympic Committee Relations Department at the International Olympic Committee to the KSOC, regarding the South Korean government's push to split the KSOC into two entities. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Other IOC members are elected for eight years, and their mandates can be renewed. Except for those elected between 1966 and 1999, the age limit for members is 70. The IOC may extend that limit for a period of four years upon a proposal from the Executive Board.
Lee said he would lose his IOC seat anyway if he chose not to run for his KSOC term and claimed no other IOC member country has such a restrictive rule on its national Olympic chief.
"I think this is a matter of principle," Lee said. "The ministry should decide quickly whether the amendments are appropriate or not."
On Lee's watch, two major scandals rocked South Korean sports: a sexual and physical abuse case against former national short track coach Cho Jae-beom and an assault case against a regional triathlon club that drove a young athlete to take her own life.
These incidents only fueled the sports ministry's push to break up the KSOC. Lee acknowledged that abuses of any form have no place in sports but splitting his organization isn't the answer.
Lee Kee-heung, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, speaks to Yonhap News Agency during an interview in his office at the KSOC headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
"These cases are really unfortunate but splitting the KSOC will only cause more problems," Lee said. "The sports ministry should give us time and space to work on these issues. When these incidents came to light, all sports administrators were portrayed as troublemakers and even criminals. But we have made significant contributions to society. We've done the best we could under the circumstances."
Lee called for the creation of a separate national sports entity, under the auspices of the Prime Minister's Office, or a standalone Ministry of Sports. He noted that more than a dozen government ministries oversee different aspects of sports-related policy, including the education ministry, the defense ministry and the gender ministry.
"It would be more efficient to have a single organization that can handle sports policy," Lee said. "We've only had the integrated KSOC for four years, and splitting it up would affect 10,000 different organizations. I don't understand why the government is trying to create these problems."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--In letter to President Moon, son of slain fishery official demands truth

`` Imagine that the pains my family is going through were those of your children or grandchildren .
Would you @ @ @ @ @ now ? ''
he asked .
`` Whose fault is this that we ca n't @ @ @ @ @ I want to ask what the country was doing while my father was brutally murdered @ @ @ @ @ could not protect him . ''

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- A son of the fishery official killed by North Korea at sea last month doubted the South Korean government's announcement that his father sought defection and pleaded with the president to find the truth about his father's death.
In a letter released late Monday by Lee Rae-jin, the official's older brother, the son asked President Moon Jae-in, "Do you think it really makes sense that my father, who never learned how to swim and weighed only 68 kg for his height of 180 cm, swam 38 km against the tidal current?"
He also rejected the possibility that the fishery official tried to run away to North Korea by jumping off the government ship monitoring fishing boats. His "diligent" father "was so proud of his job that he talked in my school's session to introduce his job," the 17-year-old son wrote. And even though the nature of his job only allowed him to come home twice a month, his father was a family man who adored his two children, he added.
This photo provided by Lee Rae-jin, the older brother of the killed fishery official, shows a letter to President Moon Jae-in written by a son of the official shot by North Korea at sea in September. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
South Korea's military and Coast Guard concluded that the 47-year-old official was shot dead by the North Korean military in waters around Yeonpyeong Island on Sept. 22, while he was trying to defect to the North. The island is located near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto inter-Korean sea border.
The son also argued that it was natural that the North knew his father's personal details, like name and hometown, only because the North must have asked those questions "at gunpoint" when approaching the man floating at sea. The South Korean government cited the North's knowing such details as evidence for the official's voluntary defection.
"My family can't believe what the government said, because they were only words and we saw no evidence (to support that my father tried to defect)," he wrote. "I still can't even acknowledge that the man found in the North's waters was my father."
"Imagine that the pains my family is going through were those of your children or grandchildren. Would you still act as you do now?" he asked. "Whose fault is this that we can't even find his body. I want to ask what the country was doing while my father was brutally murdered, and why the country could not protect him."
This photo provided by the brother of the deceased fisheries official shows the man's identification card left on the boat. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--BTS' agency to close IPO retail subscription

Since Monday , the company has allowed retail investors to subscribe to around 1.43 million shares , or 20 percent @ @ @ @ @ stocks to be issued under the IPO scheduled for Oct. 15 .
The IPO price @ @ @ @ @ $ 116 ) .

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop superstar BTS, is set to close a two-day subscription Tuesday for its initial public offering (IPO) next week in what could be the biggest stock sale in South Korea.
Since Monday, the company has allowed retail investors to subscribe to around 1.43 million shares, or 20 percent of its 7.13 million new stocks to be issued under the IPO scheduled for Oct. 15. The IPO price is 135,000 won (US$116).
Reflecting the global popularity of the K-pop band, individual investors deposited about 8.6 trillion won on the first day of the subscription, with the shares oversubscribed by 89.6 times. The deadline for the subscription is 4 p.m.
Retail investors wait at a brokerage house in the financial district of Yeouido, western Seoul, on Oct. 5, 2020, to subscribe to shares of Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop superstar BTS, prior to its initial public offering (IPO) set for next week. (Yonhap)
The agency's planned share sale is regarded as this year's top three IPO deals in South Korea, along with biopharmaceutical blue chip SK Biopharmaceuticals and mobile game giant Kakao Games.
In September, Kakao Games attracted the largest subscription deposits with 58.5 trillion won from retail investors. SK Biopharmaceuticals saw individual investors chip in 31 trillion won in deposits.
SK Biopharmaceuticals and Kakao Games made a strong market debut in July and September, respectively, finishing at more than double their IPO prices.
Market watchers said the BTS agency may break the game company's record subscription in light of the band's history-making feat in the music industry and retail investors' rush for stock market investment amid a long streak of low rates.
The planned IPO has drawn keen interest from local investors, as BTS became the first South Korean artist in late August to top Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart with its disco-pop single "Dynamite."
Based on the IPO price, Big Hit Entertainment is forecast to raise 962.6 billion won through the scheduled public share offering, with its market value estimated to reach nearly 4.8 trillion won.
The projected market capitalization of Big Hit Entertainment is well above the combined market value of the nation's three major management agencies -- JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment and SM Entertainment.
The BTS agency's annual sales almost doubled to 587.2 billion won on-year in 2019 and posted an operating profit of 98.7 billion won.
Big Hit shares, new souvenir for BTS ARMYs? Youtube https://youtu.be/gd3klCOXzqI
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Oct. 3, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS singing "Dynamite," its latest Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, for the "BTS Week" special on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--(LEAD) New virus cases under 100 for 6th day; cluster infections again in focus

Facilities more prone to virus infections , such as clubs and bars , will stay shuttered until the deadline in @ @ @ @ @ which houses around half of the nation 's population .
Those in other regions , @ @ @ @ @ resume business starting Monday .

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100 for the sixth straight day Tuesday, but the country is bracing for a possible resurgence in new infections after a long holiday as a slew of clusters was reported.
The country added 75 more COVID-19 cases, including 66 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,239, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a slight rise from 73 posted on Monday and 64 cases reported on Sunday.
After daily infections hit 133 on Wednesday last week, they have been in double-digit figures. The drop was in part attributed to fewer tests carried out over the five-day Chuseok holiday that ran through Sunday.
A citizen walks by a hospital in northern Seoul, which reported nearly 50 COVID-19 patients, on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
Health authorities had advised people to refrain from visiting their family members and relatives this year over the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving.
They also allowed public transportation to sell only window seats in line with efforts to prevent the spread of the virus over Chuseok, when millions normally travel across the country.
Nevertheless, around 30 million people traveled across the nation over the holiday, down 3.1 percent from the previous year. The number of people traveling by trains and buses decreased 57 percent and 55 percent.
Health authorities are concerned that there could have been a number of asymptomatic patients who spread the virus during the Chuseok holiday.
Considering the incubation period, health authorities said there could be another wave of the pandemic soon despite the latest slowdown in the daily new cases.
As the country will enjoy another three-day break from Friday to Sunday to celebrate the Korean alphabet, South Korea earlier designated a special two-week period for toughened virus curbs until the end of the holiday.
The special ant-virus scheme centers on maintaining most of the Level 2 social distancing policy nationwide, under which indoor gatherings of more than 50 people are banned.
Facilities more prone to virus infections, such as clubs and bars, will stay shuttered until the deadline in the greater Seoul area, which houses around half of the nation's population. Those in other regions, however, were allowed to resume business starting Monday.
South Korea operates a three-tier social distancing system. The government has not yet issued the highest alert, which bans gatherings of 10 or more people, as it will come at a significant consequence in terms of the economy.
Over the past two weeks, 18.2 percent of newly added patients had unknown infection routes. Although the ratio is still worrisome for the authorities, it still marked a sharp drop from 28.1 percent posted in mid-September.
According to the latest data, 26.5 percent of cases were grouped as cluster infections as well.
Citizens wait to receive new coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country's new virus cases had been in the triple digits for more than a month since Aug. 14, due mainly to cases tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally. Daily infections soared to 441 on Aug. 27.
Of the newly identified local infections, 13 cases were reported in Seoul and 34 cases in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported four more cases.
The southern port city of Busan added three cases, and North Jeolla Province reported nine more patients.
A church in northern Seoul reported four patients as of noon Monday, after reporting its first confirmed case Saturday.
A military base in Pocheon, north of Seoul, reported 36 virus cases, sparking concerns over yet another major group infection. Health authorities are currently working to identify the infection route.
Imported cases came to nine. The Philippines and Britain accounted for two cases each. There were also infections from India, Syria, Ethiopia, the Czech Republic and the United States.
So far, South Korean nationals accounted for 60 percent of the imported infections.
South Korea added no additional deaths, keeping the death toll at 422.
The fatality rate came to 1.74 percent.
The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 105, down two from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 22,083, up 197 from the previous day. Some 91 percent of the patients reported here have been cured.
South Korea has carried out 2,365,433 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3, including 13,055 from the previous day. The number of daily tests fell below 10,000 over the holiday.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--Rescheduled fixtures unveiled for top Asian club football tournament

The Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) announced new fixtures for the AFC Champions League on its website on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ for clubs in the East Zone -- South Korea , Australia , Malaysia , Thailand @ @ @ @ @ to resume on Nov. 18 .
Previously , the AFC had said those teams would @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 15 .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The rescheduled match fixtures for Asia's top club football tournament have been released.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced new fixtures for the AFC Champions League on its website on Tuesday, with group stage matches for clubs in the East Zone -- South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Japan -- to resume on Nov. 18. Previously, the AFC had said those teams would be back in action on Nov. 15.
This file photo from Feb. 19, 2020, shows mask-wearing fans attending an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League match between the home team Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Vissel Kobe at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Those in the West Zone, with clubs in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq, have already completed their group phase, and Persepolis FC of Iran have booked a spot in the final, scheduled for Dec. 19.
The annual competition, with eight groups of four clubs in action, kicked off in February but was put on hold after a couple of matches due to the COVID-19 outbreak across the continent.
After multiple readjustments, the AFC said matches for teams in Groups E to H will run from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4.
Four clubs from South Korea's K League 1 qualified for this year's AFC Champions League: FC Seoul in Group E, Ulsan Hyundai FC in Group F, Suwon Samsung Bluewings in Group G and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Group H. These four teams played two group matches apiece in February.
Teams in Groups G and H will play in a centralized venue in Malaysia, while the site for clubs in Groups E and F has not been determined.
FC Seoul will return to action against Beijing FC on Nov. 21 in Group E. Ulsan's first match back in Group F is against Shanghai Shenhua FC on the same day.
In this file photo from Feb. 19, 2020, Yeom Ki-hun of Suwon Samsung Bluewings (L) and Andres Iniesta of Vissel Kobe are in action during their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Group G match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Suwon will take on Guangzhou Evergrande FC on Nov. 22 in Group G. Jeonbuk will also play their Group F match against Shanghai SIPG FC on the same day.
The top two clubs from each group will advance to the knockout stage. All knockout matches, including the championship final, will now be one-and-done affairs, instead of the usual home-and-away series where the aggregate score determines the winners.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-06--(LEAD) BTS' 'Dynamite' ranks No. 2 on Billboard singles chart

`` Dynamite '' dipped to the No .
2 spot after spending the first two weeks at the summit , @ @ @ @ @ back to the No .
1 spot last week , largely helped by the release @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 3, 8-11, photos)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean boy group BTS' latest hit "Dynamite" spends the sixth week of release at the No. 2 spot on Billboard's main singles chart this week, a week after it made a surprise return to the top spot, Billboard reported Monday.
"BTS' 'Dynamite' dipped to No. 2 on the Hot 100 after three nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1," it said.
The Billboard Hot 100 chart, which measures all-genre streaming, radio airplay and sales data in the United States, is set to be refreshed Tuesday.
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Oct. 3, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS singing "Dynamite," its latest Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, for the "BTS Week" special on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The song made a splashing debut, becoming the 43rd song ever to take the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the first week of its release.
"Dynamite" dipped to the No. 2 spot after spending the first two weeks at the summit, but made a surprise come back to the No. 1 spot last week, largely helped by the release of its remixes.
Despite its slip to the No. 2 spot this week, the song continued to dominate the U.S. music industry, in terms of digital song sales with 86,000 downloads sold, according to Billboard.
"Dynamite" is the first song to top Digital Song Sales for more than five consecutive weeks since Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" achieved the same feat last year, Billboard said earlier.
It also became the South Korean septet's first song to make it to the top 40 hits on the Radio Songs chart, rising to the No. 39 spot this week from 42 a week earlier, it said Monday.
Streaming for the band's latest hit slipped 2 percent from the previous week to 13.7 million.
BTS, meanwhile, continued to dominate the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, which ranks songs from more than 200 territories around the world, excluding the U.S., based on streaming and sales data compiled by Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
Its rank on another global chart, including U.S. data, slipped by a notch to No. 2.
The screenshot, from a Billboard Twitter account (@billboardcharts) on Oct. 5, 2020, shows K-pop boy band BTS' "Dynamite" ranked No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Sept. 29, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS posing for a photo in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, South Korea, where the band filmed a performance for the "BTS Week" special on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-07--S. Korean tourism, culture industries log 10.7 tln-won loss from COVID-19: gov't data

The figure , which measures losses incurred from a plunge in tourists and cancellations of sports and cultural events during @ @ @ @ @ the year , was included in data submitted to the National Assembly by the cultural @ @ @ @ @ audit .

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- Losses from the new coronavirus in South Korea's culture, sports and tourism industries were estimated at 10.7 trillion won (US$9.2 billion) in the first nine months of the year, government data showed Wednesday.
The figure, which measures losses incurred from a plunge in tourists and cancellations of sports and cultural events during the first three quarters of the year, was included in data submitted to the National Assembly by the cultural ministry for an annual parliamentary audit.
Myeongdong, a shopping district in central Seoul that is popular among tourists, is almost empty on Oct. 5, 2020. (Yonhap)
By sector, the tourism industry was found to have taken the biggest hit as the number of overseas tourists dropped 81.9 percent on-year to 2.3 million in the Jan. 1-Sept. 27 period.
Sales in the travel industry were estimated to have plunged by roughly 5 trillion won from the previous year, while hotels reported a 1.8 trillion-won loss in the Feb. 3-Sept. 13 period.
Companies that run leisure facilities or organize international conferences reported losses of over 1 trillion won, while losses at casinos were estimated at 879 billion won, according to the report.
A movie theater in the southwestern city of Gwangju is almost empty on July 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The culture and arts industries were estimated to have suffered a 504.9 billion-won loss as shows and exhibitions were called off and museums and galleries shut down amid social distancing measures.
The film industry also reported a 994.8 billion-won loss as the number of moviegoers in the first three quarters slumped by 78.7 percent.
In the sports industry, the baseball sector saw the biggest loss of 106.2 billion won, followed by soccer and golf, which suffered losses of 59.1 billion won and 17.1 billion won, respectively.
This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2020, shows a game between South Korean baseball clubs Kia Tigers and LG Twins held at a baseball stadium in eastern Seoul without fans. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been fighting the new coronavirus since the country's first case was identified in January. As of Wednesday, the country's total caseload reached 24,353, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-07--(LEAD) N.K. at final stage of preparations for military parade: defense ministry

The Oct. 10 anniversary of the party 's founding 75 years ago has drawn attention as the North could showcase @ @ @ @ @ occasion in what could be seen as messages to the United States , or South @ @ @ @ @ talks .

(ATTN: ADDS defense minister's remarks in 4th para)
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is at the final stage of preparing for a military parade expected to be held in Pyongyang this weekend to mark the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
The Oct. 10 anniversary of the party's founding 75 years ago has drawn attention as the North could showcase new strategic weapons on the occasion in what could be seen as messages to the United States, or South Korea, amid stalled denuclearization talks.
In a report to the parliament for an annual audit, the ministry said North Korea is "at the final stage of preparing for events, including a military parade, to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party."
"(North Korea) appears to be preparing for various events ... and our assessment is that it is expected to engage in a show of force involving strategic weapons," Defense Minister Suh Wook said during the audit session.
North Korea tends to mark every fifth or 10th anniversary with larger-scale events, such as military provocations, including missile launches, or parades of troops, newly developed strategic weapons and other military hardware.
In his New Year's message, leader Kim Jong-un said he will showcase a "new strategic weapon," which could be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), according to experts and observers.
This satellite image, taken by Planet Labs on Aug. 31, 2020, and made public by 38 North on Sept. 1, shows the Mirim Airport in Pyongyang, where preparations for a large-scale military parade are under way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-07--Gov't announces legislation plan to allow abortion until 14th week of pregnancy

According to the two articles of the country 's Criminal Act , which was made into law in 1953 , @ @ @ @ @ her own miscarriage through the use of drugs or other means '' shall be punished @ @ @ @ @ one year or by a fine of up to 2 million won ( US $ @ @ @ @ @ doctor who performs an abortion with a patient 's consent can be slapped with imprisonment @ @ @ @ @ and up to three years if performed without permission .

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- The government made public its plan Wednesday to revise laws to allow abortion until the 14th week of pregnancy.
The revisions also conditionally allow abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy based on social, economic and health concerns.
The government said the changes to the Criminal Act and the Mother and Child Health Act were made in close consultation with medical and legal experts and as a follow-up to a Constitutional Court ruling in April last year.
The court ruled that two provisions of the Criminal Act that ban all abortion, at any stage of pregnancy, are unconstitutional as they severely violate women's right to choose, and it gave the National Assembly until the end of this year to revise the law.
This file photo taken on Sept. 20, 2020, shows women's rights activists holding a press conference in downtown Seoul calling for repealing the anti-abortion law. (Yonhap)
Currently, abortion is a crime punishable by up to three years in prison and is only legally allowed in case of rape or when carrying out the pregnancy is likely to put the expectant mother's health at great risk.
The Justice Ministry said in a joint release by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety that no criminal charges should be filed for abortion until the 14th week of pregnancy under the revisions.
Until the 24th week into pregnancy, abortion is still possible under extenuating circumstances, such as rape, as well as for social and economic reasons. In the latter cases, a woman should go through mandatory counseling and a 24-hour "consideration period." The clause of getting consent from a partner for abortion was deleted out of concern that it violates a woman's right to choose.
The public will have around 40 days to submit their opinions about the revisions before the revisions are sent to the National Assembly for approval.
Revising, not abolishing, the anti-abortion law, however, is likely to invite strong protest from women's rights advocacy groups.
In August, the Committee of Gender Equality under the Ministry of Justice recommended that the ministry recognize women's right to choose as a basic human right and repeal the decades-old laws.
"Women's voices and experiences should be actively considered (in policymaking)," the committee said in a press release. It added that the right to choose is guaranteed "by the Constitution, the Framework Act of Gender Equality and the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women."
According to the two articles of the country's Criminal Act, which was made into law in 1953, a woman who "procures her own miscarriage through the use of drugs or other means" shall be punished by imprisonment of up to one year or by a fine of up to 2 million won (US$1,685). Also a doctor who performs an abortion with a patient's consent can be slapped with imprisonment of up to two years and up to three years if performed without permission.
Women's rights activists have been arduously calling for the abolishment of the act, arguing that making it a criminal offense only worsens situations in which a medical procedure to terminate a pregnancy takes place anyway and that many women face greater health risks during the illegal process.
In April, a coalition of women's groups held a press conference in front of the National Assembly in commemoration of the first anniversary of the court's ruling, calling for swift action to repeal the law.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-07--Ministry reaffirms its push for end-of-war declaration despite killing of fisheries official

`` While considering the status of inter-Korean relations , the ministry will continuously seek cooperation with the international community for @ @ @ @ @ to the war on the Korean Peninsula , COVID-19-related public health and quarantine cooperation , @ @ @ @ @ proposal to turn the Demilitarized Zone into an international peace zone , '' it said @

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea remains committed to its push for the declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War and cross-border cooperation with North Korea despite last month's killing of a South Korean fisheries official, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
In a policy report for the parliamentary audit, the ministry stressed its steadfast focus on resuming dialogue with the North and laying the groundwork for lasting peace on the peninsula, while noting it had "sternly" dealt with the September incident.
The fatal shooting renewed skepticism over engagement with a recalcitrant Pyongyang, though North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a rare apology over it in a message to the South's presidential office.
"While considering the status of inter-Korean relations, the ministry will continuously seek cooperation with the international community for the declaration of an end to the war on the Korean Peninsula, COVID-19-related public health and quarantine cooperation, and the realization of the proposal to turn the Demilitarized Zone into an international peace zone," it said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attends a parliamentary audit session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
The ministry also said it would continue strategic coordination with the United States in preparation for the possible resumption of long-stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
"Based on close cooperation between the South and the U.S., the ministry will explore an active role to promote dialogue between the two Koreas and the U.S.," the ministry said.
"The ministry will continue to pursue comprehensive consultations (with the U.S.) that deal with denuclearization, relations between the two Koreas and between the North and the U.S., and the peace regime," it added.
During the parliamentary report, the ministry also said that as of Oct. 1, the government helped a total of 49,356 overseas citizens return home from 120 countries hit by the new coronavirus.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-10-07--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

SEOUL , Oct. 7 ( Yonhap ) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates ( KORIBOR ) as posted by Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ and information arm of Yonhap News Agency , at 11:00 a.m .

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