yna--2020-01-28--OECD further cuts Korea's potential growth rate

`` A drop in the potential growth rate is inevitable in the long run , considering the trend in the @ @ @ @ @ '' said Joo Won , a researcher at Hyundai Economic Research Institute .
`` A @ @ @ @ @ 2 percent indicates South Korea may have fallen into the trap of low growth , @ @ @ @ @ in the growth rate . ''

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's potential economic growth rate may have permanently been reduced, apparently because of a steady decline in its workforce and productivity, according to an OECD report Tuesday.
According to the report, South Korea's potential growth rate for the year is estimated at 2.5 percent, down 0.2 percentage point from a year earlier.
A potential growth rate refers to the maximum possible rate an economy can grow without triggering inflation.
South Korea's rate has been on a steady decline at least since 2010, when it gained 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier to 3.9 percent. The rate dipped to below the 3 percent mark for the first time in history in 2018.
The OECD estimated the country's potential growth rate in 2021 at 2.4 percent.
"A drop in the potential growth rate is inevitable in the long run, considering the trend in the country's economic changes," said Joo Won, a researcher at Hyundai Economic Research Institute. "A low growth rate of around 2 percent indicates South Korea may have fallen into the trap of low growth, instead of a temporary drop in the growth rate."
Experts here cite the rapid drop in the working age population as one of the key reasons for the country's diminishing growth potential.
South Korea has one of the world's lowest birthrates, which also makes it one of the fastest aging societies.
Its working age population, or people aged between 15 years and 64 years, dropped 0.3 percent from a year earlier in 2017, marking its first-ever on-year decline.
The local economy expanded 2 percent from a year earlier in 2019, the slowest since 2009, when Asia's fourth-largest economy grew 0.7 percent on-year on the heels of the 2008 global financial crisis.
The South Korean economy is expected to grow 2.3 percent this year, according to the Bank of Korea, again marking the slowest on-year growth since 2009 except for last year.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


Tuesday's weather forecast

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

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


KOSPI 2,192.22 DN 53.91 points (open)


KOSDAQ 660.79 DN 24.78 points (open)


yna--2020-01-28--Dollar opens at 1,178.5 won UP from 1,168.7 won


yna--2020-01-28--Olympic women's hoops qualifiers moved out of China over coronavirus concerns

The central Chinese city of Wuhan is the epicenter of the viral outbreak that has seen infection cases in South @ @ @ @ @ other countries .
Having claimed more than 80 lives in China , the Wuhan coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ person .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- An Olympic women's basketball qualifying tournament involving South Korea, scheduled to be played in China next month, has been relocated to Serbia due to concerns regarding the deadly new coronavirus.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) said late Monday that the tournament, initially set to take place in Foshan, China, from Feb. 6-9, will be contested on the same dates in Belgrade.
This file photo provided by the Korea Basketball Association on Nov. 17, 2019, shows Lee Moon-kyu, head coach of the South Korean women's national team, during the Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying Tournaments for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Auckland. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
It will be one of four qualifying competitions for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Belgrade will now host two of them, with Belgium's Ostend and the French city of Bourges staging one tournament each.
"After having carefully evaluated the developments regarding the coronavirus outbreak and placing as the main priority the safety of the participating players and team delegation members, the FIBA Executive Committee decided to relocate the tournament to Belgrade, Serbia," FIBA said in a statement.
The central Chinese city of Wuhan is the epicenter of the viral outbreak that has seen infection cases in South Korea and about a dozen other countries. Having claimed more than 80 lives in China, the Wuhan coronavirus can pass from person to person.
In the qualifying tournament, South Korea, world No. 19, is paired with Spain (No. 3), China (No. 8) and Britain (No. 18). The top three countries from this group after a round robin will qualify for the Olympics.
South Korea failed to qualify for the past two Summer Games, in 2012 and 2016, after playing in four straight from 1996 to 2008.
This image captured from the website of the International Basketball Federation on Jan. 28, 2020, shows the announcement of the relocation of an Olympic women's basketball qualifying tournament from China to Serbia due to the coronavirus concerns. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Jan. 28)

Youn Kun-young , who recently stepped down as the head of the State Affairs Planning and Monitoring Office at the @ @ @ @ @ cleared by the DP screening committee to run in the April election .
Youn is @ @ @ @ @ stop the inspection on former Busan mayor Yoo Jae-soo on suspicions of bribery .
The @ @ @ @ @ civil affairs office to suspend the inspection at the request of Yoo in the indictment @ @ @ @ @ Kuk .
Song Byung-ki , former vice mayor of Ulsan suspected of taking orders from @ @ @ @ @ in the Ulsan mayoral election , and Hwang Un-ha , former head of the Ulsan @ @ @ @ @ the former Ulsan mayor upon Blue House orders , have all won tickets from the @ @ @ @ @ the next election .

The same doomed path
There was blind faith in the liberal government that replaced the one under a corrupt conservative president. Cynicism now prevails in regards to the Moon Jae-in administration as it is out to do whatever it wishes, regardless of opposition or criticism.
The ruthless purging is likened to a sabotage campaign on the prosecution for taking aim at the people in the administration. At the same time, the ruling party is fielding Moon's confidantes in the April election. The party is working hard to recruit Im Jong-seok, Moon's first chief of staff who left office and declared that he was leaving politics. The scouting is taking place even when Im is implicated in the investigation over the Blue House meddling in the Ulsan mayoral election. Lee Hae-chan, the head of the Democratic Party, openly bid for him while the head of the nomination committee welcomed the move. Im has been refusing the call for summoning from the prosecution.
Youn Kun-young, who recently stepped down as the head of the State Affairs Planning and Monitoring Office at the Blue House, has been cleared by the DP screening committee to run in the April election. Youn is suspected to have interfered to stop the inspection on former Busan mayor Yoo Jae-soo on suspicions of bribery. The prosecution say Youn ordered the civil affairs office to suspend the inspection at the request of Yoo in the indictment on former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Song Byung-ki, former vice mayor of Ulsan suspected of taking orders from the Blue House to interfere in the Ulsan mayoral election, and Hwang Un-ha, former head of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police who had investigated the former Ulsan mayor upon Blue House orders, have all won tickets from the ruling party to run in the next election.
Anyone who helped the ruling party has more or less been self-pardoned for any criminality. The ruling front is defying the prosecution and court as if it is above the law. The former conservative party suffered a landslide defeat four years ago in the parliamentary election because of self-absorbed arrogance and factional conflict. The new government has gained power through the follies of the former government. The names and faces have changed on the ruling front, but they are following the same doomed path.
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 28)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 28)

As President Xi Jinping pointed out , the virus outbreak has created a grave situation .
The Wuhan virus knows @ @ @ @ @ world .
That 's why Beijing should step up international cooperation in the fight against @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization said that the outbreak was not yet a global emergency although it was @ @ @ @ @ But it is not the time for complacency as it is feared the virus could @ @ @ @ @ other countries unless proper precautions are taken .

Stem further spread
Tighter quarantine system crucial to fighting new virus
Health authorities across the world are on high alert as a viral epidemic originating in China is spreading at an alarming pace. More than 2,790 people have been infected globally with the new coronavirus since the first case was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, last month. Most of the cases ― 2,744 as of Monday ― occurred in 30 Chinese provinces, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The death toll in China has jumped to 81, with 76 in Hubei, which has reported 1,423 confirmed patients.
Concern is growing that the virus could spread more rapidly not only in China, but also throughout the world. Thailand has reported eight confirmed cases, followed by five in the United States and four each in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. France and Japan have reported three cases each, Vietnam, two, and Nepal and Canada, one each.
South Korea is no exception. On Monday, the country reported its fourth confirmed case of the virus. A 55-year-old Korean man, who returned from Wuhan last week, tested positive for the new strain of the virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The country's first case was reported on Jan. 20 when a Chinese woman from Wuhan was diagnosed with the pneumonia-like illness. Two other patients were Korean men in their 50s.
Now at stake is whether the Moon Jae-in administration can mobilize all possible means to prevent the further spread of the virus here. The government plans to designate all of China, including the virus epicenter of Wuhan, as a "coronavirus risk area" subject to tougher quarantine rules starting Tuesday. President Moon ordered a thorough check on all travelers arriving from Wuhan. The country raised its alert level one notch to "orange," the third highest; and is seeking to send a chartered flight to the Chinese city as early as Thursday to evacuate 500 to 600 South Koreans from it.
No one can overemphasize the importance of an early response to an epidemic outbreak. However, the Chinese authorities appear to have failed to contain the highly contagious virus in the early stages. Of course, it is very difficult to detect an outbreak quickly ― the problem is that many patients show no symptoms during the incubation period that can last about 14 days.
China has ― somewhat belatedly ― imposed travel restrictions and other stricter measures, including the lockdown of Wuhan and 16 surrounding cities to check the spread of the virus during the Lunar New Year holiday when hundreds of millions of Chinese usually travel to their hometown or abroad.
As President Xi Jinping pointed out, the virus outbreak has created a grave situation. The Wuhan virus knows no borders in this globalized world. That's why Beijing should step up international cooperation in the fight against the virus. The World Health Organization said that the outbreak was not yet a global emergency although it was an emergency for China. But it is not the time for complacency as it is feared the virus could find its way into many other countries unless proper precautions are taken.
There is no vaccine or cure for the virus. So the best option is to put in place early detection and a tighter quarantine system. The government alone cannot win the battle against the virus as seen in the case of the 2002-03 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). People should join the battle by following personal hygiene rules faithfully. It is also necessary to minimize the potential fallout of the epidemic on the economy.
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Jan. 28)

The Status of Forces Agreement obliges Seoul to provide facilities and sites to the USFK , while the US is @ @ @ @ @ other costs for its military presence here .
Under the SMA that came into force @ @ @ @ @ shouldered partial costs for local workers hired by the USFK , construction work at US @ @ @ @ @ logistics .

Sharing burden
South Korea, US need to quicken talks on a defense cost-sharing deal
South Korea and the US are poised to hold intensive negotiations in the coming weeks on Seoul's share of the cost of stationing 28,500 American troops here.
The two sides "broadened their mutual understanding and common ground" at the sixth and latest round of negotiations in Washington earlier this month, according to Seoul's Foreign Ministry. They are expected to hold the next round of talks in Seoul early next month.
The euphemistic description of the latest discussion is nothing more than an acknowledgment that the two sides remain apart on sharing costs.
The allies have been under increasing pressure to quickly conclude the negotiations on this year's deal, the Special Measures Agreement.
There are concerns the political calendar in Korea, including April's general election, could delay the parliamentary ratification process.
Prolonged talks could also force Korean workers employed by US Forces Korea to go on unpaid leave, should there be no funds assigned for them due to the absence of a new SMA. The USFK is reportedly warning Seoul it will send furlough notices within weeks to almost 9,000 Korean employees at its bases if the two countries fail to reach a deal soon.
What may be more worrisome than these technical matters is the possibility that discord over defense cost-sharing will have a further negative impact on ties between the allies, which have been increasingly strained over how to approach North Korea.
Washington has worried about what it sees as Seoul's preoccupation with promoting inter-Korean cooperation in the absence of progress in denuclearizing the North. Its concerns seem to have been deepened by President Moon Jae-in's recent push to allow South Koreans to make individual tours to the North in a bid to circumvent US-led international sanctions on the recalcitrant regime.
A major fault line in the cost-sharing talks has been whether to expand the scope of the SMA.
Seoul has insisted the negotiations should proceed within the existing SMA framework. But Washington has demanded coverage be expanded to include extra costs such as those for rotating American troops to the peninsula, holding joint military drills and deploying US strategic assets along with providing support for family members of US soldiers stationed here.
The Status of Forces Agreement obliges Seoul to provide facilities and sites to the USFK, while the US is supposed to pay for all other costs for its military presence here. Under the SMA that came into force in 1991, Seoul has shouldered partial costs for local workers hired by the USFK, construction work at US military bases and for other logistics.
Washington's demands that go beyond the SMA boundaries seem to reflect US President Donald Trump's call for a more than fivefold increase in Seoul's contributions to $5 billion.
Under a defense-cost sharing pact with Washington that expired on Dec. 31, Seoul paid about $900 million last year for the upkeep of the USFK. The sum was an 8.2 percent increase from the previous year.
US officials have recently signaled their intent to reach a deal at about half of the amount Washington initially requested. The sum would still be regarded as excessive by many here.
Hopefully, the US will settle for a compromise that could enable it to avoid giving the impression of being too heavy-handed with a key ally.
From this viewpoint, it was inappropriate that the US secretaries of state and defense recently published a rare joint commentary in a US newspaper calling for Seoul to pay more for the upkeep of the USFK.
Entitled "South Korea is an ally, not a dependent," the commentary by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper drew an angry response from the public here, many of whom believe their country upholds its part in the alliance.
Nevertheless, there is the need for Seoul to go beyond discussions on technical issues and view the matter of sharing defense costs from a wider perspective that takes into account changing security conditions and the possibility of Trump making an impulsive decision.
If a deal reached between negotiators from the two countries falls short of his expectations, Trump might opt to cut the number of USFK troops by up to 6,000, which would not require congressional approval.
Any significant concession from Seoul needs to be matched with a change to last year's agreement to renew the SMA on an annual basis, which former USFK commander Vincent Brooks noted last week would "cause structural instability" as it always takes more than a year when it comes to local employment and the construction of military facilities.
As he suggested, the deal needs to be renewed every three or every five years.
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Moon instructs officials to check all arrivals from Wuhan ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- S. Korea 's quarantine efforts compromised by people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms ( Kookmin Daily ) -- Alert issued over people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms , airports and hospitals compromised ( Donga llbo ) -- Poll says social class is divided by where people live , people in 20s and 30s frustrated ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- S. Korea 's quarantine system compromised by two people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms ( Segye Times ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by two people infected with coronavirus who moved around for five days ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Two people infected with coronavirus moved around Gangnam , Pyeongtaek , Ilsan ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- S. Korea 's quarantine system compromised by people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms ( Hankyoreh ) -- Third and fourth people infected with coronavirus moved around , fanning fear of coronavirus contagion in S. Korea ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- Number of Chinese confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus jumps to 2,844 on Monday from 62 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) -- World economy weighed by fear of Chinese coronavirus ( Korea Economic Daily )

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Jan. 28.
Korean-language dailies
-- Moon instructs officials to check all arrivals from Wuhan (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- S. Korea's quarantine efforts compromised by people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms (Kookmin Daily)
-- Alert issued over people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms, airports and hospitals compromised (Donga llbo)
-- Poll says social class is divided by where people live, people in 20s and 30s frustrated (Seoul Shinmun)
-- S. Korea's quarantine system compromised by two people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms (Segye Times)
-- S. Korea's quarantine system compromised by two people infected with coronavirus who moved around for five days (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Two people infected with coronavirus moved around Gangnam, Pyeongtaek, Ilsan (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- S. Korea's quarantine system compromised by people infected with coronavirus who showed no symptoms (Hankyoreh)
-- Third and fourth people infected with coronavirus moved around, fanning fear of coronavirus contagion in S. Korea (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Number of Chinese confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus jumps to 2,844 on Monday from 62 on Jan. 19 (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- World economy weighed by fear of Chinese coronavirus (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Korea confirms its fourth case of coronavirus (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Korea ups virus alert after 4th case (Korea Herald)
-- S. Korea to check arrivals from Wuhan over coronavirus (Korea Times)
(END)


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yna--2020-01-27--(4th LD) Additional Wuhan coronavirus cases put S. Korea on extreme alert

On the social front , the education ministry , reflecting unease being expressed by parents , said all students and @ @ @ @ @ Hubei must immediately contact the KCDC if they feel ill. Those who made trips to @ @ @ @ @ 13 will be required to stay at home for at least 14 days , regardless @ @ @ @ @ symptoms .
People on self-imposed home quarantine will not be viewed as being absent from @ @ @ @ @ , it said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 15, 21; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea was on extreme alert on Monday as additional confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus case were detected here amid mounting concerns the pneumonia-like illness may spread across the country despite stepped-up quarantine inspections.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a 55-year-old South Korean man who returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Jan. 20 tested positive for the new strain of the virus that has killed 80 people so far.
The patient did not show any signs of illness on entry and only visited a local clinic a day after returning home when he showed signs of a cold. His condition worsened, and when he complained of muscle cramps and ran a fever, doctors started to actively monitor the man before finally placing him in quarantine on Sunday, the health safety agency said.
A sign at the entrance of one of the wards at Seoul National University Hospital in downtown Seoul outlines new restrictions for visitors on Jan. 27, 2020, amid growing concerns that the Wuhan coronavirus is spreading in the country. (Yonhap)
"Health authorities are in the process of following his movements in the country," the KCDC said.
The country reported three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus strain on Jan. 20, Friday and Sunday and is keeping close tabs on those that may have come in contact with the patients.
The third patient, a 54-year-old Korean man who also showed no signs of illness when he arrived from China last week, had been in contact with 74 people, although none have shown symptoms of the coronavirus so far.
What is worrisome is that the third and fourth patients were not filtered upon their arrivals as they had not shown any symptoms, which means that other citizens they were in contact with could have inadvertently been exposed to the new virus.
The KCDC said that in addition to the four Wuhan coronavirus-infected patients, it has checked 57 suspected cases so far, with 56 proving negative and one still undergoing detailed tests.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases bringing chills and muscle pain.
As the country reported additional cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, President Moon Jae-in ordered a thorough check of all entrants from the Chinese city of Wuhan, stressing the need for "preemptive measures" to prevent the situation from worsening through secondary infection.
Chinese internet service company Baidu said some 5 million residents of Wuhan have left the city since the outbreak, with 6,430 probably traveling to South Korea.
As part of stepped-up efforts, the health ministry raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch to "orange," the third highest, from "yellow."
On Sunday, health authorities announced measures to further tighten rules on screening people with symptoms and to keep more people in quarantine and under close observation. The whole of China has been categorized as a "coronavirus risk area," and Seoul has strongly advised its citizens not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Airports across South Korea have set up checkpoints to screen passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus as people return from visiting relatives and from foreign travels.
Quarantine officials said that checkpoints at airports and seaports across the country will be reinforced by more manpower provided by the military, police and regional governments to better screen entrants. The defense ministry said it has set up a task force to tackle the situation and coordinate support with other government ministries and local administrators.
The foreign ministry, moreover, said it will dispatch a chartered planed to Wuhan as early as Thursday to bring back the 500 to 600 citizens in the city. Only Korean nationals will be allowed on, with people suspected of having been infected barred from boarding.
It said the consulate in the city will take requests until the end of Monday, with those using the plane to be quarantined for two weeks to make certain they are not ill.
Concerned about the fallout, the government said it will proactively take steps, if necessary, to minimize downside risks for Asia's fourth-largest economy and in particular local consumption.
"Currently, the outbreak has not yet had a visible impact on the economy," Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said during a meeting of senior policymakers. "However, we cannot rule out the possibility of the spread having negative effects on the economy."
Economic policymakers said that while there has been a rise in uncertainty, South Korea showed extraordinary resilience in dealing with outbreaks like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the past.
On the social front, the education ministry, reflecting unease being expressed by parents, said all students and teachers who visited Wuhan and Hubei must immediately contact the KCDC if they feel ill. Those who made trips to the two regions after Jan. 13 will be required to stay at home for at least 14 days, regardless of whether they show any symptoms. People on self-imposed home quarantine will not be viewed as being absent from classes or from their jobs, it said.
Public health and safety officials man a 24-hour situation room in Sejong City, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, as South Korea raised its infectious disease alert level to "orange" following the fourth confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus on Jan. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
China, meanwhile, has confirmed 2,744 infected people, 461 of whom are in a critical condition. Chinese authorities added that some of the new cases involve people in their 30s and 40s, with a 9-month-old baby also testing positive for the infection.
The total number of infected cases worldwide has reached 2,794. Outside China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, Macao, Hong Kong, France, Australia and the United States have reported confirmed cases of the new virus.
The Wuhan coronavirus, first reported on Dec. 31, 2019, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-27--(LEAD) S. Korea confirms more wild boars infected with African swine fever

So far , all confirmed cases among both domestic and wild pigs have been reported in border areas .
Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ ASF at a pig farm near its border with China in May .

(ATTN: UPDATES paras 1-2 with latest info)
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean quarantine authorities said Monday they have found 11 more wild boars infected with the deadly African swine fever (ASF) virus in areas near the border with North Korea, bringing the number of such cases to 117.
A total of 10 wild boars found dead north of Seoul -- in Yeoncheon and Paju in Gyeonggi Province and Hwacheon in Gangwon Province -- and another boar captured in Paju tested positive for the disease, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research.
South Korea confirmed its first-ever outbreak of the animal disease in September last year. To prevent the spread of the virus, local authorities have culled nearly 400,000 domestic pigs as a preventive measure.
Although no additional ASF cases on farms have been reported since early October, authorities continue to discover dead wild boars carrying the disease, mostly along the inter-Korean border.
The virus has been haunting pig farms across the country as there are currently no vaccines or cures.
So far, all confirmed cases among both domestic and wild pigs have been reported in border areas. Pyongyang reported its first outbreak of ASF at a pig farm near its border with China in May.
The disease spreads through direct contact with infected animals or their remains, unlike other animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, which is airborne.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-27--N. Korea criticizes S. Korea for 'military buildup targeting it'

Issuing an article , the North 's official Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) claimed that the South 's @ @ @ @ @ on the Korean Peninsula and stoked the danger of war by deciding to pour `` @ @ @ @ @ into securing advanced weapons over the next several years .

SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea criticized South Korea on Monday for its moves "to strengthen military capabilities aiming at" the communist neighbor.
Issuing an article, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed that the South's defense authorities have raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula and stoked the danger of war by deciding to pour "huge amounts of money" into securing advanced weapons over the next several years.
Pointing to recent calls by South Korean military leaders, including Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, for a staunch readiness posture, the KCNA said they "made much fuss with ulterior motives from the beginning of the year."
The North has long lashed out at the South for its introduction of new weapons such as F-35A stealth jets and joint exercises with the United States, among others.
Inter-Korean relations have been chilled in recent months amid stalled negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang on the North's nuclear weapons program.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki (3rd from R) speaks during his visit to a maritime unit on Jan. 24, 2020, in this photo provided by the JCS the following day. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(3rd LD) N.K. implements 'national emergency quarantine system' over coronavirus

Authorities have stepped up inspections at borders , ports and airports and are thoroughly monitoring those who recently traveled abroad @ @ @ @ @ be isolated when they are suspected of having the disease , the paper added .

(ATTN: UPDATES headline, paras 1-4)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has implemented a national emergency-level quarantine posture as it stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus in the country, a North Korean internet portal said Tuesday.
Citing the swift spread of the epidemic, the propaganda internet portal Naenara said "North Korea declared a transition of its quarantine system to the national emergency quarantine system and is actively carrying out projects to prevent illnesses by the virus."
The internet portal also said the country is close to banning any North Korean trips to the areas where outbreaks of coronavirus were reported and is conducting medical checkups on those who return from overseas business trips.
Also on Tuesday, North Korea's official newspaper reported the country's tightening quarantine efforts as alarm grows over the global outbreak of the pneumonia-like illness that originated in China.
North Korea's media outlets have reported on the outbreaks of the virus in China and other nations and on Pyongyang's preventive steps, though it has yet to report any confirmed case of its own.
The Rodong Sinmun said in an article the North's health authorities are setting up plans to prevent the spread of the virus, which has killed 80 people and infected more than 2,740 in China alone.
Authorities have stepped up inspections at borders, ports and airports and are thoroughly monitoring those who recently traveled abroad to make sure they can be isolated when they are suspected of having the disease, the paper added.
"Quarantine efforts are under way ... to prevent the new coronavirus from ever entering our country," the newspaper said.
The paper also reported on global outbreaks of the virus, citing confirmed cases in South Korea, the United States, Canada and Japan. It did not, however, mention whether there was any confirmed case of the disease.
Since the illness broke out in China, the North has reportedly shut down its borders with the neighboring country, through which most foreign travelers enter the reclusive state.
Meanwhile, South Korea's unification ministry said that it is monitoring North Korea with regard to the new virus as Seoul steps up its efforts to stem the spread of the virus after four confirmed cases of the illness.
North Korea has asked South Korean officials working at their joint liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong to put on masks as part of its beefed-up quarantine efforts, according to the ministry.
South Korea is also checking the temperature of the officials heading to the office. Previously, the authorities just checked their temperature when they crossed the border to return home.
"It is necessary to keep an eye on the situation (in the North)," a ministry official told reporters. "Chances appear to be low that the Wuhan pneumonia could spread between the two Koreas through human contact."
This image, captured from North Korea's Korean Central TV on Jan. 27, 2020, shows the broadcaster's special program on the Wuhan coronavirus. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--FC Seoul defeat Kedah to join AFC Champions League group stage

Park Dong-jin 's header early in the second half , set up by a perfectly placed cross from Hwang Hyun-soo @ @ @ @ @ 's defense .
And Osmar more than made up for his own goal with a @ @ @ @ @ right side of the box into the top left-hand corner .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's FC Seoul beat up on the 10-man Malaysian side Kedah FA 4-1 on Tuesday to join the group stage at Asia's top club football competition.
Four different players scored for FC Seoul in one of four East Region playoff matches for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the nation's capital. FC Seoul will be making their first Champions League appearance since 2017.
FC Seoul players celebrate their goal against Kedah FA in a playoff match for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Park Chu-young opened the scoring by converting a 39th-minute penalty, awarded following defender Renan Alves' handball violation in the box.
Park Dong-jin made it 2-0 for FC Seoul in the 49th minute. FC Seoul's Osmar Barba, commonly known as Osmar, had an own goal to make it 2-1 in the 52nd, but put one into Kedah's net 11 minutes later to restore a two-goal advantage for his side.
Ikromjon Alibaev added a fourth goal in the final moments for good measure.
With this victory, FC Seoul will be slotted into Group E of the AFC Champions League, alongside Beijing FC of China and Chiangrai United of Thailand. Also making it to Group E will be Melbourne Victory, who knocked off the 2018 champions Kashima Antlers 1-0 in their playoff match Tuesday.
FC Seoul predictably dominated the run of play from the get-go. And after Park Chu-young's successful penalty, only stellar goalkeeping by Shahril Sa'ari, who robbed both Park Chu-young and Park Dong-jin of sure goals on successive chances in one sequence, kept the score respectable.
Park Dong-jin's header early in the second half, set up by a perfectly placed cross from Hwang Hyun-soo, seemed to deflate Kedah's defense. And Osmar more than made up for his own goal with a thunderous free kick from the right side of the box into the top left-hand corner.
Then during added time, Alibaev joined in on the scoring act, curling in his right-footed shot from outside the top of the box to round out the scoring.
Osmar Barba of FC Seoul (C) celebrates his goal against Kedah FA in a playoff match for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
FC Seoul made it straight to the playoff by finishing in third place in the K League 1 in 2019. Kedah got into the preliminary round after winning the Malaysia FA Cup last year, and they defeated Tai Po of Vietnam 5-1 last week to set up a meeting with FC Seoul.
Other K League representatives in the AFC tournament are the reigning league champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, runner-up Ulsan Hyundai FC and the FA Cup champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
FC Seoul have never won an AFC Champions League title, with a pair of runner-up finishes in 2002 and 2013.
South Korea have produced the most AFC champions with 11 but haven't had one since Jeonbuk won it all in 2016.
Park Chu-young of FC Seoul (C) takes a penalty against Kedah FA in a playoff match for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(3rd LD) S. Korea to fly its nationals out of Wuhan this week over coronavirus concerns

`` The decision was made as the new coronavirus that erupted in China has been spreading fast , and based @ @ @ @ @ fact that the Chinese government has suspended flights and transportation in Wuhan and its surrounding @ @ @ @ @ supplies are becoming limited , '' Lee said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 5-6)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send four chartered flights to the central Chinese city of Wuhan from Thursday to Friday to bring home its nationals, government officials said, amid concerns about the spread of a new coronavirus.
Some 700 South Koreans are expected to board the planes, and consultations are under way with Chinese authorities to arrange details for the emergency evacuation, Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho said at a press briefing after an emergency ministerial meeting.
"The decision was made as the new coronavirus that erupted in China has been spreading fast, and based on comprehensive consideration of the fact that the Chinese government has suspended flights and transportation in Wuhan and its surrounding regions and also that medical supplies are becoming limited," Lee said.
Those evacuees will be quarantined before they board the planes and put into isolation at two unidentified government facilities after they arrive in South Korea, he added.
Each flight, likely to be of Korean flag carrier Korean Air, will be carrying an up to two-person medical team made up of a quarantine officer and a medical worker, according to the government.
The evacuees will be subject to a quarantine check right before and after the flights, with those showing any kind of symptoms not being allowed to leave the city in accordance with the policy of the Chinese government.
The move came after the South Korean consulate general in Wuhan conducted a survey on its nationals in the region Monday to determine the demand for an aerial evacuation.
Presiding over the meeting earlier, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government will take "active" measures to evacuate South Koreans who want to return home from Wuhan, where the virus originated.
"The government will spare no efforts to carry out the duty to protect South Koreans staying in foreign countries," Chung said.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho (R) speaks during a press briefing at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020, on the government's plan to evacuate South Korean nationals from virus-hit Wuhan via charter flights this week. (Yonhap)
The government also plans to provide some 2 million masks and other medical relief items, including 200,000 items of protective clothing and goggles, when it sends those planes to China to help its efforts to fight the virus, the foreign ministry said.
Concerns are deepening about the global spread of the pneumonia-like illness as it has killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500 in China alone.
China has suspended all trains, flights and public transportation linked to Wuhan since last week, imposing a lockdown on the city in Hubei province.
South Korea ratcheted up its infectious disease alert level to the third highest Monday as the country has reported four confirmed cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection.
Chung vowed thorough quarantine efforts in the process of airlifting the Korean people.
"The government will prioritize the safety of its people and take preemptive measures," he said.
Chung ordered government agencies to sternly respond to fake news that could spawn groundless fears about the disease. He also instructed health authorities to hold a press briefing regularly to allow people to precisely grasp the situation.
South Korea has joined a few countries, including the United States and Japan, that are preparing to airlift their citizens from Wuhan as the death toll is rising in China.
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for a thorough check of all entrants from Wuhan and stressed the need for "preemptive measures" to curb the spread of the virus.
The government plans to put those who will be evacuated in isolation for 14 days, which some experts say is the incubation period for the virus.
Earlier in the day, the interior ministry launched the operation of an emergency response system to support the government's efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus.
The government kicked off such a response team for the first time since September 2018, when the country tackled the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The ministry also plans to operate a pan-government team to handle the transportation and two-week isolation of the people to be airlifted from Wuhan.
On Tuesday, South Korea issued a travel alert level of "restraint" for all of China except for Taiwan, the third highest in its four-tier travel warning system, while maintaining the second-highest level of "withdrawal recommendation" for China's Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.
South Koreans and foreigners who flew from China have their body temperatures checked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020, as the government is beefing up quarantine efforts to curb the spread of a new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(3rd LD) Concerns mounting over Wuhan virus potentially spreading across S. Korea

The third patient , a 54-year-old Korean man who also showed no signs of illness when he arrived from China @ @ @ @ @ in contact with 74 people , although none have shown symptoms of the new type @ @ @ @ @ adding to concerns it may spread across the country via `` no-symptom '' patients who @ @ @ @ @ arrival in South Korea .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 3, 10, 17-21)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- Despite enhanced quarantine efforts, concerns are rising here that the Wuhan coronavirus may spread across the country as some patients confirmed to be infected with the virus have not been adequately screened at airports and have been in contact with citizens here.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on Monday, a 55-year-old South Korean man who returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Jan. 20 tested positive for the new strain of virus, raising the number of confirmed cases here to the four.
The health agency said the total number of confirmed cases of the pneumonia-like sickness stood at four as of early Tuesday, unchanged from the day before, with none of the incidents being from person-to-person transmissions that took place in the country.
Citizens wearing protective masks cross a Seoul street on their way to work on Jan. 28, 2020, amid growing concerns over the spread of the new deadly coronavirus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. (Yonhap)
It also said that so far 97 people suspected of being infected with the new virus strain have been screened and released from isolation after results turned out negative.
The fourth patient arrived at the country's main gateway, Incheon International Airport, via a direct flight (KE882) from Wuhan around 4:25 p.m. on Jan. 20.
The 55-year-old male had not shown any signs of illness upon entering the country and visited a local clinic a day later in Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province when he showed signs of a simple cold.
The KCDC said the patient had mostly stayed at his home in the city, besides visiting the clinic.
He again visited the same clinic Saturday after complaining of more severe symptoms, such as muscle cramps and fever, prompting doctors to start actively monitoring the man.
The KCDC said it was only on Sunday the man was put in quarantine as his muscle cramps worsened and was diagnosed with the Wuhan coronavirus.
An epidemiological investigation showed that the patient had run into 172 people, with 95 of them being close contact.
The KCDC said it has also raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch to "orange," the third highest, from "yellow."
The third patient, a 54-year-old Korean man who also showed no signs of illness when he arrived from China last week, had been in contact with 74 people, although none have shown symptoms of the new type of coronavirus so far, adding to concerns it may spread across the country via "no-symptom" patients who have not been detected upon arrival in South Korea.
Experts noted the importance of citizens voluntarily reporting themselves to health authorities when they have possible symptoms.
Common signs of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, a central Chinese city of 11 million people, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases bringing chills and muscle pain.
The KCDC said it has increased manpower to receive calls from people who have detected symptoms through the hotline "1339."
South Korea has put the utmost effort into containing the spreading disease, including actively monitoring travelers at airports and considering evacuating its citizens from Wuhan.
The country said that it has started to check everyone who came from Wuhan in the past 14 days since Jan. 13 to make certain they have not been infected and to prevent people who do not show symptoms from inadvertently contaminating others.
At present, the number of people who flew in from Wuhan during this time period is tallied at 3,023, with Korean nationals making up 1,166.
All those in the country will be checked by regional governments and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
Related to growing fears, the government said that students and teachers who have been to China recently should not come to school for at least 14 days after their return. The guidelines apply to day care centers for smaller children.
The government then said it will start decontaminating and separating the trash of people in self-imposed quarantine to make certain ordinary people do not come into contact with it. Special garbage bags and disinfectants will be provided to people who are staying at home and under monitoring, the environment ministry said. Trash placed in such bags will be picked up immediately for disposal.
The Wuhan coronavirus, first reported on Dec. 31, 2019, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
Employees set up a tent to be used as a screening center for the new deadly coronavirus at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Bundang, south of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(4th LD) Moon urges swift, strong steps against new coronavirus

Moon 's visit to the hospital , his first public activity since the Lunar New Year holiday season , reflects @ @ @ @ @ government 's efforts to curb the spread of the disease , the official added .
@ @ @ @ @ the Wuhan coronavirus is under treatment at the hospital .

(ATTN: CORRECTS date in 5th para following correction by gov't)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for quick and thorough preemptive measures to stave off the spread of a new coronavirus in South Korea during a visit to a state-run hospital.
Upon arriving at the National Medical Center in central Seoul, Moon got his hands disinfected and wore a face mask. He skipped handshakes with hospital officials and immediately received briefings on their response to the pandemic.
"On the government level, preemptive measures should be taken strongly and swiftly enough to be regarded as rather excessive," he stressed.
President Moon Jae-in (C) wears a face mask before entering the National Medical Center in Seoul to inspect its response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus on Jan. 28, 2020, in this photo released by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The president earlier ordered the government's push for tracing "all people" who recently flew into South Korea from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the deadly virus originated.
Related authorities began the work Tuesday to check around 3,000 people who have entered the country since Jan. 13, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The incubation period for the virus remains unknown, and some experts say it could be up to 14 days.
Moon also instructed the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to expand its workforce at the "1339" emergency call center for those who show symptoms of the deadly disease, Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesman Han Jung-woo said at a press briefing.
Cheong Wa Dae described itself as the "control tower" of South Korea's fight against the epidemic. Led by the crisis management center, the presidential office plans to hold a daily internal meeting on countermeasures.
"We are in an all-out effort mode" against the new virus, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
President Moon Jae-in (R) receives a briefing on the National Medical Center's response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus during his visit to the hospital in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020, in this photo released by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon's visit to the hospital, his first public activity since the Lunar New Year holiday season, reflects his resolve to concentrate the government's efforts to curb the spread of the disease, the official added. A South Korean patient with the Wuhan coronavirus is under treatment at the hospital.
Moon has left his schedule this week "flexible" to focus on coping with the emergency situation.
Moon has indefinitely put off a session, originally slated for Thursday, to receive briefings from the welfare ministry and the gender equality ministry on their major policies this year.
South Korea reported its fourth confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus on Monday, a week after confirming its first patient with the deadly disease.
Citizens in Seoul wearing face masks cross a street amid growing concern about the spread of a new coronavirus on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
As he presided over a meeting with minsters on disease control, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government will send charter flights on Thursday and Friday to evacuate hundreds of South Koreans staying in Wuhan, which is on lockdown.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--S. Korea to send $1 million in aid, delegation to help Australia recover from bushfires

It also will dispatch the delegation -- consisting of officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and defense and the @ @ @ @ @ to discuss ways to cooperate on Australia 's restoration efforts .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to send US$1 million in humanitarian aid and a government delegation to Australia to help the country recover from devastating bushfires, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The Seoul government will offer the aid through the Australian Red Cross to help console victims of the fires that killed 33 people and destroyed some 3,000 homes, the ministry said.
It also will dispatch the delegation -- consisting of officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and defense and the forest service -- on Tuesday to discuss ways to cooperate on Australia's restoration efforts.
In addition, the Korea Meteorological Administration plans to provide its satellite-based real-time information related to the fires in Australia until they are extinguished.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(2nd LD) 4th Wuhan virus-infected patient in contact with 172 people

The public health agency said the patient , who arrived in the country without showing any symptoms , visited a @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday for a cold and stayed at home for the next two days .
But @ @ @ @ @ he was taken to a hospital in southern Seoul and confirmed to be infected on @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more details in 4th para; CHANGES bottom photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday that the country's fourth Wuhan coronavirus-infected patient has been in contact with 172 citizens here amid concerns over human transmission of the virus that has killed 106 in China.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the 55-year-old Korean confirmed to be infected on Monday has been staying in Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province since his arrival at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 20.
Of the people he has been in contact with, 95 people were classified as a "close contact," and one of his family members showed signs of being ill.
The public health agency said the patient, who arrived in the country without showing any symptoms, visited a clinic in the city last Tuesday for a cold and stayed at home for the next two days. But his condition worsened, and he was taken to a hospital in southern Seoul and confirmed to be infected on Monday.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases bringing chills and muscle pain.
As of 10 a.m., South Korea has inspected a total of 116 people who have shown symptoms, and with the exception of four confirmed cases, it is looking into 15 people, with the others released from isolation.
Passengers wait in line to pass the quarantine checkpoint at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020. South Korea is on a heightened alert level amid concerns over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The KCDC said it will check all arrivals from the virus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan. The agency said 3,023 people arrived here from the Chinese city, the epicenter of the virus, in the last 14 days. They included 1,166 Korean nationals, it added.
"They have to submit to tests to make certain they have not been infected," the KCDC said in a briefing.
The agency said that anyone with a fever or respiratory issues will be quarantined immediately at treatment centers that can isolate sick people quickly.
At present, the country has 29 hospitals that can deal with coronavirus cases and 288 smaller special medical checkup centers.
"For foreigners, the government is in contact with the police and customs office to see if they are still in the country and, if they are, to request they take the necessary tests," the KCDC said.
Seoul on Monday raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch to "orange," the third highest, from "yellow."
Authorities vowed to further tighten rules on screening people and to keep more people in quarantine and under close observation. The whole of China has been categorized as a "coronavirus risk area," and Seoul has strongly advised its citizens not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
Airports across South Korea have set up checkpoints to screen passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus.
China, where the virus originated, has reported some 4,515 confirmed cases.
Outside of China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Nepal, Macao, Hong Kong, France, Australia, Canada and the United States have reported confirmed cases of the new virus. Thailand and Hong Kong had the largest number of confirmed cases at eight each.
Special reception and treatment centers to process people with Wuhan coronavirus symptoms are set up at the National Medical Center in downtown Seoul on Jan. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--N. Korea orders quarantine of all foreigners arriving via China

The North Korean foreign ministry 's protocol department made the notice to the Russian Embassy earlier in the day , @ @ @ @ @ to the North are also subject to the measure and that they will be put @ @ @ @ @ period , the Russian Embassy in North Korea said in a Facebook post .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has decided to keep all foreigners arriving in the country via China isolated for up to one month as part of efforts to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus in the reclusive country, according to the Russian mission in Pyongyang on Tuesday.
The North Korean foreign ministry's protocol department made the notice to the Russian Embassy earlier in the day, saying employees of diplomatic missions to the North are also subject to the measure and that they will be put under medical supervision during the period, the Russian Embassy in North Korea said in a Facebook post.
The department said these measures are aimed at protecting the life and safety of people, as well as preventing the pneumonia-like illness from further spreading.
In a separate Facebook post, the Russian Embassy also quoted the Air China office in Pyongyang as saying that all flights of the airline to North Korea for next month have been canceled.
The North's Air Koryo has confirmed that it will provide two Beijing-bound flights slated for early February but noted that further schedules will be decided depending on situations regarding the spread of the coronavirus, according to the embassy.
North Korea has been beefing up quarantine efforts to prevent the spread of the disease, which originated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, amid growing concerns over the global outbreak of the deadly illness.
The virus has killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500 in China alone. Beijing has suspended all trains, flights and public transportation linked to Wuhan since last week, imposing an effective lockdown on the city in Hubei province.
This image, captured from North Korea's Korean Central TV on Jan. 27, 2020, shows the broadcaster's special program on the Wuhan coronavirus. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--Chinese communities in S. Korea on high alert over new coronavirus

`` One of my neighbors tried to dissuade her daughter from going to China , but she went there at @ @ @ @ @ do not try to avoid Chinese people , but I find myself trying not to @ @ @ @ @ are many people , '' she said .

ANSAN, South Korea, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- Chinese communities in South Korea are on high alert amid growing fears of a new coronavirus that originated in China.
As of Tuesday, four people in South Korea -- one Chinese and three Korean nationals -- have tested positive for the virus that has killed more than 100 in China.
"I am very nervous, but right now, there is nothing I can do but wear a mask," said an owner of a convenience store in a special multicultural zone in Ansan, 40 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
"At the store, I always wear a mask because people with different nationalities come and go. All the masks I have prepared have already sold out. No masks to sell now."
The street is one of the major Chinese quarters in the country. About 57,600 Chinese nationals, including some 49,000 ethnic Koreans, live in Ansan as of the end of last year.
People walk on a street in Ansan, 40 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
On Tuesday afternoon, the area was as busy as usual. Almost everyone wore masks, and banners alerting people of the deadly virus hung on buildings and along streets.
"People here are very uneasy as the new coronavirus spreads. We are paying more attention as many Chinese nationals here frequently travel to and from China," said a worker at the multicultural support center in the town.
The local government has requested its residents refrain from visiting China.
"Many of my customers have canceled airline reservations, let alone making new reservations," said a North Korean defector who runs a travel agency there for visitors to China.
A Korean-Chinese woman in her 60s said she stays away from places where many people gather.
"One of my neighbors tried to dissuade her daughter from going to China, but she went there at last. People around here do not try to avoid Chinese people, but I find myself trying not to go to places where there are many people," she said.
This photo provided by the Ansan city government shows the city's multicultural support headquarters office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Residents in the Jeongwang neighborhood in Siheung, 26 kilometers southwest of Seoul, are also highly concerned about the epidemic. Some 44,000 Chinese nationals, including many Korean Chinese, reside in the city.
"We have stepped up activities to inform residents in Jeongwang and other areas with many multicultural people of the illness," said an official of the city's public health center.
"We are advising Chinese nationals to report to health centers immediately if they develop symptoms of pneumonia such as high fever and cough."
The health authorities in the two cities distributed materials containing tips on the virus in multiple languages, including Chinese and Russian, to local medical institutions, support centers for foreigners and companies hiring many foreign workers.
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(2nd LD) S. Korea to fly its nationals out of Wuhan this week over coronavirus concerns

(ATTN: RECASTS story throughout with gov't announcement on evacuation plan; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send four chartered flights to the central Chinese city of Wuhan from Thursday to Friday to bring home its nationals, government officials said, amid concerns about the spread of a new coronavirus.
Some 700 South Koreans are expected to board the planes, and consultations are under way with Chinese authorities to arrange details for the emergency evacuation, Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho said at a press briefing after an emergency ministerial meeting.
"The decision was made as the new coronavirus that erupted in China has been spreading fast, and based on comprehensive consideration of the fact that the Chinese government has suspended flights and transportation in Wuhan and its surrounding regions and also that medical supplies are becoming limited," Lee said.
Those evacuees will be quarantined before they board the planes and put into isolation at two unidentified government facilities after they arrive in South Korea, he added.
The move came after the South Korean consulate general in Wuhan conducted a survey on its nationals in the region Monday to determine the demand for an aerial evacuation.
Presiding over the meeting earlier, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government will take "active" measures to evacuate South Koreans who want to return home from Wuhan, where the virus originated.
"The government will spare no efforts to carry out the duty to protect South Koreans staying in foreign countries," Chung said.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho (R) speaks during a press briefing at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020, on the government's plan to evacuate South Korean nationals from virus-hit Wuhan via charter flights this week. (Yonhap)
The government also plans to provide some 2 million masks and other medical relief items, including 200,000 items of protective clothing and goggles, when it sends those planes to China to help its efforts to fight the virus, the foreign ministry said.
Concerns are deepening about the global spread of the pneumonia-like illness as it has killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500 in China alone.
China has suspended all trains, flights and public transportation linked to Wuhan since last week, imposing a lockdown on the city in Hubei province.
South Korea ratcheted up its infectious disease alert level to the third highest Monday as the country has reported four confirmed cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection.
Chung vowed thorough quarantine efforts in the process of airlifting the Korean people.
"The government will prioritize the safety of its people and take preemptive measures," he said.
Chung ordered government agencies to sternly respond to fake news that could spawn groundless fears about the disease. He also instructed health authorities to hold a press briefing regularly to allow people to precisely grasp the situation.
South Korea has joined a few countries, including the United States and Japan, that are preparing to airlift their citizens from Wuhan as the death toll is rising in China.
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for a thorough check of all entrants from Wuhan and stressed the need for "preemptive measures" to curb the spread of the virus.
The government plans to put those who will be evacuated in isolation for 14 days, which some experts say is the incubation period for the virus.
Earlier in the day, the interior ministry launched the operation of an emergency response system to support the government's efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus.
The government kicked off such a response team for the first time since September 2018, when the country tackled the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The ministry also plans to operate a pan-government team to handle the transportation and two-week isolation of the people to be airlifted from Wuhan.
On Tuesday, South Korea issued a travel alert level of "restraint" for all of China except for Taiwan, the third highest in its four-tier travel warning system, while maintaining the second-highest level of "withdrawal recommendation" for China's Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.
South Koreans and foreigners who flew from China have their body temperatures checked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020, as the government is beefing up quarantine efforts to curb the spread of a new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

Many children were seen wearing masks as they went to school or kindergarten , while some parents of preschool children @ @ @ @ @ home with their children for the time being .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea to fly its nationals out of Wuhan this week over coronavirus concerns
SEOUL -- South Korea will send chartered planes to the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday and Friday to bring home its nationals there, the prime minister said, amid concerns about the spread of a new coronavirus.
The government will take "active" measures to evacuate South Koreans who want to return home from Wuhan where the virus originated, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at an emergency ministerial meeting on Tuesday.
----------------
(3rd LD) Moon urges swift, strong steps against new coronavirus
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for quick and thorough preemptive measures to stave off the spread of a new coronavirus in South Korea during a visit to a state-run hospital.
Upon arriving at the National Medical Center in central Seoul, Moon got his hands disinfected and wore a face mask. He skipped handshakes with hospital officials and immediately received briefings on their response to the pandemic.
----------------
(2nd LD) S. Korean schools on alert as new coronavirus spreads
SEOUL -- With classes resuming Tuesday after a monthlong winter vacation, local schools are on alert amid growing concerns over the new coronavirus.
Many children were seen wearing masks as they went to school or kindergarten, while some parents of preschool children said they plan to stay home with their children for the time being.
----------------
(LEAD) 4th Wuhan virus-infected patient in contact with 172 people
SEOUL -- South Korea said Tuesday that the country's fourth Wuhan coronavirus-infected patient has been in contact with 172 citizens here amid concerns over human transmission of the virus that has killed 106 in China.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the 55-year-old Korean confirmed to be infected on Monday has been staying in Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province since his arrival at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 20.
----------------
(LEAD) China-related retailers stung by Wuhan coronavirus fears
SEOUL -- South Korean duty-free operators and cosmetics firms dependent on Chinese tourists were hit hard Tuesday by concerns that the fast-spreading China coronavirus may hurt their sales and profitability.
The outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus in China has ignited worries that a decrease in Chinese visitors may hit retailers, cosmetic companies and airlines.
----------------
(LEAD) Moon to Xi: S. Korea to help China's fight against new coronavirus
SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which he pledged every possible support from Seoul for Beijing's campaign to contain the spread of the new deadly coronavirus, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday.
It was delivered in Moon's reply to Xi's congratulatory letter for his birthday, according to Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesperson Han Jung-woo. Moon celebrated his birthday last Friday.
----------------
Samsung heir visits Brazil to check biz strategy for Latin America
SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is on a tour to Brazil to check the South Korean tech giant's business plans for the Latin American market, the company said Tuesday.
Lee, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, visited Samsung Electronics' manufacturing plant in Manaus, Amazonas, in northern Brazil on Monday (local time) to encourage South Korean employees working during the Lunar New Year holiday, according to the company.
----------------
S. Korea issues travel alert for China amid fears over deadly Wuhan coronavirus
SEOUL -- South Korea's foreign ministry issued a travel alert for all of China except for Taiwan on Tuesday, amid stepped-up efforts to contain the spread of the deadly new coronavirus that first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month.
It applied the alert level of "restraint," the third highest in its four-tier travel warning system, for the entire country, including Hong Kong and Macau, while maintaining the second-highest level of "withdrawal recommendation" for China's Hubei Province, where Wuhan is located.
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Billie Eilish to have concert in Seoul in August
SEOUL -- Grammy-winning teenage pop star Billie Eilish will have a concert in Seoul in August, marking the first South Korea visit by the chart-topping sensation.
According to the announcement on the singer's official website last week, Eilish's 2020 world tour, titled "Where Do We Go?" will start March 9 in Miami, Florida, and run through September in 19 countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Germany, France and Italy.
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(2nd LD) Seoul stocks sink 3 pct on coronavirus scare, Korean won sharply down
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks sank by more than 3 percent on Tuesday as the Wuhan coronavirus quickly spreading around the globe hurt investor sentiment, taking a toll on most market heavyweights. The local currency also fell sharply against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 69.41 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at 2,176.72. Trading volume was high at 800 million shares worth 8.64 trillion won (US$7.34 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 816 to 82.
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Int'l organization to provide US$42 mln to fight tuberculosis, malaria in N.K.
SEOUL -- An international organization will provide US$41.74 million to support humanitarian programs combating tuberculosis and malaria in North Korea for the next three years, a charity group said Tuesday.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed an agreement with North Korea to provide the money for programs to fight the diseases for a three-year period until September 2022, according to the Eugene Bell Foundation.
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--S. Korea's top nuke envoy to visit Europe for talks on Korea peace efforts

During his stay in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday , Lee will visit the EU headquarters to meet members of @ @ @ @ @ Committee and hold talks with Helga Schmid , the secretary general of the European External @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, will travel to Belgium and Germany this week for talks with senior officials there over ongoing efforts for a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Lee's trip to Europe comes amid Seoul's efforts to create fresh momentum for the resumption of the stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
During his stay in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, Lee will visit the EU headquarters to meet members of the EU Political and Security Committee and hold talks with Helga Schmid, the secretary general of the European External Action Service.
From Thursday through Saturday, he will visit Berlin for talks with Niels Annen, minister of state at Germany's Federal Foreign Office, and other officials.
This photo, taken on Jan. 15, 2020, shows South Korea's top nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, speaking to the press at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(2nd LD) Seoul stocks sink 3 pct on coronavirus scare, Korean won sharply down

The Wuhan coronavirus , first reported on Dec. 31 , 2019 , was originally believed to be passed to humans @ @ @ @ @ known to be transmissible from person to person , although victims may be contracting the @ @ @ @ @ with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors .

(ATTN: RECAST headline; CORRECTS 3rd para)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks sank by more than 3 percent on Tuesday as the Wuhan coronavirus quickly spreading around the globe hurt investor sentiment, taking a toll on most market heavyweights. The local currency also fell sharply against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 69.41 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at 2,176.72. Trading volume was high at 800 million shares worth 8.64 trillion won (US$7.34 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 816 to 82.
The Tuesday closing marked the steepest decline since the 4.44 percent drop posted on Oct. 11, 2018.
The local financial market was closed on Friday and Monday for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Investor sentiment is gripped by growing concern over the coronavirus, which is expected to have an adverse impact on domestic consumption and possibly hinder the economic growth of China, the top trading partner of South Korea.
An electronic signboard in the dealing room of KEB Hana Bank in downtown Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) losing 69.41 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at 2,176.72 on Jan. 28, 2020, amid escalating woes over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
"Amid the rising number of patients, investors are in a rush to safe havens," Lee Kyung-soo, a researcher at Meritz Securities Co., said. "This issue will especially hurt the consumer goods, travel and leisure segments."
The country reported its fourth confirmed case of the Wuhan virus, with the third and fourth patients known to have been in contact with many citizens here, raising concerns that the novel virus may spread across the country.
The Wuhan coronavirus, first reported on Dec. 31, 2019, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
Beijing said the number of patients hovered above 4,500, with more than 100 deaths being reported so far.
Foreigners sold a net 523 billion won, extending their selling streak to a fourth consecutive session. Retail investors bought a net 668 billion won, while institutions dumped a net 192 billion won.
Shares lost ground across the board, with retailers and foodstuff makers bearing the brunt of the deadly virus.
Top tech giant Samsung Electronics moved down 3.29 percent to 58,800 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slid 2.43 percent to 96,300 won. LG Display lost 1.68 percent to 14,600 won.
Retailers sharply lost ground on concerns that the spread of the virus is weighing on consumer sentiment, with duty-free operator Lotte Shopping plunging 7.31 percent to 120,500 won and No. 1 retailer E-Mart losing 3.81 percent to 113,500 won. Hotel Shilla surrendered 10.31 percent to 87,000 won.
Foodstuff makers also finished weaker, with Orion losing 5.53 percent to 102,500 won and CJ Cheiljedang sliding 2.81 percent to 242,500 won. Hite Jinro, a major liquor maker, shed 3.68 percent to 31,450 won.
Monalisa, a mask producer, increased by the daily permissible limit of 29.86 percent to 8,090 won, as the demand for hygiene products has been running high here.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics also moved up 2.28 percent to 494,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,176.70 won to the dollar, down 8 won from the previous session's close, sinking to a two-month low.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed sharply higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 7.2 basis point to 1.352 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond lost 8.7 basis points to 1.450 percent.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--Int'l organization to provide US$42 mln to fight tuberculosis, malaria in N.K.

`` The successful conclusion of these negotiations may have averted a crisis , as there is no longer a threat @ @ @ @ @ its inventory of regular tuberculosis medications in June of 2020 as was feared when the @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , '' the foundation said in a release .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- An international organization will provide US$41.74 million to support humanitarian programs combating tuberculosis and malaria in North Korea for the next three years, a charity group said Tuesday.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed an agreement with North Korea to provide the money for programs to fight the diseases for a three-year period until September 2022, according to the Eugene Bell Foundation.
Under the agreement, the foundation will receive $12.49 million as the sole provider of assistance for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the impoverished country, while UNICEF and WHO will be responsible for providing support for the North's malaria and drug-susceptible tuberculosis, it said.
"The successful conclusion of these negotiations may have averted a crisis, as there is no longer a threat that North Korea will exhaust its inventory of regular tuberculosis medications in June of 2020 as was feared when the previous grant was terminated in 2018," the foundation said in a release.
As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than $4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries in partnership with governments, civil society and technical agencies as well as the private sector and people affected by the diseases, according to its website.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(LEAD) Seoul stocks sink 3 pct on coronavirus scare, Korean won sharply down

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks sank to a more than eight-month low on Tuesday as the Wuhan coronavirus quickly spreading around the globe hurt investor sentiment, taking a toll on most market heavyweights. The local currency also fell sharply against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 69.41 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at 2,176.72. Trading volume was high at 800 million shares worth 8.64 trillion won (US$7.34 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 816 to 82.
The Tuesday closing marked the steepest decline since the 3.18 percent drop posted on March 23, 2018, and the lowest since 2,176.99 points posted on May 7, 2019.
The local financial market was closed on Friday and Monday for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Investor sentiment is gripped by growing concern over the coronavirus, which is expected to have an adverse impact on domestic consumption and possibly hinder the economic growth of China, the top trading partner of South Korea.
An electronic signboard at the dealing room of KEB Hana Bank in downtown Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020, shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) losing 69.41 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at 2,176.72. amid escalating woes over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
"Amid the rising number of patients, investors are in a rush to safe havens," Lee Kyung-soo, a researcher at Meritz Securities Co., said. "This issue will especially hurt the consumer goods, travel and leisure segments."
The country reported its fourth confirmed case of the Wuhan virus, with the third and fourth patients known to have been in contact with many citizens here, raising concerns that the novel virus may spread across the country.
The Wuhan coronavirus, first reported on Dec. 31, 2019, was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
Beijing said the number of patients hovered above 4,500, with more than 100 deaths being reported so far.
Foreigners sold a net 523 billion won, extending their selling streak to a fourth consecutive session. Retail investors bought a net 668 billion won, while institutions dumped a net 192 billion won.
Shares lost ground across the board, with retailers and foodstuff makers bearing the brunt of the deadly virus.
Top tech giant Samsung Electronics moved down 3.29 percent to 58,800 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slid 2.43 percent to 96,300 won. LG Display lost 1.68 percent to 14,600 won.
Retailers sharply lost ground on concerns that the spread of the virus is weighing on consumer sentiment, with duty-free operator Lotte Shopping plunging 7.31 percent to 120,500 won and No. 1 retailer E-Mart losing 3.81 percent to 113,500 won. Hotel Shilla surrendered 10.31 percent to 87,000 won.
Foodstuff makers also finished weaker, with Orion losing 5.53 percent to 102,500 won and CJ Cheiljedang sliding 2.81 percent to 242,500 won. Hite Jinro, a major liquor maker, shed 3.68 percent to 31,450 won.
Monalisa, a mask producer, increased by the daily permissible limit of 29.86 percent to 8,090 won, as the demand for hygiene products has been running high here.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics also moved up 2.28 percent to 494,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,176.70 won to the dollar, down 8 won from the previous session's close, sinking to a two-month low.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed sharply higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 7.2 basis point to 1.352 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond lost 8.7 basis points to 1.450 percent.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--Civic body to launch center in U.S. to pay tribute to iconic sex slavery victim

Tuesday marked the first anniversary of Kim 's death .
Kim , who died on Jan. 28 last year at @ @ @ @ @ considered a symbolic figure in Korea and worldwide for her monumental work in disseminating the @ @ @ @ @ her active role in promoting women 's rights issues , especially for those who have @ @ @ @ @ recent decades .

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- A civic organization representing Korean women forced to work at Japan's wartime military brothels said Tuesday it is pushing ahead with a project to establish a center in the United States to pay tribute to Kim Bok-dong, a late human rights activist and symbolic figure among the victims.
Tuesday marked the first anniversary of Kim's death. Kim, who died on Jan. 28 last year at age 92, had been considered a symbolic figure in Korea and worldwide for her monumental work in disseminating the truth about sexual enslavement and her active role in promoting women's rights issues, especially for those who have experienced wartime sexual violence in recent decades.
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan has launched a campaign to raise funds of 2 billion won (around US$1.7 million) to build the center, whose location has yet to be decided.
It is collecting contributions from firms, labor unions and other various organizations as well as individuals.
According to the civic body, formerly known as the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, the envisioned launch of the U.S. center is aimed at celebrating the 30th anniversary of its founding.
Established in 1990, the Seoul-based council has led a weekly rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul calling on the Japanese government to apologize to comfort women and provide compensation.
The council said the Kim Bok-dong Center will have online and offline archives, exhibition facilities for wartime sexual violence, including comfort women for the Imperial Japanese Army, and educational facilities. It plans to dedicate the center by Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women designated by the United Nations.
An altar for the late Kim Bok-dong, a victim of Japan's wartime sexual enslavement, is set up at Severance Hospital in western Seoul on Jan. 29, 2019. Kim died the previous day after a fight with cancer. (Yonhap)
namsh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--(LEAD) S. Korea to fly its nationals out of Wuhan this week over coronavirus concerns

SEOUL , Jan. 28 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will send chartered planes to the central Chinese city of @ @ @ @ @ to bring home its nationals there , the prime minister said , amid concerns about @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES with details throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send chartered planes to the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday and Friday to bring home its nationals there, the prime minister said, amid concerns about the spread of a new coronavirus.
The government will take "active" measures to evacuate South Koreans who want to return home from Wuhan where the virus originated, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at an emergency ministerial meeting on Tuesday.
Other details, including the number of people to be evacuated, have not been made public.
"The government will spare no efforts to carry out the duty to protect South Koreans staying in foreign countries," Chung said.
Concerns about the global spread of the pneumonia-like illness have risen as the virus has killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500 in China alone.
China has suspended all trains, flights and public transportation linked to Wuhan since last week, imposing a lockdown on the city in Hubei province.
South Korea ratcheted up its infectious disease alert level to the third highest Monday as the country has reported four confirmed cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (2nd from R) chairs an emergency ministerial meeting to tackle the spread of a new coronavirus at the government complex building in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
Chung vowed thorough quarantine efforts in the process of airlifting the Korean people.
"The government will prioritize the safety of its people and take preemptive measures," he said.
Chung ordered government agencies to sternly respond to fake news that could spawn groundless fears about the disease. He also instructed health authorities to hold a press briefing regularly to allow people to precisely grasp the situation.
South Korea has joined a few countries, including the United States and Japan, that are preparing to airlift their citizens from Wuhan as the death toll is rising in China.
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for a thorough check of all entrants from Wuhan and stressed the need for "preemptive measures" to curb the spread of the virus.
The government plans to put those who will be evacuated in isolation for 14 days, which some experts say is the incubation period for the virus.
Earlier in the day, the interior ministry launched the operation of an emergency response system to support the government's efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus.
The government kicked off such a response team for the first time since September 2018, when the country tackled the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The ministry also plans to operate a pan-government team to handle the transportation and two-week isolation of the people to be airlifted from Wuhan.
South Koreans and foreigners who flew from China have their body temperatures checked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2020, as the government is beefing up quarantine efforts to curb the spread of a new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-28--S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 28, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Jan. 28, 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--2020-01-28--(3rd LD) Moon urges swift, strong steps against new coronavirus

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with press briefing; CHANGES headline; ADDS photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for quick and thorough preemptive measures to stave off the spread of a new coronavirus in South Korea during a visit to a state-run hospital.
Upon arriving at the National Medical Center in central Seoul, Moon got his hands disinfected and wore a face mask. He skipped handshakes with hospital officials and immediately received briefings on their response to the pandemic.
"On the government level, preemptive measures should be taken strongly and swiftly enough to be regarded as rather excessive," he stressed.
President Moon Jae-in (C) wears a face mask before entering the National Medical Center in Seoul to inspect its response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus on Jan. 28, 2020, in this photo released by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The president earlier ordered the government's push for tracing "all people" who recently flew into South Korea from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the deadly virus originated.
Related authorities began the work Tuesday to check around 3,000 people who have entered the country since Jan. 14, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The incubation period for the virus remains unknown and some experts say it could be up to 14 days.
Moon also instructed the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to expand its workforce at the "1339" emergency call center for those who show symptoms of the deadly disease, Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesman Han Jung-woo said at a press briefing.
Cheong Wa Dae described itself as the "control tower" of South Korea's fight against the epidemic. Led by the crisis management center, the presidential office plans to hold a daily internal meeting on countermeasures.
"We are in an all-out effort mode" against the new virus, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
President Moon Jae-in (R) receives a briefing on the National Medical Center's response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus during his visit to the hospital in Seoul on Jan. 28, 2020, in this photo released by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Moon's visit to the hospital, his first public activity since the Lunar New Year holiday season, reflects his resolve to concentrate the government's efforts to curb the spread of the disease, the official added. A South Korean patient with the Wuhan coronavirus is under treatment at the hospital.
Moon has left his schedule this week "flexible" to focus on coping with the emergency situation.
Moon has indefinitely put off a session, originally slated for Thursday, to receive briefings from the welfare ministry and the gender equality ministry on their major policies this year.
South Korea reported its fourth confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus on Monday, a week after confirming its first patient with the deadly disease.
Citizens in Seoul wearing face masks cross a street amid growing concern about the spread of a new coronavirus on Jan. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)
As he presided over a meeting with minsters on disease control, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government will send charter flights on Thursday and Friday to evacuate hundreds of South Koreans staying in Wuhan, which is on lockdown.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)