yna--2020-08-14--Churches emerge again as hotbed of novel coronavirus

SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Yonhap) -- As South Korea is experiencing a new wave of community infections of the novel coronavirus in the Seoul metropolitan area, small and medium-sized churches have emerged again as a hotbed of the virus outbreak.
The country reported 85 locally transmitted cases on Friday and 56 on Thursday. The Friday figure marked the highest daily number of domestic infections since 88 on March 31. The sharp gain is largely led by sporadic cluster outbreaks linked to regular services and small group gatherings of Protestant churches in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
About 72 infections have been traced to a church in Yongin, south of Seoul, while 24 patients have been linked to congregants of a church in Goyang, just north of Seoul. Some 19 people associated with a church in northern Seoul have contracted COVID-19.
The Seoul metropolitan government ordered the shutdown of the religious institution, with some 1,900 people to be tested.
Public officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. (Yonhap)
Health authorities said many of the infected patients were found to have taken part in bible meetings or choir sessions and had meals together. Some of them were found not to have worn masks.
"Those patients may have transmitted the virus to many people as they visited churches and attended services," authorities said, asking all visitors and church members to receive virus tests at nearby medical stations.
The recent development came three weeks after the government lifted its temporary ban on churches' small group gatherings and group meals other than regular services. Small and medium-sized churches were blamed for sporadic cluster infections, while large-scale ones were less affected due to their stricter quarantine measures.
The Protestant community seems embarrassed that churches have come under fire again for the recent spike in infections.
The United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), one of the biggest associations of Protestant churches, has repeatedly asked its member churches to strictly comply with sanitation guidelines.
"It's an emergency," said an official from the UCCK. "We sent letters to our member orders and churches to strengthen hygiene rules days ago, and today we texted them again to ensure compliance."
But the official noted that the UCCK or other Christian alliances have no power to order some of those churches blamed for cluster infections to follow the tightened hygiene rules. It is because they are small independent organizations, not churches affiliated with a bigger umbrella group or an order.
The community has to expect those churches to voluntarily follow anti-infection guidelines, such as restricting small gatherings and praying out loud.
Consequently, the Seoul government is now considering raising the level of social distancing to Level 2, under which gatherings of 50 or more people that take place indoors and of 100 or more people outdoors are prohibited.
If so, the religious community would have to put most on-site gatherings and events on hold and replace them with online ones, as they did during the March-May period.
Worshipers wait at a distance while in line to enter Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, the biggest Protestant church in South Korea with 560,000 congregants, on July 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(2nd LD) Virus numbers reach 5-month high at 166, tougher measures in greater Seoul area considered

The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases @ @ @ @ @ social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a five-month high Saturday, with strong rebounds of transmissions in and around Seoul pressuring authorities to consider reintroducing stricter social distancing guidelines and other safety measures.
The country's new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 155 were of local transmissions.
New daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day, following 138 new cases reported as of 10 p.m. Friday.
The country reported no additional fatalities, keeping the death toll at 305. The fatality rate was 2.03 percent.
The number of new cases was the most since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections during the height of a mass outbreak in Daegu and a cluster originating from a call center building in Seoul.
Public officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. (Yonhap)
The number of new cases has shown a dramatic increase during the week, with new daily confirmed cases nearly doubling from 28 on Monday to 54 reported on Wednesday, with people testing positive for the virus reaching triple digits Friday.
The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases and that the easing of social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues.
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 72 were reported in Seoul and 67 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
Sporadic cluster infections have shown no signs of a let-up, with most cases traced to churches in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
Infections tied to a church in Yongin, south of Seoul, reached 72 as of noon Friday, up 60 from the previous day.
Cases linked to a church in northern Seoul rose by 14 to 19. The Seoul metropolitan government ordered the temporary shutdown of the church, with health authorities conducting virus tests on 1,897 people.
It was also reported that 31 residents in a town in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, were also infected with COVID-19.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun will convene an emergency meeting of the virus response headquarters in the afternoon to decide whether to tighten social distancing measures.
On Friday, the government said it was considering strengthening the infection preventive measures in Seoul and neighboring areas by one notch to Level 2.
In June, South Korea adopted a three-tier social distancing scheme, under which the country is currently at Level 1 distancing measures.
The latest spikes in cases in those areas put local governments on high alert. They ordered restrictions on gatherings and activities at religious facilities to contain the further spread of the virus.
On Friday, the Seoul city government said it decided to place tougher restrictions on gatherings at around 7,500 religious facilities, including churches and Buddhist temples.
Face-to-face events, provisions of food and group eating will be prohibited at those facilities. During regular services at churches, the singing of hymns will be restricted while collective prayer will be banned.
The Gyeonggi provincial government also raised the level of social distancing by restricting gatherings at churches and other religious facilities.
Students line up to take coronavirus tests at a screening center in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 13, 2020, after a middle school student in the city tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun to make 1st MLB start Monday

Kim appeared well on his way to winning a rotation job thanks to a strong spring training , before the @ @ @ @ @ press pause in mid-March .
When teams returned for summer camp in July , former @ @ @ @ @ who saved 24 games in 2019 , moved ahead of Kim in the rotation pecking @ @ @ @ @ starting spot .
Kim was unexpectedly named the team 's closer , though he had @ @ @ @ @ save in his decade-plus in South Korea .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- After a coronavirus outbreak wreaked havoc on his team's schedule for weeks, St. Louis Cardinals' Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun will finally make his first big league start next week.
Major League Baseball (MLB) released rescheduling updates for the Cardinals on Friday (local time), after COVID-19 had affected 18 individuals within the organization and halted the team's action for two weeks.
They will resume playing Saturday in a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. In all, the Cardinals will play 53 games in the remaining 44 days in this abbreviated, 60-game season.
In this UPI file photo from Aug. 6, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during a workout session at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
According to manager Mike Shildt's tentative rotation plans, as reported by St. Louis media, Kim is set to start the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs at 4:15 p.m. Central Time on Monday in Chicago, or 6:15 a.m. Tuesday in Seoul. It will be Kim's first major league start, following his relief appearance on Opening Day on July 24.
After spending 13 years in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kim signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals last winter, with hopes of winning a spot in the starting rotation.
Kim appeared well on his way to winning a rotation job thanks to a strong spring training, before the coronavirus pandemic forced MLB to press pause in mid-March. When teams returned for summer camp in July, former All-Star starter Carlos Martinez, who saved 24 games in 2019, moved ahead of Kim in the rotation pecking order and earned the fifth starting spot. Kim was unexpectedly named the team's closer, though he had never recorded a regular season save in his decade-plus in South Korea.
In this UPI file photo from Aug. 6, 2020, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals (R) bumps fists with teammate Harrison Bader during a workout session at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
Kim recorded a nervy save on July 24 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up two runs -- one unearned -- in the ninth inning of a 5-4 victory.
Kim hasn't pitched since, with the Cardinals playing only four more games after that and not giving the left-hander any save opportunity. Kim's scheduled start earlier this month was also pushed back because of the virus. And now the 2008 KBO MVP as a starter will finally get his first chance to prove his worth in the rotation.
Also on Monday, one other South Korean pitcher in the majors, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays, could make his fifth start of the season. Ryu last pitched on Tuesday, and on his normal, five days' rest, his next start should come Monday against the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore. The first pitch is 7:35 p.m. local time, or 8:35 a.m. Tuesday in Seoul.
Ryu is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA over his four starts in his first season with the Blue Jays. He has been particularly strong over his past two starts, having allowed just one run in 11 innings with 15 strikeouts.
If both left-handers end up making the start that day, it would be the first time since April 2007 to have two South Korean starters pitch on the same day in the majors.
Back then, it was Kim Byung-hyun starting for the Colorado Rockies against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Seo Jae-weong taking the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Minnesota Twins.
In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Miami Marlins during the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Moon says gov't ready to discuss wartime forced labor at any time with Japan

`` The ( South Korean ) government has consulted with Japan on a smooth resolution , on which victims can @ @ @ @ @ door of consultations wide open now as well , '' he said during his nationally @ @ @ @ @ `` Our government is ready to sit face to face with the Japanese government at @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in said Saturday his government is ready to sit down with Japan at any time to resolve a longstanding dispute over compensating Korean victims of Japan's forced labor during World War II.
"The (South Korean) government has consulted with Japan on a smooth resolution, on which victims can agree, and leaves the door of consultations wide open now as well," he said during his nationally televised Liberation Day speech. "Our government is ready to sit face to face with the Japanese government at any time."
Tokyo has argued that all reparation-related issues were settled in a 1965 bilateral treaty. In October 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that the individual rights to compensation remain valid despite the state-to-state deal.
During a national ceremony at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, Moon said his government respects the judiciary's view and will "endeavor together with Japan to keep the universal values of mankind and the principles of international law."
This undated file photo shows President Moon Jae-in delivering a speech in Seoul. (Yonhap)
He said, "I believe that joint efforts by Japan and South Korea to respect an individual's human rights will become a bridge of friendship and future cooperation between the two countries."
Moon also made peace overtures toward North Korea, saying, "The true liberation is that the dreams and lives of each person are guaranteed in a peaceful and safe, unified Korean Peninsula."
He stressed the need to protect "life and safety" of all people on the peninsula.
"I hope that (the two Koreas) will cooperate more closely in the new security situation of the COVID-19 era" to realize a community of "peace, economy and life," he added.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(URGENT) Moon voices hope for inter-Korean 'community of life' to cope with coronavirus-led new secu

(URGENT) Moon voices hope for inter-Korean 'community of life' to cope with coronavirus-led new security situations

(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--2020-08-15--(URGENT) Moon says S. Korea to work with Japan to maintain universal values of mankind and principle

(URGENT) Moon says S. Korea to work with Japan to maintain universal values of mankind and principles of international law


yna--2020-08-15--U.S. conducting anti-dumping, countervailing duties probe on S. Korea steel pipes

Anti-dumping actions are taken if companies sell products below what it takes to make them , while countervailing duties are @ @ @ @ @ subsidies to companies so they can make certain goods cheaply .
Both activities can disrupt @ @ @ @ @ competition .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The United States is conducting anti-dumping, countervailing duties probe on South Korean steel pipe products, following complaints by a local company, an international traders organization said Saturday.
The investigation on seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipes was officially launched on July 28 by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said.
It said Texas-based steelmaker Vallourec Star, claiming unfair price cutting, requested a review of products imported from South Korea, Russia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
The specially made pipes are widely used in chemical plants, nuclear power generation facilities, airplanes and vehicles.
The U.S. company argued that cheap imports were damaging local industries and specifically requested authorities to check if South Korean and Russian products were getting state subsidies. It also demanded dumping margins of 119.07-132.16 percent to be imposed on imported steel pipes.
Anti-dumping actions are taken if companies sell products below what it takes to make them, while countervailing duties are imposed if a government gives subsidies to companies so they can make certain goods cheaply. Both activities can disrupt the market and hurt fair competition.
KITA said that Iljin Steel, Hanse Steel and Husteel are being probed, and said the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will carry out the actual investigation and make its recommendations to the commerce department around March 2021.
If the ITC finds unfair price-cutting practices, it will ask Washington to impose punitive duties on imports.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- COVID-19 spread at critical juncture ahead of extended weekend ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Moon 's approval @ @ @ @ @ ( Kookmin Daily ) -- One-third of neighborhood hospitals shut down over strike ( Donga @ @ @ @ @ approval rating plunges 32 percent points over three months ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Voters @ @ @ @ @ area withdraw support for gov't ( JoongAng Ilbo ) -- Social distancing guidelines likely to @ @ @ @ @ ( Hankyoreh ) -- Moon 's approval rating drops below 40 percent ( Hankook Ilbo @ @ @ @ @ public sees housing prices rise further this year : survey ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) @ @ @ @ @ social distancing guidelines ( Korea Economic Daily ) ( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Aug. 15.
Korean-language dailies
-- COVID-19 spread at critical juncture ahead of extended weekend (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Moon's approval rating dips below 40 percent (Kookmin Daily)
-- One-third of neighborhood hospitals shut down over strike (Donga llbo)
-- Moon's approval rating plunges 32 percent points over three months (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Voters in 30s in greater Seoul area withdraw support for gov't (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- Social distancing guidelines likely to be strengthened over new cases (Hankyoreh)
-- Moon's approval rating drops below 40 percent (Hankook Ilbo)
-- 58 percent of public sees housing prices rise further this year: survey (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Gov't reviews strengthening of social distancing guidelines (Korea Economic Daily)
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 166 new virus cases as transmissions spread in greater Seoul area

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea saw new COVID-19 virus cases reach the triple digits for the second day in a row Saturday, as sporadic local infections in the greater Seoul area piled up again ahead of the three-day weekend holiday.
The country's new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 155 were local infections.
New daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day, following 138 new cases reported as of 10 p.m. Friday.
The new case number was the largest since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections.
Public officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. (Yonhap)
The number of new cases has shown a dramatic increase during the week, with new daily confirmed cases nearly doubling from 28 on Monday to 54 reported on Wednesday, with people testing positive for the virus reaching triple digits Friday.
The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases and that the easing of social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues.
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 72 were reported in Seoul and 67 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
Sporadic cluster infections have shown no signs of a let-up, with most cases traced to churches in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
Infections tied to a church in Yongin, south of Seoul, reached 72 as of noon Friday, up 60 from the previous day.
Cases linked to a church in northern Seoul rose by 14 to 19. The Seoul metropolitan government ordered the temporary shutdown of the church, with health authorities conducting virus tests on 1,897 people.
It was also reported that 31 residents in a town in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, were also infected with COVID-19.
On Friday, the government said it was considering strengthening the infection preventive measures in Seoul and neighboring areas by one notch to Level 2.
In June, South Korea adopted a three-tier social distancing scheme, under which the country is currently at Level 1 distancing measures. Level 2 could be applied if daily infections exceed 50 for 14 straight days but remain under 100.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional fatalities, keeping the death toll at 305. The fatality rate was 2.03 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 13,901, up 38 from the previous day.
Students line up to take coronavirus tests at a screening center in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 13, 2020, after a middle school student in the city tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Heavy rain advisory in effect for Gyeonggi region

`` Rain clouds coming in from the Yellow Sea will cause more rainfall for many places in Gyeonggi , with @ @ @ @ @ in certain areas , '' a KMA official said .
He said as a heavy @ @ @ @ @ , people need to be on guard for flooding and mindful of traffic accidents .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- A heavy rain advisory is in effect for all of Gyeonggi Province, with strong winds and upwards of 30 millimeters of precipitation reported in some areas, South Korea's weather service said Saturday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said downpours are likely to occur throughout the morning, with Hanam, just east of Seoul, reporting 36.5 mm of rain per hour as of 8 a.m. Other areas, such as Gwangju and Gapyeong, southeast and northeast of the capital city, respectively, received 34 mm of rain per hour.
The state weather forecaster said that accumulative rainfall for the day as of 8 a.m. for Yeoju, 105 kilometers southeast of Seoul, stood at 75.5 mm, followed by 73.5 mm for Uiwang.
The country's emergency services said no deaths have been reported in Gyeonggi due to the heavy rains, although flooding has occurred in Gwangmyeong that has damaged warehouses and some homes.
It also said a few roads have been closed to traffic in Siheung, 30 km southwest of Seoul.
"Rain clouds coming in from the Yellow Sea will cause more rainfall for many places in Gyeonggi, with strong gusts of wind expected in certain areas," a KMA official said. He said as a heavy rain advisory has been issued, people need to be on guard for flooding and mindful of traffic accidents.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--S. Korea reports 166 new virus cases

S. Korea reports 166 new virus cases

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea saw new COVID-19 virus cases reach the triple digits for the second day in a row Saturday, as sporadic local infections in the greater Seoul area piled up again ahead of the three-day weekend holiday.
The country's new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 155 were local infections.
New daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day, following 138 new cases reported as of 10 p.m. Friday.
The new case number was the largest since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections.
The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases and that the easing of social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues.
On Friday, the government said it was considering strengthening the infection preventive measures in Seoul and neighboring areas by one notch to Level 2.
In June, South Korea adopted a three-tier social distancing scheme, under which the country is currently at Level 1 distancing measures. Level 2 could be applied if daily infections exceed 50 for 14 straight days but remain under 100.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional fatalities, keeping the death toll at 305. The fatality rate was 2.03 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 13,901, up 38 from the previous day.
Students line up to take coronavirus tests at a screening center in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 13, 2020, after a middle school student in the city tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Aug. 15 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-08-15--Coronavirus drives down life satisfaction among young Koreans

According to the poll of 1,055 youths nationwide conducted from July 1-21 by the Korea Youth Foundation , their life @ @ @ @ @ be 4.14 points on a 1 to 10 scale , marking a sharp fall from @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of COVID-19 .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- Life satisfaction has fallen sharply among young South Koreans in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, a survey showed Saturday.
According to the poll of 1,055 youths nationwide conducted from July 1-21 by the Korea Youth Foundation, their life satisfaction index turned out to be 4.14 points on a 1 to 10 scale, marking a sharp fall from 6.41 tallied prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.
The survey results were disclosed by a group of ruling and opposition lawmakers during a public forum on youth life at the National Assembly earlier this week.
Asked about their biggest concerns amidst the pandemic, 304, or 29.3 percent, of the respondents cited "uncertainties about their studies and future," while 264, or 25.5 percent, complained of feeling constrained due to a lack of outdoor activities.
Another 250 youths, or 24.1 percent, said they are restless at being unable to know when the pandemic will end.
Meanwhile, the survey found that 685 students think a "healthy and happy life" is the most important aspect of the post-coronavirus era.
"Teenagers are feeling constraint, anxiety, depression, concerns and fear because of the coronavirus," an official at the foundation said, explaining the need to develop a program to relieve stress among students.
"The local community should provide adequate educational service to the teenagers as they are more concerned about their future and studies due to suspensions and the switch to online classes amid the pandemic."
In South Korea, more schools are considering in-person instruction for the upcoming fall semester, but concerns remain as new cases of virus infection have recently broken out among students.
Students arrive at a middle school in Seoul on June 8, 2020, when South Korea implemented the fourth phase of school reopening for middle school first graders and elementary school fifth and sixth graders. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(URGENT) 38 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 13,901: KCDC


yna--2020-08-15--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus death, death toll at 305: KCDC


yna--2020-08-15--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 166 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 15,039: KCDC


yna--2020-08-15--S. Korean population slightly grows, becomes older in 2019

A total of 27 `` social hazards , '' such as fires , maritime accidents and livestock infectious diseases , @ @ @ @ @ from seven in 2018 .
Of the cases , fires at crowded buildings accounted for @ @ @ @ @ , followed by wildfires at six and maritime accidents at three .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's population on the government's database of residents register rose slightly and became older in 2019 from a year before, data showed Saturday.
The country reported a total increase of 23,902, or 0.05 percent, in population to 51.8 million, and its average age rose to 42.6 from 42.1, according to the annual national data released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The statistics, drawn up as of Dec. 31, 2019, and titled "2020 Statistics on Administration and Safety," cover eight categories -- administration, electronic government, provincial administration, provincial finance, safety policy and disaster management.
The average age of women was 43.8, higher than men's 41.5.
The city of Sejong was the youngest among the country's administrative districts, with the average age of its residents 36.9, while South Jeolla Province was found to be the oldest with 46.2.
People who were born in 1971 took up the largest portion of the country's population, with 941,096.
Human density was highest in the capital Seoul at 62.21 square meters per person, while Gangwon Province was lowest at 10,947.30 square meters per person.
The country saw its civil servants record a year-on-year increase of 2.8 percent to 1.1 million, of which female servants took up 47.3 percent, up by 0.6 percentage point.
Police officers from Samcheok Police Station repair damage caused by Typhoon Mitag in Chogok, a village in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The statistics showed the year 2019 experienced more financial damage incurred by natural and social disasters compared to the preceding year.
Natural disasters, including typhoons and torrential rains, damaged houses and infrastructure worth 216 billion won, and it cost the country more than 1.3 trillion won to repair the damage. The damage and recovery costs jumped by 53 percent and 204 percent, respectively, from a year ago. Nearly 1.3 trillion won, or 98 percent of the total repair costs, was spent on typhoon-related recovery efforts.
A total of 27 "social hazards," such as fires, maritime accidents and livestock infectious diseases, occurred last year, up from seven in 2018. Of the cases, fires at crowded buildings accounted for the largest part with 10, followed by wildfires at six and maritime accidents at three.
The total damage from such disasters cost the country more than 520 billion won, 5.2 times that of the previous year.
Last year, the government declared special disaster zones on three occasions -- for wildfires in Gangwon Province in April, Typhoon Lingling in September and Typhoon Mitag in October. The designated areas received the government's emergency relief and financial aid for recovery.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


(Copyright)

The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the @ @ @ @ @ News Agency .

All information carried by the Yonhap News Agency, including articles, photographs, graphics, audio and video images, and illustrations (collectively, the content) is owned by the Yonhap News Agency.
The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Yonhap News Agency.
Any violation can be subject to a compensation claim or civil and criminal lawsuits.
Requests to use the content for any purpose besides the ones mentioned above should be directed in advance to Yonhap's Information Business Department at 82-2-398-3557 or 82-2-398-3552.
(END)


yna--2020-08-14--(2nd LD) Seoul, Gyeonggi report record-high daily virus cases, toughen guidelines on gatherings

`` We are standing at a ( critical ) juncture over whether the virus outbreak can be brought under control @ @ @ @ @ system and whether the level of social distancing should be raised , '' Jeong said @

(ATTN: ADDS new info in paras 4-5)
SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Yonhap) -- Daily coronavirus infections in Seoul and its adjacent province spiked to highest-ever levels on Friday, prompting local governments to restrict gatherings to contain the spread of the virus in South Korea's most populous region.
As of 6 p.m. on Friday, Seoul, home to around 10 million people, reported 58 new cases, a record-high number of daily infections since the outbreak of the disease earlier this year. The previous daily record was 46 tallied on March 10.
Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital also reported a daily high, of 62 cases as of 6 p.m. on Friday, exceeding the previous record of 47 reported a day earlier.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a total of 138 new cases, including 128 local transmissions, were confirmed on the day as of 10 p.m.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun will convene an emergency meeting of the virus response headquarters Saturday to decide whether to tighten social distancing measures, officials said.
The spikes in cases are partly blamed on cluster infections at churches where sanitation and social distancing rules were not strictly enforced.
According to the health authorities, over the past few days, nearly 200 cases have been linked to six churches and one missionary society in Seoul and its adjacent areas.
"We are in a grave situation, as the greater Seoul area could face another wave of COVID-19 outbreaks," Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a briefing on Friday.
"We are standing at a (critical) juncture over whether the virus outbreak can be brought under control under the current health care system and whether the level of social distancing should be raised," Jeong said.
The country is currently taking Level 1 measures in a three-tier social distancing scheme which was adopted in June. Level 2 could be applied if daily infections exceed 50 for 14 straight days but remain under 100.
The latest spikes in cases in those areas put local governments on high alert. They ordered restrictions on gatherings and activities at religious facilities to contain further spread of the virus.
Late in the day, Seoul city government said that it decided to place tougher restrictions on gatherings at around 7,500 religious facilities, including churches and Buddhist temples.
Face-to-face events, provision of food and group eating will be prohibited at those facilities. During regular services at churches, the singing of hymns will be restricted while collective prayer will be banned.
Earlier in the day, the Gyeonggi provincial government raised the level of social distancing by restricting gatherings at churches and other religious facilities.
Officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(2nd LD) Heat wave expected to grip S. Korea after heavy rain stops

The agency said as of 12:30 p.m. , it has canceled previously issued warnings for 24 regions in Gyeonggi and @ @ @ @ @ as the amount of rain has decreased markedly .
It said similar action has been @ @ @ @ @ of Incheon , west of Seoul , as well as Gangwha Island and small islands @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details in 2-4; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- Sweltering heat is expected to take over South Korea after heavy rains that caused the worst-ever floods stop on Sunday afternoon, the country's weather service said Saturday.
The rainy season is forecast to end on Sunday afternoon across the nation, and a heat wave will then grip the country, said the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
With heat wave warnings reported for most parts of the country, mid-day highs are forecast to range between 33 C and 35 C until next week, the agency said.
Nighttime lows are expected to reach more than 25 C, so the tropical night phenomenon is predicted to occur, it said.
Ahead of the heat wave forecast, a heavy rain advisory has been lifted for some parts of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, as well as Gangwon province, amid a decrease in precipitation.
This undated file photo shows a heavily overcast neighborhood in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The agency said as of 12:30 p.m., it has canceled previously issued warnings for 24 regions in Gyeonggi and the city of Suwon, as the amount of rain has decreased markedly. It said similar action has been taken for the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, as well as Gangwha Island and small islands of Ongjin County.
The agency, however, said weather advisories are in place in some regions in Gyeonggi, such as Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, and the cities of Incheon and Yeoju to the east of the capital.
The KMA also said the heavy rain alert for all of Seoul has been lifted, even though some neighborhoods received over 60 millimeters of rain earlier Saturday.
The state weather forecaster and local authorities said that although rainfall is falling off, people need to be on guard for landslides, particularly in places such as Chungcheong Province that has reported upward of 250 billion won (US$210 million) in rain-related damage so far.
It urged people to watch out for sudden flooding and damage to crops and farmlands, as rain is expected to continue falling at least until Sunday.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(2nd LD) Police to probe participants of Liberation Day demonstrations on COVID-19

SEOUL , Aug. 15 ( Yonhap ) -- Police said Saturday that they will probe all participants of demonstrations held @ @ @ @ @ day to look into whether they violated a court decision related to COVID-19 and other @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- Police said Saturday that they will probe all participants of demonstrations held in downtown Seoul on the day to look into whether they violated a court decision related to COVID-19 and other regulations.
The number of participants reached more than 20,000 people, according to an estimation by police and demonstration organizers.
Ahead of the demonstrations, a Seoul court mostly upheld the local government's order to ban large gatherings in light of public safety concerns, and police have warned they will not permit unlawful protests.
Despite concerns over fresh outbreaks of the coronavirus and the court decision, far-right groups, such as the April 15 Rigged Election association, and unionized workers held packed demonstrations late in the day amid heavy rains.
The government announced the new COVID-19 confirmed cases earlier in the day before the groups' demonstrations.
New COVID-19 cases in the country reached a five-month high of 166 due to a surge in confirmed cases in greater Seoul.
The daily tally marks the second day in a row that infection numbers reached triple digits, with the total caseload in the country hitting 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Of the new cases, 155 were local transmissions, with churches being cited as outbreak clusters.
Reflecting the rise in numbers, the government raised the three-tier social distancing scheme in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from Level 1 to Level 2, effective Sunday.
The move bans all large-scale indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo warned that health authorities have not been able to track 14 percent of all new cases confirmed to a source and that the country may be close to experiencing another large-scale outbreak.
Sarang Jeil Church, led by far-right pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, and the Freedom Union went ahead with a rally to blast the government and the ruling Democratic Party near Gyeongbok Palace.
Health authorities have said that over 130 people who go to the church in Seoul have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.
Anti-government demonstrators pack Gwanghwamun Square and Sejong boulevard in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. Protestors attacked the policies of the incumbent government and ruling party, with the gathering being organized by Sarang Jeil Church and the conservative Freedom Union. (Yonhap)
The church and the Freedom Union, consistently blasting many of the incumbent administration's policies, urged followers on YouTube to join the protest.
Participants in protests led by the far-right groups shouted "President Out," denouncing the government's property policy and recent sexual abuse cases involving ruling party members.
Besides churchgoers, a protest organized by former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who leads the April 15 Rigged Election association, was held, with about 1,000 supporters joining.
The group initially reported that 4,000 people would take part in the gathering that calls for a thorough probe into "irregularities" surrounding the last general election, which some members claim was rigged.
Some of the participants in the protests led by anti-government groups shared food with each other sitting in a circle on the ground.
Other than anti-government groups, the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a separate protest near Anguk Station and Bosingak, with around 2,000 unionized workers calling for the implementation of the inter-Korean agreement, the halt of South Korea-U.S. military drills, and a stop to workers' dismissals.
The union said it took steps to prevent the spread of the virus, such as by distributing masks and checking the body temperature of participants.
Police said they were taking all appropriate measures to safely control rallies that had not been approved by the court while keeping close tabs on those that had gotten permission.
The April 15 Rigged Election group was allowed to carry out its rally, while the Freedom Union and the umbrella union were not given permission.
Among participants in the far-right group-led protests, eight were reported to be arrested on the charge of assaulting police officers.
Protestors with anti-government signs hold a protest at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Full text of President Moon Jae-in's speech on Korea's 75th Liberation Day

Presently , massive natural disasters caused by abnormal weather conditions are threatening our everyday lives yet again .
Nonetheless , @ @ @ @ @ them this time as we always have .
I extend my profound sympathy to everyone @ @ @ @ @ these catastrophes , most of all to those who lost what is most precious -- @ @ @ @ @ confront disasters until they are over in order to protect the lives and property of @ @ @ @ @ also do as much as we can for disaster recovery .
Moreover , in preparation @ @ @ @ @ severe , we will muster all available capabilities to safeguard the people 's safety , @ @ @ @ @ suffering .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The following is an unofficial translation of President Moon Jae-in's speech to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule. It was provided by his office, Cheong Wa Dae.
Fellow Koreans, decorated independence activists, bereaved relatives of those departed and Korean compatriots abroad,
As we mark the 75th Liberation Day, we contemplate the noble sacrifice and spirit of our patriotic forebears who gave their all to achieve our nation's independence.
Today's celebration began by welcoming the surviving patriots who dedicated themselves to the cause of independence. Patriot Lim Wu-cheol is 101 years old, and the other three are almost centenarians as well. Any effort to honor them will pale in comparison to the Republic of Korea's proud progress and esteem that every one of them helped to accomplish.
There are now only 31 surviving patriotic independence activists. I would like to ask everyone to vigorously applaud those patriots here with us -- Lim Wu-cheol, Kim Yeong-gwan, Lee Yeong-su and Jang Byeong-ha -- to express our deepest respect and gratitude. Their valued presence makes this event all the more meaningful.
Our liberation was obtained by each and every Korean rising together as the rightful owners of a democratic republic. All of those who have achieved accomplishments big and small as masters of their own lives comprise the roots of what we are today.
Our forebears left us a conviction that has formed an immense root of our history: "If we unite, we can prevail over any crisis." In the process of overcoming the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been able to reaffirm our capabilities while surmounting the crisis together.
Presently, massive natural disasters caused by abnormal weather conditions are threatening our everyday lives yet again. Nonetheless, we will certainly prevail over them this time as we always have. I extend my profound sympathy to everyone who has suffered damage from these catastrophes, most of all to those who lost what is most precious -- life itself. We will confront disasters until they are over in order to protect the lives and property of the people. We will also do as much as we can for disaster recovery. Moreover, in preparation for extreme weather becoming increasingly severe, we will muster all available capabilities to safeguard the people's safety, thereby sparing them from repeated suffering.
I salute the decorated independence activists and bereaved families who have become a source of pride for the Republic of Korea. I promise that with the people, we will weather today's crisis and calamities without fail.
Fellow Koreans,
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, where we are gathered today, is built upon the site of the Joseon Dynasty's Military Training Command and installations. Gyeongseong Stadium was built here during the Japanese colonial period and was renamed Seoul Stadium after liberation. Numerous sweat-stained historic chapters have been recorded on this site, which was long referred to as Dongdaemun Stadium.
Among these, the beads of sweat shed by young Joseon marathoner Sohn Kee-chung under colonial rule must be remembered as the most ardent and regrettable. In 1935, he broke away from a field of runners in a 10,000-meter race at Gyeongseong Stadium and won. The next year, he set a world record while winning the marathon at the Berlin Olympics. As the Japanese national anthem began to play during the award ceremony, Olympic gold medalist Sohn Kee-chung hid the Japanese flag on his chest with the laurel sapling presented to him. The Korean Olympian Nam Seung-yong, who won bronze in that marathon, could only hang his head and close his eyes. They pulled off a great victory that helped restore Korean pride, but they had no country upon which to bestow that glory.
Our independence movement involved reclaiming the country and, at the same time, upholding the dignity of individuals. We simultaneously achieved independence and a revolution to establish a democratic republic based on popular sovereignty. Our efforts to create a dignified country that will never again lose to anyone have never ceased even after liberation.
From being the most impoverished country to receive international aid, we have soared to become one of the 10 largest global economic powerhouses. In the face of dictatorship, we left the world a milestone for democracy. Though we endured a period when individual sacrifices were demanded and human rights were oppressed in the name of the state, we have never stopped marching toward a properly functioning country where each citizen is guaranteed inherent rights for freedom, equality, dignity and safety.
Our people have withstood many crises. We rose from the ashes of war and overcame the Asian foreign exchange and global financial crises. Together, we have also surmounted the crisis prompted by Japan's export restrictions. We have actually turned that into an opportunity to leap forward as a nation that cannot be shaken. Mutually beneficial cooperation between large businesses and SMEs has led to independence in the production of materials, parts and equipment. Some of these ventures have even attracted foreign investors.
We have also overcome the COVID-19 crisis through the government, individuals, medical professionals and business leaders trusting and relying on one another.
The government has transparently disclosed all the information needed for epidemic prevention and control. The people trust the government's approach and have voluntarily become the principal agents in anti-epidemic efforts. Korean businesses developed the first fast and accurate COVID-19 test kit in the world. Workers have produced epidemic prevention supplies, putting their neighbors first. Medical staff, volunteers, the public and businesses brought together their respective efforts, creating a catalyst for overcoming the COVID-19 crisis and setting an example lauded by the entire world.
However, we are in a situation that requires yet an even higher level of alertness. The government will do everything possible until the situation is over to protect the people from the virus, including the securing of vaccines and early development of treatments. Our successful epidemic prevention and control -- free of border closures, regional lockdowns and an economic shutdown -- has helped our economy fare well. Thanks to this success, the government's rapid countermeasures to revive the economy through expansionary spending have been effective.
Amid the global economic crisis, Korea's economic growth this year is projected to rank first among the 37 OECD member states. Our GDP is also forecast to join the ranks of the 10 largest economies in the world. I cannot but extend my respect and gratitude to our people once again, who are turning crises into opportunities even while enduring great suffering.
We have now affirmed the fact that our neighbors' safety equals our own and are preparing for a post-COVID-19 era. While bringing implementation of the Korean New Deal into full gear, we will reform and upgrade our economic fundamentals -- employing the Digital New Deal and the Green New Deal as our wings. From a fast follower-type economy to a pace-setting one and from a carbon-dependent economy to a low-carbon one, we will fundamentally transform the Republic of Korea and once again leap forward.
The spirit that permeates the core of the Korean New Deal is also people-centered mutual benefit. A new social contract for mutual benefit, the Korean New Deal is also a pledge to achieve and share prosperity together by further strengthening the employment and social safety nets and increasing investments in people.
What matters the most is to reduce gaps and inequality. Only when everyone is living well can we say that genuine liberation has been achieved. I believe that the people will join us on the path toward sustainable development for both their own benefit as well as that of future generations.
Fellow Koreans,
In the winter of 2016, squares and streets throughout the country were filled with the spirit of Article 1 of the Constitution: All state authority shall emanate from the people. Our people held aloft lit candles and once more etched onto the chapters of history the fact that the power to change the world always rests with them. That spirit became the foundation of our administration.
Today, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Liberation Day, I look back to see whether each individual really has achieved liberation. And I think of a country that exists to guarantee individuals' decent lives -- not one where individuals exist for it. This is also about an era marked by Article 10 of the Constitution: All citizens shall be assured of human value and dignity and have the right to pursue happiness. This is the goal that my administration is aiming to achieve.
To date, the government has solidified our practical foundation of freedom and equality. While people exert individuality and ability to the fullest thanks to the social safety net and security in their daily lives, we have also made efforts to build a nation where individual achievements are respected by everyone.
I do not believe that we can achieve all of these tasks before the end of my administration. However, we will give people the firm belief that our society is heading in that direction and do all we can to build a solid foundation.
We remember our compatriots who emigrated from the Empire of Korea to work in Hawaii and Mexico but could not return as they lost their homeland. We must never forget that tearful history. Although the motherland could not protect its people, they collected wages from labor and spoonfuls of rice to fund the Provisional Republic of Korea Government's independence movement. As such, they became a root of the overseas independence movement. We must remember forever those who were never able to return to the arms of their families in a liberated homeland. We must ask whether the country did its due then and is doing so now for its people.
The Republic of Korea has grown enough and possesses enough confidence to ensure that not even a single citizen is ever abandoned again.
On April 30, 2018, three Korean sailors who were kidnapped in waters off Ghana returned to their homeland along with the Cheonghae unit aboard the destroyer that rescued them, the ROKS Munmu the Great. Also rescued safely were Koreans kidnapped by armed assailants in Libya in July 2018 and five crew members abducted in waters off Benin, West Africa, in July 2020.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, we dispatched military aircraft to Iraq and brought back 293 Korean workers. Charter flights, military aircraft and even a presidential airplane were mobilized to help 2,000 Koreans return home safely from seven countries under serious threats from the spreading virus. The government has safely evacuated over 46,000 Korean expatriates from 119 countries through charter flights. It was deeply meaningful to mark the centennials of the March First Independence Movement and the establishment of the Provisional Republic of Korea Government last year by repatriating the remains of five decorated independence activists. We as a nation must also respond without fail to the efforts of individuals to prove their own dignity and pool our wisdom to find ways to devise solutions.
In 2005, four victims of forced labor filed a damage suit against Japanese companies that mobilized Korean workers in the colonial period. In 2018, the Supreme Court of Korea ruled in their favor.
Although the Supreme Court acknowledged the validity of the 1965 Claims Agreement between Korea and Japan, it ruled that the right of an individual to claim damages against unlawful acts had never been waived. A Supreme Court ruling has the highest legal authority and executory power within the Republic of Korea. My administration respects the judiciary's decision, and we have been engaging in consultations with the Japanese government on how to reach a satisfactory resolution to which the victims could agree. The door for such consultations remains wide open. My administration is ready to sit down with the Japanese government at any time to discuss these issues.
Three of the plaintiffs have already passed away. When Japan's export restriction measures were put in place last year, Lee Chun-sik, now the sole surviving plaintiff, wondered out loud whether the Republic of Korea was "suffering a loss" because of him. We will affirm the fact that protecting an individual's dignity will never end up incurring a loss for his country.
At the same time, we will work with Japan to protect universal values of humanity, the principles of international law and democracy based on the separation of powers.
I believe that joint efforts by Japan and Korea to respect individual human rights will become a bridge for friendship and future cooperation between the peoples of our two countries.
Fellow Koreans,
Dongdaemun Stadium is a place imbued with both the joy of liberation and the pain of inter-Korean division.
On Dec. 19, 1945, a national ceremony to welcome the Provisional Republic of Korea Government was held here. That day, independence activist Kim Gu -- pen name Baekbeom -- called on the public to "Let the entire Korean people unite and build a new Korea of self-reliance, equality and happiness."
However, on July 5, 1949, our people had to bid him a tearful farewell, as 1 million mourners gathered here. Kim Gu dreamed of completing the liberation of Korea that was left unfinished due to the division by bringing about the unification of the Korean Peninsula. That dream has become a task for all of us who remain.
Genuine liberation can be achieved when the dreams and lives of each and every one of us are guaranteed on a unified, peaceful and safe Korean Peninsula. The reason we pursue peace and promote inter-Korean cooperation is to ensure that the people of the two Koreas can live together, safe and well.
We have awakened to the fact that everyone's health and safety are closely connected as we fight infectious diseases in livestock and the COVID-19 pandemic while enduring unprecedented downpours triggered by extreme weather. The fact that South and North Korea are one community when it comes to life and safety has been confirmed repeatedly.
Security and peace in this era are about guaranteeing the life and safety of everyone living on the Korean Peninsula. I hope that cooperation on epidemic prevention and control and the joint management of transboundary rivers will help the people of the two Koreas sense tangible benefits from peace. It is my hope that along with communities for peace and economic prosperity, there will be a breakthrough for mutual benefit and peace to achieve a community for life. This should accompany closer cooperation on a new security situation in the COVID-19 era through collaboration on health care, medical services and forestry and joint research on agricultural technology and the development of new crop varieties.
Along with humanitarian cooperation for the life and safety of the people, working together to allow them to meet whomever they want and visit wherever they want before they die is practical inter-Korean collaboration. Inter-Korean cooperation is indeed the best security policy that allows both Koreas to break away from reliance on nuclear or military strength. The stronger inter-Korean cooperation grows, the more solid the security of each Korea will be. This will in turn become a force that moves us toward prosperity in cooperation with the international community.
As agreed upon in the Panmunjom Declaration, we will permanently remove the threat of war and build the foundation of genuine liberation that our forebears dreamed of. The two Koreas conducted a joint survey of and even held a groundbreaking ceremony for the reconnection of inter-Korean railways. It is the key driving force to expand future inter-Korean cooperation into the continent. We will move toward a Korean Peninsula of peace and common prosperity while examining and implementing every single aspect of agreements already reached between the two Koreas.
Fellow Koreans, decorated independence activists, bereaved relatives and overseas Koreans,
Here are our beliefs: sacrifice for our country will be remembered, our county will assure safety in the face of disasters and catastrophes, it will save us when we suffer hardships in a foreign land, it will attend to each individual's difficulty, and it will guarantee an opportunity to carry on even after a setback.
These beliefs allow individuals to take on new challenges and endure hardships. When a country lives up to these beliefs, individuals -- not just a nation -- will be liberated.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza is embedded with the sweat and smoldering frustration of a marathoner in the colonial era, the joy of liberation and lament over national division. Today, upon such historical strata, the creativity and individuality of each person is blossoming fully.
Beyond the path to this democratic republic initiated a century ago, we will move with the people toward a Republic of Korea brimming with individual freedom and equality. Beyond the self-reliant independent country that our forebears envisioned, we will move toward a peaceful, prosperous and unified Korean Peninsula with the people.
Thank you.
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(2nd LD) Moon says ready to discuss wartime forced labor at any time with Japan

`` We have been engaging in consultations with the Japanese government on how to reach a satisfactory resolution to which @ @ @ @ @ The door for such consultations remains wide open , '' he said during his nationally @ @ @ @ @ `` My administration is ready to sit down with the Japanese government at any time @ @ @ @ @ ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with unofficial translation provided by Cheong Wa Dae)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in said Saturday his government is ready to talk with Japan at any time to resolve a longstanding dispute over compensating Korean victims of Japan's forced labor during World War II.
"We have been engaging in consultations with the Japanese government on how to reach a satisfactory resolution to which the victims could agree. The door for such consultations remains wide open," he said during his nationally televised Liberation Day speech. "My administration is ready to sit down with the Japanese government at any time to discuss these issues."
President Moon Jae-in delivers his Liberation Day speech during a national ceremony held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Tokyo has argued that all reparation-related issues were settled in a 1965 bilateral treaty. In October 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that the individual rights to compensation remain valid despite the state-to-state deal.
Four Koreans launched the legal battle against a Japanese steelmaker in 2005. Lee Chun-sik is the only surviving plaintiff.
Moon pointed out that Lee had wondered out loud whether South Korea might be "suffering a loss" because of him in reference to Japan's retaliatory export control.
Moon said, "We will affirm the fact that protecting an individual's dignity will never end up incurring a loss for his country."
"At the same time, we will work with Japan to protect universal values of humanity, the principles of international law and democracy based on the separation of powers," he added.
The president reaffirmed that his administration respects the judiciary's decision, addressing the national ceremony held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.
"I believe that joint efforts by Japan and Korea to respect individual human rights will become a bridge for friendship and future cooperation between the peoples of our two countries," he said.
In last year's Liberation Day speech, he presented a vision for South Korea to become an "unshakable, responsible economic powerhouse" that can cooperate with Japan on an "equal" footing. The message came not long after Japan announced measures to curb the exports of some core industrial materials to South Korea.
This year, Moon shifted the focus to dialogue, based on the shared value of human rights, for a resolution to the forced labor issue.
President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook arrive at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, to attend a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. (Yonhap)
A national ceremony is under way to commemorate Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
Moon also made peace overtures toward North Korea, saying, "Genuine liberation can be achieved when the dreams and lives of each and every one of us are guaranteed on a unified, peaceful and safe Korean Peninsula."
"Inter-Korean cooperation is indeed the best security policy that allows both Koreas to break away from reliance on nuclear or military strength," he said.
He stressed the need to protect the "lives and safety" of all people on the peninsula.
"I hope that cooperation on epidemic prevention and control and the joint management of transboundary rivers will help the people of the two Koreas sense tangible benefits from peace," he said. "It is my hope that along with communities for peace and economic prosperity, there will be a breakthrough for mutual benefit and peace to achieve a community for life."
Moon added, "This should accompany closer cooperation on a new security situation in the COVID-19 era through collaboration on health care, medical services and forestry and joint research on agricultural technology and the development of new crop varieties."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(2nd LD) People in greater Seoul advised not to travel to other areas for 2 weeks

Unless there are signs of a fall in the number of virus infections in the period , the strengthened social @ @ @ @ @ will be extended for another two weeks , the government said .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details in paras 5, 10-11;RESTRUCTURES)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government on Saturday advised people in the greater Seoul area to refrain from traveling to other areas for the next two weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The recommendation came shortly after the government placed stricter social distancing guidelines on the greater Seoul area, as daily new COVID-19 cases in the country reached a five-month high of 166, with the highly infectious disease spreading at an alarming rate.
The decision to raise the social distancing scheme in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi region up one notch to Level 2 was reached at a pan-governmental COVID-19 meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.
The heightened guidelines for Seoul and Gyeonggi Province will take effect Sunday and continue for two weeks.
Unless there are signs of a fall in the number of virus infections in the period, the strengthened social distancing guidelines for the area will be extended for another two weeks, the government said.
The move comes after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported that new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039.
The number of new cases is the highest tallied since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections during the height of a mass outbreak in Daegu and a cluster originating from a call center building in Seoul.
Of the new cases, 155 were of local transmissions. The number of daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, to discuss measures to contain the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
"We are in a dangerous situation where if we cannot overcome this crisis, we might revert to a mass epidemic situation similar to what other countries around the world are facing," Chung said.
The pace of virus infections in the greater Seoul area has been rapid, said health officials, adding this is an initial sign of a resurgence in massive infections.
Expecting a growing number of confirmed cases in the greater Seoul area, the officials requested people to abide by the boosted guidelines for the three-day weekend holiday starting Saturday.
Under Level 2 social distancing guidelines, public facilities, including libraries, galleries and museums, will be maintained at 50 percent capacity in terms of allowed visitors. Welfare and child care centers will be advised to suspend operations.
Large gatherings, such as local festivals or trade fairs, with estimated attendees of more than 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors will either be banned or postponed.
Schools are required to have both remote learning and in-person classes, and sporting events are to revert back to crowdless matches.
Private businesses designated as high-risk facilities, such as bars, karaoke businesses, indoor gyms, concert halls, logistics centers, "hagwon," or cram schools, with more than 300 people, and buffet restaurants, will be allowed to operate but only under strict quarantine measures. Regular cafes and restaurants will be allowed to operate as well.
Internet cafes and buffets at wedding venues will also be included in the high-risk group starting Wednesday. High-risk businesses could face closure if the virus situation does not show signs of improvement within the next two weeks.
Companies, both public and private, must also allow flexible working options, such as remote working, to reduce the density of people at workplaces.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(LEAD) Liberation Day demonstrations take place amid sharp upturn in COVID-19 infections

Police said that while organizers initially said some 2,000 will take part in the gathering , a large number of @ @ @ @ @ the central district of the capital city , as the church and the Freedom Union @ @ @ @ @ to join the protest .
The church and the group have consistently blasted many of @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- Large Liberation Day demonstrations are taking place in Seoul on Saturday despite new COVID-19 cases in the country reaching a five-month high of 166, with authorities reinstating stricter social distancing guidelines as the highly infectious disease is spreading at an alarming rate.
The demonstrations come as a Seoul court mostly upheld local government's injunctions to ban large gatherings in light of public safety concerns and as police have warned they will not permit unlawful protests.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a five-month high of 166 on Saturday, with rebounds of transmissions in and around the capital city putting pressure on authorities to consider reintroducing stricter social distancing guidelines and other safety measures.
The daily tally marks the second day in a row that infection numbers reached triple digits, with the total caseload in the country hitting 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 155 were local transmissions, with churches being cited as outbreak clusters.
Reflecting the rise in numbers, the government raised the three-tier social distancing scheme in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from Level 1 to Level 2, effective Sunday. The move bans all large-scale indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo warned that health authorities have not been able to track 14 percent of all new cases confirmed to a source and that the country may be close to experiencing another large-scale outbreak.
Sarang Jeil Church, led by conservative pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, and the Freedom Union have gone ahead with a rally to blast the government and the ruling Democratic Party near Gyeongbok Palace.
Health authorities have said that over 130 people who go to the church in Seoul have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.
Anti-government demonstrators pack Gwanghwamun Square and Sejong boulevard in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. Protestors attacked the policies of the incumbent government and ruling party, with the gathering being organized by Sarang Jeil Church and the conservative Freedom Union. (Yonhap)
Police said that while organizers initially said some 2,000 will take part in the gathering, a large number of people have actually converged in the central district of the capital city, as the church and the Freedom Union have urged followers on YouTube to join the protest. The church and the group have consistently blasted many of the incumbent administration's policies.
Organizers have asked for permission to hold their demonstration up till 7 p.m., which includes the use of three car lanes in the downtown region so people can carry out a march.
Police said there is the possibility that Jun's followers may even carry out an overnight vigil.
Besides churchgoers, a protest organized by former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who leads the April 15 Rigged Election association, is being held near Euljiro 3 Station, and it will be followed by a march toward Gwanghwamun. This group initially reported that 4,000 will take part in the gathering that calls for a thorough probe into "irregularities" surrounding the last general election, which some conservatives claim was rigged.
Other than conservative groups, the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a separate protest near Anguk Station and Bosingak. The progressive union reported there would be 2,000 people at the rally, stressing that everyone would take extra precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The union demands a stop to U.S. interference in inter-Korean affairs and closer ties with Pyongyang.
Police said they are taking all appropriate measures to safely control rallies that have not been approved by the court while keeping close tabs on those that have gotten permission.
The April 15 Rigged Election group can lawfully carry out its rally, while the Freedom Union and the umbrella union have not been given permission.
"Strict safety guidelines need to be maintained for authorized gatherings, while more stringent measures can be taken for rallies that have not been approved," a law enforcement official said.
He said if people do not follow orders, they will be disbanded, and those breaking the law will be arrested on site.
Protestors with anti-government signs hold a protest at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Moon congratulates, supports UAE-Israel normalization ties

Under the arrangement , Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of the West Bank over which it has been in @ @ @ @ @ .
The deal also makes the UAE the third Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties @ @ @ @ @ and Jordan .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday congratulated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel on reaching an agreement to normalize their diplomatic relations.
In congratulatory telegrams sent to UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Moon stated that South Korea fully supports the move.
Moon added that he hopes the agreement will serve as an opportunity for stability and peace in the Middle East.
Israel and the UAE agreed Thursday to establish their diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by the United States.
Under the arrangement, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of the West Bank over which it has been in a decades-old conflict with Palestine. The deal also makes the UAE the third Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan.
This file photo shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--S. Korea, U.S. to stage joint summertime exercise behind schedule amid coronavirus: sources

The two countries decided to go ahead with the summertime exercise but in an adjusted manner , as American troops @ @ @ @ @ not able to come to South Korea due to the new coronavirus , according to @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States plan to kick off their annual summertime combined exercise in a scaled-back manner next week, days behind schedule amid a recent surge in new coronavirus cases, sources said Saturday.
The computer-simulated command post exercise was initially set to begin Sunday and to run until Aug. 28, but the date of the commencement will be pushed back two days, the sources said, adding that it is to end on the planned date.
The adjustment came as a South Korean Army officer who was supposed to take part in the exercise tested positive for the coronavirus Friday after meeting with a civilian patient last week.
Some 160 military members were found to have had close contact with the official and are undergoing virus tests, according to defense ministry officials.
South Korea reported 166 new COVID-19 patients Saturday, which is a five-month high, mostly in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
"We are closely monitoring the virus situation and other circumstances and maintain close consultation to conduct the exercise while prioritizing the safety of service members," a military officer said.
This file photo, taken Feb. 27, 2020, shows the U.S. Forces Korea's Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)
Whether and how to conduct the regular exercise have been a focus of attention, as the springtime exercise was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic.
The two countries decided to go ahead with the summertime exercise but in an adjusted manner, as American troops necessary for the program were not able to come to South Korea due to the new coronavirus, according to the officials.
In the run-up to the exercise, the two sides held a four-day crisis management staff training this week.
The upcoming exercise is meant to maintain their joint readiness posture and to check if Seoul is on course to meet the conditions to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from Washington, according to the officials.
The two sides are expected to carry out a Full Operational Capability (FOC) test during the exercise, though a full assessment of the capability would not be possible. Last year, the two sides conducted an initial operational capability (IOC) test, and their defense ministers decided to move on to the FOC test.
Following the FOC test, the two sides will carry out a Full Mission Capability (FMC) test, the officials said.
A makeshift coronavirus test center is set up in front of a town hall in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 15, 2020, after more than 30 locals were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 following a gathering among the townspeople. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(4th LD) New virus cases reach 5-month high, guidelines toughened for Seoul, Gyeonggi area

The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases @ @ @ @ @ social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details at bottom; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Saturday placed stricter social distancing guidelines on the greater Seoul area after daily new COVID-19 cases in the country reached a five-month high of 166, as transmissions in and around the capital continue to spread at an alarming rate.
The decision to raise the social distancing plan in Seoul and the Gyeonggi region up one notch to "level 2" was reached at a pan-governmental COVID-19 meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.
The move comes as the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported that new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039.
The number of new cases was the most since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections during the height of a mass outbreak in Daegu and a cluster originating from a call center building in Seoul.
Of the new cases, 155 were local transmissions. The number of daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day.
Public officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. (Yonhap)
In June, the country adopted a three-tier social distancing scheme that adjusts the intensity of virus prevention guidelines depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The country as a whole has been on "Level 1" social distancing since May 6, which allows citizens to carry out their economic and social activities under quarantine rules.
However, due to a resurgence of virus cases in recent days, there have been growing calls that the country should raise its social distancing level.
The number of new cases has shown a dramatic increase during the week, with new daily confirmed cases nearly doubling from 28 on Monday to 54 reported on Wednesday, with people testing positive for the virus reaching triple digits Friday.
The KCDC has warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases and that the easing of social distancing guidance may be rolled back if the upward trend continues.
Of the new locally transmitted cases, 72 were reported in Seoul and 67 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
Sporadic cluster infections have shown no signs of a let-up, with most cases traced to churches in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
A makeshift new coronavirus testing center is set up in front of a town hall in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 15, 2020, after 31 locals were confirmed with COVID-19 after attending a gathering among the townspeople. (Yonhap)
Infections tied to the Woori Jeil Church in Yongin, south of Seoul, has reached 105, while cases linked to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul have amounted to 59. Local authorities have ordered the churches' congregations to receive COVID-19 tests.
It was also reported that 31 residents in a small town in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, were also infected with COVID-19 after attending a gathering among townspeople.
The local governments have been on high alert, placing restrictions on gatherings and activities at religious facilities to contain the further spread of the virus.
The newly announced Level 2 social distancing guidelines for Seoul and the Gyeonggi region will take effect at midnight and continue for two weeks.
Under stricter guidelines, all public facilities, including welfare centers, libraries, galleries and museums, are to be closed, while indoor meetings and outdoor meetings of more than 50 and 100 people, respectively, are banned.
Schools are required to teach students using both remote learning and in-person classes with sporting events to revert back to crowdless matches.
High-risk commercial facilities, such as bars, karaoke businesses, indoor gyms, concert halls, logistics centers, "hagwons," or cram schools, with more than 300 people and buffet restaurants are also subject to closures. The government also added PC cafes into the high-risk commercial group effective Wednesday.
Regular cafes and restaurants will be allowed to open, but customers will have to put their masks on when not eating and business owners will be required to digitally record the identities of visitors by using QR codes.
Companies, both public and private, must also allow flexible working options, such as remote working, to reduce the density of people at workplaces.
Students line up to take coronavirus tests at a screening center in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 13, 2020, after a middle school student in the city tested positive for COVID-19. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--USFK raises anti-coronavirus warning level in greater Seoul areas after surge in new cases

Under the revised rules , travel to and within the area is limited to its residents or those conducting official @ @ @ @ @ notice .
Travel will only be allowed after approval by the related authorities .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Saturday it has raised the current health protection level against the new coronavirus in Seoul and the surrounding areas to restrict its people's travels and other off-base activities in the wake of a recent surge in fresh cases.
Effective at 6 p.m. Saturday, the USFK heightened the Health Protection Condition Level (HPCON) by one notch to Charlie, or HPCON C, for Area II (+) that encompasses Seoul, the western city of Incheon, and eight districts of Gyeonggi Province until further notice, according to USFK.
Under the revised rules, travel to and within the area is limited to its residents or those conducting official and necessary duties until further notice. Travel will only be allowed after approval by the related authorities.
Other regions will maintain the HPCON B, or Bravo, which allows service members to dine at restaurants, shop offline and conduct outdoor activities as long as they adhere to basic anti-virus guidelines, according to the U.S. military.
The stricter measure came after South Korea's new COVID-19 cases reached a five-month high of 166 Saturday. The spike prompted the country to place stricter social distancing guidelines on Seoul and the metropolitan areas, which bans indoor meetings and outdoor meetings of more than 50 and 100 people, respectively, and shuts down all public facilities, including welfare centers, libraries, art galleries and museums.
"While the USFK community has done a remarkable job keeping COVID-19 out of our formations, installations and communities, we must continue to remain aware of our surroundings and not let down our guard," USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams said, according to the release.
"We must remain disciplined, vigilant and adhere to our core health protection measures that have enabled us to achieve our current level of success."
Public officials disinfect a church in Seoul's Seongbuk Ward on Aug. 14, 2020, following the detection of a cluster of new coronavirus infections at the church. The number of daily local virus cases in South Korea reached 103 the same day, jumping to an over four-month high as sporadic clusters in the greater Seoul area piled up. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(LEAD) Heavy rain advisory lifted for some parts of Gyeonggi, Incheon regions

The Korea Meteorological Administration ( KMA ) said as of 12:30 p.m. it has canceled previously issued warnings for 24 @ @ @ @ @ city of Suwon , as the amount of rain has decreased markedly .
It said @ @ @ @ @ for the port city of Incheon , west of Seoul , as well as Gangwha @ @ @ @ @ Ongjin County .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES lifting of heavy rain advisory throughout; ADDS heat wave alert in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- A heavy rain advisory has been lifted for some parts of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon amid a decrease in precipitation, South Korea's weather service said Saturday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said as of 12:30 p.m. it has canceled previously issued warnings for 24 regions in Gyeonggi and the city of Suwon, as the amount of rain has decreased markedly. It said similar action has been taken for the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, as well as Gangwha Island and small islands of Ongjin County.
The agency, however, said weather advisories are in place in some regions in Gyeonggi, such as Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, and the cities of Incheon and Yeoju to the east of the capital.
The KMA also said the heavy rain alert for all of Seoul has been lifted, even though some neighborhoods received over 60 millimeters of rain earlier Saturday.
In Gangwon, advisories have been removed in some regions although strong winds and torrential rains are expected in the mountainous areas, with warnings still in place for Hoengseong, Pyeongchang and Wonju, it said.
The state weather forecaster and local authorities said that although rainfall is falling off, people need to be on guard for landslides, particularly in places such as Chungcheong Province that has reported upward of 250 billion won (US$210 million) in rain-related damage so far.
It urged people to watch out for sudden flooding and damages to crops and farmlands, as rain is expected to continue falling at least until Sunday.
Besides the rain, the weather service said it has placed all parts of the country outside of Seoul, Gyeonggi and the western parts of Gangwon, on a special heat wave watch, as temperatures have risen to as high as 35 C.
The ongoing monsoon rains, the longest in recent memory, are expected to dissipate this coming Sunday.
"Parts of North Gyeongsang Province and Jeju can expect temperatures as high as 35 C over the weekend, with other places likely to experience mercury levels rising to around 33 C," the KMA said.
This undated file photo shows a heavily overcast neighborhood in Seoul. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--(LEAD) Virus guidelines tightened in Seoul, Gyeonggi amid local transmission rebound

Private businesses designated as high-risk facilities , such as bars , karaoke businesses , indoor gyms , concert halls , @ @ @ @ @ , '' or cram schools , with more than 300 people , and buffet restaurants @ @ @ @ @ operate but only under strict quarantine measures .
Regular cafes and restaurants will be allowed @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details at bottom; REPLACES photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Saturday placed stricter social distancing guidelines on the greater Seoul area after daily new COVID-19 cases in the country reached a five-month high of 166, as the highly infectious disease is spreading at an alarming rate.
The decision to raise the social distancing plan in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi region up one notch to Level 2 was reached at a pan-governmental COVID-19 meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.
The move comes after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported that new daily coronavirus cases reached 166 as of midnight Friday, raising the total caseload to 15,039.
The number of new cases is the highest tallied since March 11, when the country reported 242 new daily infections during the height of a mass outbreak in Daegu and a cluster originating from a call center building in Seoul.
Of the new cases, 155 were of local transmissions. The number of daily infections reached triple digits for the second straight day.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, to discuss measures to contain the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
"We are in a dangerous situation where if we cannot overcome this crisis, we might revert to a mass epidemic situation similar to what other countries around the world are facing," Chung said.
The heightened guidelines for Seoul and Gyeonggi Province will take effect Sunday and continue for two weeks.
Under Level 2 social distancing guidelines, public facilities, including libraries, galleries and museums, will be maintained at 50 percent capacity in terms of allowed visitors. Welfare and child care centers will be advised to suspend operations.
Large gatherings, such as local festivals or trade fairs, with estimated attendees of more than 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors will either be banned or postponed.
Schools are required to have both remote learning and in-person classes, and sporting events are to revert back to crowdless matches.
Private businesses designated as high-risk facilities, such as bars, karaoke businesses, indoor gyms, concert halls, logistics centers, "hagwon," or cram schools, with more than 300 people, and buffet restaurants, will be allowed to operate but only under strict quarantine measures. Regular cafes and restaurants will be allowed to operate as well.
Internet cafes and buffets at wedding venues will also be included in the high-risk group starting Wednesday. High-risk businesses could face closure if the virus situation does not show signs of improvement within the next two weeks.
Companies, both public and private, must also allow flexible working options, such as remote working, to reduce the density of people at workplaces.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


Today in Korea history

1966 -- South Korea ratifies the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war .
The agreement was initiated @ @ @ @ @ Conference for the Establishment of International Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War , @ @ @ @ @ .

Aug. 16
1914 -- A railroad linking Seoul to Wonsan is opened.
1949 -- South Korea joins the World Health Organization.
1966 -- South Korea ratifies the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war. The agreement was initiated in 1949 by the Diplomatic Conference for the Establishment of International Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War, held in the Swiss city.
1980 -- President Choi Kyu-hah steps down, taking responsibility for nationwide student demonstrations and a bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju.
1982 -- President Chun Doo-hwan embarks on a tour of four African countries.
1984 -- Choi Eun-hee, believed to be South Korea's first female journalist, dies.
1992 -- An art troupe from MBC television participates in a Sakhalin festival with a North Korean troupe to wish for the unification of the peninsula.
1999 -- Creditors of Daewoo Group sign a pact with the ailing conglomerate that virtually dissolves the company.
2004 -- Judo player Lee Won-hee wins South Korea's first gold medal of the Athens Olympics.
2008 -- Jang Mi-ran shatters three world records in a row to win gold in the women's over-75-kilogram weightlifting competition of the Beijing Olympics.
2009 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il meets with the visiting chairwoman of South Korea's Hyundai Group.
2014 -- Pope Francis beatifies 124 Korean martyrs during his visit to Korea. Paul Yun Ji-chung and his 123 companions were among the first-generation Korean Catholics killed for their faith in the 18th and 19th centuries by Korean rulers who feared the rapid spread of Catholicism would undermine the nation's Confucianism-based ruling ideology.
(END)


yna--2020-08-15--Liberation Day demonstrations take place amid sharp upturn in COVID-19 infections

Besides churchgoers , a protest organized by former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook , who leads the April 15 Rigged Election association @ @ @ @ @ near Euljiro 3 Station that will be follow by a march toward Gwanghwamun .
This @ @ @ @ @ take part in the gathering that will call for a thorough probe into `` irregularities @ @ @ @ @ election , which some conservatives claim was seriously rigged .

SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- Liberation Day demonstrations are taking place in Seoul throughout Saturday despite new COVID-19 cases in the country reaching a five-month high of 166, with authorities reinstating stricter social distancing guidelines as the highly infectious disease is spreading at an alarming rate.
The demonstrations come as a Seoul court mostly upheld local government's injunctions to ban large gatherings in light of public safety concerns and as police have warned they will not permit unlawful protests.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a five-month high of 166 on Saturday, with strong rebounds of transmissions in and around the capital city that is putting pressure on authorities to consider reintroducing stricter social distancing guidelines and other safety measures.
The daily tally marks the second day in a row that infection numbers reached triple digits with the total caseload in the country so far hitting 15,039, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 155 were local transmissions with churches being cited as outbreak clusters.
Reflecting the rise in numbers, the government raised the three-tier social distancing scheme in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from Level 1 to Level 2, effective Sunday. This move bans all large scale indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Sarang Jeil Church, led by conservative pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, and the Freedom Union has gone ahead with a rally to blast the government and the ruling Democratic Party near Gyeongbok Palace.
Health authorities have said that 30 people who go to the church in Seoul have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.
Police cordon off an area in Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on Aug. 15, 2020, as a number of groups move to hold protest rallies amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in the capital city. (Yonhap)
Police said that while organizers have said some 2,000 will take part in the gathering, the church and the Freedom Union have urged followers on YouTube to join the protest, which could result in much larger numbers. The church and the group have consistently blasted the incumbent administration's many policies.
Organizers have asked for permission to hold their demonstration up till 7 p.m., which includes the use of three car lanes in the downtown region so people can carry out a march.
Police said there is a risk that Jun's followers may even carry out an overnight vigil.
Besides churchgoers, a protest organized by former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who leads the April 15 Rigged Election association, is holding a rally near Euljiro 3 Station that will be follow by a march toward Gwanghwamun. This group reported that 4,000 will take part in the gathering that will call for a thorough probe into "irregularities" surrounding the last general election, which some conservatives claim was seriously rigged.
Besides conservative groups, the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said it will go through with its protect set for 3 p.m. near Anguk Station. The progressive union said around 2,000 people will be present at the gathering that will demand more rights for workers.
Police said that it will take all appropriate measures to stop rallies that have not been approved by the court, while keeping close tabs on those that have gotten permission.
The April 15 Rigged Election group can lawfully carry out its rally, while the Freedom Union and the umbrella union have not been given permission.
"Strict safety guidelines need to be maintained for authorities gathering while people trying to attend unauthorized demonstrations will be given a warning in advance to go home," a law enforcement official said.
He said if people do not follow orders, they will be disbanded, while those breaking the law will be arrested on site.
A sign informing of a ban on demonstrations in Seoul on Liberation Day to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is hung up in the capital on Aug. 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)