yna--2020-03-13--(3rd LD) Virus cases continue to increase in Seoul, but growth slows

But he also warned that figures may go up when factoring in unregistered visitors at the building .
The city @ @ @ @ @ a list of people who entered the building after Feb. 21 based on GPS tracking @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 14-15; UPDATES with minor edits throughout)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- New cases of the new coronavirus reported in Seoul on Friday slowed from earlier in the week, but officials said it is yet too early to lower their guard against the contagious virus.
"We seem to have extinguished the big fire, but we cannot lower our guard. ... There is a possibility that (the call center infection) may emit sparks to other areas," Park said in a press briefing streamed on YouTube.
South Korea reported 110 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total to 7,979, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
In Seoul, where a group transmission at an insurance call center had spawned concerns, 13 more cases were reported, raising the total to 225 as of Thursday midnight, according to the KCDC data.
This photo, taken March 11, 2020, shows the Korea Building in southwestern Seoul, where group infections occurred among workers at a call center on the 11th floor. (Yonhap)
The increase marks a sharp slowdown from Wednesday, when 52 cases were reported following the call center infections. It is also smaller than the 19 new cases reported Thursday.
The call center case, which centers on a 19-story building in the southwestern ward of Guro, is so far the biggest cluster infection reported in South Korea's capital of 10 million, or 25 million when including Incheon and Gyeonggi Province in the wider metropolitan area.
The building's neighborhood is one of the busiest transportation hubs in southwestern Seoul -- subway lines No. 1 and 2, which connect to nearby Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, pass through the area.
The call center is located on the 11th floor of the building. The lower 12 floors are leased out as offices and commercial facilities, including a wedding hall, and the top seven floors are residential.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon speaks at an online press briefing held at the local health office in Guro Ward in southwestern Seoul on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon told reporters that most of the 1,091 workers, residents and their contacts in the affected building had been tested as of 10 a.m.
Of those who have been screened, 109 have tested positive, including 74 in Seoul, 17 in Incheon, west of Seoul, and 18 in Gyeonggi Province, according to the KDCD.
The cases have mostly been contained within the 11th floor of the building, and their family members, while no cases have been reported among residents who live on the 13th to 19th floor, Park said.
But he also warned that figures may go up when factoring in unregistered visitors at the building. The city is currently trying to secure a list of people who entered the building after Feb. 21 based on GPS tracking provided by mobile operators.
Health authorities have been on alert for additional group transmissions, with some 80 percent of all reported cases here beign traced to cluster infections in hospitals, religious facilities and even Zumba classes.
While the pace of daily new infections has shown signs of slowing following an aggressive testing program for more than 210,000 Shincheoji followers, who have been at the center of the outbreak here, sporadic outbreaks have been spotted across the country.
In Seoul, 14 cases were linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in the northwestern Eunpyeong Ward, while another 13 cases were traced to an apartment complex in Seongdong Ward in the east of the city. Nine cases were recently reported in relation to a Protestant church in Dongdaemun Ward that held a winter camp in late February.
Closed, indoor spaces, such as call centers, internet cafes and private-sector cram schools, have emerged as spaces carrying a greater risk of infection for users, with the government stressing social distancing and recommending owners suspend their businesses.
Health officials disinfect an internet cafe in Seongdong Ward in eastern Seoul on March 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--S. Korea adopts telemedicine to battle coronavirus outbreak

`` There will be huge repercussions if something goes wrong with even one out of 100 patients after the approval @ @ @ @ @ Jong-hyuk , a KMA spokesperson , said .
`` Moreover , the current system is @ @ @ @ @ . ''

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Seoul National University Hospital has begun to provide a telemedicine service to coronavirus patients near the epicenter South Korea's virus outbreak.
A team of four doctors and 13 nurses at the general hospital in Seoul can monitor the status of COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms through video calls.
The team can also diagnose and write prescriptions for the patients quarantined at a state-run treatment center located in Mungyeong, a city about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
This photo, provided by Seoul National University Hospital on March 12, 2020, shows a team of doctors and nurses monitoring new coronavirus patients with mild symptoms through telemedicine. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Telemedicine is designed to provide health care to people who live in hard-to-reach areas such as remote islands by connecting patients to doctors over the internet.
In principle, telemedicine is banned in South Korea. However, the government has in recent years allowed limited telemedicine on a trial basis despite fierce opposition from doctors who question the safety of the service.
The situation has changed due to the rapid spread of the new coronavirus in South Korea. COVID-19 has killed 67 people in South Korea, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, and infected nearly 8,000 others.
The government opened state-run isolation facilities in the hardest-hit region to quarantine and monitor COVID-19 patients who have shown mild symptoms after criticism that people with severe symptoms were not being properly treated due to the lack of hospital beds.
The government has so far opened 16 community centers that can admit up to 3,800 patients in the southeastern city of Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province.
"We are able to perform perfect telemedicine in the disaster areas of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province where the number of COVID-19 patients has spiked," said Kim Yeon-soo, director at the Seoul National University Hospital.
Kim noted that virtual visits by doctors and nurses are a new way of safely treating patients and of containing the illness' spread in hospitals and clinics.
The center is equipped with medical staff but local health authorities have decided to deploy minimal personnel to limit person-to-person contact as much as possible.
Nurses hold video calls with patients through smartphones twice a day and doctors talk to patients every other day, the hospital said.
Still, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents over 105,000 physicians across the country, has continued its opposition, citing safety concerns and other potential problems.
"There will be huge repercussions if something goes wrong with even one out of 100 patients after the approval of telemedicine," Park Jong-hyuk, a KMA spokesperson, said. "Moreover, the current system is only capable of monitoring patients."
Medical staff at a community treatment center in Mungyeong, 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, monitor COVID-19 patients quarantined at the facility on March 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--S. Korea, China hold video conference on fight against new coronavirus

Kang also called for close cooperation in the supply of filtering masks and said that close people-to-people and economic exchanges @ @ @ @ @ continue despite the outbreaks .

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China on Friday held a working-level video conference on joint efforts to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, including ensuring the stable supply of face masks and other quarantine items, the foreign ministry said.
Kang Sang-wook, the ministry's director-general for Northeast Asian affairs, and his Chinese counterpart Wu Jianghao led the conference, which also involved the two countries' health and other related officials.
Kang said that South Korea has been carrying out a quarantine program based on "openness, transparency and democratic procedures," while stressing that through close international cooperation, the world can overcome the COVID-19 outbreaks.
Kang also called for close cooperation in the supply of filtering masks and said that close people-to-people and economic exchanges between the two countries should continue despite the outbreaks.
The Chinese side pledged to continue communication and cooperation with South Korea in coping with the pandemic, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has decided to send 1 million face masks to South Korea in addition to its earlier provision of 1.1 million face masks and 10,000 items of protective clothing, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul said.
As of Friday morning, South Korea reported 7,979 cases with 67 deaths. As of Thursday, China clocked 80,813 cases with 3,176 fatalities.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--Foreign diplomats visit Incheon airport to observe S. Korea's quarantine procedures

The visit to the main gateway to Seoul was organized to provide foreign countries with a deeper understanding of how @ @ @ @ @ the novel virus is working , after more than 120 countries took steps to restrict @ @ @ @ @ Korea over coronavirus fears .

By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Foreign diplomats visited Incheon International Airport on Friday to get a first-hand look at South Korea's quarantine procedures aimed at containing the spread of the new coronavirus, the foreign ministry said.
The visit to the main gateway to Seoul was organized to provide foreign countries with a deeper understanding of how Seoul's quarantine process against the novel virus is working, after more than 120 countries took steps to restrict the entry of travelers from Korea over coronavirus fears.
South Korea has been hit hard by the outbreak of COVID-19, which originated in China's Wuhan city, with its infection caseload nearing 8,000 and the death toll at 67.
Foreign diplomats representing 47 countries, including 15 ambassadors, gathered in Terminal 1 and were briefed by Koo Bon-hwan, president of the Incheon International Airport Corp., on how the quarantine procedures are carried out.
They were then guided to take part in and observe the health screening, such as temperature checks and filling out a health questionnaire, the ministry said in a release.
South Korea has adopted such "special entry procedures" for passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Italy and Iran, as well as five other European countries that were added this week following the rapid spread of the virus in the region.
The briefing was held twice due to higher-than-expected demand from foreign diplomats, an official said.
Seoul has been asking foreign countries to refrain from taking what it calls "excessive" travel restrictions against Koreans, citing the thorough quarantine systems in place to control the movement of the virus and its all-out efforts to stop community spread in the country.
U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris visited the airport on Wednesday to inspect fever checks on passengers heading to the United States. He lauded the process as an "exemplar around the world."
In this photo, provided by the Incheon International Airport Corp., an official from a foreign diplomats' group gets his temperature checked at a quarantine checkpoint in the airport, west of Seoul, on March 13, 2020, as they gathered to observe the quarantine procedures and receive a briefing on how they work. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(LEAD) S. Korea temporarily bans stock short selling for 6 months

The FSC earlier decided to only tighten regulations on short selling , allowing easier and quicker designation of shares subject @ @ @ @ @ short selling while also extending the duration of temporary bans to two weeks from the @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECAST headline; UPDATES with remarks from FSC chief, more details, additional information, minor edits in paras 3-4, 8-16)
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday announced a temporary ban on stock short selling for six months amid a market rout triggered by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Financial Services Commission (FSC) said the six-month ban will affect all listed firms, starting from Monday.
FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo said the duration of the ban may be extended, or even shortened, depending on future conditions.
"The ban on short selling may be lifted (before six months) when and if the market becomes stabilized," the FSC chief said in a press briefing.
As part of such efforts, the government will temporarily raise the ceiling on local firms repurchasing their own shares, the FSC head said.
The move follows similar steps taken earlier in other major markets hit by the spread of COVID-19, including Italy and Spain.
The temporary ban marks the third of its kind in South Korea. The country last prohibited short selling in 2011.
An electronic signboard at Hana Bank in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunging 3.43 percent to close at 1,771.44 points on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The FSC earlier decided to only tighten regulations on short selling, allowing easier and quicker designation of shares subject to a temporary ban on short selling while also extending the duration of temporary bans to two weeks from the previous one day.
Stock markets crashed around the globe as the World Health Organization declared the ongoing spread of COVID-19 a pandemic.
The U.S. stock market and others suffered a headlong fall amid growing concerns over the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus.
South Korea's benchmark stock index, the KOSPI, dipped to a near five-year low Thursday after tumbling 3.87 percent.
On Thursday, stock short selling reached a yearly high of 1.09 trillion won (US$893 million).
The KOSPI again closed sharply lower Friday at 1,771.44, down 3.4 percent from the previous session's close, but recovered from a more than 8 percent plunge earlier in the day.
President Moon Jae-in earlier called for "unprecedented measures" to overcome what he called unprecedented difficulties caused by COVID-19 in a meeting with economy-related ministers and officials, including the FSC chief and Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol.
The BOK earlier said it will take "active steps" to help stabilize the local stock market and foreign exchange market.
It has also hinted at an emergency rate cut, saying its monetary policy board members were discussing holding an emergency meeting, apparently to discuss such a step.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(6th LD) Seoul stocks in freefall to almost 8-year low on virus angst, but earlier losses trimmed on

(6th LD) Seoul stocks in freefall to almost 8-year low on virus angst, but earlier losses trimmed on policy hope

`` We are planning to actively use policy measures to stabilize the financial market as the volatility in the local @ @ @ @ @ is expanding due to the impact from the spread of COVID-19 , '' the BOK @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: RECAST headline, first 3 paras with updated info; ADDS short selling in 14th para, in 23rd para, bond yields at bottom)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares suffered a headlong fall Friday, in sync with global peers over the growing fallout from the new coronavirus, but recouped some of the earlier losses to close 3.4 percent down on impending market and economy-supporting measures.
The Korean won finished at a six-month low against the U.S. dollar, after dipping to a 4-year low to the greenback earlier in the day.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) Index surrendered 62.89 points, or 3.43 percent, to close at 1,771.44. The KOSPI plummeted by slightly over 8 percent to an intraday low of 1,680.60 points.
This photo taken on March 13, 2020 shows the dealing room of KEB Hana Bank in Euljiro, central Seoul. (Yonhap)
After the opening bell, the local stock market recorded a nosedive, prompting a brief trading halt on the main KOSPI and the secondary Kosdaq market.
The tech-heavy Kosdaq market also erased earlier losses, ending 7 percent lower at 524.00 points after falling by almost 13 percent.
Trading volume on the main bourse was heavy at 1.02 billion shares worth 13.11 trillion won (US$10.76 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 867 to 30.
On Thursday (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average, hit by growing uncertainties stemming from the spread of COVID-19, lost around 10 percent to hit 21,200.62 points in its worst daily plunge since 1987. The tech-heavy NASDAQ plummeted 9.4 percent to 7,201.80.
Analysts said the index's erasure of earlier losses was helped by positive news from the United States on the planned stimulus package to cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 outbreak and South Korea's financial authorities' pledge to stabilize the volatile markets.
On Thursday (local time), U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers and the White House had neared an agreement on a stimulus package and hope to make an announcement on Friday.
"The comment definitely gave a boost to investor sentiment in global equity markets," Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said over the phone.
In response to three consecutive sessions of free-fall, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol agreed to implement policies to weather the current market volatility as well as support the virus-hit economy.
The central bank said earlier in the day that it also mulls an option to hold a meeting for a potential rate cut. The Ministry of Economy and Finance warned that it would intervene into the currency market to stem fluctuations.
"We are planning to actively use policy measures to stabilize the financial market as the volatility in the local financial and foreign exchange markets is expanding due to the impact from the spread of COVID-19," the BOK said after an emergency meeting.
This photo taken on March 13, 2020 shows Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (L) and Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol (C) and other economy-related ministers in talks after an emergency meeting at the presidential office of Cheng Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)
On Friday afternoon, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced a six-month ban on short selling for all listed stocks starting Monday. The FSC said the duration of the ban can be extended depending on market conditions.
Foreigners continued to sell stocks after dumping 4.6 trillion won worth of stocks in the past six sessions. They sold a net 1.24 trillion won worth of stocks Friday alone, while institutions and individuals purchased stocks valued at 1.11 trillion won.
The KOSPI plunge came as investors assessed that the U.S. ban on travel from Europe and the planned coronavirus stimulus package won't be enough to counter the virus' impact on the economy.
In an address to the nation Wednesday (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump made a shock announcement on banning travel from Europe, except for Britain, for 30 days, while not providing a detailed U.S. economic rescue package.
Further weighing on investor sentiment is the World Health Organization's declaration of the coronavirus as a pandemic.
The main index already plunged 6.6 percent in the past two sessions amid concerns that the spread of the coronavirus may end up in a much-dreaded recession.
"Investors will remain cautious until the U.S. comes up with concrete relief measures to counter the virus' economic impact," Noh said.
Most large-cap stocks declined.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 1.7 percent to 49,650 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. declined 0.4 percent to 82,500 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. shed 8.2 percent to 87,200 won, and leading steelmaker POSCO shed 3.9 percent at 171,000 won.
Among decliners, state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. fell 4.9 percent to 19,550 won, national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. shed 5.1 percent to hit 20,600 won, and leading refiner SK Innovation Co. was down 6.4 percent at 86,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,219.30 won against the U.S. dollar, down 12.80 won from the previous session's close.
"The pace of the won's plunge against the greenback slowed down as global risk-off sentiment eased and on the financial authorities' intention to intervene into the markets," Samsung Futures strategist Jeon Seung-ji said.
The local debt market also suffered a loss. Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, ended lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys jumped 8.7 basis points to 1.149 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond climbed 12.7 basis point to 1.314 percent.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- South Korea saw another decline in its daily new infections Friday , as massive testings in the southeastern @ @ @ @ @ epicenter of the new coronavirus here , were nearing an end , but health authorities @ @ @ @ @ contain cluster infections across the nation .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
-----------------
(5th LD) S. Korea's new infections further slow amid woes over cluster outbreak, imported cases
SEOUL -- South Korea saw another decline in its daily new infections Friday, as massive testings in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the new coronavirus here, were nearing an end, but health authorities were ramping up measures to contain cluster infections across the nation.
The 110 new cases of the coronavirus, which were detected Thursday and marked the lowest number of daily infections in more than two weeks, brought the nation's total infections to 7,979.
----------------
(5th LD) Seoul stocks in freefall to almost 8-year low, but trim earlier losses on policy hope
SEOUL -- South Korean shares suffered a headlong fall Friday, plunging by more than 8 percent at one point but recouping some of the earlier losses to close 3.4 percent down, as financial authorities vowed to support a market jolted by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Korean won finished at a six-month low against the U.S. dollar, after dipping to a 4-year low to the greenback earlier in the day.
----------------
S. Korea temporarily bans stock short selling
SEOUL -- South Korea on Friday announced a temporary ban on stock short selling for six months amid a market rout triggered by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Financial Services Commission said the six-month ban will affect all listed firms, starting from Monday.
----------------
(2nd LD) 126 countries, territories restricting entry from coronavirus-hit S. Korea
SEOUL -- A total of 126 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Friday, up by three from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., 51 countries and territories were barring the entry of travelers who have been in Korea at least in the past two weeks, joined by Honduras, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Sudan.
----------------
(2nd LD) Moon urges 'unprecedented' special steps for pandemic-hit economy
SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in called Friday for "unprecedented" policy measures to counter the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, speaking at a rare Cheong Wa Dae meeting with the country's finance minister and central bank chief.
Moon received an emergency briefing on the real economy and the financial market jolted by growing worries about the global spread of COVID-19.
-----------------
(2nd LD) Virus cases continue to increase in Seoul, but growth slows
SEOUL -- New cases of the new coronavirus reported in Seoul on Friday slowed from earlier in the week, but officials said it is yet too early to "lower guard" against the contagious virus.
"We seem to have extinguished the big fire, but we cannot lower our guard. ... There is a possibility that (the call center infection) may emit sparks to other areas," Park said in a press briefing streamed on YouTube.
-----------------
(2nd LD) 7 more coronavirus cases reported at Sejong gov't complex
SEOUL -- South Korea added seven more new coronavirus cases from the oceans ministry in the administrative capital of Sejong on Friday, bringing the number of patients among public servants in the city to 30.
The total number of COVID-19 patients from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries jumped to 25, after adding 13 new cases a day earlier. Two family members of the infected staff were also confirmed with the virus.
----------------
S. Korea, U.S. to hold defense cost-sharing talks in L.A. next week
SEOUL -- South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of defense cost-sharing talks in Los Angeles next week, the foreign ministry said Friday, amid growing concerns over potential furloughs for Korean employees in the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
Seoul's top negotiator Jeong Eun-bo and his U.S. counterpart, James DeHart, will lead the negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday as some 9,000 Korean workers are facing unpaid leave, which would begin on April 1 absent a new cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA).
-----------------
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--French national tests positive for coronavirus in S. Korea

The expat , in her twenties , was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient after initially testing negative in an earlier @ @ @ @ @ , according to the ward office of Mapo in western Seoul .

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- A French national living in South Korea's capital has tested positive for the new coronavirus, local government officials said Friday.
The expat, in her twenties, was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient after initially testing negative in an earlier screening test conducted in France, according to the ward office of Mapo in western Seoul.
The patient, who arrived in Seoul via Incheon International Airport on Monday, visited the local health office the following day to be tested.
The health office, however, did not conduct the test as she showed no symptoms and had tested negative in a Feb. 29 screening conducted in France.
The patient detected symptoms starting Wednesday and on Thursday was told that her father in France had tested positive. She immediately visited the health office and tested positive, according to the Mapo Ward.
Terminal No. 1 at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main airport, is mostly empty on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Earlier this week, another expat, a Polish national, also tested positive.
The patient, in his thirties, arrived in Seoul, also via Incheon International Airport, on Tuesday before testing positive on Thursday, according to the Yongsan Ward office.
As part of precautionary measures, the Polish Air aircraft he used returned to Warsaw, Poland, carrying only crew members.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(5th LD) Seoul stocks in freefall to almost 8-year low, but trim earlier losses on policy hope

(ATTN: CHANGES headline and lead; UPDATES figures throughout; ADDS analyst comments in paras 5, 7, 16, 21)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares suffered a headlong fall Friday, plunging by more than 8 percent at one point but recouping some of the earlier losses to close 3.4 percent down, as financial authorities vowed to support a market jolted by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Korean won finished at a six-month low against the U.S. dollar, after dipping to a 4-year low to the greenback earlier in the day.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) Index surrendered 62.89 points, or 3.43 percent, to close at 1,771.44. The KOSPI plummeted to an intraday low of 1,680.60 points.
After the opening bell, the local stock market recorded a nosedive, prompting a brief trading halt on the main KOSPI and the secondary Kosdaq market.
The tech-heavy Kosdaq market also erased earlier losses, ending 7 percent lower at 524.00 points after falling by almost 13 percent.
Trading volume on the main bourse was heavy at 1.02 billion shares worth 13.11 trillion won (US$10.76 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 867 to 30.
On Thursday (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average, hit by growing uncertainties stemming from the spread of COVID-19, lost around 10 percent to hit 21,200.62 points in its worst daily plunge since 1987. The tech-heavy NASDAQ plummeted 9.4 percent to 7,201.80.
Analysts said the index's erasure of earlier losses was helped by positive news from the United States on the planned stimulus package to cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 outbreak and South Korea's financial authorities' pledge to stabilize the volatile markets.
On Thursday (local time), U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers and the White House had neared an agreement on a stimulus package and hope to make an announcement on Friday.
"The comment definitely gave a boost to investor sentiment in global equity markets," Noh Dong-kil, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said over the phone.
In response to three consecutive sessions of free-fall, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol agreed to implement policies to weather the current market volatility as well as support the virus-hit economy.
The central bank said earlier in the day that it also mulls an option to hold a meeting for a potential rate cut. The Ministry of Economy and Finance warned that it would intervene into the currency market to stem fluctuations.
"We are planning to actively use policy measures to stabilize the financial market as the volatility in the local financial and foreign exchange markets is expanding due to the impact from the spread of COVID-19," the BOK said after an emergency meeting.
This photo taken on March 13, 2020 shows Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki (L) and Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol (C) and other economy-related ministers in talks after an emergency meeting at the presidential office of Cheng Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Foreigners continued to sell stocks after dumping 4.6 trillion won worth of stocks in the past six sessions. They sold a net 1.24 trillion won worth of stocks Friday alone, while institutions and individuals purchased stocks valued at 1.11 trillion won.
The KOSPI plunge came as investors assessed that the U.S. ban on travel from Europe and the planned coronavirus stimulus package won't be enough to counter the virus' impact on the economy.
In an address to the nation Wednesday (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump made a shock announcement on banning travel from Europe, except for Britain, for 30 days, while not providing a detailed U.S. economic rescue package.
Further weighing on investor sentiment is the World Health Organization's declaration of the coronavirus as a pandemic.
The main index already plunged 6.6 percent in the past two sessions amid concerns that the spread of the coronavirus may end up in a much-dreaded recession.
"Investors will remain cautious until the U.S. comes up with concrete relief measures to counter the virus' economic impact," Noh said.
Most large-cap stocks declined.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 1.7 percent to 49,650 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. declined 0.4 percent to 82,500 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. shed 8.2 percent to 87,200 won, and leading steelmaker POSCO shed 3.9 percent at 171,000 won.
The local currency closed at 1,219.30 won against the U.S. dollar, down 12.80 won from the previous session's close.
"The pace of the won's plunge against the greenback slowed down as global risk-off sentiment eased and on the financial authorities' intention to intervene into the markets," Samsung Futures strategist Jeon Seung-ji said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--S. Korea temporarily bans stock short selling

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday announced a temporary ban on stock short selling for six months amid a market rout triggered by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Financial Services Commission said the six-month ban will affect all listed firms, starting from Monday.
It added the duration of the ban may also be extended depending on future conditions.
The move follows similar steps taken earlier in other major markets hit by the spread of COVID-19, including Italy and Spain.
The temporary ban marks the third of its kind in South Korea. The country last prohibited short selling in 2011.
An electronic signboard at Hana Bank in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunging 3.43 percent to close at 1,771.44 points on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The FSC earlier decided to only tighten regulations on short selling, allowing easier and quicker designation of shares subject to a temporary ban on short selling while also extending the duration of temporary bans to two weeks from the previous one day.
Stock markets crashed around the globe as the World Health Organization declared the ongoing spread of COVID-19 a pandemic and the U.S. stock market and others suffered a headlong fall amid growing concerns over the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus.
Seoul's benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dipped to a near five-year low Thursday after tumbling 3.87 percent.
It closed 3.43 percent lower again Friday after recovering from more than an 8 percent plunge earlier in the day.
On Thursday, stock short selling reached a yearly high of 1.09 trillion won (US$893 million).
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--S. Korean Bond Yields on Mar. 13, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Mar. 13, 2020

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


yna--2020-03-13--(LEAD) Stock short selling in S. Korea hits yearly high

Stock short selling is a trading technique in which investors sell stocks they borrowed on the belief that share prices @ @ @ @ @ future .
The more stock prices fall , the more profit they get .

(ATTN: ADDS stock data in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Stock short selling in South Korea soared to a yearly high on increased global financial uncertainties, bourse data showed Friday, sparking controversy among individual investors over an "unfair game."
According to the data compiled by bourse operator Korea Exchange (KRX), the daily short selling volume averaged 1.09 trillion won (US$891.8 billion) as of Thursday's closing. The tally replaced the previous record of 1.08 trillion won in only four days.
The rapid growth in short selling is largely attributed to foreign investors, who traded as much as 753.1 billion won, up 78.6 percent from the previous session's close. On the same day, institutional investors' short selling dropped by 41.7 billion won to 323.7 billion won.
An electronic signboard at Hana Bank in Seoul shows the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunging 3.43 percent to close at 1,771.44 points on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Stock short selling is a trading technique in which investors sell stocks they borrowed on the belief that share prices will fall in the near future. The more stock prices fall, the more profit they get.
Short selling soared Thursday as the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) tumbled 2.78 percent to close at 1,834.33.
Short selling has been a source of complaint for individual investors with limited leverage, while being favored by offshore and institutional investors as a convenient investment tool.
Of the entire short selling volume of 103.5 trillion won in 2019, foreign investors took up about 62.8 percent, followed by institutions with 36.1 percent. Individuals accounted for only 1.1 percent.
South Korea's financial regulator announced on Friday that all stock short selling will be banned for six months from Monday in an attempt to stabilize the stock market amid uncertainties over the new coronavirus outbreak.
The move came just two days after the authorities temporarily eased requirements for the designation of certain shares subject to a possible ban on short selling.
On Thursday, the authorities banned short selling of stocks of 95 companies, including Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Kumho Tire Co., until March 26.
Foreigners' massive selling spree since March 5, valued at 5.82 trillion won, also fanned the move. On Friday alone, they offloaded a net 1.24 trillion won worth of local stocks.
Amid the selling binge, the KOSPI sank 3.43 percent to close at 1,771.44 points on Friday, after touching an intraday low of 1,680.60 points.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(2nd LD) 126 countries, territories restricting entry from coronavirus-hit S. Korea

Slovakia now bans the entry of all foreigners , with some exceptions applied to those with residential permits or diplomats @ @ @ @ @ the entry of foreigners from over a dozen virus-hit countries , except for permanent residents @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 11-12)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- A total of 126 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Friday, up by three from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., 51 countries and territories were barring the entry of travelers who have been in Korea at least in the past two weeks, joined by Honduras, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Sudan.
Honduras began to impose an entry ban on foreigners from four virus-affected countries including Korea, toughening the travel curb from conducting thorough health screenings. Foreigners with residential permits and diplomats are not subject to the entry ban but are required to undergo home quarantine.
Slovakia now bans the entry of all foreigners, with some exceptions applied to those with residential permits or diplomats. The Czech Republic bans the entry of foreigners from over a dozen virus-hit countries, except for permanent residents and those with work visas.
Sudan also bars arrivals of travelers from Korea, China, Italy and a few others.
China added one more province -- the northern province of Hebei -- to its list of provinces imposing tougher quarantine procedures, putting the total at 22. Including China, the number of countries and territories enforcing stricter quarantine programs on people from Korea remained unchanged at 18.
Fifty-one countries and territories were conducting stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending isolation for visitors from Korea.
Guyana, a country in South America, and Mali in West Africa were the latest to have jointed this category.
Six countries, including Japan and Indonesia, were barring the entry of travelers from Korea's Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- the two epicenters of the COVID-19 outbreaks.
As of early Friday, 2,355 South Koreans were under quarantine around the world, with 1,902 in China and 386 in Vietnam, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, three South Korean teams deployed to Vietnam last week to help citizens in quarantine returned to Seoul on Friday.
The "rapid response" teams worked in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to provide them with daily necessities and help them be quickly discharged from quarantine. It also helped two Korean tourists in quarantine fly back home.
South Korea reported 7,979 cases of infections on Friday morning, with 67 deaths linked to the virus.
This photo shows an empty check-in area at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(URGENT) Seoul temporarily bans stock short-selling for 6 months amid virus-triggered market rout


yna--2020-03-13--Summary of external news of North Korea this week

The bill directs the Department of State to consult the South Korean government on opportunities for reunions between Korean Americans @ @ @ @ @ members .
It also requires the State Department to periodically report to Congress on the @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.
------------
N.K. plane arrives in Vladivostok to transport foreigners amid border closure: sources
VLADIVOSTOK, March 9 (Yonhap) -- A special flight of North Korea's flag carrier Air Koryo arrived in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok on Monday, carrying about 100 foreigners from Pyongyang, sources said.
The flight, which touched down at Vladivostok International Airport at around 10:50 a.m., is believed to have transported foreigners, including diplomats, stranded after Pyongyang cut off all international transportation links over coronavirus concerns.
In late January, Pyongyang blocked all its airways and land transportation across its borders with China and Russia over coronavirus fears, rendering foreigners, mostly diplomats, unable to leave the country.
------------
U.S. calls on N. Korea to avoid provocations, return to talks
WASHINGTON, March 9 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department called on North Korea Monday to avoid provocations and return to nuclear talks, after Pyongyang fired three short-range projectiles into the sea.
South Korea's military said the launches on Monday appeared to be part of an artillery strike drill, with characteristics similar to the firing of two short-range projectiles a week earlier.
South Korean military officials say these projectiles, fired from rocket launchers, are little different from short-range ballistic missiles, which the North is banned from testing under U.N. Security Council resolutions.
------------
U.S. Houses passes bill to help Korean Americans reunite with N.K. family members
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill aimed at helping Korean Americans reunite with their family members in North Korea.
The Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), passed the House Monday evening by a 391-0 vote.
The bill directs the Department of State to consult the South Korean government on opportunities for reunions between Korean Americans and their North Korean family members. It also requires the State Department to periodically report to Congress on the progress of such consultations.
------------
U.S. calls out N. Korea's 'significant' human rights issues
WASHINGTON, March 11 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department called out North Korea on Wednesday for "significant" human rights issues ranging from arbitrary killings to torture and severe restrictions on religious freedom.
In the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the department described North Korea as an authoritarian state led by the Kim family since 1949, where the authorities maintain "effective control" over the security forces.
A long list of "significant human rights issues" cites unlawful or arbitrary killings, forced disappearances by the government, torture by authorities and arbitrary detentions by security forces.
------------
U.S. has offered to help N. Korea against virus: official
WASHINGTON, March 11 (Yonhap) -- The United States has offered its assistance to North Korea to help deal with any outbreak of coronavirus there, a U.S. official said Wednesday.
Robert Destro, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, told reporters that he was unaware of any COVID-19 cases in the North.
"But we also know that North Korea is a very closed society. Information is very hard to come by," he said at a briefing to unveil the State Department's annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
------------
10 mln N. Koreans in urgent need of food assistance: U.N. report
SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- About 10 million people in North Korea are in urgent need of food assistance as the country's farming has apparently been affected by yearslong "dry" and "irregular" climate patterns, according to a U.N. report.
"Dry weather persisted throughout the first half of 2019 in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea after two consecutive years of dry conditions and irregular weather patterns," the World Meteorological Organization said in the report, using North Korea's official name.
"On average, only 56.3 mm of rainfall in the country from January to March 2019, which is the lowest on record since 1917. About 10 million people urgently require food assistance," the WMO noted.
------------
N. Korea may be ready to test more advanced ICBM: U.S. general
WASHINGTON, March 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's recent engine testing suggests the regime may be ready to test a more advanced intercontinental ballistic missile that could pose a greater threat to the United States, a U.S. general said Thursday.
Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, commander of the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, offered the assessment in a written statement to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces ahead of a hearing on fiscal year 2021 priorities for missile defense and missile defeat programs.
"Kim Jong-un has demonstrated the capability to threaten the U.S. homeland with nuclear-armed ICBMs," he said, referring to the North Korean leader. "In 2017, North Korea successfully tested an apparent thermonuclear weapon as well as two ICBM designs capable of ranging most or all of North America -- feats only the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council had previously achieved."
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--Coronavirus feared to affect S. Korea's arms exports

The procurement project was widely expected to be boosted by Defense Minister Jüri Luik 's planned visit to Seoul last @ @ @ @ @ canceled the trip , citing health issues , the sources said .
Many speculate that @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- The coronavirus pandemic is likely to affect South Korea's exports of weapons and other military items, including K-9 howitzers to Estonia, sources said Saturday.
Estonia has been pushing to buy six more K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers this year following their purchase of 12 units last year, according to foreign media and industry sources.
The procurement project was widely expected to be boosted by Defense Minister Jüri Luik's planned visit to Seoul last month, but the minister canceled the trip, citing health issues, the sources said. Many speculate that the abrupt cancellation was related to COVID-19.
South Korea began to witness a dramatic increase in the number of confirmed cases of the novel virus in mid-February.
"I don't believe the virus situation would affect Estonia's plan to buy them, but related procedures could be postponed," a source said.
Manufactured by Hanwha Defense, the indigenous howitzer has been exported to several foreign countries including Turkey, India and Poland.
South Korean defense companies were also forced to wait several more months to take part in the DSA 2020 Exhibition and Conference, one of the world's major international defense expos.
It was originally scheduled for April 20-23 in Kuala Lumpur, but its organizer recently announced the decision to move the date to Aug. 24-27 "considering the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation which has caused global travel disruption and other circumstances."
South Korea has planned to set up a pavilion, bringing together dozens of firms, to promote its indigenous weapons and other defense items to international buyers, according to an official of the Korea Defense Industry Association.
"Several months of delay in face-to-face promotional efforts will not have big impacts on defense exports. But defense firms are very much worried about a possible downturn in the overall global economy," he added.
As of Friday, South Korea had 7,979 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including 67 deaths, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--Trump introduces drive-through tests after questioning effectiveness in S. Korea

`` Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been @ @ @ @ @ Trump continued .
`` Again , we do n't want everybody taking this test .
@ @ @ @ @ And this will pass .
This will pass through and we 're going to be @ @ @ @ @ ''

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday introduced drive-through tests as part of efforts to fight the coronavirus, a week after he questioned the effectiveness of the method widely used in South Korea.
Trump made the announcement during a White House press conference at which he declared a national emergency to fight the growing outbreak in the United States.
This EPA photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"We've been in discussions with pharmacies and retailers to make drive-through tests available in the critical locations identified by public health professionals," he said. "The goal is for individuals to be able to drive up and be swabbed without having to leave your car."
He thanked Google for help in developing a website where the public will be able to determine whether a test is needed and then be directed to a nearby testing location.
"Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this," Trump continued. "Again, we don't want everybody taking this test. It's totally unnecessary. And this will pass. This will pass through and we're going to be even stronger for it."
This AFP photo shows Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, speaking at a press conference on COVID-19 in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, stepped up to the podium to further explain the procedure with a cardboard diagram laying out the steps.
"I want you to know in South Korea they did have a large number of tests available over the last several weeks," she said. "Their positivity rate is between 3 and 4 percent ... so we want to also announce this new approach to testing."
Once the tests are completed, they will be sent to labs that will provide results in 24 to 36 hours, according to Birx.
"That is the intent of this approach. We have seen it work just in our own United States and we want to bring this across the continent," she said.
Exactly a week ago, Trump was asked by a reporter about South Korea's drive-through centers during a visit to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Can we do that? Yeah, we can do that," he replied. "But that's not effective like what we're doing. We're doing the whole thing in one stop. They're doing samples in South Korea. That's a very different thing."
Thursday marked the first time since the Jan. 20 detection of the virus in South Korea that the number of recoveries exceeded the number of new infections in the country. The total caseload stood at 7,979.
The same day the U.S. had 1,629 cases, according to the CDC.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--(LEAD) Trump hopes to restore travel with Asia as soon as possible

`` Well , some are making progress , some are not , as you know , '' Trump said .
@ @ @ @ @ progress and as they make progress , as they get down to the number that @ @ @ @ @ -- that they know is right , we know is right -- we 'll be @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with Trump's remarks, details from 4th para)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he hopes to restore travel with Asia as soon as possible following a drop in the number of coronavirus cases there.
Trump made the remark at a press conference at the White House, after declaring a national emergency to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
He was responding to a question about how he views the progress made in Asia and when he plans to lift travel restrictions and warnings on China and South Korea, which he said he may do during an earlier address to the nation on Wednesday.
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump taking questions from reporters at a news conference about COVID-19 in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
"Well, some are making progress, some are not, as you know," Trump said. "But some are making progress and as they make progress, as they get down to the number that we all think is right -- that they know is right, we know is right -- we'll be opening it up.
"And some are really moving along rapidly," Trump added. "We hope to be able to open things up as quickly as possible."
During Wednesday's address, Trump announced a ban on travel to the U.S. from Europe, except the United Kingdom and Ireland, for 30 days starting Friday at midnight.
He also said: "At the same time we are monitoring the situation in China and South Korea, and as their situation improves, we will reevaluate the restrictions and warnings that are currently in place for a possible early opening."
Last month the State Department issued the highest-level travel advisory for Daegu, where the majority of COVID-19 cases in South Korea have been reported, urging Americans not to travel there. The rest of South Korea has been under the second-highest level advisory, which calls for reconsidering travel to the country.
Meanwhile, foreign nationals who have been in China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, in the past 14 days are denied entry to the United States.
Thursday marked the first time since the Jan. 20 detection of the virus in South Korea that the number of recoveries exceeded the number of new infections in the country. The total caseload stood at 7,979.
The same day the U.S. had 1,629 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--Trump hopes to restore travel with Asia as soon as possible

He was responding to a question about when he plans to lift travel restrictions and warnings on China and South @ @ @ @ @ he may do during an earlier address to the nation on Wednesday .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he hopes to restore travel with Asia as soon as possible following a drop in the number of coronavirus cases there.
Trump made the remark at a press conference at the White House, after declaring a national emergency to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
He was responding to a question about when he plans to lift travel restrictions and warnings on China and South Korea, which he said he may do during an earlier address to the nation on Wednesday.
This AFP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump taking questions from reporters at a news conference about COVID-19 in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


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yna--2020-03-13--(6th LD) S. Korea's new infections further slow amid woes over cluster outbreak, imported cases

Seoul 's tally of confirmed cases officially rose by 13 to 225 , with at least 74 cases linked to @ @ @ @ @ another 14 cases linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary 's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward .
Another @ @ @ @ @ from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward , and six more people were confirmed infected @ @ @ @ @ in Gwanak Ward in the southern part of the city .
The company has 20 @ @ @ @ @ officials say some 35 people may have come into contact with those infected .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 6, 13-16, 20)
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea saw another decline in its daily new infections Friday as a massive program of testing in the southeastern city of Daegu, the epicenter of the new coronavirus here, neared an end, but health authorities were ramping up measures to contain cluster infections across the nation.
The 110 new cases of the coronavirus, detected throughout Thursday, marked the lowest number of daily infections in more than two weeks and brought the nation's total to 7,979.
A total of 177 patients were discharged from hospitals Thursday after they were declared cured in the biggest one-day increase so far, exceeding the number of new infections for the first time since Jan. 20, when the virus was first detected on South Korean soil.
This graph, provided by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on March 13, 2020, shows daily new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and total infections in South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Thursday's additional cases, which followed the 114 new cases detected Wednesday, were also far below the daily increases of 500 or more last week.
So far, 67 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
Five more fatalities, including a 75-year-old woman with underlying illnesses, were reported earlier in the day, but they have not been included in an official update. The latest deaths all involved people in their 70s and 80s with three from Daegu.
The KCDC said 59 virus patients are in critical condition. The flu-like virus causes a fever, cough, runny nose or headache for most healthy people, but the risk of severe infection is high for elderly people with underlying health problems.
About 61 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in Daegu, which, with a population of 2.5 million, is the country's fourth-largest city.
The pace of daily new inflections has shown signs of slowing in recent days as health authorities completed extensive testing of 210,000 Shincheonji followers who are at the center of the rapid spread, but authorities are still on high alert over new clusters of infections, including at a call center in Seoul's Guro Ward and the country's government complex in the administrative city of Sejong.
Of the 110 new cases, 61 are in Daegu and four are in North Gyeongsang, the KCDC said. The total number of confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, the two epicenters of the virus outbreak here, stood at 5,928 and 1,147, respectively.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday the central government is taking steps to designate Daegu and North Gyeongsang as "special disaster zones," in a bid to offer medical and financial support to help the regions recover from the virus.
While Daegu and North Gyeongsang still account for the majority of daily new infections, cases of community spread with unknown origins, mostly cluster and sporadic outbreaks, are gradually on the rise.
Seoul's tally of confirmed cases officially rose by 13 to 225, with at least 74 cases linked to the Guro call center and another 14 cases linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Eunpyeong Ward. Another 13 cases in Seoul came from an apartment building in Seongdong Ward, and six more people were confirmed infected at a venture startup company in Gwanak Ward in the southern part of the city. The company has 20 employees, and local health officials say some 35 people may have come into contact with those infected.
Wards in the capital city reported an additional 15 cases later on in the day, bringing the total to at least 240, with the increased numbers to be reflected in the updated daily data to be released on Saturday.
Incheon's cases rose by three to 28, with 17 cases linked to the Guro call center, while Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul and Incheon, saw confirmed cases climb by seven to 185, with 27 cases tied to Shincheonji and 18 cases connected to the Guro call center.
The province said that the Grace River Church in Seongnam, just south of the capital city, reported three confirmed cases among followers. The church said it will halt services for two weeks to help prevent the virus' spread and protect the public from infection.
Virus cases in Busan rose by one to 100, with 34 patients linked to a Christian church in the Dongnae district and another 10 patients linked to Shincheonji. The 34 patients of the Oncheon church in Busan are tied to the church's three-day retreat that ended on Feb. 17, officials said. It is still unclear how they were infected with the virus.
In South Chungcheong Province, which includes the city of Cheonan, 104 of the total 114 patients were linked to a Zumba dance class in Cheonan, the KCDC said.
Clusters of infections account for 79.8 percent of the total confirmed cases as of Friday, meaning that people can contract the virus if they are in crowded places.
Medical workers wearing protective gear test a visitor at a drive-through center for the new coronavirus at the government complex in Sejong, central South Korea, on March 13, 2020. At least 25 public officials in the city have been confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus. (Yonhap)
The call center in Guro Ward is at the center of the largest cluster infection in Seoul so far, with at least 112 people linked to it testing positive for the virus, highlighting concerns about the virus' spread in a confined environment and within the metropolitan area.
Ringing an alarm bell over the spread of the virus at a sprawling government complex in the administrative capital of Sejong, 25 civil servants at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, as well as two of their family members, were infected with the virus over the past three days. Like other cluster infections, authorities cannot trace where the ministry's cluster started.
Some experts hope that the new coronavirus will behave like influenza, which thrives in the winter season in the northern hemisphere, and say warmer weather may help prevent the virus from further spreading.
However, KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said it is "difficult to expect" that the spread of the virus will weaken in spring.
South Korea has also found people who were infected with the virus but showed no symptoms until their self-isolation ended, Jeong said.
Health authorities have let people know the locations virus patients visited and when they went there, raising concerns about privacy.
Jeong said authorities will soon set up guidelines that "will not undermine human rights and privacy," adding that it is inappropriate for authorities to reveal too much information on a virus patient.
Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official who is in charge of quarantine work, told a media briefing that health authorities will require 3,612 followers of Shincheonji who work at hospitals, kindergartens or nursing homes across the nation to get tests.
Yoon said the spread of the virus has shown signs of stabilization but warned against the "danger" of a growing number of imported virus cases.
Unlike other nations, which ban travel to virus-hit nations or put all people visiting such nations under mandatory two-week quarantine, South Korea has not implemented such stricter measures, except for foreigners who traveled to the global epicenter in China's Hubei Province.
South Korea's health authorities have said such strict measures may be futile because the virus has already taken root in South Korea and community spread cases are growing.
Instead, South Korea has tightened its immigration procedures, requiring international travelers to get fever checks and submit papers on their health condition. They are required to download a smartphone app that will allow them to be put under supervision if they show symptoms.
Such requirements have been applied to people who have visited mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, Iran and Italy. Starting Sunday, the requirement will be applied to people who arrive in South Korea after visiting five more European countries -- France, Germany, Spain, Britain and the Netherlands.
South Korea has tested a total of 155 travelers who have suspected cases, but 154 tested negative for the virus and the remaining person is awaiting test results, Yoon said.
A public official disinfects a Korean-style internet cafe, known as a "PC bang," in Incheon, west of Seoul on March 13, 2020, amid the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Since raising the virus alert level to "red," the highest level, on Feb. 23, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu and North Gyeongsang.
The World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic, as the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica.
South Korea had released a total of 510 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients from hospitals as of Thursday, up 177 from a day earlier, the KCDC said.
The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 17,940 as of Thursday, down 213 from the day before, it said. The country has tested a total of 240,668 suspected cases, with 222,728 testing negative.
Currently, there is no evidence that the new coronavirus is airborne. The WHO said it is transmitted through droplets or close contact.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(LEAD) N. Korea's military was on lockdown amid virus scare: USFK commander

`` You 've seen the public statements by North Korea .
They claim that they have no COVID-19 cases .
@ @ @ @ @ nation so we ca n't say emphatically that they have cases , but we 're @ @ @ @ @ '' he said in a videoconference with reporters at the Pentagon .

(ATTN: UPDATES with Abrams' comments on furloughs, other details from 5th para)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military was on lockdown for about 30 days amid the global spread of the coronavirus and recently resumed routine training, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea said Friday.
Gen. Robert Abrams said the North had not flown airplanes for 24 days but is now back to flying training sorties.
"You've seen the public statements by North Korea. They claim that they have no COVID-19 cases. It is a closed off nation so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do," he said in a videoconference with reporters at the Pentagon.
"What I do know is that their armed forces has been fundamentally on lockdown for about 30 days, and only recently have they started routine training again," he said.
This file photo shows U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams. (Yonhap)
The general did not specify the dates of the lockdown, but North Korea resumed testing short-range projectiles this month in what South Korea's military said appeared to be part of the regime's wintertime military exercises.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised both sets of test-firings, on March 2 and 9, and also guided an artillery fire competition on Thursday, according to state media.
North Korea has watched major outbreaks of the coronavirus happen in its near neighbors -- China, where COVID-19 first emerged in December, and South Korea.
In an effort to keep the virus at bay, the regime has tightened its borders and toughened quarantine measures for people and imported goods.
Abrams spoke to the potential furlough of some 9,000 South Korean workers on U.S. military bases should the two countries fail to reach a new agreement by April 1 on sharing the cost of keeping 28,500 American troops stationed on the peninsula.
He said the furloughs would begin at the beginning of next month as scheduled, but that the Pentagon has authorized keeping a portion of the Korean workers to ensure continuation of services affecting life, health, safety and minimum readiness.
"But that only works in the short term," Abrams said. "As I've articulated back to the (Pentagon), there are long term effects depending upon how long we maintain that current status."
He said he has asked the Pentagon for additional authorizations to ensure a smooth transition when the department's 60-day travel restriction imposed on South Korea over the coronavirus ends on May 12.
"We're going to have a large backlog of people who need to depart Korea ... we're going to have a bulge competing with all the inbounds and normal outbounds for the months of May and June," Abrams said.
"I'm in dialogue and provided my recommendations back to the (Pentagon) for some additional resources to be able to retain some additional Korean nationals ... to mitigate the effects of that bulge that we did not properly plan for and predict," he added.
Seoul's foreign ministry announced earlier that the next round of cost-sharing negotiations will be held in Los Angeles next week.
The previous Special Measures Agreement expired at the end of last year, but the allies have been unable to renew the deal amid Washington's demands for a significant increase in Seoul's financial contributions.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(3rd LD) 7 more coronavirus cases reported at Sejong gov't complex

The ministry said that of its more than 600 officials , 50 came into the office Friday , with the @ @ @ @ @ home as a precautionary measure .
It said all 795 workers that work at the @ @ @ @ @ workers and personnel hired by contract companies , have been screened , with 397 testing @ @ @ @ @ the other results still pending .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 3-5)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported seven more new coronavirus cases in connection with the oceans ministry in the administrative capital of Sejong on Friday, bringing the number of patients among public servants in the city to 30.
The total number of COVID-19 patients at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries jumped to 25, after adding 13 new cases a day earlier. Two family members of the infected staff were also confirmed with the virus.
The new cases were reported in different areas from previous infections, indicating the virus may have spread to other parts of the government complex.
One of the patients from the oceans ministry was stationed in the same area as the finance ministry, officials said.
The ministry said that of its more than 600 officials, 50 came into the office Friday, with the rest ordered to work from home as a precautionary measure. It said all 795 workers that work at the Sejong office, including dispatch workers and personnel hired by contract companies, have been screened, with 397 testing negative for the virus and the other results still pending.
Last week, the government complex reported its first case in a public servant working at the health ministry. Health officials said the patient is assumed to have contracted the virus at a Zumba class.
Entrance to the main government complex in Sejong, about 130 kilometers south of Seoul, is restricted on March 13, 2020, amid a series of new coronavirus cases. (Yonhap)
Of the total number of public servant patients in Sejong, two were from outside the main government complex.
The Sejong government complex, located about 130 kilometers south of Seoul, accommodates 35 government ministries and agencies employing 15,000 workers.
On Friday, South Korea installed a drive-through examination center to carry out medical check-ups with examinees remaining inside their cars.
The country has been struggling to cope with a possible cluster infection, after more than 100 cases of COVID-19 were found at a call center in southwestern Seoul.
The total number of confirmed infections reached 7,979 in the country Friday.
To prevent the spread of the novel virus, South Korea earlier suspended the facial recognition system at main entrances of government buildings to allow its staff members to wear protective masks at all times.
The Government Buildings Management Office said it has also been carrying out disinfection operations on a daily basis. Seats in their cafeterias have been reorganized so people can avoid sitting face to face, it added.
Quarantine officials carry out medical check-ups at a drive-through examination center installed near the main government complex in Sejong, 130 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--N. Korea's military was on lockdown amid virus scare: USFK commander

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military was on lockdown for about 30 days amid the global spread of the coronavirus and recently resumed routine training, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea said Friday.
Gen. Robert Abrams said the North had not flown airplanes for 24 days but is now back to flying training sorties.
"You've seen the public statements by North Korea. They claim that they have no COVID-19 cases. It is a closed off nation so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do," he said in a videoconference with reporters at the Pentagon.
"What I do know is that their armed forces has been fundamentally been on lockdown for about 30 days, and only recently have they started routine training again," he said.
This file photo shows U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(3rd LD) 127 countries, territories restricting entry from coronavirus-hit S. Korea

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more info in paras 2,6,11)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- A total of 127 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Friday, up by four from the previous day, the foreign ministry said.
As of 7 p.m., 52 countries and territories were barring the entry of travelers who have been in Korea at least in the past two weeks, joined by Honduras, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sudan and Niue.
Honduras began to impose an entry ban on foreigners from four virus-affected countries including Korea, toughening the travel curb from conducting thorough health screenings. Foreigners with residential permits and diplomats are not subject to the entry ban but are required to undergo home quarantine.
Slovakia now bans the entry of all foreigners, with some exceptions applied to those with residential permits or diplomats. The Czech Republic bans the entry of foreigners from over a dozen virus-hit countries, except for permanent residents and those with work visas.
Sudan also bars arrivals of travelers from Korea, China, Italy and a few others.
This photo shows an empty check-in area at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on March 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Niue, an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, is now imposing an entry ban on foreigners who visited South Korea, China, Italy and five other countries within the past 14 days.
China added one more province -- the northern province of Hebei -- to its list of provinces imposing tougher quarantine procedures, putting the total at 22. Including China, the number of countries and territories enforcing stricter quarantine programs on people from Korea remained unchanged at 18.
Fifty-one countries and territories were conducting stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending isolation for visitors from Korea.
Guyana, a country in South America, and Mali in West Africa were the latest to have jointed this category.
Six countries, including Japan and Indonesia, were barring the entry of travelers from Korea's Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- the two epicenters of the COVID-19 outbreaks.
"The number of countries banning all foreigners' entry appears to have risen after the World Health Organization declared the virus outbreak a pandemic," said a senior foreign ministry official, adding that the trend may accelerate.
As of early Friday, 2,355 South Koreans were under quarantine around the world, with 1,902 in China and 386 in Vietnam, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, three South Korean teams deployed to Vietnam last week to help citizens in quarantine returned to Seoul on Friday.
The "rapid response" teams worked in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to provide them with daily necessities and help them be quickly discharged from quarantine. It also helped two Korean tourists in quarantine fly back home.
South Korea reported 7,979 cases of infections on Friday morning, with 67 deaths linked to the virus.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--(5th LD) Virus cases continue to increase in Seoul, but growth slows

Local health officials said a 28-year-old man who recently visited Spain and the Czech Republic on business was confirmed to @ @ @ @ @ This led to others being tested , with five more cases being confirmed earlier in @ @ @ @ @ , some 35 people may have come into close contact with the man , although @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , with others still awaiting results or yet to be screened .

(ATTN: ADDS info on Gwanak Ward outbreak in paras 13-15)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- New cases of the new coronavirus reported in Seoul on Friday slowed from earlier in the week, but officials said it is yet too early to lower their guard against the contagious virus.
"We seem to have extinguished the big fire, but we cannot lower our guard. ... There is a possibility that (the call center infection) may emit sparks to other areas," Park said in a press briefing streamed on YouTube.
South Korea reported 110 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total to 7,979, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
In Seoul, where a group transmission at an insurance call center had spawned concerns, 13 more cases were reported, raising the total to 225 as of Thursday midnight, according to the KCDC data. An additional 15 cases have been reported by various ward offices in the city, bringing the total to 240, although they have yet to be reflected in the official daily government tally.
This photo, taken March 11, 2020, shows the Korea Building in southwestern Seoul, where group infections occurred among workers at a call center on the 11th floor. (Yonhap)
The increase marks a sharp slowdown from Wednesday, when 52 cases were reported following the call center infections. It is also smaller than the 19 new cases reported Thursday.
The call center case, which centers on a 19-story building in the southwestern ward of Guro, is so far the biggest cluster infection reported in South Korea's capital of 10 million, or 25 million when including Incheon and Gyeonggi Province in the wider metropolitan area.
The building's neighborhood is one of the busiest transportation hubs in southwestern Seoul -- subway lines No. 1 and 2, which connect to nearby Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, pass through the area.
The call center is located on the 11th floor of the building. The lower 12 floors are leased out as offices and commercial facilities, including a wedding hall, and the top seven floors are residential.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon speaks at an online press briefing held at the local health office in Guro Ward in southwestern Seoul on March 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon told reporters that most of the 1,091 workers, residents and their contacts in the affected building had been tested as of 10 a.m.
Of those who have been screened, 112 have tested positive, including 74 in Seoul, with others being discovered in Incheon, west of Seoul, and in Gyeonggi Province, according to local governments and the KDCD.
The cases have mostly been contained within the 11th floor of the building, and their family members, while no cases have been reported among residents who live on the 13th to 19th floor, Park said.
But he also warned that figures may go up when factoring in unregistered visitors at the building. The city is currently trying to secure a list of people who entered the building after Feb. 21 based on GPS tracking provided by mobile operators and the police.
In addition, Gwanak Ward, east of Guro, said six people who work at a venture startup company tested positive for the novel virus. The company, located near Seoul National University subway station, has 20 employees and occupies the eighth floor of an office building.
Local health officials said a 28-year-old man who recently visited Spain and the Czech Republic on business was confirmed to be infected on Thursday. This led to others being tested, with five more cases being confirmed earlier in the day. At present, some 35 people may have come into close contact with the man, although 11 have tested negative for COVID-19, with others still awaiting results or yet to be screened.
"The startup's office has been closed and disinfected and places that the infected person visited are being sterilized," an official for the ward said.
Health authorities have been on alert for additional group transmissions, with some 80 percent of all reported cases here beign traced to cluster infections in hospitals, religious facilities and even Zumba classes.
While the pace of daily new infections has shown signs of slowing following an aggressive testing program for more than 210,000 Shincheoji followers, who have been at the center of the outbreak here, sporadic outbreaks have been spotted across the country.
In Seoul, 14 cases were linked to Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in the northwestern Eunpyeong Ward, while another 13 cases were traced to an apartment complex in Seongdong Ward in the east of the city. Nine cases were recently reported in relation to a Protestant church in Dongdaemun Ward that held a winter camp in late February.
Closed, indoor spaces, such as call centers, internet cafes and private-sector cram schools, have emerged as spaces carrying a greater risk of infection for users, with the government stressing social distancing and recommending owners suspend their businesses.
Health officials disinfect an internet cafe in Seongdong Ward in eastern Seoul on March 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--Moon, Macron discuss coronavirus response in phone talks

The French president also raised the need for international coordination on health care , hygiene and finance through the Group @ @ @ @ @ in order to minimize the negative effects of the ongoing crisis , Kang said .

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- The leaders of South Korea and France had phone discussions Friday on ways to cooperate in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Speaking with President Moon Jae-in for 35 minutes, France's President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "respect" for South Korea's "transparent and effective" response to the outbreak, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok.
Macron requested that South Korea share its related experience with his country as it also struggles to contain the viral disease.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in holds phone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the coronavirus pandemic on March 13, 2020, in this photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The French president also raised the need for international coordination on health care, hygiene and finance through the Group of 20 (G-20) in order to minimize the negative effects of the ongoing crisis, Kang said.
In response, Moon said his government is willing to share the country's experience and clinical data secured in the process of curing patients.
He emphasized that the international community needs to step up joint efforts to develop a vaccine and help the global economy recover.
"I think it would be good for G-20 members to hold a special videoconferencing session" on the issue, Moon was quoted as saying.
He also explained South Korea's "special immigration procedures" for those coming from France and four other European nations.
He said the procedures are not meant to restrict exchanges with Europe but to contribute to global efforts against the virus.
On peninsular issues, Moon said Seoul will continue its push for "realistic methods" to promote bilateral cooperation with Pyongyang.
Macron told Moon that Paris is ready to offer support at any time if necessary.
The two exchanged views on other issues of mutual concern, such as climate change and energy, and agreed to work toward a visit to South Korea by the French president this year.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-13--S. Korea reports 11 more dead wild boars infected with African swine fever

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

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday it has found 11 more dead wild boars infected with African swine fever (ASF) in areas near the border with North Korea, bringing the total number of cases to 366.
The animals were found dead near the border -- the eastern county of Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, the border city of Paju and Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul, according to a research institute affiliated with the environment ministry.
South Korea confirmed its first-ever outbreak of the animal disease in September last year. Local authorities have culled about 400,000 domestic pigs as part of preventive measures.
Although no additional ASF cases on farms have been reported since early October, authorities continue to discover dead wild boars carrying the disease, mostly along the inter-Korean border.
So far, all confirmed cases among both domestic and wild pigs have been reported in border areas. Pyongyang reported its first outbreak of ASF at a pig farm near its border with China in May last year.
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--(2nd LD) 131 countries, territories restricting entry from virus-hit S. Korea

As of 6 p.m. , 57 countries and territories were planning to bar or were barring the entry of travelers @ @ @ @ @ during the previous two weeks at least , according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs @

(ATTN: ADDS updates in paras 2-4, 9, 11-12)
SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- A total of 131 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or stricter quarantine procedures for travelers from coronavirus-hit South Korea on Saturday, the foreign ministry said.
As of 6 p.m., 57 countries and territories were planning to bar or were barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea during the previous two weeks at least, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Denmark was moved to this list after adopting a temporary entry ban for all foreigners for the next four weeks. Previously, the country had recommended 14-day self-isolation for people coming in from South Korea's two regions hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Cyprus will also impose an entry ban for all foreigners from Sunday 1 p.m., with some exceptions applied to diplomats and others with essential reasons.
Uzbekistan was banning entry for nationals of several virus-affected countries including South Korea, China and Italy, as well as foreigners who have been in those countries in the past two weeks.
Ukraine will bar the entry of all foreigners on Sunday.
Starting early next week, the Czech Republic will block entry for all foreigners -- except for those with long-stay visas or work permits, who will be subjected to a mandatory isolation for two weeks.
Six countries and territories were enforcing an entry ban on people from parts of Korea -- primarily Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- where the majority of COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred.
The number of countries and territories imposing stricter quarantine procedures, such as a 14-day quarantine at designated facilities, stood at 17, including 22 provinces, cities and autonomous regions in China.
Eritrea in East Africa was added to this list as it was quarantining visitors from South Korea and a few other countries.
Hong Kong was now among the 51 countries and territories planning to adopt or adopting a quarantine and stricter immigration controls for people flying in from South Korea.
The semi-autonomous Chinese territory will lift its entry ban for Koreans and will put them under 14-day isolation, starting Tuesday. If the visitor is from either Daegu or North Gyeongsang, he or she will face a two-week quarantine at a designated facility.
Brazil now recommends all incoming passengers undergo a seven-day home quarantine. Belize, a coastal nation in Central America, also asks foreigners from South Korea, China, France and other virus-affected countries to go into isolation.
On Saturday, South Korea's infection caseload reached 8,086, up 107 from the previous day. It was the third day in a row that the daily new infection tally was in the 100s in South Korea.
Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, is almost empty on March 13, 2020, as South Korea struggles to contain the spread of COVID-19. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--(LEAD) 131 countries, territories restricting entry from virus-hit S. Korea

As of 2 p.m. , 55 countries and territories , including Uzbekistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina were planning to bar or were @ @ @ @ @ who have visited South Korea during the previous two weeks at least , according to @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: REWRITES story with updated info throughout)
SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- A total of 131 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or stricter quarantine procedures for travelers from coronavirus-hit South Korea on Saturday, the foreign ministry said.
As of 2 p.m., 55 countries and territories, including Uzbekistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina were planning to bar or were barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea during the previous two weeks at least, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Uzbekistan was banning entry for nationals of several virus-affected countries including South Korea, China and Italy, as well as foreigners who have been in those countries in the past two weeks.
Ukraine will bar the entry of all foreigners on Sunday.
Starting early next week, the Czech Republic will block entry for all foreigners -- except for those with long-stay visas or work permits, who will be subjected to a mandatory isolation for two weeks.
Six countries and territories were enforcing an entry ban on people from parts of Korea -- primarily Daegu city and North Gyeongsang Province -- where the majority of COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred.
The number of countries and territories imposing stricter quarantine procedures, such as a 14-day quarantine at designated facilities, stood at 18, including 22 provinces, cities and autonomous regions in China.
Eritrea in East Africa was added to this list as it was quarantining visitors from South Korea and a few other countries.
Fifty-two countries and territories were imposing stricter immigration controls and requiring or recommending self-isolation for people flying in from South Korea.
Brazil now recommends all incoming passengers undergo a seven-day home quarantine. Belize, a coastal nation in Central America, also asks foreigners from South Korea, China, France and other virus-affected countries to go into isolation.
On Saturday, South Korea's infection caseload reached 8,086, up 107 from the previous day. It was the third day in a row that the daily new infection tally was in the 100s in South Korea.
Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, is almost empty on March 13, 2020, as South Korea struggles to contain the spread of COVID-19. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-03-14--S. Korea sets guidelines limiting release of private info of coronavirus patients

Still , specific details of the public spaces and destinations a patient visited , including the names and the addresses @ @ @ @ @ of affected buses and other public transportation , are eligible for official disclosure unless the @ @ @ @ @ who came into contact with them are known .

SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea set new guidelines advising local governments to hold back unnecessary private information of coronavirus patients on Saturday.
Regional governments across South Korea have alerted their residents against coronavirus infection risks, releasing detailed routes and destinations used by coronavirus patients within their jurisdiction.
During the process, the private information of some patients, including the names of their employers, occupations and identities, have been leaked to the public, sparking a controversy over invasion of privacy.
In a bid to counter this, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) authored the guidelines and released them to regional governments.
Under the guidelines, authorities are advised to disclose information on the destinations patients visited, as well as how they traveled there, but to withhold any detailed information that could clarify the identity of patients, including their addresses and companies they work for.
The guidelines allow the disclosure of such private information when a patient may have infected large numbers of colleagues at work, however.
The guidelines also advise the regional governments to limit their information disclosure to the affected routes and places that actually carry the risk of virus infection, in consideration of how long a patient was in contact with them and whether a patient was wearing a protective mask.
Still, specific details of the public spaces and destinations a patient visited, including the names and the addresses of affected stores and routes of affected buses and other public transportation, are eligible for official disclosure unless the identities of all the people who came into contact with them are known.
"The KCDC came up with the guidelines in consideration of the recent recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission. ... The public interest of speedily identifying people who were exposed to (infection risks) and the interest of privacy protection have been comprehensively weighed," a KCDC official said in a briefing Saturday.
The latest move by the KCDC was made after the National Human Rights Commission expressed concerns on Monday that the private information of coronavirus patients is being unnecessarily disclosed to the public.
Officials disinfect a bus station in Guro Ward in Seoul on March 14, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)