yna--2020-05-23--BTS Suga's new mixtape 'D-2' tops global iTunes charts

`` D-2 , '' Suga 's second mixtape released Friday , was No .
1 on the iTunes `` top @ @ @ @ @ countries and regions , including the United States , Canada , France , Sweden , @ @ @ @ @ 8 a.m. Saturday , according to Big Hit Entertainment .

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- A new mixtape released by Suga of Korean pop sensation BTS dominated the iTunes album charts in 80 regions across the world, his management agency said Saturday.
"D-2," Suga's second mixtape released Friday, was No. 1 on the iTunes "top album" charts in 80 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, France, Sweden, Japan and Peru as of 8 a.m. Saturday, according to Big Hit Entertainment.
Its main track, "Daechwita," also dominated the iTunes' list of "top songs" in 50 nations and regions across the world, it added.
The new album has 10 tracks covering various genres. The video for "Daechwita" shows Suga rapping against the background of palaces, traditional markets and temples, alternating between black and blonde hairdos.
Seen in this image provided by Big Hit Entertainment on May 23, 2020, is a cover photo of BTS Suga's mixtape of "D-2. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--(3rd LD) S. Korea reports 23 new virus cases, concerns linger over Itaewon-linked infections

The local government first imposed the administrative order on May 10 , which calls for banning all such spots for @ @ @ @ @ cabarets .
Under the order issued on the day , several other types of entertainment @ @ @ @ @ noraebang , also had their businesses suspended .

(ATTN: ADDS more details regarding Itaewon, nurse cases, comments in paras 4-10, 17-18, photo; RESTRUCTURES)
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 23 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday amid stepped-up efforts to slow the spread of the infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul's multicultural district of Itaewon.
The new COVID-19 infections raised the country's total caseload to 11,165, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, adding that two patients died of the virus, bringing the death toll to 266.
The number of new virus cases has grown over the past couple of days due to continued infections tied to Itaewon clubs and bars.
Of the 23 newly reported cases, 10 were linked to Itaewon, nine were other community infections, and four were imported cases, according to the KCDC.
Since May 6 when a 29-year-old man tested positive for the virus following his visits to multiple entertainment facilities in Itaewon, 219 cases here were connected to the man and other clubgoers as of noon, it added.
The southeastern city of Daegu, once the epicenter of the coronavirus in South Korea, also reported its first case linked to Itaewon on Saturday.
Seoul city officials put a notice of business suspension on the entrance of a "coin noraebang," a coin-operated karaoke room, in Seoul on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
The country also continued to have virus patients related to a nurse at Samsung Medical Center. Three people -- two workers at bars that the nurse visited earlier and one of the employees' family members -- tested positive on the day, bringing the total related caseload to nine.
Disclosing the names of the bars and "noraebang," or private karaoke rooms, in Seoul, the authorities called on people who have visited the places to undergo a virus test even if they do not have symptoms and asked for refraining from visiting such closed venues.
"We've seen sporadic community infections every day. ... We must not lower our guard," the KCDC's Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook told a briefing.
"As for cluster infections, speeding up efforts to stem the spread is a must. The authorities are carrying out comprehensive testing and thorough contact tracing," Kwon said, vowing to expedite such moves further.
The Gyeonggi provincial government extended its "no-assembly" order for entertainment facilities for another two weeks until June 7 to stem the spread of the coronavirus through such places.
The local government first imposed the administrative order on May 10, which calls for banning all such spots for adults, including clubs and cabarets. Under the order issued on the day, several other types of entertainment facilities, such as coin-operated noraebang, also had their businesses suspended.
Similar administrative measures have been in effect in Seoul and its adjacent city of Incheon following infections from those venues.
Applicants for this year's school qualification examination have their temperatures checked at a middle school in Seoul on May 23, 2020. The exam for a general equivalency diploma was supposed to be held in April but was delayed twice due to the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The continued spread of the outbreak put the health authorities on alert, as South Korea is gearing up for another round of school reopenings Wednesday.
Following the resumption of in-person classes for high school seniors this past Wednesday, younger students -- second grade of high schools, third grade of middle schools, first and second grades of elementary schools, and kindergartens -- are to return to class this coming Wednesday after months of delay.
"We will further beef up our national emergency response system in the runup to the planned resumption of classes," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a meeting earlier in the day.
The authorities also plan to put in place a system next week to monitor and trace a mysterious illness among children that was reported in some foreign countries recently.
Several pediatric patients were suspected of having developed "pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children," or MIS-C, which may be linked to the new coronavirus, according to media reports.
The fatality rate in South Korea came to 2.38 percent, the KCDC said. The country has not yet reported any deaths from patients aged 29 or younger.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,194, up 32 from the previous day, according to the authorities.
South Korea has carried out tests on 814,420 people since Jan. 3, and 21,569 citizens are awaiting their test results, they added.
A taxi company official disinfects a vehicle in the western city of Incheon on May 22, 2020. The number of taxi users has reportedly decreased over the past several days after a taxi driver in the city recently tested positive for the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--(LEAD) Memorial service held to mark 11th year of ex-President Roh's death

President Moon Jae-in , a longtime friend and colleague of Roh , sent condolence flowers .
He attended the commemorative @ @ @ @ @ it would be the last time for him to attend a ceremony for Roh as @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 4 paras, photo)
SEOUL/GIMHAE, South Korea, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea held a commemorative event to mark the 11th year of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun on Saturday.
The ceremony, which took place at Bongha Village in the country's southeastern city of Gimhae, Roh's hometown, brought key political figures, including ruling Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP).
On May 23, 2009, Roh jumped to his death from a cliff behind his retirement home amid a corruption probe by the prosecution into his family and aides.
As the country's 16th president from 2003 to 2008, the reformist leader is praised for his efforts to eliminate regional divisions and authoritarianism.
Kwon Yang-sook, the widow of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, offers incense during a ceremony to mark the 11th anniversary of Roh's death at Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
The commemorative event used to be attended by thousands of mourners and supporters, but this year's one was held in a smaller scale due to the coronavirus, according to its organizer, the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
But a large crowd of citizens visited his graveyard, wearing yellow visors and taking yellow umbrellas, and paid tribute to the late leader. The color symbolizes the former president.
"We will continue to strive for realizing the values former President Roh sought and left to us by making a world for people, and without privilege and unfairness," DP leader Lee said in his address.
President Moon Jae-in, a longtime friend and colleague of Roh, sent condolence flowers. He attended the commemorative ceremony in 2018 and said it would be the last time for him to attend a ceremony for Roh as an incumbent leader.
Citizens line up to visit the graveyard of former President Roh Moo-hyun in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--(2nd LD) S. Korea reports 23 new virus cases, concerns linger over Itaewon-linked infections

The local government first imposed the administrative order on May 10 , which calls for banning all such spots for @ @ @ @ @ cabarets .
Under the order issued on the day , several other types of entertainment @ @ @ @ @ coin noraebang , '' or coin-operated karaoke rooms , also had their businesses suspended .

(ATTN: ADDS Gyeonggi Province's ban on entertainment facilities, more info in last 4 paras, photo)
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 23 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday amid stepped-up efforts to slow the spread of the infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul's multicultural district of Itaewon.
The new COVID-19 infections raised the country's total caseload to 11,165, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, adding that two patients died of the virus, bringing the death toll to 266.
The number of new virus cases has grown over the past couple of days due to continued infections tied to Itaewon clubs and bars.
Since May 6 when a 29-year-old man tested positive for the virus following his visits to multiple entertainment facilities in Itaewon, more than 200 cases here have been connected to the man so far.
The southeastern city of Daegu, once the epicenter of the coronavirus in South Korea, also reported its first case linked to Itaewon on Saturday.
Of the 23 newly reported cases, 19 were community infections, and four were imported cases, according to the KCDC.
The fatality rate came to 2.38 percent, it added. South Korea has not yet reported any deaths from patients aged 29 or younger.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,194, up 32 from the previous day, the authorities said.
Applicants for this year's school qualification examination have their temperatures checked at a middle school in Seoul on May 23, 2020. The exam for a general equivalency diploma was supposed to be held in April but was delayed twice due to the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The continued spread of the outbreak put the health authorities on alert, as South Korea is gearing up for another round of school reopenings Wednesday.
Following the resumption of in-person classes for high school seniors this past Wednesday, younger students -- second grade of high schools, third grade of middle schools, first and second grades of elementary schools, and kindergartens -- are to return to class this coming Wednesday after months of delay.
"We will further beef up our national emergency response system in the runup to the planned resumption of classes," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a meeting earlier in the day.
The Gyeonggi provincial government extended its "no-assembly" order for entertainment facilities for another two weeks until June 7 to stem the spread of the coronavirus through such places.
The local government first imposed the administrative order on May 10, which calls for banning all such spots for adults, including clubs and cabarets. Under the order issued on the day, several other types of entertainment facilities, such as "coin noraebang," or coin-operated karaoke rooms, also had their businesses suspended.
Similar administrative measures have been in effect in Seoul and its adjacent city of Incheon following infections from those closed venues.
South Korea has carried out tests on 814,420 people since Jan. 3, and 21,569 citizens are awaiting their test results, the KCDC noted.
A taxi company official disinfects a vehicle in the western city of Incheon on May 22, 2020. The number of taxi users has reportedly decreased over the past several days after a taxi driver in the city recently tested positive for the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2000 -- David Coe , IMF senior resident representative in Seoul , pronounces that South Korea has fully recovered from @ @ @ @ @ , and shows no signs of an overheating economy .
The appraisal was a response @ @ @ @ @ nation 's economy retreating into recession and a repeat of the much-feared financial and economic @ @ @ @ @

May 24
1947 -- Former independence fighter and nationalist Yeo Un-hyeong launches a center-left party called the Geulloinmindang (Labor People Party) seeking to unify Korea, divided by the shared occupation by the United States and the Soviet Union. Yeo's efforts failed, however, as he was assassinated that year.
1974 -- A hydraulic power plant using water at Paldang Dam, north of Seoul, is completed. The power plant produces over 200 million kilowatts a year and provides 2.6 million tons of water a day to residents in and around Seoul.
1980 -- Kim Jae-gyu and four others are executed for their alleged involvement in the assassination of President Park Chung-hee. Kim was the former head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and one of Park's chief aides.
1990 -- North Korean leader Kim Il-sung proposes that the two Koreas join the United Nations as one nation.
2000 -- David Coe, IMF senior resident representative in Seoul, pronounces that South Korea has fully recovered from the financial and economic crisis, and shows no signs of an overheating economy. The appraisal was a response to mounting concerns over the nation's economy retreating into recession and a repeat of the much-feared financial and economic crisis two years prior.
2006 -- North Korea calls off scheduled test runs of cross-border railways, citing political and military tension, one day before the Koreas were set to test the railways. The South's Vice Minister Shin Shin Un-sang claims it is a temporary delay until the countries' militaries reach an agreement on the safety of people taking part in trial runs on the railway lines.
2008 -- South Koreans begin massive street rallies against imports of U.S. beef, as the Lee Myung-bak administration made the decision the previous month to resume the imports after around six years of suspension amid concerns over safety checks against mad cow disease. Such massive anti-government protests, called the "candlelight movement," continued for about two months.
2009 -- Park Chan-wook, a South Korean director, wins the jury prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival with his horror film "Thirst."
2010 -- President Lee Myung-bak announced plans to halt inter-Korean trade and ban the North from using South Korean waterways, after announcing that the sinking of the warship Cheonan was the result of North Korea's military attack on South Korea. North Korea said it would fire at South Korean speakers broadcasting propaganda.
2015 -- A group of women's rights activists cross the heavily fortified inter-Korean border from North Korea, voicing hope that their move could help bring lasting peace to a divided peninsula. About 30 female activists from around the world, including U.S. activist Gloria Steinem and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire, participated in the march across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to mark the International Women's Day for Disarmament.
2018 -- North Korea says it completely dismantled its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, located in the country's northeastern mountainous region, calling the move an important process toward global nuclear disarmament.
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--USFK again extends public health emergency status over coronavirus

Earlier this week , USFK lowered its Health Protection Condition ( HPCON ) level by one notch to the second-lowest @ @ @ @ @ its personnel to eat at restaurants , go shopping and do other off-base activities , @ @ @ @ @ Seoul and nearby regions .
All bars , clubs and other adult-only establishments are still @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Robert Abrams has renewed the military's public health emergency over the new coronavirus for another 90 days to maintain the necessary authority for implementing anti-virus measures, his office said Saturday.
USFK first declared the Public Health Emergency over the COVID-19 virus on May 25 and extended the status for another month on April 24. The latest extension will keep the measure in effect through Aug. 20.
"The renewed PHE enables the Commander to maintain authorities needed during COVID-19 such as administering testing and quarantine measures for all USFK-affiliated personnel," USFK said in a Facebook post.
It also allows USFK to remain a prioritized military unit for receiving the U.S. defense department's critical protective equipment and supplies, and gives its commanders the authority to ensure all of its members adhere to its preventive measures.
The extension, however, does not mean there are any changes to its current health protection conditions or preventive measures being taken, it added.
Earlier this week, USFK lowered its Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level by one notch to the second-lowest Bravo from Charlie, allowing its personnel to eat at restaurants, go shopping and do other off-base activities, except for those stationed in Seoul and nearby regions. All bars, clubs and other adult-only establishments are still off limits across the country.
So far, USFK has reported 28 cases of the new coronavirus among its force, including four active-duty service members.
A military guard at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, checks the temperature of a driver to screen entrants to the compound for the novel coronavirus on Feb. 28, 2020, in this photo provided by U.S. Forces Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--Memorial service held to mark 11th year of ex-President Roh's death

The event used to be attended by thousands of mourners and supporters , but this year 's one was held @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus , according to its organizer , the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation .

SEOUL/GIMHAE, South Korea, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea held a commemorative event to mark the 11th year of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun on Saturday.
The ceremony, which took place at Bongha Village in the country's southeastern city of Gimhae, Roh's hometown, brought key political figures, including ruling Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP).
The event used to be attended by thousands of mourners and supporters, but this year's one was held in a smaller scale due to the coronavirus, according to its organizer, the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
On May 23, 2009, Roh jumped to his death from a cliff behind his retirement home amid a corruption probe by the prosecution into his family and aides.
As the country's 16th president from 2003 to 2008, the reformist leader is praised for his efforts to eliminate regional divisions and authoritarianism.
Kwon Yang-sook, the widow of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, offers incense during a ceremony to mark the 11th anniversary of Roh's death at Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 23 new virus cases, concerns linger over Itaewon-linked infections

Following the resumption of in-person classes for high school seniors this past Wednesday , younger students -- second grade of @ @ @ @ @ of middle schools , first and second grades of elementary schools , and kindergartens -- @ @ @ @ @ this coming Wednesday after months of delay .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS more details in last 9 paras)
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 23 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday amid stepped-up efforts to slow the spread of the infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul's multicultural district of Itaewon.
The new COVID-19 infections raised the country's total caseload to 11,165, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, adding that two patients died of the virus, bringing the death toll to 266.
The number of new virus cases has grown over the past couple of days due to continued infections tied to Itaewon clubs and bars.
Since May 6 when a 29-year-old man tested positive for the virus following his visits to multiple entertainment facilities in Itaewon, more than 200 cases here have been connected to the man so far.
The southeastern city of Daegu, once the epicenter of the coronavirus in South Korea, also reported its first case linked to Itaewon on Saturday.
Of the 23 newly reported cases, 19 were community infections, and four were imported cases, according to the KCDC.
The fatality rate came to 2.38 percent, it added. South Korea has not yet reported any deaths from patients aged 29 or younger.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,194, up 32 from the previous day, the authorities said.
The continued spread of the outbreak put the health authorities on alert, as South Korea is gearing up for another round of school reopenings Wednesday.
Following the resumption of in-person classes for high school seniors this past Wednesday, younger students -- second grade of high schools, third grade of middle schools, first and second grades of elementary schools, and kindergartens -- are to return to class this coming Wednesday after months of delay.
"We will further beef up our national emergency response system in the runup to the planned resumption of classes," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a meeting earlier in the day.
Applicants for this year's school qualification examination have their temperatures checked at a middle school in Seoul on May 23, 2020. The exam for a general equivalency diploma was supposed to be held in April but was delayed twice due to the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--Visitors to national parks down 23 pct in April due to coronavirus outbreak

Among them , Bukhansan National Park in the Seoul area drew 714,633 people , up 48.2 percent from the previous @ @ @ @ @ visitors to Chiaksan National Park in the central part of the country reached about 76,000 @ @ @ @ @ a year before .

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The number of visitors to South Korea's national parks decreased 23.1 percent year-on-year last month due to the new coronavirus outbreak, the National Park Service said Saturday.
A total of 2.78 million people visited the 22 national parks across the country, down from 3.62 million during the same period in 2019.
The accumulated number from January to April was 9.85 million, down 17.4 percent from 11.9 million recorded a year before, the agency said.
Of the 22 parks, 16 places largely depending on overseas tourists and group tours had fewer visitors than last year.
For example, travelers to the iconic Hallyeohaesang National Park on the southern coast dropped 72 percent to 185,321. The southeastern city of Gyeongju, rich in ancient cultural heritage, saw visitor numbers decline 64.5 percent to 108,938.
Amid border restrictions, the number of international visitors to South Korea decreased 96.2 percent to 3,102 last month.
But six mountainous parks in and around major cities attracted more visitors than previous year as holidaymakers shunned crowded indoor entertainment venues, which are susceptible to infection, and opted for fresh air and natural landscapes.
Among them, Bukhansan National Park in the Seoul area drew 714,633 people, up 48.2 percent from the previous year. The number of visitors to Chiaksan National Park in the central part of the country reached about 76,000, up 44.8 percent from a year before.
The Baekwundae peak on Mount Bukhan in Seoul is crowded with hikers on April 26, 2020, the first Sunday since the government eased its social distancing rules amid a slowdown in new coronavirus cases. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-23--S. Korea reports 23 new virus cases, total at 11,165

The new infections raised the country 's total caseload to 11,165 , the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ adding that two patients died of the virus , bringing the death toll to 266 @

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 23 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday amid stepped-up efforts to slow the spread of the infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul's multicultural district of Itaewon.
The new infections raised the country's total caseload to 11,165, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, adding that two patients died of the virus, bringing the death toll to 266.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,194, up 32 from the previous day, according to the authorities.
Applicants for this year's school qualification examination have their temperatures checked at a middle school in Seoul on May 23, 2020. The exam for a general equivalency diploma was supposed to be held in April but was delayed twice due to the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional virus deaths, death toll now at 266: KCDC

(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--2020-05-24--(URGENT) 19 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,21

(URGENT) 19 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,213: KCDC


yna--2020-05-24--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 25 more cases of new coronavirus, total at 11,190: KCDC


yna--2020-05-24--S. Korea's consumer goods imports from Japan fall 37 pct in April

The value of imported Japanese consumer goods fell on-year to US $ 249 million last month as Korean consumers still @ @ @ @ @ products amid trade tensions between Seoul and Tokyo , and the COVID-19 outbreak , according @ @ @ @ @ ( KCS ) .

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's imports of consumer goods from Japan plunged 37 percent in April from a year earlier due to Japan's export curbs and the new coronavirus impact on consumer spending, government data showed Sunday.
The value of imported Japanese consumer goods fell on-year to US$249 million last month as Korean consumers still opt not to buy Japan-made products amid trade tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, and the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
In particular, imports of Japanese beer products plunged 89 percent to $630,000 last month from a year ago. Imported Japanese vehicles also declined 59 percent to $62 million during the same period, the KCS data showed.
This undated Yonhap News TV image shows Japanese products amid a local campaign against them in South Korea due to political tensions and the coronavirus impact on the economy. (Yonhap)
Last July, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three high-tech materials critical for the production of semiconductors and displays.
In August, Japan also removed South Korea from its list of countries given preferential treatment in trade procedures.
South Korea views the moves as retaliation against 2018 Supreme Court rulings here ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Moreover, Japan's entry restrictions on incoming passengers from Korea since March 9 amid virus fears and Seoul's corresponding measures brought air travel between the two nations to a halt.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


Sunday's weather forecast

SEOUL , May 24 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) N.K. leader presides over key party meeting to discuss increasing nuclear war deterrence

`` Set forth at the meeting were new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and @ @ @ @ @ on a high alert operation in line with the general requirements for the building and @ @ @ @ @ of the country , '' the KCNA said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info from 3rd para)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Central Military Commission meeting and discussed "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country," state media reported Sunday.
Also discussed at the enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party were important military steps and organizational and political measures to further bolster up the overall armed forces, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
"Set forth at the meeting were new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and putting the strategic armed forces on a high alert operation in line with the general requirements for the building and development of the armed forces of the country," the KCNA said.
It did not elaborate what the "new policies" for nuclear deterrence were.
"Taken at the meeting were crucial measures for considerably increasing the firepower strike ability of the artillery pieces of the Korean People's Army," it added.
North Korean leader speaks during an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 24, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Kim emphasized the importance of "realizing the party's monolithic leadership" over the military and specified "key issues to be constantly maintained in the military and political performance of the armed forces of the DPRK, and tasks and ways," the KCNA added.
Kim signed seven "orders" related military measures discussed during the meeting including those aimed at enhancing "the responsibility and roles of the major military educational institutions," reorganizing "the military commanding system" and promoting "the military ranks of commanding officers."
During the meeting, Ri Pyong-chol, known for his involvement in the North's arms development, was elected as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, the KCNA said.
The KCNA did not say when the meeting was held, but state media usually report Kim's activity a day after it happens.
The meeting marked Kim's first public event since he visited a local fertilizer plant on May 1 after ending a 20-day absence from public view that sparked a slew of speculation over his health.
Kim last presided over a Central Military Commission meeting in mid-December.
North Korean leader presides over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 24, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--N.K. leader presides over key party meeting to discuss increasing nuclear war deterrence

Also discussed at the enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers ' Party were important military @ @ @ @ @ measures to further bolster up the overall armed forces , according to the Korean Central @ @ @

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Central Military Commission meeting and discussed "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country," state media reported Sunday.
Also discussed at the enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party were important military steps and organizational and political measures to further bolster up the overall armed forces, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(URGENT) N. Korea discusses increasing 'nuclear war deterrence': state media


yna--2020-05-24--(URGENT) N.K. leader presides over central military commission meeting


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(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) Gov't to require clubs, bars to keep QR code-based customer log

Regarding privacy concerns , the QR code system may be a better way to protect personal information as opposed to @ @ @ @ @ will be stored in an encrypted form before it is accessed by disease investigators , @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info, background in paras 6,7 and 9)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The government unveiled a plan Sunday to require high-risk entertainment establishments like clubs and bars to keep a quick response (QR) code-based customer register, starting next month, as a measure to better track down potential coronavirus-infected patients.
The decision was made after the submission of false personal information by infected people -- including the latest case of a cram school teacher in Incheon, west of Seoul -- led to COVID-19 infections, officials said.
"Over the course of tracking down patients linked to the Itaewon clubs, the government experienced difficulties because many of them made false statements about their personal details in the visitor logs," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a press briefing.
"We have decided to adopt an electronic register using QR codes so as to collect accurate data on visitors and operate a swift quarantine system," he said.
Places like clubs, karaoke bars and "hunting pocha," or casual diners that cater to customers looking for blind dates, must use the QR scanning system in running their business. Other establishments exposed to high infection risks will also be recommended to adopt the system.
Regarding privacy concerns, the QR code system may be a better way to protect personal information as opposed to handwritten registers because the information will be stored in an encrypted form before it is accessed by disease investigators, officials said.
Private data collected from the QR-code registers will be discarded automatically after four weeks.
The QR-code registers will only be used when the infectious disease alert level is raised to "serious" or "cautionary." The government will test-run the system until mid-June before its official launch.
South Korea reported 25 new coronavirus infections Sunday, bringing the total caseload to 11,190, with sporadic infections linked to the Itaewon nightclub cluster still on the rise.
A club in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul is closed on May 12, 2020, with signs that read "Do Not Enter," after it turned out to be one of the places infected patients had visited.
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(5th LD) S. Korea's new virus cases hover around 20 for 3rd day, Itaewon cluster keeps growing

`` The daily average of infected patients in the past two weeks came to 23.2 people , an increase from @ @ @ @ @ weeks before that , but still , we maintain an average of below 50 , @ @ @ @ @ managed , '' he said .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 10-13; RESTRUCTURES; TRIMS)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea added 25 new coronavirus cases Sunday, marking the third consecutive day the number has been around 20, as the country steps up efforts to bring the latest infections tied to Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon under control.
The 25 new cases, with eight coming from overseas and 17 local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 11,190. The death toll remained unchanged at 266, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.
The country's new cases stood at 20 on Friday and 23 on Saturday.
South Korea has successfully flattened the virus curve with massive and swift testing since the country's first confirmed case was reported on Jan. 20, but sporadic cluster infections continue to complicate the quarantine efforts.
Cases tied to clubs in Itaewon have not evolved into explosive infections but have continued to increase steadily. The Itaewon-linked cases reached a total of 225 as of noon Sunday, up six from the previous day.
Of the total cases, 129 were infected after coming into contact with those diagnosed with COVID-19, the KCDC said.
The health authorities remained alert ahead of another phase of school reopening this week following the return of high school seniors last week after a nearly three-month suspension.
The health authorities said the next two weeks are significant in determining whether the coronavirus outbreak spreads further or slows down, calling for citizens to stay vigilant and abide by eased social distancing guidelines.
Later in the day, the government announced a plan to require entertainment establishments like clubs and bars with high infection risks to keep quick response (QR) code-based customer logs starting next month, as part of efforts to reduce errors and delays in contact-tracing caused by people giving false personal information.
Seoul city officials put a notice of business suspension on the entrance of a "coin noraebang," a coin-operated karaoke room, in Seoul on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Despite the sporadic transmissions detected nationwide in connection with the Itaewon cluster, the government is not considering reverting to stricter social distancing or toughening the current quarantine rules, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a press briefing.
He said quarantine capabilities remain sufficient enough to handle the control and treatment of the virus.
"The daily average of infected patients in the past two weeks came to 23.2 people, an increase from 8.7 tallied for the two weeks before that, but still, we maintain an average of below 50, a level that can be managed," he said.
But he stressed the need for everyone, with or without symptoms, who had visited the clubs and other places exposed to infections to come forward and get tested, so as to help prevent community spread.
Itaewon emerged as the latest hotbed for infections after a 29-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on May 6 following visits to clubs and bars in the district. The country has continued to report secondary to quintic transmissions linked to the Itaewon outbreak in recent weeks.
To avoid a second wave of infections, the health authorities have been carrying out tens of thousands of tests on those who visited affected clubs between April 24 and May 6.
Of the 25 new cases, six each were reported in Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang Province, with two infections reported in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and one in Gangwon Province. Four cases were caught during the quarantine process at airports, it said.
The accumulated number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,213, up 19 from a day earlier, with 711 people under quarantine, the statement said.
The pandemic, which surfaced in China late last year, has killed more than 340,000 people worldwide and infected more than 5.3 million in just a few months, a tally from Johns Hopkins University showed.
This photo, taken on May 24, 2020, shows the Eunhye church, which is temporarily closed after its preacher and six people who came in contact with the preacher were diagnosed with the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--BTS' "Fake Love" tops 700 mln YouTube views

This is the group 's third music video to hit this number of views on the global video-streaming site , @ @ @ @ @ `` Boy With Luv . ''

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The music video of K-pop boy band BTS' "Fake Love" has drawn more than 700 million clicks on YouTube, the band's management agency said Sunday.
The lead track of BTS' 2018 release "Love Yourself: Tear" surpassed the 700 million mark at around 6 p.m., according to Big Hit Entertainment.
This is the group's third music video to hit this number of views on the global video-streaming site, after "DNA" and "Boy With Luv."
This image, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on May 24, 2020, shows BTS' "Fake Love" official music video on YouTube. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(4th LD) S. Korea's new virus cases hover around 20 for 3rd day, Itaewon cluster keeps growing

Of the 25 new cases , six each were reported in Seoul , the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang @ @ @ @ @ reported in Incheon , just west of Seoul , and one in Gangwon Province .
@ @ @ @ @ the quarantine process at airports , it said .

(ATTN: ADDS gov't plan to bring in QR code register at high-risk areas in 5th para)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea added 25 new coronavirus cases Sunday, marking the third consecutive day the number has been around 20, as the country steps up efforts to bring the latest infections tied to Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon under control.
South Korea has successfully flattened the virus curve with massive and swift testing since the country's first confirmed case was reported on Jan. 20, but sporadic cluster infections continue to complicate the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC)'s quarantine efforts.
Cases tied to clubs in Itaewon have not evolved into explosive infections but have continued to increase steadily.
But the health authorities are still on high alert ahead of an expanded school reopening this week, as COVID-19 continues to spread across the country.
The government announced a plan to require entertainment establishments like clubs and bars with high infection risks to keep quick response (QR) code-based customer logs starting next month, as part of efforts to reduce errors and delays in contact-tracing caused by people giving false personal information.
The KCDC sees the next two weeks as significant in determining whether the coronavirus outbreak spreads further or slows down as the government plans to push ahead with another round of school reopening this week despite concerns over possible virus transmissions at schools.
High school seniors returned to school last week.
The 25 new cases, with eight coming from overseas and 17 being local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 11,190. The death toll remained unchanged at 266, the KCDC said in a statement.
The country's new cases stood at 20 on Friday and 23 on Saturday.
The Itaewon-linked cases reached a total of 225 as of noon Sunday, up six from the previous day. Of the total cases, 129 were infected after coming into contact with those diagnosed with COVID-19, the statement said.
Seoul city officials put a notice of business suspension on the entrance of a "coin noraebang," a coin-operated karaoke room, in Seoul on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Itaewon emerged as the latest hotbed for infections after a 29-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on May 6 following visits to clubs and bars in the district. The country has continued to report secondary to quintic transmissions linked to the Itaewon outbreak in recent weeks.
To avoid a second wave of infections, the health authorities have been carrying out tens of thousands of tests on those who visited affected clubs between April 24 and May 6.
Of the 25 new cases, six each were reported in Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang Province, with two infections reported in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and one in Gangwon Province. Four cases were caught during the quarantine process at airports, it said.
The accumulated number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,213, up 19 from a day earlier, with 711 people under quarantine, the statement said.
The pandemic, which surfaced in China late last year, has killed more than 340,000 people worldwide and infected more than 5.3 million in just a few months, a tally from Johns Hopkins University showed.
This photo, taken on May 24, 2020, shows the Eunhye church, which is temporarily closed after its preacher and six people who came in contact with the preacher were diagnosed with the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--Gov't to require clubs, bars to keep QR code-based customer log

The QR code register will only be used when the infectious disease alert level is raised to `` serious '' @ @ @ @ @ The government will test-run the system until mid-June before its official launch .

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The government unveiled a plan Sunday to require high-risk entertainment establishments like clubs and bars to keep a quick response (QR) code-based customer register, starting next month, as a measure to better track down potential coronavirus-infected patients.
The decision was made after the submission of false personal information by infected people -- including the latest case of a cram school teacher in Incheon, west of Seoul -- led to COVID-19 infections, officials said.
"Over the course of tracking down patients linked to the Itaewon clubs, the government experienced difficulties because many of them made false statements about their personal details in the visitor logs," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a press briefing.
"We have decided to adopt an electronic register using QR codes so as to collect accurate data on visitors and operate a swift quarantine system," he said.
Places like clubs, karaoke bars and "hunting pocha," or casual diners that cater to customers looking for blind dates, must use the QR scanning system in running their business.
Other establishments exposed to high infection risks will also be recommended to adopt the system.
The QR code register will only be used when the infectious disease alert level is raised to "serious" or "cautionary." The government will test-run the system until mid-June before its official launch.
A club in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul is closed on May 12, 2020, with signs that read "Do Not Enter," after it turned out to be one of the places infected patients had visited.
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) LPGA stars split winnings in charity skins game

After they were tied at the 16th , 16 million won was up for grabs at the par-three 17th .
@ @ @ @ @ extra 10 million there .
If Ko had won the 17th , she would have @ @ @ @ @ it was Park who sank her birdie putt to take 26 million won and take @ @ @ @ @ won lead into the 18th hole .

(ATTN: ADDS comments in paras 10-12; MINOR EDITS)
INCHEON, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean LPGA stars Ko Jin-young and Park Sung-hyun split the prize money in their charity skins game Sunday.
World No. 1 Ko and the third-ranked Park each claimed 50 million won (US$40,300) in the skins game organized by Hyundai Card at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The winnings will be donated to charities of the players' choices.
South Korean LPGA stars Ko Jin-young (L) and Park Sung-hyun pose for photos before their charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on May 24, 2020, in this photo provided by Hyundai Card. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Ko made a lengthy birdie putt at the 18th hole to win 10 million won at stake there and pull even with Park.
Before the match, the two players said the ideal scenario was for them to split the winnings evenly.
Park won the first hole to take the lead. The two halved the second hole, and then Ko beat Park over the next three holes.
Park responded by winning three straight holes starting at the sixth.
Ko had won 40 million won to Park's 12 million won through 13, but then Park won the 14th and 15th holes to pocket 12 million won.
After they were tied at the 16th, 16 million won was up for grabs at the par-three 17th. Ko decided to add an extra 10 million there. If Ko had won the 17th, she would have clinched the match. But it was Park who sank her birdie putt to take 26 million won and take a 50 million won-40 million won lead into the 18th hole.
Ko came through with a 16-foot birdie putt that ensured a 50-50 split.
This photo, provided by Hyundai Card on May 24, 2020, shows South Korean LPGA player Ko Jin-young in action in a charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"I think the match played out exactly the way we wanted," Park said in an interview afterward. "We talked before the match about how we should take the same amount of money, and it's pretty amazing that we got the result we wanted."
Ko said she was "lucky" to have made that final birdie for the split.
"I made some mistakes on the front nine," Ko said of her day. "Then when Sung-hyun started making some birdies on the back nine, it got my competitive juices flowing."
Ko and Park have combined for four LPGA major titles over the past three seasons. The LPGA Tour has been on hold since mid-February due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Ko, who had planned to make her season debut in March, has yet to play a competitive round in 2020.
Park had been in the same boat before making her 2020 debut last week at the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Championship. The rusty Park missed the cut.
Ko enjoyed an exceptional 2019 season, counting two majors among her four titles while also sweeping the Player of the Year, the money title, the Vare Trophy as the scoring leader, and the Annika Major Award, given to the player with the best performance across five LPGA major tournaments. Ko won the Rookie of the Year in 2018.
Park, former No. 1, won both the Rookie of the Year and the Player of the Year honors in 2017, becoming the first player to do so since Nancy Lopez in 1978. She has won seven LPGA titles, including a major each in 2017 and 2018.
Due to lingering COVID-19 concerns, the skins match was played without fans.
This photo, provided by Hyundai Card on May 24, 2020, shows South Korean LPGA player Park Sung-hyun in action in a charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--LPGA stars split winnings in charity skins game

INCHEON, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean LPGA stars Ko Jin-young and Park Sung-hyun split the prize money in their charity skins game Sunday.
World No. 1 Ko and the third-ranked Park each claimed 50 million won (US$40,300) in the skins game organized by Hyundai Card at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The winnings will be donated to charities of the players' choices.
South Korean LPGA stars Ko Jin-young (L) and Park Sung-hyun pose for photos before their charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on May 24, 2020, in this photo provided by Hyundai Card. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Ko made a lengthy birdie putt at the 18th hole to win 10 million won at stake there and pull even with Park.
Before the match, the two players said the ideal scenario was for them to split the winnings evenly.
Park won the first hole to take the lead. The two halved the second hold, and then Ko beat Park over the next three holes.
Park responded by winning three straight holes starting at the sixth.
Ko had won 40 million won to Park's 12 million won through 13, but then Park won the 14th and 15th holes to pocket 12 million won.
After they were tied at the 16th, 16 million won was up for grabs at the par-three 17th. Ko decided to add an extra 10 million there. If Ko had won the 17th, she would have clinched the match. But it was Park who sank her birdie putt to take 26 million won and take a 50 million won-40 million won lead into the 18th hole.
Ko came through with a 16-foot birdie putt that ensured a 50-50 split.
This photo, provided by Hyundai Card on May 24, 2020, shows South Korean LPGA player Ko Jin-young in action in a charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Ko and Park, who have combined for four LPGA major titles over the past three seasons, will play a skins match, meaning the player with the lowest score on a given hole will win money. If the players are tied on one hole, the money at stake carries over to the next hole.
The total purse is 100 million won (US$81,510), and the two players will donate their winnings to charities of their choices.
The LPGA Tour has been on hold since mid-February due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Ko, who had planned to make her season debut in March, has yet to play a competitive round in 2020.
Park had been in the same boat before making her 2020 debut last week at the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Championship. The rusty Park missed the cut.
Ko enjoyed an exceptional 2019 season, counting two majors among her four titles while also sweeping the Player of the Year, the money title, the Vare Trophy as the scoring leader, and the Annika Major Award, given to the player with the best performance across five LPGA major tournaments. Ko won the Rookie of the Year in 2018.
Park, former No. 1, won both the Rookie of the Year and the Player of the Year honors in 2017, becoming the first player to do so since Nancy Lopez in 1978. She has won seven LPGA titles, including a major each in 2017 and 2018.
Due to lingering COVID-19 concerns, the skins match was played without fans.
This photo, provided by Hyundai Card on May 24, 2020, shows South Korean LPGA player Park Sung-hyun in action in a charity skins game at the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--Schools in high-risk areas advised against classes with full attendance: minister

Schools in South Korea are set to reopen for second graders of high school and third-grade students of middle school @ @ @ @ @ lowest two grades of elementary schools and preschoolers Wednesday , in a phased approach to @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The 12th graders of high school began going back to school Wednesday .

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Schools in areas with high transmission risks will be strongly advised against resuming classes with full attendance this week, as a precaution to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus, the education minister said Sunday.
"We'll strongly recommend that schools in areas exposed to high risks of community spread of COVID-19 keep the number of students in attendance below two-thirds of the total," Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said after a government response meeting.
Schools in South Korea are set to reopen for second graders of high school and third-grade students of middle school, as well as the lowest two grades of elementary schools and preschoolers Wednesday, in a phased approach to resuming school amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 12th graders of high school began going back to school Wednesday.
Despite worries about a resurgence of community spread due to nightclub-linked cluster infections, Yoo said that the school reopening will take place as scheduled, promising to allow more leeway for each school to adjust the number of students attending classes at their discretion.
"Classes will resume starting Wednesday. The government will leave it up to the schools to run classes, like every fortnight or every two days," she told the briefing.
She also vowed to make sure there will be no vacuum in child care before and after school by stepping up personnel support and other assistance.
The country's new school year, which usually starts in March, had been postponed by nearly three months after schools across the country were closed to prevent infections among students.
The government announced the reopening of schools as new daily infections were slowing. Students, who have been taking online classes since April, are set to resume in-person classes by June 8 in phases.
Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae speaks during a regular media briefing on the government response to the coronavirus pandemic in Seoul on May 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--PM hints at change in mask policy as supply remains stable

`` Citizens find it more uncomfortable to keep the masks on as the weather gets hotter , but putting them @ @ @ @ @ safety of the public , '' he said .

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Sunday hinted at changing the country's current mask distribution system in the fight against the new coronavirus as the supply of the protective item remains stable across the nation.
Chung made the remark during a government meeting on the response to COVID-19, noting that the recent mask supply has more than doubled compared to that of January.
"Our current mask policy, which mandates 80 percent of the production to be supplied to places that sell masks under the public distribution system, also needs to change naturally," he said.
South Korea suffered a mask supply crisis when the coronavirus outbreak peaked in the country in late February and early March. But the supply has stabilized since the government stepped in to regulate production and distribution.
Under the public distribution system, all South Koreans and registered noncitizens here can buy three KF94 masks a week on an assigned day, depending on their birth year, at pharmacies and other designated places nationwide.
During Sunday's meeting, the prime minister also said the government will push to double production of the number of lighter dental masks to up to 1 million a day for use in summer.
"Citizens find it more uncomfortable to keep the masks on as the weather gets hotter, but putting them on remains inevitable for the safety of the public," he said.
In this file photo, taken on April 20, 2020, people wearing masks walk in Seoul's Jongno Ward, as South Korea began the same day to partly ease its social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) Lotte Shopping to sell 121 stores this year due to virus impact

Lotte Shopping runs about 700 department stores , large discount stores , supermarkets and LOHB 's online shopping mall 's @ @ @ @ @ originally planning to sell 200 of them over the next three to five years to @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS background in last three paras)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Shopping Co., the operator of South Korea's biggest department store chain, said Sunday it will sell 121 brick-and-mortar stores within this year amid the new coronavirus impact on the retail industry.
Lotte Shopping runs about 700 department stores, large discount stores, supermarkets and LOHB's online shopping mall's offline stores, and was originally planning to sell 200 of them over the next three to five years to strengthen the e-commerce business.
"The company has decided to speed up the process to sell less-profitable assets to improve its financial health that's been affected by the coronavirus outbreak," a Lotte Shopping official said.
This file photo taken Feb. 10, 2020, shows the main entrance of the Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong, central Seoul, which resumed operations following a three-day shutdown after the 23rd confirmed coronavirus patient turned out to have visited the store on Feb. 2. (Yonhap)
In a conference call on May 14 after the release of its first-quarter earnings results, Lotte Shopping said it will shut down five department stores, 16 discount stores, 75 supermarkets and 25 LOHBs outlets by December.
Lotte Shopping shifted to a net loss of 43.33 billion won (US$35 million) in the January-March quarter from a net profit of 109.17 billion won in the year-ago period.
The company said there will be no forced layoffs during the asset sales process, but some job cuts are widely expected at the subjected stores.
This month, Lotte Shopping said it will strengthen its e-commerce business based on its integrated online shopping website to meet rapidly changing customer appetite after reporting poor first-quarter earnings results.
In April, it launched an online shopping website, Lotte On, which integrates the websites of Lotte's eight affiliates, including Lotte Department Store, the electronics unit Lotte Himart, Lotte Home Shopping and Lotte Duty Free.
Local retailers have suffered a sharp decline in sales as people opt not to visit offline stores and to stay at home due to virus fears.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(3rd LD) S. Korea's new virus cases hover around 20 for 3rd day, Itaewon cluster keeps growing

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 3-4; RESTRUCTURES throughout)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea added 25 new coronavirus cases Sunday, marking the third consecutive day the number has been around 20, as the country steps up efforts to bring the latest infections tied to Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon under control.
South Korea has successfully flattened the virus curve with massive and swift testing since the country's first confirmed case was reported on Jan. 20, but sporadic cluster infections continue to complicate the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC)'s quarantine efforts.
Cases tied to clubs in Itaewon have not evolved into explosive infections but have continued to increase steadily.
But the health authorities are still on high alert ahead of an expanded school reopening this week, as COVID-19 continues to spread across the country.
The KCDC sees the next two weeks as significant in determining whether the coronavirus outbreak spreads further or slows down as the government plans to push ahead with another round of school reopening this week despite concerns over possible virus transmissions at schools.
High school seniors returned to school last week.
The 25 new cases, with eight coming from overseas and 17 being local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 11,190. The death toll remained unchanged at 266, the KCDC said in a statement.
The country's new cases stood at 20 on Friday and 23 on Saturday.
The Itaewon-linked cases reached a total of 225 as of noon Sunday, up six from the previous day. Of the total cases, 129 were infected after coming into contact with those diagnosed with COVID-19, the statement said.
Seoul city officials put a notice of business suspension on the entrance of a "coin noraebang," a coin-operated karaoke room, in Seoul on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
Itaewon emerged as the latest hotbed for infections after a 29-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on May 6 following visits to clubs and bars in the district. The country has continued to report secondary to quintic transmissions linked to the Itaewon outbreak in recent weeks.
To avoid a second wave of infections, the health authorities have been carrying out tens of thousands of tests on those who visited affected clubs between April 24 and May 6.
Of the 25 new cases, six each were reported in Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang Province, with two infections reported in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and one in Gangwon Province. Four cases were caught during the quarantine process at airports, it said.
The accumulated number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,213, up 19 from a day earlier, with 711 people under quarantine, the statement said.
The pandemic, which surfaced in China late last year, has killed more than 340,000 people worldwide and infected more than 5.3 million in just a few months, a tally from Johns Hopkins University showed.
This photo, taken on May 24, 2020, shows the Eunhye church, which is temporarily closed after its preacher and six people who came in contact with the preacher were diagnosed with the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) S. Korea to give 370,000 masks to Koreans adopted overseas

Starting Monday , 210,000 , or 60 percent of the total , will be sent to the United States , @ @ @ @ @ adoptees is the largest , and the remainder will be distributed to 13 other countries @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS prime minister's remarks in last 2 paras; TRIMS)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will provide 370,000 face masks to Koreans adopted overseas to help them fight the new coronavirus, the foreign ministry said Sunday.
Starting Monday, 210,000, or 60 percent of the total, will be sent to the United States, where the number of Korean adoptees is the largest, and the remainder will be distributed to 13 other countries, according to the ministry.
Among some 167,000 Koreans adopted overseas, 110,000 live in the U.S. Other countries with Korean adoptees include France, Denmark, Sweden and Australia, it said.
South Korea originally planned to send some 100,000 masks abroad but has increased the number following high demand from across the world.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday that South Korea can export or provide some masks in humanitarian assistance to other countries, noting that the supply is now stable in the country.
"The recent mask supply has more than doubled compared to that of January, and the stocks for the public distribution system are also being stably secured," Chung said during a government meeting on the response to COVID-19.
A citizen buys three masks at a drug store in Seoul on April 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(2nd LD) Moon to meet ruling, opposition party leaders Thursday

Among major issues likely to be discussed are a plan for the third batch of supplementary budget over the impact @ @ @ @ @ to upgrade the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) to the @ @ @ @ @ , a Cheong Wa Dae official later told reporters .

(ATTN: UPDATES with urgent bills, other details in last 6 paras)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in will have a luncheon meeting with the new floor leaders of South Korea's ruling and main opposition parties this week, a Cheong Wa Dae official announced Sunday, with the new National Assembly scheduled to open a week later.
Moon has invited Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and his United Future Party counterpart, Joo Ho-young, to the Cheong Wa Dae session slated for Thursday, according to Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs.
Newly elected lawmakers are scheduled to begin their four-year terms Saturday.
No specific agenda items will be set formally in advance for the session, Kang said, adding they are expected to have dialogue in a "candid" manner on state affairs, including the employment and industrial crises from the new coronavirus.
The secretary said Cheong Wa Dae would continue efforts for the "systemization of cooperative politics."
Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, holds a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae on May 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
It would be Moon's first Cheong Wa Dae meeting with the floor leaders of the parties in 1 1/2 years. The previous meeting took place on Nov. 5, 2018.
Among major issues likely to be discussed are a plan for the third batch of supplementary budget over the impact from COVID-19 and a decision to upgrade the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to the Disease Control and Prevention Administration, a Cheong Wa Dae official later told reporters.
The move for a change in the organizational chart of government offices and agencies requires the National Assembly's approval.
"Once the National Assembly opens, a lot of urgent bills will be submitted to it," the official said at a background briefing. "The third supplementary budget bill is also a pressing matter, above all."
This year, the government has already won parliamentary endorsement for two extra budget bills -- one worth 11.7 trillion won (US$9.4 billion) and the other 12.2 trillion won.
The president, meanwhile, is preparing to deliver a speech at the parliament early next month, his aides said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) Boat found abandoned on west coast beach, illegal entry suspected

The boat did not have a registered serial number and had an engine that is not distributed in South Korea @ @ @ @ @ clothes , leftover food and some items that appeared to have been made in China @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info throughout; CHANGES quote at bottom)
TAEAN, South Korea, May 24 (Yonhap) -- A small boat presumed to have been used by illegal immigrants from China was found abandoned on a beach on the west coast, police said Sunday.
Police and the military are tracing those who were on board after checking nearby closed-circuit TV footage that showed people leaving the six-seat 1.5-ton boat on the beach in the western coastal city of Taean, they said.
A local resident called the police Saturday after seeing the boat had remained unattended for days. The boat was first spotted on the beach Wednesday.
The boat did not have a registered serial number and had an engine that is not distributed in South Korea. Inside the boat were clothes, leftover food and some items that appeared to have been made in China, police said.
A police officer said they are looking into the matter while weighing the possibility of an illegal entry of Chinese nationals.
"We are conducting the investigation with all possibilities open, such as a drifting or distress situation or an illegal entry," the officer said.
This photo, provided by a Yonhap reader, shows a boat abandoned at a beach in the coastal city of Taean. Police said on May 24, 2020, the illegal entry of Chinese is suspected. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) Navy to send 2 destroyers to U.S.-led RIMPAC exercise

In 2018 , South Korea sent a submarine , a patrol plane and some 700 troops for the exercise , @ @ @ @ @ such military assets will not be mobilized this year .
The number of troops taking @ @ @ @ @ also expected to be reduced .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 2nd to last para)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The Navy plans to send just two destroyers to a U.S.-led multinational maritime exercise slated to kick off near Hawaii in August, a military source said Sunday, as the biannual exercise is expected to be held in a scaled-down manner due to the new coronavirus.
The Navy will send a 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer and a 4,400-ton destroyer to the Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC) scheduled for Aug. 17-31, according to the source.
In 2018, South Korea sent a submarine, a patrol plane and some 700 troops for the exercise, along with destroyers, but such military assets will not be mobilized this year. The number of troops taking part in the exercise is also expected to be reduced.
The exercise is designed to enhance combined operational capabilities for maritime security. South Korea has participated in the event on a regular basis, dispatching warships, including the Aegis-equipped Sejong the Great destroyer.
This year, the Marine Corps will not send its forces to the exercise as it will be an at-sea-only event.
The U.S. Navy earlier said it will minimize land and shore-based training and exclude social events on shore for this year's exercise due to concerns over COVID-19.
In this photo, taken May 28, 2018, and released by the South Korean Navy, South Korean naval officers leave from the Jinhae military port in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in Hawaii. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--Over 30,000 S. Koreans return home from abroad amid coronavirus pandemic

`` The government has used all possible diplomatic capabilities based on the principle that we will assist the safe return @ @ @ @ @ world , no matter where they are , '' Yoon told reporters .

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Some 30,000 South Koreans living abroad have returned home amid the new coronavirus pandemic, a presidential official said Sunday.
As of Friday, 30,174 South Koreans from 103 countries had returned home, Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesperson Yoon Jae-kwan said. The number includes overseas residents, as well as students and travelers.
Of the total, 1,707 returned on chartered planes, including military aircraft, from China, Japan, Iran, Peru, Italy, Ethiopia and other countries.
Yoon said the government engaged in active dialogue with other countries to arrange temporary flights by private air carriers to bring its citizens back home.
Some 773 South Koreans from 48 countries returned home using temporary flights arranged by foreign governments, while 439 foreigners from 23 countries used flights arranged by South Korea during the period, the official said.
The number of Japanese who returned home using flights arranged by the Seoul government stood at 250 from 13 countries, while some 100 South Koreans returned home from 13 countries using flights arranged by Tokyo.
"The government has used all possible diplomatic capabilities based on the principle that we will assist the safe return of South Koreans across the world, no matter where they are," Yoon told reporters.
Yoon also said the government will put more efforts towward allowing businesspeople to travel abroad despite worldwide movement restrictions due to COVID-19.
Since the outbreak of the virus crisis, 6,742 South Korean businesspeople have entered 12 countries, including Vietnam and China, through special permits, according to the official.
South Koreans wait for takeoff onboard a chartered plane at an airport in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on May 11, 2020, before heading home from the South Asian country hit by the new coronavirus, in this photo released by the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(LEAD) Moon to meet ruling, opposition party leaders Thursday

No specific agenda items will be set formally in advance for the session , Kang said , adding they are @ @ @ @ @ a `` candid '' manner on state affairs , including the employment and industrial crises @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in will have a luncheon meeting with the new floor leaders of South Korea's ruling and main opposition parties this week, a Cheong Wa Dae official announced Sunday, with the new National Assembly scheduled to open a week later.
Moon has invited Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and his United Future Party counterpart, Joo Ho-young, to the Cheong Wa Dae session slated for Thursday, according to Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs.
Newly elected lawmakers are scheduled to begin their four-year terms Saturday.
No specific agenda items will be set formally in advance for the session, Kang said, adding they are expected to have dialogue in a "candid" manner on state affairs, including the employment and industrial crises from the new coronavirus.
The secretary said Cheong Wa Dae would continue efforts for the "systemization of cooperative politics."
The president, meanwhile, is preparing to deliver a speech at the parliament early next month, according to presidential officials.
Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, holds a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae on May 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--(2nd LD) S. Korea's new virus cases hover around 20 for 3rd day, Itaewon cluster keeps growing

Of the new cases , six each were reported in Seoul , its surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang Province @ @ @ @ @ in Incheon , just west of Seoul , and one in Gangwon Province .
Four @ @ @ @ @ quarantine process at airports , it said .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline and lead; ADDS 2nd photo and details throughout)
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea added 25 new coronavirus cases Sunday, marking the third consecutive day the number has been around 20, as the country steps up efforts to bring the latest infections tied to Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon under control.
The 25 new cases, with eight coming from overseas and 17 being local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 11,190. The death toll remained unchanged at 266, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.
The Itaewon-linked confirmed cases reached a total of 225 as of 12:00 p.m. Sunday, the statement said.
Of the new cases, six each were reported in Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi Province and North Gyeongsang Province, with two infections reported in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and one in Gangwon Province. Four cases were caught during the quarantine process at airports, it said.
Seoul city officials put a notice of business suspension on the entrance of a "coin noraebang," a coin-operated karaoke room, in Seoul on May 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
The accumulated number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,213, up 19 from a day earlier, with 711 people under quarantine, the statement said.
South Korea has successfully flattened the virus curve with massive and swift testing since the country's first confirmed case was reported on Jan. 20, but sporadic cluster infections continue to complicate the KCDC's quarantine efforts.
Cases tied to clubs in Itaewon have not evolved into explosive infections but have continued to increase steadily.
But the health authorities are still on high alert ahead of an expanded school reopening this week as COVID-19 still continues to spread across the country.
The KCDC sees the next two weeks as a significant watershed to determine whether the coronavirus outbreak spreads further or slows down as the government plans to push ahead with another round of school reopenings this week despite concerns over possible virus transmissions at schools.
High school seniors returned to school last week.
Itaewon emerged as the latest hotbed for infections after a 29-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on May 6 following visits to clubs and bars in the district. The country has continued to report secondary to quintic transmissions linked to the Itaewon outbreak in recent weeks.
To avoid a second wave of infections, the health authorities have been carrying out tens of thousands of tests on those who visited affected clubs between April 24 and May 6.
The pandemic, which surfaced in China late last year, has killed more than 340,000 people worldwide and infected more than 5.3 million in just a few months, a tally from Johns Hopkins University showed.
This photo taken May 24, 2020, shows the Eunhye church, which is temporarily closed after its preacher and six people who came in contact with the preacher were diagnosed with the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--Moon to meet ruling, opposition party leaders Thursday

Moon has invited Kim Tae-nyeon , floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party , and his United Future Party counterpart @ @ @ @ @ the meeting slated for Thursday , according to Kang Gi-jung , senior presidential secretary for @ @ @

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in will have a luncheon meeting with the new floor leaders of South Korea's ruling and main opposition parties this week, a Cheong Wa Dae official announced Sunday.
Moon has invited Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and his United Future Party counterpart, Joo Ho-young, to the meeting slated for Thursday, according to Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs.
The meeting will take place at Cheong Wa Dae as the new National Assembly is scheduled to open Saturday.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-24--Boat found abandoned on west coast beach, illegal entry suspected

TAEAN, South Korea, May 24 (Yonhap) -- A small boat presumed to have been used by illegal immigrants from China was found abandoned on a beach on the west coast, police said Sunday.
Police and the military are tracing those who were on board after checking nearby CCTV footage that showed six people leaving the boat on the beach in the western coastal city of Taean, they said.
A local resident called the police Saturday after seeing the boat remaining unattended for three days.
The boat did not have a registered serial number and had an engine that is not distributed in South Korea. Inside the boat were clothes, leftover food and some items that appeared to have been made in China, police said.
A police officer said they are looking into the matter while weighing the possibility of an illegal entry of Chinese nationals.
"We cannot give further details as the investigation is ongoing," the officer said.
This photo, provided by a Yonhap reader, shows a boat abandoned at a beach in the coastal city of Taean. Police said on May 24, 2020, the illegal entry of Chinese is suspected. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-05-25--N. Korea's official paper calls for recycling waste materials

`` We can turn any waste into treasure and make the impossible possible if we have our grips on science @ @ @ @ @ added , stressing the importance of using technology in the process of recycling .

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's main newspaper called Monday for greater efforts to turn waste into useful resources, saying recycling is key to its "self-reliance" drive aimed at building a powerful economy without outside help.
North Korea has repeatedly called for self-reliance in many areas, including economic development, as it is bracing for a long fight against international sanctions amid a stalemate in denuclearization talks with the United States.
"All organizations, businesses, and organizations must push ahead to collect all waste materials in the production process, sort them and use them as a new source of production," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said.
The paper called on all workers to recycle waste materials, including paper, rubber and glass, and urged their contribution in building a powerful self-reliant economy.
"We can turn any waste into treasure and make the impossible possible if we have our grips on science and technology," it added, stressing the importance of using technology in the process of recycling.
North Korea's media outlets have emphasized the importance of self-reliance frequently since leader Kim Jong-un told a party meeting last December that he has no expectation of the U.S. lifting sanctions anytime soon.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-25--Club-connected infections continue amid rising cases with unknown links

SEOUL , May 25 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea reported 16 more cases of the new coronavirus Monday as @ @ @ @ @ break the chain of transmission tied to cluster infections in Seoul 's nightlife district of @ @

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 16 more cases of the new coronavirus Monday as health officials are trying to break the chain of transmission tied to cluster infections in Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon.
The new cases, with three coming from overseas, raised South Korea's total coronavirus caseload to 11,206, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
This photo, taken on May 24, 2020, shows Catholics using hand sanitizers before attending Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Itaewon has emerged as a new hotbed for COVID-19 after a 29-year-old man tested positive for the virus on May 6 following his visits to clubs and bars in Itaewon.
More than 200 cases have been linked to Itaewon clubs, though health authorities believe the cluster is under control and has not evolved into uncontrollable, explosive infections.
The country reported one more virus fatality, raising the death toll to 267.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 10,226, up 13 from the previous day, according to the KCDC, with 713 patients currently under treatment.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-25--Movie theaters to live stream 'League of Legends' tournament

Audiences will be able to watch the esports competition on the main screen , along with the game 's strategic @ @ @ @ @ the side-wall screens at the same time .

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- While fears of the novel coronavirus have emptied movie theaters in South Korea, esports fans are given a rare opportunity to watch a "League of Legends" (LoL) tournament on the big screen.
CGV, a multiplex chain run by entertainment giant CJ Group, said Monday it will live stream the upcoming 2020 Mid-Season Cup of LoL starting Thursday at its 24 theaters across the country.
The four-day tournament features four top LoL teams from South Korea and China each to be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.
CGV said the tournament will be broadcast at its ScreenX theaters, which provides 270-degree panoramic images to audiences by expanding the display onto the theater's side walls.
Audiences will be able to watch the esports competition on the main screen, along with the game's strategic maps and statistical data on the side-wall screens at the same time.
This image provided by CGV shows a live streaming of a "League of Legends" tournament. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
It will be the second time that CGV has livestreamed an esports competition, following the 2019 LoL World Championship last year.
The broadcasting of a LoL tournament at a theater is part of South Korean multiplexes' efforts to tackle the falling number of moviegoers and a lack of new film releases stemming from monthslong coronavirus disruptions.
The 2018 New York concert by American singer-songwriter Josh Groban and the live Metallica concert collaborating with the San Francisco Symphony in 2019 are being screened at CGV theaters.
Megabox, another multiplex chain in South Korea, will start the "Cine Docent" project next month to give lectures on artworks and masterpieces at the world's renowned museums and galleries, including the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Its ongoing "Classic Society" program is to broadcast a number of classical music concerts performed by renowned orchestras, including operas "Rigoletto" by Giuseppe Verdi, "Madam Butterfly" by Giacomo Puccini and "Fidelio" by Ludwig Beethoven.
The number of moviegoers fell to a record low of 970,000 in April, with dozens of movies postponing scheduled premieres.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-25--(URGENT) 13 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,22

(URGENT) 13 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,226: KCDC

(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--2020-05-25--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 1 additional virus death, death toll now at 267: KCDC


yna--2020-05-25--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 16 more cases of new coronavirus, total at 11,206: KCDC


yna--2020-05-25--Cuban hitting machine humming along in KBO

Fernandez is also batting an unsustainable .508 on batted balls in play , compared with the league average of .317 @ @ @ @ @ has been extremely lucky when he has put the ball in play so far , @ @ @ @ @ finding holes all over the field will start landing in fielders ' gloves more often @ @ @ @ @ baseball works .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- There are few things as consistent in South Korean baseball in 2020 as this: Jose Miguel Fernandez getting a base hit, or two, for the Doosan Bears.
As we move slowly out of the "small sample size" territory, Fernandez, the Cuban hitting machine, is batting a robust .500 (36-for-72) after 17 games in this Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season.
He had 13 hits in 24 at-bats last week, which included his third four-hit game of the season Saturday against the Samsung Lions. No other hitter even has two such games in 2020. Fernandez also leads all KBO hitters with 12 multihit games.
In this file photo from May 15, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears (R) gets a hit against the Kia Tigers in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Because he's getting so many hits, Fernandez is also leading the league in on-base percentage with .531 and total bases with 55.
But it's the hit total that matters to Fernandez the most.
In 2019, Fernandez led the KBO with 197 hits while playing in all 144 games. He came up four short of matching the record set by Seo Geon-chang of the Nexen (currently Kiwoom) Heroes in 2014, when he had 201 hits in 128 games.
With the KBO-best 36 hits in 17 games, Fernandez appears on his way to shattering Seo's record. But Fernandez will certainly not be able to pick up hits at this rate for the whole season. There's the simple fact that hitting safely half the time is just not possible over a long haul in baseball.
Fernandez is also batting an unsustainable .508 on batted balls in play, compared with the league average of .317. This number suggests Fernandez has been extremely lucky when he has put the ball in play so far, and balls that have been finding holes all over the field will start landing in fielders' gloves more often. That's just how baseball works.
For now, though, it's difficult to bet against the 32-year-old who has been held hitless just twice all season.
During the past offseason, the Bears briefly considered replacing Fernandez with a more conventional power hitter. Their cleanup man, Kim Jae-hwan, was trying to move to the majors over the winter. If Kim had left, the Bears were prepared to part ways with Fernandez and sign a slugger to replace Kim's power.
While the Bears' need for power is understandable, trying to acquire that at the expense of a hitter as talented as Fernandez seems confounding at best.
So far this year, Fernandez and Kim are tied for the team lead with four home runs. Fernandez is slugging at a .764 clip, compared with Kim's .556.
In this file photo from May 17, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears celebrates a double against the Kia Tigers in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-05-25--Seoul stocks open higher on vaccine hopes

The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar , trading at 1,239.85 won per dollar , down 2.85 won from @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened higher Monday on hopes of a new coronavirus vaccine.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.16 points, or 0.31 percent, to 1,976.29 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Optimism grew after a U.S. bio firm, Moderna, again reported positive test results from its candidate vaccine.
Such reports from the U.S. firm sparked a global stock market rally last week.
Large caps traded mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics lost 0.21 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slipped 0.25 percent.
Internet portal giant Naver added 1.95 percent, while its local rival Kakao spiked 2.23 percent.
Pharmaceutical industry leader Samsung Biologics added 0.65 percent, while Celltrion lost 0.69 percent.
The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar, trading at 1,239.85 won per dollar, down 2.85 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 1,980.51 UP 10.38 points (open)


KOSDAQ 712.88 UP 4.30 points (open)


yna--2020-05-25--Dollar opens at 1,240.5 won UP from 1,237.0 won


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , May 25 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-05-25--U.S. official renews calls for N.K. to abandon nukes after its party meeting on nuke deterrence

`` We are watching all of the things that are coming out of North Korea both from public open source @ @ @ @ @ community , '' he said .
`` We 'll keep an eye on it , @ @ @ @ @ response accordingly . ''

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Yonhap) -- U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien renewed calls Sunday for North Korea to give up its nuclear program if it wants to have a "great economy," after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a key party meeting to discuss bolstering nuclear deterrence.
In his first public appearance in about three weeks, Kim presided over a session of the Workers' Party's Central Military Commission to discuss "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence," the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported Sunday.
The North's first mention of "nuclear war deterrence" since early 2018 came amid an impasse in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang, and its struggle to improve its economy crippled by global sanctions and a pandemic-driven plunge in trade with China.
"We've managed to avoid a conflict with North Korea over the last 3 1/2 years. The president has engaged in some excellent personal diplomacy with Kim Jong-un," O'Brien said in an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation."
"But ultimately, the North Koreans, if they want to reenter the world, if they want to have a great economy, we hope they do, they are going to have to give up their nuclear program," the official added.
National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien speaks about the coronavirus at the White House in Washington on April 1, 2020, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)
The security adviser also said the U.S. will keep an eye on developments in what he calls a "very closed society" in North Korea.
"We are watching all of the things that are coming out of North Korea both from public open source but also from the intelligence community," he said. "We'll keep an eye on it, and we'll calibrate our response accordingly."
Some observers viewed the North's move to bolster the nuclear capability as an ominous sign that it could engage in provocative acts, such as the test of a submarine launched ballistic missile to pressure the U.S. to make concessions in nuclear negotiations.
Nuclear talks have not been held between Washington and Pyongyang since working-level dialogue in Sweden in October.
It remains uncertain when the talks will resume, as the U.S. administration focuses on battling the COVID-19 pandemic with President Donald Trump preparing for the November election.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)