yna--2020-08-10--(3rd LD) Typhoon Jangmi lands on S. Korea's southern coastal area

It was forecast to move away from the country toward the East Sea at around 6 p.m. after passing through @ @ @ @ @ port city of Pohang , 374 kilometers southeast of the capital , according to the @ @ @ @ @ ) .

(ATTN: UPDATES headline, lead, first six paras with details, photos)
SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Jangmi, the season's first typhoon to land here, arrived at the country's southern coastal area on Monday afternoon, keeping the country on alert over possible damage following the deadly downpours that recently battered its central region.
The typhoon landed on the southern tip of Geoje Island near Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province at 2:50 p.m. after forming at seas some 600 kilometers southwest of Okinawa, Japan, the previous day.
It was forecast to move away from the country toward the East Sea at around 6 p.m. after passing through the coastal area and the port city of Pohang, 374 kilometers southeast of the capital, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
Rain fell over most parts of the country Monday, with heavy downpours in the southern coastal area, Jeju and areas near Mount Jiri.
Precipitation from midnight to 2 p.m. reached 135.5 millimeters in Wando, South Jeolla Province, and 109 mm in Boseong, also in South Jeolla. Rainfall measuring 98 mm fell in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, and 95.5 mm in Goheung, South Jeolla Province.
The KMA issued a heavy rain advisory at 3 p.m. for the southeastern and northeastern areas of Seoul. The advisory is issued when precipitation is forecast to total at least 60 mm over a three-hour period or 110 mm over a 12-hour period.
High waves are seen at Haeundae Beach in the southeastern port city of Busan on Aug. 10, 2020, as Typhoon Jangmi moved northward. (Yonhap)
An electronic board at Jeju International Airport in Jeju displays flights that have been canceled in a precautionary measure against Typhoon Jangmi on Aug. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
High waves are seen at a beach in Seogwipo on the southern resort island of Jeju on Aug. 10, 2020, as typhoon Jangmi moved closer to the country. (Yonhap)
This photo, from Aug. 9, 2020, shows fishermen in the southeastern port city of Busan moving ships to dry land to prepare for Typhoon Jangmi, which was expected to hit South Korea this week. (Yonhap)
In Jeju, 36 domestic flights were canceled as a precautionary measure. An operation ban was also placed on 15 ships that connect Jeju to other parts of the country via nine routes, with some 2,000 boats docked for safety.
Damage, however, was limited, with wind speed measuring at 1 to 5 meters per second at noon. A typhoon advisory was lifted as of 1 p.m.
Still, authorities said around 30-80 millimeters of rain is expected to fall on the island until Tuesday morning.
The typhoon, which means "rose" in Korean, came as the country is going through an unusually long monsoon season this year.
Ships are docked at a port in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 10, 2020, in a precautionary measure against Typhoon Jangmi that was moving northward. (Yonhap)
Visitors enjoy nature at a cafe in Seogwipo on the country's southern resort island of Jeju on Aug. 10, 2020. Damage from Typhoon Jangmi, which passed near the island earlier in the day, was limited. (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the office of North Jeolla Province on Aug. 9, 2020, shows a road in Jangsu, North Jeolla Province, that was damaged due to the recent heavy downpours. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
This year's monsoon season, which began on June 24 in the central region, has shown no signs of letting up, and it is likely to end later than the Aug. 10 record in 1987.
The monsoon season is also expected to set a fresh record as the longest one after a 49-day record in 2013. The monsoon has continued for 47 days and is likely to exceed 50 days, as seasonal rain is forecast to extend to mid-August.
The seasonal rain, which has pounded the central region with heavy downpours in August, has left 42 people dead or missing and damaged 14,091 facilities. Nearly 7,000 have been displaced from their homes.
Cows stand on the roof of a cattle shed in the county of Gurye, South Jeolla Province, on Aug. 9, 2020, as the region suffered from flooding caused by recent heavy downpours. (Yonhap)
In a government response meeting, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged officials to take "exhaustive" measures to brace against the typhoon while abiding by safety rules.
"While this typhoon is a small one, its speed is very quick, raising concerns over damage from strong winds," Chung said, "Please take exhaustive measures against strong winds in Jeju and the southern coastal areas which are under the typhoon's influence."
Chung, meanwhile, reminded the public to refrain from going out unnecessarily and officials to heed to safety during their rescue and at-the-scene duties.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Moon urges every possible measure for recovery of flood damage

`` The ground has already become very weak , and the water level of dams and streams has risen to @ @ @ @ @ there is more torrential rain here , there may be huge damage , '' he @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in called on the government Tuesday to mobilize all available resources for the speedy recovery of flood damage in many parts of South Korea.
"Now, it's time to concentrate all-out efforts on the recovery of damage. The core of recovery work is speed," he said during a Cabinet meeting in Seoul.
He then called for the use of "all available resources, including reserve and disaster relief funds."
His remarks came as the country has suffered some of the worst flood damage in recent years.
This year's rainy season has continued for 49 days in the country. The state weather agency forecasts more rains in Seoul, nearby regions and the eastern province of Gangwon through this weekend.
A total of 42 people have been killed or left missing across the nation, with more than 7, 500 people displaced, due to days of downpours that began early this month, according to official data released Tuesday morning.
He also instructed civil servants to maintain their emergency duty system until the end of the longest-ever yearly monsoon in the nation.
"The monsoon is not over yet, though it's in the last stage," he stressed, urging government officials not to lower their guard.
"The ground has already become very weak, and the water level of dams and streams has risen to the highest level. If there is more torrential rain here, there may be huge damage," he said.
The president suggested mid-to long-term measures against natural disasters that "could repeatedly and unpredictably occur anytime due to climate change in the whole world."
President Moon Jae-in, in a file photo (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korean golfer Kim Sei-young moves back to U.S. for LPGA return

Kim is now back in her Dallas home in Texas .
Of a handful of South Korean LPGA players who @ @ @ @ @ their native country during the coronavirus pandemic , Kim is the first to move back @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean LPGA star Kim Sei-young has returned to the United States to rejoin the tour later this month, sources said Tuesday.
Kim is now back in her Dallas home in Texas. Of a handful of South Korean LPGA players who were biding their time in their native country during the coronavirus pandemic, Kim is the first to move back to the U.S.
In this file photo provided by the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association on June 13, 2020, Kim Sei-young of South Korea prepares to putt on the third green during the second round of the S-Oil Championship at Elysian Jeju Country Club in Jeju, Jeju Island. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Kim, world No. 6, is a 10-time LPGA champion. When the LPGA Tour came to a halt in February due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Kim returned to South Korea and played in five tournaments on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, posting three top-10s.
Kim competed in two LPGA events in January before the pause and finished in the top 10 in both of them.
The U.S. tour returned to action at the end of July with the LPGA Drive On Championship. It continued with the Marathon Classic last week, but Kim chose not to defend her 2019 title there.
She will also skip the next two tournaments outside the U.S.: the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open this week and the AIG Women's Open, formerly the Women's British Open, starting Aug. 20.
The tour will return to America for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Aug. 27, and Kim is expected to make her return there.
Among others, world No. 1 Ko Jin-young and No. 3 Park Sung-hyun are still in South Korea. Neither has played in an LPGA tournament this year. Former world No. 1 Park In-bee has committed to the AIG Women's Open.
In this file photo provided by the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association on June 7, 2020, Kim Sei-young of South Korea hits a tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the Lotte Cantata Ladies Open at Sky Hill Jeju Country Club in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-08-11--BTS content to be featured in overseas Korean education course

The course is produced mostly from clips of past vlogs from the K-pop septet , such as `` Run BTS @ @ @ @ @ It was produced in cooperation with HUFS ' Korean Contents Research Institute .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop group BTS, announced Tuesday that it has partnered with the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in producing a remote Korean-language course featuring the K-pop sensation.
Through the partnership, KF will open a BTS-themed remote learning course titled "Learn! Korean with BTS" at several overseas universities in the United States, France, Egypt and Vietnam starting this fall.
The course is produced mostly from clips of past vlogs from the K-pop septet, such as "Run BTS" on Naver VLive. It was produced in cooperation with HUFS' Korean Contents Research Institute.
The first schools adopting the course are Middlebury College in the U.S., Ecole Normale Superieure and EDHEC Business School of France, Ain Shams University in Egypt and Vietnam's University of Languages & International Studies and Thang Long University.
Big Hit Edu, the education content subsidiary of Big Hit, has released trial videos of "Learn! Korean with BTS" on Weverse, Big Hit's fan community-commerce platform, since March. A textbook package for the course will be released on Aug. 24.
"It is encouraging to see universities from abroad selecting 'Learn! Korean with BTS' as their Korean teaching materials," Big Hit Edu General Manager Choi Yeong-nam said.
Choi added that Big Hit Edu will help to promote Korean studies overseas with a strong sense of responsibility towards the quality of the content.
This composite image provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Aug. 11, 2020, shows cover images of textbooks for "Learn! Korean with BTS," a new remote Korean learning course by the Korea Foundation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
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yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. set to launch combined summertime exercise next week

The two countries have decided to push ahead with the summertime drill , but it will be held in a @ @ @ @ @ necessary for the exercise are unable to come to South Korea in large numbers due @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS JCS spokesperson's remark in 4th para)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States are expected to kick off their annual summertime combined exercise next week in a scaled-back manner due to coronavirus concerns, a source said Tuesday.
The computer-simulated command post training will likely run from Aug. 16-28, the source said. In the run-up to the exercise, the two countries launched a four-day crisis management staff training (CMST) on Tuesday.
Defense ministry officials, however, declined to confirm the dates.
"The JCS is preparing to meet the training goals before beginning the main exercise," JCS spokesperson Col. Kim Jun-rak said during a regular press briefing.
Whether and how to conduct the annual summertime exercises have been a focus of attention as their springtime drills were postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 situation.
The two countries have decided to push ahead with the summertime drill, but it will be held in a reduced-scale, as American troops necessary for the exercise are unable to come to South Korea in large numbers due to the pandemic.
The two sets of exercises, which usually take place in March and August, are watched closely by North Korea and are related to preparations for Seoul to take back the wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from the U.S.
South Korea has called for a Full Operational Capability (FOC) test to be a key feature of the upcoming exercise for the envisioned OPCON transition, but a full assessment of the capability is expected to be difficult due to the current situation.
During the summertime exercise held in August 2019, Seoul and Washington conducted an initial operational capability (IOC) test, and their defense ministers decided to move on to the FOC test. Following the FOC test, the two sides will carry out a Full Mission Capability (FMC) test.
The Seoul government seeks to retake the OPCON under the current Moon Jae-in administration whose term will end in May 2022, though the transition is not time-based but conditions-based.
In this file photo, taken on Feb. 24, 2020, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon in Washington. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Seoul stocks jump late Tuesday morning on techs, chemicals

The index hit the 2,400-point level for the first time since June 18 , 2018 , heading toward a rise @ @ @ @ @ session .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares jumped more than 1 percent late Tuesday morning, led by an advance by major tech firms and chemicals makers.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 28.63 points, or 1.20 percent, to 2,415.01 as of 11:20 a.m.
The index hit the 2,400-point level for the first time since June 18, 2018, heading toward a rise for the seventh consecutive trading session.
Market heavyweights traded mixed, with tech giants leading the overall market rally.
Top cap Samsung Electronics gained 1.90 percent on strong foreign buying, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix added 0.61 percent.
Big-three chemical heavyweights also flew high. Leading chemical maker LG Chem leaped 2.50 percent, while its smaller rivals slumped.
Samsung Biologics, the country's largest pharmaceutical firm, spiked 5.97 percent. The drugmaker announced a plan to build its fourth plant to meet rising orders.
Top steelmaker POSCO surged 4.53 percent.
In contrast, leading automaker Hyundai Motor dipped 1.47 percent, and top internet portal operator Naver shed 0.64 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,183.65 won against the U.S. dollar, up 1.95 won from the previous session's close.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--LG Uplus to launch 5G-based AR glasses with Nreal

The glasses , which connect to a user 's smartphone via USB , can project multiple applications as if they @ @ @ @ @ .
The smartphone serves as a remote for the device , though the company plans @ @ @ @ @ that will allow hand gestures to control the device .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean telecom firm, said Tuesday it will launch augmented reality (AR) glasses in partnership with Chinese mixed-reality product developer Nreal and chipmaker Qualcomm Inc., boosting its 5G services by tapping into the budding wearable AR market.
The world's first 5G-based glass device available for users, named "U+ Real Glass," will hit the shelves on Aug. 21.
While global tech giants, such as Google and Microsoft, have already featured similar devices, they fell short of expectations due to their hefty weight and price.
LG Uplus said its device, manufactured by Nreal after partnering with the Beijing-based startup last year, is more user-friendly, weighing just 88 grams and priced at 699,000 won (US$590).
Models showcase LG Uplus Corp.'s augmented reality glasses at its headquarters building, in this photo provided by the company on Aug. 11, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The glasses, which connect to a user's smartphone via USB, can project multiple applications as if they are on a 100-inch display. The smartphone serves as a remote for the device, though the company plans for an update next year that will allow hand gestures to control the device.
The device will also support LG Uplus' 5G-based AR content, which allows users to watch performances of life-size celebrities.
The glasses will be exclusively offered to LG Uplus 5G users and on select smartphones, including Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Note 20.
The company plans to launch a conference-call service using the device later this year, in partnership with U.S.-based AR developer Spatial.
Global shipments of AR glasses are expected to reach 41.1 million units in 2024, compared with just 200,000 units last year, according to industry tracker International Data Corp.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--N. Korea's border dam remains partially open amid heavy rains: JCS

Whether the North opens the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam has been something to watch for in the South since an @ @ @ @ @ in 2009 raised the water levels of the Imjin River downstream and left six campers @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Floodgates of a North Korean dam near the border with South Korea remain partially open amid heavy rains, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday, amid concerns the release of dam water could pose threats to South Korean regions downstream.
Whether the North opens the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam has been something to watch for in the South since an abrupt release of dam water in 2009 raised the water levels of the Imjin River downstream and left six campers dead.
The North has since agreed to notify the South in advance of a release but has hardly kept the promise.
"Our assessment is that the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam are partially open due to heavy rains in the North Korean region," JCS spokesperson Col. Kim Jun-rak said during a regular press briefing.
North Korea has recently been hit hard by downpours in many regions, including rice-producing areas in its southern parts. On Monday, state media reported that the North received as much as 200 millimeters of rain in Hwanghae and Kangwon provinces and forecast around 70 mm of rain would fall overnight.
The military is closely monitoring the situation and sharing information with other government agencies to protect the safety of nearby residents and troops, Kim said.
President Moon Jae-in expressed regret last week over Pyongyang not giving Seoul advance notice.
Water gushes out of the floodgates of the Gunnam Dam on the Imjin River that runs across the inter-Korean border in the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon, north of Seoul, on Aug. 6, 2020. The state-run Korea Water Resources Corp. opened all of the dam's 13 floodgates to lower the water level after the region received heavy rain. The dam, opened in 2010, was designed to deal with flash floods from North Korea. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR)

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

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


yna--2020-08-11--Samsung maintains 2nd spot in Canadian smartphone market in Q2: report

Counterpoint Research said Apple captured seven spots in the top 10 best-selling handsets in the second quarter , with the @ @ @ @ @ seller .
Samsung captured the remaining three spots in the top 10 list , with @ @ @ @ @ better than the latest Galaxy S20 series .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. remained the second-largest smartphone vendor in Canada in the second quarter of the year, but its market share gap with Apple Inc. has widened, a report showed Tuesday.
Samsung took a 34 percent market share in the April-June period in terms of smartphone shipments, according to industry tracker Counterpoint Research, down from 37 percent a year ago.
Apple solidified its top status in Canada, accounting for a 52 percent share in the second quarter of the year, up from 44 percent a year earlier.
"Samsung lost ground in the premium category while it gained slightly in the mid-range price segment with the new A-series models doing well," said Counterpoint Research's North America Research Director Jeff Fieldhack. "Later in the quarter, the premium Galaxy S-series picked up steam from heavy promotional discounts."
This photo taken on Aug. 7, 2020, shows a consumer looking at Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Note 20 smartphones at a Samsung store in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Counterpoint Research said Apple captured seven spots in the top 10 best-selling handsets in the second quarter, with the iPhone 11 being the top seller. Samsung captured the remaining three spots in the top 10 list, with the Galaxy S10 series faring better than the latest Galaxy S20 series.
Samsung's South Korean compatriot LG Electronics Inc. came in third with a 4 percent market share, down from a 6 percent share a year ago.
Counterpoint Research said smartphone sales in Canada declined 36 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The majority of carrier stores remained shut through the first half of the quarter, especially those in shopping malls," said Hanish Bhatia, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. "Customers refrained from making new purchases and preferred to isolate at home."
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) Samsung Biologics to spend 1.7 tln won for new plant

`` There will be no problem in securing investment cash , as the company 's recent credit rating is high @ @ @ @ @ low , '' CEO Kim Tae-han said in an online press conference .

(ATTN: ADDS more info throughout, photo)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Biologics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung Group, said Tuesday that it will build a fourth plant in the country to meet rising orders.
The 1.7 trillion-won (US$1.4 billion) plant, in Songdo, west of Incheon, will have a bioreactor capacity of 256,000 liters, the company said in a regulatory filing.
This undated photo, provided by Samsung Biologics, shows one of its three plants in Songdo, west of Incheon, South Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Samsung Biologics said the planned factory, the largest of the four, is aimed at strengthening the company's competitiveness, following major deals.
"There will be no problem in securing investment cash, as the company's recent credit rating is high and the debt ratio is low," CEO Kim Tae-han said in an online press conference.
With the fourth plant, Samsung Biologics will secure a combined bioreactor capacity of 620,000 liters, making it the largest contract manufacturing organization (CMO) bio firm in the world.
Kim said Samsung Biologics will be able to have market share of more than 30 percent in the global bio CMO market.
The company said it will hire some 6,400 people to build the fourth plant, set for completion in August 2023, with an additional 1,800 employees for pipelines.
The company has inked a combined 1.8 trillion won worth of deals to manufacture products for major global pharmaceutical giants during the first half of this year.
Among the lineup is a tie-up deal with multinational drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (GSK) to manufacture a GSK biosimilar product.
Under the CMO agreement, Samsung Biologics will commercially produce GSK's lupus treatment, Benlysta, starting in 2022. The eight-year contract is valued at more than $231 million.
Shares of Samsung Biologics were trading at 810,000 won on the Seoul bourse, up 5.06 percent from a day earlier, as of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. The plan was announced before the market opened.
Kim Tae-han, CEO of Samsung Biologics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung Group, talks during an online press conference on Aug. 11, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korea logs record budget deficit in H1 amid virus

In May , the government began providing relief handouts of up to 1 million won to every household to help @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , which led to more jobless people .

SEJONG, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted a record budget deficit in the first half of the year as government spending surged to cushion the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak amid a fall in tax revenue, government data showed Tuesday.
The government's gross revenue came to 226 trillion won (US$191 billion) in the January-June period, down 20.1 trillion won from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
In contrast, government expenditures soared by 31.4 trillion won to 316 trillion won over the cited period, resulting in a shortfall of 90 trillion won.
Excluding four state pension schemes, the government's budget deficit reached a new high of about 111 trillion won in the first half.
The large first-half budget hole was attributed to a plunge in national tax revenue amid a spike in coronavirus-related spending.
National tax revenue amounted to 132.9 trillion won in the six-month period, down 23.3 trillion won from the same period a year earlier.
First-half corporate tax earnings stood at 29.3 trillion won, accounting for 45.5 percent of its full-year target, while income tax revenue totaled 40.9 trillion won, or 46.2 percent.
Government spending surged in the first half due to cash grants to citizens and extra budgets to cope with the coronavirus fallout, combined with a spike in jobless claims.
In May, the government began providing relief handouts of up to 1 million won to every household to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic, which led to more jobless people.
In March, the National Assembly passed the first anti-virus budget totaling 11.7 trillion won, followed by the second 12.2 trillion-won supplementary budget approved in April.
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--More virus cases reported at Russia-flagged ship in Busan

Health authorities believe they might have contracted the virus through the captain of the ship , who tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , eight virus cases have been traced to the Russia-flagged ship .

BUSAN, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- More seafarers on a Russia-flagged ship docked in the southern port city of Busan were confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus, health authorities said Tuesday.
Four additional Indonesian sailors on the fishing vessel have tested positive for COVID-19.
Health authorities believe they might have contracted the virus through the captain of the ship, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus last week. So far, eight virus cases have been traced to the Russia-flagged ship.
Since June, health authorities have detected more than 90 virus cases at Russian ships docked in Busan.
Since Aug. 3, South Korea has required crewmen of ships departing from Russia to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the new coronavirus upon arriving in South Korea. The certificates must be issued within 48 hours prior to the departure.
Health authorities have also been conducting onboard quarantine checks of Russian ships arriving in Busan ports since late June.
This photo, taken on Aug. 6, 2020, shows the Russia-flagged Young Jin 607 fishing vessel docked at a port in Busan. Health authorities have confirmed eight cases of COVID-19 tied to the ship. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korea raises travel alert for Beirut after explosion

SEOUL , Aug. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea raised the travel alert for the Lebanese capital of Beirut @ @ @ @ @ of last week 's massive blast that killed more than 160 people and wounded thousands @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea raised the travel alert for the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday in the wake of last week's massive blast that killed more than 160 people and wounded thousands, the foreign ministry said.
A "red" alert has been issued for the city, which calls for travelers planning a trip there to cancel or postpone the plan and for Korean nationals in Beirut to leave the area.
Other parts of Lebanon are under a special travel advisory recommending against travel, as are all other foreign countries, over coronavirus concerns.
The ministry cited the growing unrest in Beirut after the Aug. 4 explosion devastated the city, paralyzing the medical system and triggering anti-government protests.
The blast occurred when a waterfront warehouse with nearly 2,800 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive fertilizer, caught fire. The explosion has claimed more than 160 lives and injured over 6,000.
Some ministers in Lebanon have resigned amid demonstrations blaming the government for mismanagement and corruption. On Monday, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the cabinet will step down en masse to take responsibility for the blast.
This image provided by the foreign ministry on Aug. 11, 2020, shows the map of Lebanon before (L) and after the travel alert for its capital Beirut was raised to "red", which calls for travelers planning a trip there to cancel or postpone the plan and for Korean nationals in the city to leave the area. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--N.K.'s official paper urges efforts to minimize flood-caused damage on farming

`` Once rice is under water , it would lead to a loss in the crop yield , '' the @ @ @ @ @ of the North 's ruling party , said in an article .
`` In this @ @ @ @ @ from rice paddy ) would be a major factor that will determine whether this year @ @ @ @ @ be met . ''

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official newspaper called Tuesday for stepped-up efforts to minimize flood-caused damage to the farming sector as the country is struggling to cope with recent heavy downpours.
North Korea has recently been hit hard by heavy rains in many regions, including rice-producing areas in its southern parts. On Monday, state media reported that the North received as much as 200 millimeters of rain in Hwanghae and Kangwon provinces and forecast around 70 mm of rain would fall overnight.
"Once rice is under water, it would lead to a loss in the crop yield," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said in an article. "In this sense, draining water (from rice paddy) would be a major factor that will determine whether this year's crop production objective would be met."
"Workers and farmers are placing top priority on protecting farming land and crops against flooding, heavy downpours and strong winds," the paper added.
North Korea has been on high alert in recent weeks to minimize the impact of the heavy downpours on its farming areas amid worries that poor harvests could aggravate its chronic food shortage.
State media said last week that leader Kim Jong-un visited a flood-damaged village in North Hwanghae Province and ordered supplies to be sent to flood victims after heavy rains left more than 900 homes inundated or destroyed there.
"Nobody knows when and where heavy rains will fall again and inundate farming areas," the paper said. "Countermeasures should be thoroughly drawn up to protect farming areas against flooding."
North Korea is known to be vulnerable to flooding due to poor irrigation and deforestation. Last summer, a strong typhoon pummeled the North, wreaking havoc on its farming areas.
The recent heavy downpours came as the North has been striving to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. It recently declared a state of emergency and put the border town of Kaesong under lockdown, claiming that a "runaway" defector suspected of COVID-19 infection came back from the South.
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea's capital city of Pyongyang is flooded due to heavy rain, in this photo captured from the North's Korean Central Television on Aug. 8, 2020. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) S. Korean central region under 49 days of rainy season, longest on record

More precipitation is forecast for the central region and the provinces of North and South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang on @ @ @ @ @ a new typhoon , Mekkhala , which formed in the South China Sea the previous @ @ @ @ @ , adding that the storm is unlikely to pass through the Korean Peninsula .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 5 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's annual rainy season has continued for 49 days now, the longest on record, and is poised to set a fresh record as more rains are forecast to pour down until mid-August.
The monsoon season, which has begun on June 24, tied the previous record of 49 days set in 2013, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, and will continue until Aug. 16 in the capital Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and western Gangwon Province.
On the southern resort island of Jeju, the rainy season lasted for 49 days from June 10 to July 28, breaking the previous record of 47 days set in 1998.
Officials inspect a road partially swept away by torrential rain in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, on Aug. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Jamsu Bridge on the Han River in Seoul is flooded for the eighth day in a row on Aug. 10, 2020, amid continued heavy rains. (Yonhap)
The unusually extended rainy season is caused by climate change and the resulting warmer air that holds more moisture and brings heavier rain.
The seasonal rain, which has particularly pummeled the central region with heavy downpours in August, has taken a heavy toll. It has left 42 people dead or missing and damaged 17,958 facilities. Nearly 7,000 have been displaced from their homes.
Meanwhile Jangmi, the first typhoon to affect the country this season, made landfall on the southeastern island of Geoje on Monday afternoon, bringing heavy rain in the central and southern regions. It weakened to an extratropical cyclone at around 5 p.m., while moving over 10 kilometers northwest of nearby Ulsan. No major damage was reported.
The typhoon dissipated some 38 hours after it formed on Sunday in seas some 600 kilometers southwest of Okinawa, Japan.
This photo, taken on Aug. 10, 2020, shows a park along the Han River in Seoul, after the river bisecting the South Korean capital overflowed due to heavy rain. (Yonhap)
More precipitation is forecast for the central region and the provinces of North and South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang on Tuesday, partly due to a new typhoon, Mekkhala, which formed in the South China Sea the previous day, the agency said, adding that the storm is unlikely to pass through the Korean Peninsula.
As rains came down in buckets in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province overnight, causing the water level of the Han River to surpass the flood control limit of 4.4 meters, the city has blocked traffic at the Yeouido interchanges of the Olympic Expressway that connects the city and Gimpo and Hanam.
Earlier in the morning, the low-lying parts of Seongsu Intersection and Surak Underpass on the Dongbu Expressway were also made off-limits.
Landslide warnings have been issued in the northern wards of Nowon and Gangbuk and the eastern ward of Jungnang, and authorities ordered residents living on hillsides to evacuate to a sturdier place.
Early in the morning, torrential rain destroyed the roof of a house in Yeongdeungpo Ward, western Seoul, temporarily trapping a man in his 60s inside, before he was rescued unharmed. On Monday night, a two-story house in the central ward of Dongdaemun also collapsed. No one was injured.
The weather agency warned of continued strong rain in Seoul and its adjacent cities until night, asking people to remain vigilant against the inclement weather.
A farmer looks at rotten or crushed peaches at an orchard in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea, on Aug. 10, 2020, after they fell due to torrential rain. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--New daily virus cases bounce back to over 30 as church-linked infections rise

More than 30 cases have been linked to a church in Goyang , just north of Seoul .
The outbreak @ @ @ @ @ led to infections at the Namdaemun Market in central Seoul and a day care center @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases bounced back to above 30 on Tuesday, as an uptick in church-traced infections shows no signs of letup.
The country identified an additional 34 virus cases, including 23 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 14,660, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked a slight increase from the 28 new virus cases, including 17 local infections, the previous day.
Of the locally transmitted cases, six were reported in Seoul and seven in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
The southeastern city of Busan added nine more cases of COVID-19.
In this photo, taken on Aug. 10, 2020, health workers examine a citizen for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift clinic near Namdaemun Market in Seoul after eight merchants there tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
Domestic cases fell to as low as just three on Aug. 3, but sporadic cluster infections, most tied to churches, have led to yet another flare-up of the coronavirus.
More than 30 cases have been linked to a church in Goyang, just north of Seoul. The outbreak at the church has also led to infections at the Namdaemun Market in central Seoul and a day care center in Goyang.
More than 20 cases have been traced to another church in Goyang, and at least eight cases have been also identified at a church in Gimpo, just west of Seoul.
South Korea had banned church members from having gatherings other than regular worship services amid the soaring number of virus patients, but it decided to lift the regulation on July 24.
Health authorities have hinted that they are considering readopting the scheme should the number of infections from churches not plateau.
South Korea reported 11 imported cases for the second straight day. The daily rise of imported cases had stayed at double-digit numbers between June 26 and Aug. 8.
Of the newly identified imported cases, three were screened at quarantine checkpoints.
By country, the United States accounted for five cases, followed by Kazakhstan with three cases.
The total number of imported cases is now at 2,572.
The country reported no new virus deaths for the second consecutive day, keeping the number of fatalities at 305, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.08 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,729, up 71 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,637,844 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(URGENT) 71 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 13,729: KCDC


yna--2020-08-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no new coronavirus death, death toll at 305: KCDC


yna--2020-08-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 34 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 14,660: KCDC


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korea, U.S. set to launch combined summertime exercise next week

By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States are expected to kick off their annual summertime combined exercise next week in a scaled-back manner due to coronavirus concerns, a source said Tuesday.
The computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX) will likely run from Aug. 16-28, the source said. In the run-up to the exercise, the two countries launched a four-day crisis management staff training (CMST) on Tuesday.
Defense ministry officials, however, declined to confirm the dates.
Whether and how to conduct the annual summertime exercises have been a focus of attention as their springtime drills were postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 situation.
The two countries have decided to push ahead with the summertime drill, but it will be held in a reduced-scale, as American troops necessary for the exercise are unable to come to South Korea in large numbers due to the pandemic.
The two sets of exercises, which usually take place in March and August, are watched closely by North Korea and are related to preparations for Seoul to take back the wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from the U.S.
South Korea has called for a Full Operational Capability (FOC) test to be a key feature of the upcoming exercise for the envisioned OPCON transition, but a full assessment of the capability is expected to be difficult due to the current situation.
During the summertime exercise held in August 2019, Seoul and Washington conducted an initial operational capability (IOC) test, and their defense ministers decided to move on to the FOC test. Following the FOC test, the two sides will carry out a Full Mission Capability (FMC) test.
The Seoul government seeks to retake the OPCON under the current Moon Jae-in administration whose term will end in May 2022, though the transition is not time-based but conditions-based.
In this file photo, taken on Feb. 24, 2020, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon in Washington. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) Veteran KBO slugger hits milestone home run

Park began his streak in 2012 , when he had 31 home runs .
It ran until 2015 , after @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota Twins .
Park rejoined the Heroes before the 2018 season , and went on @ @ @ @ @ 33 home runs in each of the next two seasons .

(ATTN: CHANGES top photo; ADDS 2nd, 3rd photos, stats at bottom)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Kiwoom Heroes' slugger Park Byung-ho blasted a milestone home run on Tuesday, becoming only the second player in South Korean baseball history with seven straight 20-homer seasons.
Park smacked a two-run homer off Warwick Saupold of the Hanwha Eagles in a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The opposite field shot at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul was Park's 20th of the season.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes watches the flight of his two-run home run against the Hanwha Eagles during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020, in this photo provided by the Heroes. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
With that, Park joined the retired slugger Lee Seung-yuop as the only players to go deep at least 20 times in seven seasons in a row.
Lee, the career leader with 464 home runs, had 20 or more for the Samsung Lions from 1997 to 2003, before taking his talent to Japan. He returned to the KBO in 2012 and hit 21 homers.
Park began his streak in 2012, when he had 31 home runs. It ran until 2015, after which he signed with the Minnesota Twins. Park rejoined the Heroes before the 2018 season, and went on to hammer out 43 and 33 home runs in each of the next two seasons.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes (R) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Hanwha Eagles during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020, in this photo provided by the Heroes. The scoreboard in the background flashes the note that Park is the second player in league history with seven straight 20-homer seasons. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Tuesday was Park's 79th game of the season and the Heroes' 82nd. With 62 games remaining, Park is well on his way to his seventh consecutive 30-homer season, too.
Lee is the only other player with a streak as long.
Aside from home runs and RBIs, Park is in the midst of his least productive season. He entered Tuesday's game batting just .230, the lowest among 57 qualified batters this year. Since joining the Heroes in a trade from the LG Twins in 2011, Park hasn't batted below .290 in a full season.
Park also lead all hitters with 99 strikeouts prior to Tuesday's game. His career high is 161 strikeouts in 140 games in 2015, but he also pounded out 53 home runs with a .343/.436/.714 line.
Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes (R) is greeted by his coaches and teammates after hitting a two-run home run against the Hanwha Eagles during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020, in this photo provided by the Heroes. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(3rd LD) S. Korean central region under 49 days of rainy season, longest on record

As rains came down in buckets in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province overnight , causing the water level of the Han @ @ @ @ @ control limit of 4.4 meters , the city has blocked traffic at the Yeouido interchanges @ @ @ @ @ connects the city and Gimpo and Hanam .
The travel ban on the section between @ @ @ @ @ on the expressway was lifted Tuesday afternoon after having been blocked for a few hours @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES figures in para 7)
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's annual rainy season has continued for 49 days now, the longest on record, and is poised to set a fresh record as more rains are forecast to pour down until mid-August.
The monsoon season, which has begun on June 24, tied the previous record of 49 days set in 2013, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, and will continue until Aug. 16 in the capital Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and western Gangwon Province.
On the southern resort island of Jeju, the rainy season lasted for 49 days from June 10 to July 28, breaking the previous record of 47 days set in 1998.
This year's rainy season will end the latest on record, surpassing the previous record set on Aug. 10, 1987.
Work to restore a flood-damaged traditional market is under way in Gurye, South Jeolla Province, on Aug. 11, 2020. The entire county was inundated by heavy rains. (Yonhap)
Officials inspect a road partially swept away by torrential rain in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, on Aug. 10, 2020, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Jamsu Bridge on the Han River in Seoul is flooded for the eighth day in a row on Aug. 10, 2020, amid continued heavy rains. (Yonhap)
The unusually extended rainy season is caused by climate change and the resulting warmer air that holds more moisture and brings heavier rain.
The seasonal rain, which has particularly pummeled the central region with heavy downpours in August, has taken a heavy toll.
This month, the rain has left 33 people dead and nine others missing. More than 7,600 people have been displaced from their homes.
According to the analysis by the KMA for the 22-day period from July 20 to Aug. 10, the country received daily torrential rains of more than 150 mm for 15 days. Rainfall of 460 mm occurred in a day in Goseong, Gangwon Province.
Meanwhile Jangmi, the first typhoon to affect the country this season, made landfall on the southeastern island of Geoje on Monday afternoon, bringing heavy rain in the central and southern regions. It weakened to an extratropical cyclone at around 5 p.m., while moving over 10 kilometers northwest of nearby Ulsan. No major damage was reported.
The typhoon dissipated some 38 hours after it formed on Sunday in seas some 600 kilometers southwest of Okinawa, Japan.
This photo, taken on Aug. 10, 2020, shows a park along the Han River in Seoul, after the river bisecting the South Korean capital overflowed due to heavy rain. (Yonhap)
More precipitation is forecast for the central region and the provinces of North and South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang on Tuesday, partly due to a new typhoon, Mekkhala, which formed in the South China Sea the previous day, the agency said, adding that the storm is unlikely to pass through the Korean Peninsula.
As rains came down in buckets in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province overnight, causing the water level of the Han River to surpass the flood control limit of 4.4 meters, the city has blocked traffic at the Yeouido interchanges of the Olympic Expressway that connects the city and Gimpo and Hanam. The travel ban on the section between Gayang Bridge and Dongjak Bridge on the expressway was lifted Tuesday afternoon after having been blocked for a few hours earlier in the day.
Jamsu Bridge, which connects the wards of Yongsan and Seocho, has remained closed since Aug. 2, after water consistently reached over the flood control level of 6.2 meters.
A two-story house in the central ward of Dongdaemun, Seoul, collapsed on Aug. 11, 2020, as torrential rains poured down in the city. (Yonhap)
Earlier in the morning, the low-lying parts of Seongsu Intersection and Surak Underpass on the Dongbu Expressway were also made off-limits.
Entrances and pedestrian sidewalks of all the 27 streams in Seoul have been closed out of concern for public safety.
Landslide warnings have been issued in the northern wards of Nowon and Gangbuk and the eastern ward of Jungnang, and authorities ordered residents living on hillsides to evacuate to a sturdier place.
Early in the morning, torrential rain destroyed the roof of a house in Yeongdeungpo Ward, western Seoul, temporarily trapping a man in his 60s inside, before he was rescued unharmed. On Monday night, a two-story house in the central ward of Dongdaemun also collapsed. No one was injured.
The weather agency warned of continued strong rain in Seoul, which recorded almost 200 mm of precipitation for the past two days, and its adjacent cities until the night, asking people to remain vigilant against the inclement weather.
A heart-shaped artificial island made of water plants is moored at Uiam Lake in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers east of Seoul, on Aug. 11, 2020. This is one two artificial islands that the city built for tourism, with another one swept away by rapids amid days of heavy rain six days ago. (Yonhap)
A farmer looks at rotten or crushed peaches at an orchard in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea, on Aug. 10, 2020, after they fell due to torrential rain. (Yonhap)
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(2nd LD) New daily virus cases bounce back to over 30 as church-linked infections rise

Health authorities said at least 33 cases have been linked to a church in Goyang , just north of Seoul @ @ @ @ @ church has led to eight COVID-19 cases at the Namdaemun Market in central Seoul and @ @ @ @ @ care center in Goyang .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 9, 20; CHANGES photo )
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases bounced back to above 30 on Tuesday, as an uptick in church-traced infections shows no signs of letup.
The country identified an additional 34 virus cases, including 23 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 14,660, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked a slight increase from the 28 new virus cases, including 17 local infections, the previous day.
Of the locally transmitted cases, six were reported in Seoul and seven in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
The southeastern city of Busan added nine more cases of COVID-19, which included seafarers on a Russia-flagged ship.
Medical workers carry out new coronavirus tests on visitors at a makeshift clinic located in central Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Domestic cases fell to as low as just three on Aug. 3, but sporadic cluster infections, most tied to churches, have led to yet another flare-up of the coronavirus.
Health authorities said at least 33 cases have been linked to a church in Goyang, just north of Seoul. The outbreak at the church has led to eight COVID-19 cases at the Namdaemun Market in central Seoul and 12 cases at a day care center in Goyang.
No new cases from the market were added on Tuesday, according to health authorities.
Also, 22 cases have been traced to another church in Goyang, and at least 12 cases have been identified at a church in Gimpo, just west of Seoul.
South Korea had banned church members from having gatherings other than regular worship services amid the soaring number of virus patients, but it decided to lift the regulation on July 24.
Health authorities have hinted that they are considering readopting the scheme should the number of infections from churches not plateau.
In this photo, taken on Aug. 10, 2020, health workers examine a citizen for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift clinic near Namdaemun Market in Seoul after eight merchants there tested positive for the virus. (Yonhap)
South Korea reported 11 imported cases for the second straight day. The daily rise of imported cases had stayed at double-digit numbers between June 26 and Aug. 8.
Of the newly identified imported cases, three were screened at quarantine checkpoints.
By country, the United States accounted for five cases, followed by Kazakhstan with three cases.
The total number of imported cases is now at 2,572.
The country reported no new virus deaths for the second consecutive day, keeping the number of fatalities at 305, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.08 percent.
The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,729, up 71 from the previous day.
South Korea has carried out 1,637,844 COVID-19 tests since Jan. 3.
Over the past two weeks, more than half of the newly added cases were imported, while the infection routes of around 10 percent of them have not been unidentified.
Health authorities said remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola, has been administered to 116 coronavirus patients in critical condition at 35 hospitals across the country.
The KCDC said the manufacturing process of blood plasma-based treatments against COVID-19 has been completed for clinical trials. Health authorities said they will conduct clinical tests on humans once they get approval from the drug ministry.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Veteran KBO slugger hits milestone home run

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Kiwoom Heroes' slugger Park Byung-ho blasted a milestone home run on Tuesday, becoming only the second player in South Korean baseball history with seven straight 20-homer seasons.
Park smacked a two-run homer off Warwick Saupold of the Hanwha Eagles in a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The opposite field shot at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul was Park's 20th of the season.
This file photo from Aug. 5, 2020, shows Park Byung-ho of the Kiwoom Heroes in action against the KT Wiz during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
With that, Park joined the retired slugger Lee Seung-yuop as the only players to go deep at least 20 times in seven seasons in a row.
Lee, the career leader with 464 home runs, had 20 or more for the Samsung Lions from 1997 to 2003, before taking his talent to Japan. He returned to the KBO in 2012 and hit 21 homers.
Park began his streak in 2012, when he had 31 home runs. It ran until 2015, after which he signed with the Minnesota Twins. Park rejoined the Heroes before the 2018 season, and went on to hammer out 43 and 33 home runs in each of the next two seasons.
Tuesday was Park's 79th game of the season and the Heroes' 82nd. With 62 games remaining, Park is well on his way to his seventh consecutive 30-homer season, too.
Lee is the only other player with a streak as long.
Aside from home runs and RBIs, Park is in the midst of his least productive season. He entered Tuesday's game batting just .230, the lowest among 57 qualified batters this year. Since joining the Heroes in a trade from the LG Twins in 2011, Park hasn't batted below .290 in a full season.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korean football league adjusts fixtures ahead of Asian club tournament

K League 1 teams have played 15 matches so far this season .
They 'll play seven more before teams @ @ @ @ @ : with the top six in Final A and the bottom six in Final B @ @ @ @ @ five more matches within their own group before the final rankings are determined .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The top South Korean football league announced changes to its fixtures on Tuesday, a move designed to accommodate teams playing at a continental tournament in October.
The six K League 1 matches set for Sept. 25-27 will be played Sept. 15-16. Matches set for Oct. 4 will instead take place Aug. 25-26.
This file photo from Aug. 2, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between Busan IPark and Ulsan Hyundai FC at Busan Gudeok Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Four K League 1 clubs -- Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, FC Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC -- are competing in the annual Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. The tournament kicked off in February but came to a halt after a couple of matches due to the COVID-19 outbreak across the continent.
The AFC announced partial new fixtures on July 28, with Suwon in Group G and Jeonbuk in Group H set to complete their preliminary round from Oct. 17 to Nov. 1. All matches will be held in the centralized venue of Malaysia.
Match schedules for FC Seoul in Group E and Ulsan Hyundai FC in Group F have not been determined, though they are also expected to take place in October and November.
K League 1 teams have played 15 matches so far this season. They'll play seven more before teams are split into two tiers: with the top six in Final A and the bottom six in Final B. They will then play five more matches within their own group before the final rankings are determined.
Following Tuesday's changes, the last matches for all 12 clubs before the split stage will be played on Sept. 20.
The schedule for the final five matches for the clubs will be announced later.
The K League said it will remain flexible with its fixtures, as there could be more changes to the AFC Champions League matches.
This file photo from Aug. 1, 2020, shows a K League 1 match between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Pohang Steelers at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Jeju Air Q2 net losses widen on failed Eastar merger

Jeju Air signed a deal to acquire a controlling 51.17 percent stake in the smaller carrier from Eastar Holdings for @ @ @ @ @ as part of its expansion strategy despite the COVID-19 pandemic .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest low-cost carrier, on Tuesday announced a revised second-quarter earnings report, which showed the company posted larger net losses than initially estimated due to the unsuccessful acquisition of debt-ridden Eastar Jet Co.
Net losses reached 100.6 billion won (US$84.4 million) in the April-June period, which was 17.4 billion won higher than the previous announcement, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Jeju Air attributed the adjustment to the costs related to the failed purchase of Easter Jet Co.
Operating losses were also revised to 85.4 billion won from the previous 84.7 billion won, the report showed.
This file photo shows Jeju Air Co. planes. (Yonhap)
Last month, Jeju Air scrapped the deal due to rising COVID-19 pandemic-related uncertainties.
Jeju Air signed a deal to acquire a controlling 51.17 percent stake in the smaller carrier from Eastar Holdings for 54.5 billion won in March as part of its expansion strategy despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the deal was pulled back as Jeju Air and Easter made little progress in talks over debt payments amid the losses caused by the virus outbreak.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--KBO's all-time hits leader closes book on farewell tour controversy

`` I think people had all the facts right , '' Park told reporters at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul @ @ @ @ @ ' game against the Kia Tigers .
`` I could see why people could feel @ @ @ @ @ It 's an honor for me to even be discussed as a candidate for a @ @ @ @ @ truly grateful for that . ''

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Does Park Yong-taik, the career hits leader in South Korean baseball, deserve a farewell tour in his final season this year?
That was the question on the minds of Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) fans over the past several days. Fans of the only club Park has played for in his 19-year career, the LG Twins, feel he should get one. Virtually everyone else said Park hasn't earned it, for he hasn't won any major individual award or helped his club to a title.
And Park, 41, ended the debate himself on Tuesday, announcing that he will not go on a farewell tour across the league.
Park Yong-taik of the LG Twins speaks to reporters at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
In Major League Baseball (MLB), future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter had a memorable retirement tour in 2014 with the New York Yankees, as he was celebrated at every road stop by opposing clubs and fans. In the KBO, Lee Seung-yuop, the career home run leader and a five-time MVP, received the first formal farewell tour in 2017.
Park admitted he has read most of the online comments attached to news articles about his farewell tour controversy, and said he understood where both sides were coming from.
"I think people had all the facts right," Park told reporters at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, prior to the Twins' game against the Kia Tigers. "I could see why people could feel the way they did. It's an honor for me to even be discussed as a candidate for a farewell tour. I am truly grateful for that."
Park sits atop the career hits list with 2,478. The counter came to a stop on June 23, when he suffered a hamstring injury after legging out an infield single. He will rejoin the active roster on Wednesday. The career .308 hitter was batting .317 when he was hurt.
Though Park has mostly been a model citizen on and off the field for nearly two decades, one thing that continues to irk Park's detractors to this day is the way in which he won his only batting title in 2009.
In this file photo from May 22, 2020, Park Yong-taik of the LG Twins heads to first after hitting a double against the KT Wiz in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Park finished that season with a .372 batting average, but he sat out a few games down the stretch so he wouldn't risk losing his lead. The runner-up that season, Hong Sung-heon, finished with a .371 average.
Park admitted on Tuesday that he could have handled the situation more professionally in 2009 and he has since tried to become a better player.
Park said he didn't think players should go on a retirement tour unless they feel they'll be feted and welcomed in all road cities. He added that he no longer wanted to cause distractions for his team, which is in the thick of a playoff battle.
"We've gone past the halfway point of the season, and every single game from now on is so important for us," Park said. "I hope all the talks about my farewell tour will end today."
Park has never won a Korean Series title, and said his only remaining hope in his final season is to leave the game as a champion.
In this file photo from June 23, 2020, Park Yong-taik of the LG Twins (C) is carried off the field after injuring his right hamsting following an infield single against the Kiwoom Heroes in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--FM says S. Korea could contribute to G7 summit by sharing its COVID-19 experience

She made the remark as she returned from a three-day trip to Germany , where she held strategic talks with @ @ @ @ @ Maas , on a range of topics , including Seoul 's possible participation as an @ @ @ @ @ meeting to be hosted by the United States .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Tuesday South Korea could contribute to the Group of Seven (G7) summit on the topic of coronavirus response.
She made the remark as she returned from a three-day trip to Germany, where she held strategic talks with her German counterpart, Heiko Maas, on a range of topics, including Seoul's possible participation as an observer in the upcoming G7 meeting to be hosted by the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump floated the idea in May of inviting other countries, including South Korea, Australia, India and Russia. to the forum. The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States.
"As COVID-19 has become the world's biggest issue this year, we are a country that has the ability and capacity to fully contribute to that end," she told reporters upon arriving at Incheon International Airport.
"We should have agenda items in which we can contribute. I believe that the government should use every opportunity to contribute to the international community," she said.
Regarding Trump's recent remark that he wants to host the summit after the November presidential election, not in September as originally planned, Kang said Seoul has not been informed of the schedule by Washington.
G7 members, such as Japan and Germany, have expressed opposition to expanding the group, although German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday that his country welcomes South Korea's participation in the summit meeting, not Russia's.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha arrives at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Aug. 11, 2020, after returning from a trip to Germany where she held bilateral talks with her German counterpart, Heiko Maas. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Surging KBO club loses staff ace, starting catcher to injuries

Park is in the midst of his best offensive season .
He has 12 home runs in 68 games , @ @ @ @ @ career high , and knocked in 46 runs .
He is slugging at a .507 @ @ @ @ @ above .500 in any of his eight previous years .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The injury bug has bitten the Kiwoom Heroes at the worst possible time, with their No. 1 starter Eric Jokisch and top catcher Park Dong-won both hitting the injured list this week.
Manager Son Hyuk said Tuesday Park has been sidelined with a back injury, while Jokisch will miss time with a bone bruise in his left shoulder.
In this file photo from Aug. 5, 2020, Park Dong-won of the Kiwoom Heroes loses his bat on a swing during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the KT Wiz at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Heroes, currently in second place in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games to put some heat on the league-leading NC Dinos. The Dinos ended July with a six-game lead over the Heroes but that gap has shrunk to three games.
Son said Park is experiencing pains in the same area that had bothered him earlier in the season.
"I know he wants to get back as soon as possible, but I think it'll be a while before he'll play again," Son told reporters at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, before the Heroes hosted the Hanwha Eagles.
Park is in the midst of his best offensive season. He has 12 home runs in 68 games, just two shy of his career high, and knocked in 46 runs. He is slugging at a .507 clip, after never slugging above .500 in any of his eight previous years.
As for Jokisch, Son said the injury isn't considered serious and the left-hander will likely have to miss just one turn in the rotation.
Jokisch has been one of the league's top starters this year, with a 10-3 record and a 2.12 ERA in 17 starts.
"I don't think he's had any bad start this year," Son said. "He may be a bit fatigued after carrying our team so far this season. Now that he's on the injured list, he may as well take some time off now."
In this file photo from July 28, 2020, Eric Jokisch of the Kiwoom Heroes pitches against the Doosan Bears in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
When Jokisch's spot comes up in the rotation this week, the Heroes will have a bullpen day, Son said, with one reliever after another lined up to handle nine innings.
Asked about the timetable for Jokisch's return, Son said the pitcher will "definitely not be available" for the upcoming Friday-Sunday series against the Lotte Giants.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Cluster infections spreading at Seoul's Namdaemun Market

Municipal quarantine authorities are on edge , because as many as 566 merchants operate at the Jungang Shopping Center 's @ @ @ @ @ Patient No .
1693 was working .
The shopping center consists of three buildings , @ @ @ @ @ C. The patient continued to work at Building C without displaying any symptoms after his @ @ @ @ @ officials noted .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- A ninth merchant at Seoul's Namdaemun Market has tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday, indicating that the cluster infections from the nation's largest traditional market may be spreading.
According to municipal officials, one merchant working at the Jungang Shopping Center, one of the largest shopping complexes within Namdaemun Market, was found to be infected with COVID-19 Monday.
The Jungang Shopping Center is located near women's fashion shopping mall Kenedy, which has reported infections of eight merchants.
Shoppers walk by the Jungang Shopping Center at Seoul's Namdaemun Market on Aug. 11, 2020, after one of the center's merchants tested positive for the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The outbreak at Kenedy appears to be traced to a female employee, a resident of Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, who tested positive last Thursday, officials said, noting she may have contracted the disease from a neighborhood church.
The infected Jungang merchant (Seoul Patient No. 1693) was found to have had dinner with one of the infected Kenedy merchants on July 30, officials said, speculating that the transmission probably occurred during their dinner meeting.
Municipal quarantine authorities are on edge, because as many as 566 merchants operate at the Jungang Shopping Center's Building C, where Seoul Patient No. 1693 was working. The shopping center consists of three buildings, named A, B and C. The patient continued to work at Building C without displaying any symptoms after his July 30 dinner, the officials noted.
The outbreak from the Jungang Shopping Center has increased the number of cluster infections from Namdaemun Market to nine. As a daughter of the Goyang resident has also tested positive, the actual number of Namdaemun cluster infections reached 10.
Authorities are currently categorizing the confirmed cases from Namdaemun Market as church-linked infections. They say that the virus likely spread from a Goyang church to the Seoul market through the Kenedy employee who was first confirmed to carry the virus.
The total number of cases traced to the Goyang church rose to 33 as of Tuesday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Quarantine authorities asked anybody who visited the Jungang Shopping Center last Friday or Saturday and show suspected coronavirus symptoms to take a coronavirus test. They have set up a makeshift testing facility within Namdaemun Market and administered tests on 215 merchants and shoppers so far. Of them, 205 people produced negative results and the others are awaiting test results.
The number of coronavirus cases in Seoul rose by six in a day to reach 1,694 as of Tuesday morning.
Nationwide, South Korea identified an additional 34 virus cases, including 23 domestic infections, raising the total caseload to 14,660, according to KCDC.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Due to increasing rainouts, KBO to start scheduling double headers in Aug.

Instead of scorching conditions , though , rain has dominated the conversation this summer .
Prior to Tuesday , 44 @ @ @ @ @ of the entire schedule , had been canceled due to inclement weather .
Most of @ @ @ @ @ and August .
Some were played Monday -- typically the designated off day each week @ @ @ @ @ made up in September or October .
Through last weekend , teams have played between @ @ @ @ @ of 144 .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Faced with an alarming number of rained-out games in a compressed season, the South Korean baseball league made a rule change Tuesday to start scheduling double headers in August.
The executive committee for the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), made up of general managers of 10 clubs, decided that starting in the week of Aug. 24, games wiped out by rain will be rescheduled as part of double headers.
The infield at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, is covered in tarps before the Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Samsung Lions and the SK Wyverns on Aug. 10, 2020. (Yonhap)
Previously, the KBO wasn't scheduling double headers in the summer months of July and August in order to protect players from competing in summer heat.
Instead of scorching conditions, though, rain has dominated the conversation this summer. Prior to Tuesday, 44 games, over 11 percent of the entire schedule, had been canceled due to inclement weather. Most of them have come in July and August. Some were played Monday -- typically the designated off day each week -- while others will be made up in September or October. Through last weekend, teams have played between 74 and 81 games out of 144.
The regular season began on May 5, pushed back from the original March 28 start due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the KBO has insisted it will play all 144 games in a tighter-than-usual window. The league's goal is still to crown the Korean Series champion before December.
Teams will play two sets of three-game series this week. And then from next week until Sept. 27, they'll play two-game series.
Some of the games that have already been canceled will be rescheduled as double headers after Sept. 1, on the second day of two-game series. Their schedules will be announced later this week.
ies. Their schedules will be announced later this week.
This file photo, from Aug. 7, 2020, shows Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, before the Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the NC Dinos and the Kia Tigers was rained out. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) CJ Cheiljedang Q2 net up nearly 4 fold on robust sales

Overall sales at its food business amounted to 2.19 trillion won in the second quarter , up 12.1 percent from @ @ @ @ @ its sales in overseas markets growing 26 percent to 1.49 trillion won , the company @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout; ADDS photo; RECASTS headline)
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- CJ Cheiljedang Corp. said Tuesday that its net income quadrupled in the second quarter from a year ago as demand for ready-made foods and other foodstuffs rose sharply amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Net profit came to 158 billion won (US$133.3 million) in the April-June period, sharply increasing from 39.5 billion won a year ago, CJ Cheiljedang said in a regulatory filing.
Operating profit more than doubled to a record 384.9 billion won from 175 billion won a year earlier, with sales rising 7.4 percent to 5.92 trillion won.
The strong second-quarter results stemmed from robust sales at home and abroad.
This undated photo provided by CJ Cheiljedang Corp. shows the food maker's home meal replacement products. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Overall sales at its food business amounted to 2.19 trillion won in the second quarter, up 12.1 percent from a year ago, with its sales in overseas markets growing 26 percent to 1.49 trillion won, the company said.
In South Korea, increasing popularity of home meal replacements, such as pre-cooked food and meal kits, helped its food business sales perform well, CJ Cheiljedang said.
Driven by brisk sales, its operating profit in the food business more than doubled to 126.4 billion won.
Shares of CJ Cheiljedang closed up 3.86 percent at 443,500 won on the Seoul bourse.
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--New 'Stranger' season centers on prosecution-police conflict

`` 'Stranger ' was a project I loved , and I was also fixated with my character Han Yeo-jin , @ @ @ @ @ toward Cho seated next to her , Bae said jokingly , `` This person said @ @ @ @ @ continue into the fifth season .
I 'm willing to join the ride . ''

By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- "Stranger," a television crime series on tvN, returns this weekend for a second season inspired by the real-life political struggle between the prosecution and the police in South Korea over investigation authority in criminal cases.
The new season, "Stranger 2," is set to premiere Saturday, with the two leads of the first season, Cho Seung-woo and Bae Doo-na, reprising their roles as prosecutor Hwang Si-mok and police detective Han Yeo-jin, respectively, along with a handful of new faces, such as actress Jeon Hye-jin actor and Choi Moo-sung.
The Saturday-Sunday primetime show will also be streamed worldwide on Netflix immediately following the broadcasts on tvN.
The first season, which aired in 2017, follows a joint investigation by the characters of Cho and Bae into a serial murder case that centers on a massive corruption scheme involving the prosecutor's office and a major conglomerate.
"The story takes place two years after the first season. After a certain crime case occurs, the conflict between the prosecution and the police takes center stage," Park Hyun-suk, the show's director, said in an online press conference Tuesday to promote the second season.
This image, provided by tvN, shows a poster for "Stranger 2," which premieres on Aug. 15, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Park added, "The two leads are at the opposing ends of the political conflict but later end up working together under the common goal toward justice."
The director explained that the power struggle between the prosecution and the police ends up muddling the investigation surrounding the underlying core case. "With the story becoming more and more unpredictable, the two leads ends up tackling the case against difficult odds."
Returning to the "Stranger" universe in three years, Cho said he initially had some reservations in reprising his role of the stoic, hard-as-nails prosecutor Hwang.
"But the second season felt different from the first season. It has a different texture to it. That's why I was able to take on the project, I think," Cho explained.
A still image from tvN's "Stranger 2," which premieres on Aug. 15, 2020. Photo provided by tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Cho said he believes the "Stranger" franchise owes its success to the tight script written by Lee Soo-yeon.
"The overall writing and its structure is hardly average. I think a lot of viewers responded to two average people with common sense working together to solve a case while pitted against what some may perceive as a miserable reality."
Bae also said she was glad to return in the new season of "Stranger."
"'Stranger' was a project I loved, and I was also fixated with my character Han Yeo-jin," said Bae. Gesturing toward Cho seated next to her, Bae said jokingly, "This person said he wants the show to continue into the fifth season. I'm willing to join the ride."
Newcomer Choi, who plays Cho's boss prosecutor Woo Tae-ha, said he was proud to be cast for the show.
"It's a premiere TV series and I was happy. I think I enjoyed filming more than being burdened by the popularity of the first season," said Choi.
"I also learned that producing a great show isn't an easy process. I think the entire process was a great learning experience for me as an actor," he added.
The main cast members of tvN's "Stranger 2" pose for photos during a press conference held in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020. Photo provided by tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Samsung's brand value estimated at near 68 tln won: report

Kakao , which runs South Korea 's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk , saw the sharpest hike in its brand value @ @ @ @ @ Interbrand .
Kakao 's brand value was estimated at 1.6 trillion won , up 46.6 @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) – The brand value of Samsung Electronics Co. is estimated at near 68 trillion won (US$57.3 billion), the largest among South Korean companies, a report showed Tuesday.
Samsung's brand value reached 67.7 trillion won this year, up 2 percent from a year ago, according to a brand consulting firm Interbrand.
The South Korean tech titan was followed by Hyundai Motor in the top Korean brand rankings. South Korea's No. 1 automaker's brand value was estimated at 15.7 trillion won, up 4.8 percent from a year ago.
This photo taken on July 30, 2020, shows the corporate flag of Samsung Group at Samsung Electronics Co.'s office building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Hyundai's sister company, Kia Motors, came in third at 7.1 trillion won, while the country's leading web portal operator Naver was fourth at 6.1 trillion won.
The top four companies accounted for 63 percent of the total brand value of the top 50 companies in South Korea, Interbrand said.
The country's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, was fifth on the list, followed by Samsung Life Insurance, KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, LG Electronics and SK hynix.
Kakao, which runs South Korea's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, saw the sharpest hike in its brand value this year, according to Interbrand. Kakao's brand value was estimated at 1.6 trillion won, up 46.6 percent from a year ago.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

According to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service , the Korean shipbuilders ' new orders amounted @ @ @ @ @ ( CGTs ) , or 12 ships , in July , which accounted for 74 @ @ @ @ @ orders totaling 680,000 CGTs , or 24 ships , last month .

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
----------------
(LEAD) Samsung Biologics to spend 1.7 tln won for 4th plant amid growing demand
SEOUL -- Samsung Biologics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung Group, said Tuesday that it will build a fourth plant in the country in response to rising manufacturing demand.
The 1.7 trillion-won (US$1.4 billion) plant in Songdo, western Incheon, will have a bioreactor capacity of 256,000 liters, the company said in a regulatory filing.
----------------
(2nd LD) S. Korean central region under 49 days of rainy season, longest on record
SEOUL -- South Korea's annual rainy season has continued for 49 days now, the longest on record, and is poised to set a fresh record as more rains are forecast to pour down until mid-August.
The monsoon season, which has begun on June 24, tied the previous record of 49 days set in 2013, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, and will continue until Aug. 16 in the capital Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and western Gangwon Province.
-----------------
S. Korean zombie blockbuster 'Peninsula' tops Canadian box office
SEOUL -- South Korean zombie blockbuster "Peninsula" topped the Canadian box office over the weekend, the film's distributor here said Tuesday.
Released in 48 theaters across Canada last Friday, the sequel to the 2016 sensation "Train to Busan" earned US$120,000 in its first week, according to NEW.
------------------
Medical professor elected as new chief of Korea Red Cross
SEOUL -- A medical professor known for active involvement in inter-Korean exchanges in public health has been elected as South Korea's new Red Cross chief, sources said Tuesday.
Shin Hee-young, a professor at Seoul National University's medical school, will serve as head of the Korea Red Cross for three years, according to the sources.
-------------------
Forcibly discharged transgender soldier files lawsuit against Army decision
SEOUL -- A former South Korean solider, who was forcibly discharged after a sex reassignment surgery, on Tuesday filed an administrative suit against the Army's decision, saying it was unconstitutional.
Byun Hee-soo, 22, who had the rank of staff sergeant, underwent the operation in Thailand last year and expressed desire to serve in the female corps.
-------------------
Korean shipyards retake top spot in July orders
SEOUL -- South Korean shipbuilders grabbed the No. 1 ranking in new shipping orders in July for the first time this year, beating their Chinese rivals, industry data showed on Tuesday.
According to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service, the Korean shipbuilders' new orders amounted to 500,000 compensated gross tons (CGTs), or 12 ships, in July, which accounted for 74 percent of the global new orders totaling 680,000 CGTs, or 24 ships, last month.
-------------------
Probe finds gross misappropriation of funds at care facility for comfort women
SUWON -- A large portion of public donations, meant to be used for Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery, was found to have been set aside for other purposes, including buying land, a probe team said Tuesday.
The House of Sharing, a shelter for the victims in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, collected approximately 8.8 billion won (US$7.43 million) in public donations from 2015-2019, Song Ki-chun, the head of the probe team, said.
--------------------
S. Korean video-streaming service providers cornered by Netflix
SEOUL -- South Korea's homegrown streaming media service platforms seem to be losing their competitive edge to global media giant Netflix, which has been rapidly expanding its influence in the country.
Last week, the U.S. over-the-top (OTT) service firm partnered with local telecom operator KT to offer its streaming service on the latter's pay TV platform, Olleh TV, starting from Aug. 3. All Olleh TV subscribers can access Netflix with just a click or a tap on a remote control.
--------------------
Seoul stocks extend winning streak to 7th day on hopes for economic recovery
SEOUL -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak on Tuesday to a seventh day to end at a more than two-year high, aided by tech gains in market heavyweights amid economic rebound hopes. The Korean won stayed unchanged against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 32.29 points, or 1.35 percent, to close at 2,418.67.
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--(LEAD) Seoul stocks extend winning streak to 7th day on hopes for economic recovery

SEOUL , Aug. 11 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak on Tuesday to a seventh @ @ @ @ @ more than two-year high , aided by tech gains in market heavyweights amid economic rebound @ @ @ @ @ stayed unchanged against the U.S. dollar .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares extended their winning streak on Tuesday to a seventh day to end at a more than two-year high, aided by tech gains in market heavyweights amid economic rebound hopes. The Korean won stayed unchanged against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 32.29 points, or 1.35 percent, to close at 2,418.67.
The index topped the 2,410-level for the time since June 14, 2018, extending its winning streak to a seventh session.
Trading volume was high at about 835 million shares worth some 19.4 trillion won (US$16.4 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 536 to 307.
Foreigners bought a net 146 billion won, ending a two-session selling streak, while retail investors sold a net 173 billion won. Institutions purchased a net 40 billion won.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,418.67 on Aug. 11, 2020, up 32.29 points or 1.35 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The rally was led by gains in techs and chemicals, on the back of economic rebound hopes, analysts said.
"Investor sentiment has run high, largely on better-than-expected earnings in the first half and expectations for a profit rebound for next year," Kang Bong-joo, a researcher at Meritz Securities, said.
Kang attributed the KOSPI's rally to the relatively low incidence of COVID-19 infections in South Korea.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expected Asia's fourth largest economy to shrink 0.8 percent in 2020 from a year earlier, far slower than the previous estimate of a 1.2 percent contraction, citing its successful response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The updated prediction marks the highest growth estimate among 37 OECD member countries.
Market heavyweights traded mixed, with tech giants leading the overall market rally.
Top cap Samsung Electronics gained 0.69 percent to 58,200 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix slipped 0.12 percent to 81,300 won.
Chemical heavyweights also flew high. Leading chemical maker LG Chem spiked 5.28 percent to 758,000 won.
Samsung Biologics, the country's largest pharmaceutical firm, surged 4.28 percent to 804,000 won. The drugmaker announced a plan to build its fourth plant to meet rising orders.
Top steelmaker POSCO shot up 4.28 percent to 207,000 won.
Leading automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 5.29 percent to 179,000 won, while top internet portal operator Naver shed 0.64 percent to 311,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,185.60 won against the U.S. dollar, remaining flat from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 1.2 basis points to 0.818 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond fell 1.8 basis points to 1.077 percent.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--Handsome Q2 net income up 14.6 pct. to 12.6 bln won

Operating income for the April-June period was 14.1 billion won , down 5.5 percent from a year ago , the @ @ @ @ @ filing .
Revenue fell 2.5 percent to 276.6 billion won .
( END )

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Handsome Corp. on Tuesday reported its second-quarter net income of 12.6 billion won (US$ 10.7 million), up 14.6 percent from a year earlier.
Operating income for the April-June period was 14.1 billion won, down 5.5 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Revenue fell 2.5 percent to 276.6 billion won.
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korea to host annual int'l security forum via videoconference next month

The 9th Seoul Defense Dialogue ( SDD ) will be held Sept. 1-3 through web seminars that are live-streamed online @ @ @ @ @ .
The number of countries that will attend the forum has not been fixed , @ @ @ @ @ drew senior defense officials and security experts from about 50 countries .

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will host an annual vice ministerial-level international security forum via videoconference next month, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
The 9th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) will be held Sept. 1-3 through web seminars that are live-streamed online, according to the ministry. The number of countries that will attend the forum has not been fixed, though last year's conference drew senior defense officials and security experts from about 50 countries.
South Korea had originally planned to invite senior-level defense officials and security experts from some 60 countries for this year's event, but had to modify the program into an online forum due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launched in 2012, the SDD is a multilateral security consultative body aimed at promoting peace and stability in Northeast Asia and improving the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region, it said.
This year, the discussions will focus on security issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula and nontraditional security threats, such as the new coronavirus, according to officials.
The defense ministry held a briefing session Tuesday and announced the plan to 62 foreign military attaches and diplomatic officials from 44 countries, it said.
During the session, the ministry also explained the current security situation, the military's measures to counter the spread of the new virus, and Seoul's hosting of the U.N. Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in 2021.
"As movement across borders is restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, military attaches' role has become ever more important," Deputy Defense Minister Chung Suk-hwan said, vowing to beef up communication with the officials stationed in South Korea.
This photo, provided by the defense ministry, shows a defense policy briefing for foreign military attaches in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-08-11--S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 11, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 11, 2020

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


yna--2020-08-11--Kangwon Land shifts to red in Q2

Kangwon Land shifts to red in Q2

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted an operating loss of 103.8 billion won for the April-June @ @ @ @ @ profit of 172.8 billion won a year ago .
Revenue fell 90.5 percent to 34.6 @ @ @

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Kangwon Land Inc. on Tuesday reported its second-quarter net loss of 45.6 billion won (US$ 38.4 million), turning from a profit of 50.9 billion won a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted an operating loss of 103.8 billion won for the April-June period, compared with a profit of 172.8 billion won a year ago. Revenue fell 90.5 percent to 34.6 billion won.
The operating loss was 18.9 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.
(END)


yna--2020-08-12--Appellate court affirms suspended jail term for former labor leader in illegal protest case

The Seoul High Court sentenced Kim Myeong-hwan , former chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions ( KCTU ) @ @ @ @ @ in prison , suspended for four years , and ordered him to complete 160 hours @ @ @ @ @ sentence is the same as what was handed down by a lower court in January @

SEOUL, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Wednesday upheld a lower court's ruling of a suspended prison sentence for a former head of a militant labor umbrella group indicted for masterminding assaults on police during outdoor rallies from 2018-19.
The Seoul High Court sentenced Kim Myeong-hwan, former chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), to 2 1/2 years in prison, suspended for four years, and ordered him to complete 160 hours of community service. The sentence is the same as what was handed down by a lower court in January.
Kim was indicted on charges of overseeing violent illegal acts during KCTU members' four protest rallies in front of the National Assembly compound in Seoul between May 2018 and April 2019.
During the protest rallies, labor activists knocked down parts of the fence surrounding the National Assembly, assaulted police officers, destroyed police equipment and attempted to illegally force their way into the compound, according to the court.
The rallies were aimed at blocking the passage of labor bills, including those calling for extending statutory flextime from three to six months to minimize side effects of the government's mandatory 52-hour workweek policy and revision of the minimum wage law, which had aroused controversies at that time.
Kim Myeong-hwan, former chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, arrives at the Seoul High Court on Aug. 12, 2020, to attend his appellate hearing. (Yonhap)
The high court said Kim, as the organizer of the rallies, did not try to prevent or stop the protesters from committing assaults and is held responsible for their acts.
In a court hearing in June, Kim expressed regret for those who were hurt during the KCTU rallies and said the union will strive to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Kim stepped down from his top KCTU post last month after the labor group failed to reach a settlement with the business sector and the government to overcome the economic slowdown prompted by the coronavirus outbreak.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)