yna--2020-07-11--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 35 new virus cases, number down for 4th straight day

Of the 15 total imported cases , eight people tested positive for the virus in the screening process upon their @ @ @ @ @ while the seven others were confirmed during self-quarantine , according to the public health agency @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 4-7)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday, the fourth consecutive day that the number has declined.
The new cases raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 13,373, and the nation's death toll remained at 288, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling to 50 on Thursday and 45 the following day.
Of the 35 new cases Saturday, local infections stood at 20, while the rest are imported cases.
By region, South Korea's southeastern city of Gwangju accounted for the largest share with nine, raising the total cases in the city to 156.
In Seoul, six new cases stemmed from previous cluster infections and two imported cases.
Of the 15 total imported cases, eight people tested positive for the virus in the screening process upon their arrival in South Korea, while the seven others were confirmed during self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--BOK tipped to maintain rate at record low, seek unconventional measures

`` One of the members expressed an opinion that now may be the time to discuss the introduction of nontraditional @ @ @ @ @ quantitative easing , noting that the key rate appears to be very close to the @ @ @ @ @ '' minutes from the BOK 's rate-setting meeting in May said .

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) is widely expected to hold the policy rate frozen for the remainder of this year, and search for other ways to support the pandemic-hit economy, analysts said Saturday, noting the South Korean central bank may already be close to reaching the limits of its conventional measures.
The BOK has slashed the key rate by a whopping 0.75 percentage point in two rounds of rate reductions that included its first emergency rate cut in over a decade, sending the base interest rate to a record low of 0.5 percent in May.
The bold, rarely seen move by the South Korean central bank was apparently prompted by worsening economic conditions at home and abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The file photo, taken on Dec. 1, 2019, shows stacks of import-export cargo containers at South Korea's largest seaport in Busan, located some 450 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Local analysts agree the central bank will likely stand pat on the policy rate, at least for some time.
In a recent survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, all 17 analysts polled predicted the BOK to keep the policy rate steady at its next rate-setting meeting, slated for Thursday.
All but one also expected the South Korean central bank to keep the key rate frozen until March 2021.
"The BOK is expected to maintain its easing stance amid signs of weakening economic fundamentals," Kyobo Securities analyst Baek Yoon-min said.
"However, considering that the key rate may already be near the effective lower boundary, the BOK will likely focus on unconventional measures, such as purchasing state bonds, instead of monetary policy steps, such as a rate cut, to support the economy," Baek added.
In its latest growth estimate, published late May, the BOK forecast the local economy to contract 0.2 percent from a year earlier in 2020, marking its first negative growth since 1998 and only the third in its history.
Such an outlook was still based on an assumption that global economic conditions will not further deteriorate following a second spike in COVID-19 infections, which may already have been proven wrong.
The U.S. is daily renewing its record of new infection cases with over 60,000 new cases added each day to its caseload, which now sits at over 3.2 million.
Globally, the total number of infection cases has topped 12 million.
Under such a case -- worsening global economic and trade conditions caused by a second wave -- the BOK estimated the local economy to shrink as much as 1.8 percent this year.
But the problem is the BOK may have nearly used up its traditional and existing policy measures to support the economy.
South Korea's policy rate still sits higher than those of major economies, including the U.S., but an additional rate cut is feared to trigger an exodus of foreign investment, which in turn may create other and possibly more serious problems, including a stock market crash.
A BOK board member has highlighted such a possibility.
"One of the members expressed an opinion that now may be the time to discuss the introduction of nontraditional policy measures, such as quantitative easing, noting that the key rate appears to be very close to the effective lower boundary already," minutes from the BOK's rate-setting meeting in May said.
In this photo, taken May 28, 2020, a large shopping mall in Seoul is nearly deserted amid the continued effects of the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
The BOK too has stressed the need for new, unconventional ways to support the economy, launching a new program late last month to inject additional foreign currency into the local market by purchasing foreign currency-denominated bonds held by local banks and other financial institutions.
"As part of efforts to secure new policy measures, the Bank of Korea and the finance ministry are moving to introduce a new foreign currency supply system by purchasing foreign currency bonds under repurchase agreements," it has said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--S. Korea reports 35 new virus cases, number down for 4th straight day

The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling @ @ @ @ @ 45 the following day .

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday, the fourth consecutive day that the number has declined.
The new cases raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 13,373, and the nation's death toll remained at 288, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling to 50 on Thursday and 45 the following day.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(URGENT) 79 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,

(URGENT) 79 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,144: KCDC

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


yna--2020-07-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports no additional coronavirus deaths, total death toll at 288: KCDC


yna--2020-07-11--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 35 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 13,373: KCDC


yna--2020-07-11--Seoul stocks set for mild rebound next week: analysts

The KOSPI started off the week with a 1.65 percent jump on Monday on tech gains , led by Samsung @ @ @ @ @ .
But it shed all those gains by the end of the week on the @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks are set for a mild rebound next week despite new coronavirus concerns, as experts bet on improvements in global economic indices in June, analysts said Saturday.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,150.25 points on Friday, down 0.1 percent from a week ago.
Electronic signboards at a Hana Bank dealing room in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,150.25 on July 10, 2020, down 17.65 points, or 0.81 percent, from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
The KOSPI started off the week with a 1.65 percent jump on Monday on tech gains, led by Samsung Electronics' surprise earnings guidance. But it shed all those gains by the end of the week on the global hike in COVID-19 infections.
Local analysts said the KOSPI is likely to gain next week, with investors weighing economic rebound hopes over COVID-19 worries.
"The KOSPI is likely to follow the global stock markets (next week)," NH Investment & Securities analyst Noh Dong-kil said.
"The global stock markets have continued hiking on the improving U.S. economic indices, along with health officials' predictions that the COVID-19 toll would likely show sporadic increases rather than a major resurgence," he said.
A series of key economic events and indices are scheduled for next week.
On Monday, South Korean government is set to release details of the so-called New Deal stimulus package, aimed at creating jobs and supporting the pandemic-hit economy.
Market consensus bet on improvements in U.S. retail sales in June and China's second quarter gross domestic growth, both set to be released on Thursday.
The Bank of Korea is widely expected to freeze the policy rate in the monetary policy meeting on Thursday.
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on July 11)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on July 11)

In a note he left behind disclosed by the Seoul city government , Park wrote : `` I am sorry @ @ @ @ @ grateful to everyone who has been with me in my life . ''
He expressed @ @ @ @ @ pain to his family and asked to be cremated and for his ashes to be @ @ @ @ @ graves .

Death of Seoul mayor
It is time to find ways to end tragic choices
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was found dead in the Mount Bugak area near his official residence more than seven hours after his daughter reported him missing. His sudden death has shocked the nation because of its possible links to allegations of sexual harassment.
Police are looking into the death of the mayor; but at the same time acknowledged that a complaint by a former female secretary had been filed against Park, though they didn't specify what he was accused of. Reports however have emerged of allegations of sexual harassment.
First, we extend our sincere and deep condolence to Park's family.
In a note he left behind disclosed by the Seoul city government, Park wrote: "I am sorry to everyone. I am grateful to everyone who has been with me in my life." He expressed regret for causing nothing but pain to his family and asked to be cremated and for his ashes to be spread on his parents' graves.
Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Park Hong-geun, a close ally to the mayor, asked people to refrain from making ungrounded statements that may hurt the feelings of his remaining family members.
What should also be ensured is that the complainant does not suffer any possible secondary harm, and regarding this, a movement by some Park's supporters to unearth information about the alleged victim should be immediately halted.
Park's death is expected to close the sexual harassment complaint.
The three-term Seoul mayor was not only a potential presidential contender for the 2022 election but had a proven track record as a prominent human rights lawyer and civic movement leader.
As a human rights lawyer, he was involved in South Korea's first sexual harassment case in the 1990s, and as a vocal civic movement leader he was instrumental in establishing powerful citizens' groups.
Yet, he is also the third local government chief affiliated with the DPK to be embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment. Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don stepped down after admitting sexual harassment; and former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung is serving a prison term. The persistent occurrences of such allegations and cases compel us to gravely review our awareness of the #MeToo movement.
The death of a public figure can impact society immensely. Residents of Seoul, like those in Busan, must wait till the by-elections next April to elect a new mayor. Seoul is a global metropolis, home to 10 million people or about one-fifth of the entire Korean population. These are difficult times that call on us to respect everyone involved and find ways to ensure so that such tragedies do not happen again.
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- Gov't raises property ownership tax by up to 6 percent ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Mayor Park @ @ @ @ @ he is 'sorry ' to everyone ( Kookmin Daily ) -- Gov't imposes punitive tax @ @ @ @ @ purchase , home ownership , home sale ( Donga llbo ) -- Gov't slaps punitive @ @ @ @ @ home ownership , home sale to pressure multiple home owners to sell homes ( Segye @ @ @ @ @ late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon vow to find and punish woman who filed criminal complaint @ @ @ @ @ and 'inappropriate ' messages ( Chosun Ilbo ) -- Civil society in shock over death @ @ @ @ @ ( Hankyoreh ) -- Park Won-soon leaves behind scars on morality of civic movement ( @ @ @ @ @ slaps punitive tax at every stage : home buying , home owning , home selling @ @ @ @ @ -- Gov't imposes triple tax on multiple home owners to pressure them to sell homes @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on July 11.
Korean-language dailies
-- Gov't raises property ownership tax by up to 6 percent (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Mayor Park Won-soon says in suicide note he is 'sorry' to everyone (Kookmin Daily)
-- Gov't imposes punitive tax at every stage: home purchase, home ownership, home sale (Donga llbo)
-- Gov't slaps punitive tax on home purchase, home ownership, home sale to pressure multiple home owners to sell homes (Segye Times)
-- Supporters of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon vow to find and punish woman who filed criminal complaint over unwanted 'physical contact' and 'inappropriate' messages (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Civil society in shock over death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon (Hankyoreh)
-- Park Won-soon leaves behind scars on morality of civic movement (Hankook Ilbo)
-- Gov't slaps punitive tax at every stage: home buying, home owning, home selling (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Gov't imposes triple tax on multiple home owners to pressure them to sell homes (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Mayor's sudden death shocks Seoul citizens (Korea Times)
(END)


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , July 11 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-07-11--Samsung's mobile biz to benefit from anti-China sentiment in India: analysts

According to market tracker Counterpoint Research , four of the top five smartphone brands in the Indian smartphone market were @ @ @ @ @ quarter of the year , with Samsung being the only non-Chinese company .

By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to increase its presence in the Indian smartphone market on growing anti-China sentiment in the South Asian nation, analysts here said Saturday.
Sinophobia is growing in India with a public boycott of Chinese-made goods following the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in last month's border clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Analysts said Samsung, South Korea's top electronics firm, is likely to benefit from anti-China sentiment in India, especially in the smartphone market where Chinese players have dominated.
"Shipments of consumer goods that are against public sentiment will face difficulties," said Lee Chang-min, an analyst at KB Securities. "As Chinese smartphone makers are expected to suffer sales decline in India, Samsung is expected to take advantage of it."
This photo, provided by Samsung Electronics Co. on March 6, 2020, shows Indian consumers inspecting the company's Galaxy S20 smartphones at an event in Gurugram, India. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
According to market tracker Counterpoint Research, four of the top five smartphone brands in the Indian smartphone market were from China in the first quarter of the year, with Samsung being the only non-Chinese company.
Xiaomi led the way with 30 percent, followed by its Chinese compatriot Vivo with 17 percent. Realme and Oppo were ranked fourth and fifth in the Indian smartphone market with a share of 14 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
Samsung came in third on the list with a 16 percent market share, Counterpoint Research data showed.
Analysts said the upbeat performance in India could push up Samsung's overall mobile business.
India is the world's second-largest smartphone market after China. Samsung also runs the world's largest mobile manufacturing factory in Noida, northern India.
"For Samsung, India is a market that the company cannot give up," said Roh Kyoung-tak, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities. "Samsung's long-term business strategy must have a plan for the Indian market."
Samsung's mobile business has been losing its steam in India in recent years, as Chinese makers expanded their sales with price-competitive phones.
Samsung's market share gap with Xiaomi was only 3 percentage points in the second quarter of 2019, Counterpoint Research data showed, but the difference grew to 14 percentage points as of this first quarter.
In this photo, provided by Samsung Electronics Co.'s Indian unit on Feb. 20, 2020, Indian consumers inspect the company's foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip, at an event in Gurugram, India. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
To create sales momentum amid anti-China sentiment, Samsung recently introduced two new smartphone marketing plans in India.
The Galaxy Assured scheme offers users a buyback option that gives maximum 70 percent of the value of premium smartphones. The Galaxy Forever program allows consumers to purchase Samsung's flagship Galaxy S20 smartphone at just 60 percent of its original price.
Samsung, the world's largest smartphone vendor, is hoping for a fast recovery of the global mobile market that has been struggling with the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Analysts said the second-quarter performance of Samsung's mobile business unit may not be worse than expected due to the economic reopening of major markets from end-May, though an earnings decline appears inevitable.
Samsung will release the Galaxy Note 20 phablet and the Galaxy Fold 2 foldable smartphone next month to drive its handset sales in the second half of the year.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Naver, Kakao tipped to report strong Q2 earnings amid pandemic: reports

Oh Dong-hwan , an analyst at Samsung Securities , said Kakao is expected to improve profitability down the road despite @ @ @ @ @ of its affiliates , such as Kakao Commerce and Kakao Bank , are set to @ @ @ @ @ half of the year .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Naver Corp., South Korea's top Internet portal operator, and Kakao Corp., the operator of the country's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, are forecast to report stronger-than-expected earnings for the second quarter amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry reports showed Saturday.
The operating profit of Kakao is likely to soar by 136 percent on-year to reach 95.2 billion won (US$78.9 million) in the April-June period, according to a report by online financial information provider Fn Guide.
Sales are forecast to gain 24.68 percent on-year to 913.9 billion won during the cited period, the report said.
The reports attributed the gain to the robust growth of its e-commerce services based on its messenger platform as more people stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact, leading to increased content usage and online shopping.
The corporate logo of Kakao Corp. (Yonhap)
Kakao's platform businesses based on KakaoTalk, including Talk Biz Board, are expected to show brisk performance. At Talk Biz Board, individual sellers can sell their products through a platform connected to KakaoTalk.
"E-commerce sector is expected to show brisk performance during the second quarter, which will also drive strong performance of Talk Biz," Kim Hak-joon, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said in a separate report.
Oh Dong-hwan, an analyst at Samsung Securities, said Kakao is expected to improve profitability down the road despite the economic slowdown as several of its affiliates, such as Kakao Commerce and Kakao Bank, are set to be listed during the second half of the year.
The FN Guide report forecast Naver's operating profit to skyrocket by 77.7 percent on-year to 128.1 billion won in the second quarter.
Sales are likely to increase by 11 percent from a year earlier to reach 1.81 trillion won in the same period, according to the report.
The report said Naver's webcomic arm, Naver Webtoon, reported a sales increase last month, contributing to the strong performance for the quarter.
More commonly known as Line Webtoon in the United States, the platform is home to a plethora of creator-owned content, ranging from romance to fantasy.
Global sales skyrocketed around 72 percent on-year in June, mainly on the back of increased demand for untact contents amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Sales of Naver Webtoon in the United States greatly increased since March when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The sales jumped by 143 percent on-year in June," Mirae Asset Daewoo analyst in a separate report.
The corporate logo of Naver Corp. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--KBO's batting average leader pays homage to old teammates after each hit

Tatis Jr. , who also celebrates big plays with the same gesture , has told San Diego media it 's @ @ @ @ @ '' an ode to sugarcane workers in the Dominican Republic .
In a recent postgame @ @ @ @ @ , motioning to his interpreter , explained it was sort of a slashing motion .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Every time Jose Miguel Fernandez reaches with a hit for the Doosan Bears, you will see him make a chopping motion with his right hand.
It's not just random celebration of big moments for the player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). With each hit, Fernandez is paying homage to his old teammates from a championship-winning club.
In this file photo from May 7, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears (front) celebrates his double with a chopping motion during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Before joining the Bears, Fernandez was part of the Estrellas de Oriente team that captured the 2018-2019 Dominican Winter League. San Diego Padres infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and KT Wiz pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne were also on that squad.
Tatis Jr., who also celebrates big plays with the same gesture, has told San Diego media it's the "sugarcane chop," an ode to sugarcane workers in the Dominican Republic. In a recent postgame interview in Seoul, Fernandez, motioning to his interpreter, explained it was sort of a slashing motion.
Either way, it started during that Winter League season and Fernandez is keeping that tradition alive on the other side of the world.
"We won the title that season and I wanted to bring some championship vibe here this year," Fernandez said. The Bears won the Korean Series last year during Fernandez's first KBO season but the Cuban designated hitter didn't do his chopping celebration in 2019.
In addition, he said he wanted to make his old Estrellas mates proud while playing in the KBO during the pandemic.
"Korea is one of the first countries to start playing baseball this year, and I wanted to represent Estrellas the best I can from here," Fernandez said.
In this file photo from May 17, 2020, Jose Miguel Fernandez of the Doosan Bears celebrates his double with a chopping motion during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Vacant Seoul mayoralty adds significance to next year's by-elections

As the capital , with a population of nearly 10 million , has been added to the list of constituencies @ @ @ @ @ , Kim Chong-in , caretaker leader of the UFP , said on Friday his party @ @ @ @ @ for by-elections `` equivalent to the presidential election . ''

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- As the death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon earlier this week abruptly left the capital's mayoralty vacant, South Korea's rival political parties are bracing for another major election showdown in about nine months.
According to the National Election Commission, by-elections will be held on April 7, 2021, to fill posts that are vacated between March 17 this year and March 8 next year.
The Seoul mayoral race is regarded as the most important election in South Korea after the presidential poll held every five years.
Late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in a file photo (Yonhap)
Park was found dead on a mountain in Seoul in apparent suicide shortly after midnight Friday, hours after he was reported missing by his family.
Following the April 15 parliamentary elections, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) are focused on preparing for the presidential election slated for the spring of 2022.
The rival parties face a heated-up election race a year earlier than expected.
As the capital, with a population of nearly 10 million, has been added to the list of constituencies for next year's by-elections, Kim Chong-in, caretaker leader of the UFP, said on Friday his party would have to gear up for by-elections "equivalent to the presidential election."
He cited by-elections scheduled in Seoul and Busan, the country's second-biggest city, and also the possibility of additional contests to fill other vacancies.
The UFP is eager to get its member elected as Seoul mayor, as Park with the DP had served at the position for a decade.
The ruling party lost the Busan mayoralty, as Oh Keo-don abruptly resigned in late April amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Two governors -- Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province and Kim Kyoung-soo of South Gyeongsang Province -- may be forced to step down as well, depending on ongoing trials. They both belong to the DP.
Lee is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Kim was convicted of involvement in rigging online news comments for political purposes. If the ruling in his case is upheld by the Supreme Court, he will lose his governorship.
In addition, some lawmakers have been indicted in connection with last year's scuffle at the National Assembly over the fast-tracking of electoral and prosecution reform bills.
The DP's party constitution calls on it to refrain from fielding candidates for by-elections held due to wrongdoings, including corruption, by its elected lawmakers or civil servants.
But the party may decide to ignore the internal rule or revise the constitution for next year's all-important by-elections.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--S. Korea, U.S. may cancel summertime combined exercise due to COVID-19: sources

To verify whether Seoul is on course to meet the conditions for the transition , the two sides carried out @ @ @ @ @ IOC ) test in August last year , and their defense ministers decided to move @ @ @ @ @ of carrying out the Full Operational Capability ( FOC ) test .

By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States appear increasingly likely to scale back or even call off a major combined exercise again due to the new coronavirus, after indefinitely postponing their annual springtime drill earlier this year, sources said Saturday.
The repeated skipping of annual exercises, if realized, is feared to affect the joint combat posture between the two countries, as well as South Korea's planned takeover of the wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from the U.S.
"Both sides share the need to stage the summertime exercise as planned, and we've continued consultations on the matter. But things are highly flexible due to the COVID-19 situation," a defense ministry official said.
Seoul and Washington usually carry out major combined exercises twice a year -- in around March and August. But they postponed this year's springtime exercise due to COVID-19, and it has not been held to date, as the health crisis continues.
They have yet to fix the schedule and detailed programs for the upcoming exercise.
"It already seems practically impossible to push for the summertime exercise normally, given that the U.S. has not taken action for the troop deployment to South Korea necessary for the exercise," a source said.
"Most of the U.S. members mobilized for an exercise are reserve forces, which means they have their jobs. Putting them in weekslong isolation is far from easy," he said. "The adjustment or cancellation seems to be a plausible option."
All overseas visitors to South Korea are required to be quarantined for two weeks due to the coronavirus.
Another factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the tenure of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman.
No official term of office is set, but the JCS chairman is supposed to serve for around 18 months to two years, and the incumbent Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki took office in October 2018. The Seoul government is expected to announce Park's successor around September.
"It would not be easy to carry out such a major exercise at the time of changes of command," another source said.
This photo, taken on Feb. 27, 2020, shows Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)
Seoul and Washington also differ over the program of the summertime exercise.
The South Korean authorities stressed that it should focus on the assessment of Seoul's capabilities to retake the operational control of its troops from Washington, just as they agreed earlier.
But the U.S. military maintains it should be meant to boost their joint posture as a replacement of the springtime training, rather than preparations for the OPCON transfer, according to the sources.
On July 1, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams, who also commands the Combined Forces Command, stressed that their semiannual theater-level combined exercises, as well as live fire trainings based on rigorous scenarios, should take place to maintain a staunch readiness posture in the face of evolving threats by North Korea.
To verify whether Seoul is on course to meet the conditions for the transition, the two sides carried out an initial operational capability (IOC) test in August last year, and their defense ministers decided to move on to the next step of carrying out the Full Operational Capability (FOC) test.
"If the two sides had staged an exercise earlier this year, they could have been able to do a kind of run-through for the FOC test," the source said.
The Seoul authorities believe that the two sides earlier decided to conduct an FOC test and Seoul has been fully prepared for the event. But the U.S. appears to be wanting to fully comply with due procedures for the complete verification, he added.
Seoul and Washington have been working for the conditions-based OPCON transfer. No specific deadline has been set, though many see the two sides eyeing 2022, or thereabouts, as the target date.
The combined exercise issue appears to affect their decision on when to have the planned South Korean and U.S. defense ministers' meeting.
In May, the defense ministry said the two sides are working to set up a videoconference call between their defense ministers in June to discuss pending issues. But the date has not been fixed yet.
"Chances are that the top-level talks would be held when the two countries reach a consensus on this sensitive matter," the source said.
Col. Lee Peters (L), director of Combined Forces Command public affairs, gives a briefing on the postponement of a combined command post drill with South Korea at the defense ministry building in Seoul on Feb. 27, 2020. Next to Peters is Col. Kim Jun-rak, head of the public relations office of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(LEAD) Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 , Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division .
@ @ @ @ @ division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire @ @ @ @ @ as the Battle of Tabu-dong , one of the fiercest battles of the war .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Paik Sun-yup, a famous Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, died Friday at age 99, military officials said.
Born in 1920, Paik graduated from a military academy in Manchuria in northeastern China in 1941, and became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army. Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in Manchuria. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45.
This file photo shows the late Gen. Paik Sun-yup. (Yonhap)
Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division. Under his leadership, the division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire South in what is known as the Battle of Tabu-dong, one of the fiercest battles of the war.
During the battle, Paik famously persuaded fleeing soldiers to stay by telling them: "I will be at the forefront of the fight. If I retreat, shoot me first."
He later recalled the battle as his fiercest ever.
When South Korean and U.N. forces charged northward to Pyongyang, he arrived there before the U.S. troops and planted a South Korean flag.
"The day we entered Pyongyang was the best day of my life. I was never able to forget that day," Paik later said in a media interview. "I commanded 15,000 South Korean and U.S. troops and retrieved my hometown (near Pyongyang)."
The following year, he became a two-star general to lead the Army corps. In 1952, he was named the top officer in the Army and became a four-star general the following year, the first in Korean history.
In December 1952, when then-U.S. president-elect Dwight Eisenhower visited South Korea, Paik briefed him on the need to increase the South Korean forces, ultimately leading to an expansion from 10 Army divisions to 20.
A recording of Paik telling his stories of the Korean War can be found at the National Infantry Museum in the U.S. state of Georgia.
In 1959, he served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then retired from the military in 1960.
After his retirement, the general was appointed ambassador to China in 1960; to France, the Netherlands and Belgium in 1961; and to Canada in 1965. He also served as transportation minister from 1969 to 1971.
In honor of his service, South Korea created the General Paik Sun-yup Award in 2013, which has been awarded to U.S. service members considered to have contributed to the nation's security and the bilateral alliance.
Paik was also the subject of controversy when he was accused in 2009 of being pro-Japan for his service in the Manchukuo Imperial Army.
In accordance with relevant laws, Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in Daejeon, central South Korea.
A funeral will be held on Wednesday.
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Paik Sun-yup, a famous Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, died Friday at age 99, military officials said.
Born in 1920, Paik graduated from a military academy in Manchuria in 1941 and became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army.
Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division. Under his leadership, the division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire South in what is known as the Battle of Tabu-dong, one of the fiercest battles of the war.
The following year, he became a two-star general to lead the Army corps. In 1952, he was named the top officer in the Army and became a four-star general the following year, the first in Korean history.
In 1959, he served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then retired from the military in 1960.
After his retirement, the general was appointed ambassador to China in 1960; to France, the Netherlands and Belgium in 1961; and to Canada in 1965. He also served as transportation minister from 1969 to 1971.
In honor of his service, South Korea created the General Paik Sun-yup Award in 2013, which has been awarded to U.S. service members considered to have contributed to the nation's security and the bilateral alliance.
This file photo shows the late Gen. Paik Sun-yup. (Yonhap)
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-07-10--Biegun emphasizes U.S. readiness to engage in talks with N.K.

Biegun , who doubles as the top U.S. envoy for North Korea , delivered the position in meetings with Japanese @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo on Thursday and Friday , the department said in a press release .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, July 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has emphasized Washington's readiness to engage in dialogue with North Korea, the State Department said Friday.
Biegun, who doubles as the top U.S. envoy for North Korea, delivered the position in meetings with Japanese officials during his visit to Tokyo on Thursday and Friday, the department said in a press release.
"Deputy Secretary Biegun emphasized continued U.S. readiness to engage in dialogue with the DPRK," it said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Biegun expressed a similar position during his trip to Seoul earlier in the week, saying North Koreans will "find us ready at that very moment" that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appoints a negotiator empowered to discuss the country's nuclear weapons program.
Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled due to differences over the scope of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S.
North Korea has rejected the idea of resuming talks before the U.S. changes its positions.
On Friday, Kim's sister, Yo-jong, called for the "withdrawal of hostility" from the U.S.
This photo shows U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Seoul on July 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-10--Top diplomats of S. Korea, UAE discuss cooperation in virus response, bilateral ties

Kang said that being the first country to each other to hold in-person talks demonstrates the close relations between the @ @ @ @ @ has been `` an exemplar of solidarity and cooperation between two states , '' according @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) held talks in Seoul on Friday to discuss measures to enhance cooperation between the two countries in fighting the new coronavirus and various other fields.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha hosted her UAE counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who arrived here Thursday for a three-day visit. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the countries' diplomatic relations.
The meeting is Kang's first in-person talks with a foreign counterpart since the outbreak of COVID-19.
The two ministers agreed that their countries are cooperating well in overcoming the pandemic based on the trust built upon their special strategic relationship.
Kang said that being the first country to each other to hold in-person talks demonstrates the close relations between the two countries and that it has been "an exemplar of solidarity and cooperation between two states," according to her office.
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L) presents UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's letter to President Moon Jae-in to his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, during their meeting in Seoul on July 10, 2020, in this photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Mentioning that UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently posted on social media his visit to the Barakah nuclear plant under construction by South Korean companies, Kang asked Abdullah that the UAE government pay keen attention to South Korean nationals working at the site.
In light of the post-pandemic cooperation, the two sides agreed to work closely together in such fields as health, food security, and science and technology going forward.
The UAE's minister lauded Seoul's coronavirus responses, especially the reopening of schools and online classes, expressing hopes to learn from South Korea's experience.
Abdullah also expressed hopes for Seoul's continued support for his country's successful hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, which has been delayed to October next year due to the coronavirus.
In the talks, they also agreed on detailed procedures for a "fast-track" entry system to allow essential travel, mainly business trips, in exception to current entry restrictions being imposed for foreign arrivals, Kang's office said.
The two countries had agreed on the program when Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gunn visited the UAE last month.
In Friday's meeting, the UAE's minister also delivered to Kang a letter from Crown Prince Mohammed to President Moon Jae-in on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the countries' diplomatic relations.
Officials from the foreign ministries of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including the top diplomats -- Kang Kyung-wha (2nd from L) and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (2nd from R) -- hold talks at Kang's official residence in Seoul on July 10, 2020, in this photo provided by her office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--N. Korea says Britain will 'pay price' for imposing sanctions

Earlier this week , Britain blacklisted 49 individuals and organizations under its new human rights regime .
With the decision @ @ @ @ @ , believed to be involved in the forced labor , torture and killings of prisoners @ @ @ @ @ , were banned from entering Britain and channeling funds through British banks .

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Denouncing Britain's recent sanctions imposed on two North Korean organizations, the communist country threatened Saturday that the European country will be "made to pay the price."
Earlier this week, Britain blacklisted 49 individuals and organizations under its new human rights regime. With the decision, two North Korean organizations, believed to be involved in the forced labor, torture and killings of prisoners in gulags in the country, were banned from entering Britain and channeling funds through British banks.
Issuing a Q&A report through its state news wire, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea denounced the British decision as "a provocation" that follows the United States' "hostile policy" toward the North.
"The United Kingdom, a puppet of the U.S., committed a provocation of designating our Ministry of State Security and Ministry of Public Security as prime targets of sanctions," the KCNA report said.
All contents based on which the sanctions were imposed are "fabrications" provided by North Korean defectors, according to the KCNA.
"We resolutely condemn and reject the designation by the U.K. ... as it constitutes blatant interference in the internal affairs of our state," the KCNA said, warning that the country "will be definitely made to pay the price."
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Civil service exams held nationwide despite ongoing pandemic

Special anti-infection measures were employed in the nationwide examination as exam organizers strove to fend off any possibility of virus @ @ @ @ @ in session .
They included infection prevention essentials , such as protective masks and hand @ @ @ @ @ desk shields and plastic gloves .

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of thousands of job seekers braved the new coronavirus pandemic to take a national examination for recruitment of government workers Saturday.
The examination for the 2020 recruitment of entry-level civil servants brought together 130,593 job seekers at 426 test sites in 17 cities across the country.
The examination was originally set for March 28, but was delayed for more than three months amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
Possibly in fear of virus infections, only 70.5 percent of the total 185,203 job seekers who applied showed up to take the test, a steep fall from last year's 79 percent, according to officials.
A exam taker undergoes a body temperature check at a school in the southern city of Gwangju where a national examination for recruitment of entry-level civil servants was held on July 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Special anti-infection measures were employed in the nationwide examination as exam organizers strove to fend off any possibility of virus infection while the test was in session. They included infection prevention essentials, such as protective masks and hand sanitizer, as well as desk shields and plastic gloves.
Test takers had their body temperatures checked before the exam while one-meter of space was kept between each desk in the examination rooms.
This year, the maximum number of exam takers for each room was 20, far fewer than 30 in the past as part of the prevention efforts.
The exam aims to recruit a total of 4,985 civil servants, meaning only one out of every 37 exam takers is hired.
A exam taker has her body temperature checked at a school in the southern city of Gwangju where a national examination for recruitment of entry-level civil servants was held on July 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(LEAD) Vacant Seoul mayoralty adds significance to next year's by-elections

(ATTN: UPDATES with details of memorial to Park in central Seoul in paras 5-7)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- As the death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon earlier this week abruptly left the capital's mayoralty vacant, South Korea's rival political parties are bracing for another major election showdown in about nine months.
According to the National Election Commission, by-elections will be held on April 7, 2021, to fill posts that are vacated between March 17 this year and March 8 next year.
The Seoul mayoral race is regarded as the most important election in South Korea after the presidential poll held every five years.
Late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in a file photo (Yonhap)
Park was found dead on a mountain in Seoul in apparent suicide shortly after midnight Friday, hours after he was reported missing by his family.
On Saturday, South Koreans lined up near a memorial altar set up in front of City Hall in central Seoul to pay their respects to Park. One noteworthy participant was Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun.
South Korea is divided over Park's death after his female former secretary filed a criminal complaint to the police earlier this week accusing Park of making unwanted "physical contact" and sending "inappropriate" messages.
Others, like Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the minor People's Party, who played a key role in Park's election victory in 2011, did not show up at either the memorial altar or the funeral home at Seoul National University hospital.
Following the April 15 parliamentary elections, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) are focused on preparing for the presidential election slated for the spring of 2022.
The rival parties face a heated-up election race a year earlier than expected.
As the capital, with a population of nearly 10 million, has been added to the list of constituencies for next year's by-elections, Kim Chong-in, caretaker leader of the UFP, said on Friday his party would have to gear up for by-elections "equivalent to the presidential election."
He cited by-elections scheduled in Seoul and Busan, the country's second-biggest city, and also the possibility of additional contests to fill other vacancies.
The UFP is eager to get its member elected as Seoul mayor, as Park with the DP had served at the position for a decade.
The ruling party lost the Busan mayoralty, as Oh Keo-don abruptly resigned in late April amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Two governors -- Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province and Kim Kyoung-soo of South Gyeongsang Province -- may be forced to step down as well, depending on ongoing trials. They both belong to the DP.
Lee is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Kim was convicted of involvement in rigging online news comments for political purposes. If the ruling in his case is upheld by the Supreme Court, he will lose his governorship.
In addition, some lawmakers have been indicted in connection with last year's scuffle at the National Assembly over the fast-tracking of electoral and prosecution reform bills.
The DP's party constitution calls on it to refrain from fielding candidates for by-elections held due to wrongdoings, including corruption, by its elected lawmakers or civil servants.
But the party may decide to ignore the internal rule or revise the constitution for next year's all-important by-elections.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(3rd LD) S. Korea reports 35 new virus cases, number down for 4th straight day

The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling @ @ @ @ @ 45 the following day .
Of the 35 new cases Saturday , local infections stood @ @ @ @ @ rest are imported cases .

(ATTN: UPDATES with collection of blood plasma for clinical trials)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday, the fourth consecutive day that the number has declined.
The new cases raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 13,373, and the nation's death toll remained at 288, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling to 50 on Thursday and 45 the following day.
Of the 35 new cases Saturday, local infections stood at 20, while the rest are imported cases.
A banner is placed at a beach in the eastern city of Sokcho on July 11, 2020, urging people to wear masks and maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
By region, South Korea's southeastern city of Gwangju accounted for the largest share with nine, raising the total cases in the city to 156.
Among them, 127 cases are linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju.
In Seoul, six new cases stemmed from previous cluster infections and two imported cases.
The KCDC said two more people tied to a church were infected with the virus, raising to 26 the number of cases traced to the church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Starting Friday, South Korea started prohibiting churches nationwide from organizing gatherings other than regular worship services in a move to prevent the spread of the virus.
Of the 15 total imported cases, eight people tested positive for the virus in the screening process upon their arrival in South Korea, while the seven others were confirmed during self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 1,806, accounting for 13.5 percent of all COVID-19 infections in South Korea.
Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said in a regular press briefing that there is no chance that imported cases could have any direct impact on infections in South Korea, citing virus tests and a mandatory two-week quarantine for all arrivals from foreign countries.
Starting Monday, all foreign nationals arriving from a number of high-risk countries are obligated to hand in certificates issued within 48 hours proving that they tested negative for the virus.
Kwon said the authorities have collected blood plasma from 171 people who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for clinical trials as part of efforts to develop treatments for the virus.
The KCDC said South Korea's fatality rate of people infected with the virus was 2.15 percent. The rate was 25.09 percent for those aged 80 and above.
It said 4,417 people aged less than 30 have contracted the virus, but none of them died.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(2nd LD) S. Korea reports 35 new virus cases, number down for 4th straight day

(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 5-7, 9-13; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Saturday, the fourth consecutive day that the number has declined.
The new cases raised South Korea's total cases of COVID-19 to 13,373, and the nation's death toll remained at 288, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The new cases have been on the decline since Wednesday when South Korea reported 63 new virus cases before falling to 50 on Thursday and 45 the following day.
Of the 35 new cases Saturday, local infections stood at 20, while the rest are imported cases.
A banner is placed at a beach in the eastern city of Sokcho on July 11, 2020, urging people to wear masks and maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Yonhap)
By region, South Korea's southeastern city of Gwangju accounted for the largest share with nine, raising the total cases in the city to 156.
Among them, 127 cases are linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju.
In Seoul, six new cases stemmed from previous cluster infections and two imported cases.
The KCDC said two more people tied to a church were infected with the virus, raising to 26 the number of cases traced to the church in Anyang, a city just south of Seoul.
Starting Friday, South Korea started prohibiting churches nationwide from organizing gatherings other than regular worship services in a move to prevent the spread of the virus.
Of the 15 total imported cases, eight people tested positive for the virus in the screening process upon their arrival in South Korea, while the seven others were confirmed during self-quarantine, according to the public health agency.
The accumulated number of imported cases reached 1,806, accounting for 13.5 percent of all COVID-19 infections in South Korea.
Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said in a regular press briefing that there is no chance that imported cases could have any direct impact on infections in South Korea, citing virus tests and a mandatory two-week quarantine for all arrivals from foreign countries.
Starting Monday, all foreign nationals arriving from a number of high-risk countries are obligated to hand in certificates issued within 48 hours proving that they tested negative for the virus.
The KCDC said South Korea's fatality rate of people infected with the virus was 2.15 percent. The rate was 25.09 percent for those aged 80 and above.
It said 4,417 people aged less than 30 have contracted the virus, but none of them died.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(3rd LD) Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

(ATTN: ADDS defense minister's message, controversy over his pro-Japan record in paras 15-24, photos)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Paik Sun-yup, a famous Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, has died, military officials said Saturday. He was 99.
He died Friday night, with details of the reason for his passing unavailable.
Born in 1920, Paik graduated from a military academy in Manchuria in northeastern China in 1941, and became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army. Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in Manchuria. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45.
This file photo taken June 10, 2019, shows Paik Sun-yup. (Yonhap)
Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division. Under his leadership, the division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire South in what is known as the Battle of Tabu-dong, one of the fiercest battles of the war.
During the battle, Paik famously persuaded fleeing soldiers to stay by telling them: "I will be at the forefront of the fight. If I retreat, shoot me first."
He later recalled the battle as his fiercest ever.
When South Korean and U.N. forces charged northward to Pyongyang, he arrived there before the U.S. troops and planted a South Korean flag.
"The day we entered Pyongyang was the best day of my life. I was never able to forget that day," Paik later said in a media interview. "I commanded 15,000 South Korean and U.S. troops and retrieved my hometown (near Pyongyang)."
The following year, he became a two-star general to lead the Army corps. In 1952, he was named the top officer in the Army and became a four-star general the following year, the first in Korean history.
In December 1952, when then-U.S. president-elect Dwight Eisenhower visited South Korea, Paik briefed him on the need to increase the South Korean forces, ultimately leading to an expansion from 10 Army divisions to 20.
A recording of Paik telling his stories of the Korean War can be found at the National Infantry Museum in the U.S. state of Georgia.
In 1959, he served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then retired from the military in 1960.
After his retirement, the general was appointed ambassador to China in 1960; to France, the Netherlands and Belgium in 1961; and to Canada in 1965. He also served as transportation minister from 1969 to 1971.
In honor of his service, South Korea created the General Paik Sun-yup Award in 2013, which has been awarded to U.S. service members considered to have contributed to the nation's security and the bilateral alliance.
In accordance with relevant laws, Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in Daejeon, central South Korea, according to the Army.
A funeral will be held Wednesday to be presided over by the Army Chiefs of Staff Gen. Suh Wook, it added.
This file photo taken July 10, 1951, shows Paik Sun-yunp (3rd from L) posing for a photo with U.N. officials before heading to the North Korea city of Kaesong for discussions to clinch an armistice agreement. (Yonhap)
Paik, however, was the subject of controversy over his service at the pro-Japan Gando Special Force under the Japanese Imperial Army between 1943 and 1945.
The special force launched operations to suppress armed groups fighting the colonial Japan, and about 172 people, including civilians, were killed over the course, according to government data. Gando, known in Chinese as Jiandao, refers to a small piece of marsh land between the Yanbian region and Long county in northeast China.
The track record put him on the list of the country's pro-Japanese figures made by a presidential committee in 2009.
Paik acknowledged that he did serve in the force but stressed that he did not do any deeds to support Japan.
He secured the benefit of a burial at a national cemetery under the name of a Man of National Merit, but some civic activists have voiced opposition.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams (L) takes a selfie with South Korea's wartime hero Paik Sun-yup (C) in this photo uploaded on the USFK Facebook page. Abrams visited Paik's office in Seoul on Nov. 22, 2019, to celebrate his 100th birthday (Korean age), according to officials. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeog-doo offered deep condolences for Paik.
"Gen. Paik protected freedom and peace ... and laid the groundwork for the staunch Korea-U.S. alliance and the construction of the strong military," Jeong said in a statement.
"Taking his noble sacrifice and thorough spirit as a service member, our military will do our best to protect the lives and the safety of our people and to create a new peace on the Korean Peninsula," he added.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams also expressed condolences and sympathy to Paik's family.
Gen. Paik "made an incredible contribution shaping the U.S. and ROK alliance into what it is today," Abrams said in a statement posted on the website of the U.S. Forces Korea, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"From his time serving in the Korean War to becoming South Korea's first four-star General to serving as the ROK Army Chief of Staff, General Paik is a hero and national treasure who will be truly missed."
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

2008 -- North Korea agrees on a timetable to complete the disabling of its Yongbyon nuclear facility during its six-party @ @ @ @ @ fall apart after the North 's satellite launch the next year .
The same day @ @ @ @ @ over the death of a South Korean tourist shot by a North Korean solider the @ @ @ @ @ South Korea 's proposal to send a fact-finding team to the shooting site .

July 12
1948 -- South Korea's National Assembly formulates the nation's Constitution. The elections for the country's National Assembly were held under U.N. supervision on May 10.
1979 -- South Korean football player Cha Bum-kun starts his career in Germany's Bundesliga. In South Korea, Cha is greatly respected for his accomplishments in the Bundesliga in the 1980s and on the South Korean national team. Cha is also considered the best Asian striker that ever played in Europe.
1982 -- South Korea and Australia sign a double taxation treaty.
2001 -- The government unveils a set of measures that blocks the additional introduction of Japanese culture into South Korea in a protest against Japan's controversial history textbooks on its colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.
2005 -- South Korea holds a ceremony to launch the country's first light aircraft carrier, the 13,000-ton class Dokdo Ham multipurpose ship built by Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. The vessel was later used for search operations following the deadly sinking of the Cheonan warship in March 2010.
2006 -- Tens of thousands of South Korean activists and farmers brave torrential rains to stage anti-U.S. rallies, denouncing their government's free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Washington as a form of "U.S. economic colonialism."
2008 -- North Korea agrees on a timetable to complete the disabling of its Yongbyon nuclear facility during its six-party disarmament talk, which later fall apart after the North's satellite launch the next year. The same day, North Korea expresses regrets over the death of a South Korean tourist shot by a North Korean solider the previous day but turns down South Korea's proposal to send a fact-finding team to the shooting site.
2016 -- Two South Korean men are indicted on charges of contacting North Korean agents and producing reports to send information on domestic affairs to Pyongyang.
2018 -- The Financial Services Commission concludes that a 2015 accounting breach by Samsung BioLogics Co., a health care unit of Samsung Group, was intentional and that the biopharmaceutical company clearly violated accounting rules. Samsung BioLogics denies allegations of any accounting breach.
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--Telcos expand VR services amid pandemic

Telcos expand VR services amid pandemic

The mobile carriers ' push to increase VR content comes as more South Koreans opted to limit their outdoor activities @ @ @ @ @ to the Korea Communications Commission , South Koreans spent more than 25 hours on average @ @ @ @ @ in May , up 35 percent from a year earlier .

By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Local mobile carriers are expanding virtual reality (VR) services to cope with increased demand for online content amid the COVID-19 pandemic, industry sources said Saturday.
Leading mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. has started offering recorded VR sessions of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on its Jump VR application for moviegoers.
The mobile carrier will provide VR content, such as lectures by eight directors featured during the festival, and 21 VR movies on its app for a remote festival experience.
SK Telecom Co.'s VR content in partnership with the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival is shown in this photo provided by SK Telecom on July 8. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
KT Corp, the country's No. 2 mobile carrier, is also enhancing its VR services in collaboration with more startups on its VR content store, KT Super VR, that was launched in July last year.
As of last year, 100 startups partnered with the carrier to provide contents, such as games, sports and real estate tours, according to KT.
The company aims to increase the number of partnerships to more than 150 by the end of this year.
"The platform has benefited from the pandemic," a KT official said. "For example, our VR real estate service released last year drew much attention as it became difficult for people to go outdoors."
LG Uplus Corp. partnered with the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul to provide VR content for vacationers that opt to stay at hotels as travel remains limited amid social distancing measures.
The carrier said Westin Chosun visitors can sign up for the VR service, which provides 15 games and 1,300 videos, including 3D films and concerts, until late August.
LG Uplus announced last month that since last October it has exported US$10 million worth of VR and augmented reality (AR) contents that incorporate its 5G technology.
Models showcase LG Uplus Corp.'s VR content at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on July 9, 2020 in this photo provided by LG Uplus. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The mobile carriers' push to increase VR content comes as more South Koreans opted to limit their outdoor activities amid the pandemic. According to the Korea Communications Commission, South Koreans spent more than 25 hours on average watching video on their smartphones in May, up 35 percent from a year earlier.
South Korea's VR and AR market is expected to be worth around 5.7 trillion won ($4.7 billion) this year, compared with 1.4 trillion won in 2016, according to the Korea VR AR Industry Association.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-11--(2nd LD) Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

(ATTN: CHANGES lead; UPDATES with condolence statement by commander of U.S. Forces Korea in paras 14-16)
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Paik Sun-yup, a famous Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, has died at age 99, military officials said Saturday. He died Friday night, with details of the reason for his passing unavailable.
Born in 1920, Paik graduated from a military academy in Manchuria in northeastern China in 1941, and became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army. Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in Manchuria. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45.
The late Gen. Paik Sun-yup (Yonhap)
Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division. Under his leadership, the division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire South in what is known as the Battle of Tabu-dong, one of the fiercest battles of the war.
During the battle, Paik famously persuaded fleeing soldiers to stay by telling them: "I will be at the forefront of the fight. If I retreat, shoot me first."
He later recalled the battle as his fiercest ever.
When South Korean and U.N. forces charged northward to Pyongyang, he arrived there before the U.S. troops and planted a South Korean flag.
"The day we entered Pyongyang was the best day of my life. I was never able to forget that day," Paik later said in a media interview. "I commanded 15,000 South Korean and U.S. troops and retrieved my hometown (near Pyongyang)."
The following year, he became a two-star general to lead the Army corps. In 1952, he was named the top officer in the Army and became a four-star general the following year, the first in Korean history.
In December 1952, when then-U.S. president-elect Dwight Eisenhower visited South Korea, Paik briefed him on the need to increase the South Korean forces, ultimately leading to an expansion from 10 Army divisions to 20.
A recording of Paik telling his stories of the Korean War can be found at the National Infantry Museum in the U.S. state of Georgia.
In 1959, he served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then retired from the military in 1960.
After his retirement, the general was appointed ambassador to China in 1960; to France, the Netherlands and Belgium in 1961; and to Canada in 1965. He also served as transportation minister from 1969 to 1971.
In honor of his service, South Korea created the General Paik Sun-yup Award in 2013, which has been awarded to U.S. service members considered to have contributed to the nation's security and the bilateral alliance.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams offered deep condolences and sympathy to Paik's family.
Gen. Paik "made an incredible contribution shaping the U.S. and ROK alliance into what it is today," Abrams said in a statement posted on the website of the U.S. Forces Korea, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"From his time serving in the Korean War to becoming South Korea's first four-star General to serving as the ROK Army Chief of Staff, General Paik is a hero and national treasure who will be truly missed."
Paik was the subject of controversy when he was accused in 2009 of being pro-Japan for his service in the Manchukuo Imperial Army.
In accordance with relevant laws, Paik's body will be buried at the national cemetery in Daejeon, central South Korea.
A funeral will be held Wednesday.
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Political controversy erupts over mourning Seoul mayor's passing

He added he does not agree with the Seoul city 's five-day funeral for Park either , saying it 's @ @ @ @ @ time to look back on `` perceptions and behaviors '' by senior public servants .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- While South Koreans are in shock and grief over the abrupt death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon last week, the political community here seems to be split over the formalities of publicly mourning it.
The controversy is largely because he apparently took his own life in the face of a probe into suspicions that he had sexually harassed one of his female former assistants.
Critics call for mourning Park's death in a low-key manner, citing the human rights of the alleged victim, who filed a formal complaint with police against him.
They question is over whether Park deserves a five-day funeral officially held by the Seoul city government. Park, who died Thursday, is scheduled to be laid to rest Monday.
A mourning station for the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in front of the Seoul City Hall (Yonhap)
Kim Chong-in, caretaker leader of the conservative main opposition United Future Party, had put a plan on hold to pay a condolence call to Park's family.
Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the smaller opposition People's Party, wrote on his Facebook account that "I have decided not to pay a separate condolence call," although Park's passing is a sad incident.
He added he does not agree with the Seoul city's five-day funeral for Park either, saying it's more needed than any other time to look back on "perceptions and behaviors" by senior public servants.
Two female lawmakers with the progressive opposition Justice Party -- Ryu Ho-jeong and Jang Hye-yeong -- earlier expressed their sympathy for the woman who had allegedly suffered sexual harassment and vowed refusal to pay respects to Park.
Choi Min-hee, a former lawmaker with the ruling Democratic Party (DP), accused the Justice Party of "politicizing" the issue of mourning the death of the liberal-minded mayor who was in office for a decade.
"Now is the time to mourn," Choi said in her Facebook message.
Last Friday, President Moon Jae-in sent condolence flowers and his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides, including Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, to the Seoul National University hospital, where the funeral home is established.
The DP has sought to prevent political disputes related to Park's death from escalating.
Rep. Kang Hoon-sik, the party's spokesman, urged some internet users to stop trying to identify the alleged victim and spreading unconfirmed information.
"Currently, no facts have been revealed," he said. "There shouldn't be another controversy being created."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Air pollution No. 1 environmental concern for S. Koreans: survey

According to a survey conducted by the state-run Korea Environment Institute on 3,008 people around the country , 46.5 percent @ @ @ @ @ air quality '' against such pollutants as fine dust and ozone was the most urgent @ @ @ @ @ be solved .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- Nearly half of South Koreans viewed air pollution as the most pressing environmental concern last year, a government survey showed Sunday, amid a worsening level of fine dust in the country.
According to a survey conducted by the state-run Korea Environment Institute on 3,008 people around the country, 46.5 percent of respondents said "improving air quality" against such pollutants as fine dust and ozone was the most urgent environmental problem that needs to be solved.
Nearly 22 percent cited havoc from climate change, such as heat waves, cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential downpours as the most pressing concern, followed by 8.8 percent who answered waste pollution should be addressed first.
The combined share of people who singled out improving air quality and responding to climate change as the most pressing environmental issues marked a significant increase from 46.1 percent in the annual survey conducted a year ago.
The increase reflects the consensus among the public on the need to address those problems, the state think tank said.
This photo taken Jan. 19, 2020, shows central Seoul blanketed in a gray haze caused by fine dust. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--Banks' loan delinquency dips in June on sharp rise in lending

But industry watchers cautioned against reading too much into the data as the fall was mainly attributed to the lenders @ @ @ @ @ households and companies amid the COVID-19 pandemic , not to a decline in overdue loans @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- The delinquency rate for South Korean banks' loans inched down in June from a month earlier, but the fall was mainly attributed to a sharp rise in lending amid the new coronavirus outbreak, industry data showed Sunday.
The rate for bank loans more than 30 days overdue against total lending by five major banks preliminarily stood at 0.21-0.33 percent as of end-June, down from 0.25-0.4 percent the month earlier, according to industry data.
But industry watchers cautioned against reading too much into the data as the fall was mainly attributed to the lenders' expansion of loans to households and companies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, not to a decline in overdue loans.
This file photo taken April 1, 2020, shows a merchant who suffered from the economic fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak appling for a loan at a Shinhan Bank branch in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
"Total loans sharply rose amid the virus outbreak, but overdue lending has yet to be reflected in a full-fledged manner (in calculating the loan delinquency)," a bank official said.
Since March, local lenders have extended more loans to households and companies struggling to cope with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Local banks' household loans reached 928.9 trillion won (US$773.4 billion) as of end-June, up 8.1 trillion won from the previous month, according to central bank data. The June data marked the third-largest monthly rise this year.
Corporate lending gained 1.5 trillion won on-month to 946.7 trillion won as of the end of June.
Experts voiced concerns about banks' financial soundness after September as the effect of overdue loans will likely begin to be felt then.
In March, banks reached an agreement with the government to extend loan maturity for cash-strapped small merchants and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by six months until the end of September.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korea to expand routes to China to meet biz travel demand

China 's aviation authorities have limited airlines to one flight per week since late March to stem the spread of @ @ @ @ @ passengers .
Seoul has been in consultation with its Chinese counterpart to increase the number @ @ @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is in talks with China to increase the number of flights to the country to 10 a week mainly to meet travel demand from businessmen, the transport ministry said Sunday.
Korean airlines currently serve three routes from Incheon to Chinese cities and plan to resume flights on four more routes to the neighboring country this month, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
"The (Seoul) government is in talks with the Chinese authorities to resume flights on three additional routes to China," the ministry said in a statement.
This photo, taken on July 7, 2020, shows planes at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, just west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Korean Air Lines Co., Asiana Airlines Inc., and Jeju Air Co. have operated one flight a week, respectively, on the routes from Incheon to Shenyang, Changchun and Weihai despite the coronavirus outbreak.
This month, Korean Air, Asiana, Jin Air Co. and Air Busan Co. plan to resume services on routes to Guangzhou, Nanjing, Xian and Shenzhen, respectively, the statement said.
China's aviation authorities have limited airlines to one flight per week since late March to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic through incoming passengers. Seoul has been in consultation with its Chinese counterpart to increase the number of flights.
The country has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air and Asiana Airlines -- and seven budget carriers -- Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way and Fly Gangwon.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--New virus cases rebound; imported cases, cluster infections on steady rise

Of locally transmitted cases , 15 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area .
Virus cases tied to an @ @ @ @ @ central Seoul , rose by one to seven as of Saturday .
Those traced to @ @ @ @ @ south of Seoul , came to 26 , up two cases from a day ago @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back Sunday as cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and the southwestern city of Gwangju continued to increase amid a sustained rise in imported cases.
The country added 44 cases, including 21 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,417, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 35 new virus cases reported Saturday but a slight fall compared with 45 tallied Friday. The number of new virus cases had been on the decline through Saturday after hitting 63 Wednesday.
The country identified 23 more imported cases, posting double-digit numbers for more than two weeks. On Wednesday, the tally hit a three-month high of 33 cases.
Applicants to take state tests to become public servants disinfect their hands with sanitizer before entering a test venue at a middle school in Gwangju, 329 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on July 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Sporadic cluster infections across the country continued to weigh on the country's virus fight, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
Since Friday, the country has banned churches from organizing smaller gatherings other than regular worship services and having group meals. QR code-based entry logs also have been applied to churches.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the locally transmitted cases last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 15 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Virus cases tied to an office building in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, rose by one to seven as of Saturday. Those traced to a church in Anyang, south of Seoul, came to 26, up two cases from a day ago.
Five cases were identified in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
There were 127 cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju as of noon Saturday, up six cases from the previous day.
A banner calls for the use of face masks and keeping a safe distance at a beach in the eastern city of Sokcho on July 11, 2020, in an effort to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been harried by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over a potential new wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported one additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.15 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,178, up 34 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,402,144 tests since Jan. 3.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(URGENT) 34 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,

(URGENT) 34 more people released after full recoveries from coronavirus, total cured patients at 12,178: KCDC

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


yna--2020-07-12--(URGENT) S. Korea reports one more death, total death toll at 289: KCDC


yna--2020-07-12--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 44 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 13,417: KCDC


Sunday's weather forecast

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


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korea ends mask rationing scheme after 4-month operation

Previously , mask producers were allowed to export up to 30 percent of their total output .
But the government @ @ @ @ @ exports quota system , under which the total amount of permissible monthly exports should not @ @ @ @ @ production .

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- After a four-month operation, South Korea's mask ration system ended Sunday as the supply of face masks designed to help fight the new coronavirus has stabilized.
As prices of protective masks skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 outbreak here, the country introduced the mask rationing scheme in early March in a bid to smooth out high demand.
Under the scheme, citizens were allowed to buy a limited number of protective masks every week at pharmacies for 1,500 won (US$1.24). The weekly limit started with two masks and was raised to 10 masks.
With the termination of the scheme, citizens will be able to buy an unlimited number of masks at market prices.
A pharmacist counts masks supplied under a state-led mask rationing system at a pharmacy in central Seoul on July 8, 2020. (Yonhap)
Demand for masks sharply stabilized recently as the country has successfully flattened the virus curve, while the mask supply has continued to rise, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Weekly outputs of protective masks have reached more than 100 million since the first week of June, according to the agency.
Last month, the government decided to extend the mask rationing scheme, supposed to end on June 30, to July 11 in an effort to help people easily buy masks.
In case of an emergency, the government will maintain mask stockpiles large enough to meet a sudden rise in demand.
Meanwhile, the country has decided to keep restrictions on exports of masks for their stable local supply, but it will raise the permissible volume of outbound shipments.
Previously, mask producers were allowed to export up to 30 percent of their total output. But the government decided to adopt the monthly exports quota system, under which the total amount of permissible monthly exports should not surpass 50 percent of total production.
But the country will continue to ban overseas shipments of surgical masks and thinner anti-saliva masks to meet local demand for such products in the summer.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


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(END)


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korea to bring home 100 nationals from Iraq on charter flight

The charter flight will bring the Korean workers home on Monday , according to the Korean embassy in Iraq .

TEHRAN, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is set to bring home some 100 nationals working at construction sites in Iraq amid the coronavirus pandemic, embassy officials said Sunday.
The charter flight will bring the Korean workers home on Monday, according to the Korean embassy in Iraq.
Last month, two Korean workers dispatched to a construction site in Iraq died due to the infectious virus.
Another Korean worker tested positive on Saturday and is in stable condition, embassy officials said.
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(2nd LD) Political controversy erupts over mourning Seoul mayor's passing

(ATTN: ADDS court's decision in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- While South Koreans are in shock and grief over the abrupt death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon last week, the political community here seems to be split over the formalities of publicly mourning it.
The controversy is largely because he apparently took his own life in the face of a probe into suspicions that he had sexually harassed one of his female former assistants.
Critics call for mourning Park's death in a low-key manner, citing the human rights of the alleged victim, who filed a formal complaint with police against him.
They question whether Park deserves a five-day funeral officially held by the Seoul city government. Park, who died Thursday, is scheduled to be laid to rest Monday.
More than half a million people supported an online petition, posted on the website of the presidential office, against the city's move as of Sunday morning.
It pointed out that the suspected sexual harassment case has been closed without any investigation due to Park's death.
"Do the people have to watch the showy five-day funeral of an influential politician suspected of sexually harassing (a woman)? A family funeral is appropriate," it read.
A mourning station for the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in front of the Seoul City Hall (Yonhap)
Kim Chong-in, caretaker leader of the conservative main opposition United Future Party, had put a plan on hold to pay a condolence call to Park's family.
Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the smaller opposition People's Party, wrote on his Facebook account that "I have decided not to pay a separate condolence call," although Park's passing is a sad incident.
He added he does not agree with the Seoul city's five-day funeral for Park either, saying it's more needed than any other time to look back on "perceptions and behaviors" by senior public servants.
Two female lawmakers with the progressive opposition Justice Party -- Ryu Ho-jeong and Jang Hye-yeong -- earlier expressed their sympathy for the woman who had allegedly suffered sexual harassment and vowed refusal to pay respects to Park.
Choi Min-hee, a former lawmaker with the ruling Democratic Party (DP), accused the Justice Party of "politicizing" the issue of mourning the death of the liberal-minded mayor who was in office for a decade.
"Now is the time to mourn," Choi said in her Facebook message.
Last Friday, President Moon Jae-in sent condolence flowers and his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides, including Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, to the Seoul National University hospital, where the funeral home is established.
Who is Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a presidential hopeful, and why did he take his own life? Youtube https://youtu.be/wCJfcwjG7h8
The DP has sought to prevent political disputes related to Park's death from escalating.
Rep. Kang Hoon-sik, the party's spokesman, urged some internet users to stop trying to identify the alleged victim and spreading unconfirmed information.
"Currently, no facts have been revealed," he said. "There shouldn't be another controversy being created."
Meanwhile, a group of 227 citizens in Seoul filed a petition with the Seoul Administrative Court to prevent the city government from holding the five-day official funeral.
The court dismissed the petition on Sunday evening, meaning that the funeral will go ahead as planned.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--S. Korea to require foreigners arriving from high-risk nations to submit proof of negative virus tes

S. Korea to require foreigners arriving from high-risk nations to submit proof of negative virus test

South Korea has also ordered regular flights from such countries to limit the number of passengers to 60 percent of @ @ @ @ @ for countries with large outbreaks will face strict entry processes when returning to South Korea @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will require foreigners arriving from high-risk nations to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the new coronavirus from Monday, as the nation struggles with a steady rise in imported cases.
The high-risk nations are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, according to websites of South Korean embassies in the nations.
Starting Monday, foreign nationals from the four nations will be required to provide certificates issued within 48 hours proving they have tested negative for COVID-19 on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
The certificates must be issued from medical institutions and testing centers chosen by South Korean diplomatic missions.
The government will expand the requirement to 11 other nations if the number of imported cases from the nations continues to rise.
The average number of daily imported cases stood at six in May and 11 in June. But, the number has jumped to 20 this month.
In particular, larger numbers of foreign arrivals from the four nations have tested positive for the virus in South Korea, officials said.
Strict quarantine regulations on Pakistan and Bangladesh are already in place. South Korea began to suspend visa issuance and non-scheduled flights from the two countries from June 23.
South Korea has also ordered regular flights from such countries to limit the number of passengers to 60 percent of capacity. Those who depart for countries with large outbreaks will face strict entry processes when returning to South Korea, health authorities said.
This photo taken on May 3, 2020, shows a health official speaking with a tourist at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-07-12--(3rd LD) New virus cases rebound; imported cases, cluster infections on steady rise

A rise in cases coming in from overseas put further strain on health authorities ' efforts to contain the spread @ @ @ @ @ patients reported over the past two weeks , imported cases accounted for nearly 40 percent @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS health minister's remarks, details in last 5 paras)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back Sunday as imported cases climbed amid a continued rise in cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and the southwestern city of Gwangju.
The country added 44 cases, including 21 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,417, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally marked a rise from 35 new virus cases reported Saturday but a slight fall compared with 45 tallied Friday. The number of new virus cases had been on the decline through Saturday after hitting 63 Wednesday.
The country identified 23 more imported cases, posting double-digit numbers for more than two weeks. On Wednesday, the tally hit a three-month high of 33 cases.
A rise in cases coming in from overseas put further strain on health authorities' efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Of 702 patients reported over the past two weeks, imported cases accounted for nearly 40 percent, according to the KCDC.
A congregant uses a QR-based code entry log to attend a service at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul on July 12, 2020, as health authorities have beefed up anti-virus prevention measures at churches nationwide. (Yonhap)
Sporadic cluster infections across the country continued to weigh on the country's virus fight, with most tied to religious facilities and door-to-door retailers.
Since Friday, the country has banned churches from organizing smaller gatherings other than regular worship services and having group meals. QR code-based entry logs also have been applied to churches.
The densely populated Seoul and adjacent areas accounted for most of the locally transmitted cases last month, but the virus outbreaks have been constantly reported in other parts of the country.
Of locally transmitted cases, 15 cases were reported in the greater Seoul area. Cluster infections tied to an apartment building in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, rose by one case to 31 as of noon.
Five cases were identified in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south Seoul. The city has recently emerged as a new hotbed of the virus outbreak outside of the Seoul metropolitan area.
Cases linked to a door-to-door business in Gwangju reached 135 as of noon, up four cases from the previous day. Of them, three new cases were traced to a badminton social club.
This photo, taken on July 12, 2020, shows a statement announcing that a person who works at Cheil Worldwide was infected with the new coronavirus and the closure of four floors of GT Tower at Seoul's southern ward of Seocho. (Yonhap)
South Korea has been harried by rises in sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the flattened virus curve.
The country's health authorities remain jittery over a potential new wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.
Health officials warned that they may consider implementing tougher infection preventive measures -- currently in place only in the Seoul metropolitan area -- across the country if the virus situation worsens.
The KCDC said the number of COVID-19 patients in serious condition reached 19, the first time in a month that the tally fell below 20.
Since early July, the country has administered remdesivir, an experimental drug conventionally used to treat Ebola, for 27 coronavirus patients in critical condition. Of them, nine people showed some improvement, the KCDC said.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported one additional death, bringing the death toll to 289. The fatality rate was 2.15 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,178, up 34 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,402,144 tests since Jan. 3.
Shoppers browse in an outlet store in Seoul on July 12, 2020, the last day of a state-led sales festival aimed at boosting spending amid the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
A preliminary antibody test showed only one out of 3,055 people tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in South Korea.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told reporters that herd immunity is "impossible" and renewed calls for citizens to strictly follow containment measures until COVID-19 vaccines become available.
"To co-exist with COVID-19, we have no choice but to accept a new social culture that harmonizes life and containment," Park said.
To cope with a steady rise in imported cases, the government said it will quarantine foreign sailors who arrive at South Korean ports for two weeks.
Quarantine facilities will be set up in Busan and Yeosu on Monday, the government said.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)