yna--2020-09-25--Moon vows firm response to threats to S. Koreans' lives, safety

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in assured the South Korean people Friday that his government will deal resolutely with any act that threatens their lives and safety.
He was addressing the 72nd Armed Forces Day ceremony held at the headquarters of the Special Warfare Command in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, following reports that North Korea fatally shot a South Korean government official and burned his body earlier this week.
Moon stressed that South Korea will further beef up its security and defense posture.
"(I) promise that the government and the military will respond resolutely to any act of threatening the people's lives and safety," the president said during the televised speech.
President Moon Jae-in (R) pays silent tribute to fallen war heroes and other patriots during the 72nd Armed Forces Day ceremony at the headquarters of the Special Warfare Command in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
He added South Korea can "make, keep and build up peace" by securing a strong defense posture, which nobody can surmount, on its own.
He used the word "peace" several times throughout his 15-minute address but made no direct mention of North Korea. He did not talk either about the shocking incident of the South Korean citizen shot dead by the North's border guards around the western sea border.
The previous day, the South's defense authorities said the 47-year-old civil servant belonging to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries was shot dead Tuesday after crossing the western sea border. The North set his body on fire apparently out of new coronavirus concerns.
On Thursday evening, Moon issued a statement through his Cheong Wa Dae spokesman that it was a "shocking" incident that cannot be tolerated for any reason.
He urged Pyongyang to take "responsible" measures over the "very regrettable" act.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(URGENT) Moon vows firm response to threats to S. Koreans' lives, safety in Armed Forces Day speech

(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--2020-09-25--Court rejects arrest warrants for Seoul church officials over allegedly disrupting antivirus activit

Court rejects arrest warrants for Seoul church officials over allegedly disrupting antivirus activities

By rejecting to issue warrants , the court said it also considered the amount of secured evidence , the progress @ @ @ @ @ social status of the suspects and their attitudes in the investigation .
Whether an analysis @ @ @ @ @ considered one of the methods of epidemiological surveys was also debatable under the country 's @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- A court has rejected arrest warrants for a priest and a church elder over their alleged obstruction of the government's efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Seoul Central District Court declined to issue them late Thursday night, citing low flight risk and small chance of the destruction of evidence.
The two officials of Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a recent hotbed of the coronavirus pandemic with more than 1,100 cases linked to it, were suspected of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.
They allegedly disrupted health authorities' antivirus efforts by hiding closed-circuit TV (CCTV) footage despite having received an acquisition request for the footage needed for epidemiological surveys.
By rejecting to issue warrants, the court said it also considered the amount of secured evidence, the progress of the probe, the social status of the suspects and their attitudes in the investigation. Whether an analysis of CCTV footage could be considered one of the methods of epidemiological surveys was also debatable under the country's laws, it added.
As of Thursday, a total of 1,168 virus cases had been traced to the church, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Since the first case at the church was reported on Aug. 12, large-scale transmissions have occurred, with many members participating in the massive anti-government rallies on Liberation Day on Aug. 15.
The police are known to have recently secured evidence supporting the allegations against them.
The file photo taken Aug. 21, 2020, shows police officers heading toward Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul for a search and seizure operation. A court issued a warrant after health authorities failed to secure the full list of the members of the church at the center of recent spikes in coronavirus infections in the country. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--S. Korea's state pension to invest $300 mln in Aussie infra fund: sources

`` The quality and depth of our equity partnerships and our banking syndicate supports the long-term confidence in the Australian @ @ @ @ @ management platform , which now extends to 24 operating assets nationally in the Scape Core @ @ @ @ @ Chairman Craig Carracher told the Australian Financial Review .

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state pension fund will invest US$300 million in an Australian infrastructure fund as it seeks diversification and profitability in its portfolios, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.
The National Pension Service (NPS) will join AXA General Insurance, Allianz and APG, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands, as the anchor investors in the Scape Core Fund operated by student accommodation provider Scape Australia, he said.
Scape has recently expanded the size of the core fund to $3.3 billion from $2.6 billion by attracting fresh investment despite the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the education sector, according to foreign media reports.
"The quality and depth of our equity partnerships and our banking syndicate supports the long-term confidence in the Australian education sector and Scape's management platform, which now extends to 24 operating assets nationally in the Scape Core Fund," Scape Executive Chairman Craig Carracher told the Australian Financial Review.
Carracher said occupancy across the portfolio had held up at about 60 percent despite the closure of borders for international students.
The NPS is the world's third-largest pension fund, with 752 trillion won ($648 billion) under its management as of June.
This file photo shows the headquarters of the National Pension Service Investment Management in Jeonju, southwestern South Korea. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--Entertainment facilities outside of capital area to be closed for at least 1 week: PM

`` Outside of the capital area , a ban on assembly will be implemented for entertainment facilities for at least @ @ @ @ @ travel to hometowns or go on a trip are expected to visit the facilities , @ @ @ @ @ said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting .

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will prohibit operations of entertainment facilities outside of the greater Seoul area for a week as part of the country's tighter social distancing requirements aimed at reducing COVID-19 infections during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, the prime minister said Friday.
Inside the capital area, he said, tighter disease prevention rules will be adopted for restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters and other frequently visited entertainment places.
Starting Wednesday, South Korea will have an extended five-day weekend that includes the Chuseok autumn harvest holiday on Thursday and the National Foundation Day on Oct. 3. Many South Koreans travel across the country to reunite with families at hometowns during the traditional Chuseok holiday.
"Outside of the capital area, a ban on assembly will be implemented for entertainment facilities for at least one week as people who travel to hometowns or go on a trip are expected to visit the facilities," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting.
Chung also stressed that next week's long holiday period will become a decisive moment in the country's endeavor to regain control over the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for cooperation from the public.
Later in the day, health authorities are scheduled to announce a new set of detailed social distancing guidelines to be applied for two weeks starting Monday.
The government has designated the period from Sept. 28 to Oct. 11 as a special period for its antivirus fight, bracing for a potential flare-up in transmissions during major holidays.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a regular government COVID-19 response meeting on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(LEAD) New virus cases over 100 for 3rd day, virus fight put to test ahead of holiday

South Korea is currently imposing the Level 2 social distancing guidelines across the nation in its three-tier scheme .
At @ @ @ @ @ gatherings of 50 or more people are banned , and outdoor meetings of 100 or @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from para 8; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 100 for the third straight day Friday due to continued rises in sporadic cluster infections, putting the country's virus fight to the test ahead of a major holiday.
The country added 114 more COVID-19 cases, including 95 local infections, raising the total caseload to 23,455, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 125 new cases reported Thursday but stayed higher than 110 cases Wednesday. Daily infections fell to double digits for the third day in a row Tuesday.
Quarantine officials disinfect areas near a church tied to spiking virus cases in Seoul's northern district of Seongbuk on Sept. 24, 2020, ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday. (Yonhap)
The country's new virus cases had been in the triple digits for more than a month since Aug. 14, due to cases tied to a church and a political rally, with new cases soaring to 441 on Aug. 27.
New COVID-19 cases have been on a slowing trajectory on the back of tougher virus curbs, but they have been not easily brought down under 100, the target set by health authorities.
The country's virus fight stands at a critical juncture ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. Millions of South Koreans travel across the nation to meet their families and relatives during Chuseok.
The country set the two weeks starting Sept. 28 as a special period for strong nationwide antivirus efforts. Later in the day, it will unveil details about quarantine guidelines during the holiday.
During the holiday, the government plans to strengthen quarantine measures at facilities, including restaurants and theaters, in the densely populated Seoul area. The operation of bars and clubs outside the capital region will be restricted for a week.
South Korea is currently imposing the Level 2 social distancing guidelines across the nation in its three-tier scheme. At the current level, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are banned, and outdoor meetings of 100 or more people are also prohibited.
Of the newly identified local infections, 56 cases were reported in Seoul and 26 in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported one more case.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding two cases and North Gyeongsang Province reporting four new cases.
Sporadic cluster infections continued to pop up across the nation. Cases traced to Yonsei Severance Hospital came to 58 as of noon Thursday. Infections tied to a psychiatric hospital located in Goyang, north of Seoul, reached 39.
The country, meanwhile, reported 19 imported cases, with eight coming from Uzbekistan and three from the Philippines. The total imported cases came to 3,149.
South Korea reported two additional deaths, raising the death toll to 395. The fatality rate was 1.68 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 128 as of midnight, up two from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 20,978, up 146 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,280,276 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
Only a few passengers are aboard a ship bound for the western border island of Yeonpyeong from Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 25, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--Number of new estate agencies dips on slumping home deals in Aug.

A total of 1,302 estate agencies newly opened across the nation last month , down 11.3 percent from the previous @ @ @ @ @ data from the Korea Association of Realtors .

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- The number of new real estate agencies in South Korea fell more than 11 percent in August amid a nationwide tumble in housing transactions, data showed Friday.
A total of 1,302 estate agencies newly opened across the nation last month, down 11.3 percent from the previous month, according to the data from the Korea Association of Realtors.
August marked the second consecutive month of on-month decline. The numbers were 1,468 for July and 1,488 for June.
In comparison, the number of closed and suspended real estate agencies edged up to 1,097 last month from 1,087 the prior month.
The contrasting figures were attributed mainly to a nosedive in the nation's home transactions in August. Reports of housing transactions stood at 85,272 last month, down a whopping 39.7 percent from July.
Home transactions plunged in August as demand for home purchases sank in the wake of the coronavirus fallout and the government's tougher real estate regulations to rein in soaring apartment prices.
A real estate agency in Seoul (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--New virus cases over 100 for 3rd day, virus fight put to test ahead of holiday

The country 's new virus cases had been in the triple digits for more than a month since Aug. 14 @ @ @ @ @ to a church and a political rally , with new cases soaring to 441 on @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 100 for the third straight day Friday due to continued rises in sporadic cluster infections, putting the country's virus fight to the test ahead of a major holiday.
The country added 114 more COVID-19 cases, including 95 local infections, raising the total caseload to 23,455, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 125 new cases reported Thursday but stayed higher than 110 cases Wednesday. Daily infections fell to double digits for the third day in a row Tuesday.
Quarantine officials disinfect areas near a church tied to spiking virus cases in Seoul's northern district of Seongbuk on Sept. 24, 2020, ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday. (Yonhap)
The country's new virus cases had been in the triple digits for more than a month since Aug. 14, due to cases tied to a church and a political rally, with new cases soaring to 441 on Aug. 27.
New COVID-19 cases have been on a slowing trajectory on the back of tougher virus curbs, but they have been not easily brought down under 100, the target set by health authorities.
The country's virus fight stands at a critical juncture ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. Millions of South Koreans travel across the nation to meet their families and relatives during Chuseok.
The country set the two weeks starting Sept. 28 as a special period for strong nationwide antivirus efforts. Later in the day, it will unveil details about quarantine guidelines during the holiday.
The country, meanwhile, added 19 imported cases, increasing the total to 3,149.
South Korea reported two additional deaths, raising the death toll to 395.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(URGENT) 146 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 20,978: KDCA


yna--2020-09-25--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 additional coronavirus deaths, total now at 395: KDCA


yna--2020-09-25--(2nd LD) N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: s

(2nd LD) N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy chief

On Thursday , the defense ministry said the 47-year-old civil servant , who worked for the oceans ministry , was @ @ @ @ @ North Korean military on Tuesday after drifting near the northern side of the western inter-Korean @ @ @ @ @ was set on fire on the ocean the same day , the ministry said .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7-9)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state intelligence agency doesn't see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as having been involved in the killing of a South Korean citizen by the country's military, according to sources affiliated with a parliamentary intelligence committee.
"(The National Intelligence Service) sees that it is not something reported to and ordered by Chairman Kim," Park Jie-won, chief of the National Intelligence Service, was quoted as saying during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers.
"After watching the North (normally) receiving written messages from our side through the Military Armistice Commission of the United Nations Command, (I) have determined that (the killing) may have not been reported up to Chairman Kim but was commanded by officials including local military commanders," Park said.
He also said the country's special intelligence that has been gathered does not show any signs of Kim's involvement in the case.
The intelligence chief said South Korea will seek the North's cooperation in searching the body of the late South Korean civil servant as well as in looking into the cause of the incident.
On Thursday, the defense ministry said the 47-year-old civil servant, who worked for the oceans ministry, was shot to death by the North Korean military on Tuesday after drifting near the northern side of the western inter-Korean maritime border. His body was set on fire on the ocean the same day, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the older brother of the ill-fated official criticized South Korea's military for not apologizing over what he sees as a vigilance failure that let the official flow into the North unchecked.
"In an unusual move, the North sent a letter under the name of Kim Jong-un and offered an apology, but our military has not even contacted (the bereaved family)," he told Yonhap News Agency.
"Whether he drifted or defected to the North, the fact that my brother was not found before moving across the Northern Limit Line (NLL) following his fall into the South Korean waters means there was a vigilance failure," he added. The NLL is the de facto inter-Korean sea border.
Following the Coast Guard's investigation into the incident, the fishery patrol ship Mugungwha No. 10, which the official had boarded, is set to return to its home port in the southwestern coastal city of Mokpo on Saturday.
Pending the probe, the ship had been docked in waters 2.2 kilometers off the northwestern front-line island of Soyeonpyeong since the official went missing on Monday. His 15 colleagues are aboard the vessel.
National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won makes his way to attend a parliamentary Intelligence Committee meeting on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(LEAD) N.K.'s message indicates hotline between Seoul, Pyongyang spy agencies may remain in operatio

(LEAD) N.K.'s message indicates hotline between Seoul, Pyongyang spy agencies may remain in operation

SEOUL , Sept. 25 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korea 's message sent to the South regarding the killing of @ @ @ @ @ the hotline between their spy agencies may remain in operation , though Pyongyang vowed earlier @ @ @ @ @ cross-border communication lines .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS new info in 3rd para; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's message sent to the South regarding the killing of a fisheries official suggests that the hotline between their spy agencies may remain in operation, though Pyongyang vowed earlier this year to sever all cross-border communication lines.
The North's United Front Department (UFD) sent leader Kim Jong-un's message that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the "unsavory" case in its waters, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Park Jie-won relayed the message to the presidential office, a government source said, indicating the NIS and UFD have left their communication line functional.
In June, North Korea cut other phone lines with the South, including their official liaison and military lines, in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists from the South.
At that time, the North cited the inter-Korean joint liaison office's line, the militaries' East and West seas communication lines, the inter-Korean trial communication line and their leaders' hotline but made no mention about the hotline between South Korea's National Intelligence Service and the North's UFD.
The hotline between the two spy agencies was established following the first-ever inter-Korean summit between then-President Kim Dae-jung and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The hotline was not used when relations between Seoul and Pyongyang remained sour but was restored in 2018 amid a reconciliatory mood and a historic summit between President Moon and leader Kim Jong-un in April.
This undated file photo shows a South Korean officer checking a western military hotline with North Korea. During high-level talks on Jan. 9, 2018, North Korea told the South that it has recently restored the communication channel severed for nearly two years, according to Seoul officials. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(4th LD) New virus cases over 100 for 3rd day, virus fight put to test ahead of holiday

In the afternoon , a nurse at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul tested positive , hospital officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ close contact with more than 20 people , who are undergoing virus tests under a @ @ @ @ @ ward , which she was in charge of , has been shut down .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 19th para)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 100 for the third straight day Friday due to continued rises in sporadic cluster infections, putting the country's virus fight to the test ahead of a major holiday.
The country added 114 more COVID-19 cases, including 95 local infections, raising the total caseload to 23,455, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a fall from 125 new cases reported Thursday but stayed higher than 110 cases Wednesday. Daily infections fell to double digits for the third day in a row Tuesday.
This photo, taken on Sept. 25, 2020, shows a sign saying that Haneul Park in western Seoul will close from Sept. 26 to Nov. 8 to prevent crowds of people gathering amid the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
The country's new virus cases had been in the triple digits for more than a month since Aug. 14, due to cases tied to a church and a political rally, with new cases soaring to 441 on Aug. 27.
New COVID-19 cases have been on a slowing trajectory on the back of tougher virus curbs, but they have been not easily brought down under 100, the target set by health authorities.
The country's virus fight stands at a critical juncture ahead of the Chuseok fall harvest holiday, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. Millions of South Koreans travel across the nation to meet their families and relatives during Chuseok.
The country set the two weeks starting Sept. 28 as a special period for strong nationwide antivirus efforts.
"The upcoming Chuseok holiday will be the biggest risk factor in tackling the pandemic, as a massive number of people are expected to travel," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a press briefing.
"Virus cases have been slowing down, but in light of hidden infection cases and people's fatigue, how to contain the virus during the holiday will serve as a critical point in deciding the degree of the outbreak in autumn," he added.
During the holiday, the operation of 11 types of "high-risk" facilities, including clubs, bars and buffets, will be suspended in the densely populated Seoul area for the two-week period.
The government also plans to strengthen quarantine measures at facilities such as restaurants and theaters in Seoul and the surrounding areas.
The country will order five types of risk-prone facilities outside the capital region, such as nightlife establishments, to shut down for a week.
South Korea is currently imposing the Level 2 social distancing guidelines across the nation in its three-tier scheme.
At the current level, indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are banned, and outdoor meetings of 100 or more people are also prohibited. Sports events are allowed without spectators.
"We call on people to refrain from visiting their hometowns and instead communicate with relatives in a non-contact manner to prevent the virus outbreak from spiraling out of control," KDCA Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a press briefing.
Passengers heading for Hanoi in Vietnam wait at the check-in counter of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 25, 2020, as South Korea and Vietnam have agreed to resume flights following months of suspension over the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
Of the newly identified local infections, 56 cases were reported in Seoul and 26 in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported one more case.
Other municipalities reported new infections, with the southeastern port city of Busan adding two cases and North Gyeongsang Province reporting four new cases.
Sporadic cluster infections continued to pop up across the nation. Cases traced to a welfare center for senior citizens in northern Seoul added 17 to 18 as of noon. Infections tied to a child care center in southern Seoul came to six, up five from the previous day.
In the afternoon, a nurse at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul tested positive, hospital officials said. The nurse had come into close contact with more than 20 people, who are undergoing virus tests under a quarantine program. The hospital ward, which she was in charge of, has been shut down.
The portion of untraceable cases accounted for 24.9 percent of the total reported over the past two weeks. Cases with unknown transmission routes have topped 20 percent for weeks, putting a strain on the virus fight.
The country, meanwhile, reported 19 imported cases, with eight coming from Uzbekistan and three from the Philippines. The total imported cases came to 3,149.
South Korea reported two additional deaths, raising the death toll to 395. The fatality rate was 1.68 percent.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 128 as of midnight, up two from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 20,978, up 146 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 2,280,276 coronavirus tests since Jan. 3.
This photo, taken on Sept. 25, 2020, shows only a few people spotted in Seoul's university district of Shinchon amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(5th LD) N.K. leader apologizes to S. Koreans for 'unsavory' shooting case: Cheong Wa Dae

In a formal notice sent to the South , the North conveyed Kim 's message that he feels `` very @ @ @ @ @ disappointing '' President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the `` @ @ @ @ @ waters , instead of helping them amid their suffering from the new coronavirus , according @ @ @ @ @ of national security at Cheong Wa Dae .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 13-14)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered an apology to the South Korean people for the killing of a fellow citizen by its military earlier this week, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.
In a formal notice sent to the South, the North conveyed Kim's message that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the "unsavory" case in its waters, instead of helping them amid their suffering from the new coronavirus, according to Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae.
The North was informing the South of the results of its own probe into what happened in the notice sent by the United Front Department (UFD), a Workers' Party organ handling inter-Korean relations.
N. Korea shoots S. Korean official to death at sea, Kim Jong-un apologizes Youtube https://youtu.be/RTu5smr9eJg
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over an enlarged meeting of the political bureau of the Workers' Party's central committee in Pyongyang on Aug. 25, 2020, to discuss issues involving COVID-19 and the approaching Typhoon Bavi, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
It is quite unusual for a North Korean leader to apologize formally to South Korea, officials here said.
The North said the "unidentified" man, who crossed the western sea border without authorization, did not respond sincerely to its verbal security checks aboard a floating material about 80 meters away.
Approaching the material, the North's troops shot two blanks, and he was seen as attempting to flee. They then fired more than 10 gunshots at the distance of 40-50 meters under the related rules of engagement for maritime border security, according to the North's account.
After shooting, they searched the floating material but only found plenty of blood, not his body, the North claimed.
They burned the material in accordance with the state emergency guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, it added.
Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, speaks during a press briefing in Seoul on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
The North also said its leadership thinks "what should not happen has occurred" and instructed troops to establish a system to record the entire process of maritime border security activities so as not to trigger "minor mistakes or big misunderstandings" during such a crackdown.
The leadership repeatedly emphasized the need for taking necessary measures to prevent such a "regrettable" case from recurring so that inter-Korean "trust and relations of respect" won't fall apart, it added.
The North also expressed regret over the South Korean military's "unilateral" announcement related to the incident the previous day.
The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the previous day that the North had set his body on fire.
National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won conveyed the notice to the presidential office, a government source said, suggesting that a communication line between the two Koreas' intelligence agencies remains functional.
In June, the North cut other communication channels with the South, including their liaison and military lines, in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets flown in across the border.
Meanwhile, Moon and Kim have recently exchanged personal letters, Suh added.
In their correspondence, the two touched on "expectations" for the recovery of Seoul-Pyongyang relations by overcoming the ongoing difficulties from the coronavirus outbreak, Suh who serves as Moon's top security aide, said.
Regarding the incident, Suh stated that the government will look at inter-Korean ties once again and make its best effort to establish the security of the Korean Peninsula and bilateral relations to meet the people's expectations.
A combined image of South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae made public the full text of the North's notice in a highly unusual move.
Unification Minister Lee In-young, Seoul's point man on Pyongyang, also noted that the North Korean leader's apology to South Korea is "very exceptional."
"To my knowledge, it's unprecedented for the North to issue (its leader's) position rapidly using the expression 'sorry' twice," Lee said during a National Assembly session.
Unification Minister Lee In-young attends a National Assembly session in Seoul on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
The North has not yet formally apologized for the killing of a South Korean tourist to Mount Kumgang by its soldier in 2008. It instead expressed its "regret" in a statement issued by a state tourism agency.
In another rare move, Cheong Wa Dae unveiled the full texts of recent personal letters exchanged by Moon and Kim.
Kim expressed hope for the well-being of all South Koreans struggling to overcome difficulties from COVID-19 and recent typhoon damage in his letter to Moon, dated on Sept. 12, Suh told reporters.
It was a reply to Moon's letter to him sent on Sept. 8.
Kim said he thought about the "grave burden" that Moon is shouldering by himself and that he knows Moon's "difficulty, pressure and efforts" to overcome the troubles better than any other person.
"I once again eagerly wish that southern compatriots' precious health and happiness will be kept," Kim wrote. "I sincerely wish for everyone's well-being."
N.K.'s killing of S. Korean citizen further frayed inter-Korean ties Youtube https://youtu.be/QozXxwjYJOU
In his letter to Kim, Moon pointed out that both Koreas are going through "big predicaments," from the coronavirus to heavy monsoon rain and typhoon damage.
Moon expressed his appreciation for Kim's "strong commitment" to respecting the lives of people.
The president said the current situation is regrettable in that South and North Korea cannot help each other despite the challenges.
Suh said Cheong Wa Dae made public the full text of the letters at the instruction of Moon.
Cheong Wa Dae, however, stopped short of releasing photos of the letters.
Moon and Kim had their previous known correspondence in March.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(LEAD) N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy

(LEAD) N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy chief

(ATTN: ADDS more info in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state intelligence agency doesn't see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as having been involved in the killing of a South Korean citizen by the country's military, according to sources affiliated with a parliamentary intelligence committee.
"(The National Intelligence Service) sees that it is not something reported to and ordered by Chairman Kim," Park Jie-won, chief of the National Intelligence Service, was quoted as saying during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers.
"After watching the North (normally) receiving written messages from our side through the Military Armistice Commission of the United Nations Command, (I) have determined that (the killing) may have not been reported up to Chairman Kim but was commanded by officials including local military commanders," Park said.
He also said the country's special intelligence that has been gathered does not show any signs of Kim's involvement in the case.
The intelligence chief said South Korea will seek the North's cooperation in searching the body of the late South Korean civil servant as well as in looking into the cause of the incident.
On Thursday, the defense ministry said the 47-year-old civil servant, who worked for the oceans ministry, was shot to death by the North Korean military on Tuesday after drifting near the northern side of the western inter-Korean maritime border. His body was set on fire on the ocean the same day, the ministry said.
Following the Coast Guard's investigation into the incident, the fishery patrol ship Mugungwha No. 10, which the official had boarded, is set to return to its home port in the southwestern coastal city of Mokpo on Saturday.
Pending the probe, the ship had been docked in waters 2.2 kilometers off the northwestern front-line island of Soyeonpyeong since the official went missing on Monday. His 15 colleagues are aboard the vessel.
National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won makes his way to attend a parliamentary Intelligence Committee meeting on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(LEAD) (News Focus) Kim's surprise apology indicates his wish to prevent inter-Korean ties from wors

(LEAD) (News Focus) Kim's surprise apology indicates his wish to prevent inter-Korean ties from worsening further

`` Also important is that regardless of whether they burned his body or not , one unchanged fact is that @ @ @ @ @ shot and killed , '' he said .
`` The government should not be in @ @ @ @ @ stalemate in relations with the North right away but patiently wait to see how cooperative @ @ @ @ @ what follow-up measures it intends to take going forward . ''

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 6th para)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- A rare and swift apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the killing of a South Korean official shows he wants to prevent already frayed inter-Korean relations from further worsening, experts said Friday.
South Korea needs to take the North's conciliatory gesture as a chance to explore ways to resume stalled cross-border dialogue by asking for joint investigations into the killing or cooperation in preventing such an incident from taking place again, they added.
On Friday, Seoul's presidential office said that Kim has offered an apology for the killing of the South Korean official in an official message to Seoul, saying he is deeply sorry for the "unexpected" and "unfortunate" incident that happened in his country's waters.
The message came a day after South Korea's defense ministry confirmed that North Korean soldiers shot dead the 47-year-old fisheries official drifting in their waters and burned his body. Seoul called the killing intolerable and demanded the North apologize and punish those responsible.
"It appears that Chairman Kim sees the current situation as very serious and wants to prevent things from spiraling out of control," Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party's Central Committee on issues involving flood damage and the coronavirus in Pyongyang on Aug. 13, 2020. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said at the meeting that the current situation, in which the worldwide spread of the malignant virus has become worse, requires that the North not allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work. This photo was captured from the KCNA homepage. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Calling the North Korean leader's swift apology "very unusual," Unification Minister Lee In-young told a parliamentary session that Kim's move appears intended to prevent the incident from leading to a "catastrophic end."
The latest deadly incident was feared to cast a pall over inter-Korean relations, which have long been stalled since the no-deal summit between North Korean leader Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Little progress has been made in cross-border exchanges and talks ever since as North Korea has not responded to Seoul's offer for cooperation. Making matters worse, the North blew up a joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong and cut off cross-border communication in June in protest of the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by activists in the South.
Hong said that cross-border dialogue is necessary more than at any other time to pursue follow-up joint investigation into the incident and cooperation to prevent the recurrence of such an incident along their border.
In Friday's message, North Korea said that it shot and killed the South Korean official, seeing him as an intruder, but said that what it set on fire was not his body but a floating material he was hanging on to, a major gap with Seoul's claim. The North added that it couldn't find his body.
"We need to ask for further explanations from the North to know what exactly happened," Hong said. "The two Koreas need to meet and have dialogue and also explore ways to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Restoration of communication lines could be one of them."
It still remains to be seen whether Friday's message from the North Korean leader will lead to a major breakthrough in deadlocked inter-Korean relations at a time when the latest deadly incident has generated strong public outrage in South Korea.
Some experts called on South Korea to take a cautious approach to advancing inter-Korean policy, saying the pace should be adjusted in accordance with public sentiment.
"What matters is how much the public will believe in the North's explanations and the sincerity of Kim's apology," Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said.
"Also important is that regardless of whether they burned his body or not, one unchanged fact is that one of our citizens was shot and killed," he said. "The government should not be in a hurry to tackle the stalemate in relations with the North right away but patiently wait to see how cooperative North Korea will be and what follow-up measures it intends to take going forward."
"If North Korea agrees to conduct joint investigation with the South or reopens a military hotline as part of preventive measures, they could help ease public outrage to some extent," he added.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(News Focus) Kim's surprise apology indicates his wish to prevent inter-Korean ties from worsening f

(News Focus) Kim's surprise apology indicates his wish to prevent inter-Korean ties from worsening further

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- A rare and swift apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the killing of a South Korean official shows he wants to prevent already frayed inter-Korean relations from further worsening, experts said Friday.
South Korea needs to take the North's conciliatory gesture as a chance to explore ways to resume stalled cross-border dialogue by asking for joint investigations into the killing or cooperation in preventing such an incident from taking place again, they added.
On Friday, Seoul's presidential office said that Kim has offered an apology for the killing of the South Korean official in an official message to Seoul, saying he is deeply sorry for the "unexpected" and "unfortunate" incident that happened in his country's waters.
The message came a day after South Korea's defense ministry confirmed that North Korean soldiers shot dead the 47-year-old fisheries official drifting in their waters and burned his body. Seoul called the killing intolerable and demanded the North apologize and punish those responsible.
"It appears that Chairman Kim sees the current situation as very serious and wants to prevent things from spiraling out of control," Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party's Central Committee on issues involving flood damage and the coronavirus in Pyongyang on Aug. 13, 2020. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said at the meeting that the current situation, in which the worldwide spread of the malignant virus has become worse, requires that the North not allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work. This photo was captured from the KCNA homepage. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
The latest deadly incident was feared to cast a pall over inter-Korean relations, which have long been stalled since the no-deal summit between North Korean leader Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Little progress has been made in cross-border exchanges and talks ever since as North Korea has not responded to Seoul's offer for cooperation. Making matters worse, the North blew up a joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong and cut off cross-border communication in June in protest of the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by activists in the South.
Hong said that cross-border dialogue is necessary more than at any other time to pursue follow-up joint investigation into the incident and cooperation to prevent the recurrence of such an incident along their border.
In Friday's message, North Korea said that it shot and killed the South Korean official, seeing him as an intruder, but said that what it set on fire was not his body but a floating material he was hanging on to, a major gap with Seoul's claim. The North added that it couldn't find his body.
"We need to ask for further explanations from the North to know what exactly happened," Hong said. "The two Koreas need to meet and have dialogue and also explore ways to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Restoration of communication lines could be one of them."
It still remains to be seen whether Friday's message from the North Korean leader will lead to a major breakthrough in deadlocked inter-Korean relations at a time when the latest deadly incident has generated strong public outrage in South Korea.
Some experts called on South Korea to take a cautious approach to advancing inter-Korean policy, saying the pace should be adjusted in accordance with public sentiment.
"What matters is how much the public will believe in the North's explanations and the sincerity of Kim's apology," Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said.
"Also important is that regardless of whether they burned his body or not, one unchanged fact is that one of our citizens was shot and killed," he said. "The government should not be in a hurry to tackle the stalemate in relations with the North right away but patiently wait to see how cooperative North Korea will be and what follow-up measures it intends to take going forward."
"If North Korea agrees to conduct joint investigation with the South or reopens a military hotline as part of preventive measures, they could help ease public outrage to some extent," he added.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy chief

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state intelligence agency doesn't see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as having been involved in the killing of a South Korean citizen by the country's military, according to sources affiliated with a parliamentary intelligence committee.
"(The National Intelligence Service) sees that it is not something reported to and ordered by Chairman Kim," Park Jie-won, chief of the National Intelligence Service, was quoted as saying during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers.
"After watching the North (normally) receiving written messages from our side through the Military Armistice Commission of the United Nations Command, (I) have determined that (the killing) may have not been reported up to Chairman Kim but was commanded by officials including local military commanders," Park said.
He also said the country's special intelligence that has been gathered does not show any signs of Kim's involvement in the case.
The intelligence chief said South Korea will seek the North's cooperation in searching the body of the late South Korean civil servant as well as in looking into the cause of the incident.
On Thursday, the defense ministry said the 47-year-old civil servant, who worked for the oceans ministry, was shot to death by the North Korean military on Tuesday after drifting near the northern side of the western inter-Korean maritime border. His body was set on fire on the ocean the same day, the ministry said.
National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won makes his way to attend a parliamentary Intelligence Committee meeting on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--New defense minister holds first meeting with USFK commander

Abrams ' visit to the defense ministry headquarters in Seoul came one week after Suh took office and just days @ @ @ @ @ killing of a South Korean civil servant who drifted in waters near the Yellow Sea @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- New Defense Minister Suh Wook held his first meeting with U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Robert Abrams on Friday and vowed to beef up cooperation, officials said.
Abrams' visit to the defense ministry headquarters in Seoul came one week after Suh took office and just days after North Korea's brutal killing of a South Korean civil servant who drifted in waters near the Yellow Sea border.
The defense ministry earlier said it has worked closely with the U.S. side regarding the matter.
Defense Minister Suh Wook (L) bumps fists with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Robert Abrams at the inauguration ceremony of new Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Won In-choul at the JCS headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--N.K.'s apology shows hotline between Seoul, Pyongyang spy agencies possibly in operation

The message has raised questions about which communication lines remain open between the two sides after the North vowed to @ @ @ @ @ in June , raising the possibility that the hotline between their spy agencies may have @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's message offering an apology over the killing of a South Korean fisheries official suggests that the hotline between their spy agencies may have been in operation even though Pyongyang vowed to sever all cross-border commnication lines earlier this year.
The North's United Front Department (UFD) conveyed leader Kim Jong-un's message that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the "unsavory" case in its waters, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
The message has raised questions about which communication lines remain open between the two sides after the North vowed to cut off all such hotlines in June, raising the possibility that the hotline between their spy agencies may have still been functioning.
In June, North Korea cut other phone lines with the South, including their official liaison and military lines, in anger over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by activists from the South.
At that time, the North cited the inter-Korean joint liaison office's line, the militaries' East and West seas communication lines, the inter-Korean trial communication line and their leaders' hotline but made no mention about the hotline between South Korea's National Intelligence Service and the North's UFD.
The hotline between the two spy agencies was established following the first-ever inter-Korean summit between then-President Kim Dae-jung and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The hotline was not used when relations between Seoul and Pyongyang remained sour but was restored in 2018 amid a reconciliatory mood and a historic summit between President Moon and leader Kim Jong-un in April.
This undated file photo shows a South Korean officer checking a western military hotline with North Korea. During high-level talks on Jan. 9, 2018, North Korea told the South that it has recently restored the communication channel severed for nearly two years, according to Seoul officials. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--Moon's adviser suggests N.K. leader hold summit with Moon and explain about killing

`` The leaders of South and North Korea should meet , and Kim must explain the situation himself regarding this @ @ @ @ @ up of the joint liaison office , '' the adviser said during the seminar co-hosted @ @ @ @ @ the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation .

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should hold another summit with President Moon Jae-in and explain in person about the killing of a South Korean fisheries official, a special security adviser to Moon said Friday.
Moon Chung-in, a scholar who serves as the outside presidential adviser, made the case during a seminar after the North's leader apologized over the killing and said he feels very sorry for disappointing him and South Koreans.
"The leaders of South and North Korea should meet, and Kim must explain the situation himself regarding this incident and also the blowing up of the joint liaison office," the adviser said during the seminar co-hosted by the unification ministry and the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
He was referring to the North's blowing up of an inter-Korean liaison office building in June in anger over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets that activists in the South fly across the border. At the time, the North also cut off all communication with the South.
Friday's message from the North, however, shows that cross-border communication has been restored, he said.
The adviser also said that the leaders of the South and the North should hold talks before the November U.S. presidential election, resolve the nuclear issues and build a peace regime.
Moon Chung-in, a special adviser to President Moon Jae-in, speaks during a forum hosted by the Roh Moon-hyun Foundation, in this photo captured from YouTube on Sept. 25, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--U.S. presidential envoy for arms control to visit Seoul next week

`` South Korea and the United States have been closely communicating and cooperating on key international arms control and nonproliferation @ @ @ @ @ , including the United Nations , '' the ministry said in a press release .

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control, will visit Seoul next week for talks with his South Korean counterpart on international arms control and nonproliferation issues, the foreign ministry said Friday.
Billingslea of the U.S. State Department will arrive here Sunday for a two-day visit. He plans to hold talks with Seoul's Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook on Monday.
"South Korea and the United States have been closely communicating and cooperating on key international arms control and nonproliferation issues on the international stage, including the United Nations," the ministry said in a press release.
Billingslea's visit comes as Washington has stepped up sanctions pressure on Iran to prevent its weapons programs, with Seoul striving to resume stalled dialogue with Pyongyang.
This file photo, released by EPA, shows Marshall Billingslea, special U.S. presidential envoy for arms control at the State Department. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--N. Korean leader makes rare apology to S. Korea for shooting case

SEOUL , Sept. 25 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 's apology Friday over the killing of @ @ @ @ @ came as a surprise because a leader 's apology is considered one of the last @ @ @ @ @ totalitarian nation where its leader is revered as a near demigod .

By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's apology Friday over the killing of a South Korean fisheries official came as a surprise because a leader's apology is considered one of the last things to see in the totalitarian nation where its leader is revered as a near demigod.
The apology also came unusually quickly for the North, only a day after South Korea condemned the killing and demanded the North apologize, a move that suggests Pyongyang does not want to further deteriorate inter-Korean tensions.
In a message, the North's United Front Department, a key espionage agency handling inter-Korean affairs, quoted leader Kim as saying that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with an "unsavory" incident, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Friday.
It is rare for a North Korean leader to make a direct apology to South Korea, though it has issued statements expressing regret over an inter-Korean issue.
In July 2008, a South Korean tourist named Park Wang-ja was shot and killed at the North's mountain resort of Kumgang while wandering into a restricted zone. North Korea issued a statement a day after the incident and expressed regrets over her death, but it did not offer any apology.
In 2010, the North also expressed regret but did not apologize when it torpedoed the South Korean warship Cheonan near the Yellow Sea border, killing 46 South Korean sailors. Pyongyang offered no apology when it shelled Yeonpyeong Island, leaving four dead, including two civilians months later.
Kim's formal apology likely reflects his message to the South that the North does not want to further heighten tensions and deteriorate inter-Korean relations.
"Above all, it seems leader Kim Jong-un wanted to clearly state that the incident had no relation to his intentions or orders," Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said.
"(Kim) seems to have made a practical and realistic judgment that it is undesirable to aggravate inter-Korean relations to a point of no return," he said.
Inter-Korean relations have remained stalled since the no-deal summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump early last year.
The relations chilled further recently after the North blew up a joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong and cut off cross-border communication in protest of the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by activists in the South.
A combined image of South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Yonhap)
This photo shows the Mugunghwa No. 10, a South Korean fishery patrol vessel, anchored near the de facto inter-Korean sea border in the Yellow Sea on Sept. 24, 2020. The boat was boarded by a South Korean official who went missing on Sept. 21 and was killed by North Korean soldiers the following day, according to South Korean officials. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--Celltrion plans to merge with affiliates

Under the plan , the merger with Celltrion Healthcare Co. and Celltrion Pharma Inc. is aimed at establishing a holding @ @ @ @ @ of 2021 .

By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- Major South Korean biotech company Celltrion Inc. on Friday announced its plan to merge with its two affiliates.
Under the plan, the merger with Celltrion Healthcare Co. and Celltrion Pharma Inc. is aimed at establishing a holding company structure by the end of 2021.
This undated image, provided by Celltrion Inc., shows the company's corporate logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Celltrion said it will speed up the process when requirements for relevant laws regarding anti-monopoly and fair trade are met.
The two affiliates will be under the wing of Celltrion Healthcare Holdings, which was established through Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-Jin's contribution to boost shareholder value.
Seo, who previously held 35.54 percent of Celltrion Healthcare, now holds 11.21 percent, while Celltrion Healthcare Holdings became the largest shareholder with a 24.33 percent stake.
Earlier, the chairman noted the possibility of the merger on the condition that company shareholders want the plan.
Celltrion is currently conducting phase one clinical trials of its coronavirus treatment on patients, CT-P59, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the antiviral antibody treatment.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(4th LD) N.K. leader apologizes to S. Koreans for 'unsavory' shooting case: Cheong Wa Dae

(ATTN: UPDATES with background info in 4th para, unification minister's view in last paras; COMBINES story slugged Moon-NK leader letter; ADDS photo)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered an apology to the South Korean people for the killing of a fellow citizen by its military earlier this week, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.
In a formal notice sent to the South, the North conveyed Kim's message that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the "unsavory" case in its waters, instead of helping them amid their suffering from the new coronavirus, according to Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae.
The North was informing the South of the results of its own probe into what happened in the notice sent by the United Front Department (UFD), a Workers' Party organ handling inter-Korean relations.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over an enlarged meeting of the political bureau of the Workers' Party's central committee in Pyongyang on Aug. 25, 2020, to discuss issues involving COVID-19 and the approaching Typhoon Bavi, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
It is quite unusual for a North Korean leader to apologize formally to South Korea, officials here said.
The North said the "unidentified" man, who crossed the western sea border without authorization, did not respond sincerely to its verbal security checks aboard a floating material about 80 meters away.
Approaching the material, the North's troops shot two blanks, and he was seen as attempting to flee. They then fired more than 10 gunshots at the distance of 40-50 meters under the related rules of engagement for maritime border security, according to the North's account.
After shooting, they searched the floating material but only found plenty of blood, not his body, the North claimed.
They burned the material in accordance with the state emergency guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, it added.
Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, speaks during a press briefing in Seoul on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
The North also said its leadership thinks "what should not happen has occurred" and instructed troops to establish a system to record the entire process of maritime border security activities so as not to trigger "minor mistakes or big misunderstandings" during such a crackdown.
The leadership repeatedly emphasized the need for taking necessary measures to prevent such a "regrettable" case from recurring so that inter-Korean "trust and relations of respect" won't fall apart, it added.
The North also expressed regret over the South Korean military's "unilateral" announcement related to the incident the previous day.
The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the previous day that the North had set his body on fire.
Meanwhile, Moon and Kim have recently exchanged personal letters, Suh added.
In their correspondence, the two touched on "expectations" for the recovery of Seoul-Pyongyang relations by overcoming the ongoing difficulties from the coronavirus outbreak, Suh who serves as Moon's top security aide, said.
Regarding the incident, Suh stated that the government will look at inter-Korean ties once again and make its best effort to establish the security of the Korean Peninsula and bilateral relations to meet the people's expectations.
A combined image of South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae made public the full text of the North's notice in a highly unusual move.
Unification Minister Lee In-young, Seoul's point man on Pyongyang, also noted that the North Korean leader's apology to South Korea is "very exceptional.
"To my knowledge, it's unprecedented for the North to issue (its leader's) position rapidly using the expression 'sorry' twice," Lee said during a National Assembly session.
Unification Minister Lee In-young attends a National Assembly session in Seoul on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
The North has not yet formally apologized for the killing of a South Korean tourist to Mount Kumgang by its soldier in 2008. It instead expressed its "regret" in a statement issued by a state tourism agency.
In another rare move, Cheong Wa Dae unveiled the full texts of recent personal letters exchanged by Moon and Kim.
Kim expressed hope for the well-being of all South Koreans struggling to overcome difficulties from COVID-19 and recent typhoon damage in his letter to Moon, dated on Sept. 12, Suh told reporters.
It was a reply to Moon's letter to him sent on Sept. 8.
Kim said he thought about the "grave burden" that Moon is shouldering by himself and that he knows Moon's "difficulty, pressure and efforts" to overcome the troubles better than any other person.
"I once again eagerly wish that southern compatriots' precious health and happiness will be kept," Kim wrote. "I sincerely wish for everyone's well-being."
In his letter to Kim, Moon pointed out that both Koreas are going through "big predicaments," from the coronavirus to heavy monsoon rain and typhoon damage.
Moon expressed his appreciation for Kim's "strong commitment" to respecting the lives of people.
The president said the current situation is regrettable in that South and North Korea cannot help each other despite the challenges.
Suh said Cheong Wa Dae made public the full text of the letters at the instruction of Moon.
Cheong Wa Dae, however, stopped short of releasing photos of the letters.
Moon and Kim had their previous known correspondence in March.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(URGENT) S. Korean spy agency says it doesn't see N. Korea's killing of South's official as ordered

(URGENT) S. Korean spy agency says it doesn't see N. Korea's killing of South's official as ordered by Kim Jong-un

(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--2020-09-25--N.K. account gives different explanation on killing of S. Korean official

In Friday 's message , the North described in detail what happened on Tuesday night when the South Korean official @ @ @ @ @ claimed that what it set on fire was not the body of the ill-fated official @ @ @ @ @ he was riding on .

By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday offered its own account of what happened to a South Korean fisheries official shot and killed in its waters, but some key discrepancies from South Korea's account, including whether his body was set on fire, raise doubts about its truthfulness.
The North's United Front Department, a key espionage agency handling inter-Korean affairs, sent a message to the South, confirming the killing of the 47-year-old official and saying leader Kim Jong-un offered an apology over what it called an "unexpected, unsavory incident."
The message came a day after the South accused the North of shooting and killing the missing official drifting in waters near the Yellow Sea border between the two Koreas and then dousing his body with oil and setting it on fire.
The South condemned the killing and demanded the North apologize.
In Friday's message, the North described in detail what happened on Tuesday night when the South Korean official was killed, but it claimed that what it set on fire was not the body of the ill-fated official, but a floating material he was riding on.
"After the shooting, there was no movement or sound, so our troops approached to near 10-meter distance for searching, but the unidentified man was not on the floating material and only plenty of blood was confirmed," the message said.
South Korea's military has said that the North burnt his body for about 40 minutes shortly after the shooting, citing multiple intelligence sources.
This photo, released by the elder brother of a South Korean official on Sept. 24, 2020, shows a pair of slippers under ropes that the oceans and fisheries ministry says one of its employees is believed to have taken off while onboard a fishery guidance ship. The employee, who went missing on Sept. 21 while carrying out duties in waters off the western border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea, was killed by North Korean soldiers the following day, according to South Korean officials. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Officials said the fisheries official is presumed to have jumped into the sea on Monday in a suspected attempt to defect to the North, but the message also had no mention of him expressing an intention to flee.
The North said the man aboard a floating material did not respond properly to its verbal security checks, only saying that he was from South Korea, and tried to flee when the North Korean troops shot two blanks.
The South Korean military earlier said he appears to have expressed his desire to defect to the North aboard the floating material about an hour after he was found by the North Koreans on Tuesday afternoon.
Another issue in question is who ordered the killing of the official.
South Korean officials said the brutal act appears to have been done in accordance with "orders from superior authority," though they said they could not confirm exactly who approved the killing.
The North, however, said the decision was made by the chief of the patrol boat and that the action was conducted in line with its service regulations.
In an apparent attempt to emphasize that its leadership was not involved in the decision, the message said North Korea's leadership thinks "what should not have happened has happened," and that it has ordered troops to establish a system to record the entire process of maritime border security activities to prevent "minor mistakes or big misunderstandings."
The message said Kim felt "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and South Koreans with the "unsavory" incident in its waters.
Announcing the arrival of the message from the North, a presidential official said additional investigation is necessary to confirm details of the incident as there are some differences in the military's analysis and the North's explanation.
"The government will review what additional steps to take down the road," the official said.
Ahn Young-ho, chief directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explains its analysis of North Korea's killing of a South Korean servant who drifted near the western sea border during a parliamentary session on Sept. 24, 2020. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
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(3rd LD) N.K. leader apologizes to S. Koreans for 'unsavory' shooting case: Cheong Wa Dae
SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered an apology to the South Korean people for the killing of a fellow citizen by its military earlier this week, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.
In a formal notice sent to the South, the North conveyed Kim's message that he feels "very sorry" for greatly "disappointing" President Moon Jae-in and other South Koreans with the occurrence of the "unsavory" case in its waters, instead of helping them amid their suffering from the new coronavirus, according to Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae.
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(LEAD) N.K. leader wished S. Koreans health, happiness in letter to Moon, Cheong Wa Dae says
SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed hope for the well-being of all South Koreans struggling to overcome difficulties from COVID-19 and recent typhoon damage in his personal letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The letter, dated Sept. 12, was a reply to Moon's letter to him sent on Sept. 8, according to Suh Hoon, director of national security.
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FM reacts negatively about joining U.S.-led 'Quad' alliance
SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha reacted negatively Friday to the idea of joining a U.S.-led Asia-Pacific alliance aimed at keeping a rising China in check, saying it is not a good idea to shut out other countries.
Foreign Minister Kang made the remark during a virtual seminar when she was asked if her country was open to joining Washington's initiative to enlarge the so-called Quad currently involving Australia, Japan and India.
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Moon, Putin hope to deepen cooperation on 30th anniv. of bilateral ties
SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed their desire Friday to further develop bilateral relations, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties.
The two men exchanged messages for the Sept. 30 anniversary, noting progress in various areas of cooperation, including politics, business and culture.
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S. Korea to ban operations of entertainment, other virus-prone facilities for upcoming holidays
SEOUL -- South Korea on Friday unveiled a set of detailed social distancing guidelines for upcoming holidays to stem the nationwide spread of the novel coronavirus, which center on limiting operations of risk-prone facilities and banning gatherings of a certain number of people.
The government set the two weeks starting Monday as a special period for its antivirus fight, as many people are expected to travel during the Chuseok holiday, which runs from Wednesday to Oct. 4.
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Police vow stern measures against Oct. 3 rallies amid COVID-19 woes
SEOUL -- The police on Friday vowed to fully exercise their authority permitted by law to completely block illegal mass rallies planned by some conservative groups on an upcoming national holiday amid fears that the rallies may trigger another resurgence of the new coronavirus in the country.
At least 18 organizations have reported to the police on holding rallies across the country on Oct. 3, with one of them planning to bring together around 1,000 participants in central Seoul.
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(2nd LD) Over 100 people injected with mishandled flu vaccines: authorities
SEOUL -- More than 100 South Korean have been injected with seasonal flu vaccines that should not have been administered due to storage problems, but there have been no reported side effects, health authorities said Friday.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said hospitals and public health centers in Seoul and three other areas gave flu shots to 105 people with some of the vaccines that weren't supposed to be administered after being exposed to room temperature.
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--Kia Tigers' Aaron Brooks thanks fans for support for injured son, rules out KBO return for '20

`` If and when you see the picture of the car , it 's a miracle that they 're all @ @ @ @ @ '' Brooks said .
`` We 're doing as well as we can as a @ @ @ @ @ thankful for everyone 's support .
I think it 's what 's keeping us somewhat @ @ @ @ @ , it 's hard for any parent to go through something like this .
We @ @ @ @ @ strong for Westin and just let him know it 's going to be okay .
@

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- Kia Tigers' pitcher Aaron Brooks took to social media to thank his fans and fellow players in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for their support for his son, who is recovering from injuries sustained in a recent auto accident.
In a video clip posted on his Instagram page Friday, Brooks and his wife, Whitney, provided an update on Westin, who was seriously hurt in a crash caused by a driver running a red light in Kansas City earlier this week. Brooks left the Tigers to be by his family. Whitney and the couple's daughter, Monroe, escaped with relatively minor injuries, and Westin took the brunt of the hit.
In this file photo from Sept. 13, 2020, Aaron Brooks of the Kia Tigers pitches against the NC Dinos in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"If and when you see the picture of the car, it's a miracle that they're all here, especially Westin," Brooks said. "We're doing as well as we can as a family. We're so thankful for everyone's support. I think it's what's keeping us somewhat sane through this. Obviously, it's hard for any parent to go through something like this. We're just trying to stay strong for Westin and just let him know it's going to be okay."
Brooks said his son is "a trooper" as he battles through his injuries. Whitney said Westin was supposed to be intubated for 48 hours but that he was already out of the intensive care unit.
"Every time doctors come in, they're blown away, literally in awe of how well he's doing," Whitney said. "It's because of the prayers. We really appreciate it. It's so overwhelming, the love and support that we have. I wish I can line you guys up and give you hugs personally because you deserve it."
Kim Sun-bin of the Kia Tigers is in action against the Kiwoom Heroes in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 22, 2020. Kim is sporting a helmet bearing the name of Westin Brooks, son of Park's teammate Aaron Brooks, in a show of support for Westin's recovery from injuries sustained in an auto accident in Kansas City. (Yonhap)
Whitney said she has completely forgiven the driver who crashed into her car by running a red light because she believes it was an accident, and pleaded with her supporters to do the same.
"I think he has enough guilt in his life ... He stood there and watched them pull the kids out of the car. That's enough for a person," she said. "I pray that he's okay, too. I want anybody who's holding on to any grudge against him (to) let it go. It's not worth it. We need to be thankful that Westin is with us and that he's progressing so well."
Whitney said Westin loves pictures and videos with messages of support for him, including the one of Tigers' players holding up the W sign for his name when they get on base, and asked followers to keep sending them pictures and videos.
With his young son still "not out of the woods," baseball remains well down the list of priorities for Brooks.
Yang Hyeon-jong of the Kia Tigers pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 22, 2020. He is wearing a cap with the name of teammate Aaron Brooks' son, Westin, written on it, in a show of support for Westin's recovery from injuries sustained in an auto accident in Kansas City. (Yonhap)
"I just don't foresee getting back this season, as much as I'd love to help us get to the playoffs," Brooks said. "(The Tigers have been) amazing with just support of giving me the opportunity to forget about baseball right now. Obviously, family comes first and foremost. This is a long road for us right now."
The former major league right-hander was enjoying an outstanding first season in the KBO. He was 11-4 with a 2.50 ERA over 151 1/3 innings, and stood as among the league leaders in most pitching categories. The Tigers are contending for a playoff spot, sitting half a game out of the fifth and final playoff spot at 60-52, with 32 games remaining.
New foreign players coming into the KBO can only sign one-year deals. Brooks said he doesn't know what's to come next year but added, "I am planning on playing. I am pretty sure (Westin) is going to be doing great by that point."
Whitney chimed in: "Definitely, (Westin) will be glad to come back to Gwangju and cheer on the Tiger next year, that's for sure. He loves the Tigers and fans. If we're coming back next year, he'll be right there with us."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-25--(LEAD) N.K. leader wished S. Koreans health, happiness in letter to Moon, Cheong Wa Dae says

Kim said he thought in person about the `` grave burden '' that Moon is shouldering by himself and that @ @ @ @ @ difficulty , pressure and efforts '' to overcome the troubles better than any other person @

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details from 3rd para)
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed hope for the well-being of all South Koreans struggling to overcome difficulties from COVID-19 and recent typhoon damage in his personal letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The letter, dated Sept. 12, was a reply to Moon's letter to him sent on Sept. 8, according to Suh Hoon, director of national security.
Kim said he thought in person about the "grave burden" that Moon is shouldering by himself and that he knows Moon's "difficulty, pressure and efforts" to overcome the troubles better than any other person.
Kim said he sincerely hopes to share the difficulties and agony that the South is suffering.
He added he would wait for the day to come when this year's "terrible" moment passes by quickly and a series of "good things" will happen.
"I once again eagerly wish that southern compatriots' precious health and happiness will be kept," Kim wrote. "I sincerely wish for everyone's well-being."
A combined image of South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Yonhap)
In his letter to Kim, Moon pointed out that both Koreas are going through "big predicaments," from the coronavirus to heavy monsoon rain and typhoon damages.
Moon expressed his appreciation for Kim's "strong commitment" to respecting the lives of people.
The president said the current situation is regrettable in that South and North Korea can't help each other despite the challenges.
Suh said Cheong Wa Dae has made public the full text of the letters at the instruction of Moon.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--(LEAD) S. Korea to demand N. Korea make additional probe into killing

Military officials here said the man was presumed to have jumped into the sea on Monday in a suspected attempt @ @ @ @ @ , but the message from North Korea only noted that `` the illegal intruder was @ @ @ @ @ its verbal security checks .

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 7 paras, additional photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will demand North Korea carry out another investigation into its recent killing of a Seoul fisheries official near the tense sea border, as the North's explanation bore some key discrepancies from Seoul's account, the presidential office said Saturday.
On Tuesday, North Korean troops shot the 47-year-old man who was adrift in its waters and incinerated his body, according to the South Korean military. He went missing the previous day while on duty near the Yellow Sea border island of Yeonpyeong.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apologized for the incident Friday in a message sent by the United Front Department, a key espionage agency handling inter-Korean affairs. The North claimed that what it set on fire was not his body but an object he was using to stay afloat.
After holding the National Security Council (NSC) session late Friday, the Seoul government decided to demand a further investigation and request a joint probe, if necessary, Cheong Wa Dae said.
"As there exist differences between North Korea's explanation and our intelligence analysis, we decided to continue our investigation into the incident to reveal the truth," the presidential office said.
It also vowed to "swiftly take steps to further heighten a surveillance posture in the Yellow Sea to prevent such an incident from happening again."
Another issue in question is whether the official had an intention to defect to the communist country.
Military officials here said the man was presumed to have jumped into the sea on Monday in a suspected attempt to defect to the North, but the message from North Korea only noted that "the illegal intruder was to flee" while disobeying its verbal security checks.
Another issue in question is who ordered the killing.
South Korean officials said the brutal act appears to have been done in accordance with "orders from a superior authority," though they said they could not confirm exactly who approved the killing.
The North, however, said the decision was made by the chief of the patrol boat and that the actions taken were in line with its code of conduct.
Officials from what appears to be a Coast Guard vessel conduct an on-site inspection of a South Korean fishery patrol vessel, anchored near the de facto inter-Korean sea border in the Yellow Sea, on Sept. 25, 2020. A Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries employee, who boarded the vessel, went missing on Sept. 21 while carrying out duties in waters off the western island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea and was killed by North Korean soldiers the following day. (Yonhap)
A group of South Korean Marines carries out a patrol on Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea on Sept. 25, 2020. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--S. Korea to demand N. Korea make additional probe into killing

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apologized for the incident Friday in a message sent by the United Front Department , @ @ @ @ @ inter-Korean affairs .
The North claimed that what it set on fire was not his @ @ @ @ @ was using to stay afloat .

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will demand North Korea carry out another investigation into its recent killing of a Seoul fisheries official near the tense sea border, as the North's explanation bore some key discrepancies from Seoul's account, the presidential office said Saturday.
On Tuesday, North Korean troops shot the 47-year-old man who was adrift in its waters and incinerated his body, according to the South Korean military. He went missing the previous day while on duty near the Yellow Sea border island of Yeonpyeong.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apologized for the incident Friday in a message sent by the United Front Department, a key espionage agency handling inter-Korean affairs. The North claimed that what it set on fire was not his body but an object he was using to stay afloat.
After holding the National Security Council (NSC) session late Friday, the government decided to demand a further investigation and request a joint probe, if necessary, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Officials from what appears to be a Coast Guard vessel conduct an on-site inspection of a South Korean fishery patrol vessel, anchored near the de facto inter-Korean sea border in the Yellow Sea, on Sept. 25, 2020. A Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries employee, who boarded the vessel, went missing on Sept. 21 while carrying out duties in waters off the western island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea and was killed by North Korean soldiers the following day. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--BTS agency wins defamation suits against malicious online troll

According to Big Hit Entertainment , the person , whose identity was withheld , was recently fined 4 million won @ @ @ @ @ in total by the Seoul Eastern District Court for three separate criminal complaints for defamation @

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- Big Hit Entertainment, the label-management agency of BTS, has won multiple defamation suits against an individual who has repeatedly posted malicious comments about the global K-pop group on the internet.
According to Big Hit Entertainment, the person, whose identity was withheld, was recently fined 4 million won (US$3,400) in total by the Seoul Eastern District Court for three separate criminal complaints for defamation.
BTS hater gets maximum penalty for defamation, Big Hit will not tolerate Youtube https://youtu.be/hqM8rRjPQB0
This photo, provided by Big Hit Entertainment on Sept. 21, 2020, shows K-pop group BTS performing on the Tiny Desk Concert show on National Public Radio in the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Big Hit added that the company was filing additional separate criminal complaints against those who have posted malicious comments even after being questioned by the police.
The company also noted it was providing law enforcement with postings that make light of police investigations or spread false information on the legal proceedings.
This image provided by Big Hit Entertainment shows the company's corporate logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--(URGENT) S. Korea demands N. Korea carry out additional probe into killing of Seoul official, reques

(URGENT) S. Korea demands N. Korea carry out additional probe into killing of Seoul official, requests joint investigation if necessary: presidential office


yna--2020-09-26--New virus cases fall back below 100 as nation vigilant ahead of key holiday

Under the new campaign , the operation of 11 types of `` high-risk '' facilities , including clubs , bars @ @ @ @ @ suspended in the greater Seoul area for two weeks .
As for non-metropolitan areas , @ @ @ @ @ , such as nightlife establishments will be ordered to shut down for a week .

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 100 for the first time in four days Saturday, as the country is struggling with sporadic cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and persisting untraceable cases ahead of a major holiday.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 61 new COVID-19 cases, including 49 local infections, bringing the total to 23,516 as of midnight on Friday.
The number marked the first fall below 100 after three consecutive days of triple-digit new daily infections. The country reported 114 new cases Friday.
The country had seen triple-digit daily new cases for more than a month since mid-August due mainly to a surge in infections tied to a church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally, with the figure soaring to a five-month high of 441 on Aug. 27.
But the figure fell to double digits Sunday and skidded to as low as 61 on Tuesday.
The number of local infections is the lowest since Aug. 13 when the figure stood at 47, according to the health authorities.
Untraceable cases accounted for around 25 percent of the total, it added.
Health workers disinfect a market near Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, which is at the center of a recent resurgence of the coronavirus, on Sept. 24, 2020, ahead of the Chuseok holiday, which falls on Oct. 1. (Yonhap)
The greater Seoul area continued to report cluster infections. Seoul added 26 new virus cases, and nearby Gyeonggi Province and Incheon saw 14 and one new patients, respectively, according to the KDCA.
The biggest, imminent challenge is to prevent a potential rebound in new virus cases around the upcoming Chuseok holiday, which traditionally entails mass movements of people and family gatherings across the country.
This year's fall harvest holiday runs from Wednesday through Oct. 4.
With a goal to minimize the potential impacts of the holiday, the government decided to designate a special two-week period for strong antivirus efforts starting Monday, while maintaining the Level 2 social distancing guidance.
Under the new campaign, the operation of 11 types of "high-risk" facilities, including clubs, bars and buffets, will be suspended in the greater Seoul area for two weeks. As for non-metropolitan areas, five kinds of risk-prone facilities, such as nightlife establishments will be ordered to shut down for a week.
The authorities also called for the strengthening of quarantine measures further at public facilities, such as restaurants, cafes and theaters, in Seoul and the surrounding areas during the period.
Indoor gatherings of 50 or more people will continue to be banned, and outdoor meetings are not allowed to involve more than 100. Sporting events must be held without spectators.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--Seoul shares likely to face choppy trading in coming week

`` ( The local market ) is going through a correction period , as the U.S. election is causing uncertainties @ @ @ @ @ drive , '' said KB Securities analyst Ha In-hwan .

By Chung Joo-won
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares are likely to face volatility stemming from U.S. political uncertainties ahead of the national Chuseok holiday season.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,278.79 points on Friday, plunging 5.54 percent from a week ago.
The KOSPI's weekly decline came amid growing investor concern that stock prices had risen too far beyond their proper values.
Fears of economic lockdown in Europe, triggered by a resurgence of COVID-19 infections, also increased investor wariness.
Electronic signboards at the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,278.79 on Sept. 25, 2020, up 6.09 points or 0.27 percent from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
In the coming week, South Korean stock markets will be closed from Wednesday to Friday for the Chuseok holiday.
Local analysts predicted another week of volatility as investors turn risk-averse against uncertainties over the U.S. presidential election in November.
"(The local market) is going through a correction period, as the U.S. election is causing uncertainties in the U.S. economic policy drive," said KB Securities analyst Ha In-hwan.
"The adjustment process is expected to continue through mid-October," he said.
South Korea's import-export data for September will be released on Thursday, and the U.S. monthly jobless data will be out on Friday (Korea time).
jwc@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--(URGENT) S. Korea reports four additional coronavirus deaths, total now at 399: KDCA


yna--2020-09-26--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 61 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 23,516: KDCA


Saturday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Sep. 26 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-09-26--3 in 4 Seoul citizens have no travel plans during Chuseok: poll

Chuseok , one of the country 's biggest traditional holidays , usually serves as a chance for family members to @ @ @ @ @ .
The extended three-day Chuseok holiday runs from Wednesday to Friday .
The holiday can @ @ @ @ @ when the Oct. 3 National Foundation Day and Sunday are included .

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- Three in four Seoul citizens don't have any plans to visit their hometowns or travel long distances during the Chuseok holiday due mainly to fears of coronavirus transmission, a poll showed Saturday.
In the survey of 849 citizens aged 18 or older, 56.8 percent said they have no plans to travel long distances during Chuseok, while another 16 percent said they have canceled their holiday travel plans due to COVID-19.
Merely 12.4 percent said they have travel plans during the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, with 14.8 percent saying they are still undecided whether to travel.
This file photo taken in a rural village in Boseong, southwestern South Korea, on Sept. 14, 2020, shows a banner written by village elders to urge their urban sons and daughters not to visit their hometowns during the Chuseok holiday due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
Chuseok, one of the country's biggest traditional holidays, usually serves as a chance for family members to visit their hometowns or travel. The extended three-day Chuseok holiday runs from Wednesday to Friday. The holiday can be extended to five days when the Oct. 3 National Foundation Day and Sunday are included.
The poll was jointly conducted by Seoul National University and the Seoul Institute earlier this month, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, with a confidence level of 95 percent.
It found 45.7 percent of those who have holiday travel plans are in their 20s or 30s. Four-member families also accounted for 37.1 percent of those planning to travel long distances during Chuseok.
Local quarantine authorities have expressed fears that a massive population movement during Chuseok might pave the way for the further spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, 92.7 percent of the survey respondents said they consider the current coronavirus situation in Seoul as "serious," nearly double from 47.4 percent in a similar poll conducted between April and May.
It also found 82.3 percent willing to comply with far stronger social distancing guidelines than now.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-09-26--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Sept. 26)

The government 's explanations to date are wanting ; further investigations must yield a clearer picture .
Family members and @ @ @ @ @ servant rebuked the Joint Chiefs of Staff 's claim that he may have been attempting @ @ @ @ @ .
The military gave a confounding explanation that they did not expect the North would @ @ @ @ @ as a way of defending its own inaction even after learning that he was in @ @ @ @ @ There is also skepticism about the government announcing the incident Thursday .
Officials said that @ @ @ @ @ verify the facts , and President Moon Jae-in 's pre-recorded message of goodwill with his @ @ @ @ @ War was aired in the meantime .

Deplorable act
Firm response to the North's actions must follow
The government gave a shocking announcement on Thursday that North Korea killed and burned the body of a South Korean civil servant who went missing Monday while on duty in the West Sea. Even if the North has raised its alert against the coronavirus to the extreme, to kill an unarmed civilian is an unacceptable act.
The act violates the Geneva Conventions, as well as the Sept. 19 Military Agreement between the two Koreas. The presidential office demanded that the North explain what happened and take appropriate measures over the incident. On Friday, North Korea's United Front Department sent a formal notice delivering North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's message that he feels "very sorry" for disappointing the President and other South Koreans in connection with the case. The North also delivered the results of the probe that its troops near the western sea border fired more than 10 shots as the man intruded in the North's territorial waters. The North said it burned the flotsam but could not find the body.
The letter met one of Seoul's demands. Now, the two Koreas must find a way to take appropriate action on those responsible and pledge non-recurrence of such an incident. They should also confirm the discrepancies between the South's initial findings and the North's probe especially regarding why and how the civil servant arrived in the North's waters and the facts of the burning.
The North has been imposing "shoot-to-kill orders" in border areas to prevent any coronavirus outbreaks. There is no excuse however for the deplorable killing at sea. It is also hard to shake off the feeling that the South's military authorities and the government may have responded with lethargy to saving the life of its national.
The government's explanations to date are wanting; further investigations must yield a clearer picture. Family members and colleagues of the 47-year-old civil servant rebuked the Joint Chiefs of Staff's claim that he may have been attempting to defect to the North. The military gave a confounding explanation that they did not expect the North would commit such an atrocity, as a way of defending its own inaction even after learning that he was in the North's custody. There is also skepticism about the government announcing the incident Thursday. Officials said that they needed that time to verify the facts, and President Moon Jae-in's pre-recorded message of goodwill with his proposal to end the Korean War was aired in the meantime.
The last time an unarmed South Korean civilian was shot and killed by North Korea was in 2008 when a female tourist walked into off-limits area in the Mount Geumgang resort. The inter-Korean tourism project remains closed to this day. The government should not sit on the North's formal notice as it did on initial information regarding the civil servant but follow through on its demands. Our military must be more vigilant, and reaffirm its pledge to protect the country and serve its people.
(END)