yna--2020-01-29--Airlines bearing brunt of fast-growing virus, China flights curtailed

`` Airlines have been aggressive in developing alternative routes to offset lower demand on Japanese routes since July last year @ @ @ @ @ curbs .
But the virus has emerged as another headache for them to ride out @ @ @ @ @ an analyst at Daishin Securities Co. , said by phone .

By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean airlines are beefing up preventive measures to minimize any fallout from the fast-spreading coronavirus on their businesses this year, industry sources said Wednesday.
The new coronavirus virus first appeared in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month, and has sickened thousands and killed more than 100 in China. Cases have been detected as far as in the United States.
South Korea has reported four confirmed cases of the deadly virus, and the authorities have raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch from yellow to orange, the third highest.
This photo taken Jan. 29, 2020, shows counters of travel agencies at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, amid the spreading Wuhan coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Among industries, the airline industry appears to bear the brunt of the new coronavirus on their earnings results in 2020 if the virus continues to spread across borders.
In South Korea, Korean Air Lines Co. was quick to respond to the severe acute respiratory syndrome-like virus and its possible effect on its business. SARS killed about 650 people in China and Hong Kong from 2002 to 2003.
Last week, the national flag carrier suspended most of its four flights a week to Wuhan by March 27. Its routes to Chinese cities, except for Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, are operating for now.
"Customers who cancel or postpone their flights to China will be exempted from paying charges for cancellations or postponements by the end of March," a company spokeswoman said over the phone.
Most flight attendants are currently wearing masks while serving customers, with hand sanitizers and masks provided to all airline personnel and passengers at the airport, she said.
Korean Air said it will announce its plans to reorganize its flight schedules on Chinese routes Thursday.
Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest airline, said Wednesday it will suspend routes from Incheon to less popular Chinese cities next month -- Gulin and Haikou starting Feb. 1 and Changsha beginning Feb. 3.
In particular, Asiana is expected to post weak earnings results in the first quarter if demand on Chinese routes continues to decline due to the virus. Asiana earns nearly 20 percent of its sales from sales of flights to Chinese cities.
Analysts expect airlines will suffer a decline in sales in the first and second quarters as it will take some time for the virus to be contained.
"Airlines have been aggressive in developing alternative routes to offset lower demand on Japanese routes since July last year due to Japan's export curbs. But the virus has emerged as another headache for them to ride out," Yang Ji-hwan, an analyst at Daishin Securities Co., said by phone.
He expected airlines won't likely achieve a turnaround in the first half of 2020.
This photo taken on Jan. 29, 2020, shows passengers arriving at Incheon International Airport from Guangzhou amid fears of the spreading coronavirus. (Yonhap)
Airlines had expected recovering inbound travel demand on Chinese routes will help lead to an earnings turnaround this year but declining demand on the routes following the outbreak of the virus will serve as a major drag on the companies.
The number of passengers on Chinese routes jumped 14 percent to 18.4 million in 2019 from 16.1 million a year earlier, according to the transport ministry.
Travel demand from China remained weak following political tensions between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of an advanced U.S. anti-missile system called THAAD in South Korea in 2017.
On top of the two full-service carriers, low-cost carriers have also suspended some of their flights to China or are considering halting further routes to the neighboring country in February.
"We are planning to gradually suspend six routes to Zhangjiajie from Incheon and other local airports starting today, and will take additional steps depending on developments in the spread of the virus," said a spokesman at Jeju Air Co., the country's biggest low-cost carrier.
Air Seoul Inc., a budget carrier unit of Asiana Airlines, on Tuesday suspended most of its flights to two Chinese cities -- Zhangjiajie and Linyi -- Wednesday for the time being.
On Wednesday, stocks in airlines outperformed the broader KOSPI index's 0.4 percent gain, as investors went bargain hunting.
Korean Air rose 0.6 percent to 23,850 won after plunging 6.7 percent the previous session, Asiana climbed 1.1 percent to 4,760 won after shedding 5.2 percent and Jeju Air gained 3.2 percent to 22,350 won after losing 7.7 percent.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 2,181.54 DN 3.74 points (open)

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


KOSDAQ 670.65 UP 0.47 points (open)


yna--2020-01-30--Dollar opens at 1,179.0 won UP from 1,177.2 won


yna--2020-01-30--Samsung's Q4 net sinks 38 pct on memory chip slump

For 2019 , Samsung posted a net income of 21.74 trillion won , down 51 percent from a year ago @ @ @ @ @ the global economy , sparked by the U.S.-China trade war , ended a two-year boom @ @ @ @ @ , where the company earns the majority of its entire profit .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday its fourth-quarter net profit dropped 38.2 percent compared with a year ago as an extended slump in the memory chip sector weighed on its bottom line.
The world's leading memory chip and smartphone manufacturer said its net income stood at 5.23 trillion won (US$4.4 billion) in the October-December period, compared with 8.46 trillion won a year earlier.
Its operating profit slid 33.7 percent on-year to 7.16 trillion won in the fourth quarter, but sales rose 1.05 percent to 59.88 trillion won over the cited period.
The figures were in line with the earnings guidance announced earlier this month.
For 2019, Samsung posted a net income of 21.74 trillion won, down 51 percent from a year ago, as a slowdown in the global economy, sparked by the U.S.-China trade war, ended a two-year boom in the memory chip market, where the company earns the majority of its entire profit.
Samsung's operating profit in 2019 stood at 27.76 trillion won, marking a 52.8 percent on-year drop and the lowest since 2015, when the comparable figure was 26.4 trillion won.
Its revenue reached 230.4 trillion won last year, a 5.5 percent fall from 2018, and the lowest since 2016, when the company logged 201.8 trillion won.
This file photo taken Aug. 29, 2019, shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s outdoor sign at the company's office building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Samsung Electronics 2019 net profit down 51 pct. to 21.73 tln won

Operating income for the year was 27.76 trillion won , down 52.8 percent on-year , the company said in a @ @ @ @ @ fell 5.5 percent to 230.4 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Thursday reported its 2019 net income of 21.73 trillion won (US$ 18.5 billion), down 51 percent from a year earlier.
Operating income for the year was 27.76 trillion won, down 52.8 percent on-year, the company said in a regulatory filing. Annual revenue fell 5.5 percent to 230.4 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Samsung Electronics Q4 net profit down 38.2 pct. to 5.22 tln won

The operating profit was 10.2 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Thursday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 5.22 trillion won (US$ 4.4 billion), down 38.2 percent from a year earlier.
Operating profit for the October-December period was 7.16 trillion won, down 33.7 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales rose 1 percent to 59.88 trillion won.
The operating profit was 10.2 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(LEAD) Wuhan-bound flights for evacuation delayed: official

Of about 700 people who have applied for the transfer , those with no symptoms will be transported first , @ @ @ @ @ to a quarantine check right before and after the flights , and will stay at @ @ @ @ @ 14 days , officials said .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; ADDS more info throughout, byline)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Chartered flights for the planned evacuation of South Korean nationals from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan have been put off till at least later in the evening, a foreign ministry official said Thursday.
Two Korean Air planes were scheduled to take off at 10 a.m. and at noon, respectively, to bring home about 700 South Koreans from the epicenter of the new virus outbreak. The planes were set to conduct the same mission Friday.
"There has been a change of schedule for chartered flights that were going to operate, and we have sent an urgent message to our citizens who were supposed to board the planes," a foreign ministry official said.
The official did not give details about the reason for the delay.
"We are consulting with the Chinese government to make sure that our citizens staying in Wuhan can return home as soon as possible according to the changed schedule," the official said.
The South Koreans consulate general in Wuhan notified the Koreans of the change of the flight schedule at about 1 a.m. (local time) and asked them to wait until further notice.
The official stressed that the chartered flight will depart later Thursday but indicated a possibility that only one of the two planes could fly on the day due to the delay.
The Korean residents in Wuhan had been told to gather at the airport about five hours before the initial flight schedule.
South Korean officials have been in consultations with China on logistical details regarding the emergency transfer of its citizens.
On Tuesday, Seoul announced the plan to airlift its nationals out of Wuhan, after Beijing placed the city under lockdown, suspending flights and transportation there and in its surrounding regions amid the fast spread of the disease.
The government said the evacuated people will be put into isolation at two different public facilities in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, in the country's central region.
Of about 700 people who have applied for the transfer, those with no symptoms will be transported first, and they will be subject to a quarantine check right before and after the flights, and will stay at the facilities for at least 14 days, officials said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--N.K. missile site shows no signs of preparations for rocket or engine test: 38 North

`` Recent commercial satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station indicates that , while the facility is being maintained @ @ @ @ @ signs of preparations for either a rocket launch or engine test , '' 38 North @ @ @ @ @ from Jan. 14 also showed little other activity .

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's satellite launching site shows no signs of preparations for a rocket launch or engine test, a U.S. monitor said Wednesday.
Commercial satellite imagery on Dec. 23 of the Sohae satellite launching station, also known as the Dongchang-ri site, showed efforts to clear snow off roads, including the one leading from the vertical engine test stand to the VIP observation facility, 38 North said on its website.
The test stand itself remained snow-covered, it said. Entrance ways, parking lots and courtyards were also cleared, with snow-clearing patterns suggesting that nearby buildings were being staffed.
"Recent commercial satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station indicates that, while the facility is being maintained, there are no observable signs of preparations for either a rocket launch or engine test," 38 North said, adding that imagery from Jan. 14 also showed little other activity.
North Korea conducted what it called "important" tests at the facility on Dec. 7 and 13. The announcements spurred speculation that the regime was preparing to launch a long-range rocket in protest of stalled denuclearization negotiations with the United States.
In this March 2017 file photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, a ground test of a high-thrust rocket engine is conducted at the Sohae satellite launching station. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Naver 2019 net income down 36.8 pct. to 396.8 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the year fell 24.7 percent on-year to 710.1 billion @ @ @ @ @ 18 percent to 6.59 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Naver Corp. on Thursday reported its 2019 net profit of 396.8 billion won (US$ 337.1 million), down 36.8 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating income for the year fell 24.7 percent on-year to 710.1 billion won. Annual sales increased 18 percent to 6.59 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Naver Q4 net profit up 58.2 pct. to 196.2 bln won

The operating profit was 19.1 percent lower than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Naver Corp. on Thursday reported its fourth-quarter net profit of 196.2 billion won (US$ 166.7 million), up 58.2 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 173.4 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 213.3 billion won a year ago. Revenue rose 17.9 percent to 1.78 trillion won.
The operating profit was 19.1 percent lower than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Jan. 30)

What attracts our attention are the results of the prosecution 's investigations of Lee Kwang-cheol , a former secretary for @ @ @ @ @ Jong-seok , Moon 's former chief of staff .
Lee was arraigned Wednesday and Im @ @ @ @ @ Seoul Central District Prosecutors ' Office Thursday to answer questions from prosecutors .
Attacking the @ @ @ @ @ a `` politically-engineered '' investigation , Im went on to claim that `` some prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ , are approaching the case with political purposes . ''
That is sheer sophistry .

Democracy at stake
The prosecution has announced that a number of aides to President Moon Jae-in are suspected of having methodically intervened in the Ulsan mayoral election last year. The announcement reminds us of authoritarian governments in our past. We learned an important lesson in the past that political power dominated by self-righteousness and arrogance will perish — or thought we did.
In a weekly meeting with Lee Seong-yun, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl instructed him to indict 13 Blue House staff — including Baek Won-woo, former presidential secretary for civil affairs, and Park Hyung-cheol, former anticorruption secretary — on charges of violating the Public Servants Election Act. Lee, who has been reluctant to indict them, could not help complying with the order from his immediate boss.
The question is why Moon's aides were engrossed with helping the president's close friend, Song Cheol-ho, win the mayoral race so ardently. The public suspects that Moon's aides intervened in the election to demonstrate their loyalty to the president. Moon had said at one point, "My only wish is Song's election as Ulsan mayor."
What attracts our attention are the results of the prosecution's investigations of Lee Kwang-cheol, a former secretary for civil affairs, and Im Jong-seok, Moon's former chief of staff. Lee was arraigned Wednesday and Im plans to go to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Thursday to answer questions from prosecutors. Attacking the prosecution's probe for being a "politically-engineered" investigation, Im went on to claim that "some prosecutors, including Prosecutor General Yoon, are approaching the case with political purposes." That is sheer sophistry.
The investigation will be handed over to new prosecutors after the reshuffle of the top law enforcement agency led by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae. We urge a new investigation team to properly deal with the case. The public looks forward to seeing our democracy take a step forward. They don't want to see a retreat of our democracy in the hands of another stubborn — and authoritarian-minded — government.
We also urge Choo to refrain from putting pressure on the prosecution. We vividly witnessed the surprising double standards shared by the self-proclaimed clean administration after the breaking of the scandal involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. The Blue House itself should be dirt-free as Moon repeatedly underscored in the past.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 30)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 30)

Nevertheless , there are growing signs of phobia not only about the pandemic , but also about China and its @ @ @ @ @ point is a civil petition on the website of the presidential office which calls for @ @ @ @ @ of all Chinese travelers into Korea .
More than 577,000 people have signed the petition @ @ @ @ @ .
Their worries about the virus are understandable .
But they seem to have gone @ @ @ @ @ a demand .

Caution against fake news
: Anti-China sentiment won't help contain virus
People at home and across the globe are increasingly becoming afraid of the rapid spread of a new coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China. It is natural for them to have anxiety about the epidemic. However, it is regrettable to see fake news and disinformation about the virus circulating through the internet and social media. It is wrong to stoke anti-China sentiment just because the country is the source of the virus outbreak.
A majority of South Koreans have so far shown a measured reaction to the highly contagious virus. Such a reaction certainly reflects the World Health Organization's evaluation that the outbreak is not yet a global emergency, although it is an emergency for China. We don't have to be gripped by panic. South Korea still reported a relatively low number of confirmed cases ― only four. Yet the country should take proactive and pre-emptive measures to prevent the further spread of the pneumonia-like illness.
Nevertheless, there are growing signs of phobia not only about the pandemic, but also about China and its people. A case in point is a civil petition on the website of the presidential office which calls for a ban on the entry of all Chinese travelers into Korea. More than 577,000 people have signed the petition over the past seven days. Their worries about the virus are understandable. But they seem to have gone too far in making such a demand.
In theory the country can close its border to block the influx of Chinese people as a pre-emptive step. But in reality it is difficult to impose such a measure at this point, considering international relations and global human rights norms which respect the flow of human and material exchanges between countries. Of course, it could be possible to enforce a partial entry ban on residents of a specific city, i.e. Wuhan, as part of the fight against spreading the illness. But even in that case, there should be sufficient reasons and careful reviews to avoid any unnecessary controversy.
That is why Rep. Lee In-young, the floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has urged the people to refrain from inflaming hatred about Chinese. He said, "A friend in need is a friend in deed." His saying was seen as stressing the importance of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in bringing the outbreak under control.
In this regard, we have to caution against anti-China sentiment that might arise among South Koreans here. Aversion to Chinese people and their exclusion could make matters worse. Such negative feelings are feared to make Chinese residents or travelers hesitate to report possible symptoms of the virus to the health authorities.
Some internet users were found to have circulated unfounded stories or urban myths about the Wuhan coronavirus. Others have reportedly spread video footage that contained bad information or disinformation. Fake news about the epidemic will not help the country and its people win the battle against the virus. It will only help the illness make its way into our lives as fast as it can. To root out fake news and disinformation, the authorities should provide correct information about the disease timely and transparently.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Jan. 30)

Government and central bank policymakers have said the economy was expected to rebound this year partly on the back of @ @ @ @ @ US and China and a recovery in the global chip market .
The Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ Bank of Korea respectively forecast that the economy will expand 2.4 percent and 2.3 percent @ @ @

Ultimate challenge
: Efforts needed to bolster sagging growth potential beyond the impact of coronavirus
The potential fallout from the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus is threatening to further weigh on South Korea's sluggish economy, which grew at the slowest pace in a decade last year.
In 2019, the country saw its gross domestic product expand 2 percent on-year, the slowest since 2009, due to a simultaneous slump in exports, investment and consumption.
Government and central bank policymakers have said the economy was expected to rebound this year partly on the back of eased trade tensions between the US and China and a recovery in the global chip market. The Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Bank of Korea respectively forecast that the economy will expand 2.4 percent and 2.3 percent in 2020.
But the continuous spread of the deadly new virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, might compound other downside risks and make it hard to achieve the growth target.
Many private-sector economists have already warned Korea's economic growth rate might fall far below 2 percent this year, noting the government's efforts to bolster the economy by expanding fiscal spending without regulatory, labor and structural reforms are reaching their limits.
A turnaround in Korea's exports could be delayed as the disease spreads across China to hurt its consumption and industrial activity. China is the largest importer of Korean goods, accounting for a quarter of Korea's exports in 2019.
Trade officials here expect the country's outbound shipments to rise 3 percent this year after recording a 10.3 percent on-year contraction last year. Asia's fourth-largest economy saw its exports decrease for the 13th consecutive month in December.
The local tourism sector is also set to be hit hard by the spread of the disease, which is sharply reducing the number of Chinese travelers to Korea. Chinese tourists account for the largest proportion of foreign visitors to the country.
Concerns over the outbreak in Korea, which has so far confirmed four cases of infection, could also further weaken domestic consumption. In 2019, private consumption in the country grew 1.9 percent, slowing from 2.8 percent a year earlier.
Mounting worries about the negative economic impact of the epidemic might prove to have been overstated, if the virus is brought under control within months and the Chinese government implements massive stimulus measures to shore up growth.
In the longer term, what should draw more attention than the extent to which the coronavirus will affect the economy is the continuous weakening of the country's growth potential.
According to a report released Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Korea's potential economic growth rate for 2020 is estimated at 2.5 percent, down 0.2 percentage point from a year earlier. The rate is projected to decline further to 2.4 percent next year.
A potential growth rate refers to the maximum possible rate at which an economy can grow without triggering inflation.
Korea has seen the rate fall steadily over the past decade after it gained 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier to 3.9 percent in 2010. The rate dipped below 3 percent for the first time in history in 2018.
The Bank of Korea estimates the rate at 2.5-2.6 percent for 2019-2020.
The declining growth potential indicates Korea is being drawn into the trap of low growth amid a continuous decrease in its workforce and productivity.
Another indicator of ebbing economic vitality is the widening difference between the potential growth rate and the actual growth rate, known as the GDP gap.
The country's GDP gap of 0.7 percentage point in 2019, based on the IMF estimate of its growth potential, was the widest since 2012 when the figure stood at 1.4 percentage points.
Fiscal expansion under President Moon Jae-in's administration has done little to strengthen the economic fundamentals.
In 2019, fiscal expenditure jumped 6.5 percent on-year, contributing 1.5 percentage points to the 2 percent growth for the year with the private sector's contribution remaining a mere 0.5 percentage point.
The increase in fiscal spending since Moon took office in 2017 has been intended mainly to offset the side effects of ill-conceived policies and expand cash transfers rather than enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the economy.
Facility investment decreased 8.1 percent from a year earlier in 2019 as the Moon administration adhered to its anti-corporate stance amid deteriorating business conditions at home and abroad.
Rising concerns about the economic fallout from the spreading epidemic should serve to make it accelerate structural, regulatory and labor reforms in order to encourage private firms to increase investment.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

Korean-language dailies -- World gripped by fear of secondary , asymptomatic infection of coronavirus ( Kyunghyang Shinmun ) -- Ulsan @ @ @ @ @ Wa Dae officials indicted over election-meddling scandal ( Kookmin Daily ) -- Ulsan mayor , @ @ @ @ @ in election-meddling scandal ( Donga llbo ) -- Residents of Jincheon , Asan block roads @ @ @ @ @ their towns to isolate evacuees from Wuhan ( Seoul Shinmun ) -- Ulsan mayor , @ @ @ @ @ in election-meddling scandal ( Segye Times ) -- Former , incumbent presidential officials indicted over @ @ @ @ @ ) -- Former , incumbent presidential officials indicted in election-meddling scandal ( JoongAng Ilbo ) @ @ @ @ @ chartered planes to bring its nationals home from Wuhan ( Hankyoreh ) -- Chief prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ former , sitting presidential officials ( Hankook Ilbo ) -- 170,000 Chinese expats , students @ @ @ @ @ holiday ( Maeil Business Newspaper ) -- Nothing 's changed since MERS five years ago @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Jan. 30.
Korean-language dailies
-- World gripped by fear of secondary, asymptomatic infection of coronavirus (Kyunghyang Shinmun)
-- Ulsan mayor, several former Cheong Wa Dae officials indicted over election-meddling scandal (Kookmin Daily)
-- Ulsan mayor, several former presidential officials indicted in election-meddling scandal (Donga llbo)
-- Residents of Jincheon, Asan block roads in protest after government picks their towns to isolate evacuees from Wuhan (Seoul Shinmun)
-- Ulsan mayor, several former presidential officials indicted in election-meddling scandal (Segye Times)
-- Former, incumbent presidential officials indicted over election-meddling allegations (Chosun Ilbo)
-- Former, incumbent presidential officials indicted in election-meddling scandal (JoongAng Ilbo)
-- S. Korea to fly chartered planes to bring its nationals home from Wuhan (Hankyoreh)
-- Chief prosecutor pushes ahead with indictments of former, sitting presidential officials (Hankook Ilbo)
-- 170,000 Chinese expats, students to return to Seoul after holiday (Maeil Business Newspaper)
-- Nothing's changed since MERS five years ago (Korea Economic Daily)
English-language dailies
-- Koreans fleeing from Wuhan not wanted (Korea JoongAng Daily)
-- Seoul to limit Wuhan chartered flight to asymptomatic Koreans (Korea Herald)
-- Korea, China coordinating to fight lethal virus (Korea Times)
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Flight schedule changed for Wuhan evacuation: official

The South Korean consulate general in Wuhan sent an urgent message at about 1 a.m. ( local time ) to @ @ @ @ @ to board the plane , notifying them of the change in the schedule and asked @ @ @ @ @ notice , a foreign ministry official said .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- There has been a change of schedule for chartered flights that were set to leave Thursday morning to airlift South Korean nationals out of the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan, a foreign ministry official said.
Two Korean Air planes were scheduled to leave for Wuhan to evacuate about 700 South Koreans from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with the first plane to take off from Incheon, west of Seoul, at 10 a.m.
The South Korean consulate general in Wuhan sent an urgent message at about 1 a.m. (local time) to the people who were supposed to board the plane, notifying them of the change in the schedule and asked them to wait until further notice, a foreign ministry official said.
"We are consulting with the Chinese government to make sure that our citizens staying in Wuhan can return home as soon as possible according to the changed schedule," the official said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--3 carmakers to recall 36,000 vehicles over faulty parts

The problems include possible power outages caused by a faulty printed circuit board in Hyundai 's Sonata sedan , excessive @ @ @ @ @ could cause injury to the driver in Mercedes-Benz 's C 220 CDI sedan , and @ @ @ @ @ in Ford 's Mondeo sedan , it said .
( END )

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz and Ford Motor Co. will voluntarily recall nearly 36,000 vehicles to fix faulty components, the transport ministry said Thursday.
This is the latest in a series of recalls by carmakers operating in South Korea due to problems in components of vehicles they sell here.
Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Ford are recalling 35,868 units in three models at their designated repair and replacement services centers from Thursday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement.
The problems include possible power outages caused by a faulty printed circuit board in Hyundai's Sonata sedan, excessive explosive pressure in airbags that could cause injury to the driver in Mercedes-Benz's C 220 CDI sedan, and an inflammable battery monitoring sensor in Ford's Mondeo sedan, it said.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Manufacturers' sentiment sharply improves for Feb.

The business sentiment index ( BSI ) of manufacturing companies here came to 77 for February , up from 73 @ @ @ @ @ to the data from the Bank of Korea ( BOK ) .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- The business sentiment of South Korean manufacturers greatly improved for the upcoming month, central bank data showed Thursday, amid signs of a rebound in exports.
The business sentiment index (BSI) of manufacturing companies here came to 77 for February, up from 73 for this month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.
Still, the rise in the index marks the steepest on-month increase in 11 months since March 2019, when the index gained 11 points from a month earlier.
Also the index for February marks the highest since May, the central bank said.
The file photo, taken Nov. 1, 2019, shows rows of export containers stacked at South Korea's largest seaport in Busan, located some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. South Korea's exports have dropped for 13 consecutive months as of December 2019. (Yonhap)
"The BSI on future outlook rose as the outlook of the electronics-telecommunications; machinery-equipment; and chemical materials and products sectors improved," the BOK said.
The indices of both export firms and domestic-focused businesses improved from a month earlier, it added.
South Korea's exports have dipped for 13 consecutive months since December 2018, tumbling 10.3 percent on-year to US$542.4 billion in 2019.
However, outbound shipments in the first 20 days of January slipped only 0.2 percent from the same period last year, signaling a possible recovery in overseas demand.
The finance ministry said earlier it expects the country's exports to rise 3 percent on-year in 2020.
Meanwhile, the BSI for all industries came to 76 for February, up from 74 for this month.
The BSI of non-manufacturing firms, including the service industry, slipped to 74 from 75 over the cited period.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Satellite imagery suggests security patrols at N.K. nuclear test site

The monitor especially pointed to footpaths in the snow leading up to the East Portal , saying it is very @ @ @ @ @ activity there due to roads being blocked by landslides and displaced boulders for several years @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's decommissioned nuclear test site in Punggye-ri shows signs of routine security patrols, a U.S. monitor said Wednesday.
In commercial satellite imagery from Jan. 17, footpaths and vehicle tracks were visible in the snow around the portal areas and at the main administrative support area, 38 North said on its website.
The imagery also showed snow-cleared roads leading from the security barracks area to the command center, it said.
This press pool photo shows the dismantling of Tunnel No. 4 at North Korea's only known nuclear test site in Punggye-ri in the country's northeast on May 24, 2018. (Yonhap)
"There are no indications of renewed excavation, construction or other activity that would suggest the North is trying to reopen the complex," 38 North added. "Instead, track activity is more likely related to security patrols of the area."
The monitor especially pointed to footpaths in the snow leading up to the East Portal, saying it is very rare to see evidence of activity there due to roads being blocked by landslides and displaced boulders for several years.
The East Portal, it said, is the tunnel that was used to conduct North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006.
"While it is unclear why personnel would be in this area, one possibility is that it may be part of routine security patrols," 38 North said.
North Korea demolished the site in front of a group of foreign journalists in May 2018 to demonstrate its commitment to denuclearization.
Earlier Wednesday, a minor natural earthquake of magnitude 2.5 was detected some 3 kilometers southeast of the facility, according to South Korea's meteorological office. The tremor was presumed to be the result of altered seismicity following the North's sixth and latest nuclear test in September 2017.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


(Copyright)

The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the @ @ @ @ @ News Agency .

All information carried by the Yonhap News Agency, including articles, photographs, graphics, audio and video images, and illustrations (collectively, the content) is owned by the Yonhap News Agency.
The use of the content for any other purposes other than personal and noncommercial use is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Yonhap News Agency.
Any violation can be subject to a compensation claim or civil and criminal lawsuits.
Requests to use the content for any purpose besides the ones mentioned above should be directed in advance to Yonhap's Information Business Department at 82-2-398-3557 or 82-2-398-3552.
(END)


yna--2020-01-29--(4th LD) No additional new coronavirus cases reported in S. Korea, 28 potential cases monitored

In regards to the potential for spreading the new virus , she could not make any prediction at present , @ @ @ @ @ proximity to China means the situation will only be resolved if the outbreaks in the @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES more details in 2nd para, last 4 paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Wednesday they have not diagnosed new additional cases of the new coronavirus in the country but are monitoring 28 other potential cases amid heightened quarantine rules.
So far, the country has confirmed four cases of the novel virus that causes pneumonia-like sickness, with the latest one reported Monday.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), 187 people have experienced signs of the new virus strain since Jan. 3, and 155 have tested negative and been released from observation and isolation.
Of the four confirmed cases, the first was reported Jan. 20, with the others coming Friday, Sunday and Monday. Authorities said they are keeping close tabs on 387 citizens who may have come in contact with those infected.
The third and fourth patients were asymptomatic, or symptom free, upon arrival here from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the fast-spreading virus, raising concerns they may have spread it to others unknowingly.
Hospital employees wearing protective gear wait at the entrance to check people for symptoms of the new coronavirus at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, south of Seoul, on Jan. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
The third patient is known to have been in contact with 95 people, with the fourth confirmed case having come in contact with 172 people.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea has already raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch from "yellow" to "orange," the third highest. The country, moreover, is currently engaged in screening about 3,000 people who have arrived in the country from Wuhan after Jan. 13.
Park Hye-kyung, the director of the KCDC's public health emergency and bioterrorism department, said officials are contacting everyone on the list individually and checking up on their health.
In regards to the potential for spreading the new virus, she could not make any prediction at present, especially since South Korea's proximity to China means the situation will only be resolved if the outbreaks in the originating country are contained.
"Domestically, the country could technically declare an end of the health crisis only after 28 days have gone by without a patient being discovered," the health expert said. The period reflects the 14-day-long known incubation period of the coronavirus, plus another two weeks for extra margin of safety.
The whole of China has been categorized as a "coronavirus risk area," and Seoul has strongly advised its citizens not to visit the central Chinese city.
Airports across South Korea have set up checkpoints to screen passengers from China and other countries for signs of illness, with local authorities accelerating quarantine efforts to contain the virus as people return from visiting relatives and from foreign travels.
Seoul, in addition, will send chartered flights to Wuhan on Thursday and Friday to bring back 720 Korean nationals from the city. All arrivals will be held in quarantine at state facilities in Asan and Jincheon for 14 days so they can be checked for any signs of the illness.
The government said it plans to airlift people who show no symptoms first, with everyone to be kept separate as much as possible during their isolation period.
China has confirmed 132 deaths and 6,078 people infected with the virus as of Wednesday. This number includes cases reported in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao and exceeds the total infected people tallied in the country during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak.
Outside of China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, France, Germany, Canada and the United States have confirmed cases of the new virus.
People wearing masks wait in line to pass the quarantine checkpoint at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(3rd LD) S. Korea reports 2 more new coronavirus cases, total now at 6

The third patient was not subject to any limitations on his movement for days before testing positive for the new @ @ @ @ @ with the person he infected not under close observation by the health authorities so that @ @ @ @ @ transmitted the disease to others .

(ATTN: CLARIFIES details in paras 2-3)
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday reported two more cases of the new coronavirus, with one believed to be the country's first human-to-human transmission, bringing the total number of people infected here to six.
Of the two, one, a 32-year-old man, recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the latest outbreak, but the other was presumed to be potentially the country' first human transmission case of the novel virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The center said it will unveil details later on whether the case can be classified as human transmission or not.
The suspected person-to-person infection involves a 56-year-old man who had been in contact with the country's third confirmed patient, who had returned from China last week without showing symptoms.
The third patient was not subject to any limitations on his movement for days before testing positive for the new virus strain on Sunday, with the person he infected not under close observation by the health authorities so that he too could have inadvertently transmitted the disease to others.
The other person confirmed to be infected was in Wuhan on business and returned on Friday, according to the KCDC.
The two patients were immediately quarantined, it said.
The state agency said that it is in the process of determining who these two people met in the past few days so they can be contacted and checked.
Human-to-human infection has been a grave source of concern because it can easily lead to a sharp rise in infected cases.
From Jan. 3 onward, the KCDC said that it had closely checked 244 people for signs of the illness, with 199 having been cleared.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
The public health protection agency said earlier that it has developed a test procedure that can reduce the time it takes to determine if a person has been infected with the new coronavirus strain from the current 24 hours to just six.
The new method will be used initially by 18 public health centers on Friday and then be provided to civilian clinics and hospitals in early February, it added.
China, meanwhile, has confirmed 170 deaths and 7,711 people infected with the virus as of early Thursday.
Outside of China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, France, Germany, Canada and the United States have confirmed cases of the new virus. Worldwide data showed 7,808 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(8th LD) S. Korea's first evacuation plane heads to China's Wuhan

`` We believe that they ( the Chinese ) are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead @ @ @ @ @ receive requests sequentially , since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ , '' Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said earlier .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead to highlight departure of South Korea's evacuation plane for China; UPDATES with more details in paras 2-5; TRIMS; RESTRUCTURES; ADDS photos)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean plane departed for China's coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan on Thursday to bring home hundreds of people unable to leave due to a citywide lockdown caused by the deadly contagious virus.
The chartered Korean Air flight left Seoul's Incheon International Airport shortly after 8:45 p.m.
It was expected to return home early Friday with some 360 South Korean citizens.
A chartered Korean Air plane is towed to a parking area at Seoul's Incheon International Airport on Jan. 30, 2020, before its departure for China's Wuhan on a mission to evacuate hundreds of South Korean citizens trapped there under a lockdown due to the outbreak of a pneumonia-like illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus. (Yonhap)
The flight is one of two originally planned under Seoul's evacuation plan to bring home some 700 South Koreans from the central Chinese city and its neighboring areas.
Its departure also came after hours of delay caused by slower-than-expected approval from Chinese authorities.
"We believe that they (the Chinese) are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead for one plane and then receive requests sequentially, since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. and Japan for provisional flights," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said earlier.
Seoul officials did not give details of the reason for the delay, but observers said that Beijing might want to avoid the image of foreigners escaping China in an unsettling exodus.
Sources say that the Chinese government refused to allow two Japanese planes to fly to Wuhan in one day and also turned down U.S. flight schedules multiple times before finally approving them.
The government also plans to continue talks with Beijing over ways to take care of South Koreans remaining in Wuhan, mostly because they have family members there who hold Chinese citizenship. China said earlier it won't allow its own citizens to join the evacuation.
Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho explains to reporters the government's evacuation plan to bring back South Korean nationals from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
Seoul hopes to send at least one more flight to China on Friday, according to officials here.
"Whether they are abroad or in Korea, wherever they are, the state's basic mission is to protect the safety and lives of our citizens," Seoul's Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho told reporters at the Incheon airport.
With a reduction in the number of evaluation flights, at least for now, more people may now have to board the plane home, Lee noted, adding that additional protective steps will be taken to prevent any in-flight infections.
"They are basically showing no signs of being ill. So we have strengthened protective measures so as to bring them all together on the plane," Lee said.
He said consultations with China are still under way to ensure that the remaining citizens can return home as early as possible.
Seoul announced the plan to airlift its nationals out of Wuhan on Tuesday, shortly after Beijing sealed off the city, suspending flights and other forms of transportation there, as well as for the surrounding regions, amid the rapid spread of the disease.
Seoul has been going all out to stem the spread of the pneumonia-like illness that has killed 170 and infected over 7,700 in China alone.
South Korea has reported six confirmed cases of the virus infection since early last week, with no fatalities so far. Health authorities are tracking 2,991 individuals who flew from Wuhan between Jan. 14 and 23, considering the disease's 14-day incubation period.
The government said the evacuated people will be put into isolation at two different public facilities in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, in the country's central region.
But the quarantine plan has drawn strong opposition from the residents in the areas worried about potential infection. Some residents in Asan staged sit-in protests, blaming the government for making the decision without their consent.
Scuffles broke out late Wednesday as some angry residents in Jincheon threw water bottles and paper cups at government officials, including Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip, who had come to brief them on the plan and to ask for their understanding.
Of about 700 people who have applied for the transfer, those with no symptoms will be transported first, and they will be subject to a quarantine check right before and after the flights, and will stay at the facilities for at least 14 days, according to the government.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(URGENT) First S. Korean plane departs for China's Wuhan to evacuate citizens under lockdown

(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--2020-01-30--N. Korea set to shut down all int'l routes to and from country: source

SEOUL , Jan. 30 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korea plans to completely shut down all its transportation routes to @ @ @ @ @ in an apparent attempt to prevent an outbreak of the new coronavirus in the impoverished @ @ @ @ @ said Thursday .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea plans to completely shut down all its transportation routes to the outside world this week in an apparent attempt to prevent an outbreak of the new coronavirus in the impoverished nation, an informed source said Thursday.
The communist state is expected to suspend all international flights, train services and shipping as of Friday.
"North Korea intensified its border control earlier this month, but a few trains and flights from China have still found their way into the country," the source said.
"It appears to have decided to intensify its measures as conditions have worsened," the source added.
Pyongyang reportedly shut down its border with China last Wednesday after some 1,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus were reported in China.
More than 7,700 cases have been confirmed in China alone as of Thursday, with 170 deaths so far.
In a related move, the North has also asked to temporarily shut down its joint liaison office with South Korea in its border town of Kaesong.
All 58 South Korean officials stationed there returned home earlier in the day.
South Korea has so far reported six confirmed cases of the viral disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus believed to have originated from China's Wuhan.
North Korea has yet to report any confirmed cases.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(7th LD) S. Korea to send evacuation plane to Wuhan Thursday night

`` We believe that they ( Chinese ) are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead for @ @ @ @ @ requests sequentially , since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ '' Kang said .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; TRIMS)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea was set to send a chartered plane to the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday night to bring home its citizens there after a hourslong delay of the flight caused by slower-than-expected approval from Chinese authorities.
The Korean Air flight was scheduled to depart at 8:45 p.m. from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to evacuate at least half the 700 South Koreans. Seoul seeks to send another flight Friday to bring the remainder home.
Under an initial evacuation plan announced on Wednesday, two flights were set to take off at 10 a.m. and noon, with two more scheduled to fly to Wuhan the following day.
Before departing for Wuhan, Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho said that despite the flight delay, the government will bring home all South Koreans who have applied to return to Korea on the plane.
"Whether they are abroad or in Korea, wherever they are, the state's basic mission is to protect the safety and lives of our citizens," Lee told reporters at the airport.
Lee said that although more people will have to board the plane, protective efforts will be implemented to prevent any infection during flight.
"They are basically showing no signs of being ill. So we have strengthened protective measures so as to bring them all together on the plane," the senior official added.
He said that consultations with China are still under way to ensure that the remaining citizens can return home as early as possible.
In a joint media briefing, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Beijing has given approval for one of the chartered planes.
"We believe that they (Chinese) are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead for one plane and then receive requests sequentially, since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. and Japan for provisional flights," Kang said.
Seoul officials did not give details of the reason for the delay, but observers said that Beijing might want to avoid the optics of foreigners escaping China in an unsettling exodus.
Sources say that the Chinese government refused to allow two Japanese planes to fly to Wuhan in one day and also turned down U.S. flight schedules multiple times before finally approving them.
The government also plans to continue talks with Beijing over ways to take care of South Koreans remaining in Wuhan, mostly because they have families there who hold Chinese citizenship. China said earlier it won't allow its own citizens to join the evacuation.
South Korean officials have been in consultations with China on logistical details regarding the emergency transfer of its citizens.
On Tuesday, Seoul announced the plan to airlift its nationals out of Wuhan, after Beijing placed the city under lockdown, suspending flights and transportation there and in its surrounding regions amid the fast spread of the disease.
Seoul has been going all-out to stem the spread of the pneumonia-like illness that has killed 170 and infected over 7,700 in China alone.
South Korea has reported six confirmed cases of the virus infection since early last week, with no fatalities so far. Health authorities are tracking 2,991 individuals who flew from Wuhan between Jan. 14 and 23, considering the disease's 14-day incubation period.
The government said the evacuated people will be put into isolation at two different public facilities in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, in the country's central region.
But the quarantine plan has drawn strong opposition from the residents in the areas worried about potential infection. Some residents in Asan staged sit-in protests, blaming the government for making the decision without their consent.
Scuffles broke out late Wednesday as some angry residents in Jincheon threw water bottles and paper cups at government officials, including Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip, who had come to brief them on the plan and to ask for their understanding.
Of about 700 people who have applied for the transfer, those with no symptoms will be transported first, and they will be subject to a quarantine check right before and after the flights, and will stay at the facilities for at least 14 days, according to the government.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(3rd LD) S. Koreans withdraw from liaison office in N.K. amid new coronavirus fears

The North 's main newspaper , the Rodong Sinmun , said it has organized regional control towers across the country @ @ @ @ @ efforts to stem the spread of the virus .
Pyongyang earlier declared the launch of @ @ @ @ @ the new virus , calling it a `` political matter '' that could determine the @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with return of South Korean officials, latest info)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- All South Koreans working at the inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong returned home Thursday after the two Koreas agreed to temporarily shut down the office amid concerns over the spread of a new strain of coronavirus, the unification ministry said.
The shutdown decision was made during a meeting at the office earlier in the day following South and North Korea's stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly illness, which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
The two Koreas will establish new telephone and fax lines to continue communications between Seoul and Pyongyang despite the closure, which will continue until the threat posed by the virus is "completely eased," the ministry said.
"North Korea has been beefing up quarantine efforts after declaring the launch of a national emergency system, and the decision (to temporarily suspend the office) was made following (the two sides') consultations," a ministry official said.
All of the 58 South Koreans -- 17 government officials and 41 supporting staff members -- who were stationed at the office crossed the military demarcation line back to the South later Thursday.
According to Chinese authorities, the new virus has killed at least 170 and infected more than 7,700 in the country alone.
South Korea has confirmed six cases of the pneumonia-like illness since early last week. North Korea has not yet reported any confirmed infections.
The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said it has organized regional control towers across the country to strengthen its monitoring of efforts to stem the spread of the virus. Pyongyang earlier declared the launch of a national emergency system against the new virus, calling it a "political matter" that could determine the fate of the country.
Asked to comment on any plan for quarantine cooperation with the North, the ministry official said the government is for now focused on monitoring how the situation develops in South Korea.
The inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong was launched in 2018 to support exchanges and cooperation between the two Koreas following a summit agreement between their leaders in April that year.
They agreed to hold a weekly meeting of co-heads of the office -- one from each side -- but no such meeting has been held since February last year amid chilled cross-border relations. Still, the two sides have been holding regular contacts twice a day.
This photo filed March 24, 2019, shows the joint liaison office set up by South and North Korea in the North's border town of Kaesong, following a summit agreement between their leaders in April 2018. (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(2nd LD) S. Korea reports 2 more new coronavirus cases, total now at 6

(ATTN: COMBINES with earlier story on additional cases; UPDATES with more details from 8th para)
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday reported two more cases of the new coronavirus, with one believed to be the country's first human-to-human transmission, bringing the total number of people infected here to six.
Of the two, one, a 32-year-old man, recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the latest outbreak, but the other was confirmed to be the country's first human transmission case of the novel virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The first person-to-person infection involves a 56-year-old man who had been in contact with the country's third confirmed patient, who had, in turn, returned from China last week without showing symptoms.
The third patient was not subject to any limitations on his movement for days before testing positive for the new virus strain on Sunday, with the person he infected not under close observation by the health authorities so that he too could have inadvertently transmitted the disease to others.
The other person confirmed to be infected was in Wuhan on business and returned on Friday, according to the KCDC.
The two patients were immediately quarantined, it said.
The state agency said that it is in the process of determining who these two people met in the past few days so they can be contacted and checked.
Human-to-human infection has been a grave source of concern because it can easily lead to a sharp rise in infected cases.
From Jan. 3 onward, the KCDC said that it had closely checked 244 people for signs of the illness, with 199 having been cleared.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, central China, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
The public health protection agency said earlier that it has developed a test procedure that can reduce the time it takes to determine if a person has been infected with the new coronavirus strain from the current 24 hours to just six.
The new method will be used initially by 18 public health centers on Friday and then be provided to civilian clinics and hospitals in early February, it added.
China, meanwhile, has confirmed 170 deaths and 7,711 people infected with the virus as of early Thursday.
Outside of China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, France, Germany, Canada and the United States have confirmed cases of the new virus. Worldwide data showed 7,808 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Hyundai's 3 affiliates rack up solid performance in 2019

Hyundai Motor said it will continue to focus on improving profitability to achieve an operating profit margin of 5 percent @ @ @ @ @ the 3.5 percent it posted last year .
Kia said it aims to achieve an @ @ @ @ @ percent in 2025 from 3.5 percent last year .

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Group's three key affiliates posted stellar performance last year with their operating profit jumping 44 percent on a weak won and robust sales of sport-utility vehicle models.
For the whole of 2019, Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis Co. posted a combined operating profit of 8.05 trillion won (US$6.8 billion), up from 5.6 trillion won a year ago, according to the companies' annual earnings results.
The companies reported an on-year growth in their overall operating income for the first time last year in seven years after their operating results continued to decline from 2013-2018, the data showed.
Analysts expected Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors will continue to benefit from higher demand for their SUV models in global markets, including the world's most important U.S. automobile market, this year.
This file photo provided by Kia Motors shows the Telluride SUV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)
Strong sales of Hyundai's flagship Palisade and entry-level Kona SUVs and Kia's Telluride SUV buoyed the companies' bottomline last year. The Telluride, produced in Kia's Georgia plant, was launched in the U.S. last year and sold only in North American markets.
The SUV models are expected to continue to support Hyundai and Kia's earnings this year, with new models such as Hyundai's Tucson SUV, its independent brand Genesis' GV80 SUV, and Kia's Sorento SUV set to be launched in the U.S. market during the year.
"Increased sales of those value-added SUV models helped improve Hyundai and Kia's product mix. And friendly exchange rates also helped their annual earnings results," a Hyundai spokesman said.
The dollar rose to an average of 1,175.81 won in the fourth quarter from 1,127.52 won a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea. A weak won makes South Korean exports more price-competitive in overseas markets and lifts the value of repatriated profits.
Hyundai Motor said it will continue to focus on improving profitability to achieve an operating profit margin of 5 percent this year, higher than the 3.5 percent it posted last year. Kia said it aims to achieve an operating profit margin of 6 percent in 2025 from 3.5 percent last year.
Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales, aims to sell 7.54 million vehicles in 2020, up 4.9 percent from 7.19 million units they sold last year.
Hyundai Mobis' operating profit advanced last year as it earns 90 percent of its overall auto parts sales from the country's two biggest carmakers.
The auto parts firm aims to achieve $2.73 billion worth of orders globally, higher than $1.76 billion orders it obtained from global carmakers last year.
The three firms' net profit soared 58 percent to 7.39 trillion won in 2019 from 4.69 trillion won, while sales rose 8.5 percent to 201.99 trillion won from 186.13 trillion won during the cited period.
Earlier this month, the Korean automotive group said it will invest more than 100 trillion won in the next five years to increase its presence in the future mobility markets.
"We are planning to launch 44 electrified vehicles, including 11 all-electric models, by 2025, as we aim to take the lead in electrified car markets based on the development of our own platforms and core electrified car components," Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun said in his New Year message to employees.
In 2019, the group sold 24 kinds of electrified models in global markets, and it plans to expand the lineup to 13 gasoline hybrid, six plug-in hybrid, 23 all-electric and two hydrogen fuel-cell electric models by 2025.
In this photo taken on Jan. 2, 2020, Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Chung Euisun delivers a New Year's speech at a kickoff meeting with employees held at the group's headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(LEAD) S. Korea reports 2 more cases of new coronavirus, 1st human transmission

Of the two , one recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan , the epicenter of the latest outbreak @ @ @ @ @ confirmed to be the country 's first human transmission case of the novel virus , @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention ( KCDC ) .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday reported two more cases of the new coronavirus, one confirmed to be the country's first human-to-human transmission, bringing the total number of people infected to six.
Of the two, one recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the latest outbreak, but the other was confirmed to be the country's first human transmission case of the novel virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The first person-to-person infection involves a 56-old man who had been in close contact with the country's third confirmed patient, who had, in turn, returned from China last week without showing symptoms.
The third patient was not subject to any limitations on his movement for days before testing positive for the new virus strain on Sunday.
The other person confirmed to be infected is a 32-year-old man who was in Wuhan on business and returned on Friday, according to the KCDC.
The two patients were immediately quarantined, it said.
The state agency said that it is in the process of determining who these two people met in the past few days so they can be contacted and checked.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(LEAD) S. Korea to develop indigenous turbofan engine by 2025

In order to develop an indigenous model , the Defense Acquisition Program Administration ( DAPA ) , in cooperation with @ @ @ @ @ Industry and Energy , will launch the project this year by pouring in 88 billion @ @ @ @ @ million ) with an aim to complete its development by 2025 , according to its @ @

(ATTN: ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to develop an advanced turbofan engine for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with its own technology by 2025, the arms procurement agency said Thursday.
As the most modern variation of the basic gas turbine for UAVs, the turbofan engine is known to be fuel efficient and produce less noise.
In order to develop an indigenous model, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will launch the project this year by pouring in 88 billion won (US$74.4 million) with an aim to complete its development by 2025, according to its officials.
For the project, the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday.
"The development will help lay the groundwork for our self-defense in surveillance and reconnaissance terms," DAPA said in a release, adding it is also expected to help give the country's overall materials, parts and equipment sectors a competitive edge.
The global transaction of the UAV propulsion system is subject to the Missile Technology Control Regime, an export control pact among 35 major countries on the nonproliferation of missiles, UAVs and related technologies.
Kim Sang-mo (R), an official of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), shakes hands with Kang Gyeong-sung, an official of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, after signing a memorandum of understanding on the development of an indigenous turbofan engine for unmanned aerial vehicles on Jan. 30, 2020, in this photo provided by DAPA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--Local residents protest plans to accommodate evacuees from China

They held signs that read `` We object to the accommodation of compatriots from China , '' and some shouted @ @ @ @ @ the minister and Gov .
Yang Seung-jo when they arrived at the town 's community @ @

JINCHEON/ASAN, South Korea, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- Local residents of two South Korean towns on Thursday continued their protests around provincial facilities that will accommodate evacuees from the Chinese city at the epicenter of a new coronavirus outbreak.
South Korea plans to send a chartered flight later in the day to begin bringing home about 700 nationals from Wuhan, China.
The government decided the previous day to quarantine them at two public facilities in Asan and Jincheon County in the country's central region for two weeks, triggering angry protests from local residents concerned about possible contagion.
On Thursday afternoon, protesters in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, hurled eggs at Minister of Interior and Safety Chin Young, who was there to persuade them to accept the quarantine plan.
Dozens of residents began to camp out again early in the morning in front of the Police Human Resources Development Institute, one of the temporary accommodations for evacuees.
They clashed with police as they tried to block the street and some lay down on the road before the minister's arrival.
They held signs that read "We object to the accommodation of compatriots from China," and some shouted insults and threw eggs at the minister and Gov. Yang Seung-jo when they arrived at the town's community center.
Minister of Interior and Safety Chin Young (C) holds a meeting with local residents in the central city of Asan on Jan. 30, 2020, amid local residents' protest against the government's plan to quarantine South Korean evacuees from China's epicenter of a new coronavirus outbreak at a public facility in the city. (Yonhap)
Tension was also high around the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, which will also host people from Wuhan.
On late Wednesday, local residents staged sit-in protests and threw water bottles and paper cups at a vice health minister who visited to hold talks with them.
During the night the Jincheon police agency deployed 700 police officers and surrounded the facility with tens of vehicles to block the protesters.
On Thursday morning, about 100 residents continued the protest in front of the building.
"The central government unilaterally made the decision without collecting opinions from residents," Rep. Kyeong Dae-soo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said during the rally.
He demanded the government cancel the plan, noting that there are about 800 households within a 500 meter radius of the institute.
Despite the objections, the government proceeded with preparations to host the South Koreans from China.
On Thursday morning, protesters removed tractors and trucks, which they had placed the previous day to block the entrances of the facilities, after police warned that vehicles that illegally occupying the road would be towed away.
The government plans to move supplies for the evacuees into the facilities later in the day. Two trucks possibly carrying such materials were spotted entering the Jincheon complex. Disinfection equipment for persons and vehicles were set up in the Asan police institute.
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(6th LD) S. Korea to send evacuation plane to Wuhan Thursday night

`` We believe that they are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead for one plane and @ @ @ @ @ since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. and Japan for provisional @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout; TRIMS)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send one chartered flight to the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday night to bring home its citizens from the locked-down city, a foreign ministry official said.
The announcement followed an hourslong delay to the flight caused by longer-than-expected consultations with Chinese authorities, raising questions over Seoul's diplomatic finesse.
The Korean Air flight is set to depart at 8:45 p.m. from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to evacuate at least half the 700 South Koreans from the epicenter of the deadly contagious virus. Seoul seeks to send another flight to bring the remainder home.
Under an initial evacuation plan announced on Wednesday, two Korean Air planes were set to take off at 10 a.m. and noon, with two more flights scheduled to fly to Wuhan the following day.
In a joint media briefing, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Beijing has given approval for one of the chartered planes and that Seoul was in talks with the Chinese side to finalize the flight operation.
"China informed us last night that it would allow the operation of one plane first," she said after a meeting presided over by President Moon Jae-in.
"We believe that they are working in a way in which they give the go-ahead for one plane and then receive requests sequentially, since it has been receiving many other requests from the U.S. and Japan for provisional flights," Kang said.
Seoul officials did not give details of the reason for the delay, but observers said that Beijing might want to avoid the optics of foreigners escaping China in an unsettling exodus.
Sources say that the Chinese government refused to allow two Japanese planes to fly to Wuhan in one day and also turned down U.S. flight schedules multiple times before finally approving them.
"We are consulting with the Chinese government to make sure that our citizens staying in Wuhan can return home as soon as possible according to the changed schedule," the official said.
The government also plans to continue talks with Beijing over ways to take care of South Koreans remaining in Wuhan, mostly because they have families there who hold Chinese citizenship. China said earlier it won't allow its own citizens to join the evacuation.
South Korean officials have been in consultations with China on logistical details regarding the emergency transfer of its citizens.
On Tuesday, Seoul announced the plan to airlift its nationals out of Wuhan, after Beijing placed the city under lockdown, suspending flights and transportation there and in its surrounding regions amid the fast spread of the disease.
Seoul has been going all-out to stem the spread of the pneumonia-like illness that has killed 170 and infected over 7,700 in China alone.
South Korea has reported six confirmed cases of the virus infection since early last week, with no fatalities so far. Health authorities are tracking 2,991 individuals who flew from Wuhan between Jan. 14 and 23, considering the disease's 14-day incubation period.
The government said the evacuated people will be put into isolation at two different public facilities in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, in the country's central region.
But the quarantine plan has drawn strong opposition from the residents in the areas worried about potential infection. Some residents in Asan staged sit-in protests, blaming the government for making the decision without their consent.
Scuffles broke out late Wednesday as some angry residents in Jincheon threw water bottles and paper cups at government officials, including Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip, who had come to brief them on the plan and to ask for their understanding.
Of about 700 people who have applied for the transfer, those with no symptoms will be transported first, and they will be subject to a quarantine check right before and after the flights, and will stay at the facilities for at least 14 days, according to the government.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--iKON to release 1st album since leader B.I's departure last year

The new album , set for official release on Feb. 6 , is iKON 's third EP and its first @ @ @ @ @ left in June last year over drug-related allegations , according to the band 's management @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy band iKON will return to the music scene with a new album, "i DECIDE," next week.
The new album, set for official release on Feb. 6, is iKON's third EP and its first release since band leader B.I left in June last year over drug-related allegations, according to the band's management agency, YG Entertainment.
B.I's departure reconfigured iKON as a six-member boy band.
The new album contains tracks created by the former leader, including "Dive."
YG said it chose to use the tracks to help the band return quickly to the music scene.
"(They are also) works that were jointly created by B.I and other in-house YG producers and bear the effort and affection of iKON members," YG said.
According to the agency, the concerned tracks were recorded early last year to be released mid-2019. But the release plan was put on hold amid the allegations facing B.I.
YG deleted or replaced B.I's parts before releasing the album to the public, it said.
This promotional image of iKON's new album was provided by YG Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(2nd LD) Airlines to cut, suspend some Chinese routes amid virus worries

The new coronavirus virus first appeared in Wuhan , the central Chinese city of 11 million people at the center @ @ @ @ @ month and has infected thousands and killed more than 100 in China .
Cases have @ @ @ @ @ as far away as the United States .

(ATTN: UPDATES with confirmed cases of the coronavirus in 13th para)
By Choi Kyong-ae
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's airlines are reorganizing their flight schedules on Chinese routes in preemptive measures to avoid fallout from the fast-spreading new coronavirus, industry sources said Thursday.
Korean Air Lines Co., the country's national flag carrier, said it will reduce or suspend some of its flights to China from Sunday in line with global airlines that take similar steps amid mounting fears about the virus, believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
"We will halt or suspend services on some of our Chinese routes next week to respond to declining demand to and from China due to closure of tour destinations in China and the cancellation of business trips there," the company said in a statement.
On Sunday, the country's biggest full-service carrier will suspend services on routes from Incheon to Huangshan, Zhangjiajie, Changsha and Kunming, on routes from Busan to Beijing and Nanjing, and on routes from Jeju Island to Beijing, the statement said.
The company also plans to reduce the number of flights on routes from Incheon to Qingdao, Shenyang and Beijing and routes from Busan to Qingdao and Shanghai, effective the same day.
Korean Air's four flights a week to Wuhan will be suspended until March 27, the company said.
"Customers who cancel or postpone flights to China will be exempted from paying charges for cancellations or postponements until the end of March," a company spokeswoman said.
Most flight attendants are currently wearing masks while serving customers, with hand sanitizers and masks provided to all airline personnel and passengers at the airport, she said.
Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest airline, also plans to suspend routes from Incheon to less popular Chinese cities next month -- Gulin and Haikou starting Feb. 1 and Changsha beginning Feb. 3.
Low-cost carriers have joined the two full-service carriers by taking preventive measures to minimize the impact of the crisis on their businesses this year.
Jeju Air Co., the country's biggest low-cost carrier by sales, said Wednesday it will gradually suspend six routes to Zhangjiajie from Incheon and other local airports in the coming weeks and will take additional steps depending on further developments.
The new coronavirus virus first appeared in Wuhan, the central Chinese city of 11 million people at the center of the outbreak, last month and has infected thousands and killed more than 100 in China. Cases have stretched beyond Asia, including as far away as the United States.
South Korea has reported six confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, and the authorities have raised the country's infectious disease alert level one notch from yellow to orange, the third highest.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, coughing, and in more severe cases, shortness of breath or pneumonia.
Concerns about the respiratory ailment now extend beyond health to its impact on the economy.
Among businesses, the airline industry appears set to bear the brunt of the fallout from the coronavirus if it continues to spread across borders, further sapping travel demand.
Analysts expect airlines will suffer a decline in sales in the first and second quarters as it will take some time for the virus to be contained.
Korean Air and Asiana may suffer hefty losses if the virus continues to spread across borders and affect travel demand going forward, they said.
Korean Air and Asiana earn more than 10 percent and nearly 20 percent of their sales, respectively, from services on Chinese routes, according to the companies.
Given this, they are expected to post weak earnings results in the first quarter if demand on Chinese routes continues to decline due to the virus.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--S. Korea reports 2 more confirmed case of new coronavirus

Of the two , one recently had returned from Wuhan , the epicenter of the latest outbreak , but the @ @ @ @ @ first case of human transmission of the novel virus , according to the Korea Centers @ @ @ @ @ ( KCDC ) .
( END )

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday confirmed two more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of people infected to six.
Of the two, one recently had returned from Wuhan, the epicenter of the latest outbreak, but the other was the country's first case of human transmission of the novel virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--S. Korea to erect monument in Vladivostok to remember independence fighter

The South Korean Consulate in the Russian city said the erection of the monument to Yi Dong-hwi , who served @ @ @ @ @ of the Korean Provisional Government , will take place near the city 's Pokrovsky Cathedral @ @ @ @ @ with the Vladivostok city government .

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to establish a monument in Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok in the first half of the year to pay tribute to an independence fighter during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, South Korean officials said Thursday.
The South Korean Consulate in the Russian city said the erection of the monument to Yi Dong-hwi, who served as the first prime minister of the Korean Provisional Government, will take place near the city's Pokrovsky Cathedral on June 26 in cooperation with the Vladivostok city government.
The consulate will have the monument made in South Korea.
The Vladivostok city government was the first to suggest the project.
Born in Danchon, South Hamgyong Province, in 1873, Yi became a military officer and devoted himself to enlightening the public and leading unofficial troops in his resistance against Japan, which colonized the peninsula from 1910-45.
After Korea came under Japanese rule in 1910, Yi moved to the Russian Far East in 1913 to nurture an army for national independence before taking office as prime minister of the provisional government in Shanghai in 1919.
Yi died in 1935 in Shinhanchon in Vladivostok.
South Korean Consul General Oh Sung-hwan said Russia has a tradition of revering unknown soldiers who sacrificed themselves for their countries, adding, "We are looking at the option of carrying a message to pay tribute to unknown independence fighters on the monument."
This file photo shows Yi Dong-hwi, the first prime minister of the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai. (Yonhap)
namsh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 more confirmed case of new coronavirus


yna--2020-01-30--NSC officials check ways to maintain inter-Korean contact amid virus-related measures

They also talked about action plans on the New Northern Policy this year and agreed to make efforts to achieve @ @ @ @ @ and cooperation , especially in the energy , infrastructure and health and medical fields .
@ @ @ @ @ Moon Jae-in administration 's diplomatic initiatives are China , Russia and other northern Eurasian countries @

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security officials on Thursday discussed how to ensure there is no gap in routine inter-Korean contact, as the two sides decided to temporarily close their liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong due to the outbreak of a new coronavirus, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
In a weekly National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting, its members also reviewed measures related to the protection of South Koreans in China against the deadly virus and responses by the international community. It was presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at the presidential office.
"They discussed ways for relevant responses, which include maintaining the liaison work between the South and the North in accordance with the provisional suspension of the operation of the Kaesong liaison office," Cheong Wa Dae said.
Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, in a file photo (Yonhap)
They also talked about action plans on the New Northern Policy this year and agreed to make efforts to achieve tangible results through brisk exchanges and cooperation, especially in the energy, infrastructure and health and medical fields. Among major partners in the Moon Jae-in administration's diplomatic initiatives are China, Russia and other northern Eurasian countries.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Unification announced that the inter-Korean liaison office will be shut down until danger from the outbreak is "completely removed."
The two sides will establish new telephone and fax lines linking Seoul and Pyongyang to continue communications, it added.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(2nd LD) Koreas to temporarily shut down liaison office amid new coronavirus fears

The decision , which was made earlier in the day during a meeting at the office , came amid South @ @ @ @ @ efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly illness which originated in the central Chinese @ @ @ @ @ virus has killed at least 170 and infected more than 7,700 in China alone .

(ATTN: UPDATES with planned return of South Korean officials in 4th para; UPGRADES attribution in lead, 2nd para)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea on Thursday agreed to temporarily shut down their joint liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong amid concerns over the spread of a new strain of coronavirus, the unification ministry said.
They will establish new telephone and fax lines to continue communications between Seoul and Pyongyang despite the shutdown, which will continue until the threat posed by the virus is "completely eased," the ministry said.
"North Korea has been beefing up quarantine efforts after declaring the launch of a national emergency system, and the decision (to temporarily suspend the office) was made following (the two sides') consultations," a ministry official said.
All of the 58 South Koreans stationed at the office -- 17 government officials and 41 supporting staff members -- were to return to the South later Thursday.
The decision, which was made earlier in the day during a meeting at the office, came amid South and North Korea's stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly illness which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The virus has killed at least 170 and infected more than 7,700 in China alone.
South Korea has confirmed four cases of the pneumonia-like illness since early last week. North Korea has not yet reported any confirmed infections.
The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said it has organized regional control towers across the country to strengthen its monitoring of efforts to stem the spread of the virus. Pyongyang earlier declared the launch of a national emergency system against the new virus, calling it a "political matter" that could determine the fate of the country.
Asked to comment on any plan for quarantine cooperation with the North, the ministry official said the government is for now focused on monitoring how the situation develops in South Korea.
The inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong was launched in 2018 to support exchanges and cooperation between the two Koreas following a summit agreement between their leaders in April that year.
They agreed to hold a weekly meeting of co-heads of the office -- one from each side -- but no such meeting has been held since February last year amid chilled cross-border relations. Still, the two sides have been holding regular contacts twice a day.
This photo filed March 24, 2019, shows the joint liaison office set up by South and North Korea in the North's border town of Kaesong, following a summit agreement between their leaders in April 2018. (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-30--(2nd LD) LG Electronics Q4 loss widens on equity ties, mobile biz slump

The company 's operating profit increased 34.5 percent on-year to 101.8 billion won in the fourth quarter , but this @ @ @ @ @ compared to the previous quarter .
Sales rose 1.8 percent on-year to 16 trillion won @ @ @ @ @ of 2019 .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in last 2 paras; photo)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc. said Thursday its fourth-quarter deficit widened due to losses in its equity ties with a display-making affiliate, while its mobile business remained in the red.
The tech giant said it logged a net loss of 849.8 billion won (US$717 million) in the October-December period, compared with an 80.7 billion-won net loss a year earlier.
The company's operating profit increased 34.5 percent on-year to 101.8 billion won in the fourth quarter, but this was an 87 percent drop compared to the previous quarter. Sales rose 1.8 percent on-year to 16 trillion won in the last three months of 2019.
For the whole of 2019, LG Electronics' net income tumbled 87.8 percent on-year to 179.9 billion won. Operating profit dropped 9.9 percent on-year to 2.4 trillion won, but sales inched up 1.6 percent on-year to a record 62.3 trillion won.
This file photo shows LG Electronics Inc.'s corporate flag at the company's headquarters building in Seoul. (Yonhap)
LG Electronics said its equity ties with LG Display Co. hurt its bottom line. The company holds a 37.9 percent stake in the world's leading OLED panel maker.
LG Display, which is scheduled to announce its fourth-quarter earnings on Friday, has been suffering from falling LCD panel prices. Analysts here expect LG Display to suffer more than 1 trillion won in losses in 2019.
Aside from equity losses, LG Electronics saw its mobile business extend a slump to 19 consecutive quarterly losses.
LG Electronics' mobile business unit posted 332.2 billion won in operating loss in the fourth quarter, widening from a loss of 318.5 billion won a year earlier. The unit's sales plunged 21.2 percent on-year to 1.3 trillion won.
For all of 2019, its mobile business had sales of 5.9 trillion won, down from 7.9 trillion won in 2018, while operating loss was tallied at 1.01 trillion won, also widening from 789 billion won in 2018.
Analysts here predict that LG Electronics shipped only 29 million smartphones in 2019, down 28 percent from a year earlier.
"Sluggish sales of mass-tier smartphones in overseas markets, increased marketing expenses and retail inventory adjustments led to operating loss in the mobile business," the company said.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. shows the company's V50 ThinQ dual-screen smartphone. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
LG Electronics also continued to suffer from its vehicle component solutions (VS) business.
In the fourth quarter, the company's VS unit logged an operating loss of 63.7 billion won, sharply widening from a loss of 27.4 billion won reported a year earlier due to slower global automobile sales. Sales at the business unit also dipped 3.1 percent on-year to 1.3 trillion won.
The company's home entertainment business unit, which manages TV products, logged 4.59 trillion won in sales during the fourth quarter, relatively unchanged from a year earlier, but operating profit was nearly halved to 110 billion won over the cited period due to increased marketing costs.
LG Electronics' home appliance and air solution (HA) business division, however, posted a solid result.
The home appliance unit had its best-ever fourth-quarter sales at 4.62 trillion won, up 7 percent from a year earlier, while its operating income jumped 8.5 percent on-year to 122.2 billion won.
For the whole year of 2019, the HA business raked in a record 1.9 trillion won in operating profit, thanks to solid sales of its premium home appliances, such as LG Signature.
This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. shows the company's OLED 8K TVs at Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This year, the company said it aims to sell more premium products like OLED TVs, adding that it plans to launch a rollable TV in the first half of the year.
Shares in LG Electronics closed unchanged at 67,200 won on the Seoul bourse. The earnings results were released before the market closed.
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-05--S. Korea reports 2 more cases of novel coronavirus, total now at 18

The public health agency earlier that it has quarantined 129 people to test for the novel coronavirus and is checking @ @ @ @ @ with those infected for signs of the illness .

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday confirmed two more cases of novel coronavirus infection, bringing the total to 18, with the latest patients both being placed under quarantine.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said more information on the latest cases will be announced shortly.
The public health agency earlier that it has quarantined 129 people to test for the novel coronavirus and is checking 1,318 who came into contact with those infected for signs of the illness.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-05--Seoul stocks open higher on U.S. gains, China stimulus

Since the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year , the new coronavirus had killed 490 and @ @ @ @ @ in China as of Wednesday and reached 24 countries , including the U.S .

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks opened higher Wednesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors took solace from China's countermeasures to buffer economic fallout from the spreading new coronavirus.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 20.34 points, or 0.94 percent, to 2,178.24 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Investors appear relieved due to China's cash injection plan and stimulus measures to shore up its economy.
Foreigners and individuals continue to buy local stocks, offsetting institutional selling. Foreigners and retail investors bought a combined 134.8 billion won (US$114 million) worth of stocks, while institutions sold 134.7 billion won in stocks.
Since the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the new coronavirus had killed 490 and infected more than 20,000 people in China as of Wednesday and reached 24 countries, including the U.S.
South Korea had reported 16 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday.
Large-cap stocks advanced across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. rose 1.7 percent, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. climbed 1.3 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. gained 0.4 percent and leading steelmaker POSCO was up 1.2 percent.
Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. fell 0.4 percent, dominant tobacco company KT&G Corp. declined 1 percent, and cosmetics firm AmorePacific Corp. was up 0.3 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,184.95 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.45 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


yna--2020-02-05--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 2 more cases of novel coronavirus, total now at 18

(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--2020-02-05--Yonhap news advisory for Wedbesday, Feb. 5

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency .
Your queries are welcome .
Yonhap 's @ @ @ @ @ reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 ( general ) and 82-2-398-3460 ( economics ) , and @ @ @ @ @ yna.co.kr or sam @ yna.co.kr .

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency. Your queries are welcome. Yonhap's English-language news desk can be reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 (general) and 82-2-398-3460 (economics), and by email at sshim@yna.co.kr or sam@yna.co.kr.
General
-- Second day of S. Korea's entry ban on foreigners from Hubei
-- Universities postpone graduation ceremonies, reopening after winter vacation due to virus outbreak
-- Trump's State of the Union address
Economy & Finance
-- Follow-up stories on new coronavirus
-- Impact of new coronavirus on chip, display makers
(END)