yna--2020-01-01--(2nd LD) N.K. leader says no reason to keep moratorium on ICBM tests, warns of 'new strategic weapon

(2nd LD) N.K. leader says no reason to keep moratorium on ICBM tests, warns of 'new strategic weapon'

`` Under such condition , there is no ground for us to get unilaterally bound to the commitment any longer @ @ @ @ @ there is no opposite party , and this is chilling our efforts for worldwide nuclear @ @ @ @ @ the KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the party meeting .

(ATTN: UPDATES with Pompeo's remarks; ADDS Kim's remarks in last 4 paras)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he sees no reason to stick to his commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests and will soon show off a "new strategic weapon," accusing the United States of stalling for time for its own political interests, according to state media Wednesday.
Still, however, Kim appeared to have left room for negotiations as he also said during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party that how much the North will bolster its "nuclear deterrent" will depend on the future U.S. attitude.
Kim said it was part of his efforts to build confidence with the U.S. that he suspended tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), but Washington responded with joint military exercises with South Korea and more sanctions on Pyongyang.
"Under such condition, there is no ground for us to get unilaterally bound to the commitment any longer, the commitment to which there is no opposite party, and this is chilling our efforts for worldwide nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the party meeting.
Kim also said the North should "more actively push forward the project for developing strategic weapons" and "the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future," according to KCNA.
The DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hopes the North will choose peace.
"It remains the case that we hope Chairman Kim will take a different course," Pompeo told Fox News. "We're hopeful that Chairman Kim will make the right decision, (that) he'll choose peace and prosperity over conflict and war. ... I saw that reporting. I hope he doesn't go in that direction."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang on Dec. 31, 2019, in this photo disclosed by the official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 1. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Kim said the North "cannot give up the security of our future just for the visible economic results and happiness and comfort in reality now that hostile acts and nuclear threat against us are increasing," KCNA said.
"We further hardened our resolution never to barter the security and dignity of the state and the safety of its future for anything else," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
The North has threatened to take a "new way" if Washington fails to offer concessions in their denuclearization talks before the end of last year, hinting that Pyongyang would end diplomacy and revert to provocative acts.
Kim warned of a "shocking actual action" to make the U.S. pay for "abusing denuclearization talks, saying that the "powerful nuclear deterrent" capable of containing threats from the U.S. will be placed on "constant alert." He, however, hinted that Pyongyang has not completely abandoned talks, saying that its future action could depend upon the U.S. attitude.
"We will reliably put on constant alert the powerful nuclear deterrent capable of containing the nuclear threats from the U.S. and guaranteeing our long-term security, noting that the scope and depth of bolstering our deterrent will be properly coordinated depending on the U.S. future attitude to the DPRK," Kim was quoted as saying.
Denuclearization talks have been stalled since the second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump ended without an agreement due to wide differences over how to match Pyongyang's denuclearization measures and Washington's sanctions relief.
Pyongyang has wanted major sanctions relief to bolster its economy in exchange for closing the key nuclear test complex in Yongbyon. Washington has called for more denuclearization steps. The two sides met again in October in Stockholm but failed to narrow their differences.
Observers say that North Korea could resume tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles in protest of stalled denuclearization talks. Adding to the speculation, the North conducted what appears to be an engine test at its west coast satellite launch site last month.
Pyongyang declared a moratorium on nuclear and ICBM tests in April 2018, a symbolic gesture that led to Kim's first-ever summit with U.S. President Donald Trump two months later. Pyongyang has claimed that it has taken substantive denuclearization steps and asked for Washington's corresponding measures.
Kim said there will "never be the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula" and the North will continue to develop strategic weapons until the U.S. withdraws its "hostile policy" toward its regime, according to the KCNA.
He emphasized the importance of self-reliance and belt-tightening in fighting what would be a protracted struggle against sanctions and pressure led by the U.S.
"We should never dream that the U.S. and the hostile forces would leave us alone to live in peace, but we should make a frontal breakthrough with the might of self-reliance to tide over the difficulties lying in the way of advancing the socialist construction," he said.
"It is our firm revolutionary faith to defend the country's dignity and defeat imperialism through self-prosperity even though we tighten our belts."
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-01--Korea's exports dip 10.3 pct in 2019 on weak chip sales, trade rows

SEOUL , Jan. 1 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea 's exports fell 10.3 percent in 2019 after setting a @ @ @ @ @ before , due mainly to a slump in the global chip market coupled with the @ @ @ @ @ 's top two economies , data showed Wednesday .

SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports fell 10.3 percent in 2019 after setting a record high performance the year before, due mainly to a slump in the global chip market coupled with the trade feud between the world's top two economies, data showed Wednesday.
Outbound shipments came to US$542.4 billion last year, compared with $604.8 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Imports moved down 6 percent on-year to $503.2 billion.
The trade surplus came to $39.1 billion in 2019, marking the 11th consecutive year the country has posted a surplus.
For December, the monthly exports slipped 5.2 percent on-year to extend their slump to a whopping 13th consecutive month at $45.7 billion.
Imports fell 0.7 percent on-year last month to $43.7 billion. The country's trade surplus came to $2 billion in December, marking 95 straight months in which the country's exports have exceeded imports.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


Wednesday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jan. 1 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .

(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--2020-01-01--(URGENT) Korea's exports dip 10.3 pct in 2019 on chip slump, trade rows


yna--2020-01-01--Pompeo hopes N.K. refrains from 'new strategic weapon' test

`` It remains the case that we hope Chairman Kim will take a different course , '' the top U.S. @ @ @ @ @ 're hopeful that Chairman Kim will make the right decision , ( that ) he @ @ @ @ @ over conflict and war .
...
I saw that reporting .
I hope he does @ @ @ @ @ . ''

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday he hopes North Korea will not test a "new strategic weapon" as threatened by its leader Kim Jong-un.
Pompeo made the comment to Fox News shortly after Kim announced the world will soon see a "new strategic weapon" amid stalled denuclearization talks with Washington.
"It remains the case that we hope Chairman Kim will take a different course," the top U.S. diplomat said. "We're hopeful that Chairman Kim will make the right decision, (that) he'll choose peace and prosperity over conflict and war. ... I saw that reporting. I hope he doesn't go in that direction."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-01--(LEAD) N.K. leader says no reason to keep moratorium on ICBM tests, warns of 'new strategic weapon'

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he sees no reason to stick to his commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests and will soon show off a "new strategic weapon," accusing the United States of stalling for time for its own political interests, according to state media Wednesday.
Still, however, Kim appeared to have left room for negotiations as he also said during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party that how much the North will bolster its "nuclear deterrent" will depend on the future U.S. attitude.
Kim said that the North suspended tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) as part of efforts to build confidence with the U.S., but Washington responded with joint military exercises with South Korea and more sanctions on Pyongyang.
"Under such condition, there is no ground for us to get unilaterally bound to the commitment any longer, the commitment to which there is no opposite party, and this is chilling our efforts for worldwide nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the party meeting.
Kim also said the North should more actively push forward the project for developing strategic weapons and "the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future," according to KCNA.
The DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim also said the North "cannot give up the security of our future just for the visible economic results and happiness and comfort in reality now that hostile acts and nuclear threat against us are increasing," the KCNA said.
"We further hardened our resolution never to barter the security and dignity of the state and the safety of its future for anything else," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
The North has threatened to take a "new way" if Washington fails to offer concessions in their denuclearization talks before the end of last year, hinting that Pyongyang would end diplomacy and revert to provocative acts.
Kim warned of a "shocking actual action" to make the U.S. pay for "abusing denuclearization talks, saying that the "powerful nuclear deterrent" capable of containing threats from the U.S. will be placed on "constant alert." He, however, hinted that Pyongyang has not completely abandoned talks, saying that its future action could depend upon the U.S. attitude.
"We will reliably put on constant alert the powerful nuclear deterrent capable of containing the nuclear threats from the U.S. and guaranteeing our long-term security, noting that the scope and depth of bolstering our deterrent will be properly coordinated depending on the U.S. future attitude to the DPRK," Kim was quoted as saying.
Denuclearization talks have been stalled since the second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump ended without an agreement due to wide differences over how to match Pyongyang's denuclearization measures and Washington's sanctions relief.
Pyongyang has wanted major sanctions relief to bolster its economy in exchange for closing the key nuclear test complex in Yongbyon. Washington has called for more denuclearization steps. The two sides met again in October in Stockholm but failed to narrow their differences.
Observers say that North Korea could resume tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles in protest of stalled denuclearization talks. Adding to the speculation, the North conducted what appears to be an engine test at its west coast satellite launch site last month.
Pyongyang declared a moratorium on nuclear and ICBM tests in April 2018, a symbolic gesture that led to Kim's first-ever summit with U.S. President Donald Trump two months later. Pyongyang has claimed that it has taken substantive denuclearization steps and asked for Washington's corresponding measures.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-01--White House cites N.K. summits among Trump's top achievements

In a press release reflecting Trump 's first three years in office , the White House also noted that sanctions @ @ @ @ @ been eased while the two countries have negotiated the dismantling of Pyongyang 's nuclear weapons @ @

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The White House on Tuesday cited Donald Trump's meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as among the U.S. president's top achievements in office.
In a press release reflecting Trump's first three years in office, the White House also noted that sanctions on North Korea have not been eased while the two countries have negotiated the dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.
The statement came shortly before Kim announced a hard-line stance toward Washington over the stalled denuclearization talks, saying the world will soon see a "new strategic weapon."
"President Trump has held two historic summits with North Korea and earlier this year became the first President to cross the DMZ into North Korea," the White House press release said, referring to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas.
"The Administration has maintained tough sanctions on North Korea while negotiations have taken place," it said.
North Korea has demanded relief from punishing sanctions as part of a deal on dismantling its nuclear program, but the U.S. insists the North first take concrete steps toward denuclearization.
The impasse led to heightened tensions, with North Korea threatening to send an unwelcome "Christmas gift" to the U.S., which was widely interpreted as a possible intercontinental ballistic missile test.
The White House also said Trump provided a boost to American auto exports by renegotiating the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.
It said South Korea lifted its ban on American poultry and eggs, and agreed to provide market access for the "greatest, guaranteed volume" of American rice.
U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cross the Military Demarcation Line into the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, on June 30, 2019. Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to step onto North Korean soil. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-01--N.K. leader warns world will see new strategic weapon but leaves room for talks with U.S.

Kim also said that the North `` can not give up the security of our future just for the visible @ @ @ @ @ comfort in reality now that hostile acts and nuclear threat against us are increasing , @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the communist nation will show off a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, accusing the United States of stalling for time for its own political interests, but he stopped short of abandoning negotiations altogether.
Kim also said during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party that how much the North will bolster its "nuclear deterrent" will depend on the U.S. attitude, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
"Saying that we should more actively push forward the project for developing strategic weapons, he confirmed that the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future," the KCNA said.
Kim also said that the North "can not give up the security of our future just for the visible economic results and happiness and comfort in reality now that hostile acts and nuclear threat against us are increasing," according to the KCNA.
The North has threatened to take a "new way" if Washington fails to offer concessions in their denuclearization talks before the end of last year, hinting that Pyongyang would end diplomacy and revert to provocative acts.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-01--(URGENT) N.K. leader says scope and depth of bolstering nuclear deterrent will depend on U.S. attitu

(URGENT) N.K. leader says scope and depth of bolstering nuclear deterrent will depend on U.S. attitude


yna--2020-01-01--(URGENT) N.K. leader says the more U.S. stalls for time, the more helpless it will find itself

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(URGENT) N.K. leader says the more U.S. stalls for time, the more helpless it will find itself


yna--2020-01-01--(URGENT) N.K. leader says stalemate with U.S. can not but assume protracted nature


yna--2020-01-01--(URGENT) N.K. leader accuses U.S. of wasting time under pretense of dialogue for its own interests


yna--2020-01-01--(URGENT) N.K. leader says will continue to develop strategic weapons unless U.S. drops hostile polic

(URGENT) N.K. leader says will continue to develop strategic weapons unless U.S. drops hostile policy


yna--2020-01-31--St. Louis pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun blocking out noise ahead of 'rookie' MLB season

To prepare for his first major league camp , Kim spent a few days in Okinawa , Japan , earlier @ @ @ @ @ fellow major league pitcher , Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays .
Ryu and @ @ @ @ @ Organization ( KBO ) careers overlap in the late 2000s and early 2010s before Ryu @ @ @ @ @ leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 .
Just one year apart in age @ @ @ @ @ friends , and Kim said he was able to take their friendship to a new @ @ @ @

By Yoo Jee-ho
INCHEON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun may have spent 12 seasons in his native country, but as far as the 31-year-old is concerned, he'll merely be a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals this year.
Kim, who signed a two-year deal with the Red Birds last December, insisted Friday he'll go into his first spring training with a rookie mindset.
"I think it's right for me to start from scratch," Kim told reporters at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, before heading to Florida. "I am not going to put too much pressure on myself, but at the same time, I am not going to sell myself short, either."
In this UPI file photo from Dec. 17, 2019, South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun puts on his new St. Louis Cardinals jersey during an introductory press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
The Cardinals have said Kim will get every opportunity to win a spot in the starting rotation. Returning starters from last year, Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright and Dakota Hudson, will get their places, with Kim and Carlos Martinez, who stepped in as the closer for injured Jordan Hicks last year and is trying to return to the rotation, expected to battle for the fifth spot.
If he does make the rotation, Kim said his objective will be "to stay healthy and not skip a turn."
Kim has been projected by some U.S. media to reach double figures in wins and keep his ERA below 4.00. But Kim himself said he's not been paying attention to those reports.
"I think I just have to do what I am supposed to do, and not really put much stock into those predictions," Kim said. "Something may happen during spring training, and maybe I'll start getting some negative reports once camp starts."
Kim said he's been surprised by the amount of attention he's been getting after signing with the Cardinals and that he's better equipped now to deal with pressure than before.
"I remember facing high expectations in my rookie season and I let that affect my performance on the mound," Kim said. "But time has passed, and I think I am used to that kind of pressure. I am even able to enjoy it."
To prepare for his first major league camp, Kim spent a few days in Okinawa, Japan, earlier this month working out with fellow major league pitcher, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays. Ryu and Kim had their Korea Baeball Organization (KBO) careers overlap in the late 2000s and early 2010s before Ryu first left for the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. Just one year apart in age, the two have been friends, and Kim said he was able to take their friendship to a new level in Okinawa.
Kim Kwang-hyun, South Korean pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, on Jan. 31, 2020, before departing for Florida for his first major league training camp. (Yonhap)
"I tried to pick his brains about life in the U.S., and we spent a lot of time talking about different things," Kim said. "Though we'd been friends, we didn't really have a chance to have deep conversations. I feel like we were able to get much closer this year."
With Ryu now plying his trade in the American League, Kim said "the best-case scenario" for both would be to go head-to-head in the World Series.
Kim will first train with his old KBO team, SK Wyverns, in Vero Beach, Florida, before reporting to the Cards' camp in Jupiter, about 100 kilometers south. And once in Jupiter, Kim will also have a chance to be reunited with his former SK manager, Trey Hillman, currently first base coach for the Miami Marlins. The Cardinals and the Marlins both train at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter.
"I don't think I've ever felt so comfortable just walking into the manager's room for a chat as I did with Hillman," Kim recalled. "I met him last year when he visited SK's camp. It'll be great to see him again."
For his KBO career, Kim was 136-77 with a 3.27 ERA in 298 games, with 276 starts. He was voted the 2008 regular season MVP as a 20-year-old.
In 2019, Kim was 17-6 with a 2.51 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 190 1/3 innings. He was tied for second in the league in wins, second in strikeouts and third in ERA.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Seoul stocks open higher on bargain hunting

Seoul shares closed lower on Thursday as foreigners and institutions dumped local shares as fears over the novel coronavirus escalated @ @ @ @ @ more cases of the new coronavirus on the day , with one believed to be @ @ @ @ @ transmission , bringing the total number of people infected here to six .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher on Friday as investors scooped up bargains, but investor sentiment remained shaky on concerns over the rapid spread of the new coronavirus.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.45 points, or 0.30 percent, to reach 2,154.45 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Seoul shares closed lower on Thursday as foreigners and institutions dumped local shares as fears over the novel coronavirus escalated. The country reported two more cases of the new coronavirus on the day, with one believed to be the country's first human-to-human transmission, bringing the total number of people infected here to six.
The virus has killed 213 people so far and infected nearly 10,000 people across the world.
In Seoul, market kingpin Samsung Electronics advanced 0.7 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix grew 0.74 percent.
Carmakers were mixed, with No. 1 Hyundai Motor climbing 0.39 percent, while Kia Motors shed 0.36 percent. Auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis was unchanged.
The local currency was trading at 1,187.85 won against the U.S. dollar, down 2.85 won from the previous session's close.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(LEAD) LG Display swings to red in Q4

(LEAD) LG Display swings to red in Q4

The company posted an operating loss of 421.9 billion won for the October-December period , compared with a profit of @ @ @ @ @ ago .
Sales also fell 7.6 percent to 6.42 trillion won over the cited period @

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., South Korea's major display panel maker, said Friday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter from a year earlier due to asset impairments and increased costs.
LG Display reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 1.81 trillion won (US$1.5 billion) in a regulatory filing, shifting from a profit of 152.6 billion won a year earlier.
The company posted an operating loss of 421.9 billion won for the October-December period, compared with a profit of 279.3 billion won a year ago. Sales also fell 7.6 percent to 6.42 trillion won over the cited period.
LG Display said its bottom line drastically went down after it decided to reflect a charge of 1.6 trillion won related to asset impairments.
This photo provided LG Display Co. shows the company's plant in Guangzhou, China. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Besides asset impairments, LG Display still struggled to make a profit in its business operations as increased costs in POLED productions and restructuring of LCD business also hurt its profitability.
LG Display has been working to convert its LCD production lines to OLED fabs since a supply glut, led by Chinese manufacturers, dragged down LCD panel prices and damaged the company's earnings in recent years.
For the whole of 2019, LG Display reported a net loss of 2.87 trillion won, widening from a net loss of 207.2 billion won a year earlier.
It posted an operating loss of 1.35 trillion won for the year, compared with a profit of 92.9 billion won on-year. Annual revenue fell 3.5 percent to 23.47 trillion won.
(END)


Friday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Jan. 31 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-01-31--New Cardinals pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun eyes rotation spot ahead of 1st MLB spring training

The first four spots in the Cardinals ' rotation appear to be locks for the incumbents from 2019 : Jack @ @ @ @ @ Dakota Hudson and Adam Wainwright .
Former staff ace Carlos Martinez , who picked up @ @ @ @ @ closer following Jordan Hicks ' injury , is working toward a return to the rotation @ @ @ @ @ fifth spot , the Cardinals wo n't have any left-hander in the rotation .

By Yoo Jee-ho
INCHEON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun left for the United States on Friday for his first spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals, determined to win a spot in the starting rotation as a major league rookie.
Kim signed a two-year deal worth US$8 million with the Cardinals in December. He'd spent the previous 12 seasons with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), putting together an All-Star career that included a regular season MVP award as a 20-year-old in 2008.
Kim Kwang-hyun, South Korean pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 31, 2020, before departing for Florida for his first major league training camp. (Yonhap)
Last year, Kim went 17-6 with a 2.51 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 190 1/3 innings. He was tied for second in the league in wins, second in strikeouts and third in ERA.
Kim has been a starter for almost his entire professional career, and he said he hopes to keep it that way in the majors.
"I'll try my best to get into the starting rotation. I've been starting most of my career, and I have the most confidence in myself as a starter," Kim told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, before heading to Florida.
The first four spots in the Cardinals' rotation appear to be locks for the incumbents from 2019: Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, Dakota Hudson and Adam Wainwright. Former staff ace Carlos Martinez, who picked up 24 saves as an emergency closer following Jordan Hicks' injury, is working toward a return to the rotation. If Martinez wins the fifth spot, the Cardinals won't have any left-hander in the rotation.
When Kim was introduced in St. Louis, John Mozeliak, the Cardinals' president of baseball operations, said the left-hander would get "every opportunity to be used as a starter." Mozeliak added that Kim showed "flexibility" in regards to his role, saying, "(Kim) understands it's not a guarantee (that he'll start), but he appreciates the opportunity."
The pitcher himself said he'll always put the team ahead of his personal goals.
"Whatever the team wants me to do, I'll do it," he said. "I have pitched out of the bullpen (with the Wyverns) before when the situation called for it. I think all professional athletes have to do what their teams need."
In this UPI file photo from Dec. 17, 2019, South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun puts on his new St. Louis Cardinals cap during an introductory press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Yonhap)
The Cardinals' pitchers and catchers are to report to their camp in Jupiter, Florida, on Feb. 11, with their first workout to begin the next day. Before that, Kim will train with his old team, the Wyverns, in Vero Beach, about 100 kilometers north of Jupiter.
Kim said he'll hop over to Jupiter a couple of days before the reporting date, so that he can acquaint himself with club employees.
"Since this is my first year, I'll try to reach out to people who'll be helping the team," Kim said. "It's going to be nice to say hello and develop friendships early on."
The Cardinals' first spring training game will be on Feb. 22 against the New York Mets. Kim said he doesn't know if he'll pitch in that game, but he's been trying to build up his strength so that he'll be ready for that day if he gets his number called.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSDAQ 660.98 UP 4.59 points (open)


KOSPI 2,160.60 UP 12.60 points (open)


yna--2020-01-31--Dollar opens at 1,188.8 won UP from 1,185.0 won


yna--2020-01-31--Festivals Calendar - February 2020

Festivals Calendar - February 2020

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is held in the pristine natural surrounds of Hwacheon Stream , a natural habitat for mountain @ @ @ @ @ of the most popular events at the festival is ice fishing , where people cut @ @ @ @ @ and try their luck at catching trout .
Visitors can also brave the icy water @ @ @ @ @ .
Staff are available to ensure that even first-timers get a catch .
Freshly caught @ @ @ @ @ or grilled on-site .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The following are the major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in February.
* Gangwha Island Smelt & Trout Festival
When: Dec. 14-March 2
Where: Incheon, Gangwha County, Sinseon Reservoir
The festival, organized by volunteers from the region's fishing community and residents, marks its 8th anniversary this year. The venue, Sinseon Reservoir, located in a scenic valley of Mount Goryeo, is a famous tourist destination and also attracts visitors for its spring azalea festival. The annual Gangwha Island Smelt & Trout Festival is one of South Korea's major winter festivals.
For more information, call 032-933-1366 or visit http://www.ssfestival.co.kr.
This photo, captured from the website of the Korea Tourism Organization, shows families enjoying ice sledding. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
* Gapyeong Singsing Winter Festival
When: Jan. 4-Feb. 29
Where: 119, Gapyeongjebang-gil, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Gapyeong Singsing Winter Festival is famous for trout ice fishing. Other activities include ice sledding, riding bumper cars on snow, traditional Korean experiences and more. It is easy to reach Gapyeong by taking the ITX Cheongchun train from Yongsan Station. There are also popular attractions nearby such as Nami Island, the Garden of Morning Calm and Petite France.
For more information, call 031-581-6423.
This photo, captured from the website of the Korea Tourism Organization, shows people ice sledding. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
* Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
When: Jan. 27-Feb. 16
Where: 137, Sancheoneo-gil, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is held in the pristine natural surrounds of Hwacheon Stream, a natural habitat for mountain trout and otters. One of the most popular events at the festival is ice fishing, where people cut a hole through thick ice and try their luck at catching trout. Visitors can also brave the icy water to attempt catching fish barehanded. Staff are available to ensure that even first-timers get a catch. Freshly caught fish can be consumed raw or grilled on-site.
For more information, call 1688-3005 or visit http://www.narafestival.com.
This photo, captured from the website of the Korea Tourism Organization, shows fish-shaped illuminations. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
* Pyeongchang Trout Festival
When: Jan. 17-Feb. 2
Where: 3562, Gyeonggang-ro, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Pyeongchang Trout Festival takes place annually in Pyeongchang County, the largest trout producing area in South Korea. Trout cultivated in Pyeongchang are popular for their rich and chewy texture. At the festival, visitors can enjoy ice fishing along with other fun activities such as barehand fishing and sledding. The festival venue is also close to Alpensia Ski Resort and Yongpyong Ski Resort, where the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games took place.
For more information, call 033-336-4000 or visit http://www.festival700.or.kr.
This photo, captured from the website of the Korea Tourism Organization, shows people catching fish with their hands in a pool. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--U.S. ready to respond to any 'late Christmas gift' from N. Korea: Pentagon official

`` Hopefully , it wo n't happen .
Everyone in the government wants a diplomatic solution .
There 's nobody @ @ @ @ @ that does not want to give the State Department room to get to a successful @ @ @ @ @ said , we all know that North Korea , in essence , has one playbook @ @ @ @ @ So , we 're ready to respond through a variety of means , if need @ @ @ @ @ to that playbook , '' he added .

By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- The United States is ready to respond to any "late Christmas gift" from North Korea, a Pentagon official said Thursday, referring to the possibility of a North Korean provocation, such as a long-range missile test.
North Korea warned last year that it could send a "Christmas gift" to the U.S. in protest of stalled denuclearization negotiations between the countries, adding to concerns that the regime could resume its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
The year passed without such a provocation, but Heino Klinck, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, suggested that tensions remain.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Heino Klinck (L) speaks at a seminar hosted by the National Bureau of Asian Research in Washington on Jan. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
"I would say we're postured to respond to a late Christmas gift, if that happens," he said at a seminar hosted by the National Bureau of Asian Research.
"Hopefully, it won't happen. Everyone in the government wants a diplomatic solution. There's nobody in the Department of Defense that does not want to give the State Department room to get to a successful outcome diplomatically. That being said, we all know that North Korea, in essence, has one playbook, which is provocation. So, we're ready to respond through a variety of means, if need be, if they revert to that playbook," he added.
Klinck noted that South Korea and the U.S. scaled back some combined military exercises to facilitate the negotiations with the North. Pyongyang has long condemned the drills as rehearsals for an invasion.
"This is because, quite frankly, (U.S. President Donald Trump) wants to give every opportunity for diplomacy to win," he said. "And we are in a supporting role to the State Department. We want to ensure that we can give them the maximum amount of maneuverability that they need in negotiating with North Korea."
Klinck also sought to dismiss concerns about the health of the South Korea-U.S. alliance amid tough ongoing negotiations on sharing the costs for the stationing of 28,500 American troops on the peninsula.
"I want to downplay some of the tensions and differences," he said. "We need to remember it's an ironclad alliance focused on a common threat."
Klinck acknowledged that there are challenges between the countries. He also reiterated Washington's position that Seoul can increase its financial contributions to the upkeep of the American troops.
"Two sovereign countries. Two democratic countries that are always interested in furthering their national interests," he said. "There are going to be some disagreements. We're optimistic that we'll get to a point where there will be a fair and equitable burden sharing on both countries."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Daewoo Engineering & Construction 2019 net income down 32.3 pct. to 201.2 bln won

Operating profit for the year was 364.1 billion won , down 42.1 percent from the previous year , the company @ @ @ @ @ .
Annual sales fell 18.4 percent to 8.65 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. on Friday reported its 2019 net income of 201.2 billion won (US$ 169.8 million), down 32.3 percent from a year earlier.
Operating profit for the year was 364.1 billion won, down 42.1 percent from the previous year, the company said in a regulatory filing. Annual sales fell 18.4 percent to 8.65 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Daewoo Engineering & Construction Q4 net profit down 31.1 pct. to 21.7 bln won

The operating profit was 58.7 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. 31 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. on Friday reported its fourth-quarter net profit of 21.7 billion won (US$ 18.3 million), down 31.1 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 44.8 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 93.5 billion won a year ago. Sales rose 2.2 percent to 2.3 trillion won.
The operating profit was 58.7 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--2020-01-31--Seungri indicted on overseas gambling, prostitution mediation charges

Prosecutors also suspect the singer habitually gambled in Las Vegas with Yang Hyun-suk , the founder and former chief of @ @ @ @ @ , who allegedly gambled for over three years starting in December 2013 , are accused @ @ @ @ @ transaction act in the process .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Seungri, the disgraced former member of K-pop boy band BIGBANG, has been indicted for allegedly gambling overseas and procuring prostitutes for investors.
The scandal-ridden celebrity was indicted Thursday, without detention, on charges of overseas gambling and breaching the foreign exchange transaction act, as well as the act on the punishment of arranging commercial sex acts, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office.
Seungri is accused of arranging sex services for acquaintances from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong between December 2015 and January 2016. He also allegedly used such sex services.
Prosecutors also suspect the singer habitually gambled in Las Vegas with Yang Hyun-suk, the founder and former chief of YG Entertainment. The two, who allegedly gambled for over three years starting in December 2013, are accused of breaching the foreign exchange transaction act in the process.
A composite image showing singer Seungri against file images of a Seoul court and the nightclub Burning Sun. (Yonhap)
The indictment comes roughly two weeks after a Seoul court denied an arrest warrant for the singer, who was at the center of a major scandal that roiled the K-pop industry in 2019.
Seungri, whose legal name is Lee Seung-hyun, ceased all entertainment activities in March last year after Burning Sun, a nightclub he was affiliated with, was probed over drugs and sexual abuse.
The nightclub drew an outpouring of suspicions as a hotbed of collusion with police officials, drug trafficking, tax evasion and other illegalities, prompting President Moon Jae-in to order a thorough investigation into the case.
Seungri's business partner Yoo In-suk, former chief of Yuri Holdings Co., and eight others were also indicted Thursday over their alleged wrongdoings in relation to the controversial nightclub.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(LEAD) SK hynix swings to loss in Q4 on chip slump

SK hynix , the world 's second-largest maker of DRAM chips and the No .
6 vendor of NAND flash @ @ @ @ @ profitability of the product lines and the cost burden of new technology migration also dragged @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS more info throughout, photo)
By Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc., South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, said Friday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter from a year earlier due to a slump in the memory chip sector.
For the three months that ended Dec. 31, SK hynix shifted to a net loss of 118.2 billion won (US$99.8 million) from a net profit of 3.39 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Operating profit for the October-December period reached 236 billion won, down 94.7 percent from a year ago, while revenue fell 30.3 percent on-year to 6.92 trillion won in the cited period.
SK hynix, the world's second-largest maker of DRAM chips and the No. 6 vendor of NAND flash chips, said that low profitability of the product lines and the cost burden of new technology migration also dragged down its bottom line.
The company said bit shipments of both DRAM and NAND flash chips increased in the fourth quarter compared with the previous quarter. However, the average selling price of DRAM chips dropped by 7 percent, while that of NAND flash chips remained stable.
For the whole of 2019, its net profit plunged 87 percent on-year to 2.01 trillion won.
Operating profit for the year was tallied at 2.71 trillion won, also down 87 percent from the previous year. Its revenue fell 33.3 percent to 26.99 trillion won last year.
"Amid increasing global economic uncertainty, the increase of inventory burden and conservative purchasing policies on the side of the customers led to a slowdown in demand, as well as price falls," the company said.
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(LEAD) Korea's industrial output grows 1.4 pct in December

Amid the global spread of the virus , South Korea on Thursday reported two more cases of the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ be the country 's first human-to-human transmission , bringing the total number of people infected @ @ @ @

(ATTN: CHANGES headline; ADDS details throughout)
By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overall industrial output gained 1.4 percent in December from a month earlier despite a slight tumble in the service sector, data showed Friday.
From a year earlier, the overall industrial output grew 3.2 percent, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries rose 3.5 percent from a month earlier, while that of the service sector edged down 0.1 percent.
The production, retail sales and investment gathered ground all together for the second consecutive month.
Retail sales rose 0.3 percent in December from a month earlier, helped by gains in sales of automobiles and electronics, according to the data.
Facility investment gained a whopping 10.9 percent in December from a month earlier, led by the machine and automobile segments, the data showed.
The statistics agency said it will closely monitor the impact of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus on South Korea's industrial activities.
Previous examples, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, had an adverse impact on the service segment, although its fallout on the manufacturing area was limited, it added.
Amid the global spread of the virus, 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.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Industrial output grows 1.4 pct in December

The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed the production in the mining , manufacturing , gas and electricity industries rose @ @ @ @ @ earlier , while that of the service sector edged down 0.1 percent .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overall industrial output gained 1.4 percent in December from a month earlier, data showed Friday.
The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed the production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries rose 3.5 percent from a month earlier, while that of the service sector edged down 0.1 percent.
From a year earlier, industrial output grew 3.2 percent, the data showed.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(2nd LD) First S. Korean evacuation plane with 367 citizens on board arrives from virus-hit Wuhan

After the government picked the two shelters , residents there have strongly protested the decision , arguing the designation came @ @ @ @ @ protests grew more strident as South Korea reported its first case of human-to-human transmission on @ @ @ @ @ the total number of the country 's confirmed cases to six .

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; REWRITES throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The first evacuation plane carrying 367 South Koreans from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived in Seoul on Friday, amid rising fears over the rapid spread of the deadly virus that has led the U.N. health agency to declare it a global public health emergency.
The plane with about half of some 720 South Korean applicants for evacuation from Wuhan and its vicinity on board landed at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. South Korea seeks to send another plane to bring the remaining citizens home.
Before boarding the Korean Air Boeing 747 plane at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, the passengers went through rigorous health screenings that took longer than expected and caused a delay in their departure, a Seoul official said.
Korean Air flight 9883 takes off from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, for Wuhan, China, on Jan. 30, 2020. The chartered B747-400 passenger jet departed the Chinese city the next day carrying 367 South Korean nationals. (Yonhap)
They are set to be screened again for potential infection before being transported to two makeshift shelters in Asan, 86 kilometers south of Seoul, and Jincheon, 90 km south of the capital -- where they will stay for two weeks.
Those suspected of infection will immediately be put under quarantine.
After the government picked the two shelters, residents there have strongly protested the decision, arguing the designation came without their consent. The protests grew more strident as South Korea reported its first case of human-to-human transmission on its soil Thursday, bringing the total number of the country's confirmed cases to six.
Under an initial evacuation plan, South Korea was to send two flights each on Thursday and Friday.
But after consultations with China, it changed the plan and sent only one flight Thursday. Talks with Chinese authorities have been under way to arrange additional flights to bring back the rest of the citizens from the epicenter of the virus.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, has been under a lockdown aimed at blocking the spread of the virus. Countries, including the United States and Japan, are scrambling to shuttle their citizens from the virus-stricken town. Russia has tightened its border with China.
Hours before their arrival, the World Health Organization declared the epidemic in China a public health emergency of international concern, a designation that would trigger more concerted global efforts to curb the spread of the virulent virus.
Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan late last month, China has reported more than 7,800 confirmed cases and 170 deaths. The virus has spread to around 20 countries, including the U.S., Japan and Canada.
sshluck@yna.co.k
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(URGENT) First S. Korean evacuation plane carrying 367 citizens arrives in Seoul from virus-hit Wuha

(URGENT) First S. Korean evacuation plane carrying 367 citizens arrives in Seoul from virus-hit Wuhan

(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--2020-01-31--(URGENT) S. Korea's industrial output rises 1.4 pct in Dec.


yna--2020-01-31--SK Hynix 2019 net income down 87 pct. to 2.01 tln won

Operating profit for the year was 2.71 trillion won , down 87 percent from the previous year , the company @ @ @ @ @ .
Annual revenue fell 33.3 percent to 26.99 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- SK Hynix Inc. on Friday reported its 2019 net profit of 2.01 trillion won (US$ 1.7 billion), down 87 percent from a year earlier.
Operating profit for the year was 2.71 trillion won, down 87 percent from the previous year, the company said in a regulatory filing. Annual revenue fell 33.3 percent to 26.99 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(4th LD) S. Korea's 2nd chartered plane leaves for Wuhan for evacuation

`` What we 'll primarily focus on doing this time is to speed up the quarantine process so that everyone @ @ @ @ @ and more quickly , '' Lee Sang-jin , deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and @ @ @ @ @ at the airport .
He is leading the quick response team for Friday 's flight @

(ATTN: UPDATES with departure of South Korea's evacuation plane for China; CHANGES headline)
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A second chartered plane left for the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday to evacuate some 350 South Koreans from the epicenter of the outbreak of the deadly virus.
The Korean Air passenger jet departed from Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul with a quick response team of around 20 medical and quarantine officials on board.
The flight came more than 12 hours after South Korea brought home 368 people stranded in China from Wuhan on the first chartered plane.
"What we'll primarily focus on doing this time is to speed up the quarantine process so that everyone can return home more safely and more quickly," Lee Sang-jin, deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, told reporters at the airport. He is leading the quick response team for Friday's flight.
The second plane is expected to leave Wuhan in the early hours of Saturday.
Lee Sang-jin, deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, heads to the departure gate at Gimpo International Airport to board an evacuation flight to Wuhan, China, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A ministry official said earlier that the government received approval for the operation of another chartered plane. South Korea announced a plan Tuesday to bring its nationals home and said it had been in talks with Chinese authorities on sending the evacuation flights.
The evacuees from the second flight will also be subject to a 14-day isolation at two temporary accommodations in the country's central region. Eighteen passengers from the first flight have been taken to hospitals for further examination after showing signs of symptoms.
Seoul earlier sought to send two planes each on Thursday and Friday for the evacuation mission, but the number of flights was reduced to one for each day amid speculation that Beijing wants to avoid the image of foreigners leaving the country en masse.
Thursday's evacuation flight took off from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 8:57 p.m., after an hourslong delay caused by slower-than-expected approval from Chinese authorities.
South Korea confirmed five more cases of the virus Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 11. A day earlier, the country announced the first case of person-to-person transmission on its soil.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, has been under a lockdown aimed at blocking the spread of the virus.
Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan late last month, China has reported more than 9,690 confirmed cases and 210 deaths. The virus has spread to around 20 countries, including the United States, Japan and Canada.
Authorities at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul carry out quarantine work on the first evacuation flight that brought 368 South Korean citizens home from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, China, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(URGENT) 2nd S. Korean plane departs for virus-hit Wuhan for evacuation


yna--2020-01-31--(6th LD) Virus angst escalates as S. Korea reports 5 more cases, total now 11

As to the 10th and 11th patients , the KCDC said they did not meet anyone recently from China but @ @ @ @ @ 55-year-old Korean who was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday .
That person , who @ @ @ @ @ confirmed infection case and also did not travel outside the country , is known to @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus patient who was asymptomatic upon arrival and was allowed to move about freely for @ @ @ @ @ in total before he was quarantined over the weekend .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 3-5, 7, last 2 paras; ADDS bottom photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Concerns are growing over further spread of the new coronavirus here, especially person-to-person transmission, as South Korea reported five more cases in just one day on Friday, bringing the total here to 11 despite stepped-up quarantine efforts.
Of the confirmed cases, four are presumed to be potentially human transmissions as they had not traveled to China and other nations recently.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the country's seventh case involves a 28-year-old South Korean man who visited Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and returned via the Chinese port city of Qingdao on Jan. 23.
He did not show any related symptoms upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.
The patient complained of a mild cold three days later and visited a clinic Tuesday when he had a fever, at which time doctors checked him for the novel virus. The patient was quarantined immediately, with authorities saying he had contact with two family members only.
The eighth case involves a 62-year-old South Korean woman who visited Wuhan, and came home on Jan. 23.
The three other patients confirmed to be infected are presumed to be classifiable as person-to-person transmission cases, as they have not visited China recently, it said.
The ninth patient is an acquaintance of the country's fifth coronavirus patient, who returned from China on Friday, and one of the 10 people that the person had contacted with.
A notice placed on the entrance of a community health service center in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Jan. 30, 2020, asks people who have been to China recently to use a separate entrance as a safety precaution to avoid transmission. (Yonhap)
As to the 10th and 11th patients, the KCDC said they did not meet anyone recently from China but are family members of the 55-year-old Korean who was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday. That person, who is the country's sixth confirmed infection case and also did not travel outside the country, is known to have dined with the third coronavirus patient who was asymptomatic upon arrival and was allowed to move about freely for days, meeting 95 people in total before he was quarantined over the weekend.
The KCDC said more detailed information on the latest infected cases will be released later.
Seoul has tightened its quarantine rules and started to check everyone that has returned from Wuhan. The country has set up a total of 503 screening clinics across the country so people feeling ill can visit and get checked by experts, who can give a preliminary assessment as to whether the person has been infected with the novel coronavirus based on symptoms. The stations have been supplied with portable X-ray machines that can check for signs of pneumonia.
Jung Eun-kyeongm the head of the KCDC said it is critical to find as quickly as possible people who unknowingly became infected with the virus and that this is the reason why the screening stations have been set up.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain and severe cases developing into pneumonia.
The country's health authorities said 368 South Koreans were brought back from Wuhan, and 18 were moved to hospitals for monitoring as they showed symptoms, such as fever.
The evacuated nationals will be taken to public facilities and held for 14 days, during which time they will not be allowed out or allowed to meet visitors, they said.
The health ministry said that doctors at the sites will check them regularly, with all to be checked again before they are allowed to leave.
South Korea confirmed its first case of the new strain of coronavirus on Jan. 20. On Thursday, the country reported two more cases, with one believed to be potentially the country's first person-to-person transmission.
Worldwide, 9,805 cases have been reported as of early Friday, with 213 people dying from the illness so far.
Outside of China, which has 9,692 confirmed cases, the novel coronavirus has been discovered in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as the United Arab Emirates, India, Australia, France, Germany, Finland, Canada and the United States.
People wearing masks pass by a screening clinic in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul, on Jan. 31, 2020, as South Korea broadens its efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(3rd LD) S. Korea to send 2nd evacuation flight to Wuhan Friday night

(ATTN: ADDS ministry official's comment, other info in paras 4-5 and 7; ADDS photo; TRIMS)
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send a second chartered flight to the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan late Friday to evacuate some 350 South Korean nationals out of the region under lockdown, the foreign ministry said.
A Korean Air passenger jet is set to depart from Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul with a quick response team of around 20 medical and quarantine officials on board. It is expected to take off at 8:45 p.m.
The scheduled flight comes after South Korea's first evacuation plane flew out 368 South Koreans from Wuhan earlier in the day.
"What we'll primarily focus on doing this time is to speed up the quarantine process so that everyone can return home more safely and more quickly," Lee Sang-jin, deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, told reporters at the airport. He is leading the quick response team for Friday's flight.
The second plane is expected to leave Wuhan in the early hours of Saturday.
Lee Sang-jin, deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, heads to the departure gate at Gimpo International Airport to board an evacuation flight to Wuhan, China, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
A ministry official said earlier that the government received approval for the operation of another chartered plane. South Korea announced a plan Tuesday to bring its nationals home and said it had been in talks with Chinese authorities on sending the evacuation flights.
The evacuees from the second flight will also be subject to a 14-day isolation at two temporary accommodations in the country's central region. Eighteen passengers from the first flight have been taken to hospitals for further examination after showing signs of symptoms.
Seoul earlier sought to send two planes each on Thursday and Friday for the evacuation mission, but the number of flights was reduced to one for each day amid speculation that Beijing wants to avoid the image of foreigners leaving the country en masse.
Thursday's evacuation flight took off from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 8:57 p.m., after an hourslong delay caused by slower-than-expected approval from Chinese authorities.
South Korea confirmed five more cases of the virus Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 11. A day earlier, the country announced the first case of person-to-person transmission on its soil.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, has been under a lockdown aimed at blocking the spread of the virus.
Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan late last month, China has reported more than 9,690 confirmed cases and 210 deaths. The virus has spread to around 20 countries, including the United States, Japan and Canada.
Authorities at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul carry out quarantine work on the first evacuation flight that brought 368 South Korean citizens home from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, China, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(LEAD) Hanjin heiress partners with KCGI, Bando for group's management control

In a joint statement with local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement ( KCGI ) and midsized builder Bando Engineering @ @ @ @ @ Hyun-ah , the eldest daughter of late Hanjin Group and Korean Air Lines Co. Chairman @ @ @ @ @ group is `` at risk '' and badly needs to invite a professional manager to @ @ @ @ @ , financial status and shareholder value .

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd photo and background and the group's stance in paras 7-24)
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The heiress of South Korean airline-focused conglomerate Hanjin Group, widely known for the "nut rage" incident in 2014, has joined hands with a local fund and a builder for the group's management control ahead of a shareholders meeting in March.
In a joint statement with local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) and midsized builder Bando Engineering & Construction Co., Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of late Hanjin Group and Korean Air Lines Co. Chairman Cho Yang-ho, said the group is "at risk" and badly needs to invite a professional manager to improve its way of management, financial status and shareholder value.
"In the upcoming shareholders meeting, the three parties have agreed to cooperate for Hanjin Group by jointly exercising voting rights and making some suggestions as shareholders," Cho said in the statement.
This graphic image shows Hanjin Group's inheritors Cho Hyun-ah (L) and Cho Won-tae, chairman of the group and its flagship Korean Air Lines. (Yonhap)
The 45-year-old heiress had meetings with KCGI and Bando this month after lashing out at her younger brother Cho Won-tae, chairman of the airline-to-logistics conglomerate and the national flag carrier, for not heeding their father's wishes in the way of managing the group.
She claimed that her 44-year-old brother was appointed to the top post without sufficient discussions among family members after their father's death in April and has been making management decisions without prior consultations.
Her brother seeks to be reelected as head of Hanjin Group and Korean Air in March.
For reappointment, Won-tae is required to take concrete action to improve the group's governance structure and roll out business plans ahead of the planned shareholders' meeting, analysts said.
They said the chairman has yet to present any detailed action plans to enhance the group's corporate value as he has been engaged in the family feud and issues involving inheritance from his late father.
In November, Hanjin KAL's board of directors took initial steps by setting up a special committee and a compensation committee under its wing as part of its broader efforts to improve its governance structure.
Hanjin said the committee will conduct a feasibility study on management issues directly related to shareholder value before a decision is made and review the legality of transactions between affiliates.
Hanjin's family scandal began in 2014 when the infamous nut rage incident made global headlines.
Back then, Hyun-ah forced a Korean Air flight back to the boarding gate at a New York airport because she lost her temper over the way she was served nuts in first class -- in an unopened bag instead of on a plate.
In March 2018, Hyun-ah, the former vice president of the group's flagship Korean Air, came back as head of KAL Hotel Network Co., the hotel affiliate of Hanjin Group.
But she was dismissed from the post a month later, along with Cho Hyun-min, 37, who was accused of throwing water in the face of an ad agency manager during a meeting in March 2018.
In June last year, Hyun-min returned as senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the holding company as she was cleared of any charges.
The Cho family and other relatives together hold a 28.93 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group. Hyun-ah owns a 6.49 percent stake and Won-tae holds a 6.52 percent stake, with their younger sister Cho Hyun-min and mother Lee Myung-hee controlling 6.47 percent and 5.31 percent, respectively.
KCGI is the biggest shareholder with a stake of 17.29 percent in Hanjin KAL, followed by Delta Air Lines Inc. with 10 percent, Bando with 8.28 percent and the National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea's state pension fund, with 4.11 percent.
In November, KCGI asked for a meeting with Delta Air Chief Executive Ed Bastian to join forces to monitor Hanjin's efforts to enhance its governance structure.
Earlier, KCGI also demanded that a Seoul court designate an auditor to review the process by which Hanjin KAL's board appointed the late chairman's only son Won-tae as new chairman of the group in April.
In the statement released through their leading legal counsel Bae, Kim & Lee LLC, also known as Taepyeongyang law firm here, Cho said she and Bando have fully agreed on KCGI's suggestions, including inviting a professional manager to head the group.
The three parties also said they "won't directly participate in management decisions and instead will have the professional manager make the group a better business entity."
Meanwhile, Delta, which has been regarded as a "friendly" shareholder, said its stake investment in Hanjin KAL is aimed at strengthening business ties, not at affecting management rights.
In 2018, Delta and Korean Air formed a joint venture to collaborate on the industry's most robust trans-Pacific routes, providing customers with access to more than 290 U.S. destinations and over 80 in Asia.
Korean Air said it has no official stance on the joint statement.
This photo taken on Jan. 13, 2020, shows Korean Air's headquarters building in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(2nd LD) (News Focus) Korean manufacturers bear brunt of new coronavirus

Hyundai Motor Co. and other major manufacturers have been operating plants in China to tap deeper into the world 's @ @ @ @ @ but their efforts to shore up their lackluster performance in recent years may be eclipsed @ @ @ @ @ novel virus , they have said .

(ATTN: UPDATES with SsangYong's plant suspension plan in paras 6-7)
By Choi Kyong-ae and Joo Kyung-don
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean manufacturers, led by carmakers, appear to be beginning to feel the pinch of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus, with possible disruption to production and plant operations around the corner, industry sources said Friday.
Hyundai Motor Co. and other major manufacturers have been operating plants in China to tap deeper into the world's No. 2 economy, but their efforts to shore up their lackluster performance in recent years may be eclipsed by the outbreak of the novel virus, they have said.
The country's five carmakers -- Hyundai, Kia Motors Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- and two leading semiconductor firms -- Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. -- said their operations and production may face difficulties if the coronavirus situation goes from bad to worse.
Leoni Wiring Systems Korea, Inc., the South Korean unit of German auto parts maker Leoni AG, has recently decided to suspend operations at its wiring plant in China until Feb. 9. The decision will soon affect the production of vehicles at GM Korea, Renault Samsung and SsangYong.
The three carmakers said they are checking their inventories and looking for ways to secure the parts from other suppliers if things unfold unfavorably.
This undated file photo shows Hyundai and Kia's headquarters buildings in Yangjae, southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
SsangYong Motor became the first carmaker to fall victim to the spreading coronavirus.
On Friday, SsangYong Motor said it will stop operations of its sole car assembly plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, from Feb. 4-12 due to shortages of wiring parts.
GM Korea and Renault Samsung said they are closely monitoring the situation involving the novel coronavirus to minimize the impact on production.
"We don't see any immediate impact on our production as we can receive wiring parts from our alliance partners Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi. But if the virus continues to spread, there will be some shortages of parts," a Renault Samsung spokesperson said.
The coronavirus first appeared in Wuhan, a central Chinese city of 11 million people, last month and has infected thousands and killed more than 200 in China. The virus has spread to around 20 countries, including as far away as the United States.
South Korea has reported a total of 11 confirmed cases of the novel virus as of Friday.
Hyundai and Kia, which do not receive wiring parts from Leoni's Chinese plant, are also expecting a lack of wiring and other parts from South Korean suppliers that have plants in China.
"It is a matter of global carmakers which have production facilities in China. We will look at measures to cope with lack of supply from China," a Hyundai spokesman said.
Hyundai has canceled overtime work scheduled for the weekend to produce the flagship Palisade sport utility vehicle at its plants in Ulsan, 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in a countermeasure to manage its parts inventories.
The fallout from the virus could deal a further blow to Hyundai and Kia, which have been struggling with declining sales in the world's biggest automobile market in the past three years.
In China, the carmakers' sales remained weak due to the lingering impact of political tensions between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system, called THAAD, in South Korea in 2017.
Hyundai and Kia's combined sales in China fell 22 percent to 909,000 vehicles last year from 1,161,000 units a year earlier. The two carmakers aim to sell 7.5 million autos globally this year, higher than the 7.2 million units they sold last year.
In April last year, Hyundai stopped production at one of its five plants in China, and in May, Kia shut down one of its three plants there due to lower demand.
South Korea's tech giants, in particular chipmakers, are likewise not insulated from the effects of the coronavirus.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's No. 1 memory chipmaker and SK hynix are concerned that the spreading virus will slow chip demand in China, the world's largest semiconductor market.
Samsung runs a NAND flash plant in Xian, 800 km northwest of Wuhan, the virus' epicenter. SK hynix operates chip plants in Wuxi and Chongqing, both also roughly 800 km away from Wuhan.
They supply chips to Chinese tech giants like Huawei Technologies Co. and Vivo Electronics Corp.
"There is a possibility that this outbreak could have a short-term impact on the global supply chain," Roh Geun-chang, an analyst at Hyudai Motor Securities, said.
Samsung and SK hynix said they do not have plans to shut down their manufacturing facilities in China at this moment, but they are closely monitoring the situation.
They have already ordered their employees to avoid non-essential business travel to China.
"Currently, we do not have operation problems at our Chinese plants due to the virus. However, if (China's) scheduled Lunar New Year holiday until Feb. 9 is extended, we can't ignore the impact," SK hynix said in a conference call on Friday.
China's Lunar New Year holiday started on Jan. 25 and usually lasts for a week, but Beijing recently decided to extend it.
Industry observers said the spread of the virus may pour cold water over hopes of a recovery in memory chip prices and become a drag on chipmakers' earnings in the first quarter.
Samsung and SK hynix both reported poor earnings last year due to a slump in the memory chip sector.
In 2019, Samsung posted a net income of 21.74 trillion won, down 51 percent from a year earlier, while SK hynix's net profit plunged 87 percent on-year to 2.01 trillion won.
Local shipbuilders, led by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., said they do not see any major impact on their businesses due to the virus.
"The shipbuilding industry went without any serious disruptions from the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 17 years ago and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015. The new coronavirus isn't likely to affect shipyards as they build ships under long-term, business-to-business contracts," a Hyundai Heavy spokesperson said.
On Friday, auto, chipmaker and shipbuilding stocks fell, dragging down the local stock market. The broader KOSPI index lost 1.4 percent.
Samsung Electronics fell 1.4 percent to 56,400 won, with SK hynix declining 0.5 percent to 93,500 won, Hyundai Motor falling 2 percent to 125,000 won, Kia Motors shrinking 2.5 percent to 40,900 won, and Hyundai Heavy dropping 3.2 percent to 273,500 won.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Hanjin heiress partners with KCGI, Bando for group's management control

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The heiress of South Korean airline-focused conglomerate Hanjin Group, widely known for the "nut rage" incident in 2014, has joined hands with a local fund and a builder for the group's management control ahead of a shareholders meeting in March.
In a joint statement with local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) and midsized builder Bando Engineering & Construction Co., Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of late Hanjin Group and Korean Air Lines Co. Chairman Cho Yang-ho, said the group is "at risk" and badly needs to invite a professional manager to improve its way of management, financial status and shareholder value.
"In the upcoming shareholders meeting, the three parties have agreed to cooperate for Hanjin Group by jointly exercising voting rights and making some suggestions as shareholders," Cho said in the statement.
This graphic image shows Hanjin Group's inheritors Cho Hyun-ah (L) and Cho Won-tae, chairman of the group and its flagship Korean Air Lines. (Yonhap)
The 45-year-old heiress had meetings with KCGI and Bando this month after lashing out at her younger brother Cho Won-tae, chairman of the airline-to-logistics conglomerate and the national flag carrier, for not heeding their father's wishes in the way of managing the group.
She claimed that her 44-year-old brother was appointed to the top post without sufficient discussions among family members after their father's death in April and has been making management decisions without prior consultations.
Her brother seeks to be reelected as head of Hanjin Group and Korean Air in March.
The Cho family and other relatives together hold a 28.93 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group. Hyun-ah owns a 6.49 percent stake and Won-tae holds a 6.52 percent stake, with their younger sister Cho Hyun-min and mother Lee Myung-hee controlling 6.47 percent and 5.31 percent, respectively.
KCGI is the biggest shareholder with a stake of 17.29 percent in Hanjin KAL, followed by Delta Air Lines Inc. with 10 percent, Bando with 8.28 percent and the National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea's state pension fund, with 4.11 percent.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(5th LD) Virus angst escalates as S. Korea reports 5 more cases

As to the 10th and 11th patients , the KCDC said they did not meet anyone recently from China but @ @ @ @ @ Korean who was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday .
This person , who is @ @ @ @ @ infection case and also did not travel outside the country , is known to have @ @ @ @ @ patient who was asymptomatic upon arrival and was allowed to move about freely for days @ @ @ @ @ total before he was quarantined over the weekend .

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 3-5, 7, last 2 paras; ADDS bottom photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Concerns are growing over further spread of the new coronavirus here, especially person-to-person transmission, as South Korea reported five more cases in just one day on Friday, bringing the total here to 11 despite stepped-up quarantine efforts.
Of the 11 cases, four are presumed to be potentially human transmissions as they had not traveled to China and other nations recently.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the country's seventh case involves a 28-year-old South Korean man who visited Wuhan and returned via the Chinese port city of Qingdao on Jan. 23.
He did not show any related symptoms upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.
The patient complained of a mild cold three days later and visited a clinic Tuesday when he had a fever, at which time doctors checked him for the novel virus. The patient was quarantined immediately, with authorities saying he had contact with two family members only.
The eighth case involves a 62-year-old South Korean woman who visited Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and came home on Jan. 23.
The three other patients confirmed to be infected are presumed to be classifiable as person-to-person transmission cases, as they have not visited China recently, it said.
The ninth patient is an acquaintance of the country's fifth coronavirus patient, who returned from China on Friday, and one of the 10 people that the patient had contacted with.
A notice placed on the entrance of a community health service center in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Jan. 30, 2020, asks people who have been to China recently to use a separate entrance as a safety precaution to avoid transmission. (Yonhap)
As to the 10th and 11th patients, the KCDC said they did not meet anyone recently from China but made contact with a 55-year-old Korean who was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday. This person, who is the country's sixth confirmed infection case and also did not travel outside the country, is known to have dined with the third coronavirus patient who was asymptomatic upon arrival and was allowed to move about freely for days, meeting 95 people in total before he was quarantined over the weekend.
The KCDC said more detailed information on the latest infected cases will be released later.
Seoul has tightened its quarantine rules and started to check everyone that has returned from Wuhan, regardless of any signs of the illness.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
The country's health authorities said 368 South Koreans were brought back from Wuhan, and 18 were moved to hospitals for monitoring as they showed symptoms, such as fever.
The evacuated nationals will be taken to public facilities and held for 14 days, during which time they will not be allowed out or allowed to meet visitors, they said.
The health ministry said that doctors at the sites will check them regularly, with all to be checked again before they are allowed to leave.
South Korea confirmed its first case of the new strain of coronavirus on Jan. 20. On Thursday, the country reported two more cases, with one believed to be potentially the country's first person-to-person transmission.
Worldwide, 9,805 cases have been reported as of early Friday, with 213 people dying from the illness so far.
Outside of China, which has 9,692 confirmed cases, the novel coronavirus has been discovered in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as the United Arab Emirates, India, Australia, France, Germany, Finland, Canada and the United States.
People wearing masks pass by a screening clinic in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul, on Jan. 31, 2020, as South Korea broadens its efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Hyosung Heavy Industries swings to profits in Q4

Operating income for the October-December period was 29 billion won , up 911.9 percent from a year ago , the @ @ @ @ @ filing .
Sales fell 6 percent to 1 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyosung Heavy Industries Corp. on Friday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 24.9 billion won (US$ 20.9 million), shifting from a loss of 7.1 billion won a year earlier.
Operating income for the October-December period was 29 billion won, up 911.9 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales fell 6 percent to 1 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Hyosung 2019 net profit down 95.4 pct. to 157.5 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the year rose 57.9 percent on-year to 244.7 billion @ @ @ @ @ 12.6 percent to 3.38 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyosung Corp. on Friday reported its 2019 net profit of 157.5 billion won (US$ 132.1 million), down 95.4 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the year rose 57.9 percent on-year to 244.7 billion won. Annual sales increased 12.6 percent to 3.38 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Hyosung Q4 net profit down 82.3 pct. to 51.6 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 73.6 billion won in operating profit for the quarter , @ @ @ @ @ a year ago .
Sales rose 7.1 percent to 915.9 billion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyosung Corp. on Friday reported its fourth-quarter net profit of 51.6 billion won (US$ 43.3 million), down 82.3 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 73.6 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 61.5 billion won a year ago. Sales rose 7.1 percent to 915.9 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(2nd LD) S. Korea to send 2nd evacuation flight to Wuhan Friday night

Seoul earlier sought to send two planes each on Thursday and Friday for the evacuation mission , but the number @ @ @ @ @ one for each day amid speculation that Beijing wants to avoid the image of foreigners @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 2nd para)
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send a second chartered flight to the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan late Friday to evacuate some 350 South Korean nationals out of the region under lockdown, the foreign ministry said.
A Korean Air passenger jet is set to depart from Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul with a quick response team of around 20 medical and quarantine officials on board. It is expected to take off at 8:45 p.m.
"We have received approval for the operation of a chartered plane through consultations with China," a ministry official told reporters. "One chartered plane will leave tonight."
The scheduled flight comes after South Korea's first evacuation plane flew out 368 South Koreans from Wuhan earlier in the day.
On Tuesday, South Korea announced a plan to bring its nationals home and said it had been in talks with Chinese authorities on sending the evacuation flights.
Seoul earlier sought to send two planes each on Thursday and Friday for the evacuation mission, but the number of flights was reduced to one for each day amid speculation that Beijing wants to avoid the image of foreigners leaving the country en masse.
Kang Hyung-sik, head of the ministry's international safety management bureau, said during a press briefing earlier that the government was making its best efforts to make sure the second flight can operate as planned.
Thursday's evacuation flight took off from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 8:57 p.m., after an hourslong delay caused by slower-than-expected approval from Chinese authorities.
South Korea confirmed five more cases of the virus Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 11. A day earlier, the country announced the first case of person-to-person transmission on its soil.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, has been under a lockdown aimed at blocking the spread of the virus.
Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan late last month, China has reported more than 9,690 confirmed cases and 210 deaths. The virus has spread to around 20 countries, including the United States, Japan and Canada.
Authorities at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul carry out quarantine work on the first evacuation flight that brought 368 South Korean citizens home from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, China, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--FM holds dinner talks with EU diplomats on fight against coronavirus, bilateral ties

In particular , Kang used the meeting to call for the regional bloc 's support for Seoul 's efforts to @ @ @ @ @ of Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 ( P4G ) in June @

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a dinner meeting with Seoul-based diplomats from the European Union this week to discuss efforts to stem the spread of a new coronavirus, bilateral ties and other issues, the foreign ministry said Friday.
On Thursday, Kang hosted the gathering with more than two dozen diplomats, including EU Ambassador to South Korea Michael Reiterer, and voiced hope for close cooperation between South Korea and the EU through high-level exchanges.
In particular, Kang used the meeting to call for the regional bloc's support for Seoul's efforts to successfully host the second summit of Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) in June.
P4G is a Denmark-led global network of government, business and civil society organizations set up in 2017 to advance solutions for delivering on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and the 2016 Paris climate agreement.
Ambassador Reiterer reaffirmed the EU's support for Seoul's efforts to establish a lasting peace on the divided Korean Peninsula, while expressing hope for expanded cooperation in such areas as climate change, the ministry said in a press release.
This photo, taken on Jan. 2, 2020, shows Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaking during a kickoff ceremony for the new year at her ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Gov't to run 24-hour information service for foreigners

The service is available in 20 languages , including English , Chinese and Vietnamese , from 9 a.m. to 6 @ @ @ @ @ 6 p.m. on weekdays and throughout weekends , the service is provided in Korean , @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The government said Friday it has extended operating hours to provide a 24-hour information service for foreigners amid rising concerns over the new coronavirus.
Foreign nationals in the country can call 1345 any time of day for general inquiries related to the virus, the Ministry of Justice said in a press release.
The service is available in 20 languages, including English, Chinese and Vietnamese, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. From 6 p.m. on weekdays and throughout weekends, the service is provided in Korean, English and Chinese.
The ministry also advised foreign nationals with suspected symptoms to promptly call 1339, a service run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Korea. Translation services will be provided.
Alternatively, the Seoul Metropolitan Government also runs information services for foreigners that can be reached by dialing 120.
So far, South Korea has reported 11 confirmed cases of infection.
A fever detector is in operation at a subway station in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Jan. 31, 2020. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--(LEAD) Residents of Jincheon, Asan withdraw opposition to accommodating evacuees from Wuhan

Han Je-hee , a resident of Jincheon , also admitted that it is no longer possible to indiscriminately block a @ @ @ @ @ its campaign has shifted to calling for the government to heighten safety measures for residents @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last five paras)
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Residents of Jincheon and Asan said Friday they will no longer oppose the government's decision to house South Korean nationals evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, in the two central South Korean towns.
Residents living near the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, held an hourlong town meeting before deciding not to resist the government's accommodation plan.
Instead, the Asan residents asked for thorough quarantine measures by authorities.
Residents of Jincheon hold a news conference on Jan. 31, 2020, to announce their decision not to oppose the government's plan to accommodate Korean evacuees from Wuhan at a facility in the town. (Yonhap)
Jincheon's residents announced a similar decision, saying they won't oppose the government's plan to send Wuhan evacuees to the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province.
Earlier, nearly 370 evacuees from Wuhan arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul and 350 of them were bused to two government-designated facilities in Jincheon and Asan, both about 90 kilometers south of Seoul.
Of those who arrived in Gimpo, 18 people were taken to two state-designated hospitals for further examination after showing signs of fever during additional health screenings at the airport.
The South Korean government will airlift the second batch of its nationals from Wuhan on Friday night.
Asan and Jincheon residents voluntarily removed various protest banners and tents set up on the roads leading to the two government facilities.
"We didn't have any intention to block the government's accommodation plan. We're just angry at the government's abrupt location change from Cheonan to Asan," a resident said.
The changing atmosphere is also evident on social networking sites.
For instance, a "We're Asan" campaign is spreading among the Asan residents, while another resident expressed a desire to embrace Korean nationals fleeing from the Chinese viral disease.
Residents of Asan display various messages in support of Korean evacuees from Wuhan in these photos captured from various social networking sites. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Han Je-hee, a resident of Jincheon, also admitted that it is no longer possible to indiscriminately block a government decision. He said its campaign has shifted to calling for the government to heighten safety measures for residents.
"We didn't opposed the government's decision from the beginning. We just wanted it to know there are 30,000 residents living in a 1.2-km radius of the government training facility.
Jincheon County head Song Ki-sup has also promised to provide face masks and hand sterilizers to Jincheon residents living near the state-run facility.
The Korean evacuees arrived at the two facilities after a two-hour bus ride from the Gimpo airport and will spend the next 14 days -- the virus' incubation period -- in isolation there.
All adults aged over 12 will use single rooms, while children younger than 12 will share with a member of their family.
The buses passed through the entrance of the two institutes amid a tight police escort, while passengers were seen wearing face masks.
There was no physical clash with local residents. Some residents held a handwritten banner welcoming residents from Wuhan.
Local health offices have distributed 6,500 face masks and 200 bottles of hand sanitizer to residents in Asan and plan to visit each household to examine their health.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-01-31--Moody's: Samsung's weakened 2019 results have no rating impact

Samsung Electronics saw its full-year net profit plunge 51 percent to 21.74 trillion won in 2019 from 44.34 trillion won @ @ @ @ @ profit also fell 53 percent to 27.77 trillion won from 58.89 trillion won over the @ @ @ @ @ were down 5.5 percent to 230.4 trillion won from 243.8 trillion won .

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Moody's Investors Service said Friday that Samsung Electronics Co.'s weakened 2019 earnings results won't affect the South Korean chip giant's corporate credit rating.
Moody's currently keeps an Aa3 rating with a stable outlook for the world's largest memory chipmaker.
Samsung Electronics saw its full-year net profit plunge 51 percent to 21.74 trillion won in 2019 from 44.34 trillion won a year earlier. Operating profit also fell 53 percent to 27.77 trillion won from 58.89 trillion won over the cited period, and sales were down 5.5 percent to 230.4 trillion won from 243.8 trillion won.
The sharp declines are "a result of the cyclical downturn in the memory chip market, and to a lesser extent, weakened demand for display panels," the global credit rating firm said in a statement.
"Nevertheless, memory market conditions are improving, which will drive a rebound in the company's performance in 2020," Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer Gloria Tsuen said in the statement.
More importantly, Samsung Electronics continued to generate positive free cash flow and maintained a strong net cash position despite difficulties last year, Tsuen said.
The company's high net cash position and strong cash flow generation will also continue to provide the company with strong financial buffers. At the end of 2019, it held cash resources totaling 112 trillion won against total debt of 18 trillion won, Moody's said.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(MORE)


Yonhap News Summary

SEOUL -- Places visited by people who have been confirmed as infected with the new coronavirus are suspending their business @ @ @ @ @ to contain the spread of the virus that originated in China , industry sources said @ @

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea to send 2nd evacuation flight to Wuhan Friday night
SEOUL -- South Korea will send a second chartered flight to the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan late Friday to evacuate some 350 South Korean nationals out of the region under lockdown, the foreign ministry said.
A Korean Air passenger jet is set to depart from Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul with a quick response team of around 20 medical and quarantine officials on board.
----------------
Places visited by infected patients suspend business as coronavirus jitters continue
SEOUL -- Places visited by people who have been confirmed as infected with the new coronavirus are suspending their business operations as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus that originated in China, industry sources said Friday.
The total number of people infected with the virus in South Korea rose to 11 on Friday.
----------------
POSCO net up in 2019 on equity gains, demand for key products
SEOUL -- POSCO, the world's fifth-biggest steelmaker by output, said Friday its net profit rose 4.8 percent last year helped by increased gains from equity ties with its affiliates and firm demand for its key products.
For the whole of 2019, net profit climbed to 1.98 trillion won (US$1.66 billion) from 1.89 trillion won a year ago, the company said in a statement.
----------------
(3rd LD) SK hynix swings to loss in Q4 on chip slump
SEOUL -- SK hynix Inc., South Korea's No. 2 chipmaker, said Friday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter from a year earlier due to a slump in the memory chip sector.
For the three months that ended Dec. 31, SK hynix shifted to a net loss of 118.2 billion won (US$99.8 million) from a net profit of 3.39 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
----------------
(3rd LD) LG Display swings to red in Q4
SEOUL -- LG Display Co., South Korea's major display panel maker, said Friday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter from a year earlier due to asset impairments and increased costs.
LG Display reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 1.81 trillion won (US$1.5 billion) in a regulatory filing, shifting from a profit of 152.6 billion won a year earlier.
----------------
Residents of Jincheon, Asan changing stance to welcome evacuees from Wuhan
SEOUL -- Residents of Jincheon and Asan said Friday they will no longer oppose the government's decision to house South Korean nationals evacuated from China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, in the two central South Korean towns.
Residents living near the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, held an hourlong town meeting before deciding not to resist the government's accommodation plan.
(END)