yna--2020-02-12--Number of foreign subscribers to state health insurance soars in 2019

According to the data from the National Health Insurance Service ( NHIS ) , there were slightly over 1.21 million @ @ @ @ @ health insurance plan last year , up some 266,000 from the previous year .
Last @ @ @ @ @ that the figure has surpassed 1 million .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) – The number of foreign subscribers to South Korea's state health insurance program surged in 2019 to top the 1 million mark after the country required long-stay foreigners to sign up for it, data showed Wednesday.
According to the data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), there were slightly over 1.21 million foreign subscribers to the mandatory health insurance plan last year, up some 266,000 from the previous year. Last year marked the first time that the figure has surpassed 1 million.
The number had been on a steady rise after reaching about 784,000 in 2015.
Last year's surge was attributed to Seoul's requirement for long-stay foreign residents to subscribe to the health insurance program that was introduced in 1989.
Starting in July last year, all foreigners who stay in South Korea for six months or longer were required to sign up for the health insurance plan to prevent them from receiving medical treatment and leaving without paying insurance fees.
Under the new rules, all foreigners, including ethnic Koreans from abroad residing in the country, must pay over 110,000 won (US$93) per month for coverage.
Previously, foreigners who work here were required to pay for health insurance, while non-working foreign residents here were allowed to optionally subscribe to the scheme.
Foreign residents face penalties unless they comply with the new requirement and pay monthly premiums on time.
According to the latest government data, the number of foreigners staying in South Korea came to 2.37 million in 2018, up 8.6 percent from the prior year.
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(5th LD) S. Korea's 3rd evacuation plane arrives from virus-hit Wuhan with some 140 people aboard, 5

(5th LD) S. Korea's 3rd evacuation plane arrives from virus-hit Wuhan with some 140 people aboard, 5 showing symptoms

More than two dozen people in South Korea have been confirmed to have contracted the virus .
There have been @ @ @ @ @ alone , the death toll of the virus has topped 1,100 , with the number @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead to update no. of people showing symptoms; UPDATES photos)
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third evacuation flight from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived back in Seoul on Wednesday, carrying about 140 of its citizens, their Chinese spouses and family members, with five of them showing symptoms of the coronavirus.
The chartered plane landed at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul at 6:23 a.m. The passengers with the symptoms were sent to a hospital for additional medical checks and treatment.
The evacuation mission came less than a fortnight after two flights brought back a total of 701 nationals from the city amid growing fears over the spread of the deadly virus that has sickened more than dozens of people in South Korea.
Among the passengers on the third flight were some 60 Chinese nationals who boarded the plane with their South Korean family members with the approval from the Chinese authorities.
Seoul initially planned to bring to Korea about 170 people, including 70 Chinese, on the latest flight. It remains unknown why some of them did not board the plane.
Evacuees from China's Wuhan disembark from a chartered plane at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
The evacuees are to be screened for possible infection before being transported to temporary accommodations at the Korea Defense Language Institute in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul, where they will stay for 14 days, the virus' incubation period.
Amid the mounting dread of the virus that emerged in Wuhan in December, South Korea has been beefing up quarantine efforts, as well as its diplomacy to ensure the safety of its citizens in Wuhan and its vicinity.
There are still an estimated 100 South Koreans in the epicenter of the epidemic, raising expectations that Seoul could mull sending another flight.
More than two dozen people in South Korea have been confirmed to have contracted the virus. There have been no fatalities. In China alone, the death toll of the virus has topped 1,100, with the number of confirmed cases exceeding 44,000.
This photo shows an airport shuttle transporting evacuees who were brought home aboard a chartered plane from China's Wuhan city on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 2,225.95 UP 2.83 points (open)

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


KOSDAQ 683.26 UP 0.92 points (open)


yna--2020-02-12--Dollar opens at 1,182.0 won UP from 1,181.6 won


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) Korea's jobless rate falls to 4.1 pct in January, 568,000 jobs created

The jobs data came amid hopes that South Korea 's economy could regain its recovery momentum this year , but @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus is expected to weigh on the economy .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)
By Kim Deok-hyun
SEJONG, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's jobless rate fell in January, and job additions hit the highest mark in over five years, on the back of the government's initiative to create more jobs for elderly people, data showed Wednesday.
The unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage point on-year to 4.1 percent, and the number of employed people reached 26.8 million in January, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
Job creations also rose to the highest mark since August 2014, reaching 568,000 last month, the data showed.
The unemployment rate for young adults -- those aged between 15 and 29 -- declined to 7.7 percent last month from 8.9 percent tallied a year earlier.
By age, the number of employed people aged 60 and older rose by 506,000 last month, marking the strongest monthly gain since Statistics Korea began compiling such data in 1982.
But the number of employed people aged between 40 and 49 fell by 84,000 in January, according to the data.
By industry, the health and social welfare sectors added 189,000 jobs, and the transportation segment saw an increase of 92,000 jobs last month.
In contrast, the wholesale and retail sector suffered a decline in job offerings by losing 94,000 jobs in January. The information and telecommunication sector also shed 35,000 jobs.
The jobs data came amid hopes that South Korea's economy could regain its recovery momentum this year, but the economic impact of the new coronavirus is expected to weigh on the economy.
South Korea's exports fell 10.3 percent on-year in 2019 to $542.4 billion, according to data.
But this year's outbound shipments are forecast to rise 3 percent.
The nation's economy is expected to grow 2.4 percent this year, following last year's 2 percent on-year expansion, thanks to an anticipated recovery in the memory chip sector and a series of policy measures.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(Spring Training) (Yonhap Interview) Kim Kwang-hyun's flexibility key to signing with Cardinals: gen

(Spring Training) (Yonhap Interview) Kim Kwang-hyun's flexibility key to signing with Cardinals: general manager

`` He could have said , 'No , I am a starter , and I want to be a starter @ @ @ @ @ we were and what our pitching staff looks like , that would have been a @ @ @ @ @ '' Girsch told Yonhap News Agency in an exclusive interview at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium @ @ @ @ @ site of the team 's spring training .
`` He understood ( our situation ) @ @ @ @ @ come and try to be a starter .
If he does n't end up being @ @ @ @ @ want him in the bullpen .
And he was comfortable with that .
That was @ @ @ @ @ . ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
JUPITER, United States, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- When the St. Louis Cardinals were keying in on South Korean left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun last winter, they saw a career starter who could also fit in as an effective bullpen piece.
It came down to whether Kim would accept the possibility that he could be a reliever with the Cardinals. Being a starter is so glamorous that some pitchers see a move to the bullpen as a demotion to second class. And some free agents that the Cardinals had pursued demanded a guarantee of a starting spot, which resulted in their talks with the club falling through.
Mike Girsch, general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, poses for a photo before an interview with Yonhap News Agency at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, on Feb. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
But Kim told the Cardinals that he'd be willing to take on any role, be it a starter or a reliever. And the Cardinals' general manager Mike Girsch said Tuesday that such flexibility on Kim's part "was huge" in getting the two-year, US$8 million deal done in December.
"He could have said, 'No, I am a starter, and I want to be a starter.' But for where we were and what our pitching staff looks like, that would have been a tough fit for us," Girsch told Yonhap News Agency in an exclusive interview at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, site of the team's spring training. "He understood (our situation). We wanted him to come and try to be a starter. If he doesn't end up being a starter, we do want him in the bullpen. And he was comfortable with that. That was a big difference for us."
The Cardinals, the 2019 National League (NL) Central champions, will be returning four right-handed starters from last year's rotation: Jake Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas. The fifth spot is up for grabs, with Kim and a veteran right-hander Carlos Martinez, a former starter eyeing a return to the rotation after closing in 2019, among those battling for the job.
Girsch, who became general manager in 2017 after starting out as an amateur scouting coordinator, said the Cardinals had been keeping tabs on Kim for a few years, and they had a clear idea of what they were getting with the 31-year-old.
Mike Girsch, general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, speaks with Yonhap News Agency in an interview at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, on Feb. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
"He gets ground balls. He has a really good slider to complement a good fastball," he said. "The fastball, we've seen up in the mid- to upper-90s (in miles per hour). We think the fastball and slider are the two go-to pitches for him."
The analytically inclined executive also studied Kim's statistics beyond the win-loss record and ERA.
For instance, Girsch noted that Kim's walk rate has improved "almost every year, the last four years in a row basically," and his strikeout rates have also gotten better over the years.
The ability to keep batters off the base paths and to sit them down without putting the ball in play should make any pitcher a good fit for any role.
"If he does end up in the bullpen, we feel like (the fastball) might be a real weapon. (Kim is) someone who can throw in the mid-90s with a good slider from the left side," Girsch said. "If he stays in the rotation ... we've seen him hold low- to mid-90s (in fastball velocity) deep into games. He has a curveball and changeup. If he's a starter, he's got complementary pitches he can go back to."
The Cardinals signed Kim after he was posted by his former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club, the SK Wyverns, in December. It was the second time Kim was posted for interested major league clubs. Under a different set of rules, Kim was also posted after the 2014 season and had an exclusive 30-day negotiating window with the San Diego Padres. The two sides couldn't come to an agreement, and Kim stayed put in the KBO before finally making the jump to the big leagues this year.
"He's been on our radar for much longer than the average Asian player who ends up coming over, just because of the posting several years ago," Girsch said. "At the Winter Meetings (held from Dec. 8-12), we talked to his agent, and that's when we started to get a little bit of momentum that felt like this might be a fit that would work."
Girsch said Matt Slater, special assistant to Girsch who runs the Cardinals' Asian scouting operations, and another scout saw Kim in South Korea during the summer. The team also had access to video and analytical data that they used to evaluate the pitcher.
Mike Girsch (L), general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, speaks with Yonhap News Agency in an interview at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, on Feb. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
Kim is the second South Korean pitcher to join the Cardinals, after right-handed reliever Oh Seung-hwan, who pitched for the Red Birds in 2016 and 2017. Oh, the KBO's all-time leader in saves, had spent his two previous seasons with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). With Oh's success in Japan having carried over to the majors, the Cardinals acquired another former NPB pitcher, Miles Mikolas, ahead of the 2018 season.
And Mikolas' successful transition -- he led the NL in wins and was fourth in ERA in 2018 -- nudged the Cardinals toward signing another Asian league pitcher in Kim.
"A few years prior to Oh, that was when we invested in a little more effort and time and money in scouting in Asia: doing it in person and making sure we had more video," Girsch said. "We feel good about the process we have: a combination of analytics and a few people seeing guys in person and a bunch more video. This puts us in a position where we can make good decisions on people."
Girsch said Kim, who's been assigned an interpreter named Craig Choi, should do just fine with small talk with his teammates. Citing Oh's example during his two seasons in St. Louis, Girsch said Kim should just try to be himself and the rest will take care of itself.
"Between the lines, when the game starts, (Kim) probably will be pretty comfortable. The game of baseball is not that different here than it is there (in Korea)," Girsch said. "The other 18 hours a day that you're not in the dugout, it's a different world. But these six weeks (of spring training) ought to be a lot of fun. Hopefully, he and Craig can get into the flow and enjoy themselves."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Ncsoft 2019 net profit down 14.7 pct. to 359.3 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the year fell 22.1 percent on-year to 479 billion @ @ @ @ @ 0.8 percent to 1.7 trillion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Ncsoft Corp. on Wednesday reported its 2019 net income of 359.3 billion won (US$ 304.1 million), down 14.7 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the year fell 22.1 percent on-year to 479 billion won. Annual sales decreased 0.8 percent to 1.7 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Ncsoft Q4 net income down 19.9 pct. to 54.2 bln won

The operating profit was 24.5 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, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Ncsoft Corp. on Wednesday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 54.2 billion won (US$ 45.8 million), down 19.9 percent from a year earlier.
Operating profit for the October-December period was 141.2 billion won, up 25.4 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Sales rose 33.6 percent to 533.8 billion won.
The operating profit was 24.5 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--2020-02-12--(2nd LD) Trump plans to name No. 2 N.K. envoy as representative to U.N.

`` It does for sure signal one thing , that for now , Team Trump is giving up on North @ @ @ @ @ '' Harry Kazianis , senior director of Korean studies at the Center for the National @ @ @ @ @ `` The Trump administration collectively cares about only one thing right now : making sure @ @ @ @ @ second term .
Nothing more , nothing less . ''

(ATTN: UPDATES with analyst's comments, other details in last 3 paras)
By Lee Haye-ah
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump plans to nominate the No. 2 U.S. envoy for North Korea as a representative to the United Nations, the White House said Tuesday.
Alex Wong, currently the deputy U.S. special representative for North Korea, has been tapped to serve as the U.S. alternative representative for special political affairs at the global body, with the rank of ambassador, the White House said in a press release.
The planned nomination adds to uncertainty about the future of denuclearization negotiations between the United States and North Korea, which have stalled since an unfruitful summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February 2019.
Alex Wong, U.S. deputy special representative for North Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Feb. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
CNN reported Monday that Trump has told his advisers he does not want another summit with Kim before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Wong has effectively led the State Department's efforts with North Korea since Stephen Biegun, the top U.S. envoy for Pyongyang, took over as deputy secretary of state in December.
This week, Wong was in Seoul to meet with South Korean officials and "discuss continued U.S.-(South Korea) coordination on achieving our shared goals of complete denuclearization and bringing lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency earlier.
On Monday he also led a "working group" meeting, during which the South Koreans are known to have briefed the U.S. side on plans to allow individual tourism to North Korea, an initiative pushed by President Moon Jae-in as a way to foster inter-Korean cooperation and facilitate the resumption of nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
The U.N. position requires Senate confirmation.
"It typically takes at least two months for the Senate confirmation process, so I don't think there will be an immediate impact on (Wong's work)," a diplomatic source in Washington told Yonhap.
If confirmed, Wong will further hollow out the State Department team working on North Korea. Mark Lambert, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, was recently reported to be moving to the U.N. as a special envoy for multilateral integrity.
"It does for sure signal one thing, that for now, Team Trump is giving up on North Korea in the short-term," Harry Kazianis, senior director of Korean studies at the Center for the National Interest, told Yonhap. "The Trump administration collectively cares about only one thing right now: making sure the Trump administration secures a second term. Nothing more, nothing less."
And with Pyongyang grappling to contain the spread of the new coronavirus from China, "Both sides have little motivation to talk or do anything at least for the next few months," Kazianis added.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(4th LD) S. Korea's 3rd evacuation plane arrives from virus-hit Wuhan with some 140 people aboard, 4

(4th LD) S. Korea's 3rd evacuation plane arrives from virus-hit Wuhan with some 140 people aboard, 4 showing symptoms

More than two dozen people in South Korea have been confirmed to have contracted the virus .
There have been @ @ @ @ @ alone , the death toll of the virus has topped 1,000 , with the number @ @ @ @ @ .

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third evacuation flight from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived back in Seoul on Wednesday, carrying about 140 of its citizens, their Chinese spouses and family members with four of them showing symptoms of the epidemic.
The chartered plane landed at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul at 6:23 a.m. The passengers with the symptoms, including a child, were sent to a hospital for additional medical checks and treatment.
The evacuation mission came less than a fortnight after two flights brought back a total of 701 nationals from the city amid growing fears over the spread of the deadly virus that has sickened more than dozens of people in South Korea.
Among the passengers on the third flight were some 60 Chinese nationals who boarded the plane with their South Korean family members with the approval from the Chinese authorities.
Seoul initially planned to bring to Korea about 170 people, including 70 Chinese, on the latest flight. It remains unknown why some of them did not board the plane.
The evacuees are to be screened for possible infection before being transported to temporary accommodations at the Korea Defense Language Institute in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul, where they will stay for 14 days, the virus' incubation period.
Amid the mounting dread of the virus that emerged in Wuhan in December, South Korea has been beefing up quarantine efforts, as well as its diplomacy to ensure the safety of its citizens in Wuhan and its vicinity.
There are still an estimated 100 South Koreans in the epicenter of the epidemic, raising expectations that Seoul could mull sending another flight.
More than two dozen people in South Korea have been confirmed to have contracted the virus. There have been no fatalities. In China alone, the death toll of the virus has topped 1,000, with the number of confirmed cases exceeding 42,000.
South Korean citizens from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrive at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Korea's jobless rate falls to 4.1 pct in January, 568,000 jobs created

The unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage point on-year to 4.1 percent , and the number of employed people reached 26.8 @ @ @ @ @ to the data compiled by Statistics Korea .

SEJONG, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's jobless rate fell in January, and job additions came to 568,000, data showed Wednesday.
The unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage point on-year to 4.1 percent, and the number of employed people reached 26.8 million in January, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The unemployment rate for young adults -- those aged between 15 and 29 -- declined to 7.7 percent last month from 8.9 percent tallied a year earlier.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(URGENT) Korea's jobless rate falls to 4.1 pct in January, 568,000 jobs created


yna--2020-02-12--N. Korea offers English, Chinese services for website featuring Mount Kumgang

As of Wednesday , only four postings were available in each of the two languages on the website mostly featuring @ @ @ @ @ Jong-un 's recent trip to the area , indicating that the services remain in their @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has begun providing English and Chinese-language services for information posted on a website promoting tours to Mount Kumgang amid its push to bolster tourism as a key industry and prop up its frail economy in the face of crippling international sanctions.
The move appears to show that Pyongyang's push to lure foreign tourist remains undeterred by growing concern over the global outbreak of the new coronavirus that has led the country to tighten its border with China. Most foreign visitors cross the border to enter the reclusive state.
This photo captured from the website of North Korea's Kumgangsan International Travel Company shows newly added menus in the upper right that allow visitors to use English and Chinese-language services. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
The website run by Kumgangsan International Travel Company has added menus that will allow people to click and choose English and Chinese-language services for information the company is providing on Mount Kumgang on its east coast.
As of Wednesday, only four postings were available in each of the two languages on the website mostly featuring the mountain and leader Kim Jong-un's recent trip to the area, indicating that the services remain in their initial stage.
Kumgangsan International Travel Company is a North Korean agency launched in 2011 in order to lead the development of the mountain as a special tourism zone after South Korea suspended tours to the region in 2008 following the death of its citizen who was killed by a North Korean guard.
The tour project was regarded as a symbol for inter-Korean cooperation and a source of key hard currency for cash-strapped North Korea.
With little prospect for the resumption of the tour project due to global sanctions, leader Kim visited the mountain in October and ordered the removal of "unpleasant-looking" South Korean-built facilities and the construction of an international tourist zone there.
The North recently informed South Korea that it will suspend the destruction plan until the threat from the new coronavirus is completely removed.
As North Korea is intensifying its preventive efforts against the virus, also known as COVID-19, it has increased quarantines for anyone coming from China, giving rise to speculation that the epidemic might hamper its push to promote tourism.
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) No report of new coronavirus in N. Korea yet: WHO

It was believed to be the first time that WHO has mentioned whether or not there is an outbreak of @ @ @ @ @ nation , though the U.S. agency relies on voluntary reporting by its member states for @ @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- No report of an outbreak of the new coronavirus has been received from North Korea's government, the World Health Organization's office in Pyongyang was quoted as saying.
The office told the Voice of America that it "has not received any report of coronavirus cases from the Ministry of Public Health, Democratic People's Republic of Korea," referring to the North's official name.
"WHO is working with all Member States, including DPR Korea, to respond to the new coronavirus," the office was quoted as saying.
At the North's request, WHO is also providing "laboratory reagents and personal protective equipment -- which comprises goggles, gloves, masks, gowns -- for use by health workers," the office said.
It was believed to be the first time that WHO has mentioned whether or not there is an outbreak of the virus in the communist nation, though the U.S. agency relies on voluntary reporting by its member states for the official tally.
North Korean media outlets have claimed that there have been no confirmed cases of the virus infection, though it did say some people have been isolated for showing suspected symptoms.
Pyongyang has been intensifying efforts to prevent an outbreak of the new coronavirus, including tightening its borders with China and strengthening the quarantine for people arriving from the neighboring country.
A North Korean state radio broadcast earlier reported that North Korea is making it mandatory for its people in Pyongyang to wear face masks when they use the subway in the latest effort to guard against the virus.
"(North Korea) has enforced and is sticking to a system in which anyone not wearing a mask should be blocked (from entering Pyongyang's subway station)," it said.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Senior S. Korean national security adviser leaves for Russia: sources

Observers said that Kim is also expected to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties with Russia during the trip as @ @ @ @ @ 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties this year , and to exchange views on how @ @ @ @ @ Putin 's visit to South Korea possibly during the first half of the year .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- A senior South Korean national security adviser left for Russia on Wednesday in a trip expected to focus on discussions on President Moon Jae-in's initiatives to expand inter-Korean exchange and cooperation to help move forward stalled denuclearization talks.
Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong embarked on a four-day trip to Moscow, according to sources associated with the ruling Democratic Party.
He was earlier seen at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, which raised speculation about where he was headed. The trip to Moscow came on the heels of his recent visit to Washington.
It is not clear why he was headed to the Russian capital, but many observers said that Kim will likely use his visit there to explain Moon's push for active cross-border exchange with North Korea, including his recently proposed idea of allowing individual trips to the reclusive communist state.
The chief executive has hoped that expansion of inter-Korean exchange would help ease tensions and provide a major impetus necessary to kick-start long-stalled denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington.
Denuclearization talks have been at a standstill since the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in February 2019 produced no deal as they failed to find common ground over how to match Pyongyang's denuclearization steps with Washington's sanctions relief.
Moscow has supported easing sanctions imposed on Pyongyang as part of efforts to facilitate denuclearization negotiations.
Earlier this week, Alex Wong, the deputy U.S. nuclear envoy, was in Seoul to meet with South Korean officials and discuss continued coordination "on achieving our shared goals of complete denuclearization and bringing lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula," according to a State Department spokesperson.
Wong reportedly left for Russia on Wednesday. Sources said that Kim Hyun-chong appears to have been on the same flight the U.S. official boarded.
Observers said that Kim is also expected to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties with Russia during the trip as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties this year, and to exchange views on how to arrange Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to South Korea possibly during the first half of the year.
Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of the National Security Office, holds a press conference at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 20, 2019, about a trilateral summit that leaders of South Korea, China and Japan will hold on Dec. 24 in China's southern city of Chengdu. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) Asiana Airlines Q4 loss widens on currency

The won fell to an average of 1,157.80 against the dollar at the end of 2019 from 1,118.10 at end-2018 @ @ @ @ @ of Korea .

(ATTN: ADDS stock prices in last para)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Asiana Airlines Inc. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter net losses deepened from a year earlier due to increased foreign exchange losses.
For the three months that ended on Dec. 31, net losses widened to 234.8 billion won (US$199 million) from 163.9 billion won a year earlier, Asiana said in a statement.
"Foreign exchange losses resulting from the won's weakness against the dollar are to blame for the quarterly results," a company spokesman said.
The won fell to an average of 1,157.80 against the dollar at the end of 2019 from 1,118.10 at end-2018, according to the Bank of Korea.
This photo taken on April 23, 2019, shows a model of Asiana Airlines' A380 in the lobby of the company's headquarters in Gangseo Ward, western Seoul. (Yonhap)
A weak won drives up an airline's jet fuel purchasing costs and the value of dollar-denominated debts when converted into the local currency.
Operating losses deepened to 204.3 billion won in the fourth quarter from 149.8 billion won in the same period of 2018.
Sales fell 4.1 percent to 1.47 trillion won from 1.53 trillion won over the same period, it said.
On Wednesday, shares in Asiana Airlines rose 2.02 percent to 5,040 won, outperforming the broader KOSPI's 0.69 percent gain.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Asiana Airlines Q4 loss widens on currency

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Asiana Airlines Inc. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter net losses deepened from a year earlier due to increased foreign exchange losses.
For the three months that ended on Dec. 31, net losses widened to 234.8 billion won (US$199 million) from 163.9 billion won a year earlier, Asiana said in a statement.
"Foreign exchange losses resulting from the won's weakness against the dollar are to blame for the quarterly results," a company spokesman said.
The won fell to an average of 1,157.80 against the dollar at the end of 2019 from 1,118.10 at end-2018, according to the Bank of Korea.
This photo taken on April 23, 2019, shows a large model airplane in the lobby of Asiana Airlines' headquarters in Gangseo Ward, western Seoul. (Yonhap)
A weak won drives up an airline's jet fuel purchasing costs and the value of dollar-denominated debts when converted into the local currency.
Operating losses deepened to 204.3 billion won in the fourth quarter from 149.8 billion won in the same period of 2018.
Sales fell 4.1 percent to 1.47 trillion won from 1.53 trillion won over the same period, it said.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Lock&lock 2019 net income down 46.2 pct. to 16.4 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 24.3 billion won in operating profit for the year , @ @ @ @ @ .
Annual sales rose 11.9 percent to 486 billion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Lock&lock Co. on Wednesday reported its 2019 net income of 16.4 billion won (US$ 13.9 million), down 46.2 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 24.3 billion won in operating profit for the year, compared with 36.5 billion on-year. Annual sales rose 11.9 percent to 486 billion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Lock&lock Q4 net profit up 58.1 pct. to 4.9 bln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 10.3 billion won in operating profit for the quarter , @ @ @ @ @ a year ago .
Sales fell 99.9 percent to 141.3 million won .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Lock&lock Co. on Wednesday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 4.9 billion won (US$ 4.2 million), up 58.1 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 10.3 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 6.8 billion won a year ago. Sales fell 99.9 percent to 141.3 million won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) USFK congratulates 'Parasite' on winning 4 Oscars

In a congratulatory message posted on its Facebook page , the USFK called the achievement `` historic '' and extended @ @ @ @ @ and the people of South Korea .

(ATTN: CHANGES image)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Wednesday congratulated the team of "Parasite" and South Korea for winning four Oscars, including the ceremony's highest honor -- best picture.
In a congratulatory message posted on its Facebook page, the USFK called the achievement "historic" and extended greetings to the Parasite crew and the people of South Korea.
"We are so proud to be serving in a country with such great culture and creative people," USFK said.
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the satirical black comedy won four titles -- best picture, best director, best screenplay and best international feature film -- at the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
It became the first non-English language film to win best picture in the Academy's 92-year history.
This image, captured from the Facebook account of U.S. Forces Korea on Feb. 12, 2020, shows a posting congratulating the team behind "Parasite" and the South Korean people for winning four Oscars, including the ceremony's highest honor -- best picture. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Cryptocurrency exchange attacked by hackers fined for lax security

A Seoul court fined the company , Bithumb , and a former senior official identified by the surname Lee , @ @ @ @ @ its largest shareholder , 30 million won ( US $ 25,452 ) each for neglecting @ @ @ @ @ security .

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- A major cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea was fined Wednesday for failing to protect against cyberattacks that led to massive thefts of customer information and virtual coins.
A Seoul court fined the company, Bithumb, and a former senior official identified by the surname Lee, who is believed to be its largest shareholder, 30 million won (US$25,452) each for neglecting their duty to ensure online security.
In April 2017, about 31,000 pieces of personal information of Bithumb's customers were leaked after a cyberattack that exploited Lee's personal computer. An investigation found his device was devoid of protection against malicious programs.
Between May and October of the same year, hackers stole about 7 billion won worth of cryptocurrencies owned by 243 of its customers.
The company was found to have failed to take proper measures despite a number of suspicious accesses to its systems and customer reports of possible cyberattacks.
The defendants were indicted in June last year without physical detention.
The logo of Bithumb provided by the company (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
jjhwang@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(4th LD) 7 virus patients fully recovered, confirmed cases still at 28

`` It looks like the anti-retroviral medication Kaletra that is used for AIDS treatment seemed to have some effect on @ @ @ @ @ Lee Wang-jun , chairman of Myongji Hospital 's board of directors , told reporters .
@ @ @ @ @ decreased the day after the administration of Kaletra , and his pneumonia symptoms improved .
@

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead with updated info and tally; RECASTS throughout; CHANGES photos; COMBINES with a story slugged coronavirus-HIV drug)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday released three more patients with the novel coronavirus from quarantine, in addition to four previous discharge cases, and its confirmed cases remained unchanged at 28.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said the country's third, eighth and 17th virus-infected patients were released from quarantine after full recoveries.
The number of people who have tested negative for the COVID-19 virus reached 4,811 as of late Wednesday, with another 785 undergoing tests for possible infection, according to the KCDC.
Jung Eun-kyeong, head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), gives a briefing on domestic coronavirus infections at the KCDC headquarters in Cheongju, 137 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Another 21 patients currently being treated at hospitals for the virus are also in stable condition, the health agency said.
"There have never been serious cases that have required intensive care unit treatment," said Jung Eun-kyeong, head of the KCDC. "Just one patient has a fever and shows mild symptoms of pneumonia."
Jung also said it is too premature to judge whether an epidemic peak is near, after China reported its lowest daily number of new coronavirus cases since late January.
"The number of new cases in China lowered from over 3,000 a day to the 2,000-level," Jung said. "However, it is too soon to judge whether the outbreak has passed its peak or reached its inflection point."
Meanwhile, the patient in the country's third case was released from a local hospital earlier in the day, after being administered with anti-HIV medication, according to his doctors.
"It looks like the anti-retroviral medication Kaletra that is used for AIDS treatment seemed to have some effect on the novel coronavirus," Lee Wang-jun, chairman of Myongji Hospital's board of directors, told reporters. "The viral level dramatically decreased the day after the administration of Kaletra, and his pneumonia symptoms improved."
Kaletra is the HIV medication sold by global pharmaceutical firm AbbVie Inc. There have been reports across the globe of several patients who have fully recovered with drug mixtures that include Kaletra despite some controversies over its usefulness in treating the virus.
Yim Jae-kyun, another doctor of the patient, also said the findings show that Kaletra should be administered to COVID-19 patients with underlying diseases or those at risk of pneumonia at an early stage of treatment.
A tourist from Hong Kong shows a smartphone application that the health ministry has released to help people check if they have coronavirus, dubbed COVID-19, at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
In an enhanced effort to stem spread of the virus, strict quarantine screening was enforced against entrants from Hong Kong and Macao, in addition to mainland China, starting earlier in the day.
The strict screening measure comes after reports that the country's 26th and 27th confirmed patients stayed in China's Guangdong province and traveled via Macao.
Passengers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao are required to use separate arrival counters at international airports across the country, according to the KCDC.
They must also write a special quarantine report, filling out health questionnaires to check whether they have a fever or respiratory problems, officials said. They must also disclose any visits to Hubei province -- the epicenter of the global outbreak -- in the past two weeks.
Those who fail to provide their mobile phone numbers and the address of their local accommodations are banned from entering the country, officials said.
Upon arrival in the country, they must also download a mobile application to report their health status every day, the government said.
Those failing to fill out their status, including such details as cough or fever, for more than two days after their arrival will receive phone calls from health authorities, officials said.
The government will then locate their whereabouts if they do not answer the phone calls.
Buses carrying a third group of South Korean evacuees, their Chinese spouses and family members from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan, enter the Korea Defense Language Institute in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, the country's third evacuation flight from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived back in Seoul earlier in the day carrying 147 people comprising South Korean citizens and their Chinese spouses and family members.
The health authorities said five of them showed symptoms of the coronavirus and were sent to a hospital in central Seoul to undergo tests for possible infection.
The others will be tightly quarantined at a temporary shelter in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul, for the next 14 days, the presumed incubation period for the virus.
The other 700 nationals who were brought back into the country through two previous chartered flights will all be discharged from state-run facilities over the weekend as planned following a 14-day quarantine period.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled an official name for the novel virus: COVID-19.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) S. Korea reduces number of soldiers to participate in Cobra Gold exercise amid coronavirus co

(LEAD) S. Korea reduces number of soldiers to participate in Cobra Gold exercise amid coronavirus concerns

The South Korean Navy and Marine Corps had initially planned to send about 400 service personnel , as well as @ @ @ @ @ a naval ship , to the 39th Cobra Gold exercise , co-sponsored by the Thai @ @ @ @ @ set to be held from Feb. 25 through March 6 .

(ATTN: ADDS defense ministry's plan for military academies' entrance ceremonies in last 5 paras, photo)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea tentatively decided to send only slightly more than two dozen soldiers to Thailand for a multinational exercise, rather than hundreds of troops as originally planned, due to concerns about the new coronavirus, the Navy said Wednesday.
The South Korean Navy and Marine Corps had initially planned to send about 400 service personnel, as well as eight assault amphibious vehicles aboard a naval ship, to the 39th Cobra Gold exercise, co-sponsored by the Thai and U.S. armed forces, set to be held from Feb. 25 through March 6.
But the military decided to send around 30 senior-level service members only to attend its command post exercise (CPX) part, the Navy said, adding that the country will skip field maneuvers this time so that no military hardware and Marine Corps officers are deployed.
The final decision will be made later, in consideration of developments regarding the virus, dubbed COVID-19, according to the Navy.
"The decision was made after factoring in overall circumstances regarding COVID-19, including the safety of our service personnel," the Navy said in a release.
"We will make thorough preventive measures for the officials who will take part in the CPX, and will work closely with the Thai side," it added.
It is the second time that South Korea changed its plan regarding international military events due to the potentially deadly virus. Earlier this month, the Air Force decided not to participate in the biennial Singapore Airshow 2020.
Cobra Gold, launched in 1982, is the largest international military exercise held in the Asia-Pacific region, and South Korea began to attend it in 2010.
This year's exercise is expected to bring together at least nine countries, including China, India and Japan, according to officials. Last year it was joined by more than two dozen nations.
As of Wednesday, South Korea has 28 confirmed cases of the virus. More than 1,110 people have died in China and nearly 45,000 have been confirmed infected. Thailand has also reported 33 confirmed cases.
South Korean Navy soldiers and Marines take part in a landing exercise at Hat Yao Beach in Thailand on Feb. 11, 2016, during the U.S.-led multinational military drill Cobra Gold, in this photo provided by the South Korean Marine Corps. South Korea had participated in the annual peacekeeping operation exercise, the largest in the Asia-Pacific region, as an observer from 2002 and became a full member in 2010. (Yonhap)
Reversing its earlier decision, meanwhile, the defense ministry decided to invite family members of new students of the military academies of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy to upcoming entrance ceremonies.
The authorities had initially planned to hold scaled-down ceremonies without inviting family members and acquaintances of freshmen as part of efforts to prevent spread of the new coronavirus.
"The ministry instructed the schools to have a limited number of family members accompany newcomers to the ceremonies, while beefing up measures to prevent coronavirus," the ministry said in a release.
The events are to be held later this month.
The modification comes after Prime Minister Jeong Sye-Kyun called on ministries and local governments earlier in the day to hold their events as scheduled rather than unconditionally canceling or delaying them out of infection fears, apparently to minimize its impact on the economy.
Cadets of the Korea Military Academy (KMA) march at an event at the academy in Seoul on June 8, 2018, to mark the 107th anniversary of the establishment of a Korean military academy in Manchuria during the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula in the early 20th century. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Asiana Airlines offers unpaid leave amid coronavirus outbreak

SEOUL , Feb. 12 ( Yonhap ) -- Asiana Airlines Inc. , South Korea 's second-biggest airline , has asked @ @ @ @ @ unpaid leave due to the suspension of some of flights to China amid the spreading @ @ @ @ @ official said Wednesday .

By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's second-biggest airline, has asked its cabin crew to take unpaid leave due to the suspension of some of flights to China amid the spreading coronavirus outbreak, a company official said Wednesday.
Hundreds of crew members are set to take unpaid leave voluntarily from Saturday through Feb. 29, a company official said, in a desperate move to save costs.
The official did not give further details on exactly how many cabin crew members have applied for the unpaid leave.
This photo provided by Asiana Airlines shows one of its A350 jets. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Asiana had 4,078 crew members as of Feb. 1, accounting for 39 percent of its total workforce of 10,538, according to the airline.
The unpaid leave comes as Asiana has temporarily halted 12 out of 26 routes to mainland China and reduced flights on 12 routes to the world's most populous country, leaving only two routes intact.
Asiana is currently running 57 flights to China per week, compared with 204 before the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
The virus has killed more than 1,100 people in mainland China.
Asiana said flights to China accounted for 19 percent of its total sales at the end of September last year, the highest such proportion among local airlines.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
----------------
(3rd LD) Number of S. Korea's virus cases unchanged at 28; 3 more patients to be released
SEOUL -- South Korea said Wednesday three more patients with the novel coronavirus, dubbed COVID-19, will be released from quarantine, in addition to four previous discharges cases, out of a total of 28 confirmed cases.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said the country's third, eighth, 17th virus-infected patients will be released from quarantine later in the day after full recovery.
----------------
S. Korea reduces number of soldiers to participate in Cobra Gold exercise amid coronavirus concerns
SEOUL -- South Korea tentatively decided to send only slightly more than two dozen soldiers to Thailand for a multinational exercise, rather than hundreds of troops as originally planned, due to concerns about the new coronavirus, the Navy said Wednesday.
The South Korean Navy and Marine Corps had initially planned to send about 400 service personnel, as well as eight assault amphibious vehicles aboard a naval ship, to the 39th Cobra Gold exercise, co-sponsored by the Thai and U.S. armed forces, set to be held from Feb. 25 through March 6.
----------------
Political parties ride coattails of "Parasite" in their election campaigning
SEOUL -- Rival political parties and lawmakers are attempting to capitalize on the popularity of Oscars-winning "Parasite" in their campaigning for the April 15 parliamentary elections.
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) unveiled pledges Wednesday to set up a state-run cinema museum to bolster South Korean films' forays into overseas markets.
----------------
Japan takes issue with Hyundai Heavy-Daewoo Shipbuilding deal
SEOUL -- Japan has taken issue with Hyundai Heavy Industries' deal to take over smaller local rival Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. in its second complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Japan has requested WTO dispute consultations with South Korea regarding Seoul's alleged subsidies to its shipbuilding industry.
----------------
(LEAD) Yonhap, state agency join hands to help overseas adoptees find birth families
SEOUL -- Yonhap News Agency and the state-run National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) agreed Wednesday to launch a joint campaign in March to help overseas Korean adoptees find their birth families.
Yoon Hye-mee, chief of NCRC, affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Cho Sung-boo, president and CEO of the news agency, signed a memorandum of understanding for the project at Yonhap headquarters in central Seoul.
----------------
(LEAD) 'Parasite stock rally' continues since Bong's Oscar victory
SEOUL -- Stocks related to the South Korean film "Parasite" jumped as investors cheered Bong Joon-ho's surprise victory at the 2020 Oscars, data showed Wednesday.
Shares of the film's production company, distributor and even an instant noodle maker increased after Bong's latest film won the top honor at the 92nd Academy Awards on Monday, Korea time.
----------------
Seoul stocks up for 2nd day on risk-taking
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed higher Wednesday, extending their winning streak to a second day on eased concerns over the outbreak of the new coronavirus, encouraging investors to begin taking risks. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar, also for a second consecutive session.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 15.26 points, or 0.69 percent, to close at 2,238.38. Trading volume was moderate at some 623 million shares worth about 6.8 trillion won (US$5.8 billion), with gainers narrowly beating losers 415 to 408.
----------------
(News Focus) 'Parasite' shines light on semi-basement apartments in S. Korea
SEOUL -- Space plays an important role in creating fictional worlds.
Director Bong Joon-ho's awards-winning masterpiece "Parasite" makes a clever use of space, juxtaposing a squalid semi-basement flat against an airy mansion to mirror the wealth gap between the Kim and Park families.
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--USFK congratulates 'Parasite' on winning 4 Oscars

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Wednesday congratulated the team of "Parasite" and South Korea for winning four Oscars, including the ceremony's highest honor -- best picture.
In a congratulatory message posted on its Facebook page, the USFK called the achievement "historic" and extended greetings to the Parasite crew and the people of South Korea.
"We are so proud to be serving in a country with such great culture and creative people," USFK said.
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the satirical black comedy won four titles -- best picture, best director, best screenplay and best international feature film -- at the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
It became the first non-English language film to win best picture in the Academy's 92-year history.
South Korean director Bong Joon-ho holds up his Oscar trophy and smiles at a press conference held at the London West Hollywood in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020 (local time), after his black comedy film "Parasite" took four titles at the 92nd annual Academy Awards. (Yonhap)
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) 'Parasite' jumps to No. 4 at North American box office after Oscar wins

So far , the film 's accumulated revenue in North America is reported to be $ 36 million , and @ @ @ @ @ go up further to reach $ 50 million , with the film 's North American @ @ @ @ @ to expand its showings to some 2,000 screens by the weekend from some 1,060 screens @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with popularity in other countries in paras 10-12, 16-21; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean film "Parasite" soared to No. 4 at the North American box office after its Oscar victories, data has shown.
According to Box Office Mojo, a box office revenue tracker, the black comedy was the fourth most sold title as of Monday (U.S. time), sharply up from its 12th rank a day earlier.
The box office ascent came one day after "Parasite" picked up four awards, including best picture, at the 92nd Academy Awards held in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Korean film became the first ever in the Academy's 92-year-old history to win both best international feature film and best picture, also bagging the Oscars for best director and best original screenplay.
Mojo said that on Monday alone, "Parasite" earned US$501,222 in box office revenue, up 15.6 percent from what it earned on Sunday and 213.3 percent higher than a week earlier.
"Birds of Prey" was running atop the box office chart on Monday, followed by "1917" and then by "Bad Boys for Life."
Released in North America in October, "Parasite", which also won the Cannes Film Festival's top honor, the Palme d'Or, last year, had fallen short of becoming one of the 10 most watched titles in North America.
The movie, however, began to gain ground as the possibility of the its Oscar winnings created a buzz.
So far, the film's accumulated revenue in North America is reported to be $36 million, and the number is likely to go up further to reach $50 million, with the film's North American distributor, Neon, moving to expand its showings to some 2,000 screens by the weekend from some 1,060 screens currently.
"Parasite" cast and staff members pose for photos at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Feb. 12, 2020, as they return from the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles. (Yonhap)
"Parasite" is also emerging as one of the hottest films in other parts of the planet, including Britain and Japan.
In Britain, the film ranked fourth in the first weekend (Feb. 7-9) after its local release, earning about 1.4 million pounds. It was the best-ever opening performance for a non-English language movie released there.
In Japan, "Parasite" rose to third in last weekend's box office results, with its cumulative Japanese sales increasing to 1.6 billion yen.
The film was screened in the summer of last year in its home country. But big cinema chains, including CGV, began or are planning to bring the movie back to the screen following the Oscar winnings.
After CGV began its rerun of "Parasite" on local screens on Monday, the movie came to box office No. 5 as of Tuesday.
A new black-and-white version of "Parasite" is set to debut on local screens on Feb. 26 as the local cinema industry celebrates its first Oscar victories.
This Vietnamese poster captured from CJ ENM's Facebook account announces the beginning of the rerun of "Parasite" in Vietnam on Feb. 7, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Other Asian countries are experiencing reopening fever, too.
In Vietnam, "Parasite" is scheduled to be re-released at 80 to 100 theaters on Monday, according to the local arm of CJ ENM. It will be the first time a Korean film has been re-released in Vietnam.
The black-and-white version will also be screened in Vietnam beginning late this month. "Parasite" was first released in Vietnam last June and attracted the biggest audience of any Korean film released in the country.
"Parasite" reruns also began at CGV theaters in Turkey last Friday and Indonesia on Tuesday.
"In Indonesia, the attendance rate for the rerun of 'Parasite' reached as high as 32 percent. The cumulative audience, including that from reruns, may exceed 500,000," said a CGV official.
Amid the growing global interest in "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho's other films, Neon is reportedly moving to re-release "Memories of Murder," a 2003 crime drama, in North America.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) Political parties ride coattails of "Parasite" in their election campaigning

Uploading a photo of him posing like the main characters of `` Parasite , '' Rep. Kang Byung-won stressed the @ @ @ @ @ the severe income disparity between the haves and have-nots that was portrayed in the film @

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 2, 14-16)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Rival political parties and lawmakers are attempting to capitalize on the popularity of Oscars-winning "Parasite" in their campaigning for the April 15 parliamentary elections.
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) unveiled pledges Wednesday to set up a state-run cinema museum to bolster South Korean films' forays into overseas markets. The liberal party said it will support artists who do not have regular incomes.
Some of its lawmakers have uploaded posters inspired by "Parasite" on their Facebook accounts, vowing to become legislators that exhibit the strengths shown by the film's director, Bong Joon-ho.
The homegrown black comedy won four prizes at the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. time), becoming the first non-English language film to win best picture in the Academy's history.
These images, captured from the Facebook pages of Rep. Kwon Mi-hyuk and Rep. Park Chan-dae of the ruling Democratic Party, show campaign posters inspired by the film "Parasite." (Yonhap)
Mimicking the "Parasite" poster, in which the film's main characters have their eyes covered, DP lawmakers filed their own versions of online posters appealing to voters.
Uploading a photo of him posing like the main characters of "Parasite," Rep. Kang Byung-won stressed the role of politics to resolve the severe income disparity between the haves and have-nots that was portrayed in the film.
Rep. Kwon Mi-hyuk, who seeks to run in a district of Anyang in Gyeonggi Province, mentioned Bong's nickname, "Bongtail," that was made in reflection of his detail-oriented methods of work.
"I would like to earn the nickname 'Kwontail,' with which I can write the history of the National Assembly and Anyang, as Bong did," she said.
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) focuses on implementing the marketing strategy using Bong's popularity as his hometown is Daegu, a traditional stronghold for the conservative party.
Several LKP lawmakers have unleashed election campaigns related to the director, including the establishment of a film museum and the expansion of movie theaters.
Highlighting his ties with Daegu, Rep. Khang Hyo-shang said the southeastern city should evolve into a cultural hub by setting up a film museum.
Rep. Kwak Sang-do, who was elected in a Daegu constituency in 2016, pledged efforts to increase the number of movie theaters and other cultural facilities.
Some preliminary candidates pledged to build a movie street, a park and a memorial hall in Daegu to celebrate Bong's feat.
The leftist Justice Party condemned the LKP for riding the coattails of "Parasite," highlighting a "blacklist" of artists drawn up during the previous conservative government.
The former government of now-ousted President Park Geun-hye is blamed for making a list of artists deemed critical of her government to disadvantage them in various ways.
"The LKP should keep quiet in the current situation (considering its behavior over the blacklist)," the Justice Party said.
The image shows South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, a poster for his film "Parasite" and an Oscar statuette. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(2nd LD) Finance minister warns against excessive fear of new coronavirus

Hong voiced concerns that the economic impact of the virus may negatively affect job growth .
But the government will @ @ @ @ @ the economic fallout of the virus and help the private sector create more jobs , @ @ @

(ATTN: ADDS finance minister's planned meeting with Bank of Korea chief in last 3 paras; RECASTS 2nd para)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance minister on Wednesday warned against excessive fear of the spread of a new coronavirus, urging people not to curb their normal economic activities.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki told a meeting with economy-related ministers that the economy is expected to feel the brunt of efforts to contain COVID-19, but most of the economic impact may come from "excessive fear and anxiety."
"As confirmed cases are under the government's prevention and control works, (the government) asks people to carry out normal economic and consumption activities," Hong said.
As planned, the government will push ahead with investments worth 100 trillion won (US$84.6 billion) this year to keep the economy's recovery momentum, Hong said.
Hong said the government will come up with additional measures in coming weeks to help local firms cushion the economic impact of the virus.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks at a meeting with economy-related ministers in Seoul on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
Such measures include policy tools to boost local tourism, exports and private consumption.
South Korea had 28 confirmed cases of the virus, which originated from China and killed more than 1,100 people, as of Monday.
Last week, the finance ministry said it will provide 2 trillion won in financial support to small merchants who are expected to be hurt by the spread of the virus.
It is difficult to gauge how broadly the virus will spread, but the little-known disease is expected to negatively affect the Korean economy, analysts said.
The country's jobless rate fell to 4.1 percent in January and 568,000 jobs were created last month, marking the strongest monthly gain in more than five years.
Hong voiced concerns that the economic impact of the virus may negatively affect job growth. But the government will spare no efforts to minimize the economic fallout of the virus and help the private sector create more jobs, Hong said.
Hong is scheduled to hold a meeting with Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol on Friday to discuss how to cope with the economic impact of the virus.
It will be the first time the two men have met since August last year, when they discussed measures to deal with Japan's export curbs of key materials targeting South Korea.
The market is increasingly betting that the central bank will cut its key rate at its policy meeting on Feb. 27 to preemptively cope with the economic fallout of the virus.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--Anti-HIV medication effective in treating coronavirus patient: Korean doctors

`` It looks like the anti-retroviral medication Kaletra that is used for AIDS treatment seemed to have some effect on @ @ @ @ @ Lee Wang-jun , chairman of Myongji Hospital 's board of directors , told reporters .
@ @ @ @ @ decreased the day after the administration of Kaletra and his pneumonia symptoms improved . ''

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean patient infected with the novel coronavirus recovered after receiving anti-HIV medication, the patient's doctors claimed on Wednesday.
The country's third virus-infected patient was released from a hospital, after fully recovering from the virus, in addition to four previous discharges cases, out of a total of 28 confirmed cases here.
"It looks like the anti-retroviral medication Kaletra that is used for AIDS treatment seemed to have some effect on the novel coronavirus," Lee Wang-jun, chairman of Myongji Hospital's board of directors, told reporters. "The viral level dramatically decreased the day after the administration of Kaletra and his pneumonia symptoms improved."
Kaletra is the HIV medication sold by global pharmaceutical firm AbbVie Inc. There have been reports across the globe of several patients being fully recovered with drug mixtures that include Kaletra despite some controversies over usefulness in treating the virus.
Yim Jae-kyun, another doctor of the patient, also said the findings show that Kaletra should be administered to COVID-19 patients with underlying diseases or those at risk of pneumonia at an early stage of treatment.
The third patient, a 54-year-old South Korean national, arrived here from the Chinese southern city of Wuhan on Jan. 20. He started showing symptoms on Jan. 22 before being diagnosed with the virus on Jan. 26.
On Feb. 5, doctors in charge of the country's second discharged virus-infected patient also said that the patient was administered Kaletra.
Doctors at the time said they were not sure whether the medication had played a crucial role in the treatment but several symptoms, such as cough, improved.
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 2nd day on risk-taking

SEOUL , Feb. 12 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Wednesday , extending their winning streak to @ @ @ @ @ concerns over the outbreak of the new coronavirus , encouraging investors to begin taking risks @ @ @ @ @ against the U.S. dollar , also for a second consecutive session .

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom, photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Wednesday, extending their winning streak to a second day on eased concerns over the outbreak of the new coronavirus, encouraging investors to begin taking risks. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar, also for a second consecutive session.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 15.26 points, or 0.69 percent, to close at 2,238.38. Trading volume was moderate at some 623 million shares worth about 6.8 trillion won (US$5.8 billion), with gainers narrowly beating losers 415 to 408.
The photo taken Feb. 12, 2020 shows the trading room at a KEB Hana Bank branch in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The index slipped into negative terrain earlier but rebounded on large cap gains, led by autos and pharmaceuticals, amid signs that the COVID-19 virus outbreak is taking a breather, prompting investors to be more open to risk-taking.
South Korea has reported 28 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Wednesday, adding only one additional case since Sunday.
The KOSPI rose 1 percent on Tuesday, snapping a two-day losing streak.
Foreigners continued to offload local stocks for a third consecutive session, dumping a net 218 billion won on Wednesday. Institutions purchased a net 149 billion won, while individuals scooped a net 46 billion won.
Large caps were mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics jumped 1 percent to 60,500 won, and major chipmaker SK hynix added 0.2 percent to close at 100,000 won.
Leading automaker Hyundai Motor spiked 2.64 percent to 136,000 won, one day after the carmaker and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors partially resumed the operation of production facilities that had been suspended since late last week due to a shortage of parts from their Chinese suppliers.
Kia Motors added 0.73 percent to close at 41,650 won.
Top pharmaceutical firm Samsung BioLogics advanced 0.38 percent to 530,000 won, while Celltrion gained 0.29 percent to reach 174,000 won.
The won closed at 1,179.50 won per dollar, up 2.10 won from the previous session's close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys lost 0.2 basis point to 1.297 percent, but the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 1.3 basis points to stand at 1.421 percent.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-12--S. Korean Bond Yields on Feb. 12, 2020

S. Korean Bond Yields on Feb. 12, 2020

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


yna--2020-02-13--KT&G 2019 net profit up 15.2 pct. to 1.03 tln won

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 1.38 trillion won in operating profit for the year , @ @ @ @ @ .
Annual sales rose 11.1 percent to 4.96 trillion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- KT&G Corp. on Thursday reported its 2019 net income of 1.03 trillion won (US$ 876.7 million), up 15.2 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 1.38 trillion won in operating profit for the year, compared with 1.25 trillion on-year. Annual sales rose 11.1 percent to 4.96 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--KT&G Q4 net profit down 9.5 pct. to 114.7 bln won

The operating profit was 18.5 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, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- KT&G Corp. on Thursday reported its fourth-quarter net income of 114.7 billion won (US$ 97.2 million), down 9.5 percent from a year earlier.
Operating income for the October-December period was 251.8 billion won, down 4.6 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Revenue rose 9 percent to 1.2 trillion won.
The operating profit was 18.5 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--2020-02-13--Intel engineer-turned-professor tapped to lead S. Korea's presidential panel on 4th industrial revol

Intel engineer-turned-professor tapped to lead S. Korea's presidential panel on 4th industrial revolution

`` Besides technological specialty , he has abundant experience as well in the industry , academy and research cooperation , @ @ @ @ @ he 's expected to contribute to the government 's campaign nurturing new industries and regulatory @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in has picked a former senior engineer at Intel Corporation as head of the presidential committee on South Korea's response to the fourth industrial revolution, Cheong Wa Dae announced Thursday.
Yoon Sungroh, currently a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Seoul National University, will be appointed on Friday to lead the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution for a year, it said.
Yoon is a leading expert in South Korea in the artificial intelligence (AI) and big data sectors, which represent core technologies in the fourth industrial revolution era, according to Cheong Wa dae.
"Besides technological specialty, he has abundant experience as well in the industry, academy and research cooperation," it said, adding he's expected to contribute to the government's campaign nurturing new industries and regulatory reform in related fields.
He worked as senior engineer at Intel Corporation from 2005-2006, having earned Master of Science and doctorate in electric engineering from Stanford University.
Yoon Sungroh, named to lead the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in a photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--No new coronavirus infections reported for 2nd day, number of cases unchanged at 28

As of Thursday morning , the number of people being checked for the virus under quarantine came to 670 , @ @ @ @ @ and been released from hospitals , according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has reported no new novel coronavirus cases since the 28th case was confirmed on Tuesday, with the number of cases remaining unchanged at 28, health authorities said Thursday.
As of Thursday morning, the number of people being checked for the virus under quarantine came to 670, with seven patients having recovered and been released from hospitals, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC),
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--5 Wuhan evacuees with virus symptoms given all clear

SEOUL , Feb. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- Five evacuees who showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus upon arrival in @ @ @ @ @ of Wuhan on Wednesday have all tested negative for the illness , health authorities here @ @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Five evacuees who showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus upon arrival in Seoul from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Wednesday have all tested negative for the illness, health authorities here said Thursday.
After being airlifted from the epicenter of the coronavirus early Wednesday, they were transferred to a hospital here for virus checks.
The five are among the 147 South Koreans, their Chinese spouses and family members who were evacuated from China.
The evacuees are staying at a temporary shelter in Icheon, 80 kilometers southeast of Seoul, where they will need to stay for 14 days, the virus' incubation period.
There are still an estimated 100 South Koreans in Wuhan, raising speculation that Seoul could send another flight to bring back them.
Evacuees from Wuhan, China, disembark from a chartered plane at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--Coronavirus hits mobile carriers' launch ceremonies for Galaxy S20

`` With high public worries over the novel coronavirus , there seems to be no need to create a feeling @ @ @ @ @ holding large-scale launch ceremonies as in the past , '' an industry source said .

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean mobile carriers are moving to cancel launch ceremonies for Samsung Electronics Co.'s new Galaxy S20 smartphone amid the coronavirus scare, industry sources said Thursday.
South Korea's top mobile phone operator SK Telecom Co. and No. 2 industry player KT Corp. had originally planned to hold launch ceremonies for Samsung's new flagship smartphone on Feb. 27.
According to the sources, SK Telecom, the crown jewel of South Korea's third-largest conglomerate SK Group, will not hold a launch ceremony participated in by its customers.
KT, also the top fixed line operator in Asia's fourth-largest economy, is highly unlikely to hold an offline launch event, they added.
"With high public worries over the novel coronavirus, there seems to be no need to create a feeling of anxiety by insisting on holding large-scale launch ceremonies as in the past," an industry source said.
LG Uplus Corp., the smallest mobile carrier in the country, has decided not to hold launch ceremonies for new mobile phones beginning this year, starting with the Galaxy S20.
This undated file photo shows customers attending a launch event for Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy S10 smartphone in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The three mobile carriers used to hold massive launch events for Samsung and Apple phones with sports stars or popular entertainers attending.
Instead of massive launch ceremonies, the companies are reportedly seeking to ramp up online marketing activities or provide customers with more benefits as the Galaxy S20 series are seen as a magnet for 5G customers.
On Tuesday (local time), Samsung, the world's largest smartphone vendor, unveiled the Galaxy S20 series and the Galaxy Z Flip vertically folding phone at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event in San Francisco. All three Galaxy S20 phones have bigger screens, upgraded cameras and increased battery capacities than their predecessors in the Galaxy S10 series.
At the event, Roh Tae-moon, chief of Samsung's mobile communications business, said the global tech giant has decided to cancel a range of events for customers in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
As of early Thursday, South Korea has reported 28 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus, with seven patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries.
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--(URGENT) No new virus infections reported for 2nd day, cases unchanged at 28.


yna--2020-02-13--Senior Cheong Wa Dae official in Moscow over Putin's plan to visit S. Korea

`` There are pending bilateral issues .
( This year ) marks the 30th anniversary of ( South Korea and @ @ @ @ @ .
And there 's a matter to discuss in connection with President Putin 's visit @ @ @ @ @ Kim told reporters upon arriving at the Moscow international airport .

MOSCOW, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong said Wednesday he would discuss the details of Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming trip to South Korea and other pending issues related to Seoul-Moscow ties as he began a three-day stay here.
"There are pending bilateral issues. (This year) marks the 30th anniversary of (South Korea and Russia) establishing diplomatic relations. And there's a matter to discuss in connection with President Putin's visit to South Korea," Kim told reporters upon arriving at the Moscow international airport.
He would not confirm whether he would touch on inter-Korean cooperation and stalled denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington during his meeting with Russian officials.
"I can't speak about it (to you)," he said, adding he has no plan to meet any North Korean official here.
Putin is expected to travel to South Korea in the first half of this year.
"There seems to be a need to discuss relevant specifics," Kim said, referring to such things as the visit's scheduling.
South Korea's Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong arrives at the Moscow international airport on Feb. 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Moon Jae-in administration of South Korea is seeking to improve partnerships with the Putin government, especially over its push for trilateral economic projects involving North Korea.
The government hopes to reconnect roads and railways across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that bisects the peninsula and link them to Europe via Russia.
Moon has also proposed transforming the DMZ into an international peace zone, an ambitious program requiring the U.N. Security Council's support.
Russia is a member of the now-halted six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program, along with the two Koreas, the U.S., China and Japan.
Kim said he will return directly to Seoul this weekend after the Moscow visit.
Earlier this month, he made a trip to Washington D.C. for talks with U.S. officials.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--(URGENT) 5 Wuhan evacuees with symptoms test negative for coronavirus: Seoul gov't


yna--2020-02-13--N.K. denounces S. Korea's main opposition party for scouting defector for elections

As Trump introduced Ji during the address , Ji triumphantly held up his crutches , drawing a standing ovation .
@ @ @ @ @ lost an arm and a leg in a train accident in 1996 when he passed @ @ @ @ @ to starvation after attempting to steal coal .
He defected to the South in 2006 @

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet lashed out at South Korea's main opposition party on Thursday over its decision to scout a North Korean defector, known for his appearance at a U.S. State of the Union address, ahead of April's general elections.
Last month, the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) announced its decision to recruit Ji Seong-ho as one of the new faces who will run for the April 15 parliamentary elections. Ji is known for his surprise appearance at U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech in 2018.
As Trump introduced Ji during the address, Ji triumphantly held up his crutches, drawing a standing ovation. He is believed to have lost an arm and a leg in a train accident in 1996 when he passed out over a railway due to starvation after attempting to steal coal. He defected to the South in 2006.
Uriminzokkiri, a North Korean propaganda outlet, denounced his recruitment, calling him a "shameful person" who is trying to deceive and profit by smearing his mother country.
"(He) is running amok deceiving his past dirty deeds to extract as much money as possible ... while leading anti-republic smearing campaign," the website said. "Ji Seong-ho, a fugitive who crossed into the South, is a cruel, vicious and shameful person."
The website said that Ji is a greedy person who would never hesitate to desert his own wife for money, adding that his friends and neighbors have testified about his cruel and violent personality.
It is not rare for North Korean media outlets to level strong criticism against North Korean defectors, blaming them for crimes, though their claims are hard to prove.
Ji, currently a human rights activist, is one of two high-profile North Korean defectors that the LKP has recruited ahead of the April elections. Earlier this week, Thae Yong-ho, a former senior North Korean ambassador, announced his bid to run in the upcoming elections as a member of the opposition party.
North Korean media outlets have stayed mum over Thae's announcement.
Ji Seong-ho, a human rights and disability campaigner who defected from North Korea, speaks after meeting U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Feb. 3, 2018. (Yonhap)
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--Seoul stocks open higher on Wall Street gains

The strong start follows overnight gains on Wall Street on a growing market confidence that the impact of the new @ @ @ @ @ may be limited .

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday, apparently tracking overnight gains on Wall Street.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 13.16 points, or 0.59 percent, to 2,251.54 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
The strong start follows overnight gains on Wall Street on a growing market confidence that the impact of the new coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. may be limited.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 0.94 percent to close at a new record high of 29,551.42, with the tech-heavy NASDAQ index also climbing 0.90 percent to a new high of 9,725.96.
In Seoul, large caps traded mixed.
Market kingpin Samsung Electronics surged 1.49 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix spiking 2.5 percent.
Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor remained flat, while top portal operator Naver slipped 0.27 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,181.55 won against the U.S. dollar, down 2.05 won from the previous session's close.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)


Thursday's weather forecast

SEOUL , Feb. 13 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


KOSPI 2,245.72 UP 7.34 points (open)


KOSDAQ 689.54 UP 2.95 points (open)


yna--2020-02-13--Dollar opens at 1,182.0 won UP from 1,179.5 won


yna--2020-02-13--Yonhap news advisory for Thursday, Feb. 13

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

The following stories are scheduled to be covered by Yonhap News Agency. Your queries are welcome. Yonhap's English-language news desk can be reached by telephone at 82-2-398-3451 (general) and 82-2-398-3460 (economics), and by email at sshim@yna.co.kr or sam@yna.co.kr.
General
-- Supreme Court to rule on ex-presidential aides in 'whitelist' scandal
-- (Yonhap Feature) 'Parasite' gets post-Oscars bump
-- Follow-up on N. Korea's efforts to prevent coronavirus outbreak
Economy & Finance
-- Follow-up stories on coronavirus outbreak
-- Earnings reports from Kakao, other major companies
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--6 companies to recall over 490,000 vehicles

The companies have either already begun repair and replacement services or will start the services next week .
Vehicle owners @ @ @ @ @ service centers to replace the parts free of charge , the ministry said .
( @ @

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and five other companies will voluntarily recall over 490,000 vehicles to fix faulty components, the transport ministry said Thursday.
This is the latest in a series of recalls by carmakers operating in South Korea due to problems in components of vehicles they sell here.
Hyundai Motor, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA), BMW Korea, Audi Volkswagen Korea, MAN Truck & Bus Korea Ltd. and Bike Korea are recalling 494,720 units due to faulty components, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement.
The problems include a faulty anti-lock brake system in Hyundai's Avante compact, excessive explosive pressure in air bags that could cause injury to drivers of the BMW 320i sedan and a faulty part in the gearbox of Volkswagen's Jetta 2.0 TDI BMT sedan, it said.
The companies have either already begun repair and replacement services or will start the services next week. Vehicle owners can visit designated repair and service centers to replace the parts free of charge, the ministry said.
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--Kakao shifts to red in 2019

Kakao shifts to red in 2019

The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 206.6 billion won in operating profit for the year , @ @ @ @ @ .
Annual sales rose 27.8 percent to 3.08 trillion won .

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Kakao Corp. on Thursday reported its 2019 net loss of 339.8 billion won (US$ 288.1 million), turning from a profit of 15.9 billion won a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 206.6 billion won in operating profit for the year, compared with 72.9 billion on-year. Annual sales rose 27.8 percent to 3.08 trillion won.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--Kakao remains in red in Q4

Kakao remains in red in Q4

The operating profit was 15.2 percent higher than the average estimate , according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax , @ @ @ @ @ Yonhap News Agency .
The estimate of net profit was not available .

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Kakao Corp. on Thursday reported its fourth-quarter net loss of 439.8 billion won (US$ 372.9 million), remaining in the red compared with a year ago.
Operating income for the October-December period was 79.4 billion won, up 1749.6 percent from a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Revenue rose 28.8 percent to 867.3 billion won.
The operating profit was 15.2 percent higher than the average estimate, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The estimate of net profit was not available.
※ This article was generated by Yonhap's proprietary algorithm using data from Yonhap Infomax and Korea Exchange(KRX).
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Feb. 13)

The Blue House is reportedly mulling an end to the General Status of Military Information Agreement ( Gsomia ) with @ @ @ @ @ year , the military intelligence-sharing deal was nearly terminated as a result of Japan 's @ @ @ @ @ rulings for compensation for wartime forced labor .
In the face of strong U.S. opposition @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the deterioration of Seoul-Tokyo relations — the Moon Jae-in administration withheld the termination @ @ @ @ @ was suspending the effect of the termination notification as `` the agreement can be discarded @ @ @ @ @

The worst option of all
The Blue House is reportedly mulling an end to the General Status of Military Information Agreement (Gsomia) with Japan. In November last year, the military intelligence-sharing deal was nearly terminated as a result of Japan's economic retaliations for Korean court rulings for compensation for wartime forced labor. In the face of strong U.S. opposition — and because of deepening concerns about the deterioration of Seoul-Tokyo relations — the Moon Jae-in administration withheld the termination card. It said it was suspending the effect of the termination notification as "the agreement can be discarded at the time."
Nevertheless, the Moon administration is poised to push for the discontinuation of Gsomia. Despite the JoongAng Ilbo's report Tuesday about such a surprising change of mind ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not deny it, saying that the suspension was only provisional.
As we repeatedly stressed, a scrapping of the military pact is the worst option of all, as it backfired already. The government chose the option to pressure the United States to persuade Japan to ease its sanctions on exports to Korea. But the results were the opposite. Washington expressed strong dissatisfaction toward Seoul instead of convincing Tokyo to lift sanctions.
What worries us most is Washington's reaction after Seoul pulls the plug on Gsomia. Despite the nuanced wording, the United States and Japan will be disappointed at the revival of the idea. Despite a lull in denuclearization talks, a crisis could revisit the peninsula anytime. It is not wise for the government to take a dangerous step in such a situation.
The Seoul-Tokyo ties, which showed some signs of improvement after a summit in December, will certainly get worse. Japan will likely take further retaliatory measures against Korea, which will help freeze the relations and damage our economy.
If the government brings Gsomia to an end, it creates a serious loophole in our security given the competitive military information assets Japan has — such as satellites, Aegis destroyers, ground-based radar and Awacs aircraft. It does not make sense for the government to end Gsomia. If it aims to rally support ahead of the election by fueling anti-Japan sentiment, it is a wrong choice.
The Moon administration must not put an end to the deal. It must tackle Japan's unfair export restrictions in other ways. If it nevertheless takes the wrong path, that is same as risking our security for domestic political gains.
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--N. Korea replaces domestic security chief: Seoul

In 2001 , North Korea 's state media mentioned a man named Kim Jong-ho as vice minister of people 's @ @ @ @ @ to Russia by then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il , the late father of incumbent leader @ @ @ @ @ not been confirmed whether he is the same person as the new minister .

By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has appointed Kim Jong-ho as new minister of people's security, a South Korean government publication indicated Thursday.
North Korea's leadership chart, released by South Korea's unification ministry, showed that Kim replaced Choe Pu-il, who was promoted to department director handling military affairs at the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, in December.
The Ministry of People's Security is roughly equivalent to South Korea's National Police Agency.
No details of the new minister were known.
In 2001, North Korea's state media mentioned a man named Kim Jong-ho as vice minister of people's security while reporting a trip to Russia by then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of incumbent leader Kim Jong-un. It has not been confirmed whether he is the same person as the new minister.
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-02-13--(LEAD) Samsung, LG vow support for subcontractors amid coronavirus woes

`` Confronted with this incident , I think ( we ) should have made preparations a bit earlier .
I @ @ @ @ @ We will try to overcome it speedily , '' Lee was quoted as saying during @ @ @ @ @ , which was joined by several other local business leaders .
They included SK Group @ @ @ @ @ Group Chairman Koo Gwang-mo and CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun , as well as Hyundai @ @ @ @ @ and Lotte Group Vice Chairman Hwang Kag-gyu .

(ATTN: UPDATES with SK chief's comments in last 3 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Lee Jae-yong, the de facto head of Samsung Group, said in a meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday that the conglomerate will step up efforts to support its subcontractors hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"Confronted with this incident, I think (we) should have made preparations a bit earlier. I feel my shoulders heavy. We will try to overcome it speedily," Lee was quoted as saying during a roundtable meeting with Moon, which was joined by several other local business leaders. They included SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Gwang-mo and CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, as well as Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Yoon Yeo-chul and Lotte Group Vice Chairman Hwang Kag-gyu.
Moon hosted the meeting with business leaders at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Seoul in a bid to pool wisdom on ways to minimize the economic effects of the pandemic that began in China last December.
Lee pointed out the importance of China in the global manufacturing sector as the world's largest market together with the United States.
He cited "realistic difficulties" facing the IT industry in particular, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"But a crisis has been all around and we can ride it out," he said. "The troubles of subcontractors are bigger (than those of Samsung)."
President Moon Jae-in (R) shakes hands with de facto Samsung Group head Lee Jae-yong ahead of a roundtable meeting at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Seoul on Feb. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
Lee pledged painstaking measures for "substantive support" for them, adding his group will keep its word to expand innovation-based investment and create more jobs to help revitalize the country's economy.
Lee asked Moon to send a video message of encouragement to South Korean company workers and their families staying in China.
He also requested that the government temporarily relax restrictions related to the 52-hour workweek system, saying Samsung hopes to promote after-work meetings at nearby restaurants or bars to help reinvigorate domestic consumption.
The leader of LG Group also said it would broaden technology and manpower support for subcontractors.
"It's necessary to localize and diversify the supply of core materials and parts to rely less on a specific country," Koo told Moon, apparently referring to Japan. "We have keenly felt the importance of small and medium-sized subcontractors."
President Moon Jae-in (front, 3rd from L) holds a meeting with leaders of South Korean conglomerates at the headquarters of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Seoul on Feb. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
The SK Group chief asked the government to strive to keep air cargo flights between South Korea and China intact despite the fears of virus spread.
"If air cargo transport is halted, it would derail semiconductor wafer production," Chey said, adding SK would make all-out efforts in investment and job creation going forward.
"(We) will make investments and hire workers (this year) on a similar level with the previous year," he said, according to a transcript released by Moon's spokesperson Kang Min-seok.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)