yna--2020-04-19--(LEAD) Gov't to maintain social distancing campaign, with less intensity: PM

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 8-11, photo)
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- The government said Sunday it will maintain the social distancing drive against the coronavirus until early May, but it will ease the guidelines for some groups and cases like religious gatherings and recruitment tests.
Maintaining distance from others in public places, daily sanitizing and wearing masks will be kept in place under the social distancing practices till May 5, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a government response meeting.
But the administrative orders on churches, bars, gyms and cram schools that strongly recommended their temporary closure will be lifted on condition that they comply with strict quarantine rules. The government will also begin to allow essential qualification tests or recruitment exams, the prime minister said.
"In terms of quarantine, it is safest to continue high-intensity social distancing, but it is not easy in reality. We need to find a middle ground," Chung said.
People take a stroll along the Han River in Seoul's western Yeouido amid the strong, government-led social distancing campaign in place on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
He added that outdoor public facilities, such as recreation forests, could reopen and that outdoor sports activities could be resumed on a limited basis so long as they follow the strict quarantine requirements.
The government launched the aggressive social distancing campaign late last month as part of stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. It had extended the campaign for two more weeks until April 19.
Sunday's decision came in part after taking into account the upcoming long holiday, starting with Buddha's Birthday on April 30, then May Day on May 1 and Children's Day on May 5. The authorities have warned against people loosening up social distancing during the holiday period.
Chung remained cautious about easing the social distancing campaign in principle, citing some countries that saw recurrences of mass infections after easing the measures.
"We are not at the stage where we can feel relieved," he said.
On reopening of schools, he said the government will consider allowing schools to gradually reopen, depending on the overall circumstances, calling on the education ministry to carefully review the matter. Schools have begun holding classes via online tools, but students and teachers have experienced inconveniences due to technical glitches.
Chung indicated that should the virus situation be managed at this level, the government will shift the policy to further ease the distancing practices after May 5.
The government has urged for people not to lower their guards against the virus, stressing that resuming nonessential large gatherings and activities would run the risk of causing mass infections again.
On Sunday, South Korea reported eight new infection cases, down from Saturday's tally of 18 and marking the first single-digit increase in about two months. Its total infection tally stood at 10,661, with 234 deaths.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a government meeting over coronavirus responses in Seoul on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--Gov't to maintain social distancing campaign, with less intensity: PM

But the administrative orders on churches , bars , gyms and cram schools that strongly recommended their temporary closure will @ @ @ @ @ they comply with strict quarantine rules .
The government will also begin to allow essential @ @ @ @ @ , the prime minister said .

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- The government said Sunday it will maintain the social distancing drive against the coronavirus until early May, but it will ease the guidelines for some groups and cases like religious gatherings and recruitment tests.
Maintaining distance from others in public places, daily sanitizing and wearing masks will be kept in place under the social distancing practices till May 5, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a government response meeting.
But the administrative orders on churches, bars, gyms and cram schools that strongly recommended their temporary closure will be lifted on condition that they comply with strict quarantine rules. The government will also begin to allow essential qualification tests or recruitment exams, the prime minister said.
"In terms of quarantine, it is safest to continue high-intensity social distancing, but it is not easy in reality. We need to find a middle ground," Chung said.
He added that outdoor public facilities, such as recreation forests, could reopen and that outdoor sports activities could be resumed on a limited basis so long as they follow the strict quarantine requirements.
The government launched the aggressive social distancing campaign late last month as part of stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. It had extended the campaign for two more weeks until April 19.
Sunday's decision came in part after taking into account the upcoming long holiday, starting with Buddha's Birthday on April 30, then May Day on May 1 and Children's Day on May 5. The authorities have warned against people loosening up social distancing during the holiday period.
The government has urged for people not to lower their guards against the virus, stressing that resuming nonessential large gatherings and activities would run the risk of causing mass infections again.
On Sunday, South Korea reported eight new infection cases, down from Saturday's tally of 18 and marking the first single-digit increase in about two months. Its total infection tally stood at 10,661, with 234 deaths.
People take a stroll along the Han River in Seoul's western Yeouido amid the strong, government-led social distancing campaign in place on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--(4th LD) New coronavirus infections fall to single digits for first time in 2 months

`` Although the number of new infections has been decreasing , the decline was made possible due to the social @ @ @ @ @ week , '' the KCDC said in a statement .
`` Considering Easter and the @ @ @ @ @ to take a closer look for another week . ''

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS details throughout; TRIMS)
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday reported eight new cases of COVID-19 to mark the first time in around two months for the total to rise by a single-digit number, making the country confident enough to partially ease its thorough social distancing drive.
The figure for cases detected on Saturday fell from a day earlier when new infections reached 18, bringing the total infections to 10,661, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
After reporting the first case on Jan. 20, the number of daily new cases in the country stayed in the single digits through Feb. 18. The number of patients, however, soon skyrocketed centering on members of a church group in the southeastern city of Daegu and other cluster infections from hospitals.
The number of South Korea's daily new cases reached a peak of 909 on Feb. 29.
On the back of the country's all-out efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, however, the number of new infections announced stayed below 30 from Monday to Friday and slipped to below 20 on Saturday.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Despite the signs of a slowdown, health authorities still remain vigilant over new cases coming from overseas, as well as over those who are retesting positive for COVID-19.
Of the eight new cases, five were detected from arrivals from foreign countries. The total number of such cases reached 998, taking up around 9 percent of the overall infections.
While the country has conducted virus tests on 550,109 people so far, the latest decrease in the number of new infections also came as fewer tests have been carried out over the weekend.
Health authorities carried out 4,275 tests on Saturday, which was sharply down from 8,371 posted on Friday.
"Although the number of new infections has been decreasing, the decline was made possible due to the social distancing moves made until last week," the KCDC said in a statement. "Considering Easter and the general election, we plan to take a closer look for another week."
South Korea held the general elections on Wednesday. Despite the virus, more than 29 million people cast ballots at polling stations nationwide wearing face masks and plastic gloves.
Visitors take a stroll at a park in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the novel virus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by two to 234, according to the KCDC.
South Korea's COVID-19 fatality rate reached 2.19 percent. The rate, however, came to 9.65 percent for patients in their 70s and 23.24 percent for those in their 80s.
The number of patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 8,042, up 105 from a day earlier.
The number of people who have tested positive again for COVID-19 after making full recoveries has reached 179.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, added two new cases. Its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reported only one new case.
The total number of cases reported in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reached 6,832 and 1,359, respectively.
Seoul, the most populous city of South Korea, also reported only two new cases, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding no new COVID-19 infections.
South Korea has been intensifying its social distancing drive since late March, recommending that churches, sports facilities and clubs suspend operations to curb cluster infections of the virus.
While the all-out social distancing campaign was supposed to run through Sunday, Seoul announced later in the day that it will extend the drive until May 5, but with less intensity.
The extension apparently took into account the possibility that outdoor activity could increase as the country will mark Buddha's birthday on April 30, Labor Day on May 1 and Children's Day on May 5.
South Korea said that, depending on the situation, it will slowly move towards so-called everyday life quarantine after the new deadline.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--Trump rang 'friend' Moon for election win congrats: Cheong Wa Dae

In the phone conversation , Trump talked about a `` nice note '' he received from North Korean leader Kim @ @ @ @ @ Dae official said later on the condition of anonymity .
He would not elaborate , @ @ @ @ @ not appropriate for Cheong Wa Dae to do so .

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump made his latest call to South Korean President Moon Jae-in primarily to congratulate his "friend" on an election victory last week, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.
Throughout their half-hour phone talks Saturday night (Seoul time), Trump repeatedly congratulated Moon on his Democratic Party's crushing win in the April 15 parliamentary elections, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
"President Trump used the expression 'friend' for President Moon and said the only purpose of his call was to offer congratulations," Kang told reporters.
Their conversation then moved on naturally to such other topics as the coronavirus response, related cooperation and the North Korea issue, he added.
Kang earlier issued a press statement summing up the results of the second Moon-Trump phone summit in less than a month.
But he gave some more details on the background of the talks amid continued media speculation on the reason for the call.
Cheong Wa Dae also released photos showing Trump signing a congratulatory message for Moon at his office, which reads "Congratulations-A great win!" The White House delivered the pictures through the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Donald Trump puts his signature on a congratulatory note for South Korean President Moon Jae-in on an election win at the White House on April 18, 2020, in this photo delivered to the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., and released by Cheong Wa Dae. (Yonhap) (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
U.S. President Donald Trump's handwritten message on a graphic showing an election victory by South Korea's ruling party in a photo delivered to Cheong Wa Dae through the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In the phone conversation, Trump talked about a "nice note" he received from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a Cheong Wa Dae official said later on the condition of anonymity. He would not elaborate, however, saying it's not appropriate for Cheong Wa Dae to do so.
Although they reaffirmed a principled agreement to provide North Korea with humanitarian assistance related to COVID-19, there was no new meaningful proposal or accord, he added.
A precondition for quarantine cooperation and humanitarian aid is Pyongyang's positive response, which is still absent, he stressed.
The pending alliance issue of splitting the financial burden for American troops in South Korea was not raised either, the official said.
Trump, meanwhile, thanked Moon for South Korea's supply of virus test kits and asked if it needs U.S. respirators for patients. Moon replied that his government would request them if necessary.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--(URGENT) Gov't to maintain social distancing campaign until May 5, with less intensity

(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--2020-04-19--(LEAD) New coronavirus relapse cases hit 179 in S. Korea

`` As most of the relapse cases were reported 13 days after patients were released from their quarantine , it @ @ @ @ @ was reactivated due to issues related to patients ' immunity , or changes in the @ @ @ @ @ '' KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said .

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 8-9)
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Sunday they will continue to remain vigilant over relapse cases as the number has been rising steadily despite the slowdown in overall infections.
The number of people who tested positive again for COVID-19 after making full recoveries has reached 179 since the first such case was identified on April 8, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The latest figure accounts for 2.2 percent of those cured of the new coronavirus and released from quarantine, the KCDC said. So far, South Korea has released 8,042 patients after they were declared cured.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the total relapse cases, those in their 20s accounted for the largest 22.9 percent, followed by those in their 50s at 17.9 percent.
There were five relapse cases involving patients below the age of 10.
No secondary infections have been reported from relapse cases, according to the KCDC.
The authorities said they are currently carrying out studies on what has caused the relapse cases, with experts leaning more on the possibility of "reactivation" of the virus among the patients, not "reinfection."
"As most of the relapse cases were reported 13 days after patients were released from their quarantine, it is likely that the virus was reactivated due to issues related to patients' immunity, or changes in the traits of the virus," KCDC Director-General Jeong Eun-kyeong said.
"It is too early conclude whether the relapse cases cause secondary infection, as we are still monitoring the patients," Jeong added.
On Sunday, South Korea added eight new cases of COVID-19, marking the first time in around two months for the daily increase to stay in the single digits.
The country, however, has been expressing concerns over a rising number of imported cases, along with released patients being re-diagnosed with the virus.
The total number of imported cases reached 998 as of Sunday, taking up around 9 percent of the overall infections.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--New coronavirus relapse cases hit 179 in S. Korea

The authorities said they are currently carrying out studies on what has caused the relapse cases , with experts leaning @ @ @ @ @ `` reactivation '' of the virus among the patients , not `` reinfection . ''

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Sunday they will continue to remain vigilant over relapse cases as the number has been rising steadily despite the slowdown in overall infections.
The number of people who tested positive again for COVID-19 after making full recoveries has reached 179 since the first such case was identified on April 8, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The latest figure accounts for 2.2 percent of those cured of the new coronavirus and released from quarantine, the KCDC said. So far, South Korea has released 8,042 patients after they were declared cured.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Of the total relapse cases, those in their 20s accounted for the largest 22.9 percent, followed by those in their 50s at 17.9 percent.
There were five relapse cases involving patients below the age of 10.
No secondary infections have been reported from relapse cases, according to the KCDC.
The authorities said they are currently carrying out studies on what has caused the relapse cases, with experts leaning more on the possibility of "reactivation" of the virus among the patients, not "reinfection."
On Sunday, South Korea added eight new cases of COVID-19, marking the first time in around two months for the daily increase to stay in the single digits.
The country, however, has been expressing concerns over a rising number of imported cases, along with released patients being re-diagnosed with the virus.
The total number of imported cases reached 998 as of Sunday, taking up around 9 percent of the overall infections.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--(3rd LD) New coronavirus infections fall to single digits for first time in 2 months

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Sunday reported eight more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,661, with the daily increase falling to a single digit for the first time in about two months.
The figure for the cases, detected on Saturday, marked another decrease from a day earlier when the number of new infections reached 18, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Of the eight new cases, five were detected from arrivals from foreign countries. The total number of such cases reached 998, taking up around 9 percent of the overall infections.
After reporting the first case on Jan. 20, the number of daily new cases in the country stayed in the single digits through Feb. 18.
The figure, however, soon skyrocketed, centering on members of a church group in the southeastern city of Daegu and other cluster infections from hospitals.
The number of South Korea's daily new cases reached a peak of 909 on Feb. 29.
On the back of the country's all-out efforts to contain the spread of the virus, including rolling out social distancing measures, the number of new infections announced stayed below 30 from Monday to Friday and slipped to below 20 on Saturday.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
Despite the signs of a slowdown, health authorities still remain vigilant over new cases coming from overseas, as well as over those who are retesting positive for COVID-19.
"Although the number of new infections has been decreasing, the decline was made possible due to the social distancing moves made until last week," the KCDC said in a statement. "Considering Easter and the general election, we plan to take a closer look for another week."
South Korea held the general elections on Wednesday. Despite the virus, more than 29 million people cast ballots at polling stations nationwide wearing face masks and plastic gloves.
The KCDC said it will also make efforts to prevent potential cluster infections after three patients were reported from an Army boot camp located in the central city of Nonsan among new enlistees. All three of them were members of the Shincheonji church.
Nearly half of the total infections here have been linked to the church.
The nation's death toll from the novel virus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by two to 234, according to the KCDC.
South Korea's COVID-19 fatality rate reached 2.19 percent. The rate, however, came to 9.65 percent for patients in their 70s and 23.24 percent for those in their 80s.
The number of patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 8,042, up 105 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region, added two new cases. Its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reported only one new case as well.
Daegu, located around 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, currently accounts for around 64 percent of the nation's total cases.
The total number of cases reported in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reached 6,832 and 1,359, respectively.
Seoul, the most populous city of South Korea, also reported only two new cases, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding no new COVID-19 infections.
South Korea has been enforcing a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for all travelers coming from overseas to better contain imported cases since April 1.
It also has been intensifying its social distancing drive since late March, recommending that churches, sports facilities and clubs suspend operations to curb cluster infections of the virus.
The country is expected to announce soon its decision on whether to further extend the guidance, which is supposed to be in effect until Sunday.
The country has conducted virus tests on 550,109 people so far.
The latest decrease in the number of new infections, however, was also attributable to the smaller number of tests being carried out over the weekend.
Health authorities carried out 4,275 tests on Saturday, which is sharply down from 8,371 posted on Friday.
So far, patients in their 20s have accounted for the largest slice of 27.4 percent of the total infections, followed by those in their 50s and 40s with 18.2 percent and 13.24 percent, respectively.
Medical workers get ready to enter a special ward for coronavirus patients at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--(LEAD) S. Korea seeks UNESCO listing of April 19 pro-democracy movement

Having effectively slowed the spread of infections , South Korea faces the crucial tasks of overcoming `` the worst economic @ @ @ @ @ financial one and preparing for the post-coronavirus era with the united power of the people @ @ @ @ @ forecasts that South Korea 's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year , he pointed @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with details in last 6 paras; ADDS photos)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in declared a bid Sunday for the inscription of documentary heritage related to South Korea's historic pro-democracy movement in 1960 on UNESCO's global Memory of the World Register.
Speaking at a national ceremony to mark the movement's 60th anniversary, he said the bid is meant to "specially commemorate" the spirit of the April 19 Revolution and leave its spirit to mankind, .
"The April 19 Revolution was the first democracy movement in a newly independent country following World War II, and it was also the start of students' uprisings throughout the entire world," he said in a televised speech during the event held at the April 19 National Cemetery in Seoul.
"It's a solid root of democracy of the Republic of Korea," Moon said, using South Korea's official name.
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech at a national ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of South Korea's historic pro-democracy revolution at the April 19 National Cemetery in Seoul on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The two-week mass civilian protests, spearheaded by students protesting widespread vote-rigging in presidential elections by then-President Rhee Syngman, later led to the downfall of the Rhee government that had ruled the country for 12 years.
The revolution represented a "judgment against the forces" that ruined the democratic principle that "sovereignty rests with the people," toppling political and social oppression, according to Moon, a former human rights lawyer.
South Korea's fight against the coronavirus, he said, has been driven by the power of a mature sense of citizenship based on the April 19 spirit, in particular cooperation and solidarity.
Having effectively slowed the spread of infections, South Korea faces the crucial tasks of overcoming "the worst economic crisis" since the 1997 financial one and preparing for the post-coronavirus era with the united power of the people. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year, he pointed out.
"The key is to protect jobs," the president emphasized. "In order to maintain employment, we have to help companies and workers and protect the lives of small business owners and the self-employed."
To that end, he added, cooperation and solidary are necessary, especially between labor and management.
He said the government will first support companies that keep job cuts at bay through a labor-management deal and strive to strengthen employment and social safety nets for the unemployed.
President Moon Jae-in burns incense for those who suffered and died during the 1960 pro-democracy revolution in a ceremony at the April 19 National Cemetery in Seoul on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
After the address, Moon paid tribute to those who were killed in the uprising. More than 200 dignitaries including political party leaders, joined the ceremony.
It was Moon's first time attending the annual ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans, since his inauguration in May 2017.
Moon's liberal Democratic Party scored an overwhelming victory in last week's parliamentary elections, which gave him a much-needed boost to a campaign to promote justice and fairness in the nation during the remainder of his presidency for the next two years.
He has often appealed to the people for national unity amid unrelenting partisan strife and social rifts.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, meanwhile, issued his own message on the anniversary via his social messaging account.
"Just as our people triumphed 60 years ago, we will score a victory down the road" against the virus, he wrote. "The April 19 Revolution constitutes a spirit serving as a basis of the Republic of Korea that has revived whenever it was in trouble. It's a spirit more needed than any other time for us now."
Lee Hae-chan (3rd from R), head of the ruling Democratic Party; Shim Jae-chul (2nd from R), floor leader of the main opposition United Future Party; and Sim Sang-jeong (R), chief of the progressive Justice Party, attend a national ceremony to commemorate the 1960 democracy movement at the April 19 National Cemetery in Seoul on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--Today in Korean history

Today in Korean history

1906 -- The Korean Empire , as the country was called in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , @ @ @ @ @ paved road , called `` sinjangno '' ( newly built road ) , over the @ @ @ @ @ Gunsan , South Jeolla Province .
The new road replaced twisting rural byways .

April 20
1906 -- The Korean Empire, as the country was called in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, starts construction of its first paved road, called "sinjangno" (newly built road), over the 30 kilometers between Jeonju and Gunsan, South Jeolla Province. The new road replaced twisting rural byways.
1949 -- John J. Muccio, the first U.S. ambassador to South Korea, takes office in Seoul.
1978 -- A Korean Air passenger flight is forced by the Soviet Union's air force to land on a frozen lake in Murmansk, near the Arctic Circle, after deviating from its flight path. Two people were killed and 13 injured in the emergency landing.
1981 -- The National Assembly holds its first ceremony to celebrate the day of the physically challenged.
1985 -- Seoul's fourth subway line starts operations.
1997 -- Hwang Jang-yop, a former aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, arrives in Seoul from the Philippines. He had defected from North Korea earlier in the year and stayed in Beijing before coming to Seoul.
2009 -- A Seoul court acquits a controversial online South Korean pundit known by his Internet alias Minerva. He was indicted on charges of spreading misleading information on the country's monetary policy.
2012 -- President Lee Myung-bak urges North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to give up the collective farm system and privatize state-owned agricultural land to help enrich the North and its residents.
2018 -- South Korea and North Korea set up a telephone line between their leaders, enabling direct dialogue between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
2019 -- Kim Hong-il, a three-term lawmaker and the eldest son of former South Korean President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kim Dae-jung, dies at age of 71.
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--S. Korea to resume war remains excavation project in DMZ this week

Under the CMA , the two sides set up ground , maritime and air buffer zones , disarmed the Joint @ @ @ @ @ border guard posts .
But many other promises have not been fulfilled , as Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ , which appears to be due to little progress in its denuclearization talks with Washington @

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will resume an independent project of excavating remains of soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) this week, the defense ministry said Sunday, as Pyongyang remains unresponsive to calls to work together as agreed.
Under the bilateral military accord signed on Sept. 19, 2018, Seoul and Pyongyang had planned to carry out the excavation project together on Arrowhead Ridge, one of the fiercest battlefields during the war.
But South Korea carried out the project alone last year, as the North did not accede to calls for joint implementation.
"The defense ministry will resume the work for this year to remove landmines and retrieve remains on our side of Arrowhead Ridge starting on Monday as preparations to implement the inter-Korean project just as agreed in accordance with the Sept. 19 military pact," the ministry said in a release.
Last year, the military discovered 2,030 bone pieces believed to have belonged to about 261 troops killed in the war, according to the ministry. Around 300 soldiers from South Korea, the United States and France are believed to be buried on the ridge.
"We will continue to make efforts to encourage the North to respond and will make preparations proactively to launch the joint project at any time," the ministry added.
The military accord, named the Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA), was signed during an inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang designed to reduce tensions and build trust between the two sides.
Under the CMA, the two sides set up ground, maritime and air buffer zones, disarmed the Joint Security Area and removed some border guard posts. But many other promises have not been fulfilled, as Pyongyang is lukewarm about the accord, which appears to be due to little progress in its denuclearization talks with Washington.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (2nd from R) salutes before the remains of a South Korean soldier killed in the 1950-53 Korean War inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on June 11, 2019. The remains were found during a recent excavation project on Arrowhead Ridge, a former battle site in the northern border county of Cherwon. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--Tottenham's Son Heung-min to begin military training in S. Korea this week

Son is expected to join the training in private , as he has called many times through his SNS postings @ @ @ @ @ crowd near the camp amid the coronavirus outbreak .
He has also stressed that he @ @ @ @ @ government 's social distancing practices .

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min will begin his three-week military training this week at a Marine Corps boot camp on the southern island of Jeju to fulfill his minimum military duty after he was given an exemption from mandatory military service.
Son, 28, will join the 9th Brigade of the Marine Corps on Monday and undergo training until May 8. He earned his exemption from the military service by winning the gold medal for South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games.
Instead of serving around two years in the armed forces like other young South Korean men, Son needs to complete the basic training and 544 hours of community service over the next 34 months while being an active professional athlete.
Son is expected to join the training in private, as he has called many times through his SNS postings for his fans not to crowd near the camp amid the coronavirus outbreak. He has also stressed that he wants to comply with the government's social distancing practices.
Son returned home in late March for what Tottenham said then were "personal reasons." While in 14-day self-isolation, Son stayed in contact with Tottenham's medical staff for his injury rehab.
The Premier League has been on hold since mid-March due to the virus pandemic, and it recently announced the 2019-2020 season will only resume when it's "safe and appropriate to do so."
All South Korean male athletes who win a gold medal at the Asian Games or a medal of any color at the Olympics receive exemptions from conscription.
The training runs for four weeks for the Army but only three weeks for the Marines and the Navy.
Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min is shown in this AP photo filed on January 23, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-19--S. Korea to host online seminar for South American nations on virus responses

The video presentation is the second of its kind to take place following a similar one held earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ attended by health officials and medical experts from 13 countries including the United States , @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will host an online seminar for several South American countries early next week to share its experience and know-how in tackling the coronavirus, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday.
The video presentation is the second of its kind to take place following a similar one held earlier this month. The last session was attended by health officials and medical experts from 13 countries including the United States, Mexico and Italy.
Next week's video seminar, slated for Tuesday, is expected to bring together about 240 doctors and health officials from Chile, Uruguay and others, the foreign ministry said in a press release.
Such online presentations come as an increasing number of foreign countries has been seeking to benchmark various quarantine steps South Korea has taken to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seoul has recently earned global recognition for its swift response system, including much-publicized drive-thru testing and advanced diagnostic kits. Many countries, including the U.S., have purchased Korean-made test kits amid the continuing rise in infection cases.
South Korea reported 18 new infection cases on Saturday, the lowest daily increase in about two months, with the total infections at 10,653 and 232 deaths.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korea to unveil support measures for backbone industries amid virus woes

`` For instance , the government will be able to deliver a payment guarantee for corporate bonds issued by companies @ @ @ @ @ state lenders , such as the Korea Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea @ @ @ @ @ the transport ministry said .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is set to unveil a support package for the country's backbone industries this week to help them stay afloat amid the growing coronavirus impact on businesses, government officials said Monday.
The country is considering stimulus measures worth over 20 trillion won (US$16 billion) to help the airline, chipmaking, automobile, refining and other major industries hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the officials.
"For instance, the government will be able to deliver a payment guarantee for corporate bonds issued by companies in the backbone industries through state lenders, such as the Korea Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea," an official from the transport ministry said.
The planned financial package would be extended to affected companies on condition that they maintain their current workforce, he said.
The package will be discussed at an emergency economy-related meeting presided over by President Moon Jae-in this week, according to the officials.
Last month, the government unveiled plans to double the size of its emergency-financing aid package to 100 trillion won for businesses hit by the virus pandemic.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently predicted that South Korea's economy would contract 1.2 percent this year. The Korean economy grew 2 percent last year.
The IMF forecast the global economy will shrink 3 percent, saying the coronavirus will bring the worst economic pain since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korea reports 13 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,647

Buoyed by the signs of a slowdown , the country on Sunday said it would maintain the social distancing drive @ @ @ @ @ more weeks until early May with less intensity , easing the guidelines for religious gatherings @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 13 more cases of the new coronavirus on Monday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,674.
It marked the third day in a row that the country's new virus infections stayed below 20, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
South Korea recorded single-digit new cases on Sunday for the first time in two months with eight, which also marked a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.
Of the new cases, seven came from overseas, the KCDC said.
Buoyed by the signs of a slowdown, the country on Sunday said it would maintain the social distancing drive against the coronavirus by two more weeks until early May with less intensity, easing the guidelines for religious gatherings and recruitment tests.
Medical workers prepare to work a shift at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital, where coronavirus patients are hospitalized, in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
The nation's death toll from the coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by two to 236, the authorities said.
In total, 8,114 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, rising 72 from a day earlier.
Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total cases, added one new case. Its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reported two new cases.
The total number of cases reported in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province reached 6,833 and 1,361, respectively.
Seoul, the most populous city of South Korea, reported no additional cases, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province adding two new COVID-19 infections.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korea resumes war remains excavation project inside DMZ

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea resumed excavating remains on its own of soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Monday, the defense ministry said, as Pyongyang remains unresponsive to calls to work together as agreed.
Under a bilateral military accord signed Sept. 19, 2018, the two Koreas agreed to launch a joint excavation project on Arrowhead Ridge, one of the fiercest battlefields during the war. But the South carried out the project alone last year, as the North did not respond to calls for joint work.
"A slew of the Korean war dead still remain buried inside the DMZ, including Arrowhead Ridge. It is our noble duty to bring those heroes back to their families," said Maj. Gen. Lee Sang-chul, who leads the 5th Division of the Army in charge of the mission.
"Based upon experiences and thorough preparations, we will continue our operations in a perfect manner while maintaining a full readiness posture," Lee added. Last year, the military discovered 2,030 bone pieces believed to belong to about 261 troops killed in the war.
The defense ministry vowed to make continued efforts to encourage North Korea to join the project.
The military accord, named the Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA), was signed during an inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang designed to reduce tensions and build trust between the two sides.
Under the CMA, the two sides set up ground, maritime and air buffer zones, disarmed the Joint Security Area and removed some border guard posts. But many other promises have not been fulfilled, as Pyongyang is lukewarm about the accord, which appears to be due to little progress in its denuclearization talks with Washington.
Soldiers excavate the remains of war dead at Arrowhead Ridge, a site of fierce battles during the 1950-53 Korean War, inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the border county of Cheorwon, in this photo provided by the defense ministry on April 19, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Gov't resumes physical checkups for potential draftees

The examinations were halted on Feb. 24 for two weeks as the country witnessed a drastic surge in COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ as part of the military authorities ' all-out efforts to stop the virus from spreading @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- The government resumed physical checkups for potential draftees Monday after a monthslong suspension over the coronavirus outbreak, the military manpower agency said.
The examinations were halted on Feb. 24 for two weeks as the country witnessed a drastic surge in COVID-19 cases. The suspension was extended as part of the military authorities' all-out efforts to stop the virus from spreading in military barracks.
"Starting today, we resume conscription examinations for those who wish to undergo that," the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) said in a release.
The resumption is to prevent the possible impact of the virus situation on the country's enlistment system and to minimize inconvenience for potential enlistees, it added.
The decision also came as South Korea has seen a marked drop in the number of new infections.
On Sunday, eight new cases were reported, the first time the daily total has fallen to a single digit in 61 days. On Monday, the country reported 13 new cases, bringing the total to 10,674.
"We will strictly adhere to social distancing guidance in conducting the examinations," the MMA said.
All able-bodied South Korean men must carry out compulsory service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified border.
Aspiring soldiers wearing masks have their blood taken during a medical checkup at the Seoul office of the Military Manpower Administration on Feb. 3, 2020, part of the year's first batch of applicants evaluated by the office. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(URGENT) S. Korea releases 72 recovered coronavirus patients, total cured people at 8,114: KCDC


yna--2020-04-20--(URGENT) S. Korea confirms 2 more coronavirus deaths, raising death toll to 236: KCDC


yna--2020-04-20--(URGENT) S. Korea reports 13 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,674


yna--2020-04-20--Construction investment tipped to dip 3 pct this year on coronavirus

Total overseas construction orders clinched by local builders , which came to nearly $ 10 billion in the first two @ @ @ @ @ are likely to start contracting considerably in the second quarter , he added .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's construction investment is expected to shrink 3 percent this year due to increased uncertainty stemming from the coronavirus outbreak, a think tank said Monday.
The forecast by the Korea Research Institute for Construction Policy compares with the think tank's earlier projection of a 1.8 percent on-year contraction.
The institute said the private sector is likely to sharply scale down their investments due to the COVID-19 crisis, despite increased state expenditures to minimize its impact on the economy.
The think tank also said the coronavirus pandemic could make a big dent in the amount of overseas orders won by South Korean construction companies this year.
Combined overseas orders by local builders are forecast to reach US$22 billion this year, down 21.4 percent from its earlier estimate of $28 billion.
"The coronavirus outbreak is feared to lead to delayed or canceled overseas construction orders," a researcher at the institute said. "Making matters worse, the recent plunge in oil prices has made the Mideast construction market more volatile."
The Middle East is one of the South Korean builders' major overseas markets.
Total overseas construction orders clinched by local builders, which came to nearly $10 billion in the first two months of the year, are likely to start contracting considerably in the second quarter, he added.
The think tank further said the coronavirus outbreak could raise the financial risk of South Korean builders due to delays in construction projects and greater costs.
The number of marginal construction firms, or those unable to service their debts with earnings, could reach up to 7,000 this year, or about 14 percent of the country's total builders estimated at 50,000, it added.
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(Yonhap Interview) MLB veteran Dan Straily trying to lead by example in KBO, make late great grandfa

(Yonhap Interview) MLB veteran Dan Straily trying to lead by example in KBO, make late great grandfather proud

`` One misconception might be that you just get to choose to come over here .
That 's not how @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Not just anybody gets to come to Korea .
You still have @ @ @ @ @ still have to get asked and offered to come over here .
The only reason @ @ @ @ @ I was able to stay focused and I was trying to pitch well enough to @ @ @ @ @ in . ''

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Before his first pitch in every game, Dan Straily, a major league veteran now plying his trade in South Korea, etches the initials of his late great grandfather and the year of his passing into the dirt behind the rubber on the mound.
After writing "MR" for Mark Ross and "04" for 2004, Straily, a new right-hander for the Lotte Giants in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), draws an arc around them so that he does not step on them.
It is his way of honoring the man who took the young Daniel to his first baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and who played a major role in the future major league pitcher's career, dating back to Little League days.
This file photo from March 24, 2020, provided by the Lotte Giants, shows the Korea Baseball Organization club's new right-hander, Dan Straily, during an intrasquad game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"If there's one person in this world that I've ever met that would have been the most proud to see me pitch in the majors or even pitch professionally, it would have been him," Straily told Yonhap News Agency in a recent phone interview from the Giants' home city of Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
"It's something I've always done," Straily said. "I honestly don't remember when it started. I don't remember ever forgetting to do it."
Straily said the first time he got to do that at Dodger Stadium -- his first career appearance there came on May 25, 2016, while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds -- was "pretty special." He struck out 11 in that game to match his then-career high.
Straily, a 31-year-old with 156 Major League Baseball (MLB) games to his name, will now get to honor his late great grandfather on Korean soil for the first time. And Ross would indeed have been quite proud to see how Straily is already trying to make a positive impact on his new team in a new country.
In this Getty Images file photo from July 20, 2018, Dan Straily of the Miami Marlins writes on the mound before a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Yonhap)
"I'd say some of my biggest attributes are work ethic and confidence," he said. "Staying diligent gives me a lot of confidence, and you hope that spreads to your teammates and hopefully, they can try to outwork you. That's how you eventually start to win as a team, with everybody on the same page, working hard toward the same goal."
After posting an unsightly 9.82 ERA in 14 appearances for the Baltimore Orioles in 2019, Straily got demoted to the minors in midseason. It was "a big wake-up call," said Straily, who also admitted to going through "some dark times on the mound." He performed better in Triple-A, with a 3.76 ERA in 12 starts, with 68 strikeouts in 67 innings.
Straily sensed that his next career stop might be overseas, and he also knew he was not just going to be handed a job.
"One misconception might be that you just get to choose to come over here. That's not how it works," he said. "Not just anybody gets to come to Korea. You still have to perform, and you still have to get asked and offered to come over here. The only reason I am here is because I was able to stay focused and I was trying to pitch well enough to get overseas offers to come in."
Straily said he reached out to two former KBO pitchers, Josh Lindblom and Seth Frankoff, "to get a sense of what to expect and what the differences were" in off-field matters, such as traveling and getting meals. As for on-field adjustments, Straily came in with an open mind.
In this file photo from April 6, 2020, Dan Straily of the Lotte Giants pitches in an intrasquad game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"The one thing that I knew I had to do was to learn the Korean style of hitting, because you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you think that everybody here hits like they hit in America, or that everybody here hits the same way," he said. "I took it upon myself to try to adapt as fast as possible. That means I have to be willing to change myself, instead of just being the stubborn guy. I joined the KBO, and the KBO didn't join me."
Straily has not yet had a chance to face opposing hitters, because KBO clubs are currently only allowed to play intrasquad games. The regular season, which would have begun on March 28 if not for the coronavirus outbreak, has been postponed indefinitely. The preseason, initially set for March 14-24, was also wiped out. But with the number of new cases having been in steady decline this month, the KBO's preseason will begin Tuesday. The regular season could follow in the first week of May.
While he has studied videos of hitters on other teams, Straily declined to name anyone that has caught his eye, saying with a chuckle, "I don't want to tip my hand."
But Straily was more than willing to share his thoughts on his own teammates, and named infielder Han Dong-hee and outfielder Jeon Jun-woo as the best Lotte hitters he has seen so far in spring.
In this file photo from April 14, 2020, Dan Straily of the Lotte Giants pitches in an intrasquad game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Han, 20, was the Giants' Opening Day third baseman the past two seasons but has yet to live up to the hype as a hard-hitting prospect. In 146 career games, Han has a .219/.275/.324 line with six home runs and 34 RBIs. But Han's natural gifts are hard to miss -- the current Lotte manager Heo Mun-hui once watched Han hit in spring training as a rookie in 2018 and was shocked to learn that the kid had just come out of high school.
Jeon is a more established hitter at 34, a former All-Star Game MVP coming off his third consecutive season of batting at least .300. Even with the power numbers falling across the league due to the de-juiced ball in 2019, Jeon still launched a team-leading 22 home runs -- sixth in the league -- and knocked in 83 runs.
"They're just really good hitters. They have good approaches," Straily said. "They don't chase, and you can tell they know who they are in the box and they stick to that."
With a little help from these hitters, Straily will try to keep the Giants out of the league cellar. At 48-93-3 (wins-losses-ties) in 2019, the Giants finished last for the first time since 2004.
When the Giants are thriving, there is hardly a better team to play for in the KBO, with their passionate fans packing the 24,500-seat Sajik Stadium. They were once the only KBO club to draw over 1 million fans in a season (1.37 million in 2008), and the 1.38 million fans that they had in 2009 remains the single-season KBO record.
Last year, only about 680,000 fans went to Sajik. The Giants ranked just seventh in attendance, and with an average of 9,433, it was the first time since 2006 that they had failed to average more than 10,000 fans per game.
Straily said he has heard about how loud it can get at his home park. Early regular season games will be played without fans anywhere in the KBO to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and Straily is only hoping he gets to pitch in front of fans at some point.
"Hopefully, we're not playing without fans the whole year," he said. "Obviously, keeping everyone healthy is the first and foremost
"Selfishly," Straily said, before correcting himself, "It's not even selfish because that means the country is doing better (with the virus situation) if we get fans in the game."
This file photo from March 30, 2020, provided by the Lotte Giants, shows the Korea Baseball Organization club's new right-hander, Dan Straily, during an intrasquad game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Though teams will be playing without fans for the time being, the KBO is still expected to draw some international interest as only the second professional baseball league to get started amid the COVID-19 pandemic, after Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League.
The American sports media giant ESPN has approached KBO about airing games to the U.S. audience. Straily himself has been interviewed for an ESPN.com story on the KBO's preparations for the new season despite the pandemic, while MLB remains on hold.
Straily said it is a chance to address misconceptions about the KBO among American fans. He himself had only known the KBO by some wild bat flips and "the legend of Eric Thames," referring to the 2015 KBO MVP who made a successful return to the majors.
It could also be a lucrative business opportunity.
"These baseball teams are businesses. With no fans in the seats, that's a lot of money lost," he said. "Hopefully, they're able to take advantage of this situation a bit for themselves to get their brand out there and get revenue back."
In the meantime, Straily said he understands the role the players have to keep local fans interested. After his scrimmage appearance last Tuesday, he was stopped by fans outside Sajik Stadium for photos. Though players have been discouraged from having contact with strangers because of COVID-19 concerns, Straily said he is also trying to be respectful.
"They're showing us a lot of support, and I feel like it's our job to show them the same support," he said, speaking also for his two import teammates, Adrian Sampson and Dixon Machado. "Everyone has made us feel comfortable and we want to try to show that we appreciate the support."
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--GS E&C wins US$449 million order from Singapore

GS E & C said it will cooperate with South Korea 's state-run Korea Railroad Research Institute in designing the @ @ @ @ @ though the institute has no stake in the project .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- GS Engineering & Construction Co., a major builder in South Korea, said Monday that it has secured a 639.5 million Singapore dollar (US$449 million) order for a train testing center in Singapore.
Under the deal with the Land Transport Authority, GS E&C will design and build an integrated train testing center in the city-state by 2024.
GS E&C said it will cooperate with South Korea's state-run Korea Railroad Research Institute in designing the integrated train testing center, though the institute has no stake in the project.
The latest deal raised the total value of orders GS E&C has secured from Singapore's Land Transport Authority to nine worth 4.3 trillion won ($3.5 billion).
This image, provided by GS Engineering & Construction Co., shows an integrated train testing center to be built in Singapore by 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--BLACKPINK becomes only K-pop artists with 3 songs topping 800 mln YouTube views

It was also listed as one of the 10 most viewed music videos of the world in 2019 as the @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- With "Kill This Love" topping the milestone of 800 million YouTube views Monday, BLACKPINK became the first K-pop artists to have three songs with over 800 million views.
The music video of BLACKPINK's latest hit song surpassed the 800 million YouTube mark early Monday morning, about one year after its release, the band's management agency YG Entertainment said.
It is the quartet's third music video topping 800 million YouTube views, following "Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "Boombayah."
The record makes BLACKPINK the only K-pop singers with three music videos with over 800 million YouTube views so far, YG said.
Within 63 hours of its release in April last year, "Kill This Love" collected more than 100 million YouTube views, attesting to the girl band's musical power.
It was also listed as one of the 10 most viewed music videos of the world in 2019 as the only K-pop video.
The song peaked at 41st on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart last year.
An image of BLACKPINK, provided by YG Entertainment (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Seoul stocks open higher on easing virus woes

On Friday , the KOSPI ended up 3.1 percent to 1,914.53 amid hopes that the global coronavirus outbreak was peaking @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks opened higher Monday as signs of the easing spread of the new coronavirus helped ease investor concerns.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.34 points, or 0.07 percent, to 1,915.87 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
On Friday, the KOSPI ended up 3.1 percent to 1,914.53 amid hopes that the global coronavirus outbreak was peaking and will be slowing down.
This week, investors will take a cue from companies' earnings results for the January-March period in reorganizing their investment portfolios.
Institutions and foreigners sold a combined 184 billion won (US$150 million) worth of stocks, offsetting individuals' stock purchases valued at 184 billion won.
Large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 0.6 percent, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. declined 1.1 percent, and leading steelmaker POSCO dropped 0.3 percent.
Among gainers, leading chemical firm LG Chem Ltd. rose 1.1 percent, the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. climbed 1.7 percent, and national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. was up 3.1 percent.
The Korean won was trading at 1,218.55 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.65 won from the previous session's close.
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Gov't urged to take aggressive steps to stem virus-caused unemployment

In the worst case scenario , the number of newly unemployed workers is estimated to reach up to 333,000 this @ @ @ @ @ adding that nearly 922,000 South Korean were left out of work in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ exchange crisis .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- The government should take aggressive measures to prevent a possible jump in unemployment due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, a private think tank said Monday.
The Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) said it has proposed a list of 10 labor policy tasks to the labor ministry in an effort to keep the COVID-19 outbreak from sparking massive joblessness in the country.
The policy recommendations includes the payment of unemployment benefits to furloughed workers for three months and the provision of government loan guarantees for small businesses taking out low-rate loans to keep employees on their payrolls.
KERI under the Federation of Korean Industries, the nation's big business lobby, also suggested the government freeze the country's minimum wage and allow the extension of working hours when agreed upon by labor and management.
This undated file photo shows people attending a session on unemployment benefits in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The government should also expand a flexible work system and allow big businesses to hire dispatched workers, the institute said.
KERI's recommendations come as a prolonged coronavirus crisis is feared to cause the South Korean economy to shrink sharply this year, resulting in a spike in the country's joblessness.
In the worst case scenario, the number of newly unemployed workers is estimated to reach up to 333,000 this year, KERI said, adding that nearly 922,000 South Korean were left out of work in the wake of the country's 1998 foreign exchange crisis.
The scenario is based on the latest forecast by Nomura Securities of Japan that Asia's fourth-largest economy may contract 6.7 percent this year from a year ago due to the fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The coronavirus pandemic has been weighing on the export-focused South Korean economy as the disease has led to massive lockdowns and factory shutdowns globally.
In March, the country's unemployment benefit payments hit a record high of 898.2 billion won, up 40.4 percent from a year earlier. A total of 156,000 people filed jobless claims, a 24.8 percent on-year jump.
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--S. Korea's economy seen contracting 1.81 pct in Q1: poll

On an annual basis , South Korea 's economy is likely to grow 0.15 percent in the first quarter , @ @ @ @ @ lowest growth since the second quarter of 2009 , when the economy shrank 1.2 percent @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy is expected to report a 1.81 percent on-quarter contraction in the first quarter of the year, a poll showed Monday, as the coronavirus pandemic crippled industrial output, consumer spending and job markets in Asia's fourth-largest economy.
It would be the sharpest quarterly contraction since the fourth quarter of 2008, when the nation's economy contracted 3.3 percent on-quarter, according to the survey conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Korea's economy grew 1.3 percent.
On an annual basis, South Korea's economy is likely to grow 0.15 percent in the first quarter, in what would be the lowest growth since the second quarter of 2009, when the economy shrank 1.2 percent, according to the survey.
The Bank of Korea will report the first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) on Thursday.
Park Sung-woo, a researcher at DB Financial Investment, said that the coronavirus outbreak ravaged economic activities at home in February and March.
"So, I predict a large-scale contraction in the first-quarter GDP," Park said.
Lee Sang-jae, a researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities, also said the economy is estimated to have contracted as domestic consumption took a big hit from stricter social-distancing guidelines.
On Sunday, South Korea extended social-distancing guidelines until May 5 but softened some restrictions as the nation reported eight new infections, marking the lowest daily figure in 61 days.
South Korea's exports fell 0.2 percent in March from a year earlier in the face of the growing economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
In the first 10 days of April, however, the nation's exports tumbled 18.6 percent on-year.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that South Korea's economy will shrink 1.2 percent this year as the global economy is expected to hit its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s over the pandemic.
The world economy is expected to contract 3 percent this year, the IMF said.
Last week, Statistics Korea said the nation reported its first on-year job loss since 2009 in March, as the coronavirus pandemic began inflicting damage on the job market.
The nation lost about 195,000 jobs last month, marking the sharpest monthly decline since May 2009, when some 240,000 jobs disappeared, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--SK Innovation to supply EV batteries to Beijing Automotive Group

BAIC 's MARK 5 , set to be released in the second half of this year , will be powered @ @ @ @ @ at BEST , SK Innovation 's first EV battery cell manufacturing plant outside South Korea @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- SK Innovation Co., a major energy and chemical company in South Korea, said Monday that it will supply electric vehicle (EV) batteries to its Chinese partner, Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC Group).
BAIC's MARK 5, set to be released in the second half of this year, will be powered by EV batteries being produced at BEST, SK Innovation's first EV battery cell manufacturing plant outside South Korea.
The Mark 5 EV can travel up to 500 kilometers on a single charge.
SK Innovation invested 1 billion yuan (US$141 million) in 2013 to set up an EV battery joint venture named BESK with Beijing Automotive Group and Beijing Electronics to tap deeper into the world's largest EV market. BEST is BESK's wholly owned subsidiary.
BEST's annual production capacity is 7.5 gigawatt hours (Gwh), which is enough to supply batteries for 150,000 EVs.
SK Innovation owns a 49 percent stake in BEST, with the rest held by Beijing Automotive Group and Beijing Electronics.
This photo, provided by SK Innovation Co., shows officials from SK Innovation, Beijing Automotive Group and Beijing Electronics at the completion ceremony for their EV battery cell manufacturing joint venture BEST in Changzhou, China, on Dec. 5, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


KOSPI 1,908.34 DN 6.19 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 635.71 UP 0.92 points (open)


yna--2020-04-20--Dollar opens at 1,217.0 won DN from 1,217.9 won


Monday's weather forecast

SEOUL , April 20 ( Yonhap ) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea 's 12 major @ @ @ @ @ .


yna--2020-04-20--Stock-related floating money hits all-time high

The upturn will likely get a further boost from an inflow of funds from the real estate market that is @ @ @ @ @ the ruling party 's landslide victory in the April 15 parliamentary elections , they added @ @ @ @

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Money floating around the South Korean stock market has reached a new record high amid a recent market recovery following a coronavirus-caused rout, data showed Monday.
The amount of stock-related funds hit 141.79 trillion won (US$116.5 billion) as of Tuesday, up nearly 24 percent from Jan. 20 when South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case, according to the data from the Korea Financial Investment Association.
The figure inched down to 141.73 trillion won two days later.
Stock-related funds refer to money sitting around the equity market in search of investment opportunities. They are comprised of investor deposits at securities firms, repurchase agreement (RP) balances and other funds.
In particular, investor deposits at brokerage houses have shot up nearly 61 percent since Jan. 20 to reach 44.2 trillion won as of Thursday.
Market watchers attributed the surge in stock-related funds to retail investors' rush to the equity market in anticipation of a rebound in share prices.
Individual investors loaded up on shares worth 24.2 trillion won in the country's main and secondary stock markets between Jan. 20 and Friday.
Powered by massive retail buying, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished at 1,914.53 on Friday, up about 29 percent from the close on March 23.
Analysts forecast the amount of stock-related funds to keep rising for the time being thanks to retail investors' active investment and a sharp rise in liquidity stemming from aggressive quantitative easing by central banks.
The upturn will likely get a further boost from an inflow of funds from the real estate market that is tipped to remain sluggish following the ruling party's landslide victory in the April 15 parliamentary elections, they added.
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Pro football league to allow practice matches between clubs starting Tuesday

Since postponing the start of the season , the K League and its clubs met just once , on March @ @ @ @ @ new schedule .
They 've agreed in principle to shorten the season from 38 matches @ @ @ @ @ matches , but they never came close to setting even a rough timetable on when @ @ @ @ @ the ground .

By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Starting Tuesday, South Korean professional football clubs will be allowed to play practice matches against one another, as their league inches closer to opening the season that has been delayed for nearly two months by the coronavirus.
The Korean Professional Football League, or simply the K League, made the announcement Monday evening. With such short notice, clubs may not be able to play a match immediately on Tuesday, but there will likely be a few later in the week.
There are 12 teams in the top-flight K League 1 and 10 more in the K League 2. The K League 1 season was slated to kick off on Feb. 29, but with the coronavirus raging, the league office postponed it indefinitely five days prior to the original start date.
This image provided by the Korea Professional Football League on April 7, 2020, shows the league's emblem promoting the use of masks and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
And on March 17, the K League issued a ban on practice matches between clubs. They have been limited to practices and scrimmages since then.
"This is the news we've been waiting for," one club official said in response to the K League's announcement. "We'll be in touch with other teams tomorrow to try to schedule some matches."
As preventive measures, fans will not be allowed to attend these matches. And media access will also be limited, with a maximum of three journalists permitted to cover each contest. They must maintain a distance of at least two meters from players or coaches during interviews, and all media sessions must be conducted outdoors.
Reporters will be required to contact the home club of the match they intend to cover at least one day ahead of time. It wasn't immediately clear how the three journalists per match will be chosen.
During matches, players will be barred from talking to their teammates or other players, and also from shaking hands with referees before and after matches.
Teams will also be required to prepare space to quarantine players or any match-day personnel who test positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms, and to have medical staff on hand.
This file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League on April 2, 2020, shows a K League 1 match for Suwon Samsung Bluewings underway at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Since postponing the start of the season, the K League and its clubs met just once, on March 30, to discuss a new schedule. They've agreed in principle to shorten the season from 38 matches to as few as 27 matches, but they never came close to setting even a rough timetable on when the season can get off the ground.
They received a boost from the government on Sunday. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said, while the national social distancing campaign will be extended by two weeks, outdoor sports games may be played with safety measures in place, such as keeping fans out of stadiums.
The league is expected to sit down with club representatives soon and determine the new start date. A mid-May kickoff with no fans in the stands seems to be the likely scenario.
One other major pro sport, baseball, will begin its preseason on Tuesday. And also on Tuesday, the Korea Baseball Organization is expected to announce the new regular season start date, possibly May 1. It was supposed to begin on March 28.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(LEAD) 10 workers at military hospital test negative for virus

This is not the final results , however , as each of three rounds of testing on their samples showed @ @ @ @ @ that the samples could have been compromised .

(ATTN: CHANGES dateline; RECASTS throughout with updated info)
SEOUL/DAEJEON, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Ten medical staff members at a military hospital in the central city of Daejeon have all tested negative for the coronavirus, officials said Monday. The hospital has been temporarily shut down.
This is not the final results, however, as each of three rounds of testing on their samples showed mixed results and officials suspect that the samples could have been compromised.
Fresh samples have been sent to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) for diagnosis and the final result will be announced Tuesday, officials said.
Earlier in the day, the hospital announced its temporary closure after four medical workers showed suspected coronavirus symptoms. Six other medical staff members suspected of infection were also tested.
The hospital, under the wing of the Armed Forces Medical Command, has been treating confirmed patients after being designated as an institution specializing in infectious diseases following the virus outbreak.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--LS Cable wins 134.3 bln won Netherlands submarine cable project order

In a regulatory filing , the company said the deal was reached with state-run TenneT on Friday ( local time @ @ @ @ @ an offshore wind power plant in the Western European country .
The contract runs through @ @ @ @ @ .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top wire and cable maker, LS Cable & System, said Monday that it won a 134.3 billion won (US$110 million) submarine cable project order from the Netherlands.
In a regulatory filing, the company said the deal was reached with state-run TenneT on Friday (local time) to supply materials for an offshore wind power plant in the Western European country. The contract runs through the end of September 2023.
LS Cable had formed a consortium with Jan De Nul, a Belgium construction company, to supply 220 kilovolt submarine cables, carry out electricity access construction and related testing on the power plant.
The deal is equal to 2.9 percent of the cable company's total sales in 2019.
LS Cable also won a 100 billion won submarine cable deal from Bahrain in March. It built a second submarine cable plant in Donghae, 279 kilometers east of Seoul, earlier in the month, that can allow the company to increase output.
This file photo provided by LS Cable shows the company's recently built second submarine cable plant in Donghae, 279 kilometers east of Seoul. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--N. Korea reopens some schools, universities amid coronavirus outbreak

North Korea first reported on the delay of school reopenings , including kindergartens , in late February .
Its main @ @ @ @ @ indicated in an article last month that the winter school breaks had been extended again @ @ @ @ @ calls for people to refrain from going outside .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Some university and high school students in North Korea are back at school after extended semester breaks that came due to the coronavirus outbreak, a propaganda outlet said Monday.
As the school vacations ended, classes reopened gradually, with students in their final years of university or high school first being allowed to attend lectures, according to an article carried by Naenara, a state media outlet.
The online outlet ran photos of students wearing masks and getting their temperatures checked before going into class. Other photos showed students seated in a classroom wearing face masks.
The article, however, did not mention when the schools resumed. Schools in North Korea start their new year on April 1.
North Korea claims it has no COVID-19 infections despite skepticism that the communist state might be covering up an outbreak, given its apparent lack of infrastructure to fight and treat the disease.
It has taken drastic measures at an early stage of the outbreak in the region to stem the inflow of the virus, by closing its border with China and toughening quarantine measures.
The news report on the school resumption appears aimed at projecting confidence about containing the virus and insisting that it has managed to get the outbreak under control.
North Korea first reported on the delay of school reopenings, including kindergartens, in late February. Its main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, indicated in an article last month that the winter school breaks had been extended again, with authorities ramping up calls for people to refrain from going outside.
This photo, captured from the website of North Korean propaganda outlet Naenara on April 20, 2020, shows North Korean students getting their temperatures checked before going into class. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Broadcasting watchdog re-approves licenses of 2 TV channels

It said while the licenses have been passed , failure by either company to meet the conditions laid out could @ @ @ @ @ or revocation of the approval .
The KCC said that it will also examine if @ @ @ @ @ the impartiality and public responsibility guidelines in the next review .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's telecommunications watchdog on Monday conditionally approved licenses for two comprehensive programming channels, advising them to maintain impartiality and adhere to public responsibility guidelines.
The Korea Communications Commission announced it approved a motion to re-approve the license of TV Chosun till April 21, 2023. It also approved an extension for Channel A until April 21, 2024.
It said while the licenses have been passed, failure by either company to meet the conditions laid out could result in a reconsideration and or revocation of the approval. The KCC said that it will also examine if the two TV channels followed the impartiality and public responsibility guidelines in the next review.
The commission operates a max 1,000 point review system, with companies needing to get at least 650 points to get re-approval, with the regulator permitted to attach special conditions if deemed necessary.
TV Chosun had been cited for shortcomings in the area of impartiality and contribution to regional viewers, as well as coverage of culture and social matters.
In the case of Channel A, the KCC ordered remedial action to be taken on the checking of information used by the broadcaster, along with overall reform in the way reporting is carried out.
The current licenses for the two companies were set to expire this week.
Commissioner Heo Wuk of the Korea Communications Commission holds a press conference announcing the conditional reapproval of two comprehensive programming channels -- TV Chosun and Channel A -- in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--FM Kang discusses anti-virus cooperation with UNHCR chief

Grandi , in response , spoke highly of South Korea 's effective responses to the virus outbreak that has now @ @ @ @ @ world .
He held out hopes for greater cooperation with South Korea in the support @ @ @ @ @ countries .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with the head of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday and discussed ways for cooperation to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, her office said.
In the talks with Filippo Grandi, Kang explained South Korea's active engagement in the international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to countries in need, while also making all-out efforts to stem the virus outbreak on its soil.
She also favorably assessed the various tasks the UNHCR has performed on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 to provide protection and support for the vulnerable, including refugees.
Grandi, in response, spoke highly of South Korea's effective responses to the virus outbreak that has now become an exemplar for the world. He held out hopes for greater cooperation with South Korea in the support for refugees and their host countries.
Last month, the UNHCR launched the Coronavirus Emergency Appeal, under which it has revised its call for a donation of US$255 million from the international community to help displaced people in urgent need of support amid the virus pandemic.
A file photo of Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha taken on March 20, 2020 (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(LEAD) Ssangyong Motor, union sign wage deal

Instead of the proposed 230 billion won , Mahindra said it would consider a `` special one-time infusion '' of @ @ @ @ @ over the next three months to help SsangYong continue operations .

(ATTN: ADDS details in 2nd para)
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- SsangYong Motor Co. and its union on Monday signed a wage deal for the year amid the rising impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the automobile industry.
SsangYong workers agreed on a wage freeze as they see stable labor-management relations as key to putting the company back on track amid virus worries, the company said in a statement.
The maker of the Korando and G4 Rexton sport utility vehicles sealed a wage deal with the union for the 11th consecutive year without strikes since 2010.
This photo taken April 5, 2020, shows SsangYong Motor's plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
The wage deal came amid worsening performance at home and abroad.
SsangYong has struggled with worsening performance since 2017, when it shifted to a net loss of 66 billion won from a net profit of 58 billion won the previous year.
In 2018, its net losses continued, reaching 62 billion won.
In 2019, SsangYong's annual sales fell 6.5 percent to 132,799 vehicles from 141,995 units a year earlier due to lower demand. Earnings results for 2019 will be released in the coming weeks.
From January to March, sales fell 31 percent to 24,139 units from 34,851 in the year-ago period.
SsangYong's lineup is composed of the flagship G4 Rexton, as well as the Tivoli, Korando and Rexton Sports.
In its own rescue measures, SsangYong already cut some welfare benefits for employees in September last year and some of their wages and bonuses in December.
Adding to its woes, its Indian parent firm Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. recently decided not to inject 230 billion won into the Korean unit as it also faces financial difficulties due to the virus outbreak.
Instead of the proposed 230 billion won, Mahindra said it would consider a "special one-time infusion" of up to 40 billion won over the next three months to help SsangYong continue operations.
But it is still unclear wether the one-time injection will help the financially troubled company.
In bankruptcy proceedings in March 2011, Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. acquired a 70 percent stake in the carmaker for 523 billion won as part of its globalization strategy.
Mahindra currently owns a 74.65 percent stake in SsangYong Motor after two rounds of rights issues worth 130 billion won since 2013.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(LEAD) Samsung Biologics swings to Q1 profit on increased utility rate

Samsung Biologics ' utility rate at its plants in Incheon , a port city just west of Seoul , jumped @ @ @ @ @ there was no maintenance work , which led to increased sales .

(ATTN: UPDATES with details)
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Biologics, a biopharmaceutical unit of South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung Group, said Monday that it shifted to a first-quarter net profit from a year earlier on its increased utility rate.
For the three months that ended on March 31, the company posted a net profit of 39 billion won (US$32 million), swinging from a net loss of 38.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Samsung Biologics' utility rate at its plants in Incheon, a port city just west of Seoul, jumped in the first quarter as there was no maintenance work, which led to increased sales.
Last year, the plants' utility rate fell due to maintenance work.
The company also shifted to an operating profit of 62.5 billion won from an operating loss of 23.4 billion won a year ago, the filing said.
Sales jumped 65 percent to 207 billion won from 125 billion won during the same period.
This file photo shows Samsung BioLogics' corporate logo atop its main office in Incheon, a port city just west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
entropy@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Gyms and cram schools resume operations amid eased social distancing rules

The government announced Sunday that it will maintain the social distancing drive until May 5 , but it will ease @ @ @ @ @ including sports venues and cram schools , which the government had urged to suspend operations @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Facilities under the government's advisory to halt operations due to the new coronavirus resumed business Monday, with precautious quarantine steps, amid the eased social distancing rules.
The government announced Sunday that it will maintain the social distancing drive until May 5, but it will ease some rules for facilities, including sports venues and cram schools, which the government had urged to suspend operations on concerns about cluster infections of COVID-19.
On the first day of the relaxed implementation, such facilities began to resume operations while complying with quarantine measures.
A signboard reading "No access without face masks" is posted on the gate of a cram school in Dongjak Ward, southern Seoul as it resumed operations on April 20, 2020, amid relaxed social distancing rules. (Yonhap)
Cram schools in Noryangjin, in southern Seoul, where people gather to prepare for state tests to become public servants, reopened, but focused on keeping quarantine rules.
Officials at cram schools, known as "hagwon" here, checked students' temperatures and placed their desks at least 1 meter apart, while requiring the wearing of face masks.
"Even if the social distancing guidance is eased, we will take quarantine measures thoroughly as students tend to gather here," a hagwon official said.
Indoor sports facilities took similar steps, checking users' temperatures at the entrance and requiring masks while exercising.
They suspended the free supply of sportswear and towels and shut down saunas.
"We resumed operations today, but some users in wait-and-see mode, saying that they still feel insecure," said an official at a sports center in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
As part of the stricter social distancing campaign, the government issued an administrative order on churches, bars, gyms and cram schools that strongly recommended their temporary closure.
The government lifted the rules Sunday on condition that they comply with strict quarantine rules.
South Korea reported fewer than 20 new cases of the new coronavirus for the third straight day on Monday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,674.
The eased social distancing rules seem to be largely inevitable, given the pandemic's prolonged economic fallout.
But some people are still concerned that the relaxed rules may spark an uptick in infections.
"I understand that people's fatigue about the coronavirus remains high. But I wonder whether keeping the social distancing in places like clubs will be possible," said a 58-year-old office worker in the southeastern city of Pohang.
"I am concerned that the virus, well contained so far, could spread again," he added.
The use of an exercise bike is prohibited at a sports center in Jongno, central Seoul, on April 20, 2020, to compel users to keep a distance of 2 meters from each other. (Yonhap)
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--Hyundai Motor execs to forgo 20 pct of their wages on virus impact

The South Korean automotive group said the pay cuts will affect some 1,200 executives of all of its affiliates , @ @ @ @ @ Euisun , beginning this month .
No specific time frame was given for how long @ @ @ @ @ in effect .

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Group said Monday that its executives will have their salaries cut by 20 percent as part of efforts to weather the growing impact of the coronavirus.
The South Korean automotive group said the pay cuts will affect some 1,200 executives of all of its affiliates, including Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, beginning this month. No specific time frame was given for how long the pay cuts will remain in effect.
Executives at the group's affiliates, such as Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., and Hyundai Mobis Co., returned 10 percent of their wages in 2009 and 2016 when the company suffered a financial crisis and poor earnings results, respectively.
Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales, have suspended most of their overseas plants due to the spreading coronavirus.
They currently operate plants in South Korea and China but sales in the world's biggest automobile market remain weak.
This file photo shows Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors' headquarters building in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(2nd LD) More elementary students resume classes online amid pandemic

The high school third graders will be asked to download the exam papers from the websites of EBS or regional @ @ @ @ @ them up from their schools before completing them at home and presenting the results to @ @ @ @ @ exam results will not be reflected in official academic records , the mock CSAT test @ @ @ @ @

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 8-11, 19-21)
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- More elementary school students in South Korea started the spring semester with online classes Monday amid lingering concerns about cluster infections of the new coronavirus.
The move marks the full opening of the new school year with remote learning for about 5.4 million elementary, middle and high school students across the country.
Grades one to three at elementary schools began the new semester with online classes Monday under the government's three-step plan to open the new school year depending on grades.
The new school year, which usually starts in March, was postponed by five weeks to April 6 over concerns that schools are vulnerable to cluster infections of COVID-19. The plan was again put off by a few days to give schools time to prepare for remote classes.
Two children, first and third graders, attend online classes via a tablet and notebook PC at their home in Gwangju, southwestern South Korea, on April 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
As part of the government's unprecedented move to open online classes nationwide, middle and high school students in their third and final year returned to school first on April 9.
A week later, the second group -- first and second graders at middle and high schools, as well as grades four to six at elementary schools -- followed suit. Kindergartens and child care centers have shut down indefinitely.
Education authorities plan to mostly use the networks of education-focused broadcaster EBS in case of first and second graders at elementary schools as they will have difficulty taking the initiative in learning and communicating with teachers via smart devices.
The websites of EBS and remote learning platforms provided by the government operated without major glitches, though the maximum number of their simultaneous log-ins reached more than 1.2 million Monday morning.
The government's e-learning site recorded 620,760 concurrent users at 9:10 a.m. and EBS' online class was simultaneously accessed by 601,396 students at 9:42 a.m., but no major connection errors occurred.
Some schools and students complained of delayed connections, though the problems do not seem to stem from the online learning platforms themselves.
Moreover, a number of schools successfully completed their online classes by taking advantage of channels on YouTube with a much larger server.
Third graders were offered real-time two-way online classes via computers and smart devices, just like fourth graders and older students.
Parents of young pupils, particularly those unfamiliar with smart devices, complained that they had to be with their children throughout the online classes to extend assistance.
A 42-year-old woman surnamed Cho in Jeonju, southwestern South Korea, said she took a day off to take care of her 9-year-old son, a third grader.
Cho said that while her son was watching the online class videos on YouTube and other devices, she had a busy morning checking on his progress and other situations.
"Students had to watch an ad before using online class videos. In addition, they couldn't focus well because related videos are shown next to the screen," she said.
Another parent in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, said she was having a hard time taking care of her two children -- first and sixth graders -- during their online classes.
"The sixth-grade child has been given too many assignments, including picture drawing and poem writing, while the first grader was not able to cope with the remote learning on his own," the parent said.
A housewife on Jeju Island said she was surprised to find her first-grade son watching the second-class video on EBS TV while lying down comfortably, as she was paying attention to his younger sisters.
"My son was frequently disturbed by his younger sisters aged 3 years old and 6 months old, respectively," the housewife said.
A 42-year-old woman in Busan said she was embarrassed at work after receiving a phone call from her third-grade son who said he was not able to gain access to the government's e-learning platform.
Some pupils put under emergency child care services gathered in classrooms to take the online classes, but network connections there were unstable. Elementary schools run such services for dual-career families from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
At an elementary school in Suwon, just south of Seoul, a group of 16 second graders gathered at an emergency child care classroom, but they were not able to log into EBS's online class program site. Instead, they had to watch a YouTube video on the school's history.
About 10 students from third to sixth grades attended online classes from the school's computer room but failed to enter the EBS site as well. The EBS site, also used by middle and high school students, had experienced similar access problems due to overloading on April 9, 13 and 14 for one to two hours each day.
Some cautiously expect that students may be able to return to their classrooms sooner than expected, as the daily number of new virus cases has recently dropped below 30.
But public health authorities have voiced caution over opening schools for the time being due to the possibility that group infections could spike, as was the case in Singapore.
Twin sisters, both of whom are in grade three at middle schools, take online classes at home in Seoul on April 9, 2020, as South Korea began the new school year. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, a nationwide mock test for high school seniors preparing for this fall's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) will be conducted remotely Friday after five postponements, the educational authorities said Monday.
The authorities had planned to administer the mock test offline depending on the coronavirus situation. As the government has again extended its social distancing campaign through May 5, the offline exam plan has been canceled.
The high school third graders will be asked to download the exam papers from the websites of EBS or regional educational offices, or pick them up from their schools before completing them at home and presenting the results to their schools. As the exam results will not be reflected in official academic records, the mock CSAT test has been virtually nullified.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)


yna--2020-04-20--(LEAD) Army soldier under probe for allegedly assaulting female captain with shovel

The Army said it will look into the case and also take disciplinary action on those who took part in @ @ @ @ @ to restrict private meetings amid the fight against the new coronavirus .

(ATTN: ADDS more info in 6-7 paras)
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- A 22-year-old corporal is under investigation over allegations of assaulting a female officer commanding his company with a folding shovel early this month after complaining about hard work, the Army said Monday.
The corporal, whose identity has been withheld, allegedly struck the officer in the arm with the entrenching tool and tried to choke her, leaving her with injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment, according to officials.
The two were having a conversation after the corporal repeatedly complained about hard work.
The military prosecution is looking into details of the incident.
"The military investigation body is fully aware of the severity of the incident and will give stern punishment according to law and regulation," an Army officer said.
The Army also said that a first lieutenant is under probe over suspicions of sexually molesting a civilian woman at a karaoke room after having a drink with colleagues outside their base last week.
The Army said it will look into the case and also take disciplinary action on those who took part in the gathering despite the order to restrict private meetings amid the fight against the new coronavirus.
They are the latest in a series of embarrassing cases reported at barracks.
Last week, the Army said military police are investigating allegations that four Army noncommissioned officers sexually harassed a superior officer in March.
In the wake of a string of misconduct and other lapses in discipline, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo sent a letter to all service members Sunday and warned of stern punishment.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)