South Korea's export prices dropped for a second consecutive month in April, central bank data showed Friday, apparently adding to woes over a slump in outbound shipments by Asia's fourth-largest economy amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The export prices index, in terms of local currency, came to 94.54 in the month, down 1.6 percent from the revised 96.08 the previous month, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea. From a year earlier, the reading marks a 5.9 percent drop. Apri

Economy May 15, 2020

South Korea said Friday it has adopted an action plan with other Group of 20 members that centers on maintaining the global supply chains and refraining from implementing new trade barriers as the new coronavirus pandemic continues to put great strains on business activities. South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee discussed with her counterparts from the group of 20 advanced and emerging economies on late Thursday how to expand global cooperation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, accord

Economy May 15, 2020

전날 0시 기준 클럽 관련 신규 확진 20명 중 15명은 접촉자 서울 용산구 이태원 클럽에서 시작한 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 집단감염이 클럽에 가지 않았던 사람들로 확산하고 있다. 2차, 3차 전파가 본격화하면서 이태원 클럽 관련 신규 확진자 중에서는 클럽 방문자보다 접촉자의 감염 사례가 더 많아지는 추세다. 15일 중앙방역대책본부(방대본)에 따르면 이태원 클럽 관련 신규 확진자 발생 양상이 클럽 방문자에서 접촉자 중심으로 변화하고 있다. 사태 초기에는 클럽 방문자를 중심으로 확진자가 나왔지만, 0시 집계 기준으로 지난 7일 첫 확진자가 나오고 일주일이 지난 13일부터 전날까지 이틀간은 접촉자의 감염 사례가 더 많았다. 방대본은 지난 10일부터 이태원 클럽 관련 확진자를 클럽 방문자와 접촉자로 분류해 발표하고 있다. 10일 이태원 클럽 관련 확진자 중에서 방문자는 18명, 접촉자는 6명이었다. 이후 11일에는 방문자 20명, 접촉자 9명, 12일에는 방문자

한국어판 May 15, 2020

뉴욕경찰, 지하철역서 마스크 턱에 걸친 여성과 언쟁 끝에 체포 경찰 "'기침하겠다' 등 모욕적 대응"…뉴욕시장 "대응 지나쳤다" 미국 뉴욕에서 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 차단을 위한 마스크 착용과 관련한 경찰의 강압적 공권력 집행이 논란이 되고 있다. 마스크를 제대로 착용할 것을 요구한 경찰과 언쟁을 벌이던 20대 엄마를 경찰이 아이가 지켜보는 가운데 강압적으로 제압한 뒤 수갑까지 채워 체포한 것이다. 14일(현지시간) 뉴욕타임스(NYT)와 현지 지역방송 등에 따르면 사건은 13일 정오께 뉴욕 브루클린의 '애틀랜틱 애비뉴-바클레이 센터' 지하철역에서 발생했다. 트위터 등에 올라온 동영상에 따르면 아이와 함께 지하철 계단을 내려가던 한 여성을 경찰이 제지하자 여성이 고성을 지르면서 언쟁이 벌어졌다. 이 여성은 지하철 승강장으로 내려가지 못하고 계단을 다시 올라왔으나 언쟁이 계속됐고, 이어 경찰관 3~4명이 붙어

한국어판 May 15, 2020

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said Thursday all of their overseas plants will be in operation next week amid signs of the coronavirus epidemic passing its peak. Currently, Kia's plant in Mexico is the only overseas manufacturing facility which is still suspended to manage inventories. South Korea's No.2 carmaker plans to restart production at its Mexican plant on Monday, a company spokesman said over the phone. "Most of their overseas plants have resumed producti

Industry May 14, 2020

South Korean firms are again beefing up their virus prevention measures after the country reported cluster infections linked to clubs and bars in a popular nightlife neighborhood in Seoul, industry insiders said Thursday. After the country shifted to an "everyday life quarantine" scheme to normalize social and economic activities last week, many companies decided to end remote working and allowed their workers to return to the office. However, with the recent surge in virus cases

Industry May 14, 2020

The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) on Thursday agreed to merge with its affiliated party, which was created to seek proportional representation (PR) seats in last month's parliamentary elections. Members of the UFP established the Korea Future Party (KFP) in the runup to the April 15 elections, which were conducted under new rules designed to give minor parties better chances to win PR seats. UFP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young and KFP chief Rep. Won Yoo-chul said they agreed to pus

Politics May 14, 2020

South Korea discovered 11 bone fragments, believed to be from soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea, the defense ministry said Thursday. The pieces were found during a demining and excavation operation on Arrowhead Ridge from last Friday through Wednesday, according to the ministry. The ridge located in Cheorwon, some 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul, was one of the fiercest battlefields during the war. Since April 20 w

Defense May 14, 2020

A suspicious package found at the post office of the Yongsan base of US Forces Korea on Thursday turned out to be a hair grooming kit, a USFK official said. Earlier in the day, the US military closed part of the garrison in Seoul, suspended traffic and urged its personnel to avoid the area "due to the investigation of a suspicious package." "At approximately 1 p.m., the package was cleared by the Directorate of Emergency Services. ... This package did not pose a threat since

Defense May 14, 2020

President Moon Jae-in will replace the director of the Presidential Security Service, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday, as he has just entered his fourth year in office. Ryoo Yeon-sang, deputy head of the agency, will be promoted to lead it, with Ju Young-hoon retiring after three years of service as the president's chief bodyguard. Ryoo will assume the post on Friday, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. Ryoo has worked at the agency for 28 years after majoring in police administra

Politics May 14, 2020

South Korean stocks closed lower Thursday as investor sentiment was dented by a grim forecast for global economic recovery amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 15.46 points, or 0.80 percent, to close at 1,924.96 Trading volume was high at 744 million shares worth 9.3 trillion won ($7.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 638 to 229. The index never moved above the flatline through

Market May 14, 2020

Rival political parties agreed Thursday to hold the last plenary meeting of the 20th National Assembly next week to handle bills linked to people's livelihoods. The meeting will convene next Wednesday to pass a set of legislation, including a revision to the employment insurance act, before the new parliament will begin its four-year term on May 30. Three hundred new lawmakers for the 21st National Assembly were elected in the April 15 polls, in which the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and its

Politics May 14, 2020

South Korea's financial regulator said Thursday that 16 fintech firms and startups have attracted a combined 136.4 billion won ($111 million) in investment over the past year as the country is pushing to promote the fintech industry. The investments came a year after South Korea introduced a regulatory sandbox meant to allow fintech firms using new technologies, such as blockchain and big data, to develop new financial services without regulatory hurdles. The move came as South Korea is count

Economy May 14, 2020

The scheduled return of South Korean Olympic athletes to the national training center has been postponed indefinitely in light of a recent spike in new coronavirus cases. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said Thursday that the first batch of athletes and coaches who had been set to report back to the Jincheon National Training Center next week will have to wait. They had cleared out of the training center in March, after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was postponed by one year due to the cor

More Sports May 14, 2020

North Korea has not yet responded to calls from South Korean nongovernmental organizations to hold a joint event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit. "In the beginning of this year, nongovernmental organizations proposed holding a joint event with North Korea, but the North has not responded yet," an official at the unification ministry told reporters Thursday. The official added there are many challenges in organizing the event because of the c

North Korea May 14, 2020