Yonhap News Summary
The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
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(3rd LD) S. Korea steps up containment efforts as virus cases jump to 156
SEOUL -- South Korea said Friday the new coronavirus is spreading across the country, but it is in the initial stage of a full-blown outbreak and still "manageable," although the number of infections has almost tripled in just three days.
The country reported 52 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total number of infections to 156, the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
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(2nd LD) S. Korea reports first coronavirus cases among service members
SEOUL/JEJU -- A number of coronavirus cases were confirmed among military personnel for the first time Friday, including an Air Force officer at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, sending officials scrambling to stop the virus from spreading further into the barracks.
Three cases were confirmed, one each in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. They are the first COVID-19 cases among service members since South Korea reported its first case last month.
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(LEAD) IFRC requests sanctions waiver for plan to help N. Korea's fight against coronavirus
SEOUL -- The International Red Cross has asked the United Nations to grant temporary sanctions exemptions for its efforts to help North Korea's fight against the new coronavirus, a U.S. broadcaster said Friday.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) made the request, Richard Blewitt, the organization's permanent observer at the U.N., was quoted as saying to Radio Free Asia.
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Airlines to suspend more flights over coronavirus
SEOUL -- South Korean airlines said Friday they will reduce more routes and ask employees to take unpaid leave as the spread of the novel coronavirus is impacting travel.
With no clear end in sight for the COVID-19 outbreak, local airlines began to suspend or reduce their flights early this month to adjust to weak demand on domestic and international routes.
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Seoul city to ban rallies, Shincheonji church services to curb virus
SEOUL -- As part of drastic measures to curb the sprawling new coronavirus, the Seoul city government on Friday said it will be banning rallies and closing down Shincheonji church services.
"We plan to ban use of Seoul plaza, Cheonggye plaza and Gwanghwamun plaza to protect the elderly who are susceptible to contagious diseases," Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said in a press briefing Friday, referring to places where massive weekend rallies take place.
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USFK limits soldiers' Daegu-related travel, several locations off-limits
SEOUL -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has limited all service members' non-essential travel to, from and around South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu, and banned visits to several locations in the city to mitigate the risk of coronavirus infection among its population.
The measures came as the number of confirmed COVID-19 virus cases has surged sharply in Daegu and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province since Wednesday. As of early Friday, the total number of confirmed cases in South Korea stood at 156, including one death, and more than half of them happened in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province regions.
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New BTS album 'Map of the Soul: 7' set to rock global music scene
SEOUL -- K-pop phenomenon BTS will drop a new album, "Map of the Soul: 7," Friday evening, rocking the world music scene once again.
The upcoming 20-track album is the second part of its "Map of the Soul" album series, following "Map of the Soul: Persona," released in April last year.
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Bolton makes no apology for hardline stance on N. Korea: report
WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has stood by his hardline stance on North Korea, saying softer positions have failed to make the regime give up its nuclear weapons program.
In an interview this week with The Vanderbilt Hustler, the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, Bolton also defended his suggestions that North Korea follow the "Libya model" and hand over its nuclear program before receiving any concessions in return.
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Seoul stocks extend losses late Friday morning on virus woes
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks extended losses late Friday morning amid rising concerns over the fast spreading novel coronavirus in the country.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 25.94 points, or 1.18 percent, to 2,169.56 as of 11:20 a.m.
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Ateez to drop new Japanese EP next week
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S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
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Gov't to significantly increase international flights to meet travel demand
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(2nd LD) BTS wins three Billboard Music Awards, marking 6th year to win an award
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Crypto investor probed over allegedly visiting house of Terraform's CEO
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S. Korea to send condolence delegation to UAE over death of president
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(LEAD) Yoon, PPP lawmakers travel to Gwangju en masse to commemorate 1980 democracy uprising
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(URGENT) N. Korea says fever symptoms reported among more than 18,000 people Thursday alone amid COVID-19 outbreak
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(LEAD) Presidential secretary resigns amid controversy over remarks on homosexuality
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(3rd LD) N. Korea reports 6 COVID-19 deaths amid 'explosive' spread of fever
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S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
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(3rd LD) N. Korean missile or nuclear test very possible during Biden's Asia trip: Sullivan
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(2nd LD) S. Korea, U.S. have 'plan B' ready in case of N.K. provocation during Biden's visit
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Former President Moon scheduled to meet Biden in Seoul this weekend
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Woman sentenced to 30 years in prison in nicotine-poisoning death of husband