Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.

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(LEAD) Nearly 10 pct of virus cases in S. Korea come from overseas: data

SEOUL -- Imported cases of the new coronavirus in South Korea have surpassed 1,000 amid a slowdown in overall new infections, data showed Monday, as health authorities stay alert over a steady rise of cases coming from abroad.

The total number of imported cases in the country has reached 1,006, which accounts for almost 10 percent of the country's total virus cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

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Finance minister hints at more fiscal spending to ease fallout of coronavirus

SEJONG -- Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on Monday raised the possibility of providing more fiscal spending as economic remedies over the coronavirus pandemic, saying the government must leave some room to sell more state bonds.

Hong made the remarks at a meeting with senior ministry officials earlier in the day, as South Korea focused on reviving economic growth after apparently bringing the coronavirus outbreak under control.

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S. Korea, China seek framework to grant businesspeople entry ban exemptions

SEOUL -- South Korea and China have agreed to seek an "institutional framework" to grant businesspeople exemptions from entry restrictions aimed at preventing imported new coronavirus infections, a foreign ministry official said Monday.

The agreement came during a videoconference that Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young and his Chinese counterpart, Le Yucheng, held last Friday to discuss responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and other issues.

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(2nd LD) Korean Air mulls 1 tln-won stock offerings to tide over virus impact: sources

SEOUL -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier, is considering stock offerings worth up to 1 trillion won (US$820 million) as part of self-help measures amid the growing coronavirus impact on the airline sector, financial sources said Monday.

Korean Air is in talks with major securities companies to raise up to 1 trillion won by selling new shares, an investment bank official familiar with the matter told Yonhap News Agency.

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(LEAD) Parliament moves to allow blind lawmaker-elect's guide dog into main chamber

SEOUL -- The National Assembly reached an internal decision Monday to allow the guide dog of a newly elected lawmaker with a visual disability to enter the main chamber, parliamentary officials said.

Kim Ye-ji of the minor opposition Future Korea Party won a proportional representation seat in last week's parliamentary elections. Her election has sparked a debate on whether her guide dog, called Joy, should be allowed to accompany her to the main chamber.

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(LEAD) Seoul stocks end lower ahead of Q1 earnings season

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended lower on Monday as investors await first-quarter earnings results from this week amid signs of an easing in the global coronavirus spread. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 16.17 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 1,898.36. Trading volume was moderate at 1.1 billion shares worth 11.7 trillion won (US$9.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 515 to 337.

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Tottenham's Son Heung-min starts military training with Marines

SEOUL -- Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min reported to a Marine Corps unit on Monday to begin his three-week military training on the southern island of Jeju.

Son will be in camp until May 8, fulfilling requirements of the military service exemption he earned by winning the men's football gold medal for South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games.
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