S Korea tunnel tragedy: Officials ignored multiple warnings

Thirty-six officials in South Korea are under investigation for failing to prevent the tragedy. More »

South Koreans become younger under new age-counting law

Seoul scraps a centuries-old age-counting system in favour of international standards. More »

Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee indicted in South Korea on allegations linked to 2015 merger

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors indicted Samsung Group’s Jay Y. Lee on Tuesday on suspicion of accounting fraud and stock price manipulation in connection with a 2015 merger, dealing a new blow to the head of one of Asia’s most valuable companies. L... More »

Japan’s Kishida says can show strength in economic, foreign policy fields

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese ruling party heavyweight Fumio Kishida, who has declared his candidacy for the party leadership, said on Tuesday he can show strength in the economic and foreign policy fields and he wants to be a leader who listens to the people. Ki... More »

South Korea charges intelligence officers with raping North Korean defector

SEOUL (Reuters) – Two South Korean military intelligence officers have been indicted on charges of raping a North Korean defector, the South’s defense ministry said on Tuesday. According to Yonhap news agency, the victim filed a criminal complaint last year, a... More »

BTS score a first for Korean band on Billboard chart with ‘Dynamite’

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – K-Pop band BTS roared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts in the United States on Monday, becoming the first Korean pop act to debut at No. 1. “Dynamite,” the first all-English language single from the seven-member boy ba... More »

South Korean prosecutors indict Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee on stock manipulation charge: official

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors indicted Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee on charges of manipulating stock prices and breach of trust in order to cement control of the group, a prosecution official said on Tuesday. Considering the gravity of manipula... More »

Asia shares push ahead as China markets jump

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares crept back toward recent peaks on Monday as Chinese markets swung higher, while investors waited to see if the recent sell-off in longer-dated U.S. Treasuries would extend and maybe take some pressure off the beleaguered dollar.... More »

K-Pop group BTS’ label Big Hit posts profit as it prepares for IPO

(This August 13 story corrects to show that 2019 and 2020 H1 results are based on different accounting standards in paragraph 3, changes percentage change to profit figure in paragraph 1) By Joyce Lee SEOUL (Reuters) – Big Hit Entertainment, the management lab... More »

Hyundai expects new family of Ioniq vehicles to drive global EV sales

(Reuters) – Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) is creating a family of electric vehicles it will sell under the Ioniq brand as part of its drive to become the world’s third-largest seller of EVs by 2025, the company said on Sunday. Hyundai said the ... More »

Hyundai Motor shares rise as much as 10% on Ioniq EV plan

SEOUL (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) stock jumped as much as 10.2% on Monday to its highest price since May 2018, after the automaker said it would create a family of Ioniq-brand electric vehicles (EVs) as it aims to become the third-largest EV maker... More »

Summer mood swings: markets turn higher on hopes of virus aid

LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks and the dollar rallied after a cautious European morning as thin summer trading led to sharp swings in the market, and worries about U.S. gridlock over the next round of coronavirus aid eased. In Europe, stocks were up 1.2% as t... More »

Strain on global manufacturing eases as euro zone returns to growth

LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) – Euro zone manufacturing activity expanded modestly last month, its first growth since early 2019, and Asia’s pain eased as the contraction slowed in export-reliant nations, adding to hopes the sector is emerging from the hit of the cor... More »

Gold roars to record high, dollar dives again

LONDON (Reuters) – Gold soared to an all-time high on worsening ties between the United States and China, a sinking dollar and ultra-low interest rates on Monday, while stock markets faltered before a deluge of corporate earnings. Europe’s main stock markets w... More »

Gambling addiction spikes among South Korea’s work-from-home day traders

SEOUL (Reuters) – Day traders seeking help for gambling addiction have tripled in number in South Korea, as COVID-19 social distancing and working-from-home has freed up more time for online stock market trading, data showed. Retail investors, known locally as... More »

Some K-Pop stars’ accounts on TikTok’s sister app in China, Douyin, blocked from view

SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) – Some K-pop stars’ accounts have been blocked from view on TikTok’s China equivalent Douyin, Reuters’ checks showed on Friday, days after South Korea’s media regulator slapped fines on the short-video app for data privacy noncomplianc... More »

EU regulators again halt probe into Hyundai, Daewoo shipbuilding tie-up

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators have again halted their investigation into world No. 1 shipbuilding group Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (267250.KS) $1.8 billion merger with Daewoo (042660.KS), a European Commission filing showed. This is the third tim... More »

One in three South Korean COVID-19 patients improve with remdesivir

SEOUL (Reuters) – One in three South Korean patients seriously ill with COVID-19 showed an improvement in their condition after being given Gilead Sciences Inc’s antiviral remdesivir, health authorities said. More research was needed to determine if the improv... More »

Late South Korea triathlete’s team mates detail abuse allegations

SEOUL (Reuters) – Former team mates of a South Korean triathlete found dead last month after alleging she had been abused by her coaching staff said on Monday athletes endured a living “hell” and were habitually beaten and verbally abused. Choi Suk-hyeon, a me... More »

Vietnam’s Vingroup says produces first 5G smartphones under Vsmart brand

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam’s VinSmart, a unit of Vingroup, has produced its first 5G smartphones in cooperation with the U.S.’s Qualcomm, Vingroup said on Monday. The model, Vsmart Aris 5G, is equipped with a Snapdragon 765G 5G module platform and a quantum sec... More »

A taste of democracy: South Korea’s 16-year fight for a green onion breakfast cereal

SEOUL (Reuters) – It is being hailed as a major win for democracy in South Korea. After 16 years in exile, a president this week triumphantly returned to claim his rightful place – on the front of a box of green onion-flavoured cereal. The limited edition of t... More »

Global stocks shrug off fresh virus wave fears, dollar slips

LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks reversed earlier losses and the dollar slid on Monday as investors shrugged off worries that rising coronavirus infections in parts of Europe and the United States over the weekend could scupper a quick economic rebound. Torn be... More »

South Korea says Bolton’s memoir on Trump-Kim summit is distorted

SEOUL (Reuters) – Accounts by former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton of discussions between leaders of the United States and the two Koreas in his upcoming book are inaccurate and distorted, South Korea said on Monday. Bolton gives details in the bo... More »

Musk says Tesla ‘Battery Day’ and shareholder meeting tentatively set for Sept. 15

(Reuters) – Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Sunday that Sept. 15 is the tentative date for the company’s shareholder meeting and its “Battery Day” at which it is expected to reveal significant advances in battery technology. The ba... More »

China set to complete Beidou network rivalling GPS in global navigation

BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese Beidou navigation network will be complete this month when its final satellite goes into orbit, giving China greater independence from U.S.-owned GPS and heating up competition in a sector long dominated by the United States. Th... More »

Golf: Im taking nothing for granted despite long Fedex Cup reign

(Reuters) – Im Sung-jae has enjoyed a longer run at the top of the Fedex Cup standings than many better-known players but the South Korean is taking nothing for granted as he plots his return to PGA Tour action in Texas this week. The hardworking world number ... More »

South Korean court denies arrest warrant request for Samsung heir

SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean court on Tuesday denied an arrest warrant request for Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee after prosecutors accused him of accounting fraud and stock manipulation. The ruling provided temporary relief for the vice chairman of Samsung... More »

K-pop boyband BTS’ fans match group’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter

SEOUL (Reuters) – Fans of the popular South Korean boy band BTS matched its $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality, an organisation that runs fundraisers for the fans said on Monday. The K-pop group... More »

Czech car production falls 31.1% in January-April period to 337,497 cars

PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech car production fell 31.1% year-on-year in the January-April period to 337,497 cars, the Automotive Industry Association said on Tuesday. In April alone, when the country ground to a standstill due to measures aimed to curb the coronavi... More »

South Korea’s BTS boyband management apologises over bar visit

SEOUL (Reuters) – The manager of South Korea’s popular boyband BTS has apologised on behalf of one of its members who went to a bar in April, contrary to government advice, just as the country is trying to contain a recent coronavirus outbreak around Seoul’s c... More »

South Korea investigators comb digital data to trace club coronavirus cluster

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean authorities were combing through mobile phone data, credit card statements and CCTV footage on Tuesday to identify people who visited nightclubs at the centre of one of the capital’s biggest novel coronavirus clusters. More than ... More »

South Korean officials call for caution amid reports that North Korean leader Kim is ill

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean officials are calling for caution amid reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be ill or is being isolated because of coronavirus concerns, emphasising that they have detected no unusual movements in North Korea. At a cl... More »

Asia shares rally as BOJ buys more bonds- U.S. crude skids

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asian shares bounced on Monday as the Bank of Japan (BOJ) announced more stimulus steps to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus, but the recent weak run in the global oil price showed no signs of ending. MSCI’s broad... More »

South Korea, China cast doubt on reports North Korean leader Kim gravely ill

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean and Chinese officials on Tuesday cast doubt on reports North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ill after media outlets said he had undergone a cardiovascular procedure and was in “grave danger”. Daily NK, a Seoul-based speciality web... More »

China seeks fast-track travel arrangements with some countries

BEIJING (Reuters) – China is in talks with some countries to establish fast-track procedures to allow travel by business and technical personnel to ensure the smooth operation of global supply chains, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Foreign ministry spok... More »

U.S. crude futures turn positive after historic plunge, Brent falls

SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. oil prices hobbled back into positive territory on Tuesday after sinking below $0 for the first time ever, but international benchmark Brent dipped as the global coronavirus crisis severely reduces demand for crude. U.S. West Texas Inter... More »

South Korea’s April 1-20 exports collapse as pandemic paralyses production, demand

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean exports plunged nearly 27% in the first 20 days of April as the coronavirus health crisis paralyzed global manufacturing activity and crushed consumer demand. The worst may be yet to come with many of the country’s top trading pa... More »

Oil gains on OPEC+ deal, stocks stymied by pandemic worries

TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Global equities weakened on Monday as investors braced for more indications of economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic while oil prices rose in choppy trade following a landmark deal by OPEC and its allies to cut output. U.S. ... More »

South Korea reports more recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea reported on Monday that at least 116 people initially cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again, although officials suggested they would soon look at easing strict recommendations aimed at preventing new outbreaks. ... More »

Exclusive: South Korea to ship 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to U.S. on Tuesday – source

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea plans to send 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to the United States on Tuesday in the first such shipment following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump, a Seoul official told Reuters on Monday. Trump made the request for te... More »

Kia Motors considers halting three South Korean plants as virus hits exports

SEOUL (Reuters) – Kia Motors Corp (000270.KS) told its labour union in South Korea that it wants to suspend operations at three of its domestic factories as the coronavirus outbreak weighs on exports to Europe and the United States, a union official said on Mo... More »

Stocks jump on virus slowdown hopes, but oil slips on oversupply

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Stocks jumped on Monday as investors were encouraged by a slowdown in coronavirus-related deaths and new cases, while oil prices skidded after Saudi-Russian negotiations to cut output were delayed, keeping oversupply concerns alive. Equity i... More »

South Korea reports fewer than 50 new coronavirus cases

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea reported fewer than 50 new coronavirus cases for the first time since its peak at the end of February as daily infections in Asia’s largest outbreak outside China continued to trend downward. The Korea Centers for Disease Control ... More »

Solid chip sales unlikely to cushion Samsung’s virus-hit first quarter profit

SEOUL (Reuters) – The coronavirus-driven global shift to working from home is set to have boosted demand for Samsung Electronics’ memory chips from laptop makers and data centres, but first-quarter profits are likely to remain flat as the outbreak weakened con... More »

Factbox: Google location data shows slump in trips to malls, offices

(Reuters) – Google on Thursday published reports for 131 countries showing whether visits to shops, parks and workplaces dropped in March, when many governments issued stay-at-home orders to rein in the spread of COVID-19. Here is a list of countries in alphab... More »

Live practice games a ‘beam of light’ for baseball-starved Korean fans

SEOUL (Reuters) – For student Kim Jin-won, watching his favourite baseball team’s practice games live on YouTube is a rare slice of happiness while stuck at home during South Korea’s social distancing campaign aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. Th... More »

Coronavirus threatens to knock South Korea off 5G leadership perch

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea is struggling to retain its lead in global next-generation 5G telecom services, as the coronavirus pandemic further cools sentiment of consumers whose interest in the technology has waned due to cost and quality concerns. The Asia... More »

April Fools! K-Pop star pranks his fans that he has coronavirus

SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean K-Pop star on Wednesday pulled an April Fool’s prank announcing that he had contracted coronavirus, and later removed the Instagram post after triggering a backlash. Kim Jae-joong, a member of boyband JYJ, posted on his Instagr... More »

Asia shares suffer virus chills, central banks offer cold comfort

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asian shares slid on Monday as fears mounted that the global coronavirus shutdown could last for months although markets regained some lost ground late in the session with Australia posting a standout jump. U.S. and European future... More »

Japan to ban U.S., China, Europe travelers as coronavirus spread stokes Tokyo lockdown fears

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan will step up its efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus by banning the entry of foreign citizens traveling from the United States, China, South Korea and most of Europe, the Asahi newspaper reported on Monday. Non-Japanese citizens w... More »

Apple’s factories are running, but suppliers wary about iPhone demand

(Reuters) – As China reopens its economy after months of lockdown, Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iPhone factories are largely up and running. But with the coronavirus pandemic spreading across the world, the urgent question for the company is how many buyers there will... More »

Samsung Electronics urges shareholders to use electronic voting for AGM amid coronavirus

SEOUL (Reuters) – Technology giant Samsung Electronics has adopted electronic voting for the first time ever for this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) on March 18, urging shareholders to use it to help curb the spread of coronavirus. Samsung’s AGM is taking... More »

Nike, Under Armour join retailers shutting stores to limit virus spread

(Reuters) – Nike Inc, Lululemon Athletica Inc and Under Armour Inc on Sunday said they would close stores in the United States and other markets, joining a growing list of major retailers moving to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. The virus, which beg... More »

Founder of South Korea church at center of virus outbreak regrets ‘great calamity’

SEOUL/GAPYEONG, South Korea (Reuters) – The founder of the church at the center of South Korea’s coronavirus outbreak apologized on Monday after one of its members tested positive for the virus and infected many others, calling the epidemic a “great calamity”.... More »

North Korea fires two short-range missiles into eastern sea, South Korea says

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea fired two short-range missiles off the east coast into the sea on Monday, resuming testing after a three-month pause, South Korea’s military said. The missiles were launched from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan and flew 240 km ... More »

North Korea projectiles flew 240 km, reached 35 km in altitude – South Korea military

SEOUL (Reuters) – The projectiles North Korea fired on Monday flew 240 km (150 miles) and reached 35 km in altitude, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. North Korea fired two short-range projectiles off its eastern coastal city of Wonsan – from whe... More »

Japan says no indication North Korea launch reached its territory or EEZ

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s defence ministry said on Monday there was no indication that North Korea projectiles reached Japan’s territory or its exclusive economic zone. South Korea’s defence ministry said earlier North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles ... More »

China repeats call for dialogue after North Korea missile launch

BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Monday reiterated a call for dialogue in response to North Korea’s latest missile launch and said all sides involved in efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons should reconcile conflicts through discussion. Foreign m... More »

Lufthansa calls off flights to China until April 24 and Tehran until April 30

BERLIN (Reuters) – Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Monday that it was suspending flights to China until April 24 and to Tehran until April 30 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Lufthansa said it was also adjusting its flights to northern Italy. It said Austrian Airl... More »

Wuhan closes makeshift hospital as new coronavirus cases in China drop sharply

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The Chinese city at the center of the coronavirus epidemic closed its first makeshift hospital, one of 16 hurriedly built to handle the epidemic, after it discharged the last recovered patients, state broadcaster CCTV reported on M... More »

South Korea reports 476 new coronavirus cases, raising total to 4,212

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea reported on Monday 476 new coronavirus cases, taking its national tally to 4,212, as the government of Seoul sought a murder investigation into a controversial church at the center of the country’s outbreak. The new cases followed... More »

South Korea reports 123 new coronavirus cases, taking total to 4,335: Yonhap

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea reported 123 new coronavirus cases, taking the country’s total infections to 4,335, the Yonhap news agency said, citing health authorities. The updated numbers added to the 476 recorded earlier by the Korea Centers for Disease Con... More »

Baseball: Final Olympic qualifying tournament in Taiwan postponed to June

(Reuters) – The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) said on Monday it has postponed its final qualification tournament for the Tokyo Olympics to June because of the coronavirus epidemic. The six-team event, originally scheduled for April 1-5 in Taiwan... More »

Hyundai reports lowest monthly sales in decade as virus dents demand

SEOUL (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) reported its lowest monthly global sales in a decade in February as the coronavirus outbreak hurt demand, in what is the first major indicator of damage to the broader auto sector from the epidemic. It turned in a pr... More »

Kuwait has 10 new cases of coronavirus, brings total to 56 – TV

DUBAI (Reuters) – Kuwait’s Health Ministry announced 10 new cases of coronavirus in the country on Monday bringing the total number to 56, a ministry official said. The official, who was speaking during a news conference broadcast on state television, urged ci... More »

Asian shares rebound as markets bet on coordinated policy stimulus

SINGAPORE/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares regained a measure of calm on Monday as markets bounced after a searing sell-off last week and as investors pinned hopes on a likely coordinated global monetary response to help soften the economic blow of the coronavi... More »

Samsung starts building $220 million R&D center in Vietnam

HANOI (Reuters) – Samsung Electronics has started building a $220 million research and development center in Vietnam, the South Korean tech giant’s local unit said on Monday. But a ground-breaking ceremony, scheduled for this past Saturday, was canceled becaus... More »

Fleetwood shot at final hole ‘never looked like sniffing land’

(Reuters) – A bad second shot at the final hole of the Honda Classic in Florida on Sunday cost Tommy Fleetwood a chance for his first PGA Tour victory. Needing a birdie at the par-five to force a playoff, Fleetwood tried to fade a five-wood from 235 yards, but... More »

Im claims first PGA Tour title with clutch play at Honda Classic

(Reuters) – South Korean Im Sung-jae hit a series of clutch shots down the stretch to clinch his first PGA Tour victory in style, a one-shot triumph at the Honda Classic in Florida on Sunday. Im, last year’s tour rookie of the year, broke through in his 50th s... More »

Samsung and LG Innotek close South Korea plants after confirmed virus cases

SEOUL (Reuters) – Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and LG Innotek (011070.KS) have shut their factories in South Korea after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus, the companies said on Sunday. Samsung’s mobile device factory in Gumi, close to Daegu, whe... More »

Rock band Green Day among musicians pulling out of Asia tour dates

(Reuters) – U.S. rock band Green Day on Friday called off all of the Asian shows in its upcoming world tour because of the coronavirus outbreak, the latest music act to pull back from performances in the region. The punk band’s Hella Mega tour was planned to h... More »

Fear of coronavirus pandemic grows but China eases curbs as new infections fall

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea but China relaxed restrictions on movements in several places including Beijing as its rates of new infections eased... More »

WHO says no longer uses ‘pandemic’ category, but virus still emergency

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) no longer has a process for declaring a pandemic, but the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak remains an international emergency, a spokesman said on Monday. Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after ... More »

Large parts of China relax coronavirus curbs, many places report zero new cases

BEIJING (Reuters) – Urged to restore economic activity by President Xi Jinping, large parts of China relaxed curbs on transport and movement of people on Monday as reported new cases of the coronavirus outside the worst-hit province fell to the lowest in a mon... More »

Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways to suspend all flights to South Korea over coronavirus concerns

HANOI (Reuters) – Bamboo Airways will suspend flights to South Korea from Feb. 26 over coronavirus concerns, the company said on Monday. Its flights between Da Nang and Nha Trang to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport will cease operations starting Feb. 26, ... More »

Kuwait, Bahrain report coronavirus in people who visited Iran

DUBAI (Reuters) – Kuwait and Bahrain on Monday recorded their first new coronavirus cases, all involving people who had visited Iran, which has reported 43 cases of the disease, state media said. Kuwait detected the virus in three people among 700 who had been... More »

Some Samsung, Hyundai workers self-quarantine as Korea Inc braces for virus impact

SEOUL (Reuters) – Some South Korean workers at Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) are staying home as a precautionary measure as corporate Korea scrambles to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from causing widespread disruption in its ... More »

China not considering travel advisories for countries with rising coronavirus cases

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing was not considering issuing travel advisories for countries such as South Korea and Japan that are reporting an increase in coronavirus cases. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Liji... More »

Qatar to quarantine passengers arriving from Iran, South Korea

DUBAI (Reuters) – Qatar will ask passengers arriving from Iran and South Korea to remain in home isolation or a quarantine facility for 14 days over fears of new coronavirus outbreak, Qatar Airways said in a statement on Monday. Source: https://www.reuters.com... More »

Shares drop, gold surges as investors scurry for safety

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Global shares and oil slid on Monday while safe-haven gold surged as the spread of the coronavirus outside China darkened the outlook for world growth with infections and deaths rising in South Korea, Italy and the Middle East. The large spi... More »

Mapping coronavirus: South Koreans turn to online tracking as cases surge

SEOUL (Reuters) – As the new coronavirus spreads in South Korea, private software developers have set up websites and apps to help people track cases and shun places where infected people have been in the hope of avoiding the fast-spreading virus. The governme... More »

Quantum tech company Nanoco files patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung

(Reuters) – British nanotechnology company Nanoco said on Monday it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co and affiliates in a district court in Texas relating to quantum dots. Nanoco, which produces quantum dots that are used t... More »

Scott wins by two strokes at Riviera, and this time it is official

(Reuters) – Fifteen years after his first victory at Riviera, Adam Scott won the Genesis Open in Los Angeles on Sunday, and this time his victory is official. The Australian, a former Masters champion, overcame an early double-bogey to shoot one-under-par 70 a... More »

China slowly gets back to work as nearly 100 more die from coronavirus

BEIJING (Reuters) – Workers began trickling back to offices and factories around China on Monday as the government eased some restrictions on working during a coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 900 people, most of them on the mainland. The death to... More »

South Korea’s ‘Parasite’ beats Hollywood greats to make Oscar history

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “Parasite,” a dark social satire from South Korea, won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first film in a language other than English to claim the movie industry’s highest honor. “Parasite,” about the gap betwee... More »

Breaking the subtitle barrier: South Koreans celebrate historic Oscar wins of ‘Parasite’

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean social media erupted in celebration on Monday after the dark comedy “Parasite” became the first non-English language movie to win the Best Picture award, already having netted three other Oscars in a historic first for the countr... More »

China says 27 foreigners in the country have been infected with coronavirus, 2 dead

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry said that 27 foreigners in the country have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus as of Monday morning, and two had died. An American died on Feb. 6 and a Japanese died on Feb. 8, ministry spokesman Geng ... More »

Factbox: Some carmakers likely to restart China factories after shutting for coronavirus

(Reuters) – Automakers including Daimler, Tesla and Ford are likely to restart production in China on Monday after being forced to shut factories for more than a week following a widespread outbreak of the coronavirus. However, some have further delayed reopen... More »

China’s return to work lifts local stocks while rest of Asia trails

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares fell on Monday as the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak exceeded the SARS epidemic of two decades ago, though Chinese shares gained as authorities lifted some work and travel restrictions, helping businesses to resume opera... More »

UK declares coronavirus a serious and imminent threat to public health

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Monday that the new coronavirus was a serious and imminent threat to public health, a step that gives the government additional powers to fight the spread of the virus. “The Secretary of State declares that the incidence or t... More »

South Korean film injects diversity back into Oscars

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – At an Oscars ceremony nearly devoid of acting nominees of color and lacking any women among the contenders for best director, it fell to an Asian filmmaker and his cast to bring diversity to the American film industry’s highest honors. ... More »

Factbox: Key winners at the 2020 Academy Awards

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Academy Awards, the highest honors in the movie industry, were handed out on Sunday at a ceremony in Hollywood. Following is a list of winners in key categories: Best Picture “Parasite” (Neon) Best Actor Joaquin Phoenix – “Joker” Be... More »

Upstart Neon wins top Oscars prize, Netflix falls short again

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Three-year-old independent film distributor Neon upstaged the traditional Hollywood studios and streaming giant Netflix Inc on Sunday to grab the coveted best picture Oscar for South Korean have-and-have-nots tale “Parasite.” The movie ... More »

South Korea’s Bong Joon Ho wins best director Oscar win for ‘Parasite’

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – South Korean Bong Joon Ho won the best director Oscar for dark social satire “Parasite” on Sunday, becoming the first person from the Asian nation to win the award. The film was one of the biggest winners at the Academy Awards, having a... More »

South Korea’s ‘Parasite’ wins Oscar for best international feature film

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – South Korea’s “Parasite,” a pitch-black comedy about haves and have-nots in modern Seoul, won the Oscar for best international film on Sunday after also taking home the award for best original screenplay. The thriller, showing how strug... More »

Some exhibitors pull out of Singapore Airshow due to coronavirus

SYDNEY/MONTREAL (Reuters) – Some aerospace companies including business jet manufacturers Textron Inc and General Dynamics Corp’s Gulfstream division said they no longer planned to attend the Singapore Airshow due to the new coronavirus epidemic. The trade por... More »

China’s CATL signs battery supply agreement with Tesla

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s top electric vehicle battery maker CATL (300750.SZ) said on Monday it has signed a battery supply agreement with Tesla (TSLA.O). Tesla will determine the battery purchase volume between July 2020 and June 2022, according to its own... More »

Companies in Shanghai cannot resume work before February 9 due to virus fight: government

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The Shanghai government has said companies in the city are not allowed to resume operations before Feb. 9, an official at the municipality announced at a press conference on Monday. The measure is applicable to government and private compa... More »

Macau to deny entry to visitors from Hubei unless they can show they are virus-free

BEIJING (Reuters) – Macau said on Monday it will deny entry to visitors from China’s Hubei province or those who visited the province 14 days prior to arrival unless they can provide documentation showing they are not infected with the virus that broke out in ... More »

Mayor of China’s Wuhan says city’s governance ‘not good enough’ as virus spreads

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The mayor of Wuhan, the city where China’s coronavirus outbreak originated, said on Monday the city’s management of the virus was “not good enough”. Zhou Xianwang made the remarks in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV. The death toll... More »

#South Korea

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