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Aug 25, 2023

Yonhap News Summary

URL is copied. The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. -----------------S. Korea designates Oct. 2 as temporary holiday to boost consumption SEOUL

URL is copied.

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.

-----------------S. Korea designates Oct. 2 as temporary holiday to boost consumption

SEOUL -- South Korea's finance ministry said Thursday the country has decided to designate Oct. 2 as a temporary holiday in the latest move to boost domestic consumption.

The decision creates a six-day extended break, starting with the day before the Chuseok holiday, the autumn harvest celebration, which falls on Sept. 29, and ending with National Foundation Day on Oct. 3, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

-----------------S. Korea downgrades COVID-19 to lowest infection level

SEOUL -- The infection level of COVID-19 was reduced to the lowest Class 4, on a level with seasonal flu, in South Korea on Thursday as part of the country's effort to fully return to a pre-pandemic level, health authorities said.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said its COVID-19 infection level transition measures, aimed at fully transitioning the medical system to a normal state, took effect the same day.

-----------------(3rd LD) Industrial output, retail sales, facility investment lose ground in July

SEOUL -- South Korea's industrial output, retail sales and facility investment lost ground from a month earlier amid growing concerns of an economic slowdown, data showed Thursday.

The industrial output fell 0.7 percent in July from a month earlier after standing still in June, according to the data from Statistics Korea.

The three indicators lost ground at the same time for the first time since January.

-----------------(LEAD) N. Korea fires 2 short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: S. Korean military

SEOUL -- North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, South Korea's military said Thursday, in apparent protest against combined South Korea - U.S. military drills.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launch from an area in or around Sunan between around 11:40 p.m. 11:50 p.m. Wednesday. It did not elaborate further, pending an analysis.

-----------------(2nd LD) N. Korea conducts military command drill aimed at occupying S. Korean territory

SEOUL -- North Korea has launched a military command post drill involving the scenario of occupying South Korean territory, state media reported Thursday, in response to Seoul and Washington's combined military exercise.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the drill during his visit to a training command post of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

-----------------(3rd LD) N. Korea in active negotiations with Russia for arms deal: White House

WASHINGTON -- A group of Russian officials recently trip to North Korea, indicating a potential arms deal between the two countries, a U.S. National Security Council (NSC) official said Wednesday.

John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, said the trip may be followed by high-level discussions that could lead to the provision of North Korean weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

"We have new information, which we are able to share today, that arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing," the NSC spokesperson told a virtual press briefing, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

-----------------N. Korea to hold key parliamentary meeting on Sept. 26

SEOUL -- North Korea plans to convene a key parliamentary meeting next month to mainly discuss organizational matters, state media said Thursday, amid speculation that the country might replace its premier over flood damage.

The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) decided the previous day to hold the ninth session of the 14th SPA on Sept. 26, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

-----------------Opposition leader says he's going on indefinite hunger strike against Yoon administration

SEOUL -- Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said Thursday he is going on an indefinite hunger strike against the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol that he said is damaging democracy and ruining people's livelihoods.

Rep. Lee Jae-myung made the remark during a press conference marking one year after taking over as chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), saying fasting is the last resort to stop the Yoon administration from destroying democracy.

-----------------(LEAD) Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo to perform at pre-Mass event in Ulaanbaatar

SEOUL -- South Korean popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo will perform at a pre-event for the Mass that will be led by Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar on Sunday, according to his agency, DGN COM, and the local Catholic community.

They said Thursday that Lim will sing three songs -- "Ave Maria," "You Raise Me Up" and "Panis Angelicus" -- to close the event at Steppe Arena. Before him, a Mongolian traditional performance group and a Vietnamese traditional dance troupe will perform.(END)