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Parliament passes bill on Daegu-Gwangju bullet train project

By Kim Han-jooSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Thursday passed a special bill calling for the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the southern cities of Gwangju and Daegu. The legislation propels an 8 trillion-won (US$5
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(LEAD) World Bank chief stresses population growth to sustain future

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with WB chief's remarks; CHANGES headline; ADDS byline)By Oh Seok-min SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Populations need to grow in South Korea and elsewhere to ensure a sustainable future, the chief of the World Bank said Thur
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(LEAD) S. Korean envoys near Red Sea, Gulf of Guinea to hold meetings on maritime safety

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details) SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The chiefs of South Korean diplomatic missions in the African region will hold meetings next week to discuss ways to enhance maritime security amid escalating tensio
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(LEAD) Yoon vows sweeping improvements to commuter transport in Seoul metropolitan area

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks by Yoon; ADDS photos)By Lee Haye-ahSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Thursday to make sweeping improvements to commuter transport in the Seoul metropolitan area by extending express rail network
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PPP announces 2nd set of policy pledges on child care amid declining birthrate

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday announced a set of measures to help parents with child care, including an expansion of state-funded after-school programs, in an effort to curb South Korea's declining bir
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FM Cho to visit naval unit in Pyeongtaek next week

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul plans to visit a battle unit of the South Korean Navy early next week, his office said Thursday. Cho will pay a visit to the Second Maritime Battle Group of the Navy's Second Fleet, located
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Supreme Court finalizes rulings in favor of victims of Japan's wartime forced labor

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized rulings in favor of victims of Japan's wartime forced labor in lawsuits seeking compensation from their former Japanese employer.The top court delivered the final rulings on three
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DP's floor leader calls for investigation into first lady's luxury bag allegations

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution should launch an investigation into allegations first lady Kim Keon Hee inappropriately received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022, the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said Thursday.Re
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S. Korea to better meet developing nations' demand for major infra programs with EDCF loans

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will draw up a longer-term plan on how to operate low-interest rate loans for developing countries to better respond to their need for major infrastructure projects, the finance ministry said Thursday.The plan w
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(LEAD) Workplace safety law on smaller firms to be implemented Saturday as scheduled

(ATTN: UPDATES with President Yoon's remarks)By Kim Han-jooSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The expanded implementation of the workplace safety law, penalizing employers for serious industrial accidents, is set to take effect later this week as schedul
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Workplace safety law on smaller firms to be implemented Saturday as scheduled

By Kim Han-jooSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The expanded implementation of the workplace safety law, penalizing employers for serious industrial accidents, is set to take effect later this week as scheduled, as rival parties have failed to agree on gran
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Mobile carriers fined 20 bln won for alleged rent price fixing

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it has decided to fine the country's three major mobile carriers around 20 billion won (US$14.97 million) combined for the alleged collusion of rent for the installati
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Yoon vows sweeping improvements to commuter transport in Seoul metropolitan area

By Lee Haye-ahSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Thursday to make sweeping improvements to commuter transport in the Seoul metropolitan area by extending express rail networks and adding new bus lanes and double-decker electric
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(3rd LD) N. Korea says it test-fired new strategic cruise missile

(ATTN: UPDATES South Korean military's missile assessment in paras 5-10)By Kim Soo-yeon and Kim Eun-jung SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday it test-fired a new strategic cruise missile, named "Pulhwasal-3-31," for th
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Ex-baseball player attends arrest warrant hearing in blackmail case

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Lim Hye-dong, a former professional baseball player, attended a court hearing Thursday on an arrest warrant requested last week for him on charges of extorting large sums of money from South Korean major leaguers Kim Ha-seo
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Finance minister, World Bank chief discuss development aid, economic issues

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok met with World Bank President Ajay Banga in Seoul on Thursday and discussed digital technology, development aid and other issues affecting the global economy, officials said.Banga was in Seoul
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(LEAD) N. Korean leader calls weak regional economy 'serious political issue'

(ATTN: ADDS Seoul ministry's response in last three paras, photo)By Lee MinjiSEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an improvement in the country's regional economy and rebuked officials over their lukewarm atti
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S. Korea to increase logistics support amid rising Red Sea tension

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- The industry ministry said Thursday that it will expand logistics support for exporters in an effort to minimize the impact of the escalating tensions in the Red Sea on the industry and the economy.Tensions have risen furth
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2 South Koreans caught for suspected smuggling of U.S. chips to China

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's customs agency said Thursday it has caught two South Koreans for allegedly smuggling semiconductor chips produced by an American manufacturer to China worth more than 10 billion won (US$7.49 million).The t
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(2nd LD) Korea's economic growth slumps to 3-year low in 2023 amid weak exports: BOK

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS more details in paras 4-5)SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economic growth slowed to the lowest in three years last year due to a slump in exports amid tightening monetary policies around the globe, cen