Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

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

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S. Korea slaps more unilateral sanctions on N. Korea after ICBM launch

SEOUL -- South Korea on Friday imposed unilateral sanctions on four North Korean individuals and three entities in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

The move came two days after North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches.

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Yoon, Polish PM agree to cooperate for Ukraine reconstruction

WARSAW -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Thursday and agreed to cooperate for Ukraine's reconstruction, the presidential office said.

The two met over lunch as part of Yoon's three-day official visit to Warsaw and discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade and investment, nuclear energy, defense and infrastructure, as well as increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

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U.S. calls for UNSC action against N. Korean ICBM test, but China, Russia veto

WASHINGTON -- The United States and 12 other members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unsuccessfully sought to hold North Korea accountable for its recent long-range missile test Thursday due to opposition from China and Russia.

North Korea, making its first appearance at a UNSC meeting since 2017, also rejected international condemnation of its missile launch, insisting that it was a legitimate test that had no effect on the security of any neighboring nation.

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Top diplomats of G7 condemn N. Korea's ICBM test, call for strong response by UNSC

WASHINGTON -- Foreign ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries condemned North Korea's recent long-range missile test on Thursday, calling it a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

They also called for a "strong and unified response" by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), hours before the 15-member council was set to hold an emergency meeting in New York to discuss the North's latest missile provocation.

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S. Korea, U.S. agree to strengthen cooperation against N. Korean nuke, WMD threats

SEOUL -- Defense officials of South Korea and the United States have agreed to reinforce joint efforts to address threats from North Korea's nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during their talks in Washington, Seoul's defense ministry said Friday.

Kim Sung-koo, deputy chief of the ministry's policy planning bureau, and Richard C. Johnson, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and countering WMD Policy, led the Counter WMD Committee session on Wednesday and Thursday (local time).

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Economy's downward pressure eased as exports show recovery signs

SEOUL -- South Korea's economy is experiencing eased downward pressures on the back of improving exports, the finance ministry said Friday, although the country still faces an ongoing economic slowdown.

"(The economy's) downward pressures are easing on the back of partial recovery of the sluggish exports, sound domestic consumption, improved economic sentiment and robust employments," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a report.

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(LEAD) BTS' Jungkook to formally debut as solo artist with 'Seven'

SEOUL -- Jungkook of K-pop supergroup BTS will drop his first official solo song on Friday.

The digital single, titled "Seven," is scheduled to arrive at 1 p.m. in local time, according to the band's agency, BigHit Music.

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