Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) 5 regional gov't, police offices raided over deadly underpass flooding

CHEONGJU, South Korea -- Prosecutors raided five regional police and government offices Monday as part of an investigation into what went wrong in the response to a deadly underpass flooding in the central city of Cheongju.

The Cheongju District Prosecutors Office sent investigators to the provincial police agency, the fire service headquarters and the regional government of North Chungcheong Province, as well as the city government of Cheongju and a state city construction agency, to seize evidence.

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Police investigating 679 suspicious int'l parcels among 2,141 reports nationwide

SEOUL -- A total of 2,141 reports of suspicious parcels have been received across the nation over the past five days, police said Monday, though investigations so far have found none containing hazardous materials.

Of the 2,141 reports made to the police as of 5 a.m. Monday, 679 packages were collected for investigation, while the rest were found to be mistaken reports, the National Police Agency said.

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(LEAD) (Yonhap Interview) Australian Army officer hails S. Korean Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher as 'great' capability

SEOUL -- A senior Australian Army officer has portrayed a South Korean-made Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher as having a "great" capability, as Seoul has been striving to strengthen its foothold in the Australian defense market.

Brigadier Damian Hill made the remarks in a written interview with Yonhap News Agency, as Seoul has deployed the K239 Chunmoo artillery system and other weapons to join an ongoing biennial multinational exercise in Australia, called Exercise Talisman Sabre.

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'Elemental' becomes most-viewed Pixar movie in S. Korea

SEOUL -- Pixar Animation Studios' "Elemental" has drawn over 5 million moviegoers in the local box office, becoming the most-viewed Pixar film ever released in South Korea.

"Elemental," the Disney-owned animation studio's latest film, had garnered a cumulative audience of 5.03 million as of Monday, the 40th day of its release, according to the data compiled by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

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N. Korea says 'no end' to bolstering military power ahead of key anniversary

SEOUL -- North Korea said Monday that there is "no end" to strengthening its military power in an apparent attempt to justify the development of its nuclear and missile programs ahead of a key anniversary this week.

The recalcitrant regime has been ramping up sharp-tongued rhetoric and launching missiles ahead of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War on July 27, celebrated as Victory Day in North Korea.

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Kim Joo-hyung ties for 2nd at Open Championship, best performance by S. Korean

SEOUL -- Kim Joo-hyung tied for second place at the Open Championship in England on Sunday, posting the best performance by a South Korean golfer at the historic major tournament despite playing with a sprained ankle.

Kim finished at seven-under 277, six behind the champion, Brian Harman of the United States, in a four-way tie for second place. Kim carded a four-under 67 on the final day at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, his best round of the tournament.

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U.S. nuclear-powered sub enters Jeju port for replenishment purpose: Navy

SEOUL -- A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea on Monday for a replenishment purpose, Seoul's Navy said, just days after another U.S. strategic submarine departed here following a port visit in a major show of force against growing North Korean threats.

The USS Annapolis, a Los Angeles-class submarine, entered a naval base in the country's southern island of Jeju, as Seoul and Washington are stepping up security coordination amid tensions heightened by Pyongyang's saber-rattling, including its cruise missile launches over the weekend.

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(LEAD) POSCO Holdings net down 55.6 pct in Q2

SEOUL -- South Korea's top steelmaker POSCO Holdings Inc. said Monday its second-quarter earnings tumbled nearly 56 percent on-year amid sluggish sales.

Consolidated net profit came to 800 billion won (US$621.4 million) in the April-June period, down 55.6 percent from a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.

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