Yonhap News Summary

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

----------------
(2nd LD) N. Korean FM to visit New York next week for signing of U.N. climate deal

NEW YORK -- North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong plans to visit New York next week to attend the signing of a landmark U.N. climate agreement, a U.N. official said Monday.

The U.N. plans to hold a high-level signing ceremony on April 22 for the so-called Paris Agreement adopted in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, and the North's Ri is scheduled to attend the ceremony, an official of the U.N. spokesman's office said.

----------------
(LEAD) Kerry warns N. Korea of harsher measures in event of additional provocation

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged North Korea on Monday to forgo any provocative actions, warning the U.S. is ready to impose even harsher sanctions on the communist nation than the latest U.N. resolution.

Kerry issued the warning at a news conference during a landmark visit to Hiroshima, Japan, amid concerns that Pyongyang could conduct another nuclear test, its fifth, ahead of the birthday of founding leader Kim Il-sung on Friday.

----------------
S. Korea calls U.N. attention to N. Korea's GPS jamming

SEOUL -- South Korea has called on the U.N. Security Council to pay attention to North Korea's recent attempts to jam GPS signals in the South, a diplomatic source said Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to China, the council's rotating president, Seoul said North Korea has been "generating electronic jamming signals that dangerously affect" the GPS in South Korea.

----------------
Park asks people to cast ballots for new parliament

SEOUL -- President Park Geun-hye encouraged people on Tuesday to cast their ballots this week to ensure that the new parliament can serve the people and do its job.

"A new National Assembly should be born," Park said in a Cabinet meeting, adding the new parliament should devote itself to stabilizing the people's livelihoods and revitalizing the national economy.

The chief executive's comments came a day before South Koreans go to polls to elect new lawmakers.

----------------
S. Korean shares edge up in late morning trade

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares inched up in late morning Tuesday, led by gains in market heavyweights.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 5.18 points, or 0.26 percent, to 1,974.31 as of 11:20 a.m.

----------------
Board room member pay 10 times higher than ordinary employees: report

SEOUL -- The average annual paycheck of registered board members at major listed companies in South Korea was about 10 times that of rank-and-file employees last year, with financial workers earning the most, data showed Tuesday.

The average salary of registered board members of 241 companies under the wings of 52 major business groups was 626 million won (US$545,771) in 2015, according to the data compiled by the Korea 20,000 Company Research Institute.

----------------
Actor Seo Kang-joon draws thousand at Japan meet-and-greet

SEOUL -- South Korean actor Seo Kang-joon met with hundreds of fans at his first solo meet-and-greet in Japan over the weekend, his talent agency said Tuesday.

Seo held two fan meetings on Sunday at Osaka Business Park in the namesake city, which together drew more than a thousand people, Fantagio said.

----------------
Ineligible for Olympics, swimmer Park Tae-hwan undecided on entering nat'l team trials

SEOUL -- Disgraced former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan remains undecided on entering the upcoming national team trials, after he has been ruled out of this year's Summer Games, his agency said Tuesday.

Park has registered to compete in the men's 100m, 200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle races at the 88th Dong-A Swimming Competition starting on April 25 in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the meet organizers.
(END)