Yonhap News Summary

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

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(4th LD) (US-NK summit) Trump, Kim hold historic summit in Singapore

SINGAPORE -- U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un were meeting in Singapore on Tuesday, a historic opportunity to peacefully end the North Korean nuclear threat.

The summit began at 9 a.m. on the resort island of Sentosa against the backdrop of the North's nuclear capability that Trump has vowed never to allow to hold the United States hostage.

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(LEAD) (US-NK summit) Moon expresses hope for successful U.S.-N. Korea summit

SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed hope for the success of the historic U.S.-North Korea summit Tuesday, which he said would open a new era of a peaceful, nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

"The North Korea-U.S. summit has now started," President Moon told a Cabinet meeting held at his office Cheong Wa Dae.

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(US-NK summit) Kim seen crafting image as Trump's equal, legitimate leader

SINGAPORE -- Stepping toward U.S. President Donald Trump for a handshake Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un strived not to betray any anxiety in the apparent hopes of projecting an image as an equal and legitimate head of state.

Having strengthened his hand with nuclear arms and long-range missiles, Kim, relatively new to the game, entered a high-stakes showdown with the unorthodox leader of the world's superpower, who threatened just last year to rain down "fire and fury" on the communist regime.

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(US-NK summit) S. Korea buzzing with talk of Trump-Kim summit

SEOUL -- South Korea was buzzing with talk of the historic meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, with all major TV stations showing live images from Singapore and citizens voicing hope for peace or misgivings about the communist nation.

The Trump-Kim meeting also overshadowed the nationwide local elections just one day away amid views it will serve as a big boon for the ruling party of President Moon Jae-in credited with successfully brokering the first-ever meeting of the leaders of the United States and the North.

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(US-NK summit) Pompeo due in Seoul this week with outcome of U.S.-N. Korea summit: official

SEOUL -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit South Korea this week to personally explain the outcome of the U.S.-North Korea summit to his South Korean counterparts, an official from Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.

The top U.S. diplomat is set to arrive here Wednesday, one day after the historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

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(US-NK Summit) N.K. media reports Kim learned about Singapore's development during night tour

SEOUL -- North Korea's state media reported Tuesday its leader Kim Jong-un has learned about "social and economic development" through his surprise overnight tour of Singapore, a day ahead of his planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

On Monday night, Kim left the St. Regis Hotel, where he is staying, and visited tourist attractions in the city-state.

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Parties appeal for support on final day of election campaign

SEOUL -- South Korean parties made last-ditch efforts to appeal for voter support Tuesday, one day ahead of the local elections and parliamentary by-elections, which are seen as a barometer of public sentiment toward President Moon Jae-in.

Up for grabs are 4,016 local administrative, legislative and educational posts, including 17 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors. The by-elections also will be held to fill 12 vacant parliamentary seats.

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N. Korea sends delegation list for military talks with S. Korea

SEOUL -- North Korea on Tuesday sent the South the list of members of its delegation to this week's inter-Korean military talks, Seoul's defense ministry said.

The five-member delegation to be led by Lieutenant General An Ik-san will attend the general-level talks scheduled for Thursday, according to the ministry. An is known to have been involved in such a meeting in 2004.

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(LEAD) BOK chief restates his determination to maintain accommodative monetary policy

SEOUL -- South Korea's central bank chief on Tuesday reaffirmed his stance to maintain an accommodative monetary policy stance going forward as the country faces low inflation pressure.

"The South Korean economy seems to continue to pull off steady expansion (in the second half)," Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said in a ceremony at its Seoul headquarters celebrating the 68th anniversary of the central bank. "I think it is necessary to keep an accommodative monetary policy stance as inflation pressure is not so strong on the demand side."

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