Yonhap News Summary

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

-----------------
(LEAD) S. Korea-U.S. military exercise 'an issue to be decided by the allies': foreign ministry

SEOUL -- The joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States are purely defensive and a matter to be decided by the allies, the foreign ministry said Monday, after China expressed objections at a regional forum last week.

The remarks came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during the ASEAN Regional Forum on Friday that the upcoming exercise between South Korea and the U.S. is not "constructive" and called for Washington to avoid any action that would cause tension with the North.

-----------------
Activists charged with espionage allegedly used local newspaper for N. Korean propaganda

SEOUL -- Four South Korean activists charged with espionage were found to have used a local online newspaper to disseminate N. Korean propaganda and to update Pyongyang about investigations against them, sources said Monday.

According to the sources, the activists used an online media website owned by one of them, a 47-year-old man surnamed Son, as a channel to glorify the regime.

-----------------
Renault Samsung, Lynk & Co to develop eco-friendly car

SEOUL -- Renault Samsung Motors Corp., the South Korean unit of Renault S.A., said Monday it will partner with Lynk & Co. to develop an environment friendly vehicle in the Korean market.

Renault Group has announced it will form a joint venture with Geely, the Chinese owner of Volvo Cars, to develop a Renault-brand hybrid passenger car for sale in China and a Lynk & Co-brand eco-friendly model for Korea, a company spokesman said over the phone.

-----------------
(2nd LD) Ex-President Chun attends libel trial after 2 no-shows but leaves court after 25 minutes

SEOUL/GWANGJU -- Former President Chun Doo-hwan attended an appellate court hearing on a defamation case in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Monday after having failed to show up twice.

But the hearing, which began at the Gwangju District Court's appellate division around 2 p.m., ended after only 25 minutes, as the 90-year-old former president complained of breathing difficulties.

-----------------
(2nd LD) Moderna's vaccine supply to run short in Aug.: health authorities

SEOUL -- Moderna has notified South Korean health authorities that it will supply less than half of the 8.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine planned for August, Seoul officials said Monday, spawning concerns that the country's vaccine rollout may hit a snag.

Moderna said some problems in labs related to vaccine production would cause a delay in its global vaccine supply, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

-----------------
Moon says tough social distancing not sustainable, urges all-out response system

SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in called on the government Monday to make all-out efforts to cope with the spread of COVID-19 and stabilize the livelihoods of the people.

He described a set of tough social distancing restrictions currently in place as a stop-gap measure, which is not sustainable.

-----------------
(LEAD) Heavy rains from tropical storm Lupit flood homes, roads on east coast

SEOUL -- Heavy rains brought by tropical storm Lupit led to flooding in parts of Gangwon Province along the east coast and in the southeastern port city of Busan, authorities said Monday.

The eastern coastal city of Sokcho, 213 kilometers northeast of Seoul, received 67.5 millimeters of rain per hour on Sunday afternoon, according to the Gangwon provincial government.

-----------------
(LEAD) Education ministry eases distancing rules to expand in-person learning in fall

SEOUL -- The Ministry of Education announced a set of new relaxed social distancing guidelines in schools Monday to bring more children back into classrooms in the fall.

The ministry said it will allow schools to run in-person classes even under Level 4 distancing measures, the most stringent set of rules, as long as there are attendance caps to maintain social distancing among students in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
(END)