Yonhap News Summary

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

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Transition team promises to scrap business curfew after COVID-19 peaks

SEOUL -- The transition team of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday it will scrap the curfew on business hours once the spread of COVID-19 passes its peak.

South Korea has enforced strict business restrictions through most of the pandemic, including caps on the size of private gatherings and curfews for restaurants, cafes and other facilities.

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(LEAD) S. Korea successfully test-fires solid-fuel space rocket: defense ministry

SEOUL -- South Korea successfully test-fired a solid-fuel space rocket Wednesday, the defense ministry said, following North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch last week.

The state-run Agency for Defense Development conducted the first such test at a testing site in Taean, 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, to confirm capabilities of the homegrown space launch vehicle, according to the ministry.

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Yoon meets Seoul archbishop, participates in food service for homeless

SEOUL -- President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday met with the archbishop of Seoul and participated in a free meals service for homeless people.

Yoon paid a visit to Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul where he also volunteered in serving food to homeless people to keep his earlier promise with Chung.

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SK hynix seeks to buy British chip designer Arm through consortium

SEOUL -- SK hynix Inc., the world's second largest memory chip maker, is reviewing to acquire British semiconductor company Arm Ltd. with strategic partners, its top executive said Wednesday.

"We are reviewing possibly forming a consortium, together with strategic partners, to jointly acquire it," Park Jung-ho, vice chairman and CEO of SK hynix, told reporters after the company's annual shareholders meeting

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HDC Hyundai given 8-month suspension over deadly building demolition

SEOUL -- The Seoul city government on Wednesday imposed an eight-month business suspension on HDC Hyundai Development Co. over a deadly building demolition project that claimed nine lives in June of last year.

The order was issued at the request of the land ministry following an investigation into the accident in which a five-story building in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, collapsed during demolition work and fell onto a bus, leaving nine dead and eight seriously injured.

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S. Korea to conduct COVID-19 antibody testing of 10,000 people

SEOUL -- The government will conduct COVID-19 antibody testing on 10,000 people to determine how many of them have antibodies and learn more about immunity, Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the presidential transition committee, said Wednesday.

The transition committee requested the government conduct the testing because it will provide "very helpful scientific data for disease control and containment management," Ahn said.

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S. Korea to develop stealth drones, satellite, laser weapons for stronger defense

SEOUL -- South Korea will seek to develop key technologies for radar-evading drones, low-Earth orbit satellites, high-energy laser weapons and other cutting-edge defense assets, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) laid out its policy priorities at a related panel session, as the country is striving to bolster security capabilities amid North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

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(LEAD) Seoul stocks up for 2nd day on hope for Ukraine-Russia peace talks

SEOUL -- South Korean shares closed a tad higher Wednesday, as investors focused on the recent round of Ukraine-Russia peace talks that ended earlier in the day. The Korean won steeply rose against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index advanced 5.67 points, or 0.21 percent, to close at 2,746.74 points.

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Nearly 60 pct of people oppose granting pardons to ex-President Lee, ex-Gov. Kim: poll

SEOUL -- Nearly 60 percent of South Koreans oppose granting pardons to former President Lee Myung-bak and former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, a survey showed Wednesday.

According to the poll conducted by Data Research on 1,000 adults on Monday, 58.7 percent said they are against granting clemency to Lee and Kim, while 32.1 percent said they support pardoning the two.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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