Yonhap News Summary

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

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S. Korea seeks support from regional partners for its bid to join CPTPP

SEOUL -- South Korea sought support from regional trading partners for the country's bid to join a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region, the industry ministry said Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the country's trade minister Yeo Han-koo met ambassadors to Seoul from 10 member nations of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

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S. Korea urges N. Korea to stop escalating tensions over Kim's pledge to bolster nuclear power

SEOUL -- The South Korean government called Thursday on North Korea to refrain from escalating tensions in the region, responding to a threat by its leader Kim Jong-un to strengthen the regime's nuclear capabilities.

"Our government and the international community have maintained the stance that North Korea should stop all acts that heighten tensions, including the advancement of its nuclear capabilities, and to return to the negotiating table," a unification ministry official said.

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(LEAD) Defectors' group sends balloons carrying propaganda leaflets to N. Korea

GIMPO, South Korea -- A North Korean defectors' group has sent 20 big balloons carrying propaganda leaflets, including those on the news of Yoon Suk-yeol's election as president, to North Korea across the western inter-Korean border, the group said Thursday.

Some 1 million anti-Pyongyang leaflets were sent over to North Korea in the latest leaflet campaign carried out in Gimpo, west of Seoul, on Monday-Tuesday, the Fighters for Free North Korea (FFNK) said in a press release.

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(LEAD) Auto exports fall in Q1 amid supply disruptions, Ukraine war

SEOUL -- South Korea's exports of autos declined for the first time in seven quarters in the January-March period amid global supply chain disruptions and Russia's war with Ukraine, customs data showed Thursday.

The country's outbound shipments of cars came to US$10.93 billion in the first quarter, down 0.6 percent from the previous year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

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S. Korea to divert gas supplies to Europe over Ukraine crisis

SEOUL -- South Korea plans to send part of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to Europe to help ease an energy crisis over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Thursday.

Concerns have grown over natural gas supply disruptions in Europe amid the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine, as Russia is the biggest provider of gas to Europe.

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(2nd LD) Yoon to hold summit with Biden in Seoul on May 21

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- Incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden will hold their first summit in Seoul on May 21 to discuss the alliance between the two countries, North Korea policy, and other regional and international issues, officials said Thursday.

Biden's visit, set for May 20-22, will come only 10 days after Yoon takes office on May 10, and their planned meeting will mark the earliest-ever Korea-U.S. summit to take place following a South Korean president's inauguration.

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(2nd LD) S. Korea to stabilize FX market amid won's sharp weakness: minister

SEOUL -- South Korea's top economic policymaker said Thursday the government plans to take measures to stabilize the foreign exchange market, if needed, as the Korean currency has fallen against the U.S. dollar at a fast pace.

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki made the verbal intervention as the Korean currency hit an over two-year low against the greenback Wednesday amid heightened external economic uncertainty.

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(LEAD) Samsung Electronics Q1 profit jumps 50.5 pct, driven by chip, mobile sales

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Thursday reported its best first-quarter earnings in four years on the back of solid chip and mobile demand.

The world's largest memory chip and mobile phone maker said its operating profit rose more than 50 percent to 14.1 trillion won (US$11.1 billion) year-over-year in a regulatory filing.

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