Yonhap News Summary

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

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Yoon likely to tap Japan expert as ambassador to Tokyo: sources

SEOUL -- Yun Duk-min, a well-known expert on Japan, is likely to be incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol's first ambassador to Tokyo, sources said Wednesday.

Yun, a former head of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, is being considered for the job after having worked closely with Yoon's presidential campaign as a foreign policy adviser, the sources said.

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(LEAD) NSC 'strongly condemns' N. Korea's ballistic missile launch

SEOUL -- The presidential National Security Council (NSC) said Wednesday it "strongly condemns" North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Following an emergency meeting held shortly after North Korea fired the missile toward the East Sea, the NSC called for Pyongyang to stop actions that pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and the international society.

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Transition team strongly condemns N. Korea's ballistic missile launch

SEOUL -- The transition team of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch Wednesday, saying the incoming government will deal sternly with any provocations.

"The transition team strongly condemns North Korea's provocation and again urges an immediate halt to actions creating tension and threatening international peace," the committee said in a statement.

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Minister nominee seeks to end dog meat through social consensus

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Agricultural Minister nominee Chung Hwang-keun said Wednesday he will push for an end to dog meat consumption through social compromise.

Chung expressed his position on the long-standing controversy in his written answer to a lawmaker's question ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for Friday.

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Seoul to expand late-night taxi service after lifting of business curfew

SEOUL -- The Seoul city government said Wednesday it will expand the operation of late-night taxis to cope with the growing demand for taxi service during late hours following last month's lifting of almost all social distancing measures and the business curfew.

Starting April 18, restaurants, cafes and many other business establishments were allowed to operate freely without a curfew, and people were permitted to gather in large groups with no limit in size, leading to a spike in nighttime traffic in urban areas.

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Seoul shares end lower for 3rd day ahead of Fed meeting

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended down for the third straight session Wednesday, as investors awaited a U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting for signals on the speed of its monetary tightening. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 2.89 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 2,677.57.

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(3rd LD) Defense chief nominee vows stronger alliance, deterrence against N.K. threats

SEOUL -- South Korea's defense minister nominee on Wednesday vowed efforts to cement "cohesion" in the country's alliance with the United States and sharpen deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

During a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Lee Jong-sup, a former three-star Army general, highlighted his vision of a "robust national defense and sturdy military based on science and technology" to respond proactively to "threats from all directions."
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