Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Moon appeals for resumption of inter-Korean dialogue in farewell speech

SEOUL -- Outgoing President Moon Jae-in appealed for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue Monday as he delivered a farewell address on his last day in office amid heightened tensions over North Korea's repeated tests of weapons.

"Peace is a condition of survival for us, a condition of prosperity," Moon said. "I sincerely hope that efforts for denuclearization and institutionalization of peace will continue with the resumption of dialogue between the South and the North."

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Yoon to begin term at midnight with military briefing

SEOUL -- Incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol will begin his term at midnight Monday at an underground bunker set up at his office building by receiving a briefing from the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the commander-in-chief, an official said.

Yoon will be briefed by phone in the underground bunker of the new presidential office in Yongsan, which will serve as the situation room of the national crisis management center.

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Over half of 20-somethings don't plan to have children after marriage: poll

SEOUL -- More than half of single 20-somethings in South Korea do not want to have babies after marriage due apparently to concerns over high child-rearing costs in the country, a poll showed Monday.

According to a survey reported in a monthly economic journal by the state-run Korea Development Institute, 52.4 percent of unmarried Koreans in their 20s think it is OK not to have children after tying the knot.

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Signs of movement detected at Kaesong Industrial Complex: ministry

SEOUL -- South Korea has asked North Korea to provide an explanation over signs of movement detected at the now-shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex but has received no response yet, the unification ministry said Monday.

Earlier, a local newspaper, citing multiple sources, reported that the North has unilaterally resumed operations at some of the facilities in the North's border city of Kaesong, saying that such movement is what appears to have caused a fire there last month.

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N. Korea urges tighter steps against coronavirus amid speculation on possible outbreak

SEOUL -- North Korea again called Monday for stepped-up efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 amid growing cases of fever patients there, while the secretive nation has claimed to be coronavirus free.

South Korea's spy agency said earlier that a temporary lockdown imposed in the North last Wednesday is suspected to have been related to COVID-19, though it also raised the possibility of an outbreak of waterborne diseases, such as typhoid.

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Industry minister nominee vows 'reasonable use' of nuclear energy for zero emissions

SEOUL -- South Korean Industry Minister nominee Lee Chang-yang vowed Monday to utilize nuclear power as a tool for the country's energy security and zero-emission goals and to actively support its exports.

During a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Lee, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, stressed his vision of seeking balanced energy use for the best interest of the people and nurturing such key industry fields as chips and batteries by easing regulations and supporting technology innovation.

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Justice minister nominee raps prosecution reform laws for potentially hurting public interest

SEOUL -- Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon again slammed the recently enacted laws on prosecution reform Monday, saying they will serve to shield corrupt politicians from criminal punishment while hurting the interest of ordinary citizens.

Han, a senior prosecutor considered one of the closest confidants of incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol, made the remark at the opening of his confirmation hearing, about a week after the promulgation of the legislation centering on reducing and ultimately abolishing the prosecution's investigative powers.
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