Yonhap News Summary

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

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(2nd LD) S. Korea braces as Typhoon Hinnamnor nears

SEOUL -- Super Typhoon Hinnamnor neared South Korea on Monday, forcing cancellations of hundreds of flights and prompting schools to switch to remote learning as the entire nation went on high alert for what could the most powerful storm ever to hit the country.

The typhoon, the 11th this year, is forecast to edge closest to the southern island of Jeju around 1 a.m. Tuesday and reach the southern coastal region of South Gyeongsang Province around 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

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Flood-hit southern Seoul concerned about further damage from Typhoon Hinnamnor

SEOUL -- Concerns were growing among residents of some southern districts in Seoul on Monday as approaching Typhoon Hinnamnor threatened further damage for the areas already devastated by a historic rainfall about a month ago.

The super typhoon was moving northward to the Korean Peninsula, bringing rain and wind to much of the country. The year's 11th typhoon is forecast to edge closest to the southern island of Jeju around 1 a.m. Tuesday before making landfall on the mainland's southern coasts near Busan around 7 a.m.

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Defense minister discusses alliance, regional security with U.S. lawmakers

SEOUL -- South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup had discussions with a group of visiting U.S. lawmakers Monday on issues related to the bilateral alliance and regional security, his office said.

The eight-member delegation consists of members of the House committees on armed services and foreign affairs, including Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Rep. Scott Franklin (R-FL).

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PPP leaders offer to quit emergency committee en masse in bid to form new leadership

SEOUL -- All members of the ruling People Power Party's emergency committee quit Monday in a bid to break up the committee and form a new one after a court effectively ruled the current committee invalid in a suit filed by ousted leader Lee Jun-seok.

The mass resignations came shortly after the party's national committee finalized revising the party's charter in a way that clearly stipulates conditions warranting the formation of an emergency committee so as to allow no room for disputing a new committee to be established.

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FSC chief says necessary to discuss lifting ban on lending for high-priced homes

SEOUL -- South Korea's top financial regulator said Monday that it is necessary to discuss "at some point" whether to lift regulations that restrict people's borrowing to buy high-priced apartments amid growing calls for easing the rules put in place to curb soaring loan-based home purchases.

Earlier in the day, a local media report said that the Yoon Suk-yeol government is considering lifting the ban on home-backed loans for apartments valued over 1.5 billion won (US$1.1 million) as local home prices are showing signs of declining fast after years of excessive hikes.

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'Squid Game' wins four prizes at creative arts Emmys

SEOUL -- The global sensation "Squid Game" has won four prizes at this year's Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, becoming the first Korean-made TV show to grab a trophy at the most prestigious TV event in the United States.

At the award ceremony recognizing the best in artistic and technical achievement in American prime time television programming Sunday (U.S. time), the Korean-language Netflix original series was awarded outstanding guest actress in a drama series, best production design, best stunt and best special visual effects.
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