Yonhap News Summary

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

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S. Korea mulling ways to block N.K. nuke, missile financing via cyber activities: official

SEOUL -- South Korea is considering ways to block North Korea from financing its nuclear weapons and missile program through cyberspace activities, a senior foreign ministry official said Tuesday.

The North is widely believed to have engaged in cryptocurrency theft to finance its evolving nuclear and missile programs. According to a U.N. Security Council report released in April, the North is suspected of having stolen as much as US$400 million worth of cryptocurrency in 2021.

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(LEAD) Seoul shares up over 1 pct on hopes of eased tightening, Samsung gains

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed up over 1 percent Tuesday as Samsung Electronics and tech blue chips rose amid hopes for eased monetary tightening in the United States, analysts said. The local currency jumped against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 27.25 points, or 1.15 percent, to 2,399.04. It marked the third straight session of a rise.

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Seoul to increase late-night taxi service amid shortage

SEOUL -- The Seoul city government said Tuesday it will expand the operation of late-night taxis to cope with the growing demand for taxi service during late hours.

Currently, an average of around 20,000 taxis are in operation in the capital between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., which is around the 80 percent level compared with before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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S. Korea, U.S. discuss impacts of semiconductor export controls on China

SEOUL -- South Korea and the United States on Tuesday discussed the impacts of Washington's restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductor equipment to China and ways to resolve related uncertainties in the industry, Seoul's industry ministry said.

The discussions were made during the inaugural working group meeting on dual-use export controls under the Korea-U.S. Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD), according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

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(LEAD) Investigators raid 55 locations, including police chief's office, over Itaewon crowd crush

SEOUL -- A special investigation team raided the office of the national police chief and dozens of other offices Tuesday as part of an investigation into the deadly Itaewon crowd crush that killed at least 156 people.

A total of 55 offices were raided, including the offices of National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun and Kim Kwang-ho, the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), according to officials.

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(LEAD) PM orders checks on emergency response system over N. Korea's provocations

SEOUL -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo ordered the interior ministry Tuesday to double-check the country's anti-missile evacuation and other emergency response systems amid heightened tension in the wake of a series of North Korean missile launches.

Han issued the order during a Cabinet meeting, saying there has been criticism of the government's air raid alert system when a North Korean missile flew across the inter-Korean sea border toward Ulleung Island last week before crashing near South Korean waters.

jwc@yna.co.kr
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