Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) (World Cup) S. Korea crash out after big loss to Brazil in round of 16

DOHA, Dec. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea were hammered by Brazil 4-1 in the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup Monday night, unable to get past the top-ranked opponent to continue their underdog story.

Brazil had four goals from four different players in the first half at Stadium 974 in Doha, while substitute Paik Seung-ho had the lone South Korean goal in the 76th minute.

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Seoul shares trim earlier losses late morning amid rate hike woes

SEOUL -- Seoul shares trimmed earlier losses late Tuesday morning amid concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve may continue its aggressive monetary tightening following strong services data.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 5.21 points, or 0.22 percent, to 2,414.11 as of around 11:20 a.m.

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(2nd LD) Vietnamese leader says his country, S. Korea share ample biz potential, opportunities

SEOUL -- South Korea and Vietnam share ample business potential and opportunities for future growth, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Tuesday, expressing hope for more investment from South Korean companies down the road.

Nguyen made the remarks at a business forum on the second day of his three-day state visit to Seoul that began with the summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday. The two leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to a "comprehensive, strategic partnership."

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N.K. military orders artillery firing into sea to protest allies' live-fire drills near border

SEOUL -- North Korea's military said Tuesday it has ordered artillery firing into the sea in response to live-fire drills between South Korea and the United States near the inter-Korean border.

The General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) said it detected the South Korean military's firing of artillery from multiple rocket launchers and howitzers in frontline areas from around 9:15 a.m. following similar military actions on Monday, according to a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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PM vows stern response against strike by unionized truckers

SEOUL -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that the government will sternly deal with an ongoing strike by unionized truckers, as the nationwide walkout has disrupted supplies of key industrial materials.

The government will "firmly act in accordance with law and principle without compromising on illegality," Han told a Cabinet meeting as the strike entered its 13th day.

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Life expectancy of S. Koreans rises to 83.6 years in 2021

SEOUL -- The life expectancy of South Korean babies born last year reached 83.6 years, data showed Tuesday, hovering above the average of major advanced countries.

The average life expectancy at birth in 2021 marked a slight rise from 83.5 years tallied a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea.

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S. Korea to revive 'enemy' expression for N.K. regime, military in defense white paper: sources

SEOUL-- South Korea plans to revive a reference to the North Korean regime and its military as an "enemy" in its defense white paper to be published next month under the conservative administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol, government sources said Tuesday.

The move comes in the wake of Pyongyang's relentless weapons tests, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile launch last month and the firing this week of artillery shells into maritime "buffer zones" set under a 2018 inter-Korean accord to reduce tensions.
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