Yonhap News Summary

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

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Yoon calls for quick 'normalization' of national health insurance

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol called Tuesday for a quick "normalization" of the national health insurance system, saying the previous government's expanded coverage led to a waste of financial resources.

Yoon issued the call during a Cabinet meeting in what was seen as an indication of his intent to scrap the health insurance policy of the previous Moon Jae-in administration, which centered on expanding coverage and lowering the burden of hospital bills on households.

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Top nuke envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold talks on N. Korea in Jakarta

SEOUL/JAKARTA -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan had a trilateral meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday amid speculation that North Korea may carry out another nuclear test in line with its continued provocative acts highlighted by the firing of more than 60 ballistic missiles this year.

Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Gunn, met with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. He is also scheduled to have a separate bilateral meeting with Funakoshi later in the day. They had such a trilateral session in Tokyo in September.

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(LEAD) BTS' Jin to begin active-duty military service

SEOUL -- K-pop superstar Jin will enter a boot camp in a front-line area to begin his mandatory military service Tuesday.

The 30-year-old vocalist of boy group BTS will quietly enter an Army training center in Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul, without a farewell event for fans, according to sources in the music industry.

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S. Korea's COVID-19 cases jump to 3-month high of over 80,000

SEOUL -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases jumped to a three-month high on Tuesday amid looming concerns of another virus wave as the government mulls lifting the indoor mask mandate.

The country reported 86,852 new COVID-19 infections, including 55 from overseas, bringing the total to 27,841,001, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

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(Yonhap Interview) Russian nuke threat won't shift Ukraine's course of action in war: Kyiv official

SEOUL -- Russia's nuclear threat won't change Ukraine's course of action in the ongoing war between the two nations, a senior Kyiv official said, stressing the resolve to fight "as long as it requires to liberate our country" on the back of support from South Korea and other nations.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul earlier this week, amid concerns that Russia could resort to nuclear arms to make up for losses in the conflict that started with its invasion in February.

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(LEAD) Finance ministry renews calls to reform corporate tax policy

SEJONG -- South Korea's finance ministry on Tuesday renewed its call for corporate tax reform that centers on simplifying the taxation bracket and cutting taxes for large-sized firms amid the simmering tensions at the parliament over the bill's passage.

The government and the ruling People Power Party have been pushing to lower the maximum tax rate to 22 percent to attract more investment in South Korea, while the main opposition demands to keep the current rate of 25 percent for earnings above 300 billion won (US$230 million).

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Son Heung-min returns to England for Premier League restart

SEOUL -- Having led South Korea to the knockout stage at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min departed for London on Tuesday to prepare for the resumption of the Premier League campaign.

Son captained South Korea to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar, playing in all four matches through a serious facial injury by wearing a protective mask. Son sustained multiple fractures around his left eye in a collision with an opponent during a UEFA Champions League match on Nov. 1 and had surgery three days later. Son played in South Korea's first Group H match against Uruguay on Nov. 24 wearing a black, carbon protective mask.

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Fine dust advisories issued across Seoul, central Gyeonggi

SEOUL -- Fine dust advisories were issued across Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital Tuesday, authorities said.

The advisories were issued at 4 a.m. for the capital and at 7 a.m. for 11 cities in central Gyeonggi, including Suwon, Bucheon and Ansan, according to city and environment authorities,
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