Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Yoon says N.K. drone infiltration 'unacceptable'

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday that North Korea's recent drone infiltration was "unacceptable" and called for making "overwhelmingly superior" war preparations to ensure peace.

Yoon made the remark during a visit to the state-run Agency for Defense Development in Daejeon, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, where he checked the progress of the nation's weapons development, including its surveillance and reconnaissance interception capabilities, his office said.

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(LEAD) PPP proposes National Assembly adopt resolution denouncing N.K. drone infiltration

SEOUL, -- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed Thursday that the National Assembly adopt a resolution denouncing North Korea's recent drone infiltration, stressing a need to send a "clear message" to Pyongyang.

On Monday, South Korea's military detected five unmanned aerial vehicles flying across the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas. The vehicles were spotted flying in border areas of Gyeonggi Province, with one of them flying all the way to the northern part of Seoul. It marked the first such intrusion in five years.

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U.N. Command convenes special team for probe into N.K. drone infiltrations

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Command (UNC) has convened a special team to investigate North Korea's drone infiltrations earlier this week, its public affairs officer said Thursday, noting it is "aware" of the incident.

The UNC headquartered in Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometers south of Seoul, is in charge of observing the armistice agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War. The North's drone infiltrations across the inter-Korean border on Monday raised the possibility of an armistice breach.

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(2nd LD) Industrial output rebounds 0.1 pct in Nov.; retail sales down for 3rd month

SEOUL -- South Korea's industrial output rebounded for the first time in five months in November, data showed Thursday, while retail sales extended losses for the third consecutive month amid economic concerns.

Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent on-month last month, turning around from a 1.7 percent decrease posted in October, according to the data from Statistics Korea.

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Seoul subway, bus fares likely to rise by 300 won next year

SEOUL -- Subway and public bus fares in Seoul are likely to rise by 300 won (US$0.24) starting as early as next April to meet growing budget deficits after a freeze for nearly eight years, city government officials said Thursday.

The planned hike will bring the base subway and bus fares from the current 1,250 won and 1,200 won to 1,550 won and 1,500 won, respectively, the officials said. In cash, the subway and bus fares will be increased to 1,650 won and 1,600 won per basic trip, respectively.

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S. Korean tech firms to show off latest innovations at CES 2023

SEOUL -- South Korean tech companies are ready to showcase their latest products and innovative technologies at CES 2023, the world's largest consumer electronics show slated to open in Las Vegas next week.

CES will be held in a bigger and more fully in-person fashion this time, with global tech giants like Google, Meta and Microsoft physically returning to the global stage for innovation after missing the previous one due to the fast spreading omicron variant. CES 2021 was held entirely online.

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