Yonhap News Summary

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

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(3rd LD) Yoon calls for correcting 'evils' blocking growth

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday held a New Year's meeting with the country's leaders and called for quickly rectifying the "evils" blocking economic growth and development.

The meeting was held at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae and brought together some 200 top officials from across the executive, legislative and judicial branches, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo. First lady Kim Keon Hee was also in attendance.

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(LEAD) S. Korea begins COVID-19 testing for arrivals from China

SEOUL -- South Korea started requiring COVID-19 testing for arrivals from China on Monday, with such measures causing confusion and inconvenience at Incheon International Airport, the gateway to South Korea, throughout the day.

Under the new restrictions that were announced only three days ago, all arrivals from China are obliged to undergo a PCR test within the first day of their entry.

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Defense ministry touts progress from last week's solid-fuel space rocket test

SEOUL -- South Korea's defense ministry said Monday that last week's successful flight test of a homegrown solid-propellant space vehicle reflects progress in the country's quest to secure "independent" space security capabilities.

The state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) conducted the experiment, involving the engine combustion tests of the second-, third- and fourth-stage rockets of the four-stage vehicle, on Friday, whereas its first flight test in March involved only that of the second-stage rocket.

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(LEAD) Seoul stocks close lower on 1st trading day of 2023

SEOUL -- Seoul stocks closed slightly lower in the first trading session of 2023 on institutional selling. The Korean won declined against the U.S. dollar.

After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid down 10.73 points, or 0.48 percent, to close at 2,225.67 points.

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S. Korean foreign minister sends congratulatory letter to new Chinese counterpart

SEOUL -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin has sent a congratulatory letter to China's new top diplomat, Qin Gang, on his inauguration, according to a source here Monday.

In the letter, Park expressed his willingness to cooperate with Qin in maintaining high-level communications between South Korea and China, the source said.

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(LEAD) S. Korean Catholics pay tribute to late Pope Benedict XVI

SEOUL -- South Korean Catholics on Monday mourned the loss of former Pope Benedict XVI, led by tributes by religious leaders.

Benedict, who served as the head of the Catholic Church from 2005 through 2013, died Saturday morning (local time) in the Vatican monastery at the age of 95. He retired for health reasons to become the first Catholic pope to abdicate in 600 years.

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