Yonhap News Summary

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

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N. Korea likely to conduct nuclear test amid continued missile testing: U.S. report

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is expected to conduct a nuclear test as it continues to develop its missile capabilities in an attempt to drive a wedge between the United States and South Korea, a U.S. intelligence report said Wednesday.

The 2023 Annual Threat Assessment also noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have no intention to give up his nuclear weapons.

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S. Korea, Poland in talks over Warsaw's infantry fighting vehicle acquisition plan: source

SEOUL -- South Korea and Poland are in "early-stage" consultations on possible bilateral cooperation over Warsaw's major infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) acquisition project, an informed source said Thursday.

The two sides have been discussing technological cooperation and other possibilities related to the Polish project to secure 1,400 "Borsuk" IFVs, but no decision has been made yet, according to the source. Borsuk means badger in Polish.

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Hapcheon wildfire under control after 20 hours

HAPCHEON, South Korea -- The wildfire in the southeastern county of Hapcheon was brought under control Thursday morning, officials said.

The fire started on a hill in the county, about 355 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at around 2 p.m. Wednesday and quickly spread due to strong winds, the Korea Forest Service said.

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LGES to showcase its battery-equipped Ford, Lucid EVs at Seoul battery show

SEOUL -- LG Energy Solution Ltd. said Thursday it will showcase electric vehicles made by Ford Motor Co. and Lucid Air that use its batteries at an upcoming battery show next week, among other exhibits on its new battery service businesses.

Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover SUV, a popular Ford EV model in North America and Europe, and Lucid Air, the premium sedan manufactured by the American luxury EV maker, will be displayed at InterBattery 2023, the world's second-largest battery maker said in a release.

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New PPP leader says S. Korea-Japan relations should be 'rewritten for future'

SEOUL -- The newly elected leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Thursday that the relationship between South Korea and Japan should be rewritten for future generations as he voiced support for the government's compensation plan for forced labor victims.

Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon made the remarks in the first Supreme Council meeting he presided over after winning the PPP leadership race a day earlier, three days after the government unveiled a plan to compensate victims of Japan's forced labor on its own without the involvement of Japanese firms.

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PM defends forced labor solution to mend ties with Japan

SEOUL -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday defended the government's solution to resolve a forced labor row with Japan, saying that the decision is aimed at moving relations with Tokyo toward the future.

Han's remarks came days after Seoul announced the decision to compensate the Korean victims of Japan's forced labor through a foundation supported by donations from South Korean businesses, not the Japanese companies accused of forced labor during World War II.

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