Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Ex-President Moon visits hospitalized DP leader Lee on hunger strike

SEOUL -- Former President Moon Jae-in paid a visit to opposition leader Lee Jae-myung at a hospital on Tuesday and urged him to end a hunger strike he has been on for nearly three weeks in protest against government policies.

Lee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) began his fast on Aug. 31 in protest of what he has called the "incompetent and violent" government of President Yoon Suk Yeol. He was taken to a hospital on Monday due to deteriorating health.

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(LEAD) Seoul shares close lower on tech losses ahead of Fed's rate decision

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed lower for the second consecutive day Tuesday, hit by sharp losses in semiconductor and major tech shares ahead of a U.S. rate-setting meeting. The local currency slid against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 15.51 points, or 0.6 percent, to finish at 2,559.21.

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(3rd LD) Yoon signs off on motion requesting parliamentary consent to opposition leader's arrest

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday signed off on a motion requesting parliamentary consent to opposition leader Lee Jae-myung's arrest over bribery and other charges, his office said.

Lee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has been accused of breach of trust, bribery and other charges in connection with a scandal-ridden land development project and his alleged involvement in a company's illegal cash remittance to North Korea.

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24 teachers caught illegally selling exam questions to private educators

SEOUL -– Twenty-four high school teachers have been caught selling exam questions to private academies before or after serving as test makers for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and mock CSAT exams in violation of the current laws, the education ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry said it will file criminal complaints against four of the teachers on charges of obstruction of business and ask for an investigation into 22 of them on suspicion of violating anti-graft laws. Two of them will face both criminal complaints and investigation, it added.

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Seoul's environment minister to attend U.N. Climate Ambition Summit

SEOUL -- Environment Minister Han Wha-jin will attend the United Nations' Climate Ambition Summit to be hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this week in New York, her ministry said Tuesday.

The Climate Ambition Summit 2023, scheduled to take place at the U.N. headquarters Wednesday, represents "a critical milestone for demonstrating that there is collective will to accelerate the pace and scale of the transition to a renewable energy-based, climate-resilient global economy," according to the international organization.

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Army holds int'l logistics forum attended by ASEAN, U.S., Australian officials

SEOUL -- The Army held an annual international military logistics forum Tuesday with officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries as part of efforts to strengthen defense cooperation.

The three-day Korean ASEAN Plus International Forum on Logistics got under way in Gyeryong, 142 kilometers south of Seoul, for talks on developing logistics support and international coordination against non-traditional threats, according to the armed service.

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Exports of instant noodles up 23.5 pct this year: data

SEOUL -- South Korea's exports of instant noodles jumped 23.5 percent on-year so far this year on the back of the growing popularity of Korean culture, data showed Tuesday.

The country exported US$657.3 million worth of instant noodles, or "ramyeon" in Korean, from January through the second week of September, the largest figure for the cited period ever, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

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N. Korea's food shortages probably improved on crop harvest, imports: unification ministry

SEOUL -- North Korea's food situations may have improved, compared with the first half of the year, on the back of an increase in crop harvest and imports, South Korea's unification ministry said Tuesday.

With deaths from starvation reported in some regions, North Korea has reportedly been facing serious food shortages, as its prolonged COVID-19 border closure and disruptions in state-controlled food supply have aggravated the situation.

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(Asiad) PM to attend opening ceremony of Asian Games

SEOUL -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, later this week, according to his office on Tuesday.

Han will leave for China on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony set for later in the day, the office said. Vice Culture Minister Jang Mi-ran, a former Olympic gold medalist in weightlifting, is scheduled to accompany Han.

colin@yna.co.kr
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