Yonhap News Summary
The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.
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(4th LD) N. Korea holds military parade attended by its leader
SEOUL -- North Korea held a military parade Thursday evening in central Pyongyang to celebrate the recently concluded party congress, showing off its state-of-the-art weapons, including a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), state media reported Friday.
The parade held in Kim Il-sung square came after Pyongyang wrapped up its eight-day congress of the ruling Workers' Party on Tuesday, at which leader Kim Jong-un pledged to bolster the nuclear arsenal of the country.
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(2nd LD) N. Korea displays new submarine-launched ballistic missile during parade
SEOUL -- North Korea showcased yet another new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in just three months during a recent military parade, experts said Friday.
During the parade held on Thursday night at Kim Il-sung square in Pyongyang, the North rolled out SLBMs on transporter erector launchers (TEL), which it labeled as the Pukguksong-5ㅅ, along with a new short-range ballistic missile and various other kinds of weaponry.
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Seoul's top nuke envoy holds phone talks with Biegun after N.K. party congress
SEOUL -- Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, spoke by phone with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun on Friday and discussed North Korea issues following a key party congress in the communist state, the foreign ministry said.
The North wrapped up its eight-day gathering of the Workers' Party on Tuesday, in which it called the United States the North's "foremost principal enemy" and pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal.
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(LEAD) New virus cases in 500s for 4th day in sign of downturn in infections
SEOUL -- The number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed in the 500s for the fourth consecutive day Friday, in a sign that the third wave of the pandemic has slowed down following a peak on the back of monthlong tougher virus curbs.
The country added 513 more COVID-19 cases, including 484 local infections, raising the total caseload to 71,241, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
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(LEAD) Economic uncertainty continues amid flare-up in COVID-19: finance ministry
SEOUL -- The South Korean economy faces persistent uncertainty as a resurgence in new coronavirus cases and stricter virus curbs are hampering domestic demand, the finance ministry said Friday.
Domestic demand and the job market remained sluggish, affected by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and tougher social distancing rules, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
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Samsung unveils new flagship phone with BTS, viral Korean act
SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its new flagship Galaxy S21 series phones on Friday, featuring trendy K-pop acts such as megastar BTS and eccentric alternative group Leenalchi, as the South Korean tech giant eyes capturing young smartphone users around the world.
The South Korean smartphone maker introduced the Galaxy S21 series, which comes in three models -- the 6.2-inch S21, the 6.7-inch S21+ and the 6.8-inch S21 Ultra -- at the livestreamed online Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event that drew in a total of 57 million viewers globally, more than South Korea's 51 million population.
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KBO rocked by latest gambling scandal
SEOUL -- About two weeks before the start of spring training across the league, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been rocked by its latest gambling scandal.
The Doosan Bears on Tuesday asked the KBO to place two of their minor leaguers, pitcher Jeong Hyun-wook and catcher Kwon Ki-young, on the inactive list, for engaging in illegal betting activities.
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(Movie Review) 'Troll Factory' navigates blurred line between fake, real with anticlimactic finale
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Police officer admits to leaking investigation report into late actor Lee Sun-kyun
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'Parasyte: The Grey' adapts Japanese alien invasion manga to Korean setting
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S. Korea, U.S. launch task force to block N. Korea's nuclear, missile programs
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N. Korean leader sends condolences to Putin over Russian concert hall shooting
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(Movie Review) 'Troll Factory' navigates blurred line between fake, real with anticlimactic finale
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'Parasyte: The Grey' adapts Japanese alien invasion manga to Korean setting
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Police officer admits to leaking investigation report into late actor Lee Sun-kyun
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Congenital diseases of children born from mothers working at Samsung recognized as industrial accidents
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N. Korean leader sends condolences to Putin over Russian concert hall shooting
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S. Korea, U.S. launch task force to block N. Korea's nuclear, missile programs
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Unification minister slams N. Korea's abduction, detention of S. Koreans as inhumane
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(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. launch task force to block N. Korea's nuclear, missile programs
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Major hospitals in emergency mode amid huge losses over doctors' walkout
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(LEAD) Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays