Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Samsung affiliates fined 235 bln won for unfair biz practice

SEOUL -- South Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it has decided to fine five affiliates of Samsung Group a combined 234.9 billion won (US$206 million) for their alleged unfair business practice over an in-house cafeteria business.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) also said it will file complaints with the prosecution against Samsung Electronics Co. and its former executive Choi Gee-sung over alleged unfair support for Samsung Welstory Inc., the group's food service affiliate.

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Top court confirms acquittal of man who refused enlistment for nonviolence beliefs

SEOUL -- The top court on Thursday confirmed a not-guilty verdict for a conscientious objector who avoided his mandatory military service due to personal beliefs, in the first case of its kind.

The Supreme Court upheld the appellate court's acquittal of the man, a self-identifying "queer feminist," indicted on charges of violating the Military Service Act for refusing to follow his conscription in 2017.

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Moon vows utmost respect for war veterans, other patriots

SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that his government will treat war veterans and other patriots with the highest level of respect.

He was holding a luncheon meeting at Cheong Wa Dae with representatives from relevant civic groups on the eve of the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War.

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S. Korea wraps up war remains excavation at Arrowhead Ridge in DMZ

SEOUL -- South Korea on Thursday wrapped up 2 1/2 years of war remains excavation work at a former battlefield near the border with North Korea, the defense ministry said, with Pyongyang remaining unresponsive to calls for joint work as agreed.

Under a military tension reduction accord signed on Sept. 19, 2018, South and North Korea agreed to launch a joint project to retrieve remains of soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War from Arrowhead Ridge, one of the fiercest battlefields inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two sides.

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DP backtracks on universal virus relief plan, eyes targeted support with credit card rewards

SEOUL -- The ruling party has backtracked on its initial plan to provide COVID-19 relief handouts to all nationals and is instead mulling a targeted support program paired with cash-back rewards for credit card usage, party officials said Thursday.

The Democratic Party (DP) and the government are currently in talks to draw up a new round of supplementary budget to fight COVID-19, which will be the second of its kind so far this year. The DP is eyeing to dole out stimulus checks under the extra budget as early as ahead of the summer vacation season.

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(LEAD) KOSPI refreshes all-time high on tech gains

SEOUL -- South Korea's benchmark stock index refreshed its all-time high Thursday, supported by strong advances by technology stocks. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 9.91 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 3,286.1 points, extending its winning streak to the third consecutive session.

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Constitutional Court upholds lawfulness of revised act that shut down ride-hailing service Tada

SEOUL -- A revised law that practically forced a leading ride-hailing service out of business last year complied with the country's Constitution, a court ruled Thursday.

The justices of the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled as constitutional the law limiting the Tada service to rent out its vans only for tourism purposes and requiring the minimum rental hour to be six hours. The law also requires the cars to be picked up or returned at airports or ports.

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Organizers to postpone 'peace statue' exhibition in Tokyo

SEOUL -- Organizers of an exhibition showcasing a statue symbolizing Japan's sexual enslavement of women from Korea and elsewhere in Asia said Thursday they have decided to postpone the event after failing to secure a venue.

The exhibition, scheduled to run from June 25-July 4 in the Japanese capital, was on the verge of being canceled after right-wing protestors threatened to disrupt the event and forced the exhibition committee to change the venue.

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(News Focus) Shady medical practices reignite debate on installing cameras in hospital operating rooms

SEOUL -- A series of allegedly shady medical practices has renewed a debate on whether it should be mandatory for hospitals to install surveillance cameras in operating rooms.

The idea has gained strong traction among patients' groups that view the cameras as a safeguard against dishonest and sometimes lethal medical practices, but faces constant opposition from doctors who fear a violation of their human rights.

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