Yonhap News Summary

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

-----------------
(News Focus) City development controversy widens amid revelation of astronomical severance pay for opposition lawmaker's son

SEOUL -- Controversy surrounding a highly lucrative land development project authorized in the past by Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling party, has traveled across party borders amid a public outcry over a colossal severance payment handed to an opposition lawmaker's son, a former employee of the company at the center of the scandal.

Lee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) in recent weeks has come under growing scrutiny over accusations he gave business favors to Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management to help it join the development project in the Daejang district in Seongnam in 2015, when he was the city's mayor.

-----------------
Moon urges all-out gov't efforts to contain coronavirus infections

SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in instructed his government Monday to make all-out efforts to tackle the rapid spread of COVID-19 infections across South Korea, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the country is preparing to implement measures in stages to ease social distancing rules and recover the normal life of the public.

He delivered the message to Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during their weekly meeting, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.

-----------------
First Vice FM Choi to visit Pakistan for policy talks

SEOUL -- First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun will visit Pakistan this week for policy talks with senior officials there on bilateral cooperation and regional security, the foreign ministry said Monday.

Choi is set to attend the 11th South Korea-Pakistan policy consultative meeting with ranking Islamabad officials Wednesday. The two countries last held the policy session in Seoul in November 2018.

-----------------
Kwon Soon-woo rises to 57th in world tennis rankings after first ATP Tour title

SEOUL -- South Korean tennis player Kwon Soon-woo has achieved a career high in the latest men's world rankings after winning his first ATP Tour title this week.

Kwon moved up 25 spots to reach 57th from a week earlier in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world rankings released Monday.

It beat his previous career high of No. 69 from March last year.

-----------------
Moon says it is time to consider ban on dogs as food

SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in raised the need Monday for the government to consider imposing a formal ban on dog meat consumption in South Korea.

"Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?" Moon told Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during their weekly policy consultation session, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.

-----------------
Tattooists again file constitutional petition against law banning tattooing by non-medical professionals

SEOUL -- South Korean tattooists once again filed a petition with the Constitutional Court Monday against the medical law that requires tattooing to be conducted only by licensed medical personnel.

A total of 153 tattooists associated with the Korea Fashion Tattoo Association and the Korea Tattoo Federation said Article 27 of the medical law that outlaws tattooing by people with no medical license violates their constitutional rights.

-----------------
Half of Koreans agree to careful inoculation of teenagers: poll

SEOUL -- Nearly half of South Koreans are in favor of a cautious approach to the issue of COVID-19 vaccinations for teenagers aged between 12 and 17, a poll showed Monday.

In the poll of 1,006 people aged 18 and above conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute on Friday and Saturday, 49.1 percent said the government should take some time to observe vaccination situations in other countries before administering COVID-19 vaccine shots to the teen group.

-----------------
Enforcement decree of workplace disaster law to be reviewed by Cabinet this week

SEOUL -- An enforcement decree for the new workplace disaster law aimed at better protecting workers from industrial accidents will be reviewed during a Cabinet meeting this week, according to labor and business community sources Monday, despite criticism from both manager and labor groups over the government proposal.

In January, the National Assembly passed a bill that strengthens the punishment of business owners and CEOs of companies with five or more employees in the event of serious workplace disasters.

-----------------
Seoul stocks up on drop in virus cases

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks rebounded Monday amid easing concerns about the country's new coronavirus cases and the China Evergrande Group's debt crisis. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 8.4 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 3,133.64 points.
(END)