Yonhap News Summary

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

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Jailed ex-President Lee Myung-bak admitted to hospital for chronic illness

SEOUL -- Jailed former President Lee Myung-bak was admitted to a hospital on Monday for an unspecified chronic illness, the justice ministry said.

The 81-year-old was transferred to the Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul from the Anyang Correctional Institution where he is serving a 17-year sentence for embezzlement and bribery convictions, according to the ministry.

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S. Korea, Canada vow to boost trade, supply chain ties during ministerial talks

SEOUL -- The top trade officials of South Korea and Canada agreed Monday to strengthen cooperation on supply chains of key materials and other trade issues, Seoul's industry ministry said.

Seoul's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Canadian counterpart, Mary Ng, reached the consensus during a video conference earlier in the day, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

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Lee, Yoon offer diverging views on dealing with N. Korea

SEOUL -- Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has called for simultaneously pursuing North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief, while his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol has vowed to strengthen the extended deterrence provided by the United States.

Lee of the liberal ruling Democratic Party and Yoon of the conservative People Power Party detailed their plans for dealing with North Korea's nuclear weapons program in written interviews with the Korean-American Club, a group of former and current South Korean correspondents to the U.S.

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Finance chief calls for stern actions against property-related tax evasion

SEOUL -- Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki called Monday for stern actions against tax evasion related to real estate deals as he renewed the government's commitment to stabilizing the housing market this year.

Hong made the remarks during his meeting with the chiefs of the country's four major agencies under the finance ministry -- the National Tax Service (NTS), the Korea Customs Service, the Public Procurement Service, and Statistics Korea.

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Complaints grow among eatery owners over partial suspension of vaccine pass system

SEOUL -- Complaints have been mounting among owners of cafes and restaurants after the government decided Monday to keep COVID-19 vaccine pass requirements on eateries while suspending its enforcement at other multiuse facilities.

The government decided to halt vaccine pass requirements at department stores, supermarkets, cram schools and theaters across the country starting Tuesday, after the Seoul Administrative Court ordered a suspension of vaccine pass requirements on such facilities in the capital.

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Plaintiffs in vaccine pass case to appeal suspension order limited to Seoul

SEOUL -- Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the government's vaccine pass system plan to appeal last week's suspension order limited to department and discount stores in Seoul, their representatives said Monday, stressing their ultimate goal is to scrap the program altogether across the country.

On Friday, the Seoul Administrative Court suspended vaccine pass checks at department and discount stores in Seoul while also halting vaccine pass requirements for minors aged 12-18 in the capital, pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed last month by a total of 1,023 people to repeal the vaccine pass system nationwide.

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Nuke envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold phone talks over N. Korea's latest projectile launches

SEOUL -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan held a discussion Monday about North Korea's latest apparent missile test and agreed to maintain the close trilateral cooperation in the region, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, had the emergency consultations with his American and Japanese counterparts -- Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi -- hours after the North lobbed two suspected short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the fourth show of force this year.
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