Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.

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S. Korea extends natural population fall as fertility rate falls to 0.7

SEOUL -- South Korea extended a natural decrease in population in June as the fertility rate hit yet another record low, data showed Wednesday, reflecting the grim demographic trend.

Only 18,615 babies were born in June, down 1.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the monthly report from Statistics Korea.

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S. Korea begins intensive radiation tests on salt fields over Fukushima concerns

SEOUL -- South Korea has launched intensive radiation tests on salt fields across the country amid safety concerns over Japan's release of contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.

Last week, Japan began discharging radioactive water from the power plant into the ocean, sparking concerns about its impact on the environment, seafood and public health.

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(Yonhap Feature) 'Don't-ask-why' crimes point to reclusiveness as a growing problem among young South Koreans

SEOUL -- As South Korea grapples with a series of "don't-ask-why" crimes targeting random people, one common trait stands out among the suspects behind the recent killings.

They showed signs of being "reclusive loners," largely shut out from outside contact for months and, in some cases, even years.

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Gov't likely to designate Oct. 2 temporary holiday next week

SEOUL -- The government is likely to designate Oct. 2 a temporary holiday during next week's Cabinet meeting, creating a six-day extended break starting with the Chuseok holiday, an official said Wednesday.

This year's Chuseok fall harvest holiday will run from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, which means the temporary holiday will be a bridge to Oct. 3 National Foundation Day, another public holiday.

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Pro-basketball team KCC Egis to move home from Jeonju to Busan

SEOUL -- The professional basketball team KCC Egis will relocate its home base from the southwestern city of Jeonju to Busan on the southeast coast.

The Korea Basketball League (KBL) on Wednesday approved a proposal to move the team's home city during a board meeting held at the KBL center in southern Seoul.

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