Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Amount of tritium in ocean after Fukushima water release below limit: S. Korea

SEOUL -- The concentration of tritium in seawater following the release of contaminated water from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant was well below the standard limit, an official said Monday.

A total of 246 billion becquerels of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen that can still be detected after treatment through a custom purification system known as ALPS, have been released so far, according to Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

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(LEAD) S. Korea to conduct 100-day intensive inspection into seafood imports on Fukushima woes

SEOUL -- South Korea on Monday launched a special inspection into the marking of country of origin for imported seafood products to dispel public safety concerns following Japan's release of contaminated water from its crippled nuclear power plant, the oceans ministry said.

On Thursday, Japan began releasing "treated" radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean amid concerns and opposition raised by its fishing population and neighboring countries.

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Yoon, PM eat seafood lunch amid public concern over Fukushima water release

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo ate seafood during their weekly lunch meeting Monday, the presidential office said, as the government tries to promote seafood safety in the wake of Japan's release of radioactive water into the ocean.

Seafood was also served at the in-house cafeteria of the presidential office. The top office has said various kinds of seafood will be served at the cafeteria throughout the week, beginning with sliced raw fish and grilled mackerel Monday.

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(LEAD) Teachers' union files complaint over education minister's warning against collective action

SEOUL -- A progressive teachers' union filed a complaint Monday against Education Minister Lee Ju-ho for warning of disciplinary actions against teachers planning to take a leave of absence to attend a protest rally.

Many school teachers plan to take a day off Monday next week to attend a rally commemorating a young teacher's death and to demand enhanced teachers' rights, a cause which gained momentum following the 20-something female elementary school teacher's suicide in southern Seoul last month.

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(LEAD) Lotte Giants manager Larry Sutton steps down for health reasons

SEOUL -- The South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants announced Monday their manager Larry Sutton has stepped down for health reasons.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team said Sutton offered to quit following the Giants' 2-1 loss to the KT Wiz on Sunday, and added they decided to honor Sutton's wish.

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Drug safety agency raided in investigation into suspected illegal lobbying over COVID-19 medication

SEOUL -- Prosecutors raided the headquarters of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) on Monday as part of an investigation into allegations that a drug company illegally lobbied the agency to get approval for clinical trials of its COVID-19 medication.

Investigators from the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office searched the office of the MFDS minister in Cheongju, 112 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and two other locations to seize evidence over allegations that a former minister, surnamed Kim, violated the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

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Klinsmann laments injury to key midfielder ahead of Sept. matches

SEOUL -- South Korea's head coach Jurgen Klinsmann understands injuries are part of football, but it can still be frustrating for the German tactician when a player as important as Lee Kang-in is sidelined.

Lee, a 22-year-old midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), was left off Klinsmann's 25-man roster for South Korea's matches against Wales and Saudi Arabia next month.

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(LEAD) Seoul shares end higher after Fed chief's speech

SEOUL -- Seoul shares ended higher Monday, following gains on Wall Street after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled a moderate course on its monetary policy in the future. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 24.27 points, or 0.96 percent, to close at 2,543.41.

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