Yonhap News Summary

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

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PM Lee calls for steady enforcement of summit declaration

SEOUL -- South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Tuesday instructed senior officials to ensure the "steady" implementation of last week's inter-Korean summit declaration aimed at improving cross-border ties and fostering peace on the peninsula.

During a Cabinet meeting, Lee also expressed gratitude to citizens, U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders for their support for Seoul's ongoing efforts for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.

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(LEAD) S. Korea's military set to remove propaganda loudspeakers at border

SEOUL -- South Korea's defense authorities will take down loudspeakers installed along the border with North Korea later Tuesday in a follow-up to their summit deal last week, officials said.

"As (we) notified, we will today begin the removal of the loudspeaker broadcast equipment from front-line regions," a military official said.

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(LEAD) U.S. formally exempts S. Korea from steel tariffs

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Monday formally exempted South Korea from steep tariffs on steel imports, saying the move was in line with national security interests.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier announced a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from all countries except Canada and Mexico to protect the nation from what his administration called a threat to national security.

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(LEAD) N. Korea holds meeting of senior officials on new strategic line

SEOUL -- North Korea has held a meeting of senior party, state and military officials to discuss ways to push for its new strategic line on economic reconstruction, its state media reported Tuesday.

Choe Ryong-hae, a vice chairman of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party, and Cabinet Premier Park Pong-ju presided over the meeting in Pyongyang on Monday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

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(3rd LD) S. Korea's April exports post first decline in 18 months

SEJONG -- South Korea's exports retreated in April from a year earlier, marking the first dip in 18 months, largely due to a base effect, government data showed Tuesday.

Outbound shipments reached US$50.06 billion last month, down from $50.84 billion a year ago, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

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(LEAD) 'Father' of U.S. taekwondo dies at 88

SEOUL -- Rhee Jhoon-goo, known as the "Father of American taekwondo," died of acute pneumonia in the United States, a local group said Tuesday. He was 88.

He died at a hospital in Virginia on Monday (local time), according to the International Leaders Union, which he headed.

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(LEAD) Police grill Korean Air chief's daughter over alleged assault

SEOUL -- Police on Tuesday questioned a daughter of Korean Air's Chairman Cho Yang-ho over suspicion that she assaulted an advertisement agency's employee during a business meeting last month.

The Seoul Gangseo Police Station brought in Cho Hyun-min, a former Korean Air senior executive, for questioning over the allegations of assault and obstruction of business in a case that has tarnished the image of the country's flag carrier.

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(4th LD) Trump says he likes idea of meeting Kim on inter-Korean border

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he likes the idea of meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the inter-Korean border.

There could be a "great celebration" on the site if the meeting goes well, he said, referring to the summit being planned for late May or early June.

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Korean Air-Delta launches joint venture

SEOUL -- A transpacific joint venture between Korean Air Lines Co. and Delta Air Lines Inc. launched Tuesday to create a combined network serving more than 290 destinations in the Americas and more than 80 in Asia, providing customers of both airlines with more travel options.

In March, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved the creation of the JV on the condition that the companies not reduce the current level of seats provided on the five routes between the two countries and to annually report achievements of customer benefits.

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N. Korea's nuclear test site still operational: 38 North

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's nuclear test site appears to be operational contrary to claims that is has been damaged beyond repair, a U.S. website monitoring the reclusive country said Monday.

The test grounds in Punggye-ri could support further underground nuclear testing judging from new synthetic aperture radar data, which show the viability of two mountainous areas that can be reached via the South and West Portals, according to 38 North.

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Arrest warrants sought for three executives for sabotaging Samsung labor

SEOUL -- Prosecutors on Tuesday sought arrest warrants for three officials from Samsung Electronics Co.'s after-services affiliate and its partner companies over its suspected attempts to sabotage labor union activities.

Prosecutors have reopened the probe into allegations that Samsung ran an organized scheme aimed at hampering the establishment and operations of labor unions.
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