Yonhap News Summary | Yonhap News Agency
The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
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■ (LEAD) 25 pct tariff on steel imports from S. Korea, other nations to be effective March 12: White House
SEOUL — The White House has said that a 25 percent tariff will apply to all steel imports from South Korea, Japan, the European Union and many other nations starting on March 12.
The White House specified the decision on Monday (U.S. time) in a proclamation signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports coming into the United States “without exceptions or exemptions.”
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211006951315?section=national/diplomacy
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Feb. 10, 2025, in this photo released by AFP. (Yonhap)
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■ Gov’t in close talks with local industries for response to U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum: ministry
SEOUL — South Korea’s industry ministry said Tuesday it is closely communicating with local businesses and industry leaders to devise ways to minimize the impact from new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that will inevitably affect local manufacturers and exporters.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an emergency meeting with officials from the Korean steel industry to assess the possible impact the U.S. tariffs may have on local businesses, according to ministry officials.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211009600320?section=economy-finance/economy
This file photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025, shows South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo (2nd from L) presiding over a meeting held at the government complex in Sejong, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul, to discuss the country’s response to the shift in U.S. trade policies, including new tariffs. (Yonhap)
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■ S. Korea mulls forging diplomatic ties with Syria following fall of Assad
SEOUL — The South Korean government has decided to review establishing a formal diplomatic relationship with Syria following the recent fall of the Assad family’s half-century-long dictatorship, an official said Tuesday.
An official at the foreign ministry revealed the plan after returning from a trip to Syria, where the official confirmed the Syrian interim government’s willingness to establish diplomatic ties with Seoul and examined the country’s current situation.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211010100315?section=national/diplomacy
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■ (LEAD) KDI slashes 2025 growth outlook for Korea to 1.6 pct on heightened uncertainties
SEOUL — A major state-run economic think tank on Tuesday sharply revised down to 1.6 percent its growth outlook for the South Korean economy this year, citing increased uncertainties both at home and abroad.
The latest forecast by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) marks a 0.4 percentage-point decrease from its previous projection made in November.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211003551320?section=economy-finance/economy
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■ (LEAD) Ex-interior minister denies trying to cut off power, water to media outlets after martial law declaration
SEOUL — Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min denied Tuesday that he ordered cutting off power and water to major media outlets during the short-lived imposition of martial law or received such instructions from President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Lee made the remarks as a witness during the seventh formal hearing of Yoon’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, referring to allegations in the prosecution’s indictment of Yoon that the president ordered him around midnight on Dec. 3 to cut off power and water to Hankyoreh, the Kyunghyang Shinmun, MBC and JTBC — left-leaning media outlets critical of Yoon — as well as opinion polling agency Flower Research.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211001651315?section=national/politics
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■ (LEAD) Teacher who killed student was ‘annoyed’ she was excluded from class: police
DAEJEON — A teacher accused of stabbing an 8-year-old student to death at an elementary school in the central city of Daejeon has said she was “annoyed” at being excluded from a class, police said Tuesday.
The female teacher in her 40s gave the statement to police after admitting she stabbed the girl on the second floor of the school on Monday. The girl was later pronounced dead at a hospital due to excessive bleeding.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211004651315?section=national/national
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■ S. Korea finishes Winter Asiad speed skating with 12 medals
HARBIN — South Korea collected four more medals in speed skating at the Asian Winter Games in China on Tuesday to finish the competition with 12 medals overall.
The 19-year-old rising star Lee Na-hyun led South Korea with four medals, as she capped her memorable Asian Games debut with the bronze medal in the women’s 1,000 meters at Heilongjiang Ice Events Training Center Speed Skating Oval. Lee clocked 1:16.39 to finish 0.54 second back of the gold medalist from China, Han Mei. Another Chinese skater, Yin Qi, took the silver medal in 1:16.08.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250211010300315
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