(LEAD) S. Korea says Fukushima water release to meet int'l standards if carried out as planned
SEOUL -- The government said Friday that Japan's plan to release contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima plant would meet international standards, including those set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), if carried out as planned.
The government announced its own scientific analysis of the discharge plan, based on the findings of an on-site inspection of the plant completed in late May and other related data, as well as an analysis of the IAEA safety review.
(2nd LD) Samsung Electronics Q2 profit down nearly 96 pct on-year to hit 14-year low
SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co. on Friday said its second-quarter operating profit likely plunged about 96 percent from a year earlier, as a chip oversupply and slow demand persisted.
The world's largest memory chip and smartphone maker estimated its April-June profit at 600 billion won (US$461.2 million), significantly down from the 14.1 trillion won it reported a year ago.
IAEA chief set to arrive in S. Korea to discuss agency report on Fukushima water discharge
SEOUL -- The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Friday to explain the analysis of the U.N. watchdog's safety review of Japan's planned release of treated radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima plant.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi's three-day visit will come on the heels of the agency's conclusion that Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the plant into the sea is consistent with international safety standards.
S. Korea's current account returns to black in May
SEOUL -- South Korea's current account returned to the black in May on the back of a trade surplus and increased dividend payments from overseas, central bank data showed Friday.
The country's current account surplus reached US$1.93 billion in May, swinging from a deficit of $790 million a month earlier, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
S. Korea held regular defense drills around Dokdo last month
SEOUL -- South Korea conducted regular military drills last month to enhance defense capabilities of its easternmost islets of Dokdo, a defense official said Friday.
The exercise took place in waters near the islets late last month at a similar scale as the previous year, the official told reporters on condition of anonymity, without providing details.
Mother arrested for allegedly neglecting newborn to death, abandoning body in trash bin
GWANGJU -- Police have arrested a woman in her 30s on suspicions of neglecting her 6-day-old baby to death and abandoning the body in a public trash bin in 2018, officials said Friday.
The mother is accused of leaving her baby alone at her home in the southern city of Gwangju in April 2018, resulting in the baby's death. She allegedly abandoned the body in a public trash collection box, wrapped in a plastic trash bag.
Police change charge against suspect in infant death to murder
SUWON, South Korea -- A woman arrested for starving her infant to death four years ago is expected to receive a heavier punishment than expected, as police decided Friday to apply the murder charge to her instead of the fatal child abuse charge.
The woman, in her 20s, was put under emergency detention on June 30 on charges of neglecting her baby son and letting him starve to death by not feeding him for three days at her previous home in Daejeon, 139 kilometers south of Seoul, after giving birth in April 2019.
Asian qualifiers for 2026 World Cup to kick off in Oct.
SEOUL -- The Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off in October, the continental football governing body announced Friday, with South Korea set to join the action beginning in November.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced details of the regional qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature a record 48 teams and be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Source: Yonhap News Agency