The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
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U.S. energy firm to appeal court decision in favor of KEPCO, KHNP over nuclear reactor exports
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. energy firm said Tuesday it will appeal a district court's decision earlier this week to dismiss its lawsuit filed to stop two South Korean state-run companies from exporting nuclear power plants.
On Monday, the District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the complaint that Westinghouse Electric Co. filed against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) last October. The court determined that Westinghouse "lacks a private cause of action" and was therefore not qualified to take such a legal move.
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(2nd LD) Biden condemns N. Korea's defiance of UNSC resolutions, remains committed to diplomacy
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned North Korea's continued violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, but reiterated his commitment to diplomacy to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Biden made the remarks in a speech at the U.N. General Assembly as a recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin deepened concerns about a potential arms deal that would violate multiple UNSC resolutions.
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(LEAD) N. Korea's Kim arrives in Pyongyang after Russia trip: state media
SEOUL -- A special train carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Pyongyang after traveling to Russia for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the North's state media reported Wednesday.
Kim arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday evening after completing "immortal external revolutionary activities" that will be recorded in the history of strengthening friendly relations between North Korea and Russia, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
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ADB maintains S. Korea's 2023 growth forecast at 1.3 pct
SEOUL -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday maintained its growth outlook for the South Korean economy at 1.3 percent but suggested that the country will experience weaker-than-expected inflation.
The Manila-based bank had revised down the growth outlook on South Korea by 0.2 percentage point in July, citing sluggish exports and investment. It suggested a 2.2 percent growth rate for 2024, also unchanged from the previous report.
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(LEAD) Motions on opposition leader's arrest, dismissal of PM submitted to parliament
SEOUL -- Two separate motions seeking the arrest of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and the dismissal of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo were submitted during the parliament's plenary session on Wednesday.
According to the National Assembly Act, lawmakers are mandated to vote on such motions within 72 hours of their submission to the parliamentary plenary session. The vote can begin 24 hours after the submission.
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New industry minister vows efforts to boost exports, nuclear power industry
SEOUL -- South Korea's new Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu on Wednesday vowed all-out effort to prop up exports as a key economic growth engine and to restore the ecosystem of the country's nuclear power generation industry, his office said.
Bang made the pledge in his inaugural speech as he took office upon President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval of his appointment.
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S. Korea's exports forecast to stay weak in Q4
SEOUL -- South Korea's exports are expected to remain sluggish in the fourth quarter of the year amid high oil prices and weak overseas demand, a trade body said Wednesday.
The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said its export business survey index (EBSI) came to 90.2 for the October-December period, down from 108.7 three months earlier.
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(Yonhap Interview) Morocco's reluctance to accept humanitarian aid after earthquake not 'political' choice
SEOUL -- Morocco's decision to selectively accept humanitarian assistance from a few countries following a devastating earthquake earlier this month is not politically driven but merely based on logistic calculations, a Moroccan scholar said.
Ahmed Abaddi, the secretary general of the Mohammedian League of Religious Scholars, made the remarks in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul on Tuesday, after Rabat's acceptance of limited foreign aid in the aftermath of one of the country's deadliest earthquakes raised questions over whether politics were impending humanitarian aid.
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(LEAD) Yoon meets world leaders in New York for 2nd day to promote Expo bid
NEW YORK/SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk Yeol held a second day of summits with world leaders in New York on Tuesday (local time) as he continued his push to win support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan.
Yoon, who arrived in New York the previous day to attend the U.N. General Assembly, is using the annual gathering to meet with dozens of leaders on the sidelines as a last-minute boost to South Korea's campaign to win the Expo bid.
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(Asiad) Main batch of S. Korean delegation heads to Hangzhou
INCHEON -- The main batch of South Korean athletes and officials for the Hangzhou Asian Games departed for the host country of China on Wednesday, embarking on a journey to redemption after a subpar performance at the previous competition five years ago.
South Korea will have a record delegation of 1,140 athletes and officials competing in 39 of 40 sports at the Hangzhou Asiad, being held following a one-year postponement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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