Yonhap News Summary

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

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S. Korean FM likely to meet with Japanese counterpart in U.S.

OTTAWA -- South Korea's top diplomat will likely meet with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week, a senior South Korean official said, the latest in a series of steps that may pave the way for a potential summit between Seoul and Tokyo.

"There is a high possibility" that South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se could meet with Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, in New York, the South Korean official familiar with the matter said Sunday in a brief comment to Yonhap News Agency.

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Key N. Korean diplomat returns home without meeting Chinese officials

BEIJING -- A key North Korean party official, who oversees Pyongyang's foreign policy, returned home from Beijing on Monday, wrapping up his five-nation tour but without meeting with Chinese officials, a a diplomatic source said Monday.

The absence of a meeting between Kang Sok-ju, the secretary handling international relations at the North's ruling Workers' Party, and Chinese officials on the way to or from the trip represented strained political relations between Pyongyang and Beijing, the source said on the condition of anonymity.

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S. Korea mulls lifting Japan fisheries ban: official

SEOUL -- South Korea is considering lifting its import ban on Japanese fishery products, a ruling party official said Monday, a move that could help mend ties between the neighboring nations.

South Korea currently bans all fishery imports from eight Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, where a nuclear accident in March 2011 led to a massive leak of radioactive materials and contaminated water.

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(LEAD) Seoul shares end lower on blue-chip losses

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed lower Monday due to losses in blue-chip shares amid a lack of events and incentives in the market, analysts said. The local currency gained ground against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 14.55 points, or 0.71 percent, to 2,039.27. Trading volume was moderate at 318 million shares worth 3.5 trillion won (US$3.36 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 494 to 304.

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S. Korea to resume sales of stake in Woori Bank next week

SEOUL -- South Korea will resume the process of selling the government stake in Woori Bank, a major local lender, next week with a public bidding notice, a committee overseeing the sales said Monday.

The government is planning to sell a 30 percent stake in the flagship banking unit of Woori Finance Holdings Co. to a single buyer and unload 26.97 percent to a group of investors within the first half of next year.

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Seoul urges local firms in Iraq to ensure staff safety

SEOUL -- South Korea on Monday called on local companies operating in Iraq to make utmost efforts to ensure the safety of their staff amid growing security threats from Islamic State (IS) militants there.

About 80 Korean companies, including subcontractors, are doing business in Iraq with about 1,100 South Koreans staying in the Middle Eastern country. Concerns over the safety of foreigners are running high after IS' killing of several hostages from overseas.
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