Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Seoul defends joint training at N.K. ski resort as part of efforts for 'Peace Olympics'

SEOUL -- South and North Korea's agreement to conduct joint training at a ski resort in the North reflects Seoul's wish to make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a "peace" event, a government official said Thursday.

The two sides agreed in a working-level meeting Wednesday to hold a joint cultural event at Mount Kumgang in North Korea before the opening of the Olympics and to conduct joint training for skiers at Masikryong Ski Resort on the North's east coast.

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S. Korea, U.S. agree to work toward opening denuclearization talks with N. Korea

SEOUL -- Senior diplomats from South Korea and the United States have agreed to work closely to open denuclearization talks with North Korea, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan and Deputy National Security Adviser Ricky Waddell in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to discuss the on-going dialogue between South and North Korea and the North's nuclear issue, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Gov't to compensate energy-saving companies more: energy ministry

SEOUL -- The government said Thursday it will increase compensation to companies complying with requests to reduce power consumption at peak periods.

Since 2014, the government has been employing the demand response (DR) system in which companies are compensated for complying to requests by the government to save energy to prevent shortfalls in the power supply and secure enough backup power. As many as 3,580 companies have joined the system.

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Opposition lawmaker faces trial for suspected bribery, illegal political fund

SEOUL -- A prominent lawmaker of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party will face trial for allegedly taking bribes from local businessmen in return for favors, prosecutors said Thursday.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted Rep. Won Yoo-chul without detention on charges of bribery and violation of the political fund law. It also indicted his former aide and two others on the same charges.

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First lady Kim urges support for PyeongChang Paralympic Games

SEOUL -- South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook called on the people Thursday to show their support and interest in the Paralympic Games, which will be held in the country, insisting that the success of the preceding Winter Olympic Games depends on the success of the Paralympics.

In a ceremony aimed at promoting the PyeongChang Paralympic Games, Kim said truly perfect Olympic Games depend on the success of the Paralympic Games.

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(LEAD) Hypermarket to pay customers damages for selling membership data to insurers

SEOUL -- A Seoul court on Thursday ordered a local hypermarket chain to pay its customers a total of 80 million won (US$74,871) in damages for selling their personal information to two life insurance companies without consent.

The Seoul Central District Court made the ruling partially in favor of some 1,067 membership customers of Homeplus and awarded them 83.6 million won, or between 50,000 and 200,000 won for every plaintiff.

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Ex-Moon aide indicted in graft probe

SEOUL -- A former senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in was indicted without detention on Thursday for suspected bribery and other corruption charges, prosecutors said.

Jun Byung-hun, an ex-presidential aide for political affairs, will stand trial for forcing two home shopping channels and a telecom company to donate 550 million won (US$514,260) between 2014 and 2017 to the Korea e-Sports Association, over which he practically held control, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

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S. Korea's top diplomat to attend Davos forum next week

SEOUL -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, next week to discuss security issues on the Korean Peninsula as well as the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Kang will join five sessions of the Davos forum, which will run from Jan. 23-26.
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