WEEKLY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (2024.07.13)

Hope you're enjoying your weekend. You're watching Weekly News Highlights where we bring you some of the biggest stories that made the headlines this week. I'm Song Yoo-jin coming to you from Arirang's virtual studio.
President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the annual NATO summit for the third consecutive year, a first for a Korean President. We have a wrap-up of his discussions with global leaders and the key takeaways from the summit.
They're lighter, thinner, and smarter. Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest foldable smartphones in Paris, France. We'll explore some of the new upgrades in both software and hardware.
Team Korea athletes gathered in Seoul on Tuesday for the inaugural ceremony of the national team heading to the Paris 2024 Olympics. We'll hear from some of the athletes about their determination and aspirations for the upcoming Games.
We begin with the NATO summit that took place in Washington D.C. from Tuesday to Thursday. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, during his two-day visit to the American capital, sat down with more than 10 leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including U.S. President Joe Biden, where the allies signed a new guideline for nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula. Our Presidential Office correspondent Kim Do-yeon reports.
At the NATO summit, President Yoon emphasized the need for cross-regional cooperation between Indo-Pacific and Atlantic allies, highlighting growing global concerns over military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. We turn to our senior Presidential Office correspondent Oh Soo-young for more.
Continuing with the NATO summit, the 32 member states of the security alliance issued a joint declaration criticizing China and North Korea's military cooperation with Russia. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji reports on the potential impact this could have, specifically on Northeast Asia.
Meanwhile, in Hawaii, South Korea is participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific, RIMPAC maritime exercise along with 28 other countries. Our defense correspondent Choi Min-jung, has more on the drill and South Korea’s expanded role this year.
In related news, South Korea has secured an arms deal worth more than 930-million U.S. dollars with Romania, to supply weapons including K9 self-propelled howitzers.
The country's state procurement agency announced on Wednesday that under the agreement, South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace will export ammunitions and weapons including 54 K-9 howitzers and 36 K-10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles.
Romania, which last year decided to purchase South Korea's Shingung surface-to-air missiles, has now become the ninth country to acquire K9 howitzers.
The latest deal follows the Romanian leader's visit to Seoul in April, and senior South Korean defense officials' visits to Romania in recent months to support the export deal.
Back here in Korea, the Bank of Korea held its first monetary policy meeting for the second half of the year, freezing the key interest rate once again. Our finance correspondent Lee Soo-jin analyzes what's behind the central bank’s record-long rate freeze.
South Korea's minimum wage for next year will for the first time surpass 10-thousand Korean won per hour.
The Minimum Wage Commission on Friday voted to set the minimum wage at 10-thousand-30 Korean won, or around 7 U.S. dollars and 30 cents at the current exchange rate.
That's an increase of 1-point-7 percent from this year.
While this is the first time since the minimum wage was introduced in 1988 that it has entered the 10-thousand won range, the rise is the second smallest ever.
The Minimum Wage Commission will submit the new minimum wage plan to the Labor Ministry, which is expected to confirm it by August 5th...
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2024-07-13, 12:00 (KST)

[@SushineDessert-IB72]

Good Morning and thank you for the weekend news. You are probably aware but will advise if not. There is a new version of Covid going around the UK and it is spreading. Covid strains in the past have reduced during Summer, he he. This one seems to buck the trend. I have been slightly occupied recently so could not ask you the question. UK news has or read cases have increased in hospitals and I see more people wearing masks. Take care.

[@user-py7mm4jj9k]

Covid’s panic again