Yonhap News Summary

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

-----------------
Inter-Korean trade drops 30 percent in March during political tension
SEOUL -- Monthly trade between South and North Korea fell more than 30 percent
on-year in March, as tensions ran high over South Korea-U.S. joint military
exercise, government data showed Monday.
The two Koreas exchanged goods and services worth US$108.74 million over the last
month, down 31.1 percent from $157.9 million in the same period in 2008, the data
from the Unification Ministry said.
-----------------
N. Korean leader visits new greenhouse
SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visited an agricultural university to
give field guidance about a newly-built greenhouse there, Pyongyang's news agency
said Monday.
Kim looked around the "soil-type pollution-free greenhouse" where the regulation
of light, temperature and humidity are automatically controlled at the Wonsan
University of Agriculture in Wonsan, South Hamgyong Province, said the Korean
Central News Agency.
-----------------
S. Korean economy to shrink 3 pct this year: Goldman Sachs
SEOUL -- South Korea's economy is expected to shrink 3 percent this year, Goldman
Sachs said Monday, revising up its 2009 growth outlook for the Asian country on
effective stimulus measures and improving exports growth.
The growth outlook compared with an earlier projection of 4.5 percent contraction
and higher than that of the International Monetary Fund which forecast a 4
percent decline.
-----------------
Divorces in S. Korea decline in 2008
SEOUL -- The number of divorces in South Korea continued to drop in 2008 as
marriage declined and the government's efforts to stem divorces paid off, a
report showed Monday.
According to the report by the Korea National Statistical Office (NSO), a total
of 116,500 couples filed for divorce last year, down 7,500 from a year earlier.
The figure, which peaked at 166,617 in 2003, marked the fifth consecutive year of
decline.
-----------------
S. Korea to go ahead with naval base construction on resort island
SEOUL -- South Korea's central government and the provincial government of Jeju
on Monday reached a preliminary agreement to build a naval base on the southern
resort island by 2014, officials said.
The agreement, jointly signed by defense and transport ministers and the governor
of Jeju, came after more than 15 years of debate over the plan, which locals and
activists say could raise regional military tension and disrupt the ecosystem on
the island.
-----------------
Six arrested, nine booked in Chinese phone scam ring
GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- A ring of Chinese con artists that swindled 360 million
won (US$270,000) out of 15 South Koreans through telephone-based financial scams,
known as voice phishing, has been broken up, police investigators said Monday.
The Gangneung Police Station in Gangneung, about 240 km east of Seoul, said six
were arrested and nine booked without detention. Three other members of the
Chinese criminal ring, including the ring leader, have been put on the wanted
list in connection with the financial scam, it said.
-----------------
Police to crack down on Internet suicide cafes
SEOUL -- Police said Monday they will step up efforts to clamp down on on-line
cafes used to plan group suicides, following a spate of such deaths in recent
weeks raising fears of a social epidemic.
On Sunday, police interrupted a suicide attempt at a local hotel room in downtown
Seoul involving five people who gathered after meeting through an Internet cafe.
The group had devised their plan through e-mails and instant messenger services.
The Web site's manager, identified by his last name Kim, was booked on suspicion
of abetting in the suicide attempt.
(END)