NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The government will make welfare programs more accessible for those in need who often lack information necessary to take advantage of them. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced plans to set up one-stop counseling counters at community service offices, to ensure that the disadvantaged use government welfare programs more conveniently and easily.
The Bank of Korea says that South Korea posted a current account surplus of 6.95 billion U.S. dollars in July, thanks to increased income from overseas investments.
The government is considering raising a special consumption tax on liquid-type electronic cigarettes. The Ministry of Economy and Finance says that the tax increase will be determined based on the social costs incurred by the smoking alternative, such as environmental pollution and harms on public health.
Korea celebrated the addition of the nation's traditional Confucian academies "seowon" to UNESCO's World Heritage List. During a celebratory ceremony held in Seoul today, the Cultural Heritage Administration granted the certificates of UNESCO listing to the nine seowons. The administration also unveiled plans to preserve and maintain the historical assets.