NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

During a government meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said that minimizing potential risks and opening schools in a phased-in approach, are the way to ensure students' right to study and help the people return to their daily lives. Regarding dozens of schools that had to close their doors again after a few students were confirmed to be infected, the prime minister pledged to focus government quarantine efforts on keeping schools safe ahead of the scheduled start of the 2020 school year.
Korea's exports dropped 20 percent year on year to 20.3 billion U.S. dollars during the first 20 days of May. Its shipments to the U.S. and Vietnam each fell nearly 30 percent. Exports of semiconductor chips and ships jumped over 13 percent and 30 percent, respectively. But shipments of petroleum products and automobiles each dwindled 69 percent and 59 percent. Exports of wireless communication devices also fell eleven percent.
Two valuable statues of Buddha will be put up for sale. Owned by Kansong Museum and designated as national treasures, K auction, South Korea's major auction house announced that the statues will be auctioned on May 27th.