NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The Ministry of National Defense says that North Korea is believed to be continuing missile activities. The ministry reported before the parliamentary national defense committee that there are continued movements of personnel and vehicles the North's missile sites. Regarding the regime's nuclear program, the ministry said that no unusual signs were detected at its Puynggye-ri nuclear testing site and nuclear reactors appear to remain abandoned at the Yongbyon nuclear complex.
Amid the prolonged coronavirus shocks, South Korea's exports dropped 7.5 percent year on year in the first 20 days of this month. Shipments of automobiles fell nearly 37 percent, petroleum products 40 percent and home appliances nearly 15 percent. The nation saw its exports shrink about 16 percent on daily average, given that the number of working days during the period was up 1.5 days compared to last year.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters says that 90 new COVID-19 infections were reported over the past week, due to spreading group infections and an increase in cases imported from overseas. Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said Monday morning that there are no parts in the nation that remain safe from the virus, despite a drop in the daily count of cases on Sunday.
The South Korean government says that it is seeking ways to sternly address Japan's latest denial of its wartime forced labor practice. Culture Minister Park Yang-woo and administer of the Cultural Heritage Administration, Chung Jae-suk unveiled the plan in a briefing to the parliamentary committee on culture affairs. While opening the Industrial Heritage Information Center last week, Tokyo backed on its promise to reveal its practices of forcefully conscripting Korean laborers during World War Two.