NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The Seoul city government Thursday filed a complaint with the police against unionized delivery workers who held a massive rally in Yeouido, Seoul. The city government accused the delivery workers' union of violating a municipal ban on outdoor gatherings of over ten people. Some 4,000 union members began a rally in Yeouido Park on Tuesday, calling for measures to protect delivery workers from dying due to overwork and exhaustion.
Vice Finance Minister Lee Eog-weon analyzed that the international financial market fluctuated in response to the news that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates earlier than predicted. Noting falling stock prices, higher interest rates and a stronger U.S. dollar, the vice minister said the market made such responses to dodge risks, following a change in the Fed's forward guidance. Lee, however, added the changes were limited, as the market already expected the Fed to go in that direction. The vice minister said that the domestic financial market will be inevitably affected by the international factors but that it is necessary for the nation to rationally address such challenges with confidence in its economy.
The Ministry of Agriculture says South Korea exports of agricultural and food products to Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Mongolia increased over 44 percent year on year to nearly 130 million U.S. dollars as of this May. Ending a three-year decline since 2018, this growth is thanks to a record increase in shipments of fresh farm produce and processed foods. In particular, exports to Russia and Mongolia jumped some 50 percent. The ministry is working together with food exporters to diversify and develop more markets in the region.