Yonhap News Summary

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

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(LEAD) Obama says Kim Jong-il is healthy and in firm control
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Sunday that North Korean leader
Kim Jong-il is healty and in firm control of state affairs.
"I think President Clinton's assessment was that (Kim Jong-il is) pretty healthy
and in control," Obama said in an interview with CNN. "That's important to know,
because we don't have a lot of interaction with the North Koreans. And, you know,
President Clinton had a chance to see him close up and have conversations with
him."
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Advance team for family reunions heads to N. Korea
SEOUL -- An advance team from Seoul left for North Korea on Monday to lay the
ground for the upcoming reunions of families separated by the Korean War over
half a century ago, the government said.
The 10-member team formed of South Korean Red Cross and government officials
departed Seoul for Mount Kumgang resort on the North's east coast, where they
will engage in administrative and technical preparations, the Unification
Ministry said.
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Lee to hold summit with Chinese president in New York
New York -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao
will hold a summit here this week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly,
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.
The Lee-Hu meeting will be held early Wednesday when the South Korean president
is also set to hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio
Hatoyama, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
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N. Korea extends labor drive by 100 days
SEOUL -- North Korea touted its just-ended 150-day labor campaign a "shining
success" but ordered its citizens to continue their efforts for another 100 days,
an extension that outside watchers believe indicates unsatisfactory results.
The "150-day Battle," launched on April 20, urged North Koreans to work harder
and put in longer hours to resolve food shortages and rebuild the country's
antiquated infrastructure. The drive ended last Wednesday, but the hard work will
carry on, said the Rodong Sinmun, the main mouthpiece of the ruling Workers'
Party.
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New Army chief vows to counter diversionary N. Korean moves
SEOUL -- South Korea's new Army chief, sworn in on Monday, vowed to back his
country's resolve not to fall for what he termed North Korea's diversionary
tactics of alternate dialogue and hostility.
In a ceremony held at the Army command in central South Korea, Gen. Han Min-gu
took over from Gen. Im Choong-bin as the new Army Chief of Staff, a post that
oversees 522,000 troops, officials said.
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(LEAD) S. Korean Choi Na-yeon grabs first LPGA title
SEOUL -- South Korean Choi Na-yeon claimed a victory at the US$1 million Samsung
World Championship at La Jolla, California, on Sunday (local time), her first in
a major LPGA tournament, her agent here said Monday.
Choi fired one-under 71 in the final round to finish on 16-under-par 272 at the
Torrey Pines course in California, beating Japan's Ai Miyajato with 15 under 273.
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Former Samsung chief pays off record fine
SEOUL -- Former Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, who was convicted and fined
last month for illegal bond deals, has paid off his fine of 110 billion won
(US$91.2 million), prosecution officials said Monday.
Lee paid the whole amount of the fine, the nation's largest-ever one-time fine,
to the Seobu branch of the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office last Friday, said
the officials.
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S. Korea's trade surplus tops US$1 bln in first 20 days of Sept.
SEOUL -- South Korea's trade surplus exceeded US$1 billion in the first 20 days
of this month as exports dropped at a far slower pace than imports, the customs
office said Monday.
Exports dropped 10.0 percent on-year to $20.5 billion in the cited period, while
imports plunged 33.4 percent to $19.4 billion for a trade surplus reaching $1.07
billion, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said.
(END)