Yonhap News Summary

Yonhap News Summary

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

■ (LEAD) Trump says U.S. to help free ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz

SEOUL -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington will begin guiding some neutral ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz this week as a "humanitarian gesture" amid the prolonged crisis in the Middle East.

About 2,000 vessels remain trapped in the strait, including 26 South Korean-flagged ships, as the crucial waterway has effectively been shut down since late February, when the conflict began following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260504001551315?section=national/diplomacy

■ Seoul shares up nearly 4 pct late Mon. morning on chip rally

SEOUL -- South Korean stocks traded nearly 4 percent higher to hit a fresh intraday high late Monday morning, driven by strong chip advance amid patchy signals on peace talks from the Middle East.

Opening 2.79 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) extended gains, adding 260.12 points, or 3.94 percent, to an all-time intraday high of 6,858.99 as of 11:20 a.m.

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260504003700320?section=economy-finance/economy

■ (LEAD) Samsung Electronics names new head of visual display business

SEOUL -- South Korea's tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday announced a leadership reshuffle, naming the new head of its visual display business to tackle current challenges.

Under the reshuffle, Lee Won-jin, who has been serving as the head of the global marketing office, will become the new official head of the business unit.

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260504002651320?section=search

■ (LEAD) Special counsel appeals ex-first lady's 4-year corruption sentence to Supreme Court

SEOUL -- A special counsel team said Monday it has challenged an appeals court ruling sentencing former first lady Kim Keon Hee to four years in prison on corruption charges.

The Seoul High Court raised Kim's sentence from 20 months to four years in prison Tuesday, finding her partially guilty of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and guilty of accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church.

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260504002852315?section=national/national

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