Yonhap News Summary

President Lee Jae Myung has directed the government to mobilize all resources to mitigate damage from an extreme heatwave gripping South Korea. Temperatures soared near 40 C in various regions, with Yangsan recording a peak of 42.5 C on Sunday.

For the first time this year, South Korea's Navy conducted defense drills near the easternmost islets of Dokdo. The exercise aimed to respond to potential threats against the country's territory and people.

South Korean stocks plummeted over 4 percent due to concerns over the profitability of artificial intelligence (AI) spending. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 4.58 percent, closing at 6,296.38 points. The local currency strengthened against the U.S. dollar.

In the first half of the year, 63 North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea for resettlement, a 35 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. The 63 defectors included 59 women and four men, bringing the total number of North Korean defectors in South Korea to 34,600.