Yonhap News Summary

On Jeju Island, the presumed body of a missing woman named Jang Mi-ran was discovered on Monday. Police found the body in a nearby forest, only a kilometer from the accommodation where Jang had stayed before disappearing. The discovery came after an urgent search, launched due to the premature closing of the case by a police officer who allegedly did not confirm Jang's safety.

In the financial markets, Seoul stocks plummeted over 3% on Monday, following the announcement of Samsung Electronics' plan for a shareholder return. The drop was primarily driven by uncertainty surrounding the plan's impact on semiconductor stocks. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 215.99 points, or 3.12%, to 6,696.96.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook issued a strong statement pledging zero tolerance and severe punishment for mishandling of missing person cases. This pledge followed reports that a police officer had prematurely closed a missing person investigation without verifying the individual's safety. Han emphasized that safeguarding lives and ensuring fair investigations should be the top priority.

An industry report predicts that Samsung Electronics will surpass Apple Inc. in global smartphone shipments by 2026. Samsung's shipments are expected to increase by 0.8% compared to the previous year, while Apple's shipments are forecasted to decline by 2.1%.