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≡ Top US Commanders For S. Korea To Brief Congress
Top American military commanders are set to brief Congress ahead of a second U.S.-North Korea summit to be held later this month.
According to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and General Robert Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, will testify before the committee Tuesday.
It said they will provide testimony "in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2020 and the Future Years Defense Program," referring to the Pentagon's spending projections for the next fiscal year.
The hearing comes days after Seoul and Washington signed a preliminary agreement renewing their cost-sharing deal for stationing 28,500 American troops in South Korea.
The allies settled for a 8.2 percent increase in Seoul's contribution to some 1.04 trillion won over a one-year period, up from 960 billion won last year.■[2019.02.12]
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≡ US Stocks Mixed As China Trade Talks Begin
Stocks on Wall Street finished mixed overnight as markets eyed ongoing U.S.-China trade talks while lawmakers in Washington sought to avoid another government shutdown.
At closing bell on Monday, the Dow Jones fell 0.2 percent, while the S&P 500 and the tech-rich Nasdaq both gained 0.1 percent.
Over in Europe, London's FTSE added 0.8 percent, Frankfurt's DAX advanced 1 percent, while shares in Paris were up 1.1 percent.■
[2019.02.12]
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≡ Danwon High School To Hold Graduation Ceremony For Sewol Victims
An honorary graduation ceremony is being held today for the Danwon High School students who died in the Sewol ferry sinking in 2014.
The event will be held at the high school in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
Honorary high school diplomas will be given to the 250 student victims, including two who are still missing from the disaster.
They would have graduated in 2016.
Hundreds of fellow classmates and bereaved family members are expected to attend.
The ceremony had been postponed as bereaved families refused to take part until the missing students were recovered and authorities took responsibility for the disaster.■[2019.02.12]
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≡ Weather Update 700
Taking a look at the weather, most of the nation is waking up to relatively clear skies on this Tuesday.
Areas in Seoul, parts of Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces may be getting a light dusting of snow through the early morning hours.
Looking ahead, more clouds will move in later this afternoon.
High levels of fine dust may at times also affect air quality in the capital region, Gangwon, the Chungcheong provinces and in North Jeolla.
Take precautions when outdoors.
The local mercury will peak at around 4 degrees.
As for the current temperature in central Seoul, it is _____ degrees Celsius or _____ degrees Fahrenheit.■[2019.02.12]
