Yonhap News Agency: Major Stories Moved on Monday

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

■ (LEAD) Lee's disapproval rating exceeds approval rating for 1st time since inauguration

SEOUL -- President Lee Jae Myung's disapproval rating has surpassed his approval rating for the first time since he took office in June last year, a survey showed Monday, amid the fallout of ballot shortages reported during the recent local elections.

In the poll commissioned by the EKN newspaper and conducted by Realmeter, Lee's approval rating dropped 4.8 percentage points from a week earlier to 46.7 percent, marking the first time his approval rating fell below 50 percent in a Realmeter poll since his inauguration.

■ Starbucks Korea to close all stores early to carry out history training after 'Tank Day' promotion backlash

SEOUL -- Starbucks Korea will close all of its stores nationwide early Monday to provide employee training aimed at improving historical awareness and social sensitivity, following a controversial promotion linked to the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju.

All 2,160 stores across the country will close at 3 p.m. It marks the first time Starbucks Korea has ended operations early nationwide since opening its first outlet in 1999.

■ PM nominee apologizes for information leak from 'Startup for All' website

SEOUL -- Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook apologized Monday over a recent information leak from the government's website for an audition-style startup incubation program.

An artificial intelligence solution firm serving as a project partner was found to have exploited a security loophole in the website for the "Startup for All" project and collected the emails, summarized startup ideas and judge reviews of 5,000 people that passed the first round of the audition.

■ (LEAD) Exports up 60 pct in first 20 days of June on robust chip salesg

SEOUL -- South Korea's exports jumped 60.4 percent from a year earlier in the first 20 days of June, data showed Monday, setting a new fresh high for the period amid robust shipments of semiconductors.

Outbound shipments reached US$62 billion in the June 1-20 period, compared with $38.6 billion tallied in the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

■ Seoul, Beijing to hold 15th round of FTA follow-up talks on services

SEOUL -- South Korea and China kicked off a new round of follow-up negotiations on services and investment under their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), Seoul's trade ministry said Monday.

Trade delegations from the two sides will hold the 15th round of follow-up negotiations throughout this week in Beijing from Monday to Friday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

■ Kakao Games says no decision made on merger with Line Games

SEOUL -- Kakao Games Corp. said no decision has been made regarding a potential merger with Line Games Corp., a game publishing company under the Japanese tech firm LY Corp., during a shareholder meeting held Monday.

"Nothing has been decided yet over a merger. But we could say there will be business partnerships," the game company's chief financial officer (CFO), said, noting the mobile game SMiniz created under a partnership between Line Games and SM Entertainment Co.