Yonhap News Summary: Lee-ADB Talks, Medical Aid Readiness, Korean Air Migration

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

■ Lee, ADB chief agree to boost cooperation on critical minerals, AI

SEOUL -- President Lee Jae Myung and the chief of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed Monday to enhance cooperation on critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI), the presidential office said.

Lee and ADB President Masato Kanda also discussed ways to deepen ties in energy, including nuclear power, during their talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

■ (2nd LD) Seoul ready to provide medical equipment to hospital in N. Korea if asked: gov't

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government is fully prepared to provide medical equipment to North Korea as soon as it is asked by Pyongyang, a unification ministry report showed Monday, adding it has already secured U.N. approval and necessary budget to do so.

According to the report submitted to Rep. Kim Dai-sik of the main opposition People Power Party, the government plans to supply 166 types of medical equipment to Kangdong County Hospital in Pyongyang, the first hospital completed under North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's push to build factories and medical facilities across the country.

■ Korean Air to begin booking migration ahead of Asiana integration

SEOUL -- Korean Air Co. said Monday it will begin migrating Asiana Airlines bookings and flight numbers to its system in November ahead of the carriers' full integration in December.

Korean Air will carry out the migration in phases from Nov. 2 through Dec. 3. Asiana passengers will be rebooked under Korean Air flight numbers, replacing the OZ code with the KE code.

■ LG opens Middle East's first B2B AI home experience space in Saudi Arabia

SEOUL -- LG Electronics Inc., a major South Korean home appliance maker, said Monday it has opened the Middle East's first business-to-business (B2B) artificial intelligence (AI) home experience space in Saudi Arabia.

The company recently established the B2B-focused AI home experience space at its brand shop in Riyadh, modeled after a premium residential setting in the country, LG said.

■ S. Korea condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, calls for immediate halt

SEOUL -- The foreign ministry on Monday condemned recent attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeting civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia and called for an immediate halt to such assaults.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia since last week, targeting cities and energy facilities with missiles and drones. The attacks have wounded dozens of people and caused fires and disruptions at some energy facilities, according to foreign media reports.