Welcome to Arirang News. This is Key Kim. We start with the top headlines at this hour. 1. North Korean troops briefly crossed. . . the military demarcation line. . . earlier on this Tuesday. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. . . some 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers. . . intruded. . . into the border. . . at around half past eight. . . this morning. They returned to their side of the border. . . after the South Korean military fired warning shots. . . and aired warning messages. A similar intrusion took place. . . on June 9th. . . when North Korean troops appeared lost. . . while working in the DMZ. Authorities here have detected. . . increased North Korean activity along the border. . . since April. . . including the installation of land mines. . . and anti-tank barriers. In fact. . . there have reportedly been. . . a number of casualties. . . involving North Korean service members. . . while placing. . . land mines.   2. As confirmed by both the Kremlin and North Korea on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea on Tuesday for a two-day visit, before heading to Vietnam later in the week. ’[ According to the Kremlin, Putin will arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday evening and hold meetings on Wednesday. A Kremlin aide said the two leaders will sign several important agreements, which may include a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, outlining future cooperation and deal with security issues. They also plan to discuss issues, including the economy, energy, transportation, and agriculture. This is his first visit to Pyongyang in 24 years since July 2000, when then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and the Russian leader announced a joint declaration on friendly cooperation. It will be Putin''s third summit with leader Kim Jong-un, following their second meeting last September. Ahead of his visit, Putin said in a letter published in North Korea''s Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday, that he intends to elevate relations with North Korea to a higher level.   3. South Korea and China are scheduled to hold high-level talks between their foreign and defense officials on Tuesday,. . . the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Pyongyang. South Korea''s foreign ministry announced Monday that the 2+2 meeting, set to take place in Seoul, will be led by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong. Defense officials at the director-general level from the two countries will also be joining the meeting. During Tuesday''s meeting, the two sides will likely discuss the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula -- including the North''s trash balloons, and the South''s decision to suspend the inter-Korean military agreement. South Korea is expected to once again ask China to play a constructive role in resolving North Korea issues,. . . and highlight the importance of communication between Seoul and Beijing to maintain peace in the region.   4. A rally held by the Korean Medical Association began in Seoul on Tuesday afternoon with 20 thousand people expected to be taking part. On the same day, a nationwide strike of community doctors, represented by the KMA, kicked off. Over seventy percent of KMA members, when asked earlier this month, said they would participate in the walkout. However, according to the health ministry, 4 percent of medical institutions, including clinics and hospitals indicated they will suspend services on Tuesday, although some of the doctors working at those institutes may not be affiliated with the KMA. In response, the government issued an order preventing healthcare facilities from closing, effective Tuesday morning. South Korea''s government will take all necessary steps to ensure medical students and interns can continue their studies and training. That''s according to President Yoon Suk Yeol speaking at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, as university hospital doctors threaten to strike against the increase in medical school admissions from next year. Calling such actions regrettable and negligent, Yoon said the government has no choice but to take stern measures in the interest of public health. 5. South Korea saw its world competitiveness ranking soar to a record high in a ranking released by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development. According to the finance ministry on Tuesday,. . . South Korea ranked 20th out of the 67 countries that were assessed in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking,. . . its highest ranking ever. And it''s also up eight levels compared to last year''s ranking when it fell by one place to 28th. The ranking --- which is published in June each year by the IMD --- assesses a country''s ability to create a conducive business environment by ranking them across four key areas which include economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure,. . . as well as 20 subcategories. The rise in its global competitiveness ranking this year was mostly driven by its business efficiency and infrastructure ranking. In this year''s ranking,. . . South Korea''s business efficiency ranking jumped 10 places to 23rd,. . . thanks to improvements seen in various areas such as productivity, labor market, finance, and business management practices.   Moving to weather forecast, Scorching heat continues. In fact, it will be hotter in most places with heat advisories in place for parts of Gyeongsang-do and surrounding areas. Miryang in Gyeongsangnam-do Province could see a high of 36 degrees this afternoon. Sunny skies will beam down on us nationwide, UV ray will be quite high throughout the day. Seoul and even Busan see a high of 32 degrees, Daegu and Gwangju at 34 degrees. After the mercury hits its peak tomorrow at 35 degrees in Seoul, numbers will try to go back to the norms. Meanwhile, Jeju will see rain from tomorrow into Friday. 59:30’ The current temperatures are: _______ degrees in Seoul _______ degrees in Pyeongchang _______ degrees in Busan And _______ degrees on Jejudo Island 59:39’ You’re listening to Arirang Radio 59:42’