Welcome to Arirang News This is Yoon Se-young And we start with our 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. 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. 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. 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. 3. 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. 4. In the meantime, President Yoon Suk Yeol has pledged. . . to protect. . . medical students. . . from potential academic disruptions. . . arising from the absence. . . of professors. . . at colleges. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting. . . earlier on this Tuesday. . . he also called. . . the decision. . . to partake. . . in collective action. . . by medical practitioners. . . regrettable. . . and that the government would respond. . . appropriately. . . with priority. . . placed. . . on public health needs. Hopes for transparent dialogue were further shared. . . to better bridge. . . the gap. . . over differences. 5. South Korea saw its global competitiveness soar to a record high in rankings released by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development. According to the finance ministry on Tuesday,. . . South Korea placed 20th overall out of 67 countries that were assessed in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Rankings,. . . its highest ever. And it''s also up eight places compared to last year when it came in at 28th. The rankings --- which are published in June each year --- assess a country''s ability to create a conducive business environment by rating them across four key areas, namely, economic performance, government and business efficiency, and infrastructure,. . . covering 20 subcategories. 6. Lastly to local bourse, Korea’s benchmark KOSPI gained 19. 82 points from the previous trading day, to close at 2,763. 92 Meanwhile, KOSDAQ lost 0. 01 points closing at 858. 95 Moving to the weather forecast, Today is no exception in terms of recent weather trends with scorching temperatures under sunny skies. 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, so carrying an umbrella for UV protection is an excellent idea. Don''t hesitate to walk around with one, even for men, to stay safe in the sun. It''s going to be a long harsh summer this year. The current temperatures are: _______ degrees in Seoul _______ degrees in Suwon _______ degrees in Daegu _______ degrees in Busan And _______ degrees on Jejudo Island You’re listening to Arirang Radio