The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
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■ S. Korea's growth could exceed IMF projection: finance minister
BANGKOK -- South Korea's economic growth could exceed projections by international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), barring unexpected external shocks, the finance minister has said, citing robust exports and facility investment data.
Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il made the assessment during a meeting with reporters in Bangkok on Friday. He visited Thailand to attend the Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group last week, marking his first participation in a major international event since taking office last month.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261018001300320
Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il speaks during a session with reporters at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok on Oct. 16, 2026, in this photo released by the Ministry of Finance and Economy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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■ (LEAD) Lee meets chief of World Bank for talks on cooperation in AI, energy
SEOUL -- President Lee Jae Myung held a meeting with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga on Monday and discussed ways to boost cooperation in various areas, including artificial intelligence (AI) and energy, Seoul's presidential office said.
The meeting at Cheong Wa Dae came as Banga is visiting South Korea to attend the Global AI and Digital Summit, to be held Tuesday by the World Bank Group in partnership with South Korea's finance and science ministries.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261019002351315
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■ Lee's approval rating rebounds after 2-week decline: poll
SEOUL -- President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rebounded to 37.3 percent after two consecutive weeks of decline, a survey showed Monday.
In the poll conducted on 2,520 adults nationwide from last Monday to Friday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance rose 2.1 percentage points from the previous week.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261019000800315
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■ 1 KATUSA killed, 3 USFK soldiers injured in rollover crash in Daegu
DAEGU -- One South Korean soldier attached to the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) was killed and three others, including two U.S. service members, were injured Monday after their vehicle crashed in the southeastern city of Daegu, local police said.
Their military sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashed into a median strip and flipped onto its right side on a highway in the city about 240 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 5:07 a.m., the police said.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261019002400315
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■ Badminton star An Se-young sets record for most int'l women's singles titles
SEOUL -- With her latest victory in Denmark over the weekend, South Korean badminton star An Se-young set the record for the most international titles in the women's singles, the sport's international governing body said Monday.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced on its social media that An's title at the Denmark Open on Sunday was her 47th international championship, one more than the former Indonesian star Susi Susanti.