SEOUL -- Two people were rescued and five others went missing after a vessel carrying cargo and cars capsized off western South Korea, Yonhap news agency said Monday, citing the coast guard.

It was reported at 6:26 p.m. local time (0926 GMT) that the 83-ton vessel with seven people aboard overturned in waters off Seosan, about 100 km southwest of the capital Seoul. (South Korea-Vessel Overturn)

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SINGAPORE -- The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Further Upgrade Protocol, set to come into effect on Tuesday, will benefit businesses in three key areas, Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement on Monday.

First, Singaporean investors and service providers will enjoy more liberal and transparent rules, leveling the playing field for investment and trade with China, the ministry said. (Singapore-China-FTA)

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HONG KONG -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) aims to boost the value added generated by tourism to 120 billion Hong Kong dollars (15.46 billion U.S. dollars) by 2029, up from 75.3 billion HKD in 2023, said a blueprint released by the HKSAR government on Monday.

The city expects the industry to employ 210,000 people in 2029, up from 145,600 in 2023, according to the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0 (Blueprint 2.0) covering the upcoming five years through 2029. (Hong Kong-Tourism Blueprint)

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SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will submit a written opinion and appoint defense counsel to the Seoul Western District Court, Yonhap news agency reported Monday citing Yoon's side.

Yoon Kab-keun, lawyer and former prosecutor, was quoted as saying that Yoon's written opinion will be submitted later in the day to the court, to which the joint investigation unit sought an arrest warrant for Yoon over his martial law imposition. (South Korea-Impeached President)

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HANOI -- Vietnam's birth rate hit a record low in 2024 with the total fertility rate dropping to just 1.91 children per woman, marking the third consecutive year below replacement level, Vietnam News Agency cited the Vietnam Population Authority under the Ministry of Health on Monday.

The decline in birth rates has been steady over the past few years: from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 2.01 in 2022, and further down to 1.96 in 2023, said the report. (Vietnam-Birth Rate-2024) Enditem

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