Yonhap News Summary | Yonhap News Agency

## Summary
Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the announcement in a briefing after returning from his trip to the UAE, amid concerns over global energy markets with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes entering their third week. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318005600315 ----------------- ■ Gov't to raise terror alert by 1 notch ahead of BTS concert SEOUL -- The government said Wednesday it will raise the official terror alert by one notch ahead of K-pop group BTS' comeback show in central Seoul this weekend. The alert will be raised to the second-lowest level of "caution" on a four-tier scale for the Jongno and Jung wards from midnight Wednesday until midnight Saturday, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said in a press release. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318001400315?section=national/politics ----------------- ■ Lee thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for support in evacuating S. In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318004300315?section=national/politics ----------------- ■ (LEAD) S. The crucial waterway carries about one-fifth of the world's oil supply. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318000251315?section=national/diplomacy (END) Keywords #Yonhap News Summary Articles with issue keywords Most Liked 16th Gwangju Biennale: You must change your life Ex-U.S. officials voice concerns about Trump gov't 'vacating' deterrence assets from Indo-Pacific amid Iran war Police vow zero tolerance for terror threats against BTS comeback concert (2nd LD) N.

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The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
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■ UAE pledges to supply crude oil to S. Korea with top priority: presidential aide
SEOU -- The United Arab Emirates has pledged to supply crude oil to South Korea with top priority, President Lee Jae Myung's top aide said Wednesday, saying that a total of 24 million barrels of crude oil have been secured from the Gulf nation.
Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the announcement in a briefing after returning from his trip to the UAE, amid concerns over global energy markets with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes entering their third week.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318005600315
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■ Gov't to raise terror alert by 1 notch ahead of BTS concert
SEOUL -- The government said Wednesday it will raise the official terror alert by one notch ahead of K-pop group BTS' comeback show in central Seoul this weekend.
The alert will be raised to the second-lowest level of "caution" on a four-tier scale for the Jongno and Jung wards from midnight Wednesday until midnight Saturday, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said in a press release.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318001400315?section=national/politics
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■ Lee thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for support in evacuating S. Koreans from Middle East
SEOUL -- President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters to the leaders of Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to express his gratitude for their cooperation in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, with the U.S.-Israel war with Iran destabilizing the region.
In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318004300315?section=national/politics
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■ (LEAD) S. Korea adds 234,000 jobs in Feb.; youth unemployment hits 5-yr high
SEOUL -- South Korea added 234,000 jobs in February, marking the fastest on-year growth in five months, though a slump in youth employment and the construction sector persisted, data showed Wednesday.
The number of employed people rose by 0.8 percent from a year earlier to 28.41 million last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318001151320?section=national/national
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■ Police nab suspect behind airline pilot murder in Busan
BUSAN -- Police have apprehended a man on suspicion of fatally stabbing an airline pilot in Busan, officials said Wednesday.
The man in his 50s, surnamed Kim, was taken into custody Tuesday evening after allegedly murdering the victim, a former colleague, early that morning at an apartment in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318002600315?section=national/national
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■ (LEAD) Trump says U.S. no longer needs assistance from NATO allies, S. Korea or Japan to secure Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States no longer needs naval assistance from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, South Korea, Japan or Australia to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing "military success" in ongoing operations against Iran.
Trump made the remarks in a social media post after calling on allies and partners to help reopen the strait that has been effectively closed by the ongoing war between the U.S., Israel and Iran. The crucial waterway carries about one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318000251315?section=national/diplomacy
(END)
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States no longer needs naval assistance from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, South Korea, Japan or Australia to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing "military success" in ongoing operations against Iran.

### Areas for Consideration
- The crucial waterway carries about one-fifth of the world's oil supply. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318000251315?section=national/diplomacy (END) Keywords #Yonhap News Summary Articles with issue keywords Most Liked 16th Gwangju Biennale: You must change your life Ex-U.S. officials voice concerns about Trump gov't 'vacating' deterrence assets from Indo-Pacific amid Iran war Police vow zero tolerance for terror threats against BTS comeback concert (2nd LD) N.

### Implications
- Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the announcement in a briefing after returning from his trip to the UAE, amid concerns over global energy markets with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes entering their third week. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318005600315 ----------------- ■ Gov't to raise terror alert by 1 notch ahead of BTS concert SEOUL -- The government said Wednesday it will raise the official terror alert by one notch ahead of K-pop group BTS' comeback show in central Seoul this weekend.
- The alert will be raised to the second-lowest level of "caution" on a four-tier scale for the Jongno and Jung wards from midnight Wednesday until midnight Saturday, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said in a press release. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318001400315?section=national/politics ----------------- ■ Lee thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for support in evacuating S.
- In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318004300315?section=national/politics ----------------- ■ (LEAD) S.
- The man in his 50s, surnamed Kim, was taken into custody Tuesday evening after allegedly murdering the victim, a former colleague, early that morning at an apartment in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260318002600315?section=national/national ----------------- ■ (LEAD) Trump says U.S. no longer needs assistance from NATO allies, S.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers korea, wednesday, bts topics. Notable strengths include discussion of korea. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 821.