Yonhap News SummaryThe following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday . ---------------- Conglomerates lower donations after anti - corruption law implemented SEOUL -- Most of the country ' s top 10 conglomerates cut back on their donations and entertainment expenses last year after a new anti - corruption law went into effect , corporate tracking data showed Monday . The data provided by Chaebul . com , which monitors activities of business groups , said the conglomerates made donations of 493 billion won ( US $ 461 million ) in the first three quarters of 2017 , down 24 . 9 percent from 656 . 7 billion won in the same period of the previous year . ----------------' Maze Runner : The Death Cure ' tops box office on first weekend SEOUL -- " Maze Runner : The Death Cure " outdid another newcomer to top the South Korean box office on the first weekend , data showed Monday . The sci - fi series ' third installment sold 868 , 422 tickets from Friday to Sunday , bringing its five - day total audience to 1 . 26 million , according to the Korean Film Council . ---------------- Opposition lawmaker calls for suspension of troop reduction plan SEOUL -- The chairman of the parliamentary defense committee on Monday called for the suspension of the government ' s plan to curtail its forces and shorten mandatory service terms for conscripts . Rep . Kim Hack - yong of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party stressed that troop strength is still crucial given that North Korea ' s 1 . 28 - million - strong military far outnumbers South Korea ' s 625 , 000 - strong military . ---------------- Business community argues against gov ' t logic on minimum wage SEOUL -- The local business community on Monday continued to strongly dispute the government ' s argument that the raised minimum wage will eventually help the economy , dismissing such reasoning as outdated . Finance Minister Kim Dong - yeon on Jan . 11 cited results of the minimum wage increases that took place in 2000 and 2007 , when the job market was affected by higher hiring costs in the short run but stabilized after just a few months . ---------------- S . Korean , U . S . defense chiefs to meet over Olympics SEOUL -- The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will soon hold talks to discuss measures needed for the success of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and other issues , the defense ministry said Monday . " The South Korean and the U . S . defense chiefs will soon have a meeting . Schedule and detailed agenda have yet to be determined , " Choi Hyun - soo , spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense , said in a press briefing . ---------------- Inbound travelers to S . Korea drop 22 . 7 pct in 2017 due to THAAD row SEOUL -- The number of foreign tourists to South Korea slipped last year in the wake of a diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of a U . S . anti - missile system , government data showed Monday . A total of 13 . 3 million foreigners visited South Korea in 2017 , down 22 . 7 percent from a year earlier , according to the Korea Tourism Organization ( KTO ) . ----------------( LEAD ) Prosecutors raid office of ex - President Lee Myung - bak ' s brother over NIS fund scandal SEOUL -- Prosecutors raided the residence and office of an elder brother of former President Lee Myung - bak on Monday as part of a probe into allegations that he accepted illicit money from the state spy agency . Investigators from Seoul Central District Prosecutors ' Office searched property that belongs to Lee Sang - deuk , 83 , to secure evidence , including documents and computer hard drives , the prosecution said . ----------------( PyeongChang Prospects ) Teen skater hoping to restore reputation of men ' s short track at PyeongChang SEOUL -- The men ' s short track speed skating team of South Korea failed to win any medals at the 2014 Winter Games , and the 18 - year - old skater phenom Hwang Dae - heon is widely seen as someone who can help the crew rebuild its reputation at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next month . " I want to compete as an earnest athlete for a long period , " Hwang said as he braces for his first Winter Olympics . ----------------( PyeongChang Prospects ) S . Korea ' s twin curlers share golden dream for Olympics SEOUL -- South Korea ' s twin curlers Lee Ki - bok and Lee Ki - jeong have different personalities , but when it comes to curling , the two share the same dream of winning the country ' s first medal in the sport at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics . " My older brother smiles while playing , but I tend to be a little serious , " Ki - jeong of South Koreas ' mixed doubles team said , claiming that the difference nevertheless brings " balance " between the two . Ki - bok will compete for the men ' s team at the Feb . 9 - 25 PyeongChang Winter Olympics . ---------------- Gov ' t to seek to ease regulations to help new technologies , industries take off SEOUL -- The government said Monday that it will revise dozens of laws and regulations as part of efforts to help new technologies and industries reach their full potentials , unfettered by cumbersome , outdated red tape . The government announced the plan to amend 38 laws and regulations after a meeting , presided over by President Moon Jae - in , saying " rigid government regulations " are blocking new industries and new technologies from moving forward in an era of the fourth industrial revolution . ( END )