Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, Feb. 5

SEOUL -- A South Korean appeals court released Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Monday as Lee got a suspended jail sentence in the second trial.

The Seoul High Court sentenced Lee, an heir apparent of Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-controlled conglomerate, to two and a half years in prison with a stay of execution for four years. (S. Korea-Samsung-Heir)

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TOKYO -- A Japanese Self-Defense Force (SDF) helicopter crashed near an elementary school in Saga Prefecture, in the northwest part of the island of Kyushu, local media said Monday.

According to public broadcaster NHK, the Saga Prefectural Police Headquarters received information that an SDF helicopter had crashed near the the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School in Kanzaki-shi at around 4:45 p.m. local time (0745 GMT). (Japan-Helicopter Crash)

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SEOUL -- South Korea on Monday welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s dispatch of its high-ranking delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics set to kick off later this week.

Baik Tae-hyun, Seoul's unification ministry spokesman, told a press briefing that the government hailed the visit by the DPRK's high-ranking delegation to South Korea, saying it will provide necessary accommodations and guarantee security during their stay. (S. Korea-DPRK-Delegation)

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TOKYO -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday reiterated the Japanese government's commitment to relocate a controversial U.S. air base within Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, amid rising antipathy on the island due to a recent spate of U.S. military-linked mishaps.

"By gaining the understanding of local citizens, we will go ahead with the base transfer plan in accordance with the Supreme Court's ruling," the prime minister said, with reference to a series of legal suits and counter suits brought by Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and the central government. (Japan-U.S.-Base) Enditem