YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from April 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from April 2004

FM Calls Japanese Counterpart to Seek Progress on Nuclear Talks.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) - Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and his Japanese counterpart Yoriko Kawaguchi agreed Thursday on closer cooperation to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis, according to government officials. During a...

S. Korea, U.S., Japan to Coordinate N.K. Policies Next Week.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan are to hold high-level talks in San Francisco on April 7-8 to coordinate their North Korea policies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Thursday. Ministry...

Korean Separated Family Members Hold Tearful Reunions.
April 1, 2004... MOUNT GEUMGANG, North Korea, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of elderly South Koreans had tearful reunions Thursday with their loved ones from North Korea whom they have not seen for more than a half century. The reunions between 491 South...

(LEAD) National Assembly Candidates Ready for Campaign.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Candidates for the April 15 general election are set to launch official campaigning after midnight Thursday, the deadline for registration with the election watchdog. A total of 872 political aspirants registered...

Won Ends Higher Against Dollar on Yen's Strength.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Korean won surged against the dollar on a strong yen Thursday, while the nation's key bond yield sank. The won gained 5.40 to finish at 1,141.20 to the greenback, its highest close since Nov. 16, 2000. The...

Powercomm Targets 570 Billion Won in 2004 Sales.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Powercomm Co., South Korea's second-largest cable network service provider, has projected sales of 570 billion won (US$490 million) in 2004, the company said on Thursday. In a statement, Powercomm, in which Dacom...

Korean Handset Makers Post Biggest-Ever Monthly Shipments in March.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top three handset manufacturers achieved their largest-ever monthly cell phone shipments for local sales in March as more people tended to replace their phones with ones with built-in cameras and...

Chief Korean Delegate to Military Talks with U.S. Resigns.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The chief South Korean negotiator to military talks with the United States is to quit the post, as he will retire from active duty this weekend, his office said Thursday. Lt. Gen. Cha Young-koo, assistant defense...

Gwangju University Founder Commits Suicide.
April 1, 2004... GWANGJU, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Kim In-kon, the founder of Gwangju University and former lawmaker, apparently committed suicide Thursday by jumping from his office window, police said. He was 76 years old. Kim was found lying on the ground with...

CJ Home Shopping Starts Broadcasting in Shanghai.
April 1, 2004... SHANGHAI, April 1 (Yonhap) -- CJ Home Shopping, South Korea's second-largest home shopping company, said Thursday it has started broadcasting home shopping programming in Shanghai, one of the richest cities in China. The subsidiary of...

Seoul Shares Rise on Foreign Buying.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares rose for the second consecutive day Thursday thanks to brisk foreign buying. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, the barometer of the main Korea Stock Exchange, climbed 0.26 percent, or 2.25...

Number of Cell Phone Switchers Reached 700,000 in South Korea.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Korean cell phone customers who switched carriers without changing phone numbers reached 700,000 under a new system that went into effect three months ago, industry officials said Thursday. ...

(LEAD) Car Exports Soar, Domestic Sales Drop in March.
April 1, 2004... By Lee Seung-woo SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Sales of South Korean automobiles sharply rose on-year in March as brisk exports outstripped sluggish domestic sales, according to industry reports Thursday. Overall sales among the nation's...

Yonhap News Summary.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is an updated summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. The day's first summary moved at 11:30 (0230 GMT) and the second is set to move at 4:30 p.m. (0730 GMT). ...

Securities Firms in S. Korea Shed Almost 10 Percent of Employees.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's securities firms shed almost 10 percent of employees last year as a result of heavy corporate restructuring, the nation's financial watchdog said Thursday. According to statistics released by the...

S. Korea's Top 10 Groups Increase net profit 6.49 Pct Last Year.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The top 10 business groups by assets listed on the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE), excluding public corporations and LG Group, posted a combined net profit of 12.96 trillion won (US$11.22 billion) in 2003, up 6.49...

S. Korea's Exports Rise 39.5 Percent Last Month.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports jumped 39.5 percent year-on-year to a record US$21.45 billion in March, propelling the country's trade surplus for 12 months in a row, government figures showed Thursday. Imports also rose...

Auto Exports Soar, Domestic Sales Drop in March.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Sales of South Korean automobiles rose sharply year-on-year in March as brisk exports outstripped sluggish domestic sales, according to industry reports Thursday. Overall sales among the nation's top-five...

(LEAD) FTC to Impose Investment Ceiling on 18 Business Groups.
April 1, 2004... Seoul, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Thursday added Daewoo E&C, Shinsegae Department Store and LG Cable to 15 other companies, including Samsung and Hyundai Motor Co., on its list of businesses that are banned from...

(LEAD) S. Korea's New Bullet Trains Successfully Finish First Journey.
April 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- "The country's first high-speed train from Busan will soon arrive at Seoul Station," driver Yang Se-woo announced over the intercom as the train slid slowly into the station Thursday. The train,...

GIA Conducts 7-Day Survey for New Logo Design of 'Dynamic Korea'.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Government Information Agency said Thursday that it has begun conducting a survey to choose the new logo for the catch phrase "Dynamic Korea" which symbolizes South Korea in public relations materials. The...

South Korea, China, Japan to Discuss Open-source Software.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, China and Japan will convene a meeting of senior government officials this weekend to discuss ways to promote open-source computer software to make the three countries less dependent on Microsoft Corp.'s...

USFK Expanding Air Force Command under Reconsolidation Accord.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. military has begun construction work to expand its air force command in South Korea as part of ongoing plans to reconsolidate its installations, officials said Thursday. The U.S. military broke ground...

Listed Firms' Profits Tumble 30 Pct in 2003.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's listed companies saw their combined net profits plunge more than 30 percent on-year in 2003 due to a set of negative factors, including the outbreak of SARS and the war in Iraq, the Korea Stock...

Today in Korean History.
April 1, 2004... Friday, April 2, 2004 1984 -- The Agency for National Security Planning, the predecessor of the National Intelligence Service, says South Korean movie director Shin Sang-ok and his wife, actress Choi Un-hee, have been abducted by North...

Goh Orders Gov't to Use Lottery Profits for Social Welfare.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Acting Prime Minister Goh Kun Thursday ordered the government to allocate profits from lotteries run by government agencies to aid children living without parents and other social welfare projects. In a meeting...

Top S. Korean Cos. Reaffirm Commitment to Social Responsibility.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major conglomerates have decided to make concerted efforts to enhance corporate social responsibility through job creation and contributing more to society, the nation's most influential business lobby...

Foreign Ministry Offers Extensive Information on Living Overseas.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Foreign Ministry began offering extensive information about living abroad at its Internet homepage on Thursday, collecting and compiling first-hand experiences of its diplomats and their family members. A...

Civic Groups to Resume Evaluation of Nat'l Assembly Candidates.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A civic group campaigning for fair parliamentary elections on April 15 said Thursday it will resume naming those it considers qualified and unqualified candidates, ending a month-long break caused by the...

S. Korea's KTF to Start Roaming Service in Japan.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April (Yonhap) -- KTF Co., the second biggest of South Korea's three mobile phone operators, said Thursday it has agreed with Vodafone K.K., Japan's third-largest wireless company, to offer cell phone service that can be used in both...

Activists on Hunger Strike for Release of N. Korean Defectors.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Several local Christian activists said Thursday they will begin a 15-day hunger strike to protest the detention of North Korean defectors in China. The Durihana Missionary Foundation claimed that about 100 North...

Kookmin Bank Seeks Strategic Partner against Citigroup.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's No. 1 lender, said Thursday it will find a strategic partner to strengthen its marketing portfolio against the U.S. banking giant Citigroup which is expanding its business in South Korea....

Oil Prices Expected to Remain High in 2nd Quarter.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- International oil prices are likely to remain high in the current quarter, coming as a burden to the South Korean economy, the nation's central bank warned Thursday. "International oil prices may continue to be high...

S. Korea, U.S. Alliance Talks Delayed Until Mid-May.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and U.S. military officials will hold talks in the middle of next month to finalize the planned relocation of the American military command currently in Seoul, South Korean officials said Thursday. ...

FTC to Impose Investment Ceiling on 18 Business Groups.
April 1, 2004... Seoul, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Fair Trade Commission Thursday added Daewoo E&C, Shinsegae Department Store and LG Cable to 15 other companies, including Samsung and Hyundai Motor Co., on its list of businesses that are banned from investing...

East Sea Gas Field to Begin Test-Production.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will soon join oil- and gas-producing countries as its first gas field in the East Sea nears the start trial production, head of the state-run oil company said Thursday. "(We) plan to begin...

U.S. Wheat Farmers Eyeing N. Korean Market.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. wheat farmers' organization is seeking to sell wheat flour to North Korea via South Korean millers, despite the probability of complications caused by its government's hard line policy on Pyongyang, Radio Free...

Korea's First Bullet Trains Successfully Finish First Journey.
April 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- "The country's first high-speed train from Busan will soon arrive at Seoul Station," driver Yang Se-woo announced over the intercom as the train slid slowly into the station Thursday. The train,...

(LEAD) S. Korea's Consumer Prices Rise by 3.1 Pct Annually in March.
April 1, 2004... By Lee Joon-seung SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices jumped 3.1 percent year-on-year in March as a result of higher costs for raw materials and fuel, a government report said Thursday. The National Statistical...

S. Korean Broadband Firms Offer Promotions Under E-Learning Drive.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean broadband Internet service providers said Thursday they were offering promotions to attract subscribers amid a nationwide online learning drive targeting high school students. The move is timed...

Worker with Hereditary Illness Eligible for Compensation: Court.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court ruled Thursday that an employee is eligible for receiving state-sponsored medical treatment or compensation, despite suffering from a hereditary condition. Upholding a lower court ruling that the Korea...

U.S. Concerns over N. Korea Selling Nuke Weapons to al-Qaeda.
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, March 31 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Pacific Command chief raised concerns Wednesday over the possibility of North Korea's nuclear weapons being exported to international terror organizations, such as the al-Qaeda network. At a...

S. Korean Travel Firms Debut Tour Packages for Bullet Train.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A number of South Korean travel agencies are rolling out new tour packages in expectation of surging demand for domestic travel following the launch of a bullet train service, industry sources said Thursday. ...

Gov't Considers Investing 1 Tln Won in KDB to Improve BIS.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government is considering measures to invest 1 trillion won (US$866 million) worth of fresh funds into the Korea Development Bank (KDB), the finance ministry said Thursday. The move, the...

Gov't Ordered to Prevent Influx of Fake Chilean Products.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Goh Kun ordered the government on Thursday to take measures to prevent products from countries other than Chile from being brought into the country as Chilean goods to get tariff benefits. The...

S. Korean Phone Makers Diversifying Export Destinations.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1, (Yonhap) -- South Korea's big mobile phone manufacturers are focusing on South American and other emerging markets to diversify their export markets, industry sources said Thursday. Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc....

National Assembly Candidates Ready for Campaign.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Candidates for April 15 general elections are set to launch official campaigning after Thursday midnight, the deadline for registration of candidates with the election watchdog. A total of 708 political...

EBS Internet-Based Tutoring Makes Smooth Start.
April 1, 2004... By Kim Hyun SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean educational broadcaster EBS started a nationwide tutoring program on the Internet for high school students early Thursday, receiving a warm welcome from rural, remote areas where...

Woori Financial Tightens Grip on Affiliates.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Woori Financial Group, South Korea's second-largest banking group, has begun tightening its grip on its affiliates, a financial source said Thursday. Notably, its holding company has been making its system more...

Ex-Aide to President Investigated on Additional Charges.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution has launched an additional investigation into allegations of illegal fundraising involving a former aide to President Roh Moo-hyun, officials said Thursday. The senior prosecutors have started...

(LEAD) Worker with Hereditary Illness Eligible for Compensation: Court.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that an employee is eligible for state-sponsored medical treatment or compensation despite suffering from a hereditary condition. The country's highest...

Former Army Major General Sentenced to 6 Years in Jail for Bribery.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court Thursday handed down to a retired two-star Army general a six-year jail term and 106 million won (US$91,790) in tax penalties for receiving kickbacks from an arms dealer. Lee Won-hyung, a former...

FC Seoul Look to Capitalize on Relocation.
April 1, 2004... By Eoghan Sweeney SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's professional football league, the K-League, gets under way Saturday, with more teams involved than ever before and the return of regular action to the capital for the first time...

N. Korea Accuses U.S. of Conducting Aerial Espionage Against it.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea accused the United States of committing 220 acts of aerial espionage last month over its military facilities near the military demarcation line separating the two Koreas, Pyongyang's state-run news...

International Oil Prices Fall Despite Concerns Over OPEC Cut.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Crude oil prices fell on international markets although the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to cut daily production, South Korea's state-run oil corporation said Thursday. According...

S. Korea Relieved of Fears of Further Oil Quota Cuts.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- OPEC's decision to cut the group's daily output quota did not rattle South Korea as it was widely expected with the annual springtime lull kicking in. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)...

Korean Banks Seeking to Become Financial Groups.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Several South Korean banks are seeking to turn themselves into financial services groups in order to meet the diverse needs of their customers, sources said Thursday. Their move is also designed to catch up with...

North Korea Different from Libya, N.K. Diplomat Says.
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, March 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is different from Libya because the Asian communist country has what it calls "nuclear deterrence," a U.S. congressman quoted a North Korean diplomat as saying. Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of...

Interim Leader Reiterates Gov't Neutrality in Elections.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Goh Kun reiterated Thursday the government's determination to remain neutral and crack down on illegal campaigning for the April 15 general elections. In a statement issued a day before the 14-day...

Thursday's Weather Forecast.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, Apr. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 13 major cities at 9 a.m. Thursday. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 15/4 Rain ...

S. Korean Home Shopping Channels Making Inroads in China.
April 1, 2004... By Lim Bo-mi SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean home shopping channels are turning to the Chinese market for a new source of cash as the growth of their domestic operations no longer seems as promising as they used to be. The...

S. Korea's Consumer Prices Rise by 3.1 Pct On-year in March.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices jumped 3.1 percent on the year in March as a result of higher raw material and fuel costs, a government report said Thursday. The National Statistical Office also said consumer prices...

Another 491 South Koreans to Visit North Korea for Family Reunions.
April 1, 2004... SOKCHO, South Korea, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of 491 elderly South Koreans left for North Korea by bus Thursday for temporary reunions with their Northern relatives whom they have not seen for more than a half century. The trip marked...

THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS FROM KOREAN NEWSPAPERS: 01 APRIL 2004.
April 1, 2004... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on April 1) Ending Poverty in Korea The fact that poverty is transmitted from generation to generation gives pain to poor parents. And society is responsible for that transmission. After enduring...

Top Headlines in Major Korean Newspapers - April 1, 2004.
April 1, 2004... Kyunghyang Shinmun - Regionalism Showing Signs of Collapsing Kukmin Daily - Divorce Rate Soars 15 Percent in 2003 Dong-A Ilbo - OPEC Smashes Oil Markets Seoul Shinmun - OPEC Starts Production Cut Segye Times - 17 Pct of...

South Korea Embarks on Bullet Train Era.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea began commercial operation of its bullet trains, called KTX, after 12 years of construction work as the first train left Seoul for Busan early Thursday morning. The departure of the KTX No. 74 at...

(LEAD) 20 AIDS Cases Found in Korean Military Since 2001.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- A total of 20 South Korean soldiers have been discharged from the military since 2001 because of AIDS infection, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. Nineteen soldiers in the Army have tested positive for HIV...

N. Korea Vows to Counter U.S. Deployment of Aegis Destroyer.
April 1, 2004... SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it will take a "decisive countermeasure" against America's plan to deploy a destroyer equipped with the advanced Aegis anti-missile system in the East Sea. "The DPRK will increase...

(LEAD) UNEP to Form East Asian Yellow-Dust Network.
April 1, 2004... JEJU, South Korea, March 31 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) decided Wednesday to build an East Asian network for measuring yellow dust in the region. Designating the region as a "Special Geographic Focus Area,"...

Bank of Korea Computer Network Returns to Normal.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea said Friday its computer network was back to normal after a problem that forced the central bank to transact with other financial institutions manually for several hours earlier in the day. "The...

LG Electronics Repays Wales $64.74 Mln for Factory Shutdown.
April 2, 2004... LONDON, April 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., South Korea's NO. 2 electronics maker, repaid 35 million pounds (US$64.74 million) of government grants to the Welsh Assembly as it decided to shut down its factory in Wales, officials at the...

Inter-Korean Family Reunion Halted by N. Korean Authorities.
April 2, 2004... MOUNT GEUMGANG, North Korea, April 2 (Yonhap) -- A reunion of separated family members from the two Koreas was suddenly halted by North Korean authorities on Friday after a South Korean official reportedly made remarks critical of the...

(LEAD) Parties Given Election Subsidies of Almost 27 Billion Won: NEC.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's election watchdog said Friday it has provided political parties with state subsidies of 26.79 billion won (US$23.44 million) for the April 15 general election. According to the National Election...

Parties Given Election Subsidies of Almost 27 Trillion Won: NEC.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's election watchdog said Friday it has provided political parties with state subsidies of 26.79 trillion won (US$23.44 million) for the April 15 general election. According to the National Election...

(LEAD) Police Detain Head of Teachers Union.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- Police detained the head of the nationwide teachers union on Friday on charges of violating electoral laws, four days after he announced his endorsement of a progressive political party. Won Young-man, chairman...

(2nd LD) Third Impeachment Hearing Set for April 9.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- The Constitutional Court said Friday it would hold a third hearing on the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun on April 9. The court also said it would announce at a third hearing its decision on whether to...

(LEAD) Third Impeachment Hearing Set for April 9 "(LEAD) impeachment-second hearing-1.
April 2, 2004... (LEAD) Third Impeachment Hearing Set for April 9 (ATTN: UPDATES with schedule for third hearing) SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- The Constitutional Court said Friday it would hold a third hearing on the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun on...

National Team Coach Rejects Calls to Resign over Humiliating Draw.
April 2, 2004... INCHEON, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's national football team coach Humberto Coelho said Friday nothing excuses his team's humiliating draw with Maldives, but he would not step down. Upon arriving at Incheon International Airport, Coelho...

Four Exim Banks to Form NE Asian-centered Consultation.
April 2, 2004... By Kim Sung-jin SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- The export credit agencies (ECAs) of four countries will form a consultation meeting to support development projects and enhance regional financial cooperation in Northeast Asia, said South...

N. Korea Calls Northeast Asian Security Organization Premature.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday dismissed as premature the idea of forming a regional security organization whose framework is similar to the six-nation talks aimed at resolving the North's nuclear arms program. In a...

Seoul Stocks Make Modest Headway Due to Won's Strength.
April 2, 2004... By Kim Sung-jin SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares made modest headway Friday, edging up for the third consecutive day as foreign demand focused on shares benefiting from a strong won. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, the...

Chief Prosecutor Vows Speedy Action Against Illegal Campaigners.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief prosecutor said Friday that the prosecution will wrap up legal actions before the April 15 parliamentary elections against business leaders who were involved in illegal contributions to political...

Police Arrest Head of Teachers Union.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- Police arrested the head of the nationwide teachers union on Friday on charges of violating electoral laws, four days after he announced his endorsement of a progressive political party. Won Young-man, chairman...

Bullet Train Service Cuts Air Travel Demand by Half.
April 2, 2004... SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- The launch of high-speed railway service in South Korea on April 1 reduced demand for domestic air travel by up to 50 percent on routes between Seoul and the nation's major provincial cities, the Ministry of...