YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from August 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from August 2004

Documents Show Seoul Close to Developing Nuclear Weapons in 1970s.
August 1, 2004... SUWON, South Korea, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government of former President Park Chung-hee had come close to developing nuclear weapons in the 1970s, classified government documents unveiled by a local professor said on Sunday. Documents...

Lawyers Arrested for Buying Cases from Brokers.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Three lawyers have been arrested and nine others referred for disciplinary measures for "buying" cases from brokers and other corruption charges, prosecutors said Sunday. About 80 brokers have also been arrested in...

Iraqi Lawyer Likely to Appear at Parliamentary Hearing.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- An Iraqi lawyer is expected to appear at a parliamentary hearing on Monday to testify about efforts to rescue a South Korean worker kidnapped and killed in Iraq, an official said Sunday. The female lawyer,...

Writers from Two Koreas Make Progress Toward First Conference.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korean writers' associations are making progress in talks in China to organize their first joint conference since the Korean War, despite recent diplomatic unease between Seoul and Pyongyang, South...

N.K. Leader Decorated by Cambodian King for Ties.
August 1, 2004... PYONGYANG, Aug. 1 (KCNA-Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was on Saturday awarded decorations by Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk for his contribution to enhancing bilateral ties, North Korea's Central News Agency said Sunday. Kim...

(LEAD) Gov't Bans Use of Cold Medicines With 'PPA'.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government Sunday banned distribution of cold drugs containing an ingredient feared to increase the risk of brain damage. The Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) ordered 167 products made by 75...

U.S. to Stick to 2005 Deadline for Troop Pullout: Military Source.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States will stick to its decision to withdraw about one third of the 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea by the end of 2005 as scheduled, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday. "We've already told...

(LEAD) July Trade Surplus Reaches Nearly $3 Billion on Rising Exports.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted a US$2.98 billion trade surplus in July, marking the 16th straight month of surplus and the highest amount ever for that month, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The...

Ruling Party to Launch Committee to Probe Past Gov'ts.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Uri Party said Sunday that it will launch a committee tasked with shedding light on suspicious deaths and other irregularities under previous authoritarian governments. "We now need to address the...

Gov't Bans Use of Cold Medicines With 'PPA'.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government Sunday banned distribution of cold drugs containing an ingredient feared to increase the risk of brain damage. The Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) ordered 167 products made by 75...

Seoul Looks to WTO Modalities Talks for Market Opening Benefits.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea should neither be happy or sad about the agreement reached Saturday on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) framework by member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as it is mostly open to further...

China Sought to Have Dokdo, Tsushima Returned to Korea: Report.
August 1, 2004... TOKYO, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- In an attempt to diminish Japanese power after World War II, China sought to have islands near Japan's borders, including two islets lying halfway between Korea and Japan, handed over to neighboring countries, a...

Sunday's Weather Forecast.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 13 major cities at 9:00 a.m. Sunday. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 32/25 Rain ...

Approaching Typhoon Not Expected to Cause Major Damage.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Typhoon Namtheum reached seas off the southeastern coast early Sunday but will likely be weakened to a tropical storm by late in the day, weathermen said. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) predicted no...

Explosion Occurs at Japanese Mission in Shenyang, China.
August 1, 2004... BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- An explosion took place at the Japanese consulate in Shenyang, northeastern China, Saturday, injuring a Chinese security guard and destroying part of the consulate building, a Chinese Internet portal site reported...

July Trade Surplus Reaches Nearly $3 Billion on Rising Exports.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted a US$2.98 billion trade surplus in July, bringing the aggregate trade surplus to $18.2 billion for the first seven months of this year, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. ...

Anti-terror Pamphlet Published for S. Koreans Headed to Olympics.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government published a pamphlet Sunday containing anti-terror advice as well as protocol and other basic information for athletes, sports officials and other South Koreans headed to this month's Summer Olympics in...

Major Listed Firms Post Whopping Net Profit on Strong Exports.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The nation's 41 major companies listed with the Korea Stock Exchange posted a whopping annual increase in net profits during the first half of the year, due mainly to surging exports amid sluggish domestic...

Chinese Ambassador Flies to Seoul to Discuss 6-Party Nuke Talks.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A senior Chinese official flew into Seoul Sunday to discuss preparations for another working-level six-party meeting to address international concerns over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs. While in Seoul...

Russia Sends 35,000 Tons of Food Aid to North Korea: Report.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has received 35,000 tons of food assistance from Russia as part of a U.N. program to relieve North Korea's continuing food shortage, a North Korean media outlet said Sunday. "This (food provision) is...

WTO Endorses New Agricultural Trade Deal.
August 1, 2004... GENEVA, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Saturday reached a farm trade deal which will put global trade talks back on track. The agreement followed overnight negotiations by the WTO's 147 member...

First-half Construction Orders Fall by Largest Amount in Six Years.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Domestic construction orders in the first six months of the year fell by the largest amount since the 1997-98 foreign exchange crisis, signaling a serious setback to second-half economic growth, government data...

Nanotech Research Association to Begin Operations in South Korea.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A government-backed research group will begin operations on Tuesday aimed at promoting nanotechnology as one of the new industrial initiatives expected to lead South Korean economic growth in the future, the...

Foreign Currency Deposits Surge in 1st Half.
August 1, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Foreign currency deposits at local commercial banks surged about 40 percent on an annual basis during the first six months of this year, banking sources said Sunday. According to the sources, the foreign currency...

Ruling Party Floor Leader Seeks to Clear History Issues with Japan.
August 2, 2004... TOKYO, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of South Korea's ruling Uri (Our) Party suggested Monday in a meeting with his Japanese counterpart that the two countries first resolve their prolonged historic disputes in order to further...

Hubbard Becomes Honorary Citizen of Seoul.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday granted honorary citizenship to outgoing U.S. ambassador Thomas Hubbard, city officials said. Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak granted the certificate of honorary citizenship...

Minimum Wage Set at 2,840 Won per Hour.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Labor said Monday that it has set the minimum wage at 2,840 won (US$2.45) per hour and 22,720 won per (eight-hour) day. The newly-set minimum wage compares with the previous figures of 2,510 won...

(2ND LD) Associated Press Urged to Answer Doubts on Hostage Tape.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly on Monday asked U.S. news agency the Associated Press (AP) to clarify suspicions surrounding its videotape of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il, who was killed in Iraq in late June. A...

Hundreds Hold Rally Against Troop Dispatch.
August 2, 2004... GWANGJU, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Some 400 South Koreans confronted riot police Monday evening as they attempted to make their way into a training compound for troops waiting to be deployed to Iraq. Anti-war demonstrators gathered in this city...

S. Korean IOC Members to Leave for Athens.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean's two International Olympic Committee (IOC) members will leave for Athens later this week to attend the opening ceremony for the games, their aides said Monday. Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee and...

Korean Air Pilots Vote to Strike.
August 2, 2004... YEONGJONGDO, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- More than two-thirds of unionized pilots at Korean Air Co., South Korea's biggest airline, voted in favor of going on strike Friday, raising concerns that it could lead to a disruption of flight services. ...

(LEAD) Electricity Demand Rises Sharply Since 1991.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Electricity demand in South Korea has risen by about 2.5 million kilowatts every year since 1991 in pace with increased industrial consumption and the wide use of heat-beating devices, the Commerce Ministry said...

Consortium to Pay 877 Billion Won for Takeover of Hanbo Iron.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean consortium, led by INI Steel Co., will pay 877 billion won (US$755 million) for the takeover of financially troubled Hanbo Iron and Steel Co., slightly lower than the original bidding price of 910...

(LEAD)Seoul, Beijing Agree Uranium Issue Key to Solving Nuke Row.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China agreed here Monday that the major issue in the 21-month standoff over North Korea's nuclear program lies in disputes over an allegation that North Korea has a highly enriched uranium-based...

Task Force to Be Established for Safety of Jerusalem Peace March.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has agreed with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to form a joint task force for the safety of hundreds of Koreans who traveled to the Middle East for a religious event, foreign ministry officials...

Yonhap News Summary.
August 2, 2004... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. --------------------- (LEAD) N. Korea Effectively Cancels High-level Talks This Week By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL -- North Korea effectively cancelled...

Today in Korean History.
August 2, 2004... Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004 1960 -- North Korean Air Force lieutenant Chung Rak-hyun defects to the South with a MiG-15 jet. 1966 -- The Korea Forest Service starts operations. 1993 -- An inspection team from the International Atomic...

LG-Caltex Extends Ultimatum for Striking Workers.
August 2, 2004... YEOSU, South Korea, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG-Caltex Oil Corp., South Korea's No. 2 oil refiner, said Monday it has extended a deadline for striking workers to return to work until later this week as hundreds of workers stay away from the job....

Foreign Air Carriers Describe 'East Sea' as 'Sea of Japan'.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Some foreign airlines operating Incheon-bound flights have marked disputed waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan as the "Sea of Japan" instead of "East Sea," according to South Korean passengers who flew...

(LEAD) N. Korea Effectively Cancels High-level Talks This Week.
August 2, 2004... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea effectively cancelled scheduled inter-Korean talks for the third time in as many weeks due to recent disputes over mass North Korean defections and Seoul's refusal to let some of its...

(LEAD) Associated Press Urged to Answer Doubts on Hostage Tape.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly on Monday asked the U.S. news agency Associated Press (AP) to clarify suspicions surrounding its videotape of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il, who was killed in Iraq in late June. A...

(LEAD) KOSPI Hits Year's Low on U.S. Terror Concern.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's key stock index sank to the year's low Monday as investors dumped shares on concerns over terrorist threats in the United States and surging oil prices. The terror threats also pulled down the U.S....

S. Korean Bond Yields on Aug. 2, 2004.
August 2, 2004... Today (%) Previous Day (%) Change (%P) 1-year TB 3.98 3.99 -0.01 3-year TB 4.08 4.08 -- 10-year TB 4.66 4.69 -0.03 2-year MSB 4.07...

(2nd LD) GE Consumer Finance to Buy Stake in Hyundai Capital.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- GE Consumer Finance, a unit of U.S. General Electric Co., agreed Monday to acquire a 38-percent stake in Hyundai Capital Co. as part of its strategic alliance with South Korea's largest auto finance company,...

FOREX-close.
August 2, 2004... Dollar ends at 1164.80 won DN from 1170.00 won (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

KOSPI Hits Year's Low on U.S. Terror Concern.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's key stock index sank to the year's low Monday as investors dumped shares on concerns over terrorist threats in the United States and surging oil prices. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

Consumer Inflation Remains Within Target: Senior Policymaker.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer inflation in the first seven months of the year remains within the government containment target of 3.5 percent, a senior economic policymaker said Monday. However, full-year consumer...

(LEAD) American Soldier Imprisoned on Attempted Murder Charge.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. service member was put into a South Korean prison Monday on charges of stabbing a South Korean man in May, prosecution officials said. Pfc. John C. Humphrey from Austin, Texas became the second U.S. soldier...

Ruling Party Steps Up Attacks Against Opposition Leader's Scholarship Business.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug 2 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Uri Party launched a full-scale attack Monday against a scholarship foundation established by the late President Park Chung-hee. "We have formed a task force to look into the story behind the...

South Korean Auto Sales Sink in July.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Local automakers' sales skidded in July from a month ago because of a sharp slowdown in domestic consumption. The five carmakers said Monday their combined July sales plunged 12.9 percent from June to 347,800...

U.S. Requests Half Usual Number of Korean Augmentees Over Troop Cut.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. military has requested about half the number of South Korean soldiers this year it asked for the previous years to augment its forces in the Asian state amid its plan to slash its troop level here by one...

Incheon Airport Sets Daily Passenger Record.
August 2, 2004... INCHEON, Aug 2 (Yonhap) -- Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, reached a daily record of over 90,000 arriving and departing passengers on Sunday, the Incheon International Airport Corporation said Monday. Sunday's passenger...

KOSPI-close.
August 2, 2004... KOSPI 719.59 DN 15.74 points (close) (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

(LEAD) GE Consumer Finance to Buy Stake in Hyundai Capital.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- GE Consumer Finance, a unit of U.S. General Electric Co., agreed Monday to acquire a 38-percent stake in Hyundai Capital Co. as part of its strategic alliance with South Korea's largest auto finance company,...

SK Telecom's Market Share Edges Up in July.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom, South Korea's No. 1 mobile provider, said Monday that its market share inched up in July from June. The rise was attributed to the July 1 start of second-phase number portability, which allows mobile users...

(LEAD) Seoul to Foster 'Top-Notch' Farmers to Counter Market Opening.
August 2, 2004... By Sohn Suk-joo SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will choose about 70,000 farming households and support them intensively over the next six years in an effort to strengthen the competitiveness of the shaky farming sector. "We...

KOSDAQ-close.
August 2, 2004... KOSDAQ 325.18 DN 6.03 points (close) (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

International Whaling Commission to Meet in S. Korea Next Year.
August 2, 2004... ULSAN, South Korea, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The southern coastal city of Ulsan said Monday it has fixed a detailed schedule for an international whaling forum it will host next year. According to the schedule, the 57th meeting of the...

Seoul Vows to Get Tough with China's History Distortion.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A Sino-Korean history war is brewing over the ethnic identity of "Koguryo," with Beijing's distortion of the ancient Korean kingdom increasingly angering the Korean people, watchers forecast Monday. Over the past...

Kia Motors July Sales Drop 26.6 Pct From June.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest carmaker, said Monday its sales in July plunged 26.6 percent from June to 77,843 units. Exports crashed 30.9 percent to 58,721 units, while domestic sales fell 9...

Hyundai Motor's Sales Drop 4.9 Pct in July.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Monday its July sales declined 4.9 percent to 186,929 units from June. A total of 44,114 vehicles were sold in the domestic market, down 4.8 percent from...

S. Korea Seeks to Foster 'Crack Farmers' to Counter Market Opening.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will choose about 70,000 farming households and support them over the next six years, a key step toward making the farming sector competitive at a time when agriculture faces touch global competition. ...

Seoul Stocks Slide on Surging Oil Prices, U.S. Terror Alerts.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks continued to slide Monday afternoon due to investor jitters over surging oil prices and new terrorism alerts in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed...

N.K. May Accept Libyan Model, Abandon Nukes for Aid, Official Says.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea may take the path Libya chose, abandoning its nuclear weapons programs in return for a security guarantee and massive economic aid from Western countries, if Washington provides such a guarantee in a...

(LEAD) S. Korea's Daum Acquires Lycos for 111.1 Bln Won.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Daum Communications Corp., South Korea's largest Internet portal, said Monday it has acquired Lycos Inc. from Spain's Terra Networks for 111.1 billion won (US$95.2 million). The acquisition of Lycos, which Daum...

(LEAD) President Appoints Senior Bank Official as Financial Watchdog Head.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday named Yoon Jeung-hyun, a member of the Asia Development Bank board of directors, as head of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), presidential office spokesman Kim Jong-min...

American Soldier Imprisoned on Attempted Murder Charge.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. servicembmer was put into a South Korean prison Monday on charges of stabbing a South Korean man in May, prosecution officials said. Pfc. John C. Humphrey became the second U.S. soldier to be held in...

Associated Press Urged to Answer Suspicions on Hostage Videotape.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean lawmaker on Monday asked the U.S. news agency Associated Press (AP) to clarify suspicions surrounding its videotape of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il, who was killed in Iraq in late June. Rep....

Seoul, Beijing Open Consultations on North Korea's Nuke Program.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China began consultations on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Seoul officials said Monday. Cho Tae-young, head of the Foreign Ministry's task force on the North's nuclear program, and his...

GM Daewoo's Sales Rise 38.2 Pct in July.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. said Monday its sales in July surged 38.2 percent year-on-year to 67,097 units, helped by a surge in exports. Exports jumped 58.8 percent year-on-year to 59,195 units, said the...

Koreas Unlikely to Hold High-level Talks This Week.
August 2, 2004... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea appear unlikely to hold high-level talks this week due to recent disputes over mass North Korean defections and Seoul's refusal to let some of its citizens visit the...

July Department Sales Rise for Second Month.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Sales at major domestic department stores gained in July from a year ago for a second month, indicating the economy is possibly pulling out of slumping private consumption, industry sources said Monday. The rise...

GE Consumer Finance Acquires Stake in Hyundai Capital.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- GE Consumer Finance, part of the GE Group of the United States, acquired a 38 percent stake in Hyundai Capital Co. as part of its strategic alliance with South Korea's largest auto finance company, officials said...

Seoul Stocks Fall on Surging Oil Prices, U.S. Terror Alerts.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks fell Monday morning on concerns of surging oil prices that have reached record levels and new terrorism alerts in the United States. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 10.98...

Yonhap News Summary.
August 2, 2004... The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. --------------------- (2nd LD) S. Korea's Consumer Prices Rise 4.4 Pct Annually in July SEOUL -- South Korea's consumer prices in July climbed 4.4...

Crimes Committed Most by Thirty-Something Males.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A male high school graduate in his 30s is an average profile of criminals in South Korea, according to the "2003 criminal white paper" released by the National Police Agency Monday. The number of arrested...

Mountain Village Church Beckons Urbanites With Arts, Festivities.
August 2, 2004... By Kim Tae-shik SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Although Pyeongchang was narrowly beaten by Vancouver in the competition to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, it has the ample natural blessings of clean and fresh air, and beautiful mountains...

(LEAD) Ssangyong Motor July Sales Down 28.7 Pct.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's fourth-largest automaker, said Monday its July sales tumbled 28.7 percent year-on-year to 8,913 units due to unionists' strikes. The news sent the automaker's share price falling. It...

S. Korea's Daum Says It Will Buy Lycos for 111.1 Bln Won.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Daum Communications Corp., South Korea's largest Internet portal, said Monday it will acquire an Internet unit Lycos Inc. from Spain's Terra Networks for 111.1 billion won (US$95.2 million) The takeover is aimed at...

(2nd LD) S. Korea's Consumer Prices Rise 4.4 Pct Annually in July.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices in July climbed 4.4 percent year-on-year and rose 0.6 percent from a month earlier, a government report said Monday. The National Statistical Office (NSO) attributed the July...

Ssangyong Motor July Sales Down 28.7 Pct.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's fourth-largest automaker, said Monday its July sales tumbled 28.7 percent year-on-year to 8,913 units. Domestic sales plunged 31.5 percent to 7,093 vehicles in July from a year...

Experts Call for Comprehensive Steps to Tackle Economic Ills.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government needs to take comprehensive measures rather than makeshift actions in order to solve the country's economic woes, private-sector economists said Monday. Their suggestion comes as the world's...

President Appoints Senior Bank Official as Financial Watchdog Head.
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday appointed Yoon Jeung-hyun, a member of the Asia Development Bank board of directors, as head of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), presidential office spokesman Kim Jong-min...

Korea Interbank Offered Rate (KORIBOR).
August 2, 2004... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR) as posted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news and information arm of Yonhap News Agency, at 11:00 a.m. Monday. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W ...