YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from August 2006

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from August 2006

S. Korean exports reach US$26.1 bln in July.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports rose 12.4 percent from a year ago to US$26.1 billion in July, fueled by strong overseas demand for steel and petrochemicals, a government report said Tuesday. Imports for the month reached $25.4...

S. Korea's offshore construction orders top US$10 bln.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overseas construction orders surpassed the US$10 billion mark in the first seven months of the year, reaching the level in record time, a government report showed Tuesday. The country's builders...

Seoul stocks rise after weak start.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday, but soon turned positive as big-cap techs such as Samsung Electronics gained ground. The bellwether Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.25 points, or 0.17...

NHN's Q2 earnings jump over twofold on brisk online ad business.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- NHN Corp., South Korea's top Internet company by market value, said Tuesday its second-quarter net profit more than doubled from a year earlier, boosted by an increase in online advertising revenues. Net income rose...

Two Koreas exchange fire along DMZ.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Border guards of the two Koreas briefly exchanged fire Monday but there was no report of South Korean casualties, military officials said Tuesday. The incident occurred at around 7:35 p. M. in Yanggu in the eastern...

NHN's Q2 earnings jump over two-fold.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- NHN Corp., South Korea's top Internet company by market value, said Tuesday that its second-quarter net profit more than doubled from a year earlier to 32.43 billion won (US$33.92 million). (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Korea, unified in isolation.
August 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from JoongAng Daily on Aug. 1) The Chinese minister of public security recently visited the United States and signed a memorandum of understanding, consisting of five clauses aimed at preventing North Korea from producing counterfeit...

'Chicken rib' row.
August 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Aug. 1) It is regrettable that Cheong Wa Dae and two mass circulation conservative newspapers have entered into a fresh round of confrontation over a few critical articles published last week which the...

Carnage in Lebanon: Immediate ceasefire needed to stop bloodshed.
August 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Aug. 1) The bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is intensifying. The number of innocent victims including children is increasing, sparking indignation from people around the world. International...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Aug. 1. Vernacular dailies -- Roh likely to sack education minister (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- President Roh likely to fire education chief...

Koreas exchange fire along DMZ.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Border guards of the two Koreas briefly traded fire Monday but there were no South Korean casualties, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday. The shootout occurred around 7:35 p. M. in Yanggu in the...

S. Korean premier to clarify her position on education minister's future.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean prime minister is expected to express her government's position on the escalating controversy surrounding the country's newly-appointed education minister early this week, the prime minister's office...

Ruling party lawmaker indicted for receiving illegal political fund.
August 1, 2006... SEOSAN, South Korea, July 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean ruling party lawmaker was indicted Monday for allegedly accepting illegal political funds, according to the local public prosecutors' office here. Along with Rep. Moon Seok-ho of the...

S. Korea start Asian Club Championship campaign.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Ulsan Hyundai, the defending champions of South Korea's domestic K-league, departed for Tokyo on Monday with the aim of earning their country its third consecutive win in a Northeast Asian football tournament. The...

N. Korean leader did not visit Seoul due to Bush's election: Chinese document.
August 1, 2006... BEIJING, July 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il did not keep his promise to visit Seoul after a landmark inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang because of George W. Bush's election as U. S. president in 2001, according to a recent...

S. Korean movie workers to stage protest outside Roh's office.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean movie workers said Monday they will launch a protest outside President Roh Moo-hyun's office demanding that he give his word to restore the initial quota for domestic movies, which was curtailed to...

Spy agency to announce results of reinvestigation on 1987 KAL disappearance.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Will the whole truth on the mysterious mid-air disappearance of a Korean Air passenger jet about 20 years ago finally come to light? After nearly a two-year investigation, the National Intelligence Service (NIS)...

IOC to send delegation to martial arts tournament in Pyongyang.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to dispatch a delegation to an international martial arts tournament to be hosted by Pyongyang, North Korea, next month, the North's media reported Monday. IOC...

Ritual for Korean diplomatic mission to be reenacted after 195 years.
August 1, 2006... BUSAN, July. 31 (Yonhap) -- A ritual staged for Korean diplomatic delegations leaving for Japan in the 17th and 18th centuries will be reenacted in Busan next month, about 195 years after the last ceremony was held, the organizer of the event...

Choi wins PGA career prize total of US$10 million.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Choi Kyung-ju became the second Asian player in PGA history to win a career prize total of over US$10 million by making a top 10 in the U. S. Bank Championship tournament in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that...

Yonhap News Summary.
August 1, 2006... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. ------------------- Spy agency to announce results of reinvestigation on 1987 KAL disappearance SEOUL -- Will the whole truth on the mysterious...

Pantech & Curitel's Q2 loss expands on sluggish sales.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third-largest mobile phone maker Pantech & Curitel Communications Inc. said Monday that its second-quarter net loss widened from a year earlier, affected by sluggish sales of its handsets at home and...

N. Korea-China trade volume increases 4.7 percent: report.
August 1, 2006... BEIJING, July 31 (Yonhap) -- China's trade volume with North Korea amounted to US$774 million in the first half of this year, a 4.7 percent increase from the corresponding period a year ago, a Chinese government report said Monday. China...

Kookmin Bank's Q2 profit up more than 40 pct.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's top lender, said Monday its net profit rose more than 40 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier with the help of steady lending growth. Net profit reached 776.9 billion won...

Incheon port gets face-lifting renovation.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The Incheon Port, one of South Korea's leading ports, has completed facility renewal at its two international passenger terminals at a total cost of 200 million won, port officials said Monday. It has...

S. Korea retrieves video recorder from crashed F-15K fighter.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Air Force has recovered the digital video recorder (DVR) of an F-15K fighter that crashed last month in the East Sea, a useful tool for determining the cause of the accident, the Air Force said Monday....

Seoul stocks inch up on tech gains.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Monday as tech blue chips such as Samsung Electronics gained support from foreign buying despite a lack of positive leads. The South Korean won fell against the U. S. dollar....

Kookmin Bank's Q2 profit up more than 40 pct.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's top lender, said Monday its net profit rose more than 40 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier with the help of steady lending growth. Net profit reached 776.9 billion won...

S. Korea to give cultural training for military recruits with foreign permanent residence.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military will provide a cultural program for recruits with foreign permanent residence status starting next year, the Defense Ministry said Monday. "The program is designed to secure the emotional...

Pantech & Curitel's Q2 loss expands on sluggish sales.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third-largest mobile phone maker Pantech & Curitel Communications Inc. said Monday that its second-quarter net loss widened from a year earlier, affected by sluggish sales of its handsets at home and...

Seoul stocks inch up on tech gains.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Monday as tech blue chips such as Samsung Electronics gained support from foreign buying despite a lack of positive leads. The South Korean won fell against the U. S. Dollar....

Roh's former defense aide warns of crisis after military command turnover.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's planned takeover of wartime operational command from the United States would create a "big crisis" as it entails the dismantlement of the South Korea-U. S. combined forces command, a former senior...

Kookmin Bank's Q2 profit up more than 40 pct.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's top lender, said Monday its net profit rose more than 40 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier with the help of steady lending growth. Net profit reached 776.9 billion won...

Spy agency to announce results of reinvestigation on 1987 KAL disappearance.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Will the whole truth on the mysterious mid-air disappearance of a Korean Air passenger jet about 20 years ago finally come to light? After nearly a two-year investigation, the National Intelligence Service (NIS)...

Pantech & Curitel's Q2 loss expands on sluggish sales.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Pantech & Curitel Communications Inc., a South Korean mobile phone maker, said Monday that its second-quarter net loss widened from a year earlier, affected by sluggish sales of its handsets at home and abroad. Net...

Nongshim's Q2 net profit rises 4.4 pct.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean foodstuff producer Nongshim Co. said Monday its second-quarter net profit rose 4.4 percent from a year ago on cost-cutting efforts. Net profit amounted to 23.9 billion won (US$25 million) in the...

Lotte Shopping in talks to acquire Woori Home Shopping.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Shopping Co., South Korea's top department store chain, said Monday it has been in talks to acquire local home-shopping channel Woori Home Shopping from the channel's largest shareholder. "Lotte Shopping...

Reigncom swings to loss in second quarter.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's portable device maker Reigncom Ltd. said Monday it posted a net loss in the second quarter from a year earlier, affected by sluggish sales of MP3 music players. The net loss reached 25.73 billion won...

S. Korea's service output rises 4.5 pct in June.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's service sector output increased for a 16th consecutive month in June due to gains in the real estate and telecom service sectors, adding to hopes that private spending is still on a recovery track, a...

Yonhap News Summary.
August 1, 2006... The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. ------------------- N. K.'s Taepodong missile exploded in midair without booster detaching: source SEOUL -- A North Korean long-range...

Today in Korean History: August 1, 2006.
August 1, 2006... 1943 -- Japan starts conscription of Koreans under its colonial rule. The leaders of Japan had long hesitated to implement a conscription system in Korea after the annexation of the country in 1910 because of fears that Koreans, once armed as...

(LEAD) Female basketball player Ha Eun-ju joins domestic club.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ha Eun-ju, the tallest woman basketball player in South Korea who played for a Japanese team for the past few years, joined a domestic club on Tuesday, the club announced. Ha took part in a ceremony for joining the...

(LEAD) S. Korean consumer prices rise 2.3 pct in July.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Consumer prices in South Korea rose 2.3 percent year-on-year in July as a rise in energy prices pushed up public utilities costs, a government report showed Tuesday. From the previous month, consumer prices in...

S. Korean automakers post 16 pct drop in July sales.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's five automakers registered a 16 percent annual drop in combined automobile sales in July, according to data released by each of the companies on Tuesday. Domestic sales of the five automakers, including...

New education minister defends his thesis, denies plagiarism.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- In face of mounting pressure to resign over his thesis scandal, the country's new education minister assumed the defensive Tuesday denying allegations of plagiarism and accusing the media of giving false reports. At...

(2nd LD) SKT's Q2 earnings drop on increased marketing costs.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile phone operator, said Tuesday its second-quarter earnings tumbled more than 20 percent from a year earlier on increased costs for luring customers. SK Telecom, which holds...

(LEAD) Hyundai Motor's July vehicle sales plunge 37 pct on walkouts.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Tuesday its July sales plunged 36.7 percent from a year ago, hurt by partial strikes by its unionized workers. Hyundai Motor sold 128,489 vehicles in July,...

Kia Motors posts 31 pct decline in July automobile sales.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Tuesday sales for July fell 31.3 percent from a year ago to 78,620 units. Sales in South Korea fell 12.8 percent to 21,082 units and exports dropped...

Today in Korean History: Aug. 2.
August 1, 2006... 1953 -- The US military command moves its headquarters to Yongsan, where the old campus of Seoul National University was located in central Seoul. 1980 -- Color television sets begin to be sold for the first time in South Korea. 1993 --...

Yonhap News Summary: Tuesday August 1, 2006.
August 1, 2006... The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday August 1, 2006. ------------------- (2nd LD) N. Korea cancels inter-Korean events citing flood damages SEOUL -- North Korea on Tuesday called off...

Seoul stocks inch down on foreign selling.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ticked down Tuesday afternoon as foreign selling outpaced program buying. The bellwether Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid 0.25 point, or 0.02 percent, to 1,297.57 as of 1:20 p.m....

Renault Samsung's July auto sales jump 40 percent.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Co., South Korea's smallest automaker, said Tuesday its auto sales for July surged 40 percent from a year ago to 12,808 units. For the month, domestic sales rose 9.5 percent to 9,801 units and...

(2nd LD) N. Korea cancels inter-Korean events citing flood damages.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Tuesday called off joint celebrations with South Korea of the nation's liberation from the past Japanese colonial rule, citing damages from recent floods in the communist state that reportedly left more...

(LEAD) SK Telecom's Q2 earnings drop 20.1 pct.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile phone operator, said Tuesday its second-quarter earnings fell 20.1 percent from a year earlier to 373.34 billion won (US$391.12 million). Operating profit slipped 13.2...

(2nd LD) S. Korean exports reach US$26.1 bln in July.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports rose 12.4 percent from a year ago to US$26.1 billion in July, fueled by demand for oil products, steel and petrochemicals, a government report said Tuesday. Imports for the month reached $25.4...

Internet banking grows 2.4 pct in 2nd quarter.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily Internet banking transactions expanded at a solid pace in the second quarter from three months earlier thanks to increased money transfers, the nation's central bank said Tuesday. The...

ARF adopts chairman's statement on N. Korean missile tests.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Asia's biggest security conference adopted a chairman's statement Tuesday expressing concerns over North Korea's multiple missile tests, four days after it ended its annual meeting in Malaysia. "Most ministers...

GM Daewoo's vehicle sales jump 48.4 pct in July.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., South Korea's third-largest automaker, said Tuesday its vehicle sales for July jumped 48.4 percent from the year before to 136,554 units. During the month, exports surged 49.5...

Seoul stocks fall on bank losses.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks lost ground slightly Tuesday morning after undergoing a bumpy session as investors took profits from bank shares such as top lender Kookmin Bank. The bellwether Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

(LEAD) Spy agency says 1987 bombing of Korean Air jet carried out by N. Korea.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state spy agency said Tuesday that a 1987 bombing of a Korean Air jet, which killed all 115 passengers and crew members on board, was committed by North Korean agents, dismissing claims by the victims'...

Ssangyong Motor's July sales plunge 52 pct on strikes.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's second-smallest automaker, said Tuesday its vehicle sales for July plunged 51.8 percent from a year ago, hit by partial strikes by unionized workers. Ssangyong Motor sold 6,477...

N. Korean FM met with Malaysian counterpart on sidelines of ARF: KCNA.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug 1 (Yonhap) -- The North Korean foreign minister had a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum last week, the North's official news agency reported Tuesday. The meeting between Paek...

The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR).
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (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. Tuesday August 1, 2006. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W...

(2nd LD) Two Koreas exchange fire along DMZ.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Border guards of the two Koreas briefly exchanged fire Monday but there was no report of South Korean casualties, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday. The incident occurred at around 7:35 p.m. in Yanggu in...

Gov't sends officials to protect Korean participants in Afghan peace march.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has dispatched a team of Foreign Ministry and intelligence officials to Afghanistan to cope with potential threats to the safety of South Koreans participating in a peace march, a ministry official said...

Industrial Bank of Korea eyes double net profit in 5 years.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Industrial Bank of Korea plans to double its net profit, assets and market value in five years by boosting its lending to small and medium-sized businesses, the lender's head said Tuesday. The state-owned bank plans...

Hyundai Engineering, Japan's Toyo win $1.3 bln plant order from Qatar.
August 1, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., South Korea's No. 2 construction company, said Tuesday it has won a US$1.3 billion fuel plant order with Japan's Toyo Engineering Corp. from a company in Qatar. Hyundai...

(LEAD) South Korean FM to visit Japan for talks on N. Korean missiles, nukes.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is to embark on a trip to Japan next week where he will hold talks with his Japanese counterpart and other officials to discuss ways to woo Pyongyang back to international...

(News Focus) S. Korean economy faces bumpy road ahead.
August 2, 2006... By Kim Soo-yeon SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Despite an impressive first-half performance, the South Korean economy is widely expected to lose steam in the second half due to a set of negative factors, casting doubts on whether its full-year...

Heat wave grips South Korea.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- After a deadly monsoon season ended, a heat wave is parboiling South Korea, depriving many people of sleep during "tropical" nights, weather officials said Wednesday. The so-called "tropical" nights were reported for...

Seoul shares inch up on tech, auto gains.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose slightly Wednesday morning as institutional investors snapped up tech and auto shares, with trading subdued due to concerns over a possible US interest rate hike. The bellwether Korea...

S. Korea's IT exports grow 3.5 pct in July.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of information technology (IT) products grew 3.5 percent in July from a year earlier, boosted by robust sales of semiconductors, flat panels and digital TVs, a government report showed Wednesday....

S. Korea to open returned US bases to public amid environmental controversy.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will open closed US bases to the public as soon as the takeover procedures are completed, in a bid to quell a dispute over environmental restoration, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. Last month,...

(2nd LD) Education minister offers to resign over thesis scandal.
August 2, 2006... By Yoo Cheong-mo SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Education Minister Kim Byong-joon offered to resign on Wednesday, holding himself responsible for the growing suspicions he plagiarized his thesis and engaged in other unethical...

Slugger Lee makes headline in Japanese papers with 401st homer.
August 2, 2006... TOKYO, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Baseball slugger Lee Seung-yeop of Korea made headlines on the front page of Japanese sports newspapers on Wednesday with his career 400th and 401st home runs. Lee, a player for the Yomiuri Giants in the Japanese...

The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR).
August 2, 2006... 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. Wednesday August 2, 2006. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W...

S Korean weather forecast: Wednesday August 2, 2006.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 12 major cities at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday August 2, 2006. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 32/24 Sunny 20 Incheon...

S. Korea to develop military robots by 2010.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will develop military robots by 2010 to help reconnaissance efforts and remove land mines, Army officials said Wednesday. "We will form a joint research team with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD)...

Middle East emerges as S. Korea's top import source.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Shipments from the Middle East accounted for the largest portion of South Korea's imports in the first half as soaring oil prices boosted import bills, the nation's central bank said Wednesday. South Korean imports...

US looking at additional measures on N. Korea: State Department.
August 2, 2006... WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States is considering additional measures regarding North Korea's multiple missile tests, but no specific action has been determined yet, the State Department said Tuesday. "Well, we have in place...

Bar association seeks suspension of 9 members over alleged corruption.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- As part of reform efforts, a South Korean bar association has asked the Justice Ministry to suspend nine lawyers who were put on trial over corruption charges, the association said Wednesday. "We requested the...

(LEAD) LG Telecom swings to loss in Q2 on write-off costs.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile operator, said Wednesday it swung to a loss in the second quarter from a year earlier on a write-off of costs related to its third-generation communications business. ...

Seoul shares open lower on worries over US rate hike.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started lower Wednesday as investor sentiment was hurt by concerns over US interest rate increases. The bellwether Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 5.42 points, or 0.42 percent,...

(LEAD) Korea Exchange Bank profit up more than 40 pct in H1.
August 2, 2006... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), the nation's fifth-largest lender, said Wednesday its net profit rose more than 40 percent in the first half from a year earlier thanks to a steady increase in interest and non-interest...