YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from August 2007

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from August 2007

Seoul makes all-out diplomatic efforts to prevent killing of more hostages by Taliban.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is making all-out diplomatic efforts to prevent the killing of any more of its citizens by Taliban militants as a new deadline looms for the 21 surviving South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, officials said...

Seoul shares tumble on Wall Street losses.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded sharply lower late Wednesday morning as foreign investors dumped large caps such as Samsung Electronics, taking a cue from an overnight drop in U.S. equities, analysts said. The benchmark...

S. Korea's antitrust regulator set to make ruling on Hyundai Motor Group.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Wednesday it is set to make a final ruling on suspected violation of the country's fair competition rules by Hyundai Motor Group within the month. The head of the Fair Trade...

S. Korea to allow passengers to bring cigarette lighters on board U.S.-bound planes.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Passengers flying to the U.S. from South Korea will be allowed to bring cigarette lighters in their carry-on luggage again, officials said Wednesday. The easing of the rules that goes into effect Sunday reflects...

S. Korean exports surge 20 pct year-on-year in July.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports grew 20 percent year-on-year to over US$30.9 billion in July, fueled by strong overseas demand for autos and mobile communication equipment, a government report said Wednesday. Imports expanded...

POSCO begins construction of cold-rolled steel plant in Vietnam.
August 1, 2007... HANOI, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- POSCO Co., South Korea's biggest steelmaker, began building a US$490 million factory in Vietnam as part of its $1.12 billion project to meet growing steel demand in this emerging Asian country. The plant, located at...

Top S. Korean diplomat to head to Manila for regional security conference.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon will leave for Manila late Wednesday to attend a regional security forum where he is hoping to win North Korea's commitment to abandon its nuclear ambitions at an early date...

S. Korea likely to churn out hybrid cars in 2011: think tank.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is expected to start mass production of hybrid-engined cars in 2011, a state-run think tank said Wednesday. The date is slightly later than estimates released by local car manufacturers that mass...

Pyeonghwa Motors, China's Brilliance in talks to produce trucks in North Korea.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Pyeonghwa Motors Corp., a South Korean automaker with exclusive rights to produce cars for the North Korean market, said Wednesday it has been in talks with Chinese automaker Brilliance Automotive Holdings Ltd. to...

S. Korea's agriculture deficit expected to reach US$10 bln this year.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's agriculture-sector deficit could hit a record US$10 billion this year fueled by a rise in international grain prices and high domestic demand, the government said Wednesday. The Ministry of...

Dealing with cowards.
August 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from JoongAng Daily on Aug. 1): Korea has lost another innocent life to terrorism. Shim Sung-min, one of 22 remaining Korean hostages held by the Taliban, was found murdered yesterday. The 29-year-old Shim is the second victim in the...

Shock Over Second Killing.
August 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Aug. 1): South Koreans were again in shock over the Taliban's killing of another hostage Monday. The deadlocked negotiations for the release of Korean Christian volunteers held captive by the Afghan insurgents...

Unpardonable crime.
August 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Aug. 1): We have no words to express our grief and anger at the slaying of a second Korean hostage in Afghanistan by Taliban militants. They mercilessly ignored pleas from the entire world community -- including...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Aug. 1. Vernacular dailies -- Taliban threaten to kill more hostages (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Gov't weakness raises questions over its...

U.N. chief deplores hostage killing by Taliban.
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, July 31 (Yonhap) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday denounced the Taliban's killing of another South Korean hostage and expressed deep concerns for the safety of others still being held. "The secretary-general...

U.S. says no concession to Taliban amid Korean hostage crisis.
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The United States on Tuesday affirmed its policy not to negotiate with terrorists, a day after a second South Korean hostage was found killed in Afghanistan. Although in keeping with longstanding U.S. policy,...

U.S. sidesteps comment on House comfort women resolution.
August 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department on Tuesday stayed away from commenting on a House resolution that rebukes Japan for evading responsibility on the wartime sexual slavery of women. Department spokesman Tom Casey,...

Chinese authorities tear down S. Korean-owned hotel on Mt. Paektu.
August 1, 2007... SHENYANG, China, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Chinese authorities demolished a hotel run by a South Korean national without going through due process, the owner of the property said Tuesday. Park Beom-yong said he and his wife were held at a nearby...

E.Land management, unionized workers fail to reach compromise to end strike.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Talks between E.Land group's management and its labor union failed to reach a settlement that could end the current strike, company officials said Tuesday. The three-hour meeting between executives and unions...

Imported pastries ingredients contain 10 times more trans fat than local products.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Imported baking mixtures and half-made pastries contain 10 times more trans fat on average than those made with local ingredients, a government report said Tuesday. The findings based on the screening of 183...

S. Korean overseas direct investment soars in first half.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overseas direct investment surged to US$10.3 billion in the first half of the year, mainly due to government deregulation, a report showed Tuesday. The total represents a year-on-year gain of 44...

Roh's office blasts killing of second Korean hostage by Taliban militants.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae denounced Tuesday the killing of a second South Korean hostage in Afghanistan and threatened to take stern countermeasures if more Korean captives are killed by Taliban rebels. ...

Families shocked by killing of second S. Korean hostage.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The families of 22 South Korean captives in Afghanistan were in turmoil Tuesday after their government confirmed the death of another male hostage. The confirmation dashed their hopes that reports of the death were...

Roh's office welcomes U.S. House's approval of 'comfort women resolution'.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The office of President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday welcomed the U.S. House's approval of a resolution condemning Japan's sexual enslavement of women during World War II, saying the best way to reach a reconciliation is...

First academic conference on internationally adopted Koreans held in Seoul.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- About 700 internationally adopted Koreans gathered Tuesday for an academic conference aimed at discussing legal, social and cultural matters and other various personal issues facing many adoptees. The First...

Bank of America eyes S. Korea's credit card market: CEO.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The head of Bank of America Corp., the world's biggest commercial bank, said Tuesday it is considering tapping into South Korea's credit card market in the future. "We plan to enter the Japanese credit card market...

Four S. Koreans indicted over shipbuilding technology leakage.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Four ex-employees of South Korean shipbuilding firms have been indicted for allegedly trying to leak world-class shipbuilding technology to China. The leak could have caused a loss of 35 trillion won (US$38 billion),...

Seoul confirms death of second S. Korean hostage in Afghanistan.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea confirmed Tuesday a second South Korean hostage has been killed in Afghanistan, denouncing Taliban militants for committing the "barbarity." "One of our citizens kidnapped in Afghanistan, Shim Sung-min,...

Seoul shares close higher on retail buying.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended higher Tuesday as retail investors picked up small and medium-cap issues such as Hanjin Shipping and Korean Air, buoyed by an overnight rise in U.S. equities, analysts said. The local...

Samsung Fire & Marine posts 40 pct jump in Q1 earnings.(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Fire & Marine Co., South Korea's leading nonlife insurer, said Tuesday its profit jumped 40 percent on-year in the April-June period thanks to gains from investment. Its net profit reached 114.1 billion...

Industrial Bank's earnings jump 63.3 pct in first half.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run lender, Industrial Bank of Korea, said Tuesday its earnings jumped 63.3 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year on higher interest and commission incomes. Net profit came to...

Full text of the South Korean government's latest statement on hostage crisis.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The following is the official English text of a South Korean government statement released by the office of President Roh Moo-hyun shortly after the Foreign Ministry's confirmation of the death of a second South...

Korea Gas's loss narrows in Q2 on stronger won.(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run Korea Gas Corp. said Tuesday its second-quarter loss narrowed thanks to the won's strength against the U.S. dollar. Net loss shrank to 40 billion won (US$43 million) in the April-June...

S. Korea's service sector output growth accelerates in June.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's service sector output grew at a faster pace in June than a month earlier, an indication that domestic consumption is picking up, a government report said Tuesday. Output in the service sector rose 7.5...

Labor tensions test GM Daewoo's CEO Grimaldi.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Over the past six years, one of the most obvious features that distinguished GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. from its rivals in South Korea was wage negotiations without any strikes. Since the U.S. auto giant...

Hyundai Mobis reports 4.7 pct gain in Q2 earnings.(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea's biggest auto-parts maker, said Tuesday that its second-quarter earnings increased 4.7 percent on increased sales and gains from equity ties with Hyundai Motor Co. Its profit reached...

Today in Korean history.
August 1, 2007... August 1 1943 -- Japan starts conscription of Koreans under its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Leaders of Japan had long hesitated to implement a conscription system in Korea after the annexation of the country in 1910 because of...

S. Korean banks' lending to smaller firms gains 12.6 pct in first half.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks' lending to smaller companies increased 12.6 percent in the first half of the year due to severe competition among lenders to increase such loans, the nation's top financial watchdog said Tuesday....

Striking unionists locked out of hospitals.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- A protracted dispute with management has left thousands of striking unionists at four Yonsei Severance hospitals locked out of a job Tuesday. The workers were barred from entering the main hospital in the Shinchon...

Seoul shares trade higher on retail buying.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded higher late Tuesday morning as retail investors snapped up small and medium caps such as construction machinery maker Doosan Infracore Co., buoyed by an overnight rise in U.S. equities,...

T-50 trainer jet to be used for satellite radar test.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The Air Force said Tuesday that the country's first indigenous supersonic trainer jet will be mobilized for a radar system test at a satellite launch site under construction. The T-50 Golden Eagle jet, which can fly...

Families shocked by reported killing of second S. Korean hostage.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The families of 22 South Korean captives in Afghanistan were shocked Tuesday over news reports that a second hostage was killed. The reports came just hours after the bullet-ridden body of Bae Hyung-kyu, the leader...

LG Electronics aims to raise Brazil sales by 40 percent in 2007.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., South Korea's second-largest consumer electronics maker, said Tuesday it plans to raise its annual sales in Brazil by 40 percent to US$2.5 billion this year as it sells more flat-screen...

Former Korean sex slaves hail U.S. House resolution against Japan.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Former Korean sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II Tuesday welcomed the passage of a resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives calling on Japan to formally apologize to the victims and accept...

S. Korea to elaborate on Iraq, Afghanistan missions at Asian security forum.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- A senior South Korean defense official left Tuesday for Manila to attend an international military meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Defense Ministry said. In the ARF Defense...

Production at overseas plants by Hyundai, Kia may exceed 1 million units this year.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Vehicle production at overseas plants of Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's top two automakers, is expected to surpass 1 million units this year, according to an industry group...

LG Telecom swings to profit in second quarter.(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile service operator, said Tuesday it posted a profit in the second quarter of the year on increased sales, a turnaround from a loss a year earlier. Its net profit reached...

Four N. Korean defectors handed over to S. Korean authorities: radio report.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Four North Koreans who sought asylum in South Korea after entering the Danish Embassy in Vietnam earlier this month have been handed over to South Korean officials in a third country, a U.S. government-funded radio...

Festival Calendar - August 2007.(Calendar)
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The following are the major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in August. * Busan Sea Festival When: Aug. 1-8 Where: Haeundae and other major beaches in Busan The Busan Sea...

Police again remove striking E-land unionists from store.
August 1, 2007... SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Thousands of riot police raided a discount store here Tuesday to disperse workers who have been striking for the past three days to demand reinstatement of dismissed workers and a pay raise. The labor dispute began...

U.S.-N. Korea normalization talks likely in Southeast Asia this month: Hill.
August 2, 2007... MANILA, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The United States hopes to resume talks with North Korea on normalization of ties somewhere in Southeast Asia by the end of August, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Thursday. Hill,...

Political leaders leave for U.S. to seek help in freeing Afghanistan hostages.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- A group of eight South Korean political leaders departed Thursday for Washington in a nonpartisan effort to seek U.S. help for the release of 21 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan. The delegation of floor leaders of...

(REPLACEMENT) S-Oil Q2 operating profit rises 14.4 pct.(Financial report)
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third-largest refiner S-Oil Corp. said Thursday its operating profit rose 14.4 percent on-year in the second quarter. Operating profit came to 325 billion won (US$353 million) in the April-June...

Watchdog warns GM Daewoo against unfair practices.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's corporate watchdog said Thursday it has issued an order for corrective measures against GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., the country's third-largest automaker, for coercing supply dealers into fixing the...

Hyundai Steel's Q2 earnings up 23 pct on increased demand for steel.(Financial report)
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug.2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Steel Co., South Korea's second-largest steelmaker, said Thursday that its second-quarter earnings increased 23 percent annually on increased demand for steel products. Its net profit reached 191 billion won...

Seoul shares trade higher on Wall Street gains.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded higher late Thursday morning as institutional investors snapped up tech blue chips such as Samsung Electronics, taking a cue from an overnight gain in U.S. equities, analysts said. The...

S-Oil Q2 earnings climb 10 pct on increased refining margins.(Financial report)
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third largest refiner S-Oil Co. said Thursday its net profit gained 10.2 percent on-year in the second quarter on increased refining margins. Net income came to 353 billion won (US$383 million) in the...

S. Korea suspends quarantine inspection of all U.S. beef.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Thursday it has suspended quarantine inspections of all U.S. beef imports due to its recent discovery of banned bones in shipments. South Korea discovered a box of vertebral columns, designated as...

Seoul, Washington rules out military action to rescue hostages in Afghanistan.
August 2, 2007... MANILA, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States Thursday agreed to rule out military action to save the lives of 21 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said, amid reports of an imminent...

Korean Air swings to loss in Q2 on price-fixing fine.(Financial report)
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's biggest carrier, Korean Air Lines Co., said Thursday it swung to a net loss in the second quarter from a year ago hit by a US$300 million fine charged in the U.S. for price fixing on passenger and cargo...

S. Korean digital electronics exports surge 18.1 pct in July.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's digital electronics exports surged 18.1 percent in July from a year earlier, thanks to strong demand for telecommunications equipment, semiconductors and other electronic goods, the government said...

Job market for South Korea's big companies remains tough, survey shows.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Job hunters interested in working for South Korea's big companies will face a tough time during the second half of this year, according to a survey released Thursday. The survey of South Korea's top 300...

S. Korea, U.S. not considering military operation to free hostages: lawmaker.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States do not consider launching a military operation to rescue 21 Koreans held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan, a ranking lawmaker said Thursday, amid reports that the U.S-led...

S. Koreans need 2.7 billion won to be considered rich: survey.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Skyrocketing real estate prices have inflated standards for wealth here as the criteria to be considered rich rose by 700 million won to 2.7 billion won (US$2.9 million) this year from a year earlier. The...

Hyundai Motor's U.S. sales drop 7.8 percent in July.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, saw its vehicle sales in the United States fall 7.8 percent in July as high oil prices and falling home prices continued to crimp demand for new cars. "July was a...

S. Korea to build 'smart highway' for safe high-speed driving.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will use state-of-the-art technology to build a "smart highway" that can allow cars to travel safely at speeds up to 160 kilometers per hour, the government said Thursday. The plan calls for 149.4...

S. Korea's housing prices grow at faster pace in July.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Housing prices in South Korea rose at a faster pace in July than a month earlier due to a seasonal factor, data from the country's top lender showed Thursday. South Korea's housing prices gained 0.3 percent last...

Service industry.
August 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Aug. 2): The government's laboriously prepared plan to develop the service industry includes building golf courses and marinas to promote leisure businesses and absorb money being spent on overseas sporting...

S. Korean FM to meet senior U.S. diplomat on hostage situation in Afghanistan.
August 2, 2007... MANILA, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon was to meet Thursday with a top diplomat of the United States, which Song said holds a key to the safe release of 21 South Koreans being held hostage in Afghanistan. Song...

Irrational opposition.
August 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from JoongAng Daily on Aug. 2): What will happen if a strong contender in the presidential election is assassinated days before the election? There have been two occasions when strong presidential contenders died shortly before...

Losing Growth Momentum Nation Must Go All-Out to Promote Investment, Deregulation.
August 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Aug. 2): People are disappointed at a recent World Bank report which ranked the South Korean economy at 13th place among 183 countries last year. The nation stood in 2002 and 2003 as the world's 11th largest...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Aug. 2. Vernacular dailies -- Calls growing for U.S. to increase its role to resolve hostage issue (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- S. Korea's...

U.S. admits to shipping unauthorized beef parts to South Korea.
August 2, 2007... WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States acknowledged Wednesday that it shipped animal parts to South Korea that are currently banned due to a mad cow disease scare. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said one box of U.S. beef that...

Seoul seems to have more time for talks with Taliban kidnappers.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's struggle to win the release of the 21 remaining hostages in Afghanistan appeared to be given a much-needed respite Wednesday night, as a self-styled Taliban spokesman said there has been no additional...

S. Korea's FX reserves surge in July on weaker dollar.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves increased by the largest amount in seven months in July from a month earlier as a weaker dollar boosted the dollar conversion value of the euro and other foreign currencies, the...

Korean Air charged in U.S. for price fixing on passenger, cargo flights.
August 2, 2007... WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday charged South Korea's Korean Air and U.K.-based British Airways with price-fixing on passenger and cargo flights. Both airlines agreed to plead guilty and to pay US$300...

U.S. says any action on hostage crisis should guarantee safety of captives.
August 2, 2007... WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Wednesday it has no information on reports of hostage rescue mission under way in Afghanistan and stressed any resolution to the crisis should ensure safe release of the captives. "We...

Operation begins to rescue S. Korean captives: report.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Afghanistan on Wednesday confirmed that there was no military operation to rescue the remaining 21 South Korean hostages held by the Taliban, following a false media report about such an operation. ...

S. Korean lawmakers to visit U.S. for support to end Afghan hostage crisis.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of lawmakers from South Korea's pro-government and opposition parties will travel to the United States this week to plead for help to facilitate the release of more than 20 Koreans taken captive in Afghanistan,...

Seoul makes all-out diplomatic effort to prevent killing of more hostages by Taliban.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is making all-out diplomatic efforts to prevent the killing of any more of the 21 surviving South Korean hostages by Taliban militants in Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday. South Korea is attempting...

Taliban to kill four more S. Korean hostages: Al Jazeera.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Taliban threatened to kill four more South Korean hostages in Afghanistan after a new deadline expired with no breakthrough in negotiations, news reports said Wednesday. Citing a report from Al Jazeera, Japan's...

Seoul denies report of planned meeting between Korean officials and hostages.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae Wednesday denied a report that South Korean officials would be allowed to meet Korean hostages held by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. "South Korean government negotiators have...

S. Korean delegation expected to meet hostages in Afghanistan: report.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean delegation is expected to meet South Korean hostages held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan, a press report said Wednesday. Citing informed sources, the Afghan Islamic Press reported that the...

Families of S. Korean hostages visit U.S. embassy to plead for help.
August 2, 2007... SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The families of South Korean captives in Afghanistan visited the U.S. embassy here Wednesday to appeal for Washington's help in securing the release of the captives despite the U.S. government's policy of not...