YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from December 2008

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from December 2008

Korea, Jordan to cooperate on atomic plant, waterway construction.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Jordanian King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein held summit talks in Seoul Monday and agreed to help South Korean companies seeking to participate in Jordan's infrastructure projects,...

S. Korea's Atlantic tuna quota cut sharply in 2009.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's quota for Atlantic tuna will be cut by 23 percent in 2009 to reflect sharp drops in overall fish reserves, the government said Monday. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the...

S. Korean exports plunge 18.3 pct in November.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports nosedived 18.3 percent from a year earlier to US$29.26 billion in November due to a global recession, a government report showed Monday, dealing a blow to the export-driven economy. The country's...

Hyundai Motor cuts overtime for 1st time in decade.
December 1, 2008... ULSAN, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- All domestic plants of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, started cutting daily overtime Monday on sluggish auto demand, company officials said. It is the first time Hyundai Motor has slashed overtime at...

Seoul shares up 0.24 pct in late morning.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose 0.24 percent late Monday morning on bargain hunting and Wall Street's gains during the previous session, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up 2.61...

Former Pres. Roh's brother appears for questioning in bribery scandal.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- A brother of former President Roh-Moo-hyun appeared before prosecutors on Monday for questioning over his suspected role in the 2006 takeover of an ailing securities firm, for which he is alleged to have received...

GM Daewoo halts production line at main S. Korean plant.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of troubled U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp. suspended one of two production lines at its main plant for more than a month amid slumping sales, company officials said Monday. GM Daewoo Auto &...

S. Korea to play Yomiuri Giants ahead of World Baseball Classic.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will likely hold a warm-up friendly with Japan's Yomiuri Giants ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) that starts in March next year, officials said Monday. South Korea, who finished third in the...

S. Korea expresses regret over N. Korea's border restrictions.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday expressed regret over North Korea's actions to restrict border crossings by South Koreans and again urged Pyongyang to retract them. The North earlier barred 56 South Koreans from crossing the...

S. Korea's top two airlines to slash fuel surcharges.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top two carriers said Monday that they will sharply lower fuel surcharges for international routes next month to reflect a tumble in jet fuel prices. Korean Air Lines Co., the larger of the two, and...

Less than 1,000 S. Koreans allowed to stay in Kaesong.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Pyongyang has decided to allow only 880 South Korean officials and managers to stay at a joint industrial enclave in North Korea starting Monday, officials here said, far below the level sought by Seoul. The North had...

Brother of former Pres. Roh still out of public's eye as summons near.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors planned to summon a brother of former President Roh-Moo-hyun as early as Monday for questioning over his role in the 2006 takeover of an ailing securities firm, for which he is alleged to have received...

Seoul concludes Iraq mission, set to withdraw troops.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday officially terminated all military operations in Iraq, with troops there preparing for a complete withdrawal before Christmas, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The move comes more than four...

One dead, one missing after ship collision.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean fishing boat capsized Monday after colliding with a cargo ship off the country's southernmost island, leaving one crew member dead and one missing, the Coast Guard said. Seven other crew members were...

Choi Kyoung-ju tops U.S. Skins Game.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Choi Kyoung-ju won the biggest prize of US$415,000 in the LG Skins Games that ended on Monday (Korean time) in Indian Wells, California, organizers said. Choi, 38, pulled off a 11-foot birdie putt on the...

Obama poised to introduce Sen. Clinton as Secretary of State: reports.
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will introduce his national security team Monday with Sen. Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, media reports said Sunday. The introduction will come amid growing security...

Lee vows all-out effort to ease youth unemployment.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday that his government will send upwards of 160,000 young South Koreans abroad for occupational training and volunteer services over the next five years as part of his effort to ease...

The real cost of beef.
December 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Dec.1): Large retail marts began to sell American beef in earnest from last weekend. It was a smooth start, to the extent that 50 tons of U.S. beef was sold on just the first day. In turn, Korean beef...

Reunion of Rivals: Shadows of Two Former Leaders Are Too Long.
December 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Dec.1): Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam have been each others' biggest rivals for life, except when they fought against dictators. The two ex-presidents, often called by their initials DJ and YS, are still...

Putting out fire.
December 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Dec. 1): Former Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hun-jae, who was in charge of the Financial Supervisory Service as Korea weathered the Asian financial crisis that battered the country more than 10 years ago,...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Dec. 1 Korean-language dailies -- Colleges get more autonomy in selecting students (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Parliament puts public life on back...

Parliament increases 2009 budget by 10 tln won.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- Next year's national budget has been increased by roughly 10 trillion won (US$6.8 billion) by parliamentary committees amid calls by both the ruling and opposition parties for sound fiscal spending, legislative...

N. Korea to block entry of S. Korean newspapers, magazines.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will block all South Korean publications from entering the country starting this week, a government source said Sunday. In the past, the North permitted 20 newspapers from nine publishers to be brought...

N. Korean leader tours Air Force base: news report.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has toured an Air Force base, Pyongyang's official news wire said Sunday, marking his seventh reported public appearance this month amid speculations that his health is failing. The...

Political parties divided over former president's remarks on N. Korea.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's conservative and progressive political parties exchanged fire on Sunday over former President Kim Dae-jung's criticism of Seoul's present policy stance towards North Korea. Kim orchestrated the historic...

Former president's brother to be summoned for alleged bribe-taking.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- The elder brother of former president Roh Moo-hyun will be summoned over allegations that he received kickbacks for arranging the takeover of a local securities firm, prosecutors said Sunday. The Supreme Prosecutors'...

Progressive groups stage protest against security law.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- Progressive civic groups staged a protest in downtown Seoul on Sunday calling for the abolishment of the 60-year-old National Security Law. The 500 demonstrators said the anti-communist law is anachronistic and has no...

U.S. beef sales top 200 tons in 4 days.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- Cuts of imported U.S. beef have been selling like hotcakes since hitting shelves at major South Korean discount outlets, with sales reaching over 200 tons in just four days, industry sources said Sunday. The country's...

S. Korea's ad market likely to decline 2.6 pct this year.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's advertising market is expected to shrink this year as companies cut back on promoting their products amid the economic slump, an industry association said Sunday. The country's advertising market is...

N. Korea to enforce narrower window for border-crossing starting Monday.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Koreans crossing the heavily fortified border with North Korea will be cut in half starting this week as the communist North has vowed to enforce stricter border checks, government officials noted...

S. Korea's exports to gain over 10 pct next year: report.
December 1, 2008... SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports are expected to grow 10.3 percent next year largely due to a steady increase in shipments of machinery and steel products, a report showed Sunday. According to the report by the Korea...

N. Korea defeat Japan to reach women's World Cup semis.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Defending champions North Korea clinched a spot in the semifinals of the women's World Cup in Chile by slipping past Japan 2-1 on Tuesday (Korean time), FIFA said on its Web site. Captain Ra Un-sim and Cha Hu-nam...

S. Korean economy grows 0.5 pct in Q3.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy expanded slower than earlier estimated in the third quarter, as exports fell and domestic demand weakened, the central bank said Tuesday. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded a...

Zaytun inspiration.
December 2, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Dec.2): Korea's Zaytun Unit, deployed in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, held a ceremony to mark the completion of its deployment yesterday. It has been carrying out peacekeeping and reconstruction duties...

Budget Reform.
December 2, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Dec.2): The Constitution stipulates the legislature passes the new year's budget by December 2 to allow 30 days of preparation for its execution. To tell the truth, the National Assembly has met this legal...

Partisan split.
December 2, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Dec. 2): It is regrettable that the nation's political parties show serious antagonism toward each other over their basic policies on North Korea at a time when Pyongyang shows an increasingly hostile stance...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Dec. 2 Korean-language dailies -- Presidential aide's remarks on unemployed, smaller companies triggers controversy (Kyunghyang Shinmun) --...

Hill due in Singapore for talks with N. Koreans over fresh 6-way talks: State Dept.
December 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The chief U.S. nuclear envoy will travel to Singapore this week to meet with North Korean officials in an attempt to salvage a disarmament agreement in the waning weeks of the Bush administration, the State...

Obama nominates Sen. Clinton as secretary of state.
December 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama announced the nomination of onetime Democratic presidential rival Sen. Hillary Clinton as secretary of state Monday, saying she is the right person to deal with nuclear threats...

Former Pres. Roh's brother denies taking bribes in securities firm sale.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The brother of former President Roh Moo-hyun was sent home Monday night after a 12-hour interrogation by prosecutors over his suspected influence-peddling in the 2006 sale of an ailing securities firm. Roh Gun-pyeong,...

U.S. envoy commissioned to promote 'hangeul'.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean academic bodies on Monday commissioned U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, who speaks Korean, to promote the Korean writing system called "hangeul." Stephens, who came to Seoul in September to serve as...

Gov't orders recall of organic sesame oil.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- A nationwide recall has been ordered for a locally produced sesame oil containing higher than permitted levels of a known carcinogen, health officials said Monday. The Korea Food and Drug Administration said that...

Ruling party lawmakers leave for U.S. seeking improved ties.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Members of South Korea's ruling conservative party left for Washington Monday to discuss a pending trade pact and stronger relations with the incoming U.S. administration. The visit comes about a month after Democrat...

Lee Seung-yuop on preliminary roster for World Baseball Classic.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's baseball governing body released its tentative roster on Monday for next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournament, including top slugger Lee Seung-yuop of Japan's Yomiuri Giants. Although Lee has...

Lee urges closer financial cooperation with Japan.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Monday called for closer cooperation between South Korea and Japan in overcoming the global financial crisis during his meeting with former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro...

(News Focus) Global economic slump bites into S. Korean exports.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The worldwide economic slump triggered by the U.S. financial crisis is causing South Korea's exports to contract much faster than previously anticipated, which can adversely affect the country's economic recovery...

Lee vows all-out effort to ease youth unemployment.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday that his government will send upwards of 160,000 young South Koreans abroad for occupational training and volunteer services over the next five years as part of efforts to ease...

S. Korean handball team secures flight out of troubled Thailand.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's women's handball squad has secured a flight out of Thailand from an airport away from Bangkok where anti-government protesters have paralyzed air traffic, stranding at least 100,000 travelers, an official...

SK Telecom lures more customers than rivals in Nov.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's leading wireless carrier, gained more customers than its rivals in November, maintaining its lead in the country's telecom market, according to data released by mobile carriers on Monday....

S. Korea expresses regret over N. Korea's border restrictions.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday expressed regret over North Korea's actions restricting border crossings by South Koreans and again urged Pyongyang to retract them. The North earlier barred 56 South Koreans from crossing the...

BOK to ease rules on foreign currency loans for exporters.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea, South Korea's central bank, said Monday that it will ease rules and trim interest rates on foreign currency loans for local exporters in a bid to help companies finance business activities amid...

Seoul shares close down 1.62 pct on institutional selling.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks finished 1.62 percent lower Monday in choppy trading as institutional selling more than offset bargain hunting by retail and foreign investors, analysts said. The local currency gained sharply...

(News Focus) S. Korean automakers drive into difficulties.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Pounded by a deepening economic slump at home and overseas, South Korean automakers are slashing daily overtime, suspending weekend production or idling plants to cope with slumping sales, according to the carmakers...

Seoul, Washington to hold first military dialogue since U.S. election.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will hold next week their first regular military dialogue since the U.S. presidential election, a Defense Ministry official said Monday, amid reports that U.S. Secretary of Defense...

Arrest warrant sought for leading environmentalist on embezzlement charges.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Choi Yul, a leading grassroots environmentalist, on Monday on allegations he embezzled his organization's money to buy stocks and pay for his child's education. The probe was...

S. Korean card firms' Q3 net climbs 4.5 pct.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean credit card companies' earnings rose 4.5 percent on-year in the third-quarter thanks to increased use of plastic money, the financial watchdog said Monday. The combined net profit of five credit card...

GM Daewoo auto sales slip 28.8 pct in November.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of troubled U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp. said Monday its November auto sales fell 28.8 percent from a year earlier amid decreased demand. GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. sold a total of...

N. Korean nuke envoy due in Singapore: embassy.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Chief North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan will visit Singapore this week, Pyongyang's embassy there confirmed Monday, apparently to meet his American counterpart in advance of a new round of disarmament talks....

S. Korean activists to send anti-Pyongyang flyers this week.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean activists said Monday they will send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, a day after the communist neighbor took a slew of measures to restrict border crossings by South Koreans. "We're...

Korea, Jordan to cooperate on atomic plant, waterway construction.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Jordanian King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein held summit talks in Seoul Monday and agreed to help South Korean companies seeking to participate in Jordan's infrastructure projects,...

KEPCO signs deal to build nuclear power station in Jordan.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), South Korea's state-run electric power company, said Monday that it has signed a preliminary deal to build a nuclear power station in Jordan. Under the deal signed with the Jordan...

Partisan row cripples budget review.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Opposition lawmakers boycotted a belated parliamentary session for making final adjustments to next year's spending plan Monday, adding to growing concerns that the National Assembly may fail to settle the budget in...

Hyundai Motor's auto sales fall 1.6 pct in November.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, said Monday its November vehicle sales fell 1.6 percent from a year ago, hit by slow demand at home. Hyundai sold a total of 234,211 units last month. Domestic sales...

S. Korea's consumer price gains slow to 4.5 pct in November.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices grew at a slower pace in November than in the previous month as falling crude oil prices reduced overall import costs, a government report showed Monday. The consumer price index rose 4.5...

Kia Motors posts 3 pct decline in November sales.(Financial report)
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Monday its November auto sales fell three percent from a year earlier amid slowing overseas demand. Kia Motors, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., sold a...

Ssangyong Motor auto sales dive 62.6 pct in November.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. said Monday its November vehicle sales plunged 62.6 percent from a year earlier to 3,835 units. Domestic sales plummeted 59.2 percent to 1,632 units...

Today in Korean history.
December 2, 2008... Dec. 2 1946 -- Korean independence fighter Rhee Syngman, who later became South Korea's first president, visits the United States with a proposal that his country set up its own government. Korea had regained sovereignty the previous year...

Renault Samsung's auto sales plunge 30.6 pct in November.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of French automaker Renault SA said Monday its November vehicle sales plunged 30.6 percent from a year ago, due to sluggish demand at home and overseas. Renault Samsung Motor Co. sold a total of...

Financial regulator mulls oversight body for corporate restructuring.
December 2, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial regulator said Monday it is considering setting up a body to oversee corporate restructuring as an economic recession that has already impacted builders spreads to other industries. In a meeting...

The old and the new.
December 3, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Dec. 3) -- It has been common practice among Korea's popular Internet content providers, or portals, to recklessly edit news articles from traditional media and rank them according to their tastes, without...

Slump in exports: Nation should reduce undue reliance on foreign shipments.
December 3, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Dec. 3) -- Government and business officials vowed to hit next year's export target of $500 billion on the 45th Trade Day, Tuesday. Most of the participants in the ceremony, including President Lee Myung-bak,...

Ex-president's brother.
December 3, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Dec. 3) -- It saddens us that every administration in this republic leaves an unsavory legacy - the corruption of the presidential family. Sons, brothers, sisters and in-laws of presidents have served time...

U.S. wants written agreement on taking samples from nuke sites: Hill.
December 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. chief nuclear envoy Christopher Hill said Tuesday he will discuss reaching a written agreement on taking samples from North Korea's nuclear facilities when he meets with his North Korean counterpart in...

S. Korea's FX reserves fall to $200.5 bln in Nov.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves continued to fall in November mainly due to liquidity injections meant to ease an ongoing credit crunch and financial jitters, the central bank said Wednesday. The nation's...

Congress urges Obama gov't to emphasize stopping N. Korean nuke ambitions.
December 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Congress recommended Tuesday that the incoming Barack Obama administration give priority to stopping the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran, fearing their armament will jeopardize the nuclear...

Lawmakers push bill to give benefits to veterans.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean lawmakers pushed forward a controversial bill on Tuesday that aims to revive hiring benefits for veterans. The measures, mainly supported by conservative lawmakers in the ruling Grand National Party,...

Groups scuffle with protesters as they send leaflets into N. Korea.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean groups sent propaganda leaflets critical of North Korea over the strictly controlled Demilitarized Zone on Tuesday as they scuffled with liberal activists who desperately tried to stop the launch. Members...

Pullout of personnel from Kasong complex almost complete: gov't.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The pullout of South Korean personnel from North Korea's Kaesong industrial complex is almost complete, the government said. The Ministry of Unification said of the 501 people told to leave, 436 have crossed the...

Hyundai Motor cuts output in all overseas plants, union says.
December 3, 2008... ULSAN, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, has curtailed production at its overseas plants in reaction to slowing sales, the company's labor union said Tuesday. Like its global peers, Hyundai is reeling from the...

S. Korean engineers develop advanced vehicle collision warning system.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean engineers said Tuesday they have developed a vehicle collision early warning system that could help reduce traffic accidents. The Vehicle Multi-hop Communication system developed by the Electronics and...

S. Korean handball squad returns from trouble-ridden Thailand.
December 3, 2008... INCHEON, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's women's handball squad returned from Thailand on Tuesday after procuring a flight out of the troubled country where it had won an Asian championship tournament. The team initially intended to use an...

N. Korean nuclear envoy heads to Singapore: source.
December 3, 2008... BEIJING, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Chief North Korean nuclear negotiator Kim Kye-gwan left Tuesday for Singapore, apparently to hold talks with his U.S. counterpart Christopher Hill before a new round of disarmament talks is expected to open next...

Cutting-edge observatory unveiled in S. Korea.
December 3, 2008... ULSAN, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea unveiled a groundbreaking observatory on Tuesday, completing a network of similar high-capacity facilities. The ceremony for the completion of the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) was held at Ulsan, about 400...

Seoul's top university freezes tuition to ease economic burden.
December 3, 2008... SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Seoul National University (SNU) said Tuesday that it will freeze tuition fees at their current levels next year, joining an expanding campaign to share the burden of the economic slump. Students' calls to drop tuition...