YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from February 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from February 2004

South Korea's Trade Surplus Hit Record Highs in January.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus neared US$3 billion in January, the highest figure since late 1998, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The ministry said the country exported $19.0 billion worth...

Tax Filing Date to Take Account of Bank Holidays.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday that filing dates for taxes will be rescheduled if it falls on the weekend. The country's top economic policymaking body said clarification was necessary because...

S. Korean Consumer Prices Up 0.6 Pct in January.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Consumer prices in South Korea rose in January largely on sharp increases in the prices of agricultural and seafood products, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Monday. Overall, commodity prices in January...

Access to Porn Sites Not a Constitutional Right, Court Says.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul civil court said Monday that access to adult entertainment is not among the constitutional rights, rejecting a claim by Internet users that the government's ban on some porn sites violated their right to...

Arrears Rate for SMEs, Service Sector, Small Loans Rising: BOK.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The payment delay rate for loans taken out by small-and medium-sized companies, the service sector and whose amounts are small are on the rise, the Bank of Korea said Sunday. The central bank said in its...

North Korean Operator for Jupae Site Bracing for South Korean Ban.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean cyber casino has started distributing a computer program to its South Korean users, a step aimed at nullifying the access ban imposed by South Korea last month. Korea Lotto Joint Venture, a North...

Prosecutors Considering When to Seek Warrant for Hahn HK Again.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution on Monday began considering a proper time to seek an arrest warrant again for a former chief of the former ruling party. The original warrant for the arrest of Rep. Hahn Hwa-kap of the Millennium...

Cheong Wa Dae Reiterates Roh's Pledge to Quell Land Speculation.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- A senior presidential aide predicted Monday there will be no land speculation from 2005 when the government completes an electronic network of real estate and begins imposing property taxes in a comprehensive manner....

Ssangyong Creditors To Take Legal Action Against Unionists.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Creditors of Ssangyong Motors Co. said Sunday they plan to take legal action against the carmaker's unionized workers who strongly oppose to the sale of the company to a Chinese business group. A creditor official...

Two Former Roh Aides Face Additional Bribery Charges.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Two former aides to President Roh Moo-hyun, on trial on corruption charges, will face additional charges of receiving illegal funds after the 2002 presidential election, prosecution officials said Sunday. Ahn...

Riot Police Dispatched to Arrest An Opposition Legislator.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- More than 100 riot police surrounded the headquarters of an opposition party in Seoul Sunday to arrest a politician charged with corruption. Hahn Hwa-kap, a two-time legislator from the Millennium Democratic...

(LEAD) Two Former Roh Aides Face Additional Bribery Charges.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Two former aides to President Roh Moo-hyun, on trial on corruption charges, will face additional charges of receiving illegal funds after the 2002 presidential election, prosecution officials said Sunday. Ahn...

Cold Weather to Linger Until Weekend.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Winter chills are expected to sweep over the country this week, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Monday. The weather agency said strong winds will blow into the peninsula Monday afternoon, pushing...

15 Passengers Injured in Bus Accident.
February 1, 2004... ANDONG, South Korea, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A bus carrying 31 people en route to a wedding overturned near this provincial town Sunday after hitting a roadblock, injuring 15 of them, police said. There were no fatalities in the mishap which...

Lee Chul-seung, Ryu Seung-min Knocked Out of Greek Open.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean table tennis duo Lee Chul-seung and Ryu Seung-min failed to reach the semifinals in the men's doubles at the Pro Tour Greek Open held in Athens Sunday. Despite taking the first two games, the South Korean...

U.S. Envoy Optimistic on Fresh Nuclear Talks This Month.
February 1, 2004... INCHEON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Washington's point man on North Korea said Sunday he is optimistic about holding a fresh round of multilateral talks on the communist state's nuclear weapons program this month. U.S. Assistant Secretary of...

(LEAD) U.S. Envoy Optimistic on Fresh Nuclear Talks This Month.
February 1, 2004... By Kim Hyung-jin SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prospects are high for an early resumption of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear crisis, possibly in February, a South Korean official said Sunday. Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Su-hyuck...

Son of Ex-President Kim Returns MDP.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kim Hong-il, eldest son of former President Kim Dae-jung, returned to the opposition Millennium Democratic Party Sunday, withdrawing his previous decision to quit the embattled party, founded by his father. ...

South Korean Foreign Minister Returns From Manila Forum.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon returned home Sunday after attending an international forum which discussed North Korea's nuclear crisis. During the Forum of East Asia and Latin America Cooperation in...

American Movie Distributors to Attend 'Taegukgi' Preview.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Officials from American movie distributors will attend a preview of the movie "Taegukgi," this week, a step aimed at releasing the South Korean film in the U.S., its production company said Sunday. KJG Film said...

KTF Gains Most Through Mobile Phone Number-Switching.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Since the introduction of the number portability rule, more subscribers have switched to KTF Co. than to its rival, LG Telecom Ltd., KTF said Sunday. Since the introduction of the rule, which allows subscribers to...

South Korean Teenager Joins France's F.C. Sochaux.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Anyang Cheetahs forward Cho Won-kwang has agreed to a three-and-a-half year contract with French first division club F.C. Sochaux, the player's agent said Sunday. According to KM Sports, the 18-year-old will receive a...

Chicken Deliveries to U.S. Bases Uninterrupted; Report.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. military bases in South Korea will continue to receive fresh chicken deliveries from local suppliers despite the Korean government's mass slaughter of fowl to contain the highly contagious bird flu, an American...

Population Increase Rate Lowest in 30 Years.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's population increase rate stood at 0.32 percent this year, the lowest rate in 30 years, a government report said Sunday. A total of 48,387,007 people registered their residency with the government as...

Department Store Sale Dip in January After December Gains.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- After making a comeback in December, department store sales dropped off again in January, industry sources said Sunday. Market watchers said the on-year drop in sales, following a short-lived rebound, reflected...

(LEAD) South Korea's Trade Surplus Hit Record Highs in January.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus neared US$3 billion in January, the highest figure since late 1998, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The ministry said the country exported $19.0 billion worth...

Deputy PM Says Seoul to Strive for Labor Pact.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Kim Jin-pyo said Sunday that the government will push for a broad social pact on labor and employment issues by Feb. 12. Appearing on a discussion show on KBS 1TV, the official said there is...

Sunday's Weather Forecast.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 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 7/1 Sunny ...

New Airport Immigration Booths Built for Foreign Investors.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- New booths have been set up at the immigration bureau at the Incheon International Airport for foreign investors visiting South Korea, the Justice Ministry said Sunday. The booths, dubbed "Premier Lane," will allow a...

Trading Partners Move to Restrict S.Korean Exports.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trading partners are moving to impose trade restrictions that could pose challenges for the country, the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency and Korea International Trade Association said Sunday. ...

(LEAD)Think Tank Chief Opposes Intervention in Foreign Exchange.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2, (Yonhap) -- The head of the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy (KIEP) said Monday that the government should keep foreign exchange in the hands of the market. KIEP President Ahn Choong-yong said during a radio...

Renault Samsung Motors See January Sales Dip 40 Pct on-year.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Inc. said Monday its car sales tumbled 39.9 percent in January from a year ago. Renault Samsung Motors sold 6,739 units on the domestic market, while exporting 113 vehicles in the first month...

BOK Ready to 'Intervene' in Currency Market by Printing More Won.
February 1, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea said Sunday that it is ready to prevent sudden fluctuations in the foreign exchange market by exercising its authority to print more money. The central bank said the purpose of such a step would...

China Places Anti-dumping Tariffs on S. Korean Phenol.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- China has imposed anti-dumping tariffs on imports of phenol from South Korea, the United States, Japan and Taiwan, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said Monday. In its final ruling issued on Sunday,...

Creditors Threaten to Cut Off Funds for Ssangyong Motor.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Creditors for Ssangyong Motor Co., denouncing a bid by unionists to block the firm's sale to a Chinese investor, threatened Monday to suspend their financial support of the ailing South Korean automaker. Ssangyong...

KTF Sees Sales Fall 4.6 Pct in 2003.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- KTF Co., South Korea's number two mobile phone operator, said Monday it posted 5.08 trillion won (US$4.33 billion) in sales last year, down 4.58 percent from 2002. Its operating and net profits also retreated, by...

Gov't to Create 110,000 New Jobs in Venture, Small Companies.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will help create about 110,000 new jobs this year by streamlining regulations and spurring facility investment in mid-and small-sized companies, the commerce ministry said Monday. In a report to...

Won Closes Higher against Dollar.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won finished higher against the dollar on strong foreign buying Monday, while the nation's key bond yield edged up. The won gained 3.30 to the dollar to end at 1,170.40, and the yield on three-year...

LG Chem Targets 43-Percent Rise in Net Profits This Year.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's largest chemical company, said Monday it aims to achieve 48.5 billion won in net profits this year, up 43.3 percent from a year earlier. The company set a target of 6.27 trillion won in...

South Korea's Auto Sales Inch Down 2.3 Percent in January.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's domestic automotive sales marked a further slide in January, falling 39.4 percent from a year ago to 75,794 units, industry figures showed Monday. In contrast to the protracted downturn in local...

Samsung Corning, SGV to Set Up Joint Venture in S. Korea.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Corning Co., a Korean producer of braun tube glass, and Saint-Gobain-Vetrotex (SGV), the world's largest glass fiber maker, have agreed to establish a joint venture that will manufacture glass paste for...

Total Number of Large Conglomerate Affiliates Increases: FTC.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The total number of affiliates of the 48 conglomerates with assets worth more than 2 trillion won (US$1.71 billion) rose by two to 849 last month, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Monday. Under South Korean...

Seoul Shares Rise Thanks to Foreign Buying.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Share prices on South Korea's main bourse rose Monday after four days of falling as foreign investors took a net-buy position, analysts said. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, the barometer of the Korea Stock...

Doosan Heavy Wins Deal to Supply Boilers for New Power Plants.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co. said Monday it has been singled out as the preferred bidder for the supply of boilers for two new thermal power plants scheduled to be built in western South Korea. ...

Stock Market Likely to Experience Correction Next Week.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's main bourse is expected to go through a correction phase next week following early gains in coming into this year, market sources said Saturday. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, the barometer...

BOK Considers Credit Lines with Commercial Lenders.
February 2, 2004... By Kwak Young-sup SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) is considering establishing credit lines with commercial banks in an effort to provide them with low-rate funds, the central bank said Monday. "We are pushing for the...

Korea Land Corp. to Give Construction Orders Worth 1.28 Tln Won.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Land Corp. said Monday it will give out 107 construction orders worth 1.28 trillion won(US$1.09 billion) this year. "We increased the orders by about 6 percent from last year to boost demand...

Volvo Korea to Recall 445 Cars.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Volvo Korea said Monday it will recall three different car models built in 2004 because of minor defects in their front wheel alignment. The recall will affect a total of 445 cars, comprising 250 units of the S80...

Renault Samsung Motors See January Sales Dip 40 Pct on-year.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Inc. said Monday its car sales tumbled 39.9 percent in January from a year ago. Renault Samsung Motors sold 6,739 units on the domestic market, while exporting 113 vehicles in the first month...

(LEAD)Think Tank Chief Opposes Intervention in Foreign Exchange.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2, (Yonhap) -- The head of the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy (KIEP) said Monday that the government should keep foreign exchange in the hands of the market. KIEP President Ahn Choong-yong said during a radio...

DC Chemical Chairman Lee to Head Korea Employers Federation.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- DC Chemical Group Chairman Lee Soo-young will soon be named as the new head of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), one of the nation's top five pro-management economic bodies, its top official said Monday. ...

Ssangyong Motor Sale Likely to Be Delayed by Unionist Protests.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Procedures for a takeover of South Korea's Ssangyong Motor Co. by a Chinese petrochemical producer are being delayed by opposition from the carmaker's unionists. According to Ssangyong creditors Monday, they recently...

(LEAD) South Korea's Trade Surplus Hit Record Highs in January.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus neared US$3 billion in January, the highest figure since late 1998, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The ministry said the country exported $19.0 billion worth...

Chinese Couple Apparently Murdered in South Korea.
February 2, 2004... ANYANG, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese couple were found dead at their home in this provincial city Saturday, apparently an act of murder, police said. Police said a 55-year-old Korean-Chinese man, identified only as Choi, and a 37-year-old...

Trading Partners Move to Restrict S.Korean Exports.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trading partners are moving to impose trade restrictions that could pose challenges for the country, the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency and Korea International Trade Association said Sunday. ...

BOK Set to Tackle Inflationary Pressure Preemptively.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) will take preemptive measures to keep possible inflationary pressures in check, South Korea's top central banker said Monday. "The central bank will carry out its monetary policy this year...

Regional Forum Shows Support for Peaceful End to N. Korea's Nuke Crisis.
February 2, 2004... MANILA, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister said Saturday that East Asian and Latin American countries showed their support for Seoul's efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis peacefuly. Ban Ki-moon said the...

Arrest Warrant Issued for Ranking Opposition Leader.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Saturday approved a prosecution request to arrest a senior opposition legislator on bribery charges after he failed to appear for arraignment. Han Hwa-gap, a two-term legislator from the No. 2...

South Korea's Trade Surplus Hit Record Highs in January.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus neared US$3 billion in January, the highest figure since late 1998, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The ministry said the country exported $19.0 billion worth...

Foreign Securities Firms Sway 15 Pct of Stocks Trading in S.Korea.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign securities firms were responsible for 15 percent of stock trading in South Korea in January, the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE) said Monday. According to the KSE, the turnover of 13 foreign securities firms...

BOK Ready to 'Intervene' in Currency Market by Printing More Won.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea said Sunday that it is ready to prevent sudden fluctuations in the foreign exchange market by exercising its authority to print more money. The central bank said the purpose of such a step would...

Apartment Fire Kills Three in Seoul.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A fire swept through an apartment in Seoul Saturday night, killing three family members, police said. Police identified the victims as a former professor of Seoul National University, his wife and his mother-in-law....

Brucellosis Resurfaces in Korea, Raising New Concern About Cattle.
February 2, 2004... JEONGEUP, South Korea, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Brucellosis, an infectious disease which can cause miscarriages in cows and chronic flu-like symptoms in humans, has reemerged in South Korea, sending shudders through the domestic cattle industry,...

Tax Filing Date to Take Account of Bank Holidays.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday that filing dates for taxes will be rescheduled if it falls on the weekend. The country's top economic policymaking body said clarification was necessary because...

Gov't Plans to Make KIC's Assets Highly Liquid.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government will make the assets of an envisioned state investment agency readily convertible into cash to ensure a cushion against crisis, government officials said Monday. In an effort to turn...

Homegrown Movie Sets South Korea's Box Office Record.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- "Silmido," a South Korean film featuring an unfinished scheme to assassinate North Korea's leader in the late 1960s, set the nation's new box-office record by attracting nearly 8.3 million viewers, its distributor...

Deputy PM Says Seoul to Strive for Labor Pact.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Kim Jin-pyo said Sunday that the government will push for a broad social pact on labor and employment issues by Feb. 12. Appearing on a discussion show on KBS 1TV, the official said there is...

(LEAD) Homegrown Movie Sets South Korea's Box Office Record.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- "Silmido," a South Korean film featuring an unfinished scheme to assassinate North Korea's leader in the late 1960s, set the nation's new box-office record by attracting nearly 8.3 million viewers, its distributor...

Tire Exports to Mexico Could be Blocked from February.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean tire exports to Mexico may be blocked starting this year due to a sharp rise in customs duties, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said Sunday. The trade agency said the decision by...

Department Store Sale Dip in January After December Gains.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- After making a comeback in December, department store sales dropped off again in January, industry sources said Sunday. Market watchers said the on-year drop in sales, following a short-lived rebound, reflected...

Arrears Rate for SMEs, Service Sector, Small Loans Rising: BOK.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The payment delay rate for loans taken out by small-and medium-sized companies, the service sector and whose amounts are small are on the rise, the Bank of Korea said Sunday. The central bank said in its...

Dacom to Offer Wireless Internet Service at Incheon Airport.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Dacom Corp. said Sunday it will offer its users high-speed wireless Internet service at Incheon International Airport starting this week. The company said its AirLAN will be operation on Monday at four special...

S. Korean Bank Branches in U.S. Report $19.3 Mln Deficit Last Year.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- American branches of South Korean banks reported a deficit of US$19.3 million in 2003, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said Sunday. The state regulator said among the eight banks that have U.S. branch...

S. KOREAN CONSUMER PRICES UP 0.6 PCT IN JANUARY.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- Consumer prices in South Korea rose in January largely on sharp increases in the prices of agricultural and seafood products, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Monday. Overall, commodity prices in January...

Foreign Minister Meets U.S. North Korea Negotiator.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon met the chief U.S. negotiator for multilateral nuclear talks with North Korea on Monday and discussed the nuclear and other issues. Ban's meeting with U.S. Assistant...

THINK TANK CHIEF OPPOSES INTERVENTION IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2, Asia Pulse -- The head of the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy (KIEP) said Monday that the government should keep foreign exchange in the hands of the market. KIEP President Ahn Choong-yong said during a radio...

DC CHEMICAL CHAIRMAN LEE TO HEAD KOREA EMPLOYERS FEDERATION.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- DC Chemical Group Chairman Lee Soo-young will soon be named as the new head of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), one of the nation's top five pro-management economic bodies, its top official said Monday. ...

WOORI MOVES TO ATTRACT FOREIGN INVESTMENT FOR SONGDO DEVELOPMENT.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- Financial advisors for a government plan to turn part of a western South Korean port city abutting Seoul into an international business center have mapped out a blueprint to lure foreign investment for the...

SSANGYONG MOTOR SALE LIKELY TO BE DELAYED BY UNIONIST PROTESTS.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- Procedures for a takeover of South Korea's Ssangyong Motor Co. by a Chinese petrochemical producer are being delayed by opposition from the carmaker's unionists. According to Ssangyong creditors Monday, they recently...

KOREAN AIR'S BID FOR KAI FACES ROUGH SAILING.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- Korean Air's attempt to take over Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the nation's sole aircraft producer, hit a snag due to difficulties in negotiations with one of KAI's top shareholders, industry insiders said...

FOREIGN SECURITIES FIRMS SWAY 15 PCT OF STOCKS TRADING IN S.KOREA.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- Foreign securities firms were responsible for 15 percent of stock trading in South Korea in January, the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE) said Monday. According to the KSE, the turnover of 13 foreign securities firms...

BOK SET TO TACKLE INFLATIONARY PRESSURE PREEMPTIVELY.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) will take preemptive measures to keep possible inflationary pressures in check, South Korea's top central banker said Monday. "The central bank will carry out its monetary policy this year...

GOV'T PLANS TO MAKE KIC'S ASSETS HIGHLY LIQUID.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 Asia Pulse -- The South Korean government will make the assets of an envisioned state investment agency readily convertible into cash to ensure a cushion against crisis, government officials said Monday. In an effort to turn...

Agricultural Land Shrinks 0.9 Percent Last Year.
February 2, 2004... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The amount of land used for agriculture in South Korea decreased 0.9 percent last year, reflecting the nation's unrelenting urbanization, a state agriculture agency said Monday. The total amount of cultivated...