YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from February 2006

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from February 2006

Hyundai Motor's January vehicle sales rise 5.4 pct.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Wednesday its January vehicle sales gained 5.4 percent from a year ago, helped by higher domestic sales. Hyundai Motor sold 205,755 cars last month, with...

S. Korea's auto sales rise 12.5 pct in January.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean automakers, led by Hyundai Motor Co., posted an annual 12.5 percent increase in sales in January, powered by strong foreign demand, data showed Wednesday. The nation's five automakers sold 446,795 units...

WTO members committed to meeting Doha Agenda deadline: official.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Members of the World Trade Organization have confirmed their commitment to pressing ahead with global trade liberalization talks, raising expectations that they will conclude the talks by the deadline of the end of...

Gov't survey finds performance art still dependent on funding.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's fledgling market for performance art depends on the government for almost two-thirds of its income, a survey suggested Wednesday. The art form receives 68 percent of its annual gross income from...

(LEAD) S. Korea's Dacom posts record earnings in 2005.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Dacom Corp., South Korea's No. 2 fixed-line carrier, said Wednesday its 2005 earnings hit a record high on strong Internet business, with its fourth-quarter net profit soaring more than 150 percent. Net profit came...

Daewoo International 2005 earnings soar on equity gains.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean trading company Daewoo International Corp. said Wednesday its net profit jumped more than 50 percent in fiscal year 2005 thanks to an increase in gains from equity investments. Net profit amounted to...

Hyundai Hysco develops waterproof, pre-sealed steel for cars.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's fourth-largest steelmaker Hyundai Hysco Co. said Wednesday it has developed a new type of steel plate for cars that will prevent them from rusting. The pre-sealed steel plate will improve cars'...

GM Daewoo's vehicle sales jump 59.6 percent in January.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., South Korea's third-largest automaker, said Wednesday its January vehicles sales jumped 59.6 percent from a year ago. GM Daewoo sold a total of 117,420 vehicles in January with...

LG Insurance Q3 earnings plunge on auto insurance loss ratio.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Insurance Co., South Korea's No. 2 non-life insurer, said Wednesday its net profit plunged more than 60 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 from a year earlier on the back of a rising auto insurance-related...

Prosecutors look into ethical problems with stem cell research.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors are preparing to question six Hanyang University medical professors over possible ethical lapses concerning the acquisition of human ova for research purposes by troubled stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk,...

Number of counterfeit banknotes nearly triples in 2005.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of fake bills detected in South Korea nearly tripled in 2005 from a year earlier as a result of increased attempts to counterfeit 5,000-won (US$5.20) notes, the nation's central bank said Wednesday. ...

S. Korea's mobile banking more than doubles in 2005.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily banking transactions conducted through mobile phones more than doubled in 2005 from a year earlier on a rise in the number of handheld devices exclusively for mobile banking, the nation's central...

(LEAD) Former President Kim voices wish to revisit N. Korea in April.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Former President Kim Dae-jung said Wednesday that he wants to meet again with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to help ease cross-border tension and the dispute over the North's nuclear programs. Kim said he wishes...

Seoul shares drop on correction, US rate hike woes.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks lost ground Wednesday morning due to a correction from recent surges and worries over additional US rate hikes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 12.49 points, or 0.89...

S Korea's credit outlook stable, structural weaknesses remain: S&P.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The credit outlook for the South Korean economy is stable for the year on recovering domestic demand and strong exports, a global ratings agency said Wednesday. However, there are still lingering governance and...

US will not forget N. K., other undemocratic nations: Bush.
February 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- US President George W. Bush, championing democracy and freedom in his State of the Union address Tuesday, vowed not to forget the plight of people in North Korea and other parts of the world that see little in...

(2nd LD) S. Korean export growth falls sharply in January.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's export growth slowed down sharply in January, hit by the Korean won's strength against the US dollar and shorter working days, the government said Wednesday. Exports rose a mere 4.3 percent from a year...

Local insurer Meritz Fire reports 10 pct decline in Q1-3 earnings.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance Co., South Korea's No. 5 non-life insurer, said Wednesday its earnings in the first nine months of fiscal 2005 fell more than 10 percent on-year due to a rise in auto insurance-related...

(2nd LD) S. Korean won gains for second day on capital inflows.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's currency rose against the US dollar for a second consecutive day on Wednesday on continued inflows of foreign capital and the country's improving economy. The Korean won, which opened at 963.10 won...

(LEAD) Ssangyong Motor sacks 8 executives amid grim earnings forecasts.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., controlled by Chinese automaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., said Wednesday it has sacked eight executives in the company's second senior-level cutback in two months. The announcement...

Japan inspects all S. Korean paprika for excess pesticides.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japan has started to inspect all South Korean paprika for excessive use of chemical pesticides, the government said Wednesday. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare notified Seoul of its decision after...

S. Korean shipbuilders' facility investments to rise in 2006.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Facility investments by South Korean shipbuilders are expected to rise 4 percent from a year earlier to 1.25 trillion won (US$1.3 billion), mainly to increase automated systems and bolster research and development...

(2nd LD) S. Korean inflation rate accelerates in January.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices rose at the fastest pace in eight months in January, mainly due to a rise in prices of agricultural products and public services ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, a government report...

Koreas to exchange lists of separated families for reunions.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Setting the stage for another round of family reunions, South and North Korea were to exchange lists of names Wednesday of people enquiring as to whether their long-lost relatives across the inter-Korean border are...

Seoul moves to cut tax benefits for welfare spending.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is accelerating its efforts to cut a variety of tax incentives in a bid to help fund increasing spending on social welfare policies. On Tuesday, the government announced a plan to cut down on tax...

Seoul shares start lower on fall in US stocks.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday as an overnight drop on Wall Street set a negative tone for the local market. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) lost 5.51 points, or 0.39 percent, to...

Kia Motors to open sales unit in Australia next month.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Wednesday it will set up a sales unit in Australia next month to boost sales. Kia Motors aims to sell 30,000 cars in Australia this year, compared with...

EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Wednesday February 1, 2006.(Editorial)
February 1, 2006... Best not to go to Yasukuni The Japanese Foreign Minister, Taro Aso, said it would be "best" for the Japanese emperor to pay his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine. This probably means that the emperor, who represents Japan as a symbol and thus...

EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Wednesday February 1, 2006.(Editorial)
February 1, 2006... Political thaw: Conflict still looms over revision of school reform law At long last, the nearly two-month political stalemate has been resolved with the main opposition Grand National Party returning to the National Assembly today, putting...

EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Wednesday February 1, 2006.(Editorial)
February 1, 2006... Foreign capital myths The Bank of Korea announced this week that foreign investors earned almost $11.5 billion in Korea last year. Of this, $7.5 billion came in the form of dividends and $3.95 in interest payments. On the other hand, Korean...

Bush to stress competitiveness, end to tyranny in State of Union.
February 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- US President George W. Bush will emphasize his continued efforts to end tyranny across the world in his State of the Union address later Tuesday, the White House said. Excerpts of the speech released prior to...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers: Wednesday February 1, 2006.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Wednesday February 1, 2006. Vernacular dailies -- Foreign funds indicted for rigging stock prices, British fund Hermes faces 7.3 billion won in...

KITA opens Washington office ahead of FTA talks.
February 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) opened its Washington office Tuesday as South Korea and the United States prepare to start negotiations on a free-trade agreement. The KITA Washington...

NYT looks back at Paik Nam-june's pioneer art in obituary.
February 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean video artist Paik Nam-june was a pioneer who challenged popular notions about culture and television throughout his career that spanned half a century across three continents, the New York Times said...

Former S. Korean president confirms plan to visit N. Korea: German daily.
February 1, 2006... BERLIN, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung confirmed his plan to visit North Korea by train when the weather gets warmer, a German newspaper reported Monday. Kim told a group of ruling party officials who visited...

(LEAD) Hwang Woo-suk ordered manipulation of stem cells: researcher.
February 1, 2006... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A senior member of discredited cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk's research team claimed on Tuesday that Hwang had instructed him to manipulate stem cell samples for DNA testing, members on an...

NK agency denounces Japan's imperialism 100 years ago in Korea.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean committee has denounced the establishment of the Japanese government-general in Korea 100 years ago, the state-run (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Tuesday. A committee...

Samsung sued by Matsushita over alleged patent infringement.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Japan's Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. filed a legal suit against South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday over alleged patent infringement, according to Samsung Tuesday. Samsung said in...

S. Korea's railroad chief postpones NK visit.
February 1, 2006... DAEJEON, South Korea, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run railroad operator said Tuesday that its president has postponed a visit to North Korea that was scheduled for early February. Lee Chul, head of the Korea National Railroad...

S. Korean tax authorities probe foreign-based financial firms.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's tax watchdog is conducting tax investigations of overseas-based financial firms, a tax source said Tuesday. A number of companies, which include Citibank Korea, Deutsche Bank, UBS, BNP Paribas and...

Prime minister to visit African nations early next month.
February 1, 2006... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister Lee Hae-chan will travel early next month to two African nations, including South Africa, his office said Tuesday. Lee will depart here next Tuesday to attend the 7th...

(LEAD) Gov't raises district heating prices to cope with high oil costs.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Tuesday it will raise prices of district heating as of February 1 to cope with sharp hikes in international crude oil. Prices will go up 14.86 percent...

Earwax analysis reveals Korean race originate from Mongolians.
February 1, 2006... DAEGU, South Korea, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and Japanese scientists claimed Tuesday that the Korean race originated from the Mongolians in Northern China through analysis of the earwax of different races. Kim Dae-kwang, an...

Grave of Korea's first bishop found in Inner Mongolia.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The Catholic community here said Tuesday that it has located the grave of Korea's first bishop, who died in Mongolia on his way to enter Korea during a period of religious persecution in the 19th century. Father...

Extraordinary National Assembly session to kick off Wednesday.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Ending nearly two months of political deadlock, South Korea's National Assembly is to commence a month-long extraordinary session from Wednesday. Floor leaders of the ruling Uri Party and the main opposition Grand...

(LEAD) Seoul shares end higher on heavy foreign buying.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Tuesday as foreign investors snapped up blue chips such as tech giant Samsung Electronics and leading steelmaker POSCO. The South Korean won strengthened against the US dollar. The...

S. Korean Bond Yields on Wednesday January 31, 2006.
February 1, 2006... Today (%) Previous Day (%) Change (%P) 1-year TB 4.60 4.60 -- 3-year TB 4.92 4.93 -0.01 10-year TB 5.44 5.45 -0.01 2-year MSB 4.89 4.90 -0.01 3-year CB (AA-) 5.42 5.42 -- 91-Day CD 4.18...

Golfer Wie to play in professional men's tournament in S. Korea.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Teenage golfing prodigy Michelle Wie will make her eighth attempt to make the cut in a men's professional golf tournament in May in South Korea, the tournament's organizer said Tuesday. Wie's first challenge to...

LG. Philips overtakes Samsung as world's top LCD maker in 2005.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- LG. Philips LCD Co. overtook close rival Samsung Electronics Co. to become the world's largest manufacturer of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) last year, according to market researcher DisplaySearch Tuesday. LG....

S. Korea, India agree on mobile cooperation.
February 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and India have agreed to work together in the mobile broadcasting sector, paving the way for Seoul to export its digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) technology, the government said Tuesday. The...

Today in Korean History: February 1.
February 1, 2006... 1952 -- The Korea Veterans Association launched. 1968 -- Construction of the Seoul-Busan expressway begins. 1989 -- The country forms diplomatic relations with Hungary, its first formal relations with a communist state. 1989 -- South...

Yonhap News Summary: Thursday February 2, 2006.
February 2, 2006... The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday February 2, 2006. --------------- South Korea, US to announce start of FTA negotiations WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States will...

Tax deduction cuts needed to improve welfare in S. Korea: official.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean government plan to cut tax deductions for salaried workers to finance social welfare and child support programs is a well-thought-out policy, a senior official said Thursday. Speaking at a weekly...

Seoul shares trim earlier losses on reduced foreign selling.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks pared earlier losses Thursday afternoon as foreign investors reduced their selling. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) fell 9.12 points, or 0.66 percent, to 1,366.85 as of 1:20...

Prosecutors raid stem cell scientist Hwang's home again.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors raided again the house of once-celebrated stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk and eight of his collaborators, suspecting that they contacted each other to cover up the truth behind Hwang's fabricated data in...

Ruling party to elect candidates for chairmanship.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling party will select eight finalists from nine registered candidates eyeing the party leadership at a preliminary election Thursday. The eight contenders will campaign to persuade Uri Party members...

S. Korea putting final touches on start of trade talks with U. S.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, is preparing to announce the launch of much-awaited free trade talks with the United States, government officials said Thursday. Finance and trade ministry officials say the...

Cheong Wa Dae regrets lawmaker's disclosure of classified document.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The office of President Roh Moo-hyun expressed regret Thursday at a Uri Party lawmaker's disclosure of a classified document concerning the South Korea-US military alliance. Rep. Choi Jae-cheon of the ruling Uri Party...

S. Korea's home shopping industry expands in 2005: sources.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's home shopping industry boomed in 2005 as the economy started to recover from a two-year slump, industry sources said Thursday. The nation's five major home shopping firms saw their ordinary income jump...

Seoul to grant military medal to late Korean-American war vet.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Thursday it will posthumously confer its highest military medal on a former U. S. war veteran of Korean ancestry who played a key role in defeating North Korean invaders during the Korean War. The...

One in two S. Korean preschoolers use Internet.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Nearly one in every two preschoolers in South Korea uses the Internet daily as its appeal and accessibility grow to encompass the younger children, a government poll showed Thursday. According to the survey by the...

Gov't to disclose rice production data to cope with imports.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to release rice production forecasts on a regular basis as the country prepares for an influx of foreign imports, the government said Thursday. The forecasts, to be announced from September, will...

S. Korea's business confidence remains solid for February: poll.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean business confidence for February edged down from a month earlier, but the majority of companies were upbeat about their business this month despite the won's strength against the US dollar and high-flying...

The Korea Interbank Offered Rates(KORIBOR).
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 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. Thursday February 2, 2006. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W...

S. Korean Red Cross delivers donation for Katrina victims.
February 2, 2006... WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The president of South Korea's Red Cross delivered US$6 million in donation to his organization's American counterpart Wednesday to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The money was the last installment of $20...

S. Korean shipbuilders' orders sink 26.6 pct in 2005.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Total orders won by South Korean shipbuilders fell by more than a quarter last year on an annual basis amid the industry's downturn worldwide, a trade association said Thursday. The aggregate orders amounted to 12...

S. Korean won drops against US dollar.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won fell against the US dollar on Thursday after two consecutive days of sharp gains, as investors bet an additional US rate hike may make the greenback stronger down the road, dealers said. The...

Online games buzz sees Neowiz post profit in Q4.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Neowiz Corp., a South Korean online gaming company, said Thursday that its fourth-quarter earnings swung to profit thanks to brisk demand for its Internet-based games. For the quarter ended Dec. 31, net income...

South Korea, US to announce start of FTA negotiations.
February 2, 2006... WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will announce the start of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations Thursday on Capitol Hill with a July 2007 deadline in mind. The talks will begin in May after three months of...

(LEAD) Daum sells financial info site to US firm.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Daum Communications Corp., South Korea's second most-popular Internet portal, said Thursday its U. S. subsidiary Lycos Inc. has sold a financial information unit to a US company for US$30 million. Lycos sold...

(LEAD) S. Korea's service sector output hits 3-year high in December.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's service sector output grew to a 36-month high in December, fueled by gains in such sectors as finance, real estate and telecommunications, a government report said Thursday. The 6.5-percent gain...

EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Thursday February 2, 2006.(Editorial)
February 2, 2006... Fate of troops in Iraq; projected pullout of Japanese forces to touch off debate A fresh debate looms over the extension of the stay of the Korean troops in Iraq, fueled by news that Japan will withdraw its forces from the war-torn country...

EDITORIAL from the Chosun Ilbo on Thursday February 2, 2006.(Editorial)
February 2, 2006... Seoul risks becoming shrimp between US and N. Korea "At the start of 2006, more than half the people of our world live in democratic nations," Bush said in his state-of-the-union address on Capitol Hill. But "we do not forget the other half...

EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Thursday February 2, 2006.(Editorial)
February 2, 2006... Legacy of Vietnam War A South Korean high court made a landmark ruling last week, ordering two US manufacturers of the Vietnam War-era defoliant "Agent Orange" to compensate Korean veterans for the health problems it had caused. The ruling...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers: Thursday February 2, 2006.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Thursday February 2, 2006. Vernacular dailies -- U. S., S. Korea agree on strategic flexibility of US forces (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Complaints...

S. Korea's foreign exchange reserves surge in January.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves jumped by US$6.5 billion in January from a month earlier as a weaker US currency increased the dollar-conversion value of non-dollar assets, the nation's central bank said...

S. Korean banks' bad debt ratio falls to 7-year low in 2005.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks' bad debt ratio fell to its lowest level in seven years in 2005 as the lenders took bad loans off their balance sheets through debt write-offs, the nation's top financial watchdog said Thursday. ...

(LEAD) Hill calls on NK to take the next step to denuclearize.
February 2, 2006... By Lee Dong-min WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The top US nuclear negotiator with North Korea said Wednesday atomic weapons development is a "curse" that the isolated regime appears reluctant to shake. Assistant Secretary of State...

Denmark beat South Korea 3-1 in Carlsberg Cup Football.
February 2, 2006... HONG KONG, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean national football team's unbeaten record against European teams was halted at eight after they lost to Denmark, 3-1, in the Carlsberg Cup here on Wednesday night. Denmark lifted the Cup after two...

(LEAD) Roh calls S. Korea-US relations normal.
February 2, 2006... By Yoo Cheong-mo SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday defined the present relations between South Korea and the US as "very normal and proceeding by principle," his spokesman Kim Man-soo said. The...

US 'strategic flexibility' doesn't violate defense treaty: official.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied a claim that South Korea's recognition of "strategic flexibility" of US troops on its soil runs afoul of a bilateral defense treaty primarily aimed at deterring North Korean...

S. Korean theology professor dies of heart attack in Thailand.
February 2, 2006... BANGKOK, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean theology professor died from a heart attack on Wednesday while visiting a popular tourist location in Thailand, the South Korean embassy here said. The 51-year old academic, identified as Bang...

S. Korean parties have mixed reactions to Bush's comment on N. K.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's political parties responded in different ways to the State of Union address by U. S. President George W. Bush in which he called North Korea an undemocratic nation. "At the start of 2006, more than...

Extraordinary National Assembly session commences.
February 2, 2006... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Assembly commenced a month-long extraordinary session Wednesday, ending two months of political stalemate. "It is highly notable that the deadlock finally ended after the floor leaders from...